Good books – the 2026 summer edition
Hi.
It’s been a while.
The last time I recommended some books was at the end of 2024, and since then, I have read a bunch of new, pretty good ones. So here’s a list to power your beach sessions this summer.
The Peripheral. Unbelievably cool people throw unbelievably cool one-liners at each other while Gibson spins up a not-that-far-future world that’s utterly terrifying and completely believable. Unfortunately, these fun and fresh concepts are surrounded by a fairly unremarkable story played out by a cast of characters who are largely the same quippy, hypercompetent person in different flavors. Still, if you loved Black Mirror or anything remotely cyberpunk, this’ll be a fun ride for you. ★★★
Deep End. If you are a high-achieving people pleaser and/or have played competitive sports, you’ll probably connect with the protagonist of the book, Scarlett Vandermeer, quite easily. I sure did. Deep End is a funny, fast romance novel from Ali Hazelwood and a poignant examination of how false self-narratives can warp our lives and keep us alone even when what we crave is staring us in the face. ★★★★★
11/22/63. This is one of the most Stephen King books I have ever read from Stephen King. Through a series of odd events, Jake Epping, a thirty-something teacher, finds himself in 1950’s America. His goal would be to prevent JFK’s assassination and thus, hopefully, right many of the wrongs of our current world. But it’s a long way until November 22, 1963, and as it turns out, the past isn’t that keen on being changed. If you enjoy King or time loop shenanigans, this will be a very entertaining read, I promise. ★★★★
Play Nice: The Rise, Fall, and Future Of Blizzard Entertainment. I think there are three kinds of people who would really enjoy this book. One, current or former fans of Blizzard’s games. Two, those who enjoy learning about the weird world of game development. And three, masochists who inflict the occasional psychic damage upon themselves by listening to stories about neoliberal capitalism grinding everything and everyone into dust in the name of shareholder value. I sit squarely in the middle of this Venn diagram, so Jason Schreier’s newest book was a real treat. ★★★★★
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow. Gabrielle Zevin’s novel is one of those stories where the less you know about it before you start reading, the better. On the surface, it’s the decades-long story of a fictional gaming company. Under it, a sharp rendition of the struggle and joy of a long friendship complicated by creative partnership. Gorgeously written, full of humanity. Loved it. ★★★★★
Annie Bot. I love social science fiction. The kind of stories where the how of the technology is less important than the why, or the ripple effects it causes down the line. Annie Bot imagines a near future where you don’t have to deal with building a messy, real romantic relationship—you can just build the perfect (and perfectly docile) companion for yourself. But what happens if that companion, in the pursuit of trying to please you, starts to find herself instead? ★★★★
Bring Up the Bodies. The second book in Hilary Mantel’s trilogy about Thomas Cromwell, the right-hand man of Henry VIII, and so far my favorite read in 2026. It’s unusual that a sequel can maintain the momentum of the first book, but Bring Up the Bodies is easily as good as Wolf Hall was. The ever-mercurial Henry is souring on his marriage to Ann Boleyn, and as the jackals of the court get the scent of blood, Cromwell has to move deftly to keep himself, his family, and England in one piece. A fantastic, gorgeously written book and a testament to Mantel’s deep understanding of the nature of both people and power. ★★★★★
And that is it. Seven books for the summer in a wide variety of genres. Hopefully, you’ll find something on this list that you’ll enjoy.
If you have recommendations of your own, I’m always on the lookout for good things to read. You can drop me an email or find me on BlueSky anytime.
Cheers and happy reading!