Ditch every other “how to read more books” guide, because here’s the reality: I read more books in June and July than I’ve read in another 2-month period in my life. And I only made one change: deleting Instagram and TikTok from my phone.

I ended last semester feeling completely overwhelmed. The voice in my head was getting loud and critical. I was overwhelmed by schoolwork and when I got home, the hours seemed to drain by until it was time to go to bed and start again the next day. I never felt refreshed. I didn’t feel like I was living my life. I was just staying on top of the most important to-dos of the day.

So, I dedicated this summer to getting off my phone and into the real world. I deleted all social media apps and downloaded Substack. And (shocker!), I found that there are a lot more hours in the day.

If you’re feeling drained, depleted, overwhelmed, and ready for a break, this guide is for you. Because the only way I’ve been able to objectively analyze my screen time is to break my habit of picking up my phone.

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Tip #1: Diagnose your level of dependence

I am addicted to short form videos. I thought that deleting TikTok and Instagram would be enough. It wasn’t. As it turns out, I have no self control. A few weeks into the summer, I also deleted Pinterest and YouTube and blocked all of these websites on my phone’s browser. Because, I was literally scrolling through YouTube shorts and Googling Instagram rather than living my life.

Even two months later, I still feel that terrifying itch of boredom that can only be cured by the infinite scroll of the NYT cooking app or LinkedIn. Yikes. At least these habits are pitiful enough to shame me into putting my phone down. And I’m feeling this sad itch less and less.

I say all this to show that taking that first imperfect step is often enough to diagnose the real problem. At first, I thought I was choosing to spend too much time on a few entertaining, engaging apps. What I found out was that I was addicted to the act of scrolling, and it didn’t really matter what it was I was scrolling.

Tip #2: Download a book on your phone

Or the solitaire app. Or the NYT games app. Download your favorite hobby onto your phone.

Learn from my mistake: it’s going to be difficult to get off your phone and off of social media at the same time. The itch to scroll social media and the itch to pick up your phone are two related—but ultimately different—impulses. And I would urge you to kill one before looking at the other.

So, have a book downloaded for when you inevitably pick up your phone one hundred thousand times per day. Instead of resisting the urge to re-download Instagram, you have a more healthy alternative waiting for you.

Tip #3: You’re not productivity-maxxing

Repeat after me: just because you’re winning time back, doesn’t mean you should be more productive.

Every single day in July, I won back over an hour of my day that would have been spent staring down at my phone (scary!!). Think about what I could have done with that new time! How many more books I could have read. How many workouts I could have done. Seven extra hours per week is almost a part time job!

Do your absolute best not to fall into this trap of thinking. The reality is, I have the urge to pick up my phone in moments when I need to decompress. Yes, I did read more books than usual. But I also watched more tv. And did more yoga videos. And just hung out on the couch with my family.

Just because you’re gaining more hours in the day, doesn’t mean you have to get more done.

Tip #4: Don’t expect a magical cure

This isn’t going to solve all of your problems.

In the last year, my baseline level of stress and anxious thoughts has slowly risen, like I’m a frog in a boiling pot of water. I hoped that by limiting my social media use, I’d quiet the voice in my head.

That didn’t happen. At least, not yet.

But, my time and my mind have been opened to more mindfulness practices. I’m journaling almost every day and I added a short meditation practice into my daily routine.

Embracing one imperfect goal has opened my mind to other goals.

Tip #5: The goal is not perfection

I re-downloaded TikTok. The next day, I deleted it again. I scrolled on Youtube on my browser. Then, I found an appropriate browser blocker.

When I broke my no social media streak, I could have just quit. I could have scolded myself and told myself that I need to restart the two month goal.

Instead, I chose to make imperfect progress. And, slowly, it got easier.

It’s up to each individual person to find the balance between holding themselves accountable and making room for forgiveness.

I am going to take what I’ve learned into this summer into the semester. Here are the flexible rules I’m going to do my best to stick to, before reevaluating at the end of the year.

1. Absolutely no TikTok

2. Instagram and YouTube are only permitted on my laptop browser.

3. I can re-download the Pinterest app.

4. I’m going to keep my screen time widget on the home screen of my phone.

5. My goal is to keep my weekly screen time average under 2 hours.

I’m very curious to hear about your relationship with social media and your phone!

• Have you tried to limit your screen time or social media use?

• What tips and tricks do you use to keep yourself off your phone?

• What is your biggest struggle or success with your screen time?

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Let’s dive into July’s biggest publishing updates.

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The Front Page

Publishers Unionize

Employees at Hachette Book Group voted to join the Washington-Baltimore NewsGuild. They are the second Big Five publisher to unionize after Harper Collins. Days later, The University of Chicago Press staff voted to unionize with the Chicago NewsGuild. Both of these votes come just one month after Dark Horse Comics and Catapult Books successfully unionized.

So what…?

This is important news for anyone considering employment at a publishing house. As you’re applying for jobs, read up on that publisher’s association with its union so that you can make a thoroughly informed choice.

Book Bans Gain and Lose Ground

New Hampshire’s governor, Kelly Ayotte, vetoed a bill to make it easier to ban books in public schools, and the library commission of Austin, Texas wants the city to become a “Book Safe Harbor”. However, a national book ban bill was recently introduced to the Senate. If passed, it would would amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to prohibit the use of public school federal funding for “sexually oriented material”.

So what…?

Ultimately, book bans are a threat to democracy. And, they’ve become so common that I’m afraid that this fact is soon going to be seen as extreme—if it isn’t already.

Are AI Companies Buying Old Books?

Independent and online booksellers are reporting a sudden surge in purchases of used books, with evidence pointing toward AI companies as the buyers. These companies appear to be purchasing the books to digitally scan them into clean training datasets for large language models, often using destructive high-speed scanning methods to process the pages quickly and discarding the books’ remains. This strategy offers tech firms a workaround for data scarcity and ongoing copyright disputes.

So what…?

The practice of destroying physical books has sparked widespread unease among authors, booksellers, and legal observers. Personally, I’m less put-off by the destruction of the books, than the disregard for these authors’ rights—even if they have passed away. I’m uncomfortable with the idea of these companies stealing their thoughts and smashing them together to be used by an anonymous chatbot. How long does an author get to maintain the rights to their own ideas, words, and voice?

Deals + Acquisitions

Here are three deals from this past month that I'm excited about.

She Dies At Dawn

Roxane de Rouen’s debut novel She Dies At Dawn was bought by Faber (Macmillan) for six-figures at auction.

“A romantasy set in an Ancient Greece-inspired world full of assassinations, whispers of rebellion, and a reluctant alliance between a deathless thief and a hunted prince.”

None But Ourselves

Jonah Straus (Straus Literary) sold the US Rights to travel writer Chantal Martineau’s None But Ourselves to Washington Square Press. Publication is scheduled for spring 2028.

“a multigenerational saga drawn from the author’s own family story, that follows the triumphant rise and tragic fall of Africville—a historical settlement on the outskirts of Halifax, Nova Scotia, founded by Black Loyalists, Jamaican Maroons, and refugees from American slavery, often called the last stop on the Underground Railroad—and reckons with the legacy of racism in Canada and the U.S.”

Prince of Night

North American rights to Prince of Night by were sold to Kensington’s Erewhon imprint at auction by Jennifer Azantian (Azantian Literary Agency). Prince of Night will be the first in a duology published in fall 2027 and fall 2028, respectively.

https://substack.com/@brittneyarena/p-203282042

Imprint Spotlight: Tor Nightfire

Launched as an imprint of Tor Books (Macmillan), Tor Nightfire has established itself as the engine behind the modern horror renaissance. Rather than relying on only slasher or creature tropes, Nightfire publishes high-concept, genre-blending dark fiction.

Their catalog bridges the gap between literary and fast-paced commercial hooks, publishing titles across body horror, suspense, gothic, and psychological thrillers. They often take niche, atmospheric stories and package and market them with bold, mainstream commercial appeal.

Nightfire is a fantastic example of how to take a historically specialized genre and expand on it for broader appeal (and this is coming from a certified horror-hater!).

The Fine Print

Behind every manuscript deal is a calculated spreadsheet: The Advance Payout Structure.

When an author signs a contract, the advance isn't paid out in a single lump sum. Instead, publishers break payments into installments tied to key milestones in the book's publishing cycle.

A standard traditional advance is typically split into three installments:

1. Upon Signing: When the contract is fully agreed on by all parties.

2. Upon Delivery & Acceptance: When the editor officially approves the final, revised manuscript.

3. Upon Publication: On the official release date.

A fourth installment may be added that marks the paperback release.

Understanding payout structures is so important for aspiring writers trying to understand their financial reality. A six-figure deal sounds huge (and it is!), but once it is divided across three payments over two to three years—and reduced by agent commission and taxes—it operates as a much slower, multi-year operation rather than a large sum directly deposited to an author’s account.

On My Desk

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/11/books/cannibalism-fiction.html

Another NYT article this week. Book reviewer, Alexandra Alter, writes about how cannibalism (specifically female cannibals) is becoming a more popular topic in literature. She quotes Olivie Blake, the author of Girl Dinner, who thinks that cannibal novels are having a resurgence after the overturning of Roe v. Wade. “If we’re being denied essential humanity, why should we care if we’re driven to consume humans?”

I read Girl Dinner this month after reading this article, and there are plenty of other stellar recommendations including Tender Is the Flesh and What Hunger.

That’s all from me this month! As always, I would love to know your thoughts :)

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The Reading List

Stiff by Mary Roach - 4 stars

I love finding a new favorite author–especially one with such an extensive backlist! Mary Roach writes nonfiction in my favorite way: part educational and part memoir, as we, the readers, follow along on her quest for knowledge. Instead of posing as an all-knowing being or a textbook overflowing with knowledge, she takes the approach of a novice and a scholar. Roach takes her readers along for the fact-finding ride. I never would have expected to have such a blast reading a book about dead bodies.

Retro by Jessica M. Goldstein - 3 stars

I have very conflicting feelings about Retro. It might be the most innovative, thought-provoking world I’ve read in recent memory. There were so many lines I was drawing from the time machine technology to ai. However, the book ran out of steam in its back half. It felt like Goldstein had a point to make, and once she’d made it, she threw any interest in the plot and the characters out the window.

Maid for Each Other by Lynn Painter - 4 stars

My sister is the world’s biggest Lynn Painter fan, so this was inevitable. I’ve already been told that I have to read Fake Skating, so look out for that review in the near future!

All I have to say about this one is that it was fun. Do I remember the characters’ names? No. Did I have a blast while I was reading it? Yes. And what more can a girl ask for?

The Shampoo Effect by Jenny Jackson - 4 stars

This was not the book I expected it to be–it was better! Every single character stands out in my mind as fully forged individuals, almost like I’ve formed memories of meeting them in real life. I did not see the primary conflict coming, and I was completely satisfied with each character’s ending point. Quite the feat!

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans - 4 stars

Impeccably written. There’s not much more to say.

Worth the hype? I would say so. It was a quiet, heart-warming, well-crafted portrait of a woman’s life. Funny at the right times, somber at the right times, and just very well written.

Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics: A 10% Happier How-to Book by Dan Harris, Jeffrey Warren, Carlye Adler - 5 stars

The biggest surprise of the month, if not the whole year. Not only did I not anticipate reading a book about meditation, I certainly didn’t expect to love it.

You Should Be So Lucky by Cat Sebastian - 4.5 stars

What a strong sequel! Did I like it as much as We Could Be So Good? No. Did I fall head over heels for Eddie? Yes. I would highly recommend this series to anyone looking for a romance that perfectly balances levity and drama.

Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke - 3.5 stars

Wow, do I have a lot of thoughts about the 2026 book of the summer. First, I enjoyed reading it. It was well paced and the tension woven between the timelines kept me hooked. The breadcrumbs of information, especially about the 19th century plot, were perfectly placed so that I was always in the timeline I was most interested in.

However, the author didn’t seem to hold very much empathy for the narrator, especially given the ending. It lacked nuance and brushes its hands of any agency Natalie could have possessed–like a game of virtue signaling. It was a cop-out to not make Natalie actually reckon with the consequences of her actions. The book doesn’t even end with her perspective!

But, at the end of the day, it kept me entertained and it made me think.

Heart The Lover by Lily King - 4.5 stars

It went where I thought it was going to go from page one, and my pathetic little heart still broke into a million tiny pieces. I knew nothing about this book going into it and I think that’s the best way to experience it.

I do have an objective problem with books that are sad just for the sake of being sad. But also I’m a masochist and I love crying into my books, so go ahead and call me a hypocrite.

Happy Ending by Chloe Liese - 2.5 stars

A thoroughly mid book with a disappointing ending. If you’re an avid romance reader who will greedily slurp up any romance under the sun, this isn’t a terrible title to add to your ever-growing romance tbr. But, if you’re a once-a-month romance reader like myself, this isn’t worth your time.

Girl Dinner - 4 stars

Maybe I just had a motherhood-heavy reading month, but there’s a trend of morally-grey, brutally-honest female mother narrators that really struggle with their roles as mothers. And it’s beginning to irritate me. It’s starting to feel performative at this point. Because struggling with motherhood to the point of insanity (or in this case, cannibalism) really such a unique, shocking take if every contemporary female writer is grappling with it?

But, I won’t hold this solely against Girl Dinner. That wouldn’t be fair. And, besides this annoyance, I thought Girl Dinner was really fun. I especially loved the relationship between Fawn and Nina–so deliciously complex!

The Watch List

The Little House on the Prairie season 1 - 4 stars

This was such a fun, if often perilous, return to the prairie after demolishing the books as a child. Without the nostalgia of the book series, I think I’d find this season pretty forgettable, but I’m looking forward to season 2.

Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things - 3 stars

My biggest issue with this documentary was that I found the main two men and their book tour across the country to be the least interesting part of the movie and the most difficult to connect to. They both came from such extreme life circumstances (divorce, death, etc.) and lived such extreme lifestyles that they felt holier-than-thou and intolerable. However, everything else about it was really inspirational. Some moments that stick out to me most were the tiny-homes and the couple that’s trying to raise a family in a minimalist way (I especially loved their conversation about their daughter’s collections and their compromises as a couple). Ultimately, the mindful intention of all of these practices is inspiring, even if the actual practice is extreme.

Hacks season 1 - 4.5 stars

Wow, what a fantastic show! I love every single character, even when they’re being vicious and horrible to each other. I thought the Las Vegas setting was so much fun. Really, my only wish was, given that it’s a comedy, I wish it was a tad funnier. It was so entertaining, but a lot of that entertainment came from the dynamic characters and the stakes of putting together the comedy show. There weren’t quite as many laugh-out-loud moments as I was expecting.

Everything Else

Podcasts

• Good Hang with Amy Poehler: Anne Lamott, Matt Damon

• Hot History: Anne Boelyn fact vs. fiction

YouTube

Articles

• https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/22/travel/hiking-acrophobic-ausable-chasm-adirondacks.html

• https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/18/well/grandma-hobbies-crafts-knitting-quilting.html

  That Bookish Life

  August 2026 Anticipated Book Releases

  August is nearly here and with a fresh month comes a fresh batch of book releases. Traditionally a slower publishing month, August falls between the buzzy beach reads hitting shelves in June and July, and the prestige publishing of fall. With 23 books added to my TBR in July…

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  a month ago · 29 likes · 13 comments · Stephanie | That Bookish Life

Chick Material

The least romantic things I find incredibly romantic

Welcome to Single POV, personal essays from a single perspective of a not-so-single hopeless (sometimes disappointed) romantic…

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a month ago · 16 likes · 6 comments · Renata 💋

What have you been consuming this July?

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Ever wondered what it would be like to read books full time? Do you wish you could go back to school and study reading and writing? Need some inspiration for your personal curriculum?

My name is Jill, and I’m an English and creative writing major with a focus on publishing at The University of Iowa. I’m excited to share all of my favorite English courses with you, including the book lists, discussion questions, writing prompts, and more!

It only feels natural to start with Intro To The English Major, which I took with Dr. Kathy Lavezzo.

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Book List

• The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer

First off, don’t worry we only read the first few stories of this 500 page behemoth. But, Dr. Lavezzo is a Medieval literature expert, so Chaucer was a must. She even read passages out loud as they would have been pronounced in Middle English. Very strange!

Set in 14th century England, The Canterbury Tales follows a group of pilgrims as they travel to a religious shrine in Canterbury. Along the way, they engage in a storytelling contest.

• Shakespeare’s Sonnets by William Shakespeare.

Again, we did not read this entire collection. I wish I had written down the specific sonnets we focused on. All I know is that I wrote an essay titled “Power, Deception, and Violence in Sonnet 95”, so I can naturally conclude that Sonnet 95 was included in the syllabus.

But, I think this is a great place to personalize your experience. Research Shakespeare’s most romantic sonnets, his most sad sonnets, his really strange, overly sexualized sonnets. There are so many routes to explore! And, as I found out in this class, if you really take your time with them, reading word-by-word, over and over and over again, you can uncover some stuff that will make you want to give Shakespeare a judgmental side eye.

• Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

I have beef with Frankenstein. This was my second time reading it, and I just don’t enjoy it.

That being said, the history of the novel is fascinating and I will always be in support of a groundbreaking female author.

• Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Ann Jacobs

This is an absolutely crucial and fascinating book for any American to read. I’m actually shocked that it’s not on more curriculums.

Harriet Ann Jacobs tells the story of her life as a slave and the terrifying decisions she made to gain freedom for herself and her children. It particularly discusses sexual abuse, pregnancy, and the other horrors that made life as a female slave infinitely more difficult than anything a man would have experienced.

Required reading!

• Sula by Toni Morrison

This was the first Toni Morrison novel I ever read and it certainly won’t be the last.

Sula takes place in “The Bottom” a fictional Black neighborhood in Ohio. It explores the turbulent friendship between two women, Sula and Nel, over the course of their lives.

Research Topics

• Bruno Latour and “actor network theory”

• Hermeneutics

• Mary Shelley

• Interpretation of Shakespeare’s sonnets over time

Additional Sources

• “Context Stinks!” by Rita Felski

• “Representation: Cultural Representations and Signifying Practices” Stuart Hall

• Frankenstein editor’s preface by David H. Guston, Ed Finn, and Jason Scott Robert

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So, here are three of my favorite epistolary novels to inject that same desire into you!

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The Correspondant

Obviously, this had to be the first on the list. Sybil is an absolute queen when it comes to analog correspondence. The book is a really beautiful portrait of the end of a woman’s life. It explores her regrets, from a child who died too young to an estranged relationship with her adult daughter. But, it also shows how expansive Sybil’s future is, even in her retirement. She finds new love, new community, and new meaning. Her retirement years aren’t something to be dreaded. They’re arguably more full of light and adventure than her past, in part due to her dedication to her relationships via letter writing.

Letter writing prompt:

Take a page out of Sybil’s book and write a letter to an author. It doesn’t have to be your favorite author. Sybil doesn’t pull any punches. Just write a letter to an author whose book made you think. Who you have many questions for.

Dear Committee Members

Dear Committee Members is a very different type of book. It’s drier, funnier, and a bit more harsh. Jason is a professor at the fictional Payne University (lol). He finds that he spends the majority of his days not honing his craft or delving into research, but writing recommendations letters for his students—many of which he either doesn’t know or doesn’t like. If you’ve ever been involved in the bureaucracy of higher education (even as a student), you will likely find this novel a little bit too relatable.

Letter writing prompt

Write a harsh, honest letter to someone in your life. Get all of your feelings out onto the paper. Then, pull a Lara Jean Covey and put the letter in a box never to be sent. Or learn from Lara Jean’s mistake and burn it. Or, if you’re feeling up for it, pull a Jason and actually send it. Just don’t blame me for the consequences of your actions!

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

This really is the classic example of an epistolary novel, but it’s a classic for a reason. Juliet, a London-based writer begins a correspondence with a man on the German-occupied island of Guernsey. She learns about his “literary and potato peel pie society”, the small way his community defies the Germans. And a beautiful romance may or may not emerge.

Letter writing prompt:

Write a letter to a friend with the intent to start a book club. Or a knitting club. Or a running club. Or a potato peel pie club. It could be anything. But, write a letter with the intention of beginning a community.

I can’t wait to hear your thoughts about these books, and about your letter writing adventures!

Personally, I’m going to begin with prompt #1. What about you?\

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The Front Page

AI Prize Scandal

Jamir Nazir officially won the 2026 Commonwealth Short Story Prize, after a weeks-long investigation into whether his piece was written by AI. The foundation required him to present physical drafts, handwritten notes, and outlines in order to prove the story’s human origin.

So what…?

Unfortunately, this incident is probably going to set the standard for how such controversies are managed, because I don’t foresee it being the last. Expect literary agents and editors to start requiring proof-of-work documents to protect themselves from legal and professional risk.

Audiobook Narration & Voice Licensing

Matthew McConaughey and Michael Cain officially licensed their voices to ElevenLabs, allowing the tech company to replicate their voices across new audiobook apps.

So what…?

Not to beat the AI horse to death, but the personal and artistic monetization of generative AI has begun. Instead of boycotting the technology or taking it to court, some world-class talent is choosing to embrace AI as a means of passive income (that they don’t need!). Now, you can have an award winning actor read a book to you for a few cents while voice-actors have to find a new job.

A Gen-Z Media Merge

Hachette’s Union Square & Co. recently announced a multi-book and gift publishing partnership with Sunnie, a Gen-Z focused media and lifestyle brand under Reece Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine brand. The goal of the partnership is to produce “analogue inspired products” and begins in Fall 2026 with “Sunnie Pocket Playbook: A Mood Board for Life in 7 Tint Curations” and “Sunnie Junk Journal: Collage and Collect All the Wild, Wonderful, and Everyday Stuff in Your World”.

So what…?

Big publishing houses are turning away from traditional marketing. Instead, they’re buying into established brands with built-in audiences to guarantee visibility before the book has gone to print.

What’s Selling Right Now?

There seems to be a mismatch between agent inboxes and market demand. According to QueryTracker and Manuscript Wish List, a majority of unsolicited submissions this month fell into two genres: contemporary romance and high fantasy.

While consumer demand for these genres remains consistent, are we facing an overcorrection?

In contrast, editorial boards seem to be seeking fresh voices in new spaces.

Potential Blind Spots

Upmarket Fiction

Agents are actively seeking books that meet the sweet spot between intellectualism and escapism (think The Ministry of Time or The Buffalo Hunter Hunter). These books feature high-concept, fast-paced, sell-able plots, but are written with sharp, literary prose.

(Query inbox share: about 10%, Agent requests: about 28%)

Horror

Agent requests for dark, speculative fiction and horror have spiked significantly in the past few months, but submissions volumes don’t seem to be following the same trend.

(Query inbox share: about 10%, Agent requests: about 24%)

However, it’s important for writers not to chase trends. By the time someone writes the perfect speculative, horror, upmarket, literary masterpiece, these trends will have withered away and been replaced by aliens invading Wild West historical romances.

Imprint Spotlight: Berkley

For years, Berkley has been the untouchable monarch of the BookTok romance boom–think authors like Emily Henry, Carley Fortune, and Ali Hazelwood. However, instead of riding that sickly-sweet, pastel-colored, viral wave into irrelevance, Berkley’s editorial board is choosing to diversify.

They’ve expanded their list into high-concept, genre-blending titles that pair commercial hook-y concepts with a sharper tone. Looking through their Summer 2026 title showcase, they have plenty of staple romance soon-to-be hits, but they are also pushing out new thrillers like How to Kill a Crime Writer and The Devil Knows Her Name.

They also recently launched Berkley XO, a new imprint that specifically targets the overlap between adult and young adult readers (love!). Overall, Berkley is a fantastic blueprint for how to take commercial fiction down multiple different lanes–from dark thriller/mysteries to YA.

The Fine Print

The life of an editor isn’t all reading manuscripts and sipping coffee. Often, editors spend considerable amounts of time studying financial spreadsheets. Today, we’re going to discuss the gauntlet that is P&L.

P&L (Profit and Loss) is essentially a business plan for a manuscript. Before an editor is allowed to make a financial offer on a manuscript, they have to fill out this spreadsheet and prove the the publisher that the book will turn a profit.

The P&L has two main components

• Printing, Paper, and Binding: the unit costs of physically manufacturing the book

• Projected revenue: using comp titles, the editor tries to predict exactly how many hardcovers, paperbacks, and audiobooks the manuscript will sell in its first year

To study an actual P&L sheet, visit this blog post by Jane Friedman.

So, when a manuscript is rejected by a publisher, it isn’t always about talent. Sometimes, it’s just about business.

On My Desk

I just read an amazing NYT article by the chief librarian of the New York Public Library, about the decreasing rate of casual readers and the solutions we, as a country, should be looking toward. His main focus: public libraries.

(I had this article recommended to me in 's article:)

Bookish AF

Whimsical Reading Ideas for a Bookish AF Summer!

Hi, my bookish friend…

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3 months ago · 15 likes · 6 comments · Audry Fryer

I would also recommend checking out her blog!

That’s all from me this month! I would love to know your thoughts :)

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The House Saphir by Marissa Meyer — 4 stars

Marissa Meyer is one of my childhood favorite authors, so I can’t excuse how long it took me to get to her most recent novel. As it turns out, you’re never too old for a YA story. And this particular story was thrilling from start to finish. I listened to this audiobook at work, and had to pause it until I could really lock in. The twists and turns caught me completely off guard.

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah — 5 stars

This was more of a slow burn. While, of course, I enjoyed the beautiful prose and well paced story, it wasn’t until I closed the book that it morphed into a five star read. I just couldn’t shake the characters! Every time I opened my refrigerator or lay underneath a warm blanket I felt such a sense of gratitude. I’ve never felt so deeply affected by a book before!

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman — 5 stars

What can I say that hasn’t been said already? As it turns out, Fredrik Backman’s most popular novel is…amazing. I will literally always be in awe of his writing.

We Burned So Bright by T.J. Klune — 5 stars

And the hits just keep on coming! I swear, I’m usually a much more critical reader. I really struck a gold mine these past few months. This might be my favorite book of the year so far. If you want to read more of my thoughts, I wrote an entire blog post about this one

read the review

Shark Heart by Emily Habeck — 4.5 stars

What a unique, heartbreaking book! As absurd as the premise sounds, my heart still feels like it’s being crushed when I think about the emotional journey these characters went on. The short, vignette style chapters was the perfect way to tell this story—in short snippets of a life that alternates between reality and wishful thinking. I can’t wait to see what Emily Habeck writes next.

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara — 4.5 stars

I’ll admit, this one sat on my bookshelves for a long time while I mustered up some courage. And I wasn’t wrong. Reading this book was like taking an emotional beating. And while (maybe naively) I found the incessant tragedy of this book pretty difficult to believe, I can’t deny this literary masterclass. The pacing was perfect, and Jude, Willem, Harold, Andy—these are real people in my mind.

Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune — 4.5 stars

Such a fun, if predictable, summer romance. I’m pretty picky when it comes to the friends-to-lovers trope, but Carley Fortune executed it really well. She showed us exactly why Frankie and George are perfect for each other. And who doesn’t want to read about a luxurious honeymoon-that-wasn’t?

This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page — 4 stars

I don’t want to spoil anything about the delight that was this book. All I’ll say is that it will fill the heart of any book lover.

The Shippers by Katherine Center — 3.5 stars

My first disappointment of the list! I love, love, love Katherine Center, but this one didn’t live up to my high expectations. Ultimately, I found JoJo to be too annoying. I’m not above a damsel in distress moment, but JoJo was in constant need to saving from her own poor choices.

Dolly All the Time by Annabel Monaghan — 4 stars

…and we’re back! I know that a lot of people had a problem with the ending of this book, and I completely understand where they’re coming from. If a man acted like Stewart in real life, I would be running the other way. But something about the charm and whimsy Annabel Moghan managed to infuse into this seaside town made me completely ignore the possible red flags. I was smitten!

The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt — 4.5 stars

Is it weird to say that I really relate to the way Janathan Haidt’s brain works? Anything I’ve ever been interested in, he’s written a book about. When I have a question while I’m reading, I flip the page and he answers my question on the next page. This is not to say that I’m as smart as he is—that would be very difficult—but I’ve enjoyed every one of his books.

The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig — 4.5 stars

We’re bookending this list with another pure, fun fantasy. This was a masterclass in telling a relatively small story within a world that feels really large. There is so much room for expansion, and I can’t wait to see where she takes the rest of the series.

Now, for the part of this wrap-up that I’m most looking forward to—I want to know what’s been your favorite book of the summer so far? And if you’ve read any of the same books as me, let me know what you thought. I could talk about all of these titles for days!

Many of the candidates positioned their camera in front of their book collection. I did too. We’re interviewing for a position in a literary magazine after all. But even those that didn’t give me a glimpse into their personal library, referenced their current reads and added to the homogeneity.

You can probably guess the books that populated the shelves…

• Powerless by Lauren Roberts

• A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

• The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

• Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

• Beach Read by Emily Henry

It seems we’ve all outsourced the curation of our bookshelves to the algorithm, even the most ambitious aspiring writers and publishing professionals. When did we swap “literary taste” for a Booktok checklist?

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Bestsellers are bestsellers for a reason

This is not a judgment on any of these students. My own bookshelf is full of social media darlings and bestsellers.

I love reading bestsellers. And, given their status, so does everyone else.

Commercial fiction is successful because the craft works. The big romantasy titles are fast-paced and addictive. Emily Henry is a smart writer who crafts loveable protagonists and incredibly attractive men. And even if Sarah J. Maas’ writing isn’t my cup of tea, I’m clearly incorrect. Her books carve their way into people’s hearts like I’ve never seen.

There is zero shame in loving books that millions of other people love. After all, no one is shaming every man in the world for loving Star Wars and The Godfather. Sometimes, a story is just a hit.

The issue isn’t that these books are bad, it’s that they’ve become the only books occupying our mental rolodex, even amongst readers who clearly have different academic and literary interests.

The creative bottleneck

Ultimately, it’s none of my business what people are choosing to read in their free time. Honestly, I’m so grateful to book reviewers on social media for helping to popularize reading for fun.

However, I am concerned that the cloning of our bookshelves is going to pose a threat to the future of the publishing industry.

Publishing relies on its gatekeepers having distinct, unique tastes. A diverse group of agents, editors, etc. is the only way a diverse range of books will be published. If an entire generation of incoming publishing professionals enter the field with their taste molded by the same algorithm, the industry’s ability to stay interesting and innovative is in jeopardy. As taste becomes homogenized, acquisitions become increasingly predictable? Will we continue to take chances on books like Dune or Piranesi, that are long or slow-paced or experimental?

How to individualize our literary tastes?

1. Go to the library

This is good advice in general. Libraries are a truly utopian public resource. Books, audiobooks, movies, music, art, video games, toys museum passes – all of these are free to borrow at my public library.

Return to your childhood self. Go to your public library. Browse the shelves with no goal in mind. Pick out a few books, read their back covers, return them to the shelves. Unplug from the algorithm and find a book that speaks directly to you.

2. Ask a friend

I hope that we all have at least one person in our lives who is unplugged from online book reviews. A parent, a grandparent, a friend whose Instagram is too full of Dancing With the Stars content to make room for book reviews. Ask that person in your life for a recommendation.

3. Browse indie publishers

I don’t do this enough. But, when I order a book from an independent press, I am rarely disappointed.

4. Read magazines

I’ve just discovered that my Libby subscription comes with hundreds of magazine subscriptions (shoutout public libraries!). Browse The New Yorker, Booklist, The New York Review of Books, or even People magazine for recommendations.

Surely, there’s a way to balance my interest in keeping up with bestsellers and exciting new releases while honing in on my natural curiosity and curating my unique, literary perspective.

Take a look at your own bookshelf. What is the weirdest, most under-appreciated, least-trending book that you’ve read recently? Let me know in the comments, so we can start to build our anti-algorithm tbr together. I’ll go first…

I Will Always Write Back by Caitlin Alifirenka, Liz Welch, and Martin Ganda

Only This Beautiful Moment by Abdi Nazemian

The Awakening by Kate Chopin

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And my chances of finding my next five star read seem high. I’ve compiled a list of 20 books being published in the coming months that I’m looking forward to putting on my bookshelf.

Open up a new tab on your device and get your kindle charged, because it’s time to pre-order!

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So many of the authors on this list are new to me, but these seven are guaranteed to be new to you too.

Girl’s Girl by Sonia Feldman, June 2nd

We’re starting with the book I might be the most excited to read this summer. Fifteen-year-old Mina’s whole world is her two best friends, but after an unexpected kiss, the established dynamics of their trio quickly unravel.

They All Fall in Love at the End by Haili Blassingame , June 2nd

I originally stumbled across this author on Instagram, and she seemed so cool, chic, and sure of herself that I had no choice but to add her debut novel to by tbr. Polyamorous love triangle??? Count me in.

Voyagers by Meg Charlton, June 16th

What happens with Earth makes its first contact with extraterrestrial life? Station Eleven meets The Ministry of Time (say no more!) in this debut novel about friendship during the end of the world.

Retro by Jessica M. Goldstein, June 23rd

An unemployed actress, Ash, gets a job as a tour guide for a luxury time-travel company.

The MASH Up by Laura Marie Meyers, July 7th

Ruby wakes up in a MASH game from seventh grade. She’s living in a mansion, driving a tie-dyed Jeep, running a roller-disco restaurant, and … soulmates with her brother’s best friend?

Kitten by Stacy Yu, August 4th

This is another title I found on Instagram, and the cover is just too perfect to ignore. Amidst some turbulent life changes, Katie discovers a strange, giddy connection with her boyfriend’s cat, Silver.

Portrait of a Witch Undone by K.S. Shay, August 25th

A contemporary New England witch coven hides the mysteries that lurk in the marshes north of Boston—and how they are connected to the largest unsolved art heist in modern history.

Your next bookclub favorite is waiting to be discovered.

Whistler by Anne Patchett, June 2nd

Daphne reunites with her long-lost stepfather decades after the fateful event that changed the course of both of their lives. Now, they have no intention of separating ever again.

Alan Opts Out by Courtney Maum, June 2nd

An ad exec bombs the biggest pitch of his career and decides to forgo capitalism and live off the land of his suburban Connecticut home.

The Shampoo Effect by Jenny Jackson, June 30th

An ambitious young woman insinuates herself into a tight-knit social set, shaking up friendships and marriages in a small seaside town.

You’ll Love it Here by Natalie Sue, August 11th

Mona is asked to step in as the building’s super after her landlady is in an accident. As she gets pulled deeper into the building’s chaos—and closer to the people inside it—she’s forced to confront what, and who, she’s really been trying to outrun.

The best part of the summer … all of the new romance releases!

The Shippers by Katherine Center, May 19th

A new book by one of the best romance authors of all time? Yes please! Jojo diagnoses herself with a psychological fixation on her first crush and first kiss. Determined to woo him, she ropes in her childhood bestie, Cooper Watts, as her wingman.

Dolly All the Time by Annabel Monaghan, May 26th

When Dolly comes across Stewart Whitfield—annoyingly handsome scion of the wealthy Whitfield family—with a flat tire and at the wrong end of a very public, very humiliating breakup, it’s in her nature to help. But Stewart’s proposed arrangement ends up being more than either of them bargained for.

Brighter Than Before by Courtney Walsh, June 8th

Claire’s life is shaken up in the most unlikely of places—a dating profile set up by her adult daughter.

The Missed Connection by Tia Williams, June 9th

I think it’s finally time to see what all of the Tia Williams hype is about. When Sasha’s seated next to a mysterious, broodingly handsome Italian man on the way to a work trip in Paris, sparks fly – but they miss the chance to exchange contact information. Now, Sasha is on a manhunt to find Seat F.

Tropesick by Lauren Okie, June 16th

Two childhood neighbors, connected by a shared tragedy, unexpectedly reunite to ghostwrite a love story for a reclusive author. They soon discover that dozens of classic romance tropes, including the ones they’re crafting on page, are mysteriously playing out in real life.

Romantic Hero by Kirsty Greenwood, June 16th

Gertie wakes up to find a confused and rugged cowboy on her sofa. And not just any cowboy, but River Oakley, the villain from her unfinished novel.

Not That Kind of Proposal by Victoria Lavine, July 21st

A hopeless romantic wedding planner forces a cynical divorce lawyer to help her plan her ex’s wedding.

It’s a short but sweet list this season.

Earth 7 by Deb Olin Unferth, June 9th

Earth is severely depopulated. Some people have given up, gone off to Mars. Others pursue eternal life as digital code. And yet others, like Dylan and Melanie, are holdouts—and some of those holdouts are constructing a vast molecular collection in hopes that a future person may be alive to make a new Earth

Some might say that my tbr is already too full, but I am not one of those people. What books are you looking forward to this summer?

All the best,

Jill

And, apparently, I wasn’t alone. The Project Hail Mary movie grossed over $630 million worldwide—the third biggest box office success in the first half of 2026. I know multiple people who went back to see it twice, and another who watched it in theater no less than four times. I think it’s safe to say that we’re fed up with the “realist”, end of the world, Don’t Look Up-esque bullshit.

I’m not actually against pessimistic apocalypse stories. These days, it’s all too easy to imagine the myriad ways the world could go up in flames, and it can be cathartic to consume content in which it does exactly that.

“Look,” you could say while reading Dry by Jarrod and Neal Shusterman in March of 2020, “He gets it! He knows exactly how I’m feeling.”

(Yes, that was a traumatic personal experience, and, no, I still don’t understand how Mr. and Mr. Shusterman predicted that toilet paper would be the first casualty to the end of the world)

But, sometimes it’s healthier to have a Project Hail Mary-like experience. Where a dark movie theater or a night under the covers with a good book is all you need to decompress after an endless day of living in the world. Optimism is not idiocy.

If any aspect of Project Hail Mary resonated to your hopeful spirit, I have the pleasure of recommending We Burned So Bright by T.J. Klune.

This 160 page masterpiece might be the best book I’ve ever read in my life.

As a black hole hurtles toward Earth, and the world prepares for its demise, husbands Don and Rodney set off on a road trip.

Along the way, they encounter a range of humanity, some facing the inevitable with more grace than others: a husband and wife in denial, a last-minute wedding, a story around a campfire. a tough woman and her loyal dog.

Don and Rodney race across the country toward a promise they made too long ago. As the end approaches, they look back at their life together and wonder if any of it made a difference.

Spoiler alert: the world ends at the end of this book. Yet, nothing else I’ve read has ever made me so hopeful.

Don and Rodney are the perfect vessels for this story: skeptical but not hateful, loving but calloused and unsure of themselves. They travel from place to place, from vignette to vignette and we open up alongside them. The people they meet are not perfect. Some of them are planning to kill themselves or the people they love before the black hole takes them. Some are opening themselves up to love on their deathbeds. Still others are still eager to learn the history of a world that won’t exist in a week. Yet, no one is right or wrong. Any inclination towards moral judgement flies out the window. In this way, Mr. Klune strikes empathetic gold. The end of the world becomes an equalizer. The characters aren’t working their nine to fives. They don’t reveal millions of dollars sitting in investments. They might have voted one way or another or not at all. But, all they can be judged by are their words and their actions and their deepest, darkest fears and sweetest, loftiest dreams during the last days of their lives.

It’s impossible to not gawk at the enormity of this tiny book. Mr. Klune fits the world into 160 pages. As Don and Rodney drive through Iowa, I see myself and my roommate sitting at our apartment window, watching the moon shatter. I’ll fall in love with any author who can fit a strong story into a short book. Concision is an art. But fitting the nuance, the empathy, the heartbreak, the whole world into this book was the most impressive, impactful literary talent I’ve ever experienced.

I closed this book completely stricken.

I’m only proving to myself that I can’t put my complete admiration for We Burned So Bright into efficient words. But, I hope my attempt has convinced someone who is feeling abandoned and exhausted by their world to give this book a shot. I would love to hear your thoughts.

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