FICTION

Kristin Hannah’s “Great Alone” reads a bit like a survivor’s memoir, and that’s a good thing. The Alaskan setting provides a tension, just from living through the weather, that keeps the story taut.

“Tangerine’s” movie rights got snapped up in galleys and not for no reason. Christine Mangan writes with great color and tension.

“Mrs.,” by Caitlin Macy, will resonate to Liane Moriarty fans, an Americanized version of suds and thrills. Save it for a plane trip.

Kate Greathead’s “Laura & Emma” is almost too gentile for its own good. But that’s the book’s strength as well. The specificity of detail resonate with greater impact than the story might suggest.

“The Cactus,” by Sarah Haywood will keep you company by the pool. A 21st century “Bridget Jones Diary.”

Mario Giordano “Auntie Poldi and the Sicilian Lions” makes for the perfect summer read. Just because you are stuck at home in your pajamas, is no reason to be stuck inside your mind.

“She Regrets Nothing” by Andrea Dunlop starts right in and leaves you panting for more. This updated Cinderella story darkens the fairy tale while maintaining just enough sparkle.

Mary H.K. Choi’s “Emergency Contact” brings energy and fever to romance in college. The dialog/texting crackles with pent up energy.

“Gunners,” by Rebecca Kauffman, folds nostalgia into grief into unconditional love. This story of six friends over the course of the first half of their lives will bring you to tears.

The incomparable Stephen McCauley slays effortlessly in “My Ex-Life.” This man literally (well, figuratively) gives me life.

“Warlight,” by the great Michael Ondaatje, takes a turn from his previous works. The tale of two teenagers, left in London after WWII, twists and turns in delightfully surprising ways.

Fredrik Backman brings a sweetness to his writing that will restore your faith in humanity. “Us Against You” spotlights a small town and its ice hockey team, reminiscent of “Friday Night Lights.”

Fiction with the urgency of memoir, “What We Lose,” by Zinzi Clemmons, pulses with all kinds of life. From selfhood to motherhood to national identity, the existential dread of being, never went down so smooth.

With “Noir”, king of the comic novel Christopher Moore turns his gift for parody on hardboiled detective stories. Set in post-war San Francisco, this hilarious adventure adds a dash of X-Files weirdness to the shadowy milieu of femmes fatales and gangsters.

J.G. Ballard, arguably the greatest writer to confront the increasingly dehumanizing world, has only gotten more relevant since his death. “Concrete Island”, his allegorical classic about a modern-day Robinson Crusoe figure stranded on a freeway traffic island, has been reissued with an introduction by Neil Gaiman.

THRILLER

Laura Lippman’s “Sunburn” keeps to a steady simmer before turning up to a boil. A “femme noir” with all the usual twists and turns, this page-turner sticks the landing.

Read it on the beach, read it on the train…just read it! “Are You Sleeping,” by Kathleen Barber, holds its grip to the very last page.

Teresa Dovalpage’s “Death Comes in through the Kitchen” uses location to give this mystery a unique flavor. Lucky for her, and us, that place is Cuba – vibrant and singular.

“Force of Nature,” by Jane Harper grabs you by the throat and presses against your jugular. Save it for a weekend with zero obligations and surrender yourself to it.

Elizabeth George’s “The Punishment She Deserves” finds one of mystery’s most beloved authors in fine fiddle. With Detectives Lynley and Havers along for the ride, the journey is always interesting.

Echoes of “The Hunger Games” are always a good thing. “Wolves of Winter,” by Tyrell Johnson, takes a wintry turn, buffeted by a fantastic female heroine.

Laura McHugh’s “The Weight of Blood” starts and then ends in a rush. Brutal and yet bursting with humanity, this thriller gets all the details right.

“Our Little Secret,” by Roz Nay, will keep you guessing. The shifting stories of an unreliable narrator with everything to lose, make first love darkly desirable.

Aimee Molloy’s “The Perfect Mother” may just be the book of the summer. With shades of “Gone, Girl,” this book upends expectations and sounds the death knell of traditional, fusty, chick lit.

“Something in the Water,” by Catherine Steadman, features a honeymoon, Bora Bora, and an underwater plane wreck. Can a giant bag of cash be far behind? A perfect vacation read.

Your summer break will never be the same once you pick up Cristina Alger’s “The Banker’s Wife.” Read it if you’re ok to lose touch with all your friends for a couple of days.

MEMOIR

“Heart Berries,” by Terese Marie Mailhot, is gut wrenching in the extreme. Read it and weep for all the girls who face their lives and keep on, fighting for their own true selves.

With a name like Apricot Irving, you have to be a writer. And she doesn’t disappoint with “The Gospel of Trees.” Read it as the antidote to Trump’s Haiti comments.

Heather Harpham’s “Happiness” will remind you about the value of life. Uplifting, but never sappy, this story of love lost and found rewards perseverance.

“You All Grow Up and Leave Me,” by Piper Weiss, recounts a privileged life on the Upper West Side. The drama comes from being in the crosshairs of a notorious predator. Timely indeed.

Meaghan O’Connell’s “And Now We Have Everything” discusses impending parenthood with refreshing candor. A nice break from the mommy hallmark cards we’re used to.

NON-FICTION

“Janesville,” by Amy Goldstein looks at the effects of the auto industry in one small town over time. When the plant closes, the results are devastating for everyone and not easily overcome.

Matthew Desmond’s “Evicted” will break your heart and then wring it dry. These stories of struggling Americans, and the lack of help and compassion they elicit, would, in a better world, drive a stake through our current vampire’s heart.

ESSAYS

Now is the time for Rebecca Solnit’s scathingly insightful pieces on modern life. Pick up “The Mother of All Questions” and read it straight through.

Sloane Crosley uses humor in her writing in such a way that you almost forget how nourishing it is. “Look Alive Out There” may very well bring emotions to the fore that you forgot you had.

SHORT STORIES

A.M. Homes’ manages provocation without sensationalism. In her new book of stories, “Days of Awe,” the characters grapple with America, and each other, with varying degrees of success.

GIFTS

Michael Chabon has cornered the market on good Father’s Day books. His latest book of essays, “Pops” will please anyone who is a dad or has a dad.

Newberry Medal winner “Hello, Universe,” by Erin Entrada Kelly is the perfect present for all the middle schoolers in your vicinity. It’s the kind of book that embarks one on a life of reading.

Blexbolex’s “Vacation,” is sort of like a book crossed with a series of related paintings – an upscale flipbook. This wordless story explores elusive themes, like time and solitude in ways that resonate long after you turn the last page.

Funny books reign for young boys and “The Unflushables” fits snugly into the humor category. Who knew a book about plumbing would be so appealing?