5-Star Reads from Summer ’24

I read 20 books this past summer and rated nearly a third of them with 5-stars, a frequency that shocked even myself. Naturally, 5-star ratings represent only the best of the best, and I do not bestow this ranking lightly! That being said, all of these books absolutely blew my mind, so without further ado… here are 7 reads from this summer that I rated 5-stars! (***in no particular order***)

1. First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston: I have genuinely not shut up about this book since finishing it! It’s a cross between a thriller and mystery, and I don’t think I’ve ever had so much fun reading a book or been so excited to find out what happens next. It’s fast-paced and high-stakes and the PERFECT book to get you out of your next reading slump. 
2. The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty: Imagine your husband writes a letter addressed to you, to be opened only after he dies. You find it while he’s still alive, make a casual joke about it, and he immediately freaks out and demands that you do NOT open the letter. (…We’re all opening the letter here, right?) The shocking premise of this book grabbed my attention immediately and kept it right up until the very last page! 
3. Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty: Okay, it’s possible that I’m double dipping by including Moriarty in here twice, but I’m not kidding when I tell you that this book quite literally made my jaw drop. This book follows four siblings whose mother goes missing. Needless to say, there is a lot of mystery and a whole lot of family drama! The character work in this book is just insane, and bonus points for the great chronic illness representation that I so rarely come across in books. 
4. Funny Story by Emily Henry: Sometimes you just need a fun read, and for that, I always recommend Emily Henry! In my humble opinion, this is her best book hands-down. After being spontaneously dumped before her wedding, the main character of this book moves in with the ex of her boyfriend’s new girl, who was also left reeling by the sudden breakup. Cue the fake-dating-to-make-our-exes-jealous trope! What I love so much about this author’s work specifically, though, is that her books are never just about the romance. Henry’s characters grapple with adulting, dissolving friendships, mental health, and so much more. While there’s nothing wrong with a nice fluff read every now and again, I personally love when there’s some substance in addition to the swooning; and Henry absolutely delivers in that regard. 
5. Love Letters by Virginia Woolf & Vita Sackville-West: If you’ve spent any time on Pinterest, chances are, you’ve come across a quote from one of these two. These letters are beautiful, and it honestly made me emotional knowing that these letters were the only way that these two women could express the love that they carried for each other. Sapphic history has always held a special place in my heart, and this book is no exception. 
6. Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng: What can I say, Ng’s work never disappoints. While this book admittedly took a little longer to get into than some of her previous works, such as Little Fires Everywhere, the prose and storytelling in this book was just incredible. 
7. Scythe by Neil Shusterman: Okay, this one was admittedly a reread, but it’s also a book that I will never stop recommending. The Arc of a Scythe series is hands-down my favorite dystopian trilogy. It’s a little difficult to describe, and I recommend going into the series blind anyway, so you’re just going to have to trust me on this one. But I would definitely encourage any bookworm to give it a try at some point!