Lockwood x East City Bookshop Summer Reads
July 13, 2020
The Lockwood partnered with East City Bookshop to compile a list of must reads for Summer 2020. Feedback was received from over 75 participants and 20 Books have been selected from a wide variety of authors, see chosen books below:
1. The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett: Identical twins’ lives diverge in this reflection on family, Black identity, and how our past shapes our present.
2. The Burning by Megha Majumdar: A call-to-action novel, The Burning explores sexism and tells the tale of a young girl who flees from harassment only to find that rumors continue to follow her.
3. Party of Two by Jasmine Guillory; When Olivia, an up-and-coming lawyer, finds herself falling for a powerful, junior senator, she doesn’t know if she can handle the pressure and judgement of the outside world.
4. Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid: This social commentary explores racial and familial relations, following the story of Alix, a white blogger, who tries to make things right after a security guard wrongfully accuses her black nanny of kidnapping her child.
5. Cantoras by Carolina de Robertis: Set in Uruguay in the mid-seventies, where homosexuality is condemned, this novel champions the secret loves of five women and proves that everyone is deserving of true devotion.
6. Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson: A woman caring for two young girls with special abilities unexpectedly finds a deeper meaning in her life.
7. House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune: This fantasy novel explores the themes of love and family, as it tells the story of a caseworker tasked with investigating six magical children, and the lengths to which their caretaker will go to protect them.
8. I’m Still Here by Austin Channing Brown: An illuminating work of nonfiction, I’m Still Here explores racialized America and the ways our nation internalizes discrimination and marginalization.
9. Deacon King Kong by James McBride: Centered around the shooting of a drug dealer, this novel examines the perspectives of everyone impacted by the event and shows the value of compassion and bravery.
10. The Guest List by Lucy Foley: Set at a glamorous and seemingly perfect wedding, this novel explores humanity and the facade of flawlessness as the event takes a turn for the worse with each passing hour.
11. Red White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston: This novel discusses topics of politics and LGBTQ+ through a modern love story between America’s First Son and the Prince of Wales.
12. Normal People by Salley Rooney: Despite their differences and the fact that the universe tries to keep them apart, Marianne and Connell always find their way back to one another.
13. The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead: This novel reveals the story of two boys, one naive, the other skeptical, sentenced to a cruel reform school in Jim Crow-era Florida.
14. Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia: Noemi, a glamorous socialite, travels from Mexico City to rescue her cousin, Catalina, from a remote Mexican mountain villa, only to find herself and her cousin in more danger than they expected.
15. Long Bright River by Liz Moore: A suspense novel following an intricate story of two once-inseparable sisters, addiction, and the formidable ties that exist between place, family, and fate.
16. The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Daré: An inspiring story following a teenage girl growing up in a small Nigerian village who longs to get an education so that she can find her “louding voice” and fight for her dreams.
17. Wow, No Thank You by Samantha Irby: Told through a collection of comedic essays, Samantha Irby talks aging, marriage, and settling down with step-children in white, small-town America.
18. The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin: A thrilling novel exploring the culture, identity, magic, and myths in contemporary New York City through the lens of different New Yorkers.
19. Writers and Lovers by Lily King: Protagonist, Casey, works to fulfill her creative ambitions, while also balancing the conflicting demands of arts and life in ways that push her to the edge.
20. Americanah by Chimamanda Adichie: A story of two separated Nigerian lovers making their way in the U.S. and the UK, raising universal questions of race and belonging, as well as the search for identity and home.