The Book BinWhether you’re lounging in a hammock, hiding in the shade, or soaking in the late sunset glow, these summer reads deliver something for every mood—romance, revenge, and resistance. From juicy fiction to powerful nonfiction, here are three titles our friends at The Book Bin recommend adding to your seasonal stack.
Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry
Emily Henry has returned with her sixth novel, following a journalist as she competes for her dream job: interviewing America’s Sweetheart-turned-villainess about the truth behind the stories. But as she gets to know her subject and her competition (the misunderstood, grumpy, award-winning writer from New York), she starts to think that there may be more secrets than she suspected, and she may have to heal her own relationships to help the villainess heal hers.
Victorian Psycho by Virginia Feito
Victorian Psycho is a riveting tale of a bloodthirsty governess named Winifred Notty who learns the true meaning of vengeance. Winifred arrives to Ensor House to dutifully tutor her charges, Drusilla and Andrew Pounds. But long, listless days spent within the estate’s dreary confines come with an intimate knowledge of the perversions and pathetic preoccupations of the Pounds family. Compounded with her disdain for the Pounds family, Winifred finds herself struggling at every turn to stifle the violent compulsions of her past. Victorian Psycho is utterly weird. For the movie fans, A24 will be making it into a feature film.
A Protest History of the United States by Gloria J. Browne-Marshall
Erika Krouse said it perfectly in her review of the book: “We don’t often read history seeking hope, but in Gloria Browne-Marshall’s A Protest History of the United States, we find it in every exquisitely written chapter.” Browne-Marshall takes us through 400 years of American protests and resistance, offering guidance by exploring the past. Regardless of whether these protests accomplished their end goals, Browne-Marshall reminds us that not only is dissent meaningful and impactful but is an essential tool for eliciting long-lasting change.
By Hayley and Kat
This story originally ran in Press Play Salem issue 24 ( Summer 2025)
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Carlee Wright
