Kathryn L. on Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan: An unexpected delight. Much like the titular bookstore and its enigmatic shopkeeper, this book and its expansive perspective on knowledge both digital and analog will make you think, laugh, and cry in equal measure. With a winning narrator and a colorful cast of characters, this is a summer read that is as much action-adventure as it is technological meditation without ever relinquishing its central preoccupation with the importance of and delight in freedom of knowledge.

Jaimie R. on Solaris by Stanislaw Lem: Russian sci-fi, depicting an excursion to the planet Solaris in which the laws of physics and reality are bent into a confounding, yet curiously miraculous, alternative reality. Very well-written and easily digestible (unlike other Russian sci-fi!).

Lauren S. on The First Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill George Washington by Brad Meltzer: I’m a big fan of history, but I sometimes struggle to get through nonfiction on certain periods, including the Revolutionary War, because they can be dry, boring, and rife with facts I already knew. I was pleasantly surprised to find that this book was none of those things. I loved that the chapters were short which kept the plot moving and made the information digestible. The cherry on top was the intrigue and mystery around the secret plot, how it was uncovered, and the contributions that made to the intelligence tactics we use today. I highly recommend for fellow history nerds!

Allie P. on The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett: Bennett’s second novel is getting tons of praise and it is well-deserved. I couldn’t put this book down. Bennett tells a moving story about family and lives we make for ourselves. Each character is written with empathy and care.

Join the fun! For a chance to win fabulous prizes in the Adult Summer Challenge, create a free Beanstack account and log each book you finish between June 17 and August 31.

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