If you’re looking for a book to cool down (or heat up) your TBR this summer, check out PEOPLE’s recommendations for the best new reads of the month, so far.
‘J.F.K: Public, Private, Secret’ by J. Randy Taraborrelli
St. Martin’s Press
A follow-up to his book Jackie: Public, Private, Secret, Taraborrelli turns his pen to the former president, and the more covert aspects of his storied life — including a bombshell romance, Mafia drama and the truth about his complicated relationship with Marilyn Monroe.
‘The Satisfaction Café’ by Kathy Wang
“Joan had not thought she would stab her husband. It had been an accident (sort of ).” So begins the story of Joan Liang’s life in America, an unexpected journey she greets with rare calm and wry humor. You’ll root for her every step of the way. — Marion Winik
‘Archive of Unknown Universes’ by Ruben Reyes Jr.
This luminous dual-timeline novel follows two couples with ties to El Salvador and the threads of war, loss and love that unite them.
‘Party of Liars’ by Kelsey Cox
When someone plunges from the balcony of a possibly haunted Texas mansion, characters with dark secrets propel the search for the killer and victim in this riveting thriller.
‘The Art of Vanishing’ by Morgan Pager
A museum janitor discovers the paintings are really windows into worlds — then falls in love with one of their occupants. Think Night at the Museum as a romance.
‘I Want to Burn This Place Down’ by Maris Kreizman
If you’re a rule follower feeling a little upended lately, this one’s for you. These incisive personal essays perfectly probe our present political moment.