10 Best Books Of June 2015

From summery beach reads to compelling memoirs, epic historical fiction to heartwarming romance, June is jam-packed with amazing reads with lots to offer!

1. A Different Kind of Same by Kelley Clink

Winner of the 2014 Beacon Street Prize, Kelley Clink delivers a compelling debut memoir A Different Kind of Same. After her brother Matt’s suicide, Kelley retraces the steps of her life to understand why he did it. She embarks on a journey of forgiveness and self-discovery to put the pieces of her life back together again.

2. Crow Hollow by Michael Wallace

Michael Wallace’s writing is razor-sharp in his first historical fiction novel, Crow Hollow set in Boston during King Phillip’s War. Prudence Cotton is a young Puritan widow who refuses to adhere to society’s expectations of how a woman should act. When her daughter is kidnapped, she’s hell-bent on finding her and teams up with James Bailey, an agent of the crown as they make their pursuit into the words. Both with their own motives, they discover secrets about each other they didn’t see coming.

3. Eight Hundred Grapes by Laura Dave

Set in the rolling hills of Sonoma, Georgia Ford knows a thing or two about grapes after growing up on her family’s winery. She knows all the secrets of how her family produces a bottle of fine wine, the secret ingredient in her mother’s lasagna and the secret behind ending a fight. But only a week before her wedding, Georgia discovers a secret she did not see coming that changes her life forever. She returns to her family home to pull herself together again, but as it turns out, her family has even more secrets that eventually come to light.

4. The Road Home by Kathleen Shoop

Kathleen Shoop’s fans will adore the second installment of her Letter Series. Katharine and Tommy find themselves at their mother’s funeral, haunted by the past and still stuck on unanswered questions. When they begin to meet friends from their mother’s past, they discover things they never knew and start on the road to forgiveness.

5. The Witch of Bourbon Street by Suzanne Palmieri

Suzanne Palmieri’s latest novel takes us to the deep south of Louisiana for a bewitching journey through self-discovery. When Frances Green Sorrow is born with signs of the chosen one, she brings her family back from obscurity and the Sorrow ghosts are set free. But Frances is no hero. When her son disappears, Frances returns to the life she left behind in order to find him and discovers the truth about power.

6. Worthy by Catherine Ryan Hyde

From Pay It Forward author Catherine Ryan Hyde comes her 28th novel, Worthy, a touching and inspiring story of love, loss and rediscovery. Worthy tells the tale of two strangers who discover they’re connected by an unfortunate turn of events. When Virginia discovers her fiancé set her dog loose with malicious intent, the engagement is off and she is alone once again. Virginia is soon reunited with her dog thanks to a shy young man who found the missing pet and forged a bond of his own. Before long, Virginia and the young man uncover a shared connection from their past that will help them let go of tragic memories and set them free from the past forever.

7. Saint Mazie: A Novel by Jami Attenberg

Whimsical, jazzy and full of nostalgia, Saint Mazie is a wonderful read for a lazy summer Sunday. Mazie Phillips is the big-loving and bawdy proprietress of the Venice movie theater in New York. When the Great Depression hits, Mazie takes in homeless families and opens the movie theater doors to those in need. Mazie becomes the heart of the Lower East Side and defines the neighborhood as one that helps the city.

8. Summer Secrets by Jane Green

Cat’s life in her twenties was lovely on the surface – a great job and amazing friends. But drinking was a constant in her life as she partied every night, wreaking havoc and experiencing blackouts. When she discovers the father she never knew she had, Cat begins unraveling, costing the new family she longed to have. Now, she’s in her late twenties and is desperately trying to reconnect with her family and face the unthinkable act she committed one summer night.

9. Mireille by Molly Cochran

Mireille is the decadent and scandalous story of a woman who will stop at nothing to be the next greatest Hollywood star and protect the life of her baby. Leaving her torrid past behind her, Mireille begins her life in Paris as l’Ange—the Angel. After an unlikely meeting with a wealthy aristocrat in a Parisian hotel—and her acceptance of his solicitation—Mireille becomes the most celebrated courtesan in all of France, eliciting huge fees and invitations to exclusive parties. At one of these events, Mireille meets Oliver Jordan, an American womanizer and film producer, and is soon launching a skyrocketing film career. As her star rises, Mireille is determined to bury her past. But her success isn’t as carefree and glittery as it seems, and when her daughter’s future is threatened, Mireille must make a deadly decision in a desperate attempt to finally choose her own path.

10. Beautiful Girl by Fleur Philips

Melanie’s whole life has revolved around her beauty. From casting call to audition, Melanie’s mother Joanne has put her worth into looks. Melanie seeks to break away from this life and rebel against her mother’s ridiculous expectations. When a freak car accident leaves Melanie’s face with lacerations, she finally feels like she has a chance to live a normal life. But embarrassed by the imperfection, Joanne hides Melanie away in Montana. Things for Joanna backfire when Melanie meets Sam, and within 36 hours of meeting, Sam and Melanie change each other’s lives in unimaginable ways.