Govs Summer Reading List 2025

As Pescosolido Library Services Director, my hope for Govs students, employees, and alumni is a simple one: a chance during the summer to relax and read a good book. I present a list of ten books published (or to be published) this summer that range from a blockbuster author to a dark thriller, and from a highbrow academia novel to a quirky family road trip, with the hope that there is something for everyone. Plus, a bonus three books because my favorites of the year came out too early to be considered summer, but they’re too good to miss. Happy Reading!
-Paula Kass

Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the space shuttle program opened up NASA to many groups of people not previously considered for astronaut training, including women. In Atmosphere, author Taylor Jenkins Reid fictionalizes one of the women, Joan Godwin, an astronomer chosen to train as a payload specialist. Reid does an excellent job of finding a balance between the facts and an emotional story within the confines of historical accuracy. Joan is a memorable character whose love story rings true and real, and Reid’s fans may be surprised, but they will not be disappointed. (June 3rd)

The Doorman by Chris Pavone
Who knows more about the lives of the wealthy inhabitants of a glitzy Manhattan apartment building than a long-time doorman? Chris Pavone exploits this idea in his latest aptly titled thriller, The Doorman. Chicky Diaz has been working at the Bohemia for years, and knows intimate details about many residents — including the Longworths in 11C-D, who have many secrets of their own. Pavone’s skill is on full display in The Doorman, as he expertly weaves a story that builds in complications and tensions, as well as making a strong social commentary on New York City.  (June 3rd)

The House on Buzzard’s Bay by Dwyer Murphy
Years ago, when Jim inherited the family house on Buzzard’s Bay, he deeded a piece of it to each of his best friends — that’s how close they all were. Now, for the first time in years, they are all reuniting at the house for the summer, but things go wrong between some of them almost from the beginning. In The House on Buzzard’s Bay, Dwyer Murphy weaves a confusing tale that leaves the reader unsure of what is real — but in a good way, if you like that sort of thing. This is a true psychological thriller with a creepy setting, mysterious characters, strange occurrences, and a possible murder, with Buzzard’s Bay playing a starring role. (June 24th)

Katabasis by R.F. Kuang
Alice Law must graduate from the magicks program at Cambridge University, but her advisor, the famous magician Jacob Grimes, has recently died in a lab explosion that Alice may have caused. She realizes the only answer is to go to hell and bring him back, but her lab rival, Peter, has the same idea. Together, they venture through hell in Katabasis by R.F. Kuang. Like Babel, Kuang spends a lot of time lampooning academia and writing long, overly complicated discourses.  Once Alice and Peter’s adventure starts moving — about 100 pages in — the book finally picks up and becomes a good adventure. Kuang has a lot of skill, and there are many clever scenes, witty exchanges, and fun hellish exploits for readers who enjoy dark academia, magic, and adventure tales. (Aug. 26th)

King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby 
If you pick up King of Ashes, be prepared for some serious down-and-dirty action, violence, etc. When Roman’s father is involved in a terrible accident, he returns home to Virginia for the first time in years to find his brother Dante mired in trouble. To save his brother, his sister, and the family business, Roman allows his darker nature to take over as he sinks into the local gang and their dealings. King of Ashes dips deep into the crime world and the question of good vs. evil, and how far is too far for family. (June 10th)

Notes on Infinity by Austin Taylor
Out of pure spite, I want to dislike a book by a young Harvard graduate about young Harvard students, but I couldn’t put this book down. The young people in question are Zoe and Jack, brilliant chemistry students vying for dominance in the competitive world of academic science. The novel follows them from a scientific breakthrough to a multi-million-dollar business, with all of the angst and issues — expected and unexpected. Stylistically, Taylor makes interesting choices to shift POVs and writing patterns several times throughout the novel — some might find this disorienting, but I’m always down for structural uniqueness, so I liked it. (June 3rd)

The Payback by Kashana Cauley
Can a darkly satirical book about how society treats black women be fun? Yes — if it’s The Payback by Kashana Cauley. After losing her dream job as a wardrobe head for low-budget movies, Jada ekes out a living by working retail at the mall, but her student loans continue to grow. In a world where the debt police harass and beat people up who default on their loans — especially people of color — Jada needs to keep paying. When she gets caught stealing a watch left behind in a dressing room, it all falls apart, and she and her friends plot a way to fix everything. The Payback is part social commentary, part heist thriller, and occasionally laugh-out-loud funny. (July 15th)

Port Anna by Libby Buck
Libby Buck’s debut novel, Port Anna, contains a lot of crowd-pleasing elements, including a small town in Maine, old friends, a struggling but plucky protagonist, and a little bit of romance. Gwen Gilmore returns to her hometown with her tail between her legs but determined to make a go of it in Maine after years in North Carolina. The dilapidated cottage is exactly as it was when she was a child — ghosts and all — but Gwen likes it that way until winter sets in and her financial troubles get the best of her. Port Anna has a few plot holes, but overall, Buck delivers a very enjoyable book about friendship, history, and letting go of the past. (July 1st)

Run for the Hills by Kevin Wilson
The magic of Kevin Wilson is his ability to make nonsensical plot lines — like children who spontaneously combust (Nothing to See Here) — feel real. In his latest novel, four half-siblings travel across the country to hunt down their father, who left them all at different times over three decades. Run for the Hills is funny, sad, ridiculous, full of endearing characters, and everything else I expect from Wilson. A bit of a slow start, but by the time Rube and Mad, the oldest siblings, picked up Pep in Oklahoma I was all in. I loved this book about family and how they mess you up but you still love them, and it would make a great movie. Put Run for the Hills on your TBR if you like family drama, road trips, and stories about finding family. (May 13th)

So Far Gone by Jess Walter
Rhys Kinnick checked out of society and moved to his grandfather’s abandoned farm in rural Washington years ago. When a woman shows up at his house with his grandchildren that he hasn’t seen in years, he gets drawn into a mess that may help him reconnect with his daughter.  Jess Walter writes interesting characters, and So Far Gone never stops moving between them — in a good way. I loved this tale of family and regret, and highly recommend it to readers of Walter, Ann Patchett, Jonathan Evison, and other literary writers.  (June 10th)

Here’s the BONUS! Three books I love from earlier this year that should not be missed:

Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green
Evidently, John Green has been obsessed with Tuberculosis since he met a young man named Henry at a hospital in Sierra Leone more than a decade ago. Lucky for readers, this obsession turned into Everything is Tuberculosis. Green masterfully mixes a personal narrative that includes his trip to Africa, his own medical struggles, the history of tuberculosis, TB treatments, political causes and ramifications surrounding the disease, Henry’s story, and a lot more. He packs a lot into a brief book while keeping the science understandable and the narrative moving briskly. Anyone wanting to learn more about the world’s successes and failures regarding the most deadly disease in human history should grab a copy.

Heartwood by Amity Gaige
This is basically everything I want in a book: amazing female protagonists, a suspenseful plot, and rotating narration with an interesting structure. It hasn’t been easy, but Maine State Warden Beverly Miller is one of the state’s most respected search and rescue leaders with a 97% found rate. Their target, Valerie “Sparrow” Gillis, did not show up for an expected supply stop on the last leg of the Appalachian Trail as it winds through the dangerous woods toward Mount Katahdin. What happened to make Valerie so off the trail, and will the team find her before it is too late? Heartwood is a lot more than a wilderness search book — it is about strong women, motherhood, and finding your peace at any age.

Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy 
McConaghy excels at creating natural, dark environments that seep into every aspect of her novels, and the eerie island off the coast of Antarctica central to Wild Dark Shore may be her best yet. When Rowan washes up on the shore more than half dead, the final inhabitants of the island, the Salt family, do not know what to do with her. Secrets and mystery shroud every action as McConaghy rotates through small chapters in different characters’ voices, revealing bits and pieces of what happened on this island in the middle of the ocean. Part mystery, part environmental, and part family drama, Wild Dark Shore creates a bleak but beautiful and engaging world. I recommend this book for literary fiction readers who enjoy dark, mysterious novels about nature, survival, and family.