Summer has arrived, and with it, an exciting new set of our favorite recent reads! Every month we let you know what we’ve been reading and our monthly recommendations, and July of 2026 is fast approaching. Check out new titles with fabulous reviews from the Bay Books team–we’re sure you’ll love these fantastic reads just as much as we do. We recommend a wide range of genres and themes, so get ready to explore more books!
Tina’s Picks
Make Believe: On Telling Stories to Children by Mac Barnett
As a wonderful children’s author, Mac Barnett has entertained countless children but in this lovely book, he explains to adults why writing children’s books is truly and really the act of writing a ‘real book’. His respect for the intellect of children and their openness to the world shines through with every word and we could all take a lesson from this to overcome the world’s complexities. I loved this book—–the author reminded me of why I love reading stories to children—and you will love it too.
Small Boat by Vincent Delecroix (trans. Helen Stevenson)
The narrator of Vincent Delecroix’s fictional account of a boat capsizing and sending 27 migrants to their deaths is the woman who took the calls for help. Traveling from France to England, the boat carrying the migrants encountered trouble and called for assistance and were told they were in “British” waters and to call them for help. In the aftermath, the French operator who took the initial call for help is accused of failing her duty. This accusation raises the moral question of who was really to blame? Should she be blamed alone? Shines a light on losing sight of human value and focusing instead on the blame game.
Accomplice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
This is the third in the cozy Assistant to the Villain romantasy series, and while this genre is outside my typical bailiwick, it was perfect to binge on one weekend when I needed a mental escape. This series delivered and delivered well! I laughed, relaxed and enjoyed the shocking twists and humor in this series. Maehrer takes the villain trope and turns it on its ear at the same time the perspective of a ‘helpless maiden in distress’ is also heavily disabused. You’ll root for both the Villain and his Accomplice. Number 1 on the bestselling list when it came out in August 2025, it will make for a great summer read. The fourth book in this series comes out this August and my name is already on the list for a copy. Start with the first one, Assistant to the Villain.
The Gods of New York by Jonathan Mahler
What a fascinating account of the pivotal years of 1986-1990 in New York when finance was the driving force behind it becoming a modern day metropolis. This all during the midst of racial tension, the AIDS crisis and financial ‘warlords’ who began to shape and control so much of what makes New York what it is today. It’s interesting to see how the major players then, Al Sharpton, Rudy Giuliani, Donald Trump, Ed Koch and more, took their places as powerbrokers, for good or bad, and transformed the city from a manufacturing-based economy to one that dominated Wall Street. The author reveals so many pieces of information that I was not aware of and reminded me of many that were happening at that. An incredible read—I seriously couldn’t put it down.
Wendy’s Pick
The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett
If you read The Help, you may recognize the rich, character-driven writing style of Stockett, including her trademark melding of heartbreak and humor along with the deep-south setting – but the premise and plot of this novel are entirely unique and just as compelling. During the Great Depression in Mississippi, we follow a VERY diverse group of interconnected women as they each face impossible choices. From the mansions of the old money elites to the moldy rooms of a local orphanage, you will be sucked into the narrative and will find yourself invested in characters to both root for – and loathe! This is one of the great reads of 2026.
Becky’s Pick
A Marriage at Sea by Sophie Elmhirst
A true story of a young couple shipwrecked at sea, this is a tale of survival, obsession and a partnership stretched to its limits.
Maurice and Maralyn set sail from England in 1972 to escape their lives. After six months at sea, they find themselves alone for months on a tiny raft in the middle of the ocean, starving and exhausted. They must find ways to get along and to stay alive. As their inner demons emerge, their marriage is put to great tests.
Who do we become under extreme conditions?
This is a wonderful look at codependence and the power of love.
Karin’s Pick
How to Live: A Life of Montaigne by Sarah Bakewell
Credited with inventing the essay form, the 16th century French nobleman Michel de Montaigne wrote as a way of discovering what he thought and how he felt about pretty much whatever came into his head. “Of Friendship,” “Of Experience,” and “Of Cannibals,” are a few of his 107 eclectic essay titles. Sarah Bakewell unpacks Montaigne’s milieu and the context of a life that was filled with both action and contemplation. Read about his life and then pick up the essays – you’ll be intrigued and subsequently doing a bit of your own musing!
Grace’s Picks
Mexico City Blues by Jack Kerouac
Maybe it’s the sunshine, maybe it’s my limited attention span (or, most likely, a combination of the two), but I’ve been on a major poetry kick as of late. One of my favorite collections, circa the Beat era, comes from Mr. On the Road himself: Jack Kerouac. Mexico City Blues is a significant work of his poetry in verse, and in a very Beat fashion, showcases Kerouac’s tendencies toward spontaneous composition, surrealistic free association, and explores everything from his relationship with Buddhism to his dreams. Perhaps my favorite element of this one is its loose and out-of-the-box written structure—the book’s title is a nod to Kerouac’s jazz- and blues-based inspiration. Each poem is a numbered “Chorus,” and all 242 of them come together in a rhythmic, alliterative symphony. Awesome.
Lessons from Cats for Surviving Fascism by Stewart “Brittlestar” Reynolds
Seeking out a voice of reason in the face of authoritarian nonsense? Unfortunately, as all cat owners and appreciators will understand, there isn’t one when it comes to felines. However, we must admit that what cats may lack in rhyme or reason, they make up for in their unrestrained, unapologetic defiance, seemingly impenetrable confidence, and their unparalleled skills in resisting authority. This little guide teaches readers how to approach life nowadays in the very same fashion, breaking down eleven practical strategies (“Stay Nimble and Unpredictable,” “Keep Your Claws Sharp”, and so on) for reclaiming power—cat-style. Insightfully funny and encouraging: a glimmer of hope in a dog-eat-dog world.
