Summer Reading List (LaundSquad's Version)

Squadders love a good story, so naturally, we’re a team full of book lovers. Give us long-form or short-form, audiobook or print – we’ll soak them all in like word sponges. On any given day, you can find us actively debating the benefits of physical books vs Kindles (I’m team Kindle for travel), or discussing our most anticipated publications. One thing we can all agree on – summer is a prime time to laze around with a book. 

As the last sweet days of summer drift away, I threw out a call to our internally revered #bookclub Slack channel to see what we all spent our summer reading. And the team DID NOT disappoint. We have recommendations from across the board - heart-heavy novels, feel-good beach reads, captivating non-fiction, and short-form/anthologies for when you just want a mental snack instead of a full meal. 

Not one to gatekeep, I had to compile our full summer reading list – which you can find below. While this isn’t required reading, consider it an opportunity to get ahead of the syllabus for the fall. And don’t forget to tag us @launchsquad, if you find a new favorite. 

The Fiction Favorites: 

• All Good People Here by Ashley Flowers
• The Covenant Of Water by Abraham Verghese - “Loved. The opposite of a light summer read but I ended up devouring it.” – Taylor M. 
• Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
• The Girls by Emma Cline - “Because cults are fascinating” – Addy B. 
• The Guest by Emma Cline
• The Ministry For The Future By Kim Stanley Robinson -  “Recommended reading for any one working in the climate space (or who cares about climate change) though it will make you want to pass out/throw up/throw the book at the wall at any given moment.” – Abby R. 
• The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides 
• Singer Distance By Ethan Chatagnier
• Tomorrow And Tomorrow And Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin - “my favorite book of the year” – Anna V. 
• Trespasses by Louise Kennedy
• Trust by Hernan Diaz

The Lighter Fare: 

• The Bodyguard By Katherine Center - “A really fun light read” – Roz P. 
• Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid
• Good Girl Complex By Elle Kennedy
• Happy Place by Emily Henry - “The perfect summer read” – Allie M. 
• Lessons In Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
• ​​Romantic Comedy By Curtis Sittenfeld - “So great. The writing has a cool surprise.” – Gaby A. 
• The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
• The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han - “Very nostalgic. It's taking me back” – Roz P. 

The Learn Something Non-Fiction: 

• Chaos: Charles Manson, The Cia, And The Secret History Of The Sixties by Tom O'Neill - “Probably my favorite nonfiction of all time” – Abby R. 
• Killers Of The Flower Moon: The Osage Murders And The Birth Of The Fbi by David Grann - “Reads like true crime, but so much deeper.” - Sarah M. 
• Love Goes To Buildings On Fire: Five Years In New York That Changed Music Forever by Will Hermes
• Out of Office: The Big Problem and Bigger Promise of Working from Home by Charlie Warzel and Anne Helen Petersen - We’re big fans of AHP! 
• The Talk by Darrin Bell
• Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe - “My all-time favorite non-fiction book EVER” – Claire S. 

The Short-Form & Anthologies: 

• Praise Of Shadows By Jun'ichirō Tanizaki - “Really been loving essay books lately, and this is a great one.” – Emma G. 
• A Good Man Is Hard To Find By Flannery O'Connor