Photo Credits: Wikimedia Commons
By Lora Jushchenko ՚25
Staff Writer
Not only was this the summer of Charli XCX’s “Brat” for some, it was also a summer of books. Although summer is gone and the leaves are starting to turn, some books make for great reads no matter the season. From memoirs to romances, here are the summer reads of a few Mount Holyoke College students, in their own words:
“Red White and Royal Blue” by Casey McQuiston: “I got recommended the book by multiple of my own friends. We love enemies to lovers and gay people relationships! I heard it was made into a movie and now I want to watch it so badly.” –Georgia Shen ’25
“I Who Have Never Known Men” by Jacqueline Harpman, translated by Ros Schwartz: “I liked [it] for its intriguing profile of a girl whose identity is built off a world she never knew. It’s a tragic tale, but how can it be tragic for her when she never knew the world she lost? I was struck with the urge to create something based on this story as soon as I finished it. The structure is also unique — it’s a short 120-page novel with no chapters — and I truly felt like I was experiencing her life with her. Phenomenal book about apocalypse, womanhood and culture.” –Max Paster ’25
“All This Could Be Different” by Sarah Thankam Mathews: “A story that felt like one in my own friend group. The author so naturally debated theoretical ideas around mutual aid without coming off as preachy! [The book] did an amazing job humanizing the post-college experience as well. I [also] audio booked it which I think added to it.” –Karis Knoll ’25
“Strong Female Character” by Fern Brady: “[A] really interesting memoir about a bisexual Scottish comedian who talks about her life before and after getting diagnosed with autism as an adult[.] [S]ome parts of it are really heavy, so be aware that it does talk a lot about mental health — specifically self harm.” –Berit Holden ’25
“The Palace of Eros” by Caro De Robertis– “It’s a queer retelling of the myth of Psyche and Eros, with really cool non-binary representation with the character of Eros. I think that anyone who likes Greek mythology [and] poetic writing would have a ton of fun.” –Talia Pott ’25
“Free Food for Millionaires” by Min Jin Lee: “I think the exploration of class is really interesting. I like how imperfect the narrator is. I’ve read reviews that say she’s super full of herself and [that she’s] annoying, but I really like how she’s really flawed and kind of just figuring out life. Generally I like Asian American contemporary literature, and I love New York, and it’s like two in one. There’s [also] this kind of weird wrestling with relationships and religion in her life, which is kind of funky.” –Alison Foong ’25
“The Illuminae Files” by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff: “An epistolary novel which braids together interview transcripts, maps, radio logs, DMs and a variety of other inventive sources into a cohesive and interesting sci-fi story. It's definitely gimmicky, but the gimmick works. Although some of the threads never perfectly tie in, on the whole it is a very satisfying work. Unexpectedly moving for a book in which space zombies feature so prominently.” –Mayan Caplan ’25