Kendall Jenner reclining on a beach lounger with a book in hand is a summer mood I wish to recreate (alas, minus the abs). From high-profile book clubs (Kaia Gerber, Reese Witherspoon, Emma Roberts, and Florence Welch all have one) to Dua Lipa’s Monthly Read, celebs are losing themselves in literature. Books have long been a means of escape, and while A-listers surely have better access to the tropical destinations and five-star retreats most of us could only dream of, that doesn’t mean they’re immune to the whims of wanderlust. Luckily for us all, the desire to escape the drudgery of daily life can be soothed by burying your head in a book. Here, we round up six new releases that’ll satiate your need for adventure.
Caribbean
Having recently returned from St Kitts island, I’m desperate for anything to help me drift back to the Caribbean (if only in my thoughts).
In this short story collection—which has been praised by the brilliant Bernardine Evaristo—a group of young, Black British friends work their way through life’s winding path of ups and downs. Prepare to be transported from London’s Woolwich to Jamaica.
A glittering new voice
Bernardine Evaristo
Worlwide
Author and content creator Sophia Molen describes her debut book as both semi-autobiographical and “a strange mix” of mental health issues, existentialism, travelling, Taoism, and more. So, naturally, I was hooked.
The novel follows Ophelia as she leaves her home in Amsterdam (Molen is also Dutch but now lives in Lisbon), searching for self-discovery. Her quest takes her to Lanzarote, Arizona, California and Bali. Molen says, Violet Syrup is a love letter to life.
South Africa
The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years
An atmospheric and haunting novel that transports you from India to Durban across a hundred years in search of answers to a long-forgotten love story. Perfect for fans of Daphne Du Maurier’s Rebecca, Elif Shafak’s The Island of Missing Trees and Neema Shah’s Kololo Hill.
Filled with wonder and colour
Yangsze Choo
Japan
Gate to Kagoshima is an action-packed adventure that opens in Scotland and makes its way to Kagoshima, Japan, as our heroine flees the ghosts of relationships past only to find new loves—and new heartbreak. Set at the close of the Samurai era, the story blends Outlander by way of Before the Coffee Gets Cold.
Paris
It had me at “Heartburn meets Mrs Harris Goes to Paris”. Described as the feel-good book of the summer, The Paris Novel from bestselling author and food writer Ruth Reichl, follows Stella around 1980s Paris as she breaks free from the structure of her life as a copywriter in New York’s power-broking heyday. Expect romps around literary haunts like Shakespeare and Company and Les Deux Magots.
No one writes about food like Ruth Reichl, I consider her essential nourishment.
Nigella Lawson
Tokyo
If you weren’t already sold from the cover (forget what they say about never judging a book by its cover), then the glittering reviews from some of the starriest names in the literary galaxy might sway you. Pandora Sykes hails it as “Compelling, delightfully weird, often uncomfortable”, while foodie Nigel Slater reports being “glued” to Asako Yuzuki’s new novel.
The cult Japanese bestseller is inspired by the true story of “The Konkatsu Killer”. It follows a female gourmet chef in a Tokyo Detention Centre who has been convicted of luring lonely businessmen with her hearty home-cooking only to murder them. Our protagonist, Manako Kajii, won’t speak to the press, that is, until a journalist requests one of her recipes. It’s a must-read for fans of Killing Eve.