This month we are shaking it up a bit and adding some must-have extras to the monthly must-reads list from BookSparks CEO, Crystal Patriarche. Don’t worry, you’re still getting her June 2025 favorite reads and watches, but she’s also sharing so products she can’t survive summer with out, the drinks that are fueling her bookish brains and some quotes and inspiring essays to keep you thriving this season.
Reading
New Releases:
Welcome to Murder Week by Karen Dukess
When Cath’s thrill-seeking, absentee mother passes she finds something mysterious in her mother’s belongings. Straying from her ordinary life, Cath decides to go to England and attend “murder week” in place of her mother. The orchestrated crime meant to attract tourists leads Cath to discovering more about her mother and herself as she meets a cast of equally displaced characters joining her on the investigation.
Buy the book now: Bookshop.org | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Happy Wife by Meredith Lavender and Kendall Shores
Set against the backdrop of Florida’s most glamorous community, Nora’s whirlwind romance with prominent lawyer Will, nearly 20 years her senior, was the first thing to set the social scene abuzz. The second? Will’s sudden disappearance the day after his birthday. Now, Nora must navigate the gossip, scandals, and buried secrets of Florida’s elite to uncover what happened to her husband.
Buy the book now: Bookshop.org | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Slow Burn Summer by Josie Silver
Charlie is a divorced talent agent whose screenwriting career went down with his marriage and now he has one shot at redemption. A guaranteed hit of a romance novel is about to hit the shelves, but the writer wants nothing to do with it. In steps Kate, also divorced and a former soap actress willing to play the part of author. As they go on tour and attend signings, sparks start to fly between this combative pair.
Buy the book now: Bookshop.org | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
What Kind of Paradise by Janelle Brown
Jane has grown up isolated in a cabin in Montana with her father. They live off the land and read 19th century philosophy. But as she gets older she grows curious and desperate to know and experience more. Did her mother actually die in a car accident, or is Jane an unwitting accomplice to something more sinister? To find answers she flees the only home she knows in search of the truth, navigating San Francisco and the fledgling years of the internet to unravel the mystery of her own past.
Buy the book now: Bookshop.org | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Charity Trickett is Not So Glamorous by Christine Stringer
It’s 90s Hollywood and Charity Trickett believes she’s on the path to stardom when she moves to LA. But as a director’s assistant, things aren’t panning out. The industry is hard, money is running low and she may have just made a criminal mistake that costs the studio millions. Based on a true story, Charity Trickett is Not So Glamorous is the story of chasing fame and leaning on friends through the struggle.
Buy the book now: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby
Roman has returned home after his father was in a devastating accident. His brother Dante is mixed up with dangerous criminals and his sister Neveah is struggling to hold the family and the family business, Carruthers Crematorium, together. Roman attempts to use his sharp financial skills to lift his brother out of disaster, but the men he’s dealing with aren’t the pretend tough guys he’s used to. In order to save his family, he’ll offer his services to dangerous men in order to do what it takes to save his family.
Buy the book now: Bookshop.org | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
El Dorado Drive by Megan Abbott
The Bishop sisters once wealthy lives have declined as they reach middle age. When Harper is approached by her older sisters to join the Wheel, a money making scheme that could put them back on top, they grow addicted to the thrill. Taking bigger and bigger risks, the trajectory leads to an unthinkable crime in this searing reflection on money, women and privilege.
Buy the book now: Bookshop.org | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
The Expat Affair by Kimberly Belle
Rayna isn’t typically for one-night stands, but after a brutal divorce and meeting the handsome Xander in Amsterdam, she goes all in on adventure. When she wakes in the morning to find Xander dead and millions in diamonds missing, she’s swept up into unexpected danger. Willow watches as the news unfolds, her husband being Xander’s former boss, and as she senses her own world crumbling, she too gets swept into the mystery and the underground world of diamonds.
Buy the book now: Bookshop.org | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Finders Keepers by Sarah Adler
Nina was on the brink of life going perfectly when her boyfriend dumps her, she loses her job and finds herself living with her parents instead of the fabulous new apartment she’d planned. Her childhood best friend is also back and insisting they embark on the treasure hunt they started as kids. Hoping to turn her fortunes around, she agrees, but treasure isn’t the only thing they will dig up as old secrets and heartache get unburied.
Buy the book now: Bookshop.org | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
New in Paperback
Go As a River by Shelley Read
Victoria is the remaining female in her family running a peach farm when she encounters Wil. Wil is seeking independence, displaced from his tribal land. Their chance encounter will change them forever. Victoria will flee her family home in exchange for survival in the wilderness. As her home is threatened by the encroaching Gunnison River she must find courage and resilience living the life she’s chosen.
Buy the book now: Bookshop.org | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Two you might have missed:
The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
Sybil has spent a lifetime writing letters. To family and friends, to the president of a university and to someone who she never sends the letters to. An accomplished woman, a lawyer, a mother, a grandmother, she’s had a life well lived. When she begins to receive letters from someone in her past, she’s forced to confront one of the most painful periods of her life and to find a way to forgive.
Buy the book now: Bookshop.org | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
The Conditions of Will by Jessa Hastings
Georgia fled her close-minded family in South Carolina and is working in London as a lie detector and body language savant. When her father passes, she and her gay, alcoholic brother return home where feelings start to emerge between her brother’s AA sponsor and Georgia. When a mysterious revelation is made in her father’s will, she must use her skills to unravel the mystery while managing her feelings for the newcomer.
Buy the book now: Bookshop.org | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Audiobook:
Better Luck Next Time by Cara Bastone
In this Audible Original narrated by Mae Mae Whitman and Colin Woodell, Mona and Duncan used to be best friends. Now, they hate each other. But they decide to play nice for the can’t-miss, annual two-family vacation. Instead of arriving at their destination, they slip through a wormhole and wind up in a different timeline. One where everything is a bit off. Unexplainable family conflicts abound and Mona and Duncan are apparently getting divorced. As they try to untangle the truth in this world while playing it cool, they are forced to face the idea of that they might just hurt each other in any universe.
Buy the book now: Amazon
Re-reading:
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
In this reimagining of Homer’s The Illiad, told through the point of view of Patroclus, this novel is a modern day classic of epic proportions. Miller’s unforgettable love story and #1 New York Times bestseller is the reread everyone needs.
Buy the book now: Bookshop.org | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Essay:
Maggie Rogers: The Truth About Dreams
This essay was adapted from a commencement address to the graduates of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. In it, Maggie Rogers discusses the journey of an artist. The persistent, the fear, the urge to quit, hide and run. And ultimately, the reward if you follow the pursuit all the way through.
Watching:
Call Her Alex – Hulu Docuseries about ‘Call Her Daddy’ Host Alex Cooper
Following the mega-popular podcaster, Alex Cooper, this Hulu docuseries deep dives into the life and success of the creator behind Call Her Daddy.
We Were Liars – Prime Video Adaptation of Hit E. Lockhart Novel
The beloved YA series has found its way to the screen. After years of waiting, fans get to watch the mystery of ultra privileged vacationers whose life falls apart. When a tragic accident claims the life of her friends and her memory, Cadence returns two years later to solve what happened.
Sirens – New Netflix Series About Wealth and Power
When Devon arrives to find her sister under the captivating spell of her wealthy employer, she’s determined to break her free of the entanglement. But Simone won’t come easily. She’s enraptured by the lifestyle she now leads and her sister is blemishing the perfect life she believes she’s building. To make matters worse, her boss Michaela is rather formidable opponent.
Quoting:
Drinking:
Add a little zap to your summer drink with this fun pickle lemonade. A blend of tart and tangy, pickles are the new jalapeños of summer 2025. This recipe featured in The New York Times is a must try!
Homemade Ice Coffee
Sometimes it’s asking a lot to run to Starbucks anytime you need a pick me up. Nespresso makes the BEST homemade ice coffees to get that little pep back in your step.
Loving:
Summer Fridays Jet Lag Eye Patches
Whether you’re traveling or just need a refresher, these hydrating Korean patches with take away the puff and prep you to be bright-eyed for the day.
Kitsch Satin Pillow Case in Cherry Print
Do your frizzy, dry, summer hair a favor and get this pillow case. It will help tame some of those flyaways and it couldn’t be cuter in the cherry print.
Whether you need a belated grad gift or a cute little present for your book bestie, this annotation kit is the perfect excuse to write in all the margins.
Now hear me out. Sure, you could use this to organize medications and supplements, but I bought these pill organizers in pink to use for my jewelry for travel so they wouldn’t get tangled! 10/10 recommend.
Splurging:
Sometimes you just have to buy something because it’s cute and you want it. And that’s it. These floral ceramic tea cups could not be left behind on the wishlist.
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