Books I Read During My Summer Internship at Hachette Book Group
This summer I chose a list of books authored by accomplished writers that have published everything from mystery thrillers to mythology, to a funny book of personal stories. Here are some of my summer favorites that I couldn’t put down. I hope you too will enjoy these great reads!
If you are a fan of the BBC America show “Killing Eve”, then Codename Villanelle is a must read. After watching the show multiple times, I wanted to read the books that inspired the show. Codename Villanelle follows one of the world’s deadliest assassins. Villanelle is trained to kill the most powerful and richest men and women around Europe. After assassinating one of Russia’s influential politicians, Eve Polastri, a former MI6 agent, is called in to hunt down Villanelle. Author Luke Jennings discloses Villanelle’s background in the book hoping the reader will be more sympathetic to her character even though she is a notorious assassin. The series lets the story develop longer before you feel that same sense of sympathy towards Villanelle. Just like the show adaptation, Codename Villanelle kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time.
When reading Circe by Madeline Miller this summer, it reminded me of the Percy Jackson series I read when I was young. Circe is a retelling of the mythology witch legend Circe. Madeline Miller takes you on a journey through the eyes of Circe as we learn about her imperfections and the trauma she lives through as a child, which is written in Miller’s dramatic and vivid writing style. Though Circe is based on mythology, Miller wants readers to be able to relate to Circe’s desire to find her voice and identity as a woman. Circe is faced with a choice to change and grow like mortals or continue to follow the destructive path of an immortal. Reading this retelling of Circe, it is more than just a story about mythology, it’s the story of the complexities of an immortal woman that was able to be independent and powerful among the gods.
I’d Like to Play Alone, Please is a collection of stories from Tom Segura, a stand up comedian. I may just be 22, but I discovered that I had more in common with Tom Segura in his book than I thought I would. I think we can all relate to some of the crazy things that happened to him and shaped who is today. While reading his book, I literally laughed out loud. As a great storyteller with a wicked sense of humor, Segura shares some of his real life experiences, like the time he was booed off stage to when he talks about his dad’s bowel movements. Sometimes we just need to laugh out loud and I’d Like to Play Alone, Please is the perfect book to bring a little humor into your life.
This summer I was able to listen to the audiobook of Verity and, man, it was just as suspenseful as the first time I read it last fall. Verity is about a struggling author, Lowen Ashleigh, who has a chance to ascend in the publishing industry when Verity Crawford’s husband, Jeremey, approaches her to complete the rest of Verity’s book series following her car accident. As Lowen prepares her research with Verity’s notes, she comes across Verity’s secret manuscript. Lowen begins reading the manuscript, discovering chilling facts about Verity and her past. This thriller is filled with more twists and turns then you can imagine, and ends with a surprise jaw-dropping twist.
If you’re a fan of Stephen King, you’re going to love The Chain. I was hooked from the moment I read, “You’re not the first. And you will not be the last.” The Chain is no ordinary crime thriller. Rachel Klein’s daughter has been kidnapped, but when Rachel receives a call from a mystery woman, she is given simple instructions, and if she does not comply, her daughter will die. She is now a part of the chain. This novel is a page turner leaving you with goose bumps as you’re pulled into this riveting mystery.