Summer reads: Savor the final days of the season with these librarian-approved novels

For 225‘s July issue, we took a deep dive into Baton Rouge’s book boom, including touring all the hidden amenities offered by regional libraries. While we were at it, we asked Jenna Jaureguy, collection development librarian at the East Baton Rouge Parish Library, to talk book recs.

“Summer reading, to me, is all about discovery,” Jaureguy says. “It feels like you have more freedom—more space to try new stories, genres, authors and even formats like a graphic novel. I’m especially excited about the fresh perspectives and variety these books offer. Each one promises something unexpected—and I can’t wait to dive in.”

Swipe your library card for Jaureguy’s picks. Excerpts were sourced from the NoveList database.

The Family Recipe by Carolyn Huynh

“Duc Tran, the eccentric founder of the Vietnamese sandwich chain Duc’s Sandwiches, has decided to retire. Duc informs his five estranged children that to receive their inheritance, his four daughters must revitalize run-down shops in old-school Little Saigon locations across America: Houston, San Jose, New Orleans and Philadelphia—within a year. But if the first-born (and only) son, Jude, gets married first, everything will go to him.”

Spent: A Comic Novel by Alison Bechdel

“In Alison Bechdel’s hilariously skewering and gloriously cast new comic novel confection, a cartoonist named Alison Bechdel, running a pygmy goat sanctuary in Vermont, is existentially irked by a climate-challenged world and a citizenry on the brink of civil war. Bechdel turns auto fiction on its head in this stunning and deeply personal but funny graphic novel.”

Detective Aunty by Uzma Jalaluddin

“When her grown daughter is suspected of murder, a charming and tenacious widow digs into the case to unmask the real killer. This new series is an action-packed, cozy mystery with a plot to die for.”

The Woman in Suite 11 by Ruth Ware

“Journalist Lo Blacklock travels to a luxury Swiss hotel hoping to revive her career, but when a mysterious woman draws her into a dangerous chase across Europe, she must weigh ambition against survival in a world of wealth and shifting alliances. Ware’s sequel to the bestseller The Woman in Cabin 10 is a menacing and fast-paced read with nonstop twists.”