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St. Louis librarians share their top summer reads for 2026 10%
By Emily Woodbury44%
6/1/2026, 10:00:00 AM
BS Summary: This article contains 27 faulty reasoning types, including Framing Effect, Halo Effect, and Negativity Bias, with Biased Writer Voice as the most egregious example at 20.7% saturation with 277 hits. Analysis detected 1,657 faulty-reasoning hits from 1,335 analyzed words, generating a BS Score of 26.9% and a BS Rank of 10% (19,730 of 21,887 articles). This article is better (less manipulative) than 90.10% of the article peer group.
The first day of summer is still 20 days away, but with the school year wrapping up and temperatures already in the mid- to upper 80s, now is the perfect time to curate your summer reading list.
On today’s “St.
Louis on the Air,” we’ll talk top picks with people who select books for libraries in St.
Louis: Lauren Brickey of St.
Louis Public Library and Heather Neill of St.
Louis County Library.
Their beach read recommendations are listed below, along with brief notes about each title.
LAUREN BRICKEY’S LIST
FICTION
“Yesteryear” by Caro Claire Burke, 2026
“Behind the scenes, Natalie, a tradwife influencer, relies on a team of nannies, producers and farmhands to maintain her image for millions of followers.
However, her life takes a surreal turn when she awakens to find her family and home fundamentally altered.
Why?
Because she has been transported back to the year 1855.”
“A Parade of Horribles” by Matt Dinniman, 2026
“The ‘Dungeon Crawler Carl’ books are the most entertaining dystopian works I’ve read in recent years, and Princess Donut is and will forever be my hero.
Book 8 is arguably the best book of the series.”
“Get Over It, April Evans” by Ashley Herring Blake, 2026
“A charming enemies-to-lovers tale that follows two women navigating the complexities of second chances at romance.
Naturally, there are plenty of steamy moments to enjoy.”
“For Human Use” by Sarah G.
Pierce, 2026
“It feels impossible to omit a book that’s brilliantly bizarre, hilarious and essentially a story about Tinder for dead bodies.
This debut jolted me out of a reading slump.”
“Phoebe Berman's Gonna Lose It” by Brooke Averick, 2026
“In a story that is just as much about mental health as it is about love, Phoebe, a soon-to-be-30-year-old virgin, creates a checklist to help her finally 'lose it.'”
“Dear Debbie” by Freida McFadden, 2026
“A former advice columnist turned vigilante settles the score with everyone who’s ever wronged her.
A guilty pleasure, indeed.”
“American Fantasy” by Emma Straub, 2026
“Newly divorced empty-nester Annie goes on a nostalgic 1990s boyband cruise and reconnects with her youth in unexpected ways.
This book is a humorous and wise reflection on starting over in middle age.”
“Bromantasy” by Máire Roche, 2026
“A charmingly chaotic and cozy queer romantasy that is humorous and heartwarming.
This slow burn, best-friends-to-lovers romance is a fun adventure.”
NONFICTION
“A Killing in Cannabis: A True Story of Love, Murder and California Weed” by Scott Eden, 2026
“True crime doesn’t get any better than this.
A truly exhilarating story about California’s cannabis industry.”
“Aprons Away: Women’s Work on Route 66” by Cheryl Eichar Jett, 2026
“As we celebrate the centennial of Route 66 this summer, it is wonderful to have a book that pays tribute to the women who shaped its culture and roadside environment, highlighting both their visible and behind-the-scenes contributions.”
“Matt’s St.
Louis Food Story” by Matt Sorrell, 2025
“St.
Louis food is the best in the country — period.
Matt highlights local gems, from restaurants, bars and shops to the city's top purveyors.”
HEATHER NEILL’S LIST
“The Unknown” by Riley Sager, publish date Aug.
4
“Marin Keane is an aspiring actress who just landed the role of a lifetime in a movie based upon the unsolved disappearance of five women on the island of New Avalon in 1926.
She joins the rest of the crew on a weeklong research trip when strange things start to happen that are alarmingly similar to the events that occurred in 1926.”
“Plant Lady” by Minyoung Kang, publish date Aug.
4
“A delightful cozy mystery about a serial killer who kills bad men and feeds their remains to the plants in her plant shop.
It was a bestseller in Korea and is getting released in the U.S. this August.”
“Hedonist Juniper accidentally volunteers himself for a quest to kill a fearsome monster, and his best friend and roommate, Mo, is there yet again to help take care of him.
But as the journey progresses, Juniper finds out that not only is the monster a shape-shifting little girl, Juniper also might like Mo a lot more than just a friend.”
“It’s Hard to Be an Animal” by Robert Isaacs, 2026
“Pushover Henry is on a first date with the extroverted and beautiful Molly when he looks over and sees a warbler who has some choice words for Henry.
Then, he overhears rats in the subway talking about a decaying corpse.
He accidentally tells Molly about the talking animals, and she insists on investigating.
They end up finding the corpse, but the murderer finds them too.”
“The Beheading Game” by Rebecca Lehmann, 2026
“The day after her execution, Anne Boleyn wakes in a box with her head at her knees.
She escapes, sews her head back on and starts planning her revenge.”
“Young World” by Soman Chainani, 2026
“High school student Benton Young wants to impress his love interest with a video about how he would make a great president, and to his surprise, the video goes viral.
He unwittingly sparks a revolution where the youth worldwide get elected in positions of power — and he gets elected president.
When the young leaders meet, one of them gets murdered, and he is the No. 1 suspect.”
“The Veiled Prophet: Secret Societies, White Supremacy, and the Struggle for St.
Louis” by Devin Thomas O’Shea, publish date June 23
“This is the definitive history of the Veiled Prophet Society from its origins in 1877 to today — and all of the uprisings against the society that have occurred in between.
The club included most politicians and business leaders in St.
Louis who were drawn to the prestige, status and influence afforded the initiated — not just in St.
Louis, but worldwide.”
“This Vast Enterprise: A New History of Lewis and Clark” by Craig Fehrman, 2026
“Craig tells the story of one of the greatest expeditions through a new lens.
Each chapter is told from the perspective of a different member on the journey, thus amplifying the voices of individuals who are often overlooked.
This book is perfect for the 250th anniversary of the U.S.”
“Take Me to Your Leader: Perspectives on Your First Alien Encounter” by Neil deGrasse Tyson, 2026
“America’s favorite astrophysicist examines aliens portrayed through popular culture, film and literature, and he applies the universal laws of physics to determine whether or not they could actually exist.
He then details how aliens could actually travel the universe to reach us and provides some etiquette tips on how to greet them.”
“AC Barbeque: The Husky and Handsome Guide to Grilling” by Anthony Anderson and Cedric The Entertainer, 2026
“Travel from Los Angeles to the Carolinas, and everywhere in between, to get regional takes on classic barbeque dishes.
For each locale, Cedric and Anthony include a handful of local favorites to check out, including Kenrick’s Meats and Pappy’s Smokehouse here in St.
Louis.”
“99 Ways to Die: And How to Avoid Them” by Ashely Alker, 2026
“As an ER doctor, Dr.
Alker is the expert at evading death, and she wants to share her knowledge with the rest of us.
Each chapter highlights a different threat — from poison to animals and more — and how to avoid dying from that threat.
The result is equal parts darkly humorous and informative.”
“Pests and Other Friends: Discover the True Nature of the Most Maligned Animals” by Halsey Berryman, 2026
“While racoons, opossums and prairie dogs might seem like pests, they are actually crucial to the health of our ecosystem.
This beautifully illustrated book highlights over 60 maligned creatures and teaches us how they are actually beneficial.”
“St.
Louis on the Air” brings you the stories of St.
Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region.
The show is produced by Miya Norfleet, Emily Woodbury, Danny Wicentowski, Elaine Cha and Alex Heuer.
Layla Halilbasic is our production assistant.
The audio engineer is Aaron Doerr.
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