‘Sociopath: A Memoir’ by Patric Gagne

Patric Gagne’s 2024 memoir “Sociopath” is one of the best I have read in years. I was hooked from the book’s opening lines. Gagne takes the reader through her experience growing up as a sociopath without any psychological support, her life working in the music industry, and her motivation behind earning a Ph.D. in Psychology. Her book reads like a tell-all; Gagne’s blatant honesty makes her story an entertaining, informative and addictive read. Ironically, despite the distance and the “nothingness” the author feels, her storytelling and prose feel personal, tinged with the self-confusion Gagne faced growing up. Gagne’s story sheds light on the commonly misunderstood mental disorder and, in my opinion, is one of the most memorable memoirs of the last few years.

‘Bad Summer People’ by Emma Rosenblum

“Bad Summer People” has everything readers crave in a beach read: drama, romance and mystery, all set against a backdrop of an island filled with affluent vacationers. Rosenblum’s fast-paced novel tells the story of one summer from the perspective of multiple upper-class couples. As the characters navigate Fourth of July picnics, tennis tournaments and overpriced children’s summer camps, tensions boil to the point of cheating, fighting and murder. “Bad Summer People” is filled with delicious satire and absurdity, and readers won’t be able to look away from Fire Island’s clashing couples. Fans of bestsellers like “Big Little Lies” by Liane Moriarty and “We Were Liars” by E. Lockhart will find Rosenblum’s satirical novel immensely entertaining.

‘Big Swiss’ by Jen Beagin

Jen Beagin’s novel is refreshing in its weirdness, honesty and humor. “Big Swiss” is hopeful, dark, endearing and creepy all at once; I could not put it down. “Big Swiss” follows middle-aged Greta Work (the main character often quips that even her name taunts her). New to Hudson, New York, and working as a transcriber for a sex therapist, Greta quickly develops an intense fascination with a tall Swiss patient. She cannot stop her interest growing when she eventually faces Big Swiss in person. As Greta faces her dark past and the awkwardness of her new life, Beagin’s story develops into an incredibly written sapphic tale. NPR described Beagin’s novel perfectly; “A hilarious, dark and quirky coming-of-middle-age story.”

‘The Paradise Problem’ by Christina Lauren

Christina Lauren’s new romantic comedy, “The Paradise Problem,” was among the most anticipated romance releases of summer 2024, and the author duo (Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings) did not disappoint. Following a classic marriage of convenience trope, an artist struggling to pay her rent and her father’s medical bills reunites with her well-mannered, extremely wealthy, conveniently attractive ex-husband, Liam (whom she barely knows). After the couple agrees that Anna will accompany Liam to his sister’s over-the-top wedding, sparks fly, family tensions grow, and the line between what’s real and fake between the couple grows ever fainter. Filled with humor, romantic tension, debates over inheritances and other rich people problems, I couldn’t help but find “The Paradise Problem” an entertaining, quick-paced, romantic beach read.