Glossy Magazine’s book editor, Sophie Hughen, offers her expert preview of some of the most exciting literary works that you should read this June/July. Her selection features a spectrum of genres, celebrated authors, and noteworthy new narratives, ensuring a wealth of engaging options for every reader. For more book-related inspiration from our editor, follow @readablereviews on Instagram.
1. The Land of Sweet Forever by Harper Lee, £22.00 Hardback
Set in the American South, this collection gathers the early short stories of Harper Lee, tracing small-town lives shaped by race, class, and quiet longing. With sharp observation and gentle humor, Lee explores childhood, moral awakening, and the weight of the expectations of others. Each piece speaks to her legacy, offering intimate portraits of ordinary people confronting injustice and the fragile hope of belonging for all.
2. 1536 by Eva Pickett, £10.99 Paperback
1536 by Eva Pickett explores the downfall of Anne Boleyn through the eyes of those closest to her. As fear and ambition ripple through the royal court, loyalty is tested, and truth becomes dangerously fragile. The play captures the human cost of political power, blending tension and intimacy to reveal how quickly fortunes can turn when survival depends on silence, strategy, and sacrifice.
3. The Correspondent by Virginia Evans, £16.99 Hardback
In The Correspondent by Virginia Evans, letters become lifelines as distance, secrecy, and longing shape an unexpected connection. Through carefully crafted exchanges, identities shift, revealing how words can both conceal and liberate. Evans explores intimacy, trust, and the courage it takes to be known, showing how even the quiet act of writing can transform lives and redefine the boundaries between strangers.
4. Persuasion by Jane Austen, £16.99 Hardback
In Persuasion, we meet Anne Elliot, who gets a second chance at love when Captain Wentworth returns years after their broken engagement. Navigating regret, family pressure, and shifting social fortunes, Anne discovers her own strength. Austen’s final novel is a tender exploration of enduring love, maturity, and the quiet courage it takes to trust both the heart and one’s own judgment.
5. All Them Dogs by Djamel White, £18.99 Hardback
A group of young people navigate survival and identity in a world shaped by pressure and limited choices. As friendships are tested and tensions rise, each character must confront what it means to belong. Gritty and emotionally charged, the story captures the pull of the streets and the fragile bonds that hold people together when everything else feels uncertain.
6. Flight Behaviour by Barbara Kingsolver, £9.99 Paperback
Dellarobia Turnbow’s life in rural Appalachia is upended when she discovers a mysterious swarm of monarch butterflies. As scientists and media descend, the phenomenon reveals deeper truths about climate change, faith, and community. Kingsolver weaves personal awakening with environmental urgency, crafting a powerful story about responsibility and the fragile balance between human lives and the natural world.
7. Judge Stone by Viola Davis and James Patterson, £20.00 Hardback
A formidable judge known for her unyielding sense of justice is pushed to her limits when a case threatens to unravel her past. As danger closes in, she must confront buried secrets while upholding the law, testing how far she’ll go to protect truth, power, and her own survival.
8. Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins, £19.99 Hardback
The brutal world of Panem is revisited through a new perspective tied to the legacy of the Hunger Games. As political tensions rise and survival becomes spectacle, characters are forced to navigate power, fear, and resistance. Collins deepens the mythology of the series, exploring how control is maintained and how defiance begins.
9. Finding Your Purpose After 50 by Sam Banbury, £9.99 Paperback
From a local writing talent! Finding Your Purpose in life beyond midlife becomes an opportunity rather than a limit. Blending practical guidance with reflective exercises, Banbury encourages readers to reassess priorities, rediscover passions, and embrace new directions. With a focus on growth and resilience, the book offers a thoughtful roadmap for creating a fulfilling, purpose-driven chapter in later life, a must-read for all.
