Are you in a reading slump or looking to add some new books to your list as the summer ends? Houston’s literary scene continues to thrive! I’ve rounded up some of the best recent books set in Houston and by Houston authors.
The Best Memoir
This beautiful, gripping Pulitzer Prize winning book follows Houston author Cristina Rivera Garza’s real life journey of seeking justice for her sister, who was murdered in July 1990 in Mexico City. As Garza grapples with her sister’s unresolved criminal case, she also dives into her sister’s history from her first romance to her last adventurous summer in college.
The Best Contemporary Romance
Although the author is from San Antonio, you’ll love every page of this enticing rom-com set in Houston, featuring dates at Space Center Houston and POST. Amerie Price is looking for a new job and a place to live when she meets NASA astronaut Vincent Rogers at a coffee shop. When Price runs into her ex in the same coffee shop, she pretends Rogers is her new boyfriend. The two end up in a hilarious fake dating relationship, but what happens when they start to develop real feelings for each other?
The Best Fiction
Some people may not realize Kevin Kwan, the brainchild behind the mega-hit novel and movie “Crazy Rich Asians”, is a Houstonian. His latest novel follows Rufus Leung Gresham, who attempts to save his family’s fortune by seducing a woman with money at his sister’s wedding. As you read, dive into the juicy family secrets, hilarious shenanigans, and beautiful settings all over the world, including Hawaii, England, and Los Angeles.
Coming Next Month
I’ve devoured every book of Attica Locke’s “Highway 59 series,” which follows Texas Ranger Darren Matthews. In her third and final novel for the series out on Sept. 3, Darren Matthews is pulled out of early retirement to help with the case of a missing Black college student who has disappeared from her all-white sorority. Locke’s crime thrillers are always page-turners featuring interesting characters and beautiful Texas scenery.
Do you have other reading recs? I want to know!
In a reading mood now? Listen to the Houston Poet Laureate read a poem crafted by Houstonians about Hurricane Beryl.
