In Episode 224, Sarah, Catherine (@GilmoreGuide) and Chrissie (@ChrissieWhitley) celebrate the release of the 2026 Summer Reading Guide with a special behind-the-scenes conversation about putting this year's guide together. Catherine and Chrissie share what it was like participating in the guide for the first time, from the reading process to narrowing down their final picks, while Sarah talks about how much more fun her spring reading felt with the guide becoming a team effort. Together, they reveal their secret books from the guide, share what's still sitting on their summer TBRs, and reflect on the kinds of books they found themselves gravitating toward while reading for summer.

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Get the 2026 Summer Reading Guide

This year's Summer Reading Guide is bigger than ever — and now available as a full PDF with in-depth write-ups on every book.

Here's how to access it:

Full PDF Guide (with write-ups):
- Available to current paying members on Patreon or Substack
- Start a free trial (Patreon: 7 days | Substack: 30 days)
  - *Be sure to use the link above to access your free trial on Substack.
Free Cheatsheet (no write-ups):
- Available to everyone on the blog
Free Trials close:
- Friday, May 22 (Memorial Day weekend)

When you sign up, you'll also get:

2–3 bonus podcast episodes per month
Full back catalog of bonus content
Weekly reading updates + more

All the details in the recent IMPORTANT DETAILS bonus podcast episode and post.

The Secret Picks for the 2026 Summer Reading Guide

Catherine

Two Kinds of Stranger (Eddie Flynn, 9) by Steven Cavanagh (US: March 24, 2026) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [18:13]
The Windsor Affair by Melanie Benjamin (June 2, 2026) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [26:04]
The Favorite Sister by Jessica Knoll (2018) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [36:15]

Chrissie

Celestial Lights by Cecile Pin (March 24, 2026) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [20:33]
Honeysuckle by Bar Fridman-Tell (March 24, 2026) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [30:45]
Stranger Things Have Happened by Kasie West (April 14, 2026) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [39:47]

Sarah

Dissection of a Murder by Jo Murray (May 5, 2026) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [23:29]
Heather by Caitlin Mullen (June 9, 2026) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [33:53]
The Shark House by Sara Ackerman (January 13, 2026) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [42:18]

Other Books Mentioned

Presumed Innocent by Scott Turow (1987) [24:29]
The Swans of Fifth Avenue by Melanie Benjamin (2016) [26:20]
The God of the Woods by Liz Moore (2024) [34:24]
Long Bright River by Liz Moore (2020) [34:29]
Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll (2023) [39:27]
Jaws by Peter Benchley (1974) [43:28]
The Devil's Teeth by Susan Casey (2005) [44:42]
Shark Heart by Emily Habeck (2023) [45:34]