Which books are going in your beach bag this summer? In today’s episode, we’re sharing a few great picks for your next vacation—or just your next relaxing afternoon in the sun. From fast-paced thrillers and twisty YA mysteries to a heartfelt rom-com set in the world of podcasting, we’ve got something for everyone.

We're heading into a summer break for Unabridged soon and wanted to make sure we'd shared some fun picks for summer before we pause.

For our beach bag picks, Ashley recommends Lucy Foley’s The Guest List, a compulsively readable thriller set on a remote island during a glamorous wedding weekend. Jen shares Back After This by Linda Holmes, a thoughtful, feel-good rom-com about podcasting, heartbreak, and second chances.

We wrap up with a Lit Chat question: What’s a book or series you think is overrated?

Let us know what you thought about this one! Remember that you can support us on Patreon if you're interested in contributing to the podcast.

Visit the Unabridged website for our full show notes and links to the books mentioned in the episode. Interested in what else we're reading? Check out our Featured Books page.

Have you read Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson—or maybe even the whole series? In this May 2025 Book Club episode, we’re diving into the twisty world of Ellingham Academy with Stevie Bell and company. But first, we kick things off with a Bookish Check-In. Ashley’s reading Somewhere Beyond the Sea by TJ Klune (yes, the sequel to The House in the Cerulean Sea), and Jen shares her thoughts on Nnedi Okorafor’s Death of the Author.

Then we dive into all things Truly Devious—what makes Stevie such a compelling protagonist, how Johnson balances multiple mysteries across timelines, and why this one’s a must-read for fans of dark academia and character-driven whodunits. We wrap up with perfect book pairings, plus a few favorite things outside the reading life.

Let us know what you thought about this one! Remember that you can support us on Patreon if you're interested in contributing to the podcast.

Visit the Unabridged website for our full show notes and links to the books mentioned in the episode. Interested in what else we're reading? Check out our Featured Books page.

Have you watched the Heartstopper series or read the graphic novels by Alice Oseman? In this episode, we’re sharing a conversation that originally aired on Patreon all about the pilot episode of Heartstopper, based on Oseman’s beloved graphic novel series. Before we dive into the adaptation, we kick things off with a bookish check-in—Ashley shares about Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros, and Jen is rereading Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison. We wrap things up with a fun Lit Chat question about whether we prefer borrowing or buying books (spoiler: it depends!).

Whether you’ve read the series, watched the show, or are just curious what all the buzz is about, we hope you’ll tune in and join the conversation.

Let us know what you thought about this one! Remember that you can support us on Patreon if you're interested in contributing to the podcast.

Visit the Unabridged website for our full show notes and links to the books mentioned in the episode. Interested in what else we're reading? Check out our Featured Books page.