Your summer reading list by Chicago-based authors

This summer, at the beach, the pool, or even the park, anywhere, is the perfect place to enjoy a good book. Check out these six books written by Chicago-based authors to jump-start your summer reading.

Comeback Summer by Ali Brady

When Hannah and Libby meet Lou, a unique self-help guru, they realize they might have a chance to save their grandmother’s failing PR firm. To get Lou’s help, they take on a 12-week challenge that forces them to step outside their comfort zones. As Libby competes in an obstacle course and Hannah joins the dating scene, their journeys converge and cause issues and secrets that test their sisterly bond. They must face unexpected challenges and rethink their plans to preserve their company and honor their grandmother’s legacy.

Maddalena and the Dark by Julia Fine

Fifteen-year-old Luisa strives to be the best musician student at the Ospedale della Pieta and wants to win Antonio Vivaldi’s approval. She’s good at the violin but not the best and has no friends until she meets Maddalena, a young woman brought to Pieta to uphold her family’s honor. Their shared longing for freedom and ambitions lead them to risky schemes that entice them into the decadent world outside the walls of the Pieta.  Their friendship develops into a spellbinding Venetian fable of music and magic as they learn to negotiate their wants.

Last Summer on State Street by Toya Wolf

A close-knit friendship blossoms between three unlikely girls: Fe Fe, who has a protective mother; Precious, who comes from a renowned religious family; and Stacia, the daughter of a gangster disciple named Queen-Pin.They find comfort in everyday fun, like playing double dutch, until Tonya’s mysterious arrival changes their lives. This moving coming-of-age story explores the voyage of self-discovery, the transformational power of community, and the profound impact of the friendships that shape our existence.

King by Jonathan Eig

A meticulously researched biography that sheds new light on the life of Martin Luther King Jr. Drawing from recently declassified FBI files, Eig offers an intimate portrayal of King’s courageous but emotionally troubled persona, his complex relationships with his families and fellow activists, and his constant struggle with his human flaws. This book captures the transformative journey of a man who reshaped American race relations, revealing him as a profound thinker, a strategic genius, and a committed revolutionary whose quest for justice resonates as powerfully today as it did during his lifetime.

In Charm’s Way by Lana Harper

A witch named Delilah Haarlow, still recovering from a memory-shattering power surge, attempts a forbidden blood spell to regain her lost abilities. Unexpectedly, the spell not only restores her clarity but also attracts dangerous supernatural creatures to her. When things take a dangerous turn with a rogue succubus, a mysterious hunter named Catriona Quinn comes to Delilah’s rescue, leading them into a partnership that uncovers hidden secrets and sparks a risky attraction that could change Delilah’s world.

I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai  

A successful film professor, Bodie Kane, returns to her past after being invited to teach at her former New Hampshire boarding school, Granby. Haunted by the murder of her former roommate, Thalia Keith, and the conviction of the school’s athletic trainer, Omar Evans, Bodie reevaluates the case and its potential flaws. As she delves deeper into the investigation, she begins to uncover hidden truths and wonders if her knowledge from the past could be the key to solving the mystery and revealing the real killer.