UNP staff members are always reading new books, both within our list and outside of what we publish. Here are some of the titles where our noses have been buried.

“My friend lent me her copies of The Summer I Turned Pretty Trilogy so I could read them before season 2 of the Amazon Prime series premieres next month. The series follows Belly’s summer vacation as she finds herself in a love triangle with two brothers, Jeremiah and Conrad.” -Sarah Kee

“I’m currently reading Orwell’s Roses by Rebecca Solnit. Unlike any book I’ve read before, Orwell’s Roses combines a biography of Orwell’s life, a horticultural history of roses, and explorations of art, political, and environmental activism. The short chapters jump between subjects but tie the themes together with beautiful writing and detailed research.” -Lacey Losh

“I recently finished Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House, a classic haunted house narrative following a group of people gathered to study the paranormal happenings of the eerie Hill House. My current read is The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame, which is definitely a tone shift!” -Taylor Martin

“I just finished up The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller. I’ve seen so much hype surrounding this book, so I picked it up a few months ago when browsing the Half Price Books in Omaha. In an attempt to read more, this book made it onto my summer reading list, and it happened to be the one I started with. It was so beautifully written and designed, and Miller commits so well to the voice of Patroclus, making the book seem like it’s from a different time. It was definitely worth the hype, but I was foolishly hoping for a happier ending. I would absolutely recommend it to fellow Greek mythology fans! Next, I’m planning on picking up Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo. I hadn’t really heard of it, but I saw it at Target, and their book section has yet to fail me. I have high hopes!” -Rylee Gregg

“This month I picked up The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway from a local bookstore. I am about halfway through this short read and enjoying the imagery of Paris and Spain present throughout the book. Hemingway’s writing style shines in the book; I especially enjoy his succinct narrative prose which allows the reader to decide the rights and wrongs of the characters and storyline. I read A Farewell to Arms a few years ago and was not nearly as taken with it as I am with this one. With the recent passing of Cormac McCarthy, I look forward (as much as one can with his grisly style) to re-reading The Road this month as well.” -Norah Green

“I’m finally digging into a book I bought more than 10 years ago: Just Kids, by Patti Smith, about her relationship with artist Robert Mapplethorpe in NYC in the late ‘60s/early ‘70s. It’s beautifully written—images of what she describes pop into your head on nearly every page—and describes their childhoods, the experiences they shared struggling as young artists, and their lifelong relationship.” -Jane Ferreyra

“I’ve been listening to Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman by Lindy West (a recommendation from Lacey last year!). If you watched and enjoyed the Hulu series that was adapted from Shrill you’ll probably also enjoy the book.” -Erica Corwin

“I’m rereading Behind the Scenes at the Museum by Kate Atkinson. I read it when it first came out and I’ve been a fan of Kate Atkinson ever since. My friend Alison recently mentioned this book to me and I realized I didn’t remember it as well as I would have liked. Oh, well. Time for a reread!” -Jana Faust

“This month I read Ariel by Sylvia Plath, a collection that I picked up from a Little Free Library recently. It devastated me and took the wind out of my sails but in a way I would highly recommend. “Edge” and “Years” are my favorites.” -Kayla Moslander

“My summer reading challenge was attempting to make my way through the list of the eleven books considered for One Book One Lincoln, and I started with these two bestsellers: Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan and am nearly finished reading Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus. My curiosity for the buzz on these was let down but the witty writing of Lessons in Chemistry was worth the read for me. I’m focusing instead now on the top three, starting next with Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt.” -Nathan Putens