The Most Hyped Books of Summer 2022
Ah, “overhyped,” the biggest buzz word of the day. It’s so prevalent in media spaces because art is subjective. I genuinely hate toxic positivity. But I also am frustrated by toxic apathy.
Now, don’t come for me, but I’m going to go out on a limb and say that I don’t think “hype” is a bad thing. It’s the nature of social media to be loud, whether that is positive or negative. Personally, I love to love things loudly. For a long time, I kept quiet on my social media. I was afraid that I would be wrong about something or people would judge my taste, which can be so personal. So instead of sharing, I kept it quiet. But now I realize that’s no way to live.
Life would be so boring we all loved the same things. I think hype can ruin expectations for people but that’s not the fault of the creator or author or whoever recommended the book. If someone gets their hopes up and it doesn’t live up the mind blowing expectations they set, that’s on them.
Love what you love, loudly and proudly. Life is too short not to share the things that bring you joy.
Every Summer After by Carley Fortune
Am I the one responsible for all the hype around this book? Maybe 50% worth. I love love loved this story. I will forever remember reading it on the beach in my hometown on a gorgeous May day. It was the kind of book that made me cancel plans and responsibilities to read. That is special.
Book Lovers by Emily Henry
As someone who wasn’t wild about Beach Read, I do think this book deserves the hype. It has some of the best witty banter and I loved the setting. It was special and Emily Henry is a truly great human.
Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
This is one I haven’t read and based on the trigger warnings, I’m not jumping to. I can’t speak on the hype, since I haven’t read it, but it does seem to resonate strongly with people, whether positively or negatively.
Upgrade by Blake Crouch
Blake Crouch has quite the reputation so I think hype will follow him wherever he goes. I didn’t like it as much as Recursion, but it’s still VERY good!
Honey and Spice by Bolu Babalola
Add this to your TBR asap!
Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Personally, I loved it. I loved that Carrie was difficult and tough. I loved the father daughter relationship and I LOVED the tennis. But I can fully acknowledge that it won’t be for everyone but it’s TJR so sorry, you will see it everywhere.
The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston
I don’t know what I was expecting, but this book charmed me. It made me laugh and cry and had great callbacks to the Mediator series by Meg Cabot, which I LOVED growing up. I think it will be a divisive one but for those it resonates with it, it deserves the hype.
Counterfeit by Kristin Chen
Another I haven’t read but I want to! I gave my mom my copy and she flew through it in an afternoon and said it was a fun, fast paced read. Perfect for Summer!
The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager
Look, a non thriller reader, I love Riley Sager’s books. They’re a little irreverent and fun. I really liked the setting of this one and had a great time reading it. But if you’re an avid thriller reader, it may not be for you.
True Biz by Sara Novic
This is one I NEED to read and of all my friends I’ve seen hyping it up, i can guarantee it lives up to the hype.
Honorable Mentions:
The Summer I Turned Pretty
This appeared more than a couple times when I crowd sourced this post and I was surprised because in my mind, hype is generally around new releases. But with the release of the show, the book took on a new life! I reread them via audio recently and oh gosh, the feels these books give. I recommend the audio over paper copies to get the full experience!
You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi
I adored this book. It was so achingly romantic and magical. It was poetic and yet so gritty. Another I highly recommend on audio to fully capture the feelings.
So, what do you think? Agree, disagree? And I’d love to know your thoughts on “hype”!