As summer steadily approaches, booksellers are scrambling to compile ornate displays of books fit for whatever warm-weather activities lay ahead. Whether summer 2023 promises lazy beach days, picnics in a park, or just sitting at home, there are hundreds of books waiting to be read. Luckily for you, the Her Campus Kenyon team has compiled some of their favorite reads from the last month. Check out the list below to see what our editors, writers, and campus correspondents recommend!
Name: Elle Sommer (she/her)
Class year: 2025
Role at HCK: Writer
What book(s) have you read in the last month?
Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke by Eric LaRocca, So B. It by Sarah Weeks, Sex and the Single Girl by Helen Gurley Brown, Meadowlands by Louise Glück, and Stag’s Leap by Sharon Olds.
Would you recommend what you’ve read to another? Why or why not?
Glück and Olds are some of the most powerful poets ever. Their writing makes love, life, and all its sucky downfalls and exhilarating peaks feel known, if that makes sense. I would recommend “So B. It” to anyone who needs a brain break—it’s a really sweet children’s book that made me laugh and cry and then laugh some more. “Sex and the Single Girl” is…interesting. It’s so outdated but a really intriguing window into what was considered revolutionary in the 70s and onwards. I like the feminist implications of it and I’m excited to read more.
Name: Sophie Peck (she/her)
Class year: 2025
Role at HCK: Senior Editor
What book(s) have you read in the last month?
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver, Twelth Night by William Shakespeare, and Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe.
Would you recommend what you’ve read to another? Why or why not?
I just recently finished Demon Copperhead, which is one of the best things I’ve read in a while. It will probably make everything I read afterwords pale in comparison, and I really hope it wins the Pulitzer Prize this year. I read Twelfth Night for my Shakespeare class and thoroughly enjoyed it! The comedies are definitley more fun than some of the darker tragedies and Romeo and Juliet. Empire of Pain is a fantastic non-fiction read about the Sackler dynasty, the family that is responsible for the opiod crisis. It is definitley a heavier book that will piss you off, but Patrick Radden Keefe is a phenomenal journalist who deserves a ton of recognition for bringing this story to light.
Name: Carlin Steere (she/they)
Class year: 2025
Role at HCK: Writer
What book(s) have you read in the last month?
How to Be Perfect: The Correct Answer to Every Moral Question by Michael Schur and King Lear by William Shakespeare.
Would you recommend what you’ve read to another? Why or why not?
I would! King Lear is a long-time favorite of mine so it’s a re-read, but How to Be Perfect is incredibly witty and a good read for the novice philosopher.
Name: India Berry (she/her)
Class year: 2024
Role at HCK: Writer
What book(s) have you read in the last month?
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Would you recommend what you’ve read to another? Why or why not?
I would definitely recommend! This is a super interesting book with great characters.
Name: Shea Humphries (she/her)
Class year: 2023
Role at HCK: Campus Correspondent
What book(s) have you read in the last month?
I’ve been trying to read Dune by Frank Herbert for months (I’m only 40 pages in).
Would you recommend what you’ve read to another? Why or why not?
Probably not. Just watch Timothée Chalamet’s movie.
Name: Maddie Vonk (she/her)
Class year: 2023
Role at HCK: Writer
What book(s) have you read in the last month?
I Came All This Way to Meet You by Jami Attenberg and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin.
Would you recommend what you’ve read to another? Why or why not?
I would totally recommend Jami Attenberg’s memoir, especially if you are a young writer looking for some inspiration from someone more experienced.
Name: Zoe Malouf (she/her)
Class year: 2025
Role at HCK: Writer
What book(s) have you read in the last month?
Last month I read Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro.
Would you recommend what you’ve read to another? Why or why not?
Yes! I usually don’t enjoy science fiction but this book didn’t feel too unrealistic. I really enjoy Kazuo Ishiguro’s writing style, and reading through the perspective of AI was a cool take on what could be our future.
So whether you’re a Goodreads fanatic or rarely dabble in literature, it’s never too late to add another book to your repertoire. Not to mention that the warm weather warrants few excuses! Thanks to the Her Campus Kenyon team, prepare for a summer full of good reads. So what’s the wait? Pick up a novel, kick back, and get reading.