Thursday, August 6, 2026

hottest digital books of summer

 















Some of the hottest titles of the spring and summer of 2026 often have the longest waitlists.  For Mountain Brook residents, you have the opportunity to find some titles on Hoopla, no lines and no waiting!  Select a complimentary read to tide you over while you wait!

 If you’re waiting for YESTERYEAR by CARO CLAIRE BURKE, try:

o   Followers by Megan Angelo

§  reminds us that even if we obsess over famous people we’ll never meet, what we really crave is genuine human connection

§  Hoopla, eaudio & ebook

§  Libby, eaudio 

o   Workhorse by Caroline Palmer

§  A richly drawn, unsettling, and wickedly funny story of envy and ambition set against the glamor and privilege of media and high society in New York City at its height.

§  Libby, eaudio & ebook

o   Caroline, Little House Revisited by Sarah Miller

§  vividly recreates the beauty, hardship, and joys of the frontier

§  Hoopla, eaudio & ebook

§  Libby, eaudio

o   I Want You More by Swan Huntley

§  A ghostwriting gig in the Hamptons becomes far more than a job in this sexy, atmospheric, and deliciously tense story.

§  Hoopla, eaudio

§  Libby, eaudio

o   Red River Road by Anna Downes

§  follows a woman desperate to discover what happened to her sister on a solo road trip through the Australian outback

§  Libby, eaudio & ebook

o   Ghost Wall by Sarah Moss

§  A taut, gripping tale of a young woman and an Iron Age reenactment trip that unearths frightening behavior.

§  Hoopla, eaudio

o   Trad Wife by Saratoga Schaefer

§  Rosemary’s Baby for the digital age, this disturbing horror novel is one you’ll want to devour in just one bite.

§  Hoopla, eaudio

§  Libby, eaudio & ebook

o   Everyone Is Lying to You by Jo Piazza

§  an explosive thriller about two estranged friends, a grisly murder, a sudden disappearance, and the truly shocking revelation that everyone is lying to you about something

§  Libby, eaudio & eaudio

o   PRINT ONLY

§  Tradwife by Michelle Brandon (new book, on order)

·         wives with dark personal secrets in a small beach town find themselves embroiled in scandal when one of their husbands goes missing, and their traditional—and not so traditional—lifestyles become a national sensation

·         If you’re waiting for CALAMITY CLUB by KATHRYN STOCKETT, try:

o   For Mountain Brook residents, Calamity Club is available in eaudio and ebook on Hoopla, no lines and no waiting!

o   Untethered by Angela Jackson-Brown

§  delves into the complexities of love, family, and self-discovery in a time of transformation and upheaval

§  Hoopla, eaudio & ebook

o   The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick

§  a humorous, thought provoking, and nostalgic romp through one pivotal and tumultuous American year--as well as an ode to self-discovery, persistence, and the power of sisterhood

§  Hoopla, eaudio & ebook

§  Libby, eaudio & ebook

o   The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah

§  a powerful American epic about love and heroism and hope, set during the Great Depression, a time when the country was in crisis and at war with itself, when millions were out of work and even the land seemed to have turned against them

§  Libby, eaudio & ebook

o   Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate

§  based on one of America’s most notorious real-life scandals—in which Georgia Tann, director of a Memphis-based adoption organization, kidnapped and sold poor children to wealthy families all over the country

§  Libby, eaudio & ebook

o   The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict & Victoria Christopher Murray

§  A remarkable novel about J. P. Morgan’s personal librarian, Belle da Costa Greene, the Black American woman who was forced to hide her true identity and pass as white in order to leave a lasting legacy that enriched our nation.

§  Libby, eaudio & ebook

o   The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes

§  a breathtaking story of five extraordinary women and their remarkable journey through the mountains of Kentucky and beyond in Depression-era America

§  Libby, eaudio & ebook

o   Hang the Moon by Jeannette Walls

§  an action-packed historical novel about an indomitable young woman in Prohibition-era Virginia

§  Hoopla, ebook

·        If you're waiting for WHISTLER by ANN PATCHETT, try:

o   The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife by Anna Johnston

§  A zany case of mistaken identity allows a lonely old man one last chance to be part of a family.

§  Hoopla, eaudio & ebook

§  Libby, eaudio & ebook

o   I See You’ve Called in Dead by John Kenney

§  Obituary writer Bud Stanley has fallen into a funk after a divorce. He’s not doing his job well. He’s given up on dating. And he’s about to be fired for accidentally publishing his own obituary one mildly drunken night.

§  Hoopla, eaudio

§  Libby, eaudio & ebook

o   Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf

§  A spare yet eloquent, bittersweet yet inspiring story of a man and a woman who, in advanced age, come together to wrestle with the events of their lives and their hopes for the imminent future.

§  Libby, eaudio & ebook

o   Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano

§  at once a transcendent coming-of-age story, a multidimensional portrait of an unforgettable cast of characters, and a breathtaking illustration of all the ways a broken heart learns to love again

§  Libby, eaudio

o   The Poppy Fields by Nikki Erlick

§  a stunning speculative story of healing, self-discovery, forgiveness, and found friendship

§  Hoopla, eaudio & ebook

§  Libby, eaudio & ebook

o   The Lido by Libby Page

§  intergenerational friendship, community, and love—featuring the life-changing relationship between an anxious young reporter and an eighty-six-year-old lifelong swimmer

§  Hoopla, eaudio

o   Still Life by Sarah Winman

§  a captivating, bighearted, richly tapestried story of people brought together by love, war, art, flood, and the ghost of E. M. Forster

§  Libby, eaudio & ebook

o   Dandelion is Dead by Rosie Storey

§  a modern love story about the courage it takes to live again after loss and finding hope in the most unexpected places

§  Libby, eaudio & ebook

o   PRINT ONLY

§  The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister

·         a chef, her students, and the evocative lessons that food teaches about life

·         If you're waiting for SHAMPOO EFFECT by JENNY JACKSON, try:

o   So Old, So Young by Grant Ginder

§  a story about the growing pains of the Millennial generation, and a celebration of how love can shift, stumble, and grow into something bigger than we ever could have imagined

§  Libby, eaudio & ebook

o   The Storm by Rachel Hawkins

§  St. Medard’s Bay, Alabama is famous for three things: the deadly hurricanes that regularly sweep into town, the Rosalie Inn, a century-old hotel that’s survived every one of those storms, and Lo Bailey, the local girl infamously accused of the murder of her lover, political scion Landon Fitzroy, during Hurricane Marie in 1984.

§  Libby, eaudio & ebook

o   Heart the Lover by Lily King

§  a magnificent and intimate new novel of desire, friendship, and the lasting impact of first love

§  Hoopla, ebook

§  Libby, eaudio & ebook

o   The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff

§  a Texas family is met with losses and surprises of inheritance, but they’re unable to shake the pull back toward each other

§  Hoopla, ebook

§  Libby, eaudio & ebook

o   The Celebrants by Steven Rowley

§  a moving tale about the false invincibility of youth and the beautiful ways in which friendship helps us celebrate our lives, even amid the deepest challenges of living

§  Libby, eaudio

    • Long After We Are Gone by Terah Shelton Harris

o   PRINT ONLY

§  Lulu Meets God and Doubts Him by Danielle Ganek

·         As The Devil Wears Prada demystified the world of high fashion, this funny and insightful debut novel dishes the crazy and captivating Manhattan art scene.

·         If you're waiting for DOLLY ALL THE TIME by ANNABEL MONAGHAN, try:

o   Stay by Allie Larkin

§  Savannah has loved Peter since the day they met. The problem is, Peter has loved Van’s best friend, Janie, since the moment they met. And now they’re walking down the aisle, with Van standing nearby. After the wedding Van drowns her sorrows in Kool-Aid-vodka cocktails and reruns of Rin Tin Tin, and does what any woman in her situation would do: She buys a German Shepherd over the Internet.

§  Libby, ebook

o   This Summer Will Be Different by Carley Fortune

§  This summer they’ll keep their promise. This summer they won't give into temptation. This summer will be different.

§  Libby, eaudio & ebook

o   Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand by Helen Simonson

§  You are about to travel to Edgecombe St. Mary, a small village in the English countryside filled with rolling hills, thatched cottages, and a cast of characters both hilariously original and as familiar as the members of your own family.

§  Libby, eaudio & ebook

o   Property of a Lady by Sarah Rayne

§  Michael Flint is asked by friends to look over an old house they have unexpectedly inherited, but it’s not until Michael meets the young widow and antiques appraiser, Nell West, that the menace within the house wakes.

§  Libby, ebook

o   Happiness for Beginners by Katherine Center

§  a story that looks at how our struggles lead us to our strengths, how love is always worth it, and how the more good things we look for, the more we find

§  Libby, eaudio

o   Dream a Little Dream by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

§  Welcome to Salvation, North Carolina—where a man who's forgotten what tenderness means meets a woman with nothing to lose.

§  Hoopla, eaudio & ebook

§  Libby, eaudio

o   PRINT ONLY

§  Things We Left Behind by Lucy Score

·         Lucian Rollins is a lean, mean, vengeance-seeking mogul. The more money and power he amasses, the safer he is from threats. Except when it comes to the feisty small-town librarian who keeps him up at night.

·          If you're waiting for MAD MABEL by SALLY HEPWORTH, try:

o   An Elderly Lady is Up to No Good by Helene Tursten

§  Maud is an irascible 88-year-old Swedish woman with no family, no friends, and...no qualms about a little murder. 

§  Hoopla, eaudio

§  Libby, eaudio & ebook

o   Murder Makes Waves by Anne George

§  These hilarious southern sisters, who prove that sibling rivalry never ends, are enjoying a vacation at the beach…until a dead body washes up in the waves.

§  Hoopla, eaudio & ebook

§  Libby, eaudio

o   Once a Spy by Keith Thompson

§  Drummond Clark was once a spy of legendary proportions.  Now Alzheimer’s disease has taken its toll and he’s just a confused old man who’s wandered away from home, waiting for his son to fetch him. 

§  Libby, eaudio & ebook

o   Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

§  Four septuagenarians with a few tricks up their sleeves, a cop with her first big case, a brutal murder: Welcome to…The Thursday Murder Club

§  Libby, eaudio & ebook

o   Swimming for Sunlight by Allie Larkin

§  a thoughtful, charming novel about hope after loss and friendships that span generations

§  Hoopla, eaudio

o   Miss Julia Speaks Her Mind by Ann B. Ross

§  With razor-sharp wit and perfect "Steel Magnolia" poise, Miss Julia speaks her mind indeed--about a robbery, a kidnapping, and the other disgraceful events precipitated by her husband's death.

§  Hoopla, ebook

§  Libby, ebook

o   Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistlestop Café by Fannie Flagg

§  the now-classic novel of two women in the 1980s; of gray-headed Mrs. Threadgoode telling her life story to Evelyn, who is in the sad slump of middle age

§  Libby, eaudio & ebook

o   The Autumn Springs Retirement Home Massacre by Philip Fracassi

§  there's a killer on the loose at Autumn Springs, and if she isn't careful, Rose may be their next victim

§  Libby, eaudio & ebook

o   Thelma (2024, PG-13, 1h 38m)

§  An elderly woman falls victim to a phone scam and sets out to find the perpetrators with the help of her grandson and a friend.

§  Hoopla

§  Kanopy

§  Disney+/hulu/HBOmax subscription

o   The Burroughs (2026, TV-MA, 45m/episode)

§  In a seemingly perfect retirement community, a crew of unlikely heroes must stop an otherworldly threat from stealing the one thing they don't have: time.

§  Netflix subscription

o   A Man on the Inside (2026, TV-14, 30m/episode)

§  A retired professor with a knack for snooping gets a new lease on life when a private investigator recruits him to go undercover

§   Netflix subscription

o   PRINT ONLY

§  My Grandfather, the Master Detective by Masateru Konishi

·         Steeped in references to classic crime from Christie to Chesterton to Poe, My Grandfather, the Master Detective plays with the genre, capturing readers' imagination in this Tokyo-set escapist mystery.

·         If you're waiting for THEO OF GOLDEN by ALLEN LEVI, try:

o   The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams

§  an unforgettable and heartwarming debut about how a chance encounter with a list of library books helps forge an unlikely friendship between two very different people in a London suburb

§  Hoopla, eaudio & ebook

§  Libby, eaudio & ebook

o   Where the Wildflowers Grow by Terah Shelton Harris

o   The Life List by Lori Nelson Spielman

§  Brett struggles to complete her abandoned life list and one thing becomes clear: sometimes life’s sweetest gifts can be found in the most unexpected places.

§  Hoopla, eaudio

§  Libby, eaudio

o   Begin Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande

§  Atul Gawande tackles the hardest challenge of his profession: how medicine can not only improve life but also the process of its ending.

§  Libby, eaudio & ebook

o   The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot by Marianne Cronin

§  a brave testament to the power of living each day to the fullest, a tribute to the stories that we live, and a reminder of our unlimited capacity for friendship and love

§  Hoopla, eaudio & ebook

§  Libby, eaudio & ebook

o   This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page

§  an emotional and uplifting story about one woman’s reading-inspired journey to live, dream, and love again

§  Libby, eaudio & ebook

o   Buckeye by Patrick Ryan

§  weaves the intimate lives of two midwestern families across generations, from World War II to the late twentieth century

§  Libby, eaudio & ebook

o   The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett

§  A darkly comic and warm-hearted novel about an old man on a cross-country mission to reunite with his high school crush—bringing together his adult daughter, two orphaned kids, and a cat who can predict death.

§  Libby, eaudio & ebook

o   The Correspondent by Virginia Evans

§  Filled with knowledge that only comes from a life fully lived, The Correspondent is a gem of a novel about the power of finding solace in literature and connection with people we might never meet in person.

§  Libby, eaudio & ebook

o   How to Read a Book by Monica Wood

§  With the heart, wit, grace, and depth of understanding that has characterized her work, Monica Wood illuminates the decisions that define a life and the kindnesses that make life worth living.

§  Hoopla, eaudio & ebook

§  Libby, eaudio & ebook

o   Life, and Death, and Giants by Ron Rindo

§  a moving story of faith, family, buried secrets, and everyday miracles

§  Libby, eaudio & ebook

 

Descriptions pulled from Amazon, IMDB, and Netflix.