Summer is the perfect time to slow down, find a shady spot, and lose yourself in a great book. Whether you're drawn to gripping fiction, sharp essays, or something breezy and fun, we've pulled together our favorite picks for adult readers this season — all available at Frugal Bookstore in Roxbury.
Fiction: Stories That Pull You In
Black Water Rising by Attica Locke
A taut, atmospheric thriller set in 1980s Houston. A Black lawyer witnesses a crime on a bayou and gets pulled into a conspiracy that threatens everything he's built. Attica Locke is one of the best crime writers working today. Get your copy →
The Cutting Season by Attica Locke
Another Locke masterpiece — this one set on a Louisiana plantation-turned-event-venue where a body is discovered. A mystery that refuses to let history stay buried. Perfect for fans of literary suspense. Get your copy →
The Street by Ann Petry
First published in 1946, this landmark novel follows Lutie Johnson, a Black single mother navigating Harlem's 116th Street. Tayari Jones calls it essential — and she's right. If you haven't read it yet, this is your summer. Get your copy →
The American Daughters by Maurice Carlos Ruffin
A bold, inventive novel about two enslaved women who forge an unlikely alliance in antebellum New Orleans. Ruffin writes with fire and precision. One of the most talked-about novels of 2025. Get your copy →
Wench by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
Set at an Ohio resort where enslaved women are brought by their enslavers, this novel is devastating, beautifully written, and impossible to forget. A book club favorite for good reason. Get your copy →
Tar Baby by Toni Morrison
Morrison at her most lush and provocative — a novel about identity, desire, and belonging set between the Caribbean and New York. If you've read Beloved and Song of Solomon, it's time for Tar Baby. Get your copy →
Lighter Reads: Romance, Laughs & Easy Escapes
Not every summer book needs to be heavy. These picks are fun, fast, and deeply satisfying.
The Duchess Effect by Tracey Livesay
A swoony, witty romance about an American rapper and a British duke navigating love across very different worlds. Think Bridgerton energy with a sharp modern edge. Perfect beach read. Get your copy →
Getting To Happy by Terry McMillan
McMillan's sassy and vibrant story about four black women struggling to find love and their place in the world touched a cultural nerve, inspired a blockbuster film, and generated a devoted audience. Get your copy →
She Memes Well: Essays by Quinta Brunson
The creator of Abbott Elementary writes about growing up, going viral, and finding her voice. These essays are warm, hilarious, and gone before you know it. Get your copy →
You Can't Touch My Hair by Phoebe Robinson
Sharp, funny essays on race, pop culture, and being a Black woman in America. Robinson has the comedic timing of a stand-up and the insight of a cultural critic. Great for reading in short bursts. Get your copy →
Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
Trevor Noah's memoir about growing up mixed-race in apartheid South Africa is one of those rare books that makes you laugh out loud and breaks your heart on the same page. An absolute crowd-pleaser. Get your copy →
Nonfiction: Essays and Ideas Worth Sitting With
You Get What You Pay For: Essays by Morgan Parker
Poet Morgan Parker turns her sharp, funny, and deeply felt gaze on Blackness, pop culture, grief, and American life. These essays are the kind you read twice — once fast, once slow. Get your copy →
The Book of (More) Delights: Essays by Ross Gay
For Gay, practicing delight is an act of defiance in an often unjust world, as necessary as breathing. Even as he acknowledges racism, consumerism, ecological devastation, and our individual sorrows—he shows us that the un-delights make the delights even more so. Get your copy →
Find Your Next Read at Frugal Bookstore
Stop by our Roxbury location to browse these titles and get personalized recommendations from our staff. We know books — and we love helping readers find their next favorite. You can also order online for delivery or in-store pickup.