20 books you’ll absolutely want to binge at the beach this summer

Us Against You – Fredrik Backman

Fredrik Backman’s Beartown was so darned well-received, it’s no surprise we’re getting a sequel. Us Against You follows the same community after the events of the previous book. As though the residents of Beartown haven’t faced enough problems, they’ve now discovered that their hockey team is set to be disbanded.

To add insult to injury, the rival hockey team in Hed is elated at the news. And they certainly aren’t keeping their delight to themselves. Tensions are high between the neighboring towns when an unlikely new coach is placed at the head of Beartown’s new team. And while he chooses some interesting characters to play for him, actually getting them to work together proves a challenge.

The animosity between towns only grows as the final game of the season approaches. And after a series of increasingly problematic incidents and antics, a member of Beartown’s community even winds up dead. Backman explores the ways in which human beings can create serious consequences from trivial events. And he questions whether there’s any going back afterward.

With all of its outrageous conflicts and suspense, Backman’s Us Against You will make for the perfect summertime binge. And if you haven’t read Beartown yet, you can really go to town, pun very much intended. Us Against You comes out on June 5.