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

Spinning Silver – Naomi Novik

Best known for her fantasy standalone, Uprooted, Naomi Novik is returning to the literary realm with another fairy tale retelling. In Spinning Silver, she’s tackling the rarely retold story of Rumpelstiltskin. If that concept alone doesn’t excite you, I’m not sure what will. Fans of Once Upon a Time in particular will eat this one up.

As per the Goodreads description, the book follows Miryem as she struggles to remedy the consequences of her father’s money lending. Overly generous and lacking the unforgiving nature it takes to collect on his loans, he quickly drives his family to the brink of poverty. Given the urgency of their situation, Miryem is forced to step in.

Unlike her father, Miryem has less empathy for her fellow villagers. She’s determined to collect what her family is owed, and she’ll go to great lengths to do so. But when word gets around that she can turn silver into gold, Miryem finds herself pursued by monsters and kings that would do anything to harness her gifts.

This highly anticipated release hits bookstores July 10. The whimsy of Novik’s cleverly crafted world should serve as the perfect summer getaway for readers, even those inhaling the story from their couches.