As we head into May, mother-daughter writing duo Kate and Angourie Rice offer up a few reads to carry you into summer.
From a gripping mystery to a flirty romance, this pair thought of something for everybody, especially for those who appreciate a complex woman protagonist with some serious depth.
This month, the co-authors are releasing their debut novel “Stuck Up and Stupid,” a modern retelling of “Pride and Prejudice.”
The duo’s novel, hitting shelves May 6, follows Lily as she has an enviable encounter with superstar Dorian Khan. While she certainly won’t fawn all over him like some of the other women on Pippi Beach, she may just grow genuine feelings for the celeb.
Leading up to the anticipated romance release from the “Mean Girls” actor and her award-winning playwright mom, the two joined the 3rd hour of TODAY in-studio to share their end of spring reading recs.
Best Read for Mother’s Day: “My Friends” by Fredrik Backman
When 18-year-old Louisa receives a painting of three people, she sets out to find the backstory behind the compelling work of art. Little does she know that 25 years earlier, a group of teenagers — Joar, Ted, Ali, and the talented painter — spent their summer navigating the ups and downs of life, and splashing around in the lake by their favorite pier.
This is a “perfect Mother’s Day novel because of the compassionate, insightful way the writer understands parents as real people, however flawed,” Kate Rice told TODAY.com. It “shows the consequences of family dysfunction and trauma, but also the far-reaching effects of a mother’s love, support and encouragement.”
She added that Backman’s work is “a beautiful novel about the things that keep us alive and make life worth living: community, love and art.”
Best Romance: “My Hot Housemate” by Susannah Hardy
Sparks don’t immediately fly when struggling actor Indigo James is forced to return to Sydney from LA to housesit with Jeremy Taylor. But as the pair grow closer, and Hollywood starts calling, will she choose the career or the man of her dreams?
For Kate, this fun romance hits close to home, reminding her of time living with a friend and pursuing acting careers.
Best Mystery: “The Influencers” by Anna-Marie McLemore
“Mother May I” Iverson is your typical mommy influencer. She’s spent the last two decades building her online empire and chronicling every move of her five biracial daughters. Now that the girls are all grown up, the consequences of having their childhoods exploited for online fame are vast. All the while, May and her daughters are dealing with the mysterious death of her new husband.
The novel is a “gripping mystery about the ethical concerns of turning family life into ‘content,’” Angourie Rice said.
On top of that, the book explores topics of race, gender, sexuality, class and the sticky nature of parasocial relationships.
Best Backyard Lounge Read: “Make Me Famous” by Maud Ventura
Cléo has literally spent her entire young adult life in pursuit of one thing: Becoming a world-famous singer. By 33, she’s actually made it happen. After deciding to take her first vacation in years, Cléo begins to ruminate on what exactly lead her to where she is today.
Ventura’s sophomore novel is “a deep character exploration of a woman who wants more than anything to become famous — we follow her upwards trajectory, and the corruption that comes with it,” Angourie explained.
It’s “a dark and absorbing story of the price of fame,” she added. “I read it in about two sittings.”
Best Book to Screen: “Forever” by Judy Blume
Judy Blume’s 1975 novel “Forever” explores the deep relationship between high schoolers, and how well their connection changes over the course of a long summer apart.
The mother-daughter duo described this read as “a classic young adult novel about first love by a beloved and hugely influential writer,” they shared. “Judy Blume is a pioneer of honoring and respecting young people’s social and family worlds in her writing.”
This May, Netflix will be transferring the novel to the small screen in the form of a limited series that follows two young athletes as they become each other’s first loves.
