The Back Room - Superb Summer Reads

Written By Natalie

I had such a wonderful time at the June session of The Back Room: Cocktails and Conversations with Your Favorite Authors, hosted by the delightful Hank Phillippi Ryan and Karen Dionne. This month I had the pleasure of “meeting” Julie Carrick Dalton, Hilary Davidson, Isabel J. Kim, and Jessica Strawser. I was especially excited to see Jessica Strawser again—a beloved favorite I’ve been lucky enough to meet several times in person. It was also a treat to be introduced to three new-to-me authors.

As always, the evening began with a fun “get to know you” game. Each author answered three lighthearted questions and shared a recent book recommendation. It’s one of my favorite parts of The Back Room—such a delightful way to expand your reading list!

Book Recommendations

Julie Carrick Dalton: Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy (I loved this one! You can read my review here.)

Hilary Davidson: The Decagon House Murders by Yukito Ayatsuji

Isabel J. Kim: Vanishing World by Sayaka Murata

Jessica Strawser: Take Me With You by Steven Rowley

Next came the breakout rooms, where Karen moderated intimate Q&A sessions with each author about their latest work. These smaller conversations are always a highlight.

First Breakout Room – Hilary Davidson & Isabel J. Kim

I joined Hilary Davidson and Isabel J. Kim for the first session. Hilary introduced her latest suspense novel, Every Lie I Told, which sounds like a perfect psychological thriller for me. I especially loved hearing about her background as a travel writer and her life in New York City, which clearly inspired unique elements in the book. With a long backlist of crime fiction, short stories, and nonfiction, Hilary is definitely an author I want to explore more.

Isabel J. Kim shared her latest book, Sublimation, a science fiction/fantasy story involving themes of “splitting,” doppelgängers, and even Star Trek references. While this isn’t my usual genre, I enjoyed learning about her journey—particularly how she wrote short stories during stolen moments while working as a lawyer. Even if her book isn’t for me, I hope it finds its perfect readers who will love it.

Second Breakout Room – Jessica Strawser & Julie Carrick Dalton

Despite stormy weather causing technical difficulties, I was so glad Jessica Strawser could join us to discuss her latest book club fiction, The Quitter’s Club. For the first time ever, I had actually read the book beforehand (thanks to May’s Amazon First Reads program), and I loved it. (You can read my review here.) The conversation around quitting was especially thought-provoking—how we’re taught as children never to quit, yet walking away from something that no longer serves us (college, a career, etc.) can be an act of courage worth admiring. I highly recommend this one.

The evening wrapped up with Julie Carrick Dalton and her intriguing novel, The Forest Becomes Her. As a fellow nature lover, I felt an immediate connection with Julie. She described how the story is told from the perspectives of three women (teens, 30s, and 50s), drawing from her own life experiences at each stage. The book was inspired by a beloved natural area from her childhood that was later cleared, and it explores our deep relationship with trees. Recently, my husband and I have been watching our own land transform after we stopped bushhogging several acres, allowing trees and wildflowers to create new habitats. It’s been both rewarding and a lesson in learning to share space with wildlife! I’m very excited to read The Forest Becomes Her.

Events like this remind me why I love The Back Room so much: the mix of familiar favorites and exciting new discoveries, the generous conversations, and the joy of connecting with fellow book lovers. Whether you’re looking for your next psychological thriller, literary fiction, or nature-infused story, this session delivered fantastic recommendations and inspiration. Highly recommended!

The Back Room now has a Substack, The Back Room After Hours, where you can find additional details and nuggets about the events. I recommend following their free account (or subscribing for extras).

You can read my blog posts about my previous experiences with The Back Room below.

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Natalie
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The Back Room - All-Star Storytellers