Jimmy Fallon Is Kicking Off His Summer Book Club — and Needs You to Vote on Your Favorite Novel
Summer reading isn’t just for kids!
Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight Show Summer Reads book club is back, and just like last year, he needs a little help from viewers to decide on which novel to read.
“I’m gonna show you five books, tell you about them, and then you’re gonna help me pick which one we’re gonna read together,” he shared on Thursday’s episode of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. “I’ve not read any of these books, so if you don’t like them, it’s not my fault. Well, it is kind of, I guess. I did pick these.”
“These are great choices. Any one of them,” he added, pointing out that all of his selections would be perfect to read at the beach — or while waiting at the airport.
First up is the New York Times bestselling novel Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane.
The page-turning plot centers around the families of two cops who worked together in New York City during the 1970’s. Living in the same neighborhood, their kids become close — but one night something happens, which changes everything.
The second option is a novel that sounds equally thrilling: The Chain by Adrian McKinty.
Straight out of any parent’s worst nightmare, the book tells the story of a child kidnapping chain, where parents can only be reunited with their own children after abducting another.
The third choice is a first-time book from New York Times Magazine journalist Taffy Brodesser-Akner.
Fleishman Is In Trouble tells the story of a man whose ex-wife disappears after dropping off their kids, which forces him to reexamine everything about his life — including their marriage.
Next is The Gone Dead by Chanelle Benz, which revolves around a woman who moves back to her childhood home, where her father died many years ago. While there, she learns of a rumor that she herself went missing that day, which has dangerous implications for her present situation.
Last, but not least, is The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides.
The novel is a physiological thriller about a woman who murders her husband one day — and then abruptly stops speaking.
RELATED: The Best Summer Books
Humorously noting that all of the books “seem a little murder-y,” announcer Steve Higgens jokingly asked Fallon whether there was anything on his mind.
“Light summer reading,” he quipped. “Are you okay?”
“That’s what people want to read,” Fallon replied.
Viewers can vote for their choice of summer read here — and the results will be announced on Thursday, July 25.
Last year’s pick, Tomi Adeyemi’s Children of Blood and Bone shot up the charts the day after Fallon announced it had been selected, jumping up to #1 on Amazon’s bestseller list. As of this month, the novel has spent over 70 weeks on the New York Times bestsellers list.
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon airs weeknights at 11:35 p.m. ET on NBC.
