There’s something magical about the movie theater in the high heat of summer. But the magic can’t last forever—two hours if you’re lucky, and then you’re ejected, blinking, back into reality. Here’s some reading suggestions based on a few of this year’s hottest summer flicks to ease that transition!

If you like FRANCES HA, try INSTRUCTIONS FOR A HEATWAVE: If you loved watching Greta Gerwig in this comedic drama, you’ll love the family tension in Maggie O’Farrell’s novel of three grown children returning to the nest and struggling, like Frances, to figure out who they are.

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If you like MAN OF STEEL, try WHAT THE FAMILY NEEDED: Though the family blessed (or cursed) with superpowers in Steven Amsterdam’s novel aren’t as flashy as Superman, the novel explores their powers through the heroism of everyday life, from the challenges of fatherhood to the inevitability of loss. 

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If you like  LONE RANGER, try DELIVERANCE FROM THE LITTLE  BIG HORN: Joan Stevenson’s compelling account of the lone surgeon, Henry Porter, to survive the Battle of the Little Big Horn. A tale of medical ingenuity and military endurance, DELIVERANCE opens a new window on the history of the Great Sioux War.

 
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If you like  THE PURGE, try THE RITE: Though the concept behind THE PURGE is more satirical than realistic, Matt Baglio’s fascinating journey alongside Catholic priest Rev. Gary Thomas as he navigates the Vatican’s training for exorcists is all too real. If you enjoyed the intellectual questions raised by the movie, check out THE RITE.