DREF Presents the 2025 Summer Reading
The Sister Scholars Advisory Council’s National Reading Circle encourages all to check out the 2026 Summer Reading List.
The DREF Sister Scholars National Reading Circle Book Committee is encouraging our young Sorors to read more. So, we invited the Midwest Regional Representative, Ms. Ryleigh Clayborn, to share her favorite books that would be of interest to our Delta Dolls! In collaboration with the Sister Scholars Advisory Council, this list is carefully curated for your education and pleasure. Enjoy.
DREF Sister Scholars Advisory Council presents the Summer 2026 Reading List.
2026 Summer Reading List
A Love Song for Ricki Wilde – A free-spirited florist from a wealthy Atlanta family moves to Harlem to open a flower shop, where she meets and falls for a mysterious musician, leading to a magical, modern-day fairy tale with elements of voodoo and the Harlem Renaissance. by Tia Williams
A Pair of Aces – A historical fiction novel set in 1930s New York City, about an unlikely alliance between a prosecutor and a madam to take down mob boss Lucky Luciano. by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray
Allegedly – A young adult (YA) fiction novel follows a teenage girl accused of murder as she navigates life in a group home, dealing with the trauma of her past and the mystery surrounding the crime. by Tiffany D. Jackson
American Ghoul – A historical horror novel that blends social commentary and buddy comedy, following a newly freed Black woman, Lavinia, and a vampire, Simone, in post-Civil War America as they form an unlikely friendship and travel north, with Lavinia acting as Simone’s “ghoul”. by Michelle McGill-Vargas
Be Mine Forever – A contemporary romance novel about Jo Walsh, who has a long-standing crush on the brooding artist Cameron Mitchell, and their push-and-pull relationship as they navigate his past trauma and her desire for commitment. by Kennedy Ryan
Hold You Down – A historical fiction novel set in 1980s and 1990s Harlem, focusing on two close-knit sisters, Mercy and Lenox, as they raise their sons amidst the crack epidemic. by Tracy Brown
Lead to Win: How to Be a Powerful… Leader – A leadership book that provides a framework for becoming a powerful, impactful leader by focusing on intentionality, authenticity, and building trust, especially during the transition from individual contributor to leader. by Carla A. Harris
Reel – A contemporary romance about Broadway actress Neevah Saint and famous film director Canon Holt, whose forbidden attraction and professional lives collide when he casts her in a major biopic, forcing them to navigate scandal, ambition, and love. by Kennedy Ryan
The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates – A memoir by Wes Moore that tells the parallel stories of two young men from Baltimore who share the same name but have drastically different life paths: one becomes a Rhodes Scholar and successful businessman, while the other is serving a life sentence for murder. The book explores how similar backgrounds—including poverty, single-parent households, and academic struggles—can lead to different outcomes based on the choices made and the influence of mentors and community. by Wes Moore
The Year of Yes (10th. Anniversary Edition) is an expanded version of the original best seller featuring new chapters, a new foreword, and more stories about her journey from an introvert to embracing life by saying “yes”. by Shonda Rhimes
