Tasty book and ice cream pairings for National Ice Cream Month
Avery Finley
“A Bánh Mì for Two” by Trinity Nguyen
Trinity Nguyen’s A Bánh Mì for Two, a sweet romance set in Sài Gòn, weaves together themes of heritage, family history, and the universal language of food. The story’s compassion and lightness call for something equally bright and refreshing: raspberry sorbet. Cool, smooth, and delicately tart, this flavor mirrors the novel’s balance of sweetness and emotional clarity, while its vibrant flavor evokes the playful, romantic energy at the heart of the story.
“Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow” by Gabrielle Zevin
The nostalgic undertones of Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow are best coupled with the classic flavor of mint chocolate chip. Spanning decades, Gabrielle Zevin’s novel charts the friendship and creative partnership of Sam Masur and Sadie Green as they navigate love, identity, disability, and ambition while becoming successful videogame designers. Much like mint chip, this is a story you can come back to over and over again, finding new details to enjoy with every read.
“The Reluctant Fundamentalist” by Mohsin Hamid
Ben & Jerry’s Americone Dream pairs seamlessly with Mohsin Hamid’s The Reluctant Fundamentalist, a novel built around Changez’s café conversation with an unnamed American stranger in Lahore as he reflects on his shifting identity post-9/11 and the instability of the “American Dream.” Like Changez himself, this flavor is layered—vanilla ice cream with caramel and fudge-covered waffle cone pieces—smooth, sweet, and unexpectedly sharp. Its crunch and contrast echo Hamid’s witty wordplay and the novel’s tension between surface familiarity and underlying unease.
“Mrs. Dalloway” by Virginia Woolf
Following Clarissa Dalloway as she prepares to host a party, Mrs. Dalloway spans a single day in post-World War I London, while memory, perception, and time continuously bleed into the present moment. Like Clarissa, black cherry is both sophisticated and unconventional, its deep sweetness and slight tartness fitting for the friction between her polished, upper-class exterior and wildly rich stream-of-consciousness narration.Fable readers suggested 32 more book and ice cream pairings. We’ve sorted them all by genres for your reading pleasure!Romance, Comedy & Comfort Reads
“The Selection” by Kiera Cass & Mango Sorbet
“Sweet and tangy.” — FireStorms_Reviews
“The Last Letter” by Rebecca Yarros & Blue Bell Java Jolt
“I’m currently reading this and would love to have a Blue Bell Java Jolt — coffee with pieces of dark chocolate — right now.” — R¤ẓie
“Butcher & Blackbird” by Brynne Weaver & Cookies and Cream
“This is the only book in which my brain immediately goes to ice cream.” — Jeni King
“The Couple Next Door” by Shari Lapena & Blue Bunny Blu’s Birthday Cake
— Sweet Tee
“Reel” by Kennedy Ryan & Strawberry Shortcake
— Atalya
“Heated Rivalry” by Rachel Reid & Maple
— Elysabeth
“Betting on You” by Lynn Painter & Cotton Candy
— Mikki
“Scythe & Sparrow” by Brynne Weaver & Cotton Candy
— Amber
“People We Meet on Vacation” by Emily Henry & Rainbow Sorbet
— Makayla CastilloFantasy, Sci-Fi & Speculative
“Project Hail Mary” by Andy Weir & Ben & Jerry’s S’mores
“I feel like it would be great with the Ben & Jerry’s s’mores flavor.” — Gina Young
“The Cruel Prince” by Holly Black & Mint Chocolate with a Black Cherry Swirl
“Sharp, elegant, and slightly dangerous — sweet on the surface but with a dark, ruthless edge underneath.” — Karolina Reads
“Piranesi” by Susanna Clarke & Matcha Sea Salt
“For the umami, seaweed tones.” — KB
“Fourth Wing” by Rebecca Yarros & Salted Caramel Espresso with Dark Chocolate Pieces
“Bold, addictive, and impossible to put down — the espresso is the adrenaline, the caramel is the romance, and the dark chocolate is the danger.” — Karolina Reads
“A Court of Mist and Fury” by Sarah J. Maas & Black Raspberry Chocolate Truffle
“Rich, intense, and a little mysterious — it starts off sweet but has layers you don’t expect.” — Karolina Reads
“Onyx Storm” by Rebecca Yarros & Halo Top Chocolate Cake
— Shelly
“Legends & Lattes” by Travis Baldree & Coffee
— Katie
“Katabasis” by R.F. Kuang & Pistachio and Coffee
— AlexLiterary Fiction & Classics
“A Man Called Ove” by Fredrik Backman & Vanilla Bean
“Not because it’s plain, but because of the nostalgic, classic feeling a good vanilla bean ice cream often brings.” — Caroline Walpole
“The Count of Monte Cristo” by Alexandre Dumas & Dark Chocolate
“What happened to Edmond is bitter, but he turned that pain into power — like how dark chocolate is bitter, but not unpleasant.” — Crina
“Little Women” by Louisa May Alcott & Honey Lavender
— Batt_vipp
“Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen & Mint Chocolate Chip
— emily
“Emma” by Jane Austen & Orange Sherbet
— emily
“Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing” by Judy Blume & Mint Chocolate Chip
— Mr. GHorror, Thriller & Dystopian
“1984” by George Orwell & Sour Cherry and Dark Chocolate
“Laced with sour and bitter notes, it’s enough to make you keep going, but you’re constantly reminded of the complexities in doing so.” — Krystelle
“The Handmaid’s Tale” by Margaret Atwood & Bitter Cranberry
“Due to the red of the handmaids and the sadness of the story.” — Bookaholic13
“The Road” by Cormac McCarthy & Dark Cocoa
“The writing is intensely rich, desolate, bitter, and neutral in color.” — Bookaholic13
“1984” by George Orwell & Vanilla
“It offers uniformity, predictability, and safe, everyone-approved pleasure — just like a society where choice is an illusion and deviation is dangerous.” — Crina
“Dead But Dreaming of Electric Sheep” by Paul G. Tremblay & Chubby Hubby
“It’s a big mash-up of all my favorite flavors of horror, fantasy, and sci-fi subgenres — things I never imagined mixing!” — Jason
“The Reformatory” by Tananarive Due & Butter Pecan
— Dizzy
“Bunny” by Mona Awad & Strawberry and Cotton Candy
— BoboNonfiction & Memoir
“The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness” by Michelle Alexander & Ben & Jerry’s Change the Whirled
— Erin Richardson“I Am America (And So Can You!)” by Stephen Colbert & Ben & Jerry’s Americone Dream
— LosvaizeKeep reading on Everand!
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Avery Finley