With summer just around the corner, it’s time to refresh your to-be-read (TBR) list from spine-chilling thrillers to the perfect beach reads. Read the following list to find out what books you should grab for this summer.
- “The Hotel Nantucket” by Elin Hilderbrand: The number one book on this list also reflects the number one beach read in my heart – Elin Hilderbrand’s “The Hotel Nantucket”. The main plot of the book is centered around Lizbet Keaton, who is quibbling with the mixed emotions of enduring a harsh breakup while simultaneously securing her dream job as a manager at the famous Hotel Nantucket. The book has lots of side plots, including a gleeful ghost haunting the halls and housekeepers with secret pasts. If you’re adverse to horror, mysteries, or thrillers, don’t worry, this book is whole-heartedly wholesome and not scary at all.
- “Same Time Next Summer” by Annabel Monaghan: One of my favorite romances of all time, this book is perfect for new readers (or for someone who wants to quickly add to their reading goal for the month) as it is under 300 pages long. A wedding is on the horizon, love songs are dancing through the air, and the summer bustle in Long Island is in full swing. I could almost smell the salty air when reading this book, but I wonder if that was because of its setting or because the guy-next-door was clearly unhappy about his childhood best friend’s engagement.
- “The Fury” by Alex Michaelides: If you’re not into romance, give “The Fury” a try. Pulling from classic murder mystery tropes that mirror Agatha Christie’s “And Then There Were None,” the book places you on an island where four Hollywood elites are stranded. Michaelides’ signature trope, an unreliable narrator, gives the book a great twist and leaves you questioning who is telling the truth up until the very end.
- “Hook, Line, and Sinker” by Tessa Bailey: “It Happened One Summer,” the first book in The Bellinger Sister series, is a definite skip for me. But, “Hook, Line, and Sinker,” has many redeeming qualities which snatches it a spot on my list. This book is light, fluffy, easy to read, and simply not that deep. If you want something to keep you entertained and make you giggle, definitely give this one a read. And don’t worry, you don’t have to read the first book to fully understand this book; they have parallel story lines meaning they both take place at pretty much the same exact time.
- “Heart Bones” by Colleen Hoover: An underrated CoHo title, “Heart Bones” is one of my personal favorite summer reads. Taking place on a peninsula in Texas, the book transforms you into a world where you actually feel like you’re a teenager living in a rich beach town in the middle of the summer. If you like “The Summer I Turned Pretty,” you will definitely want to pick this book up.
- “Better Than the Movies” by Lynn Painter: The first book on this list that doesn’t actually take place in summer, “Better Than the Movies” still just gives off summer vibes. Trust me, you will get what I mean if you read it. Being a romantic comedy wrapped into a perfect book, Painter starts each chapter off with a quote from everyone’s favorite rom-coms like “When Harry Met Sally” and “10 Things I Hate About You”. While this is a young adult book and follows the story of high school students, don’t be scared off as the writing is still mature and relatable.
- “Beach Read” by Emily Henry: How could I make a list on must-read beach novels without including “Beach Read” by Emily Henry? One of Henry’s many “New York Times Best Sellers,” this book delivers one of the best sunshine-grumpy tropes I have ever read. Honestly, if you haven’t read this while lounging by a pool yet, what are you doing?
- “Where the Crawdads Sing” by Delia Owens: To slightly veer away from strictly romance once again, Owen’s “Where the Crawdads Sing” is a heartbreaking tale that follows Kaya, an outcast dubbed, “marsh girl,” as she grows up in North Carolina. With nuances of romance coupled with the brooding energy of a murder, the book interweaves themes of love, loss, struggle, and redemption.
- “Joyland” by Stephen King: Now, if you really want absolutely no romance (well, maybe just a little), try “Joyland”. I’ve raved about this book many times before because it is just that good (and underrated). King’s 2013 release is about Devin Jones, a college student who takes up a new internship at Joyland – a famous (or infamous, depending on who you ask) theme park located on the North Carolina coast line. As Jones’ begins to unravel the sinister past of the amusement park, he discovers he may be on a dangerous path leading him straight to a serial killer.
- “Malibu Rising” by Taylor Jenkins Reid: While “Malibu Rising” isn’t one of my favorite reads, I can set aside personal feelings to add this widely well-loved book onto my list. The 1980s Hollywood crowd is bursting with excitement because tonight the legendary Riva’s are hosting their annual end-of-summer party. But, as the events of the night unfold, family secrets will be revealed, breakdowns will occur, and the party will turn into complete chaos.
I hope you found a book to add to your TBR this summer. Happy reading hawks!
