If you’re heading to the beach or just lounging around the house for a week, a solid page-turner can be a great accessory for either occasion. With the ability to transport us to faraway places, the best books are just what the doctor ordered to get your mind off any concerns you might have.
From a murder mystery to historical fiction to coming-of-age classics to rom-com and amazing non-fiction options, we’ve rounded up all the summer beach reads you’ll want to grab at your local bookshop! So pick up your sun hat or your blanket and one of these books and get ready to curl up and be taken away to another universe.
Seven Days in June by Tia Williams
A story of missed connections and rekindled love, this is one of the most anticipated books of the summer. The main characters, a young woman named Eva and a man named Shane, shared a week-long love affair many years ago and have used it as inspiration for their novels since. Now, they’ve met again and have the opportunity to stay in each other's lives. This story gets pretty steamy so reading this by the pool is perfect for cooling off.
Just One Look by Lindsay Cameron
If you loved You, you'll love Lindsay Cameron's new New York Times bestselling thriller. Just One Look gives you a view into the head of someone that goes to extreme lengths to get what they want. Cassie Wilson is working as a temp at a law firm and becomes obsessed with one of the partners. She begins to imagine how her life would be perfect if she could simply manage to date him.
Since she has access to his email she manages to get close to him. Don't be fooled; nothing and no one is quite as they seem in this book. If you’re into envy, obsession, class, stalking, and revenge then this is the book for you.
A House Between Earth and the Moon by Rebecca Scherm
A House Between Earth and the Moon follows the story of a group of scientists that agree to live on Parallaxis, a space station built for billionaires to research how to preserve humanity through a climate-devastated planet. They accept this offer with the promise that their families will join them soon after they arrive, but once they get to the station both their lives and the promise of their families begin to unravel.
Book-lovers obsessed with sci-fi will devour this novel, which is one of the top picks on our summer books list. It’s also a perfect read for your book club!
The View Was Exhausting by Mikaella Clements and Onjuli Datta
If you've ever wondered what it must be like to date as an influencer, this is the book you have to read this summer. Set in Hollywood among the rich and famous, the romance story this book portrays gives a glimpse into how the high life isn't all that it seems.
The book follows the relationship of A-List actress Whitman ("Win") Tagore and jet-setting Leo Milanowski, who on paper, in photos, and on red carpets are dating. Behind the scenes though, they really aren’t. The View Was Exhausting lets us peek into what it takes to keep up appearances.
Impostor Syndrome by Kathy Wang
Chock-full of spies, Impostor Syndrome delves into the world of Silicon Valley through the satirical lens of Kathy Wang. The story follows Julia Lerner, recruited by a Russian agency to be a spy. After a decade she has planted herself as a glamorous tech COO in California.
Enter Alice Lu who ends up working for Julia’s company, Tangerine, and figures out things aren’t adding up with her new boss’s boss’s boss. If mysteries are your thing then this book will certainly scratch that itch, it’s set to release on May 25th.
Memphis by Tara M. Stringfellow
Memphis tells the story of a family’s legacy of violence and survival, love and perseverance and shows how art can save our souls. Stringfellow richly paints a beautifully atmospheric novel that will transport it right into the book’s pages. A definite must-read this summer!
Don't Breathe a Word by Jordyn Taylor
Elite boarding schools are where some of the most scandalous stories take place, or at least that’s what pop culture has us believe. Don’t Breathe a Word shows us the champagne life by portraying two stories from the same boarding school.
It follows Eva in the present-day, recruited to join a secret society, and Connie in 1962, tapped to test the school’s nuclear testing facility. Releasing on May 18th, it delves into the actions that have to be taken by individuals to stand up to institutions.
Dream Girl by Laura Lippman
This might be a harder read, but that might make it all the more necessary a read. Dream Girl is narrated by a novelist confined to a hospital bed after a serious accident. He begins getting calls from a woman implying to be a character from one of his novels.
With this book Lippman delivers a slow-burn psychological thriller, aiming at sexism, the publishing industry, and the lies people tell themselves. You’ll be able to get your hands on this riveting book on June 22nd.
The Lifeguards by Amanda Eyre Ward
Austin’s Zilker Park neighborhood is full of moms who spend their time hanging out on each other’s porches for happy hour, and kids who run around until curfew. It’s the type of tight-knit community that has a high price tag attached to it. One day, after a late-night bike ride, three of the moms come back with a secret that will change their lives forever. Pour yourself a drink and get ready for the ride!
What Comes After by Joanne Tompkins
If you’re not necessarily looking for something that is light and breezy, but rather something that will grip you into the story, then What Comes After by Joanne Tompkins is the book you should consider!
A moving portrait of resilience, two parents in Washington State are bound by a tragic event. When they find their sons were part of a murder-suicide they become linked, and then Evangeline shows up. Having spent the summer with the boys before the event, she has answers, but with them come further complications.
We Were Never Here by Andrea Bartz
Emily and Kristen are best friends and have been taking a backpacking trip every year. But now, for the second year in a row, the trip has ended with spilled blood and Kristen with a story of a hook-up gone very wrong. This leaves us wondering, is it really that there were two suspicious events two years in a row, or is Kristen not telling the whole story? We Were Never Here is set to release on July 13th.
A Theater for Dreamers by Polly Samson
If you’ve been dreaming of a summer trip to Greece then this book is perfect for you! A Theater for Dreamers is set in the 1960s on the Greek island of Hydra. During this time it was known as a mecca for free-wheeling intellectuals and artists, like the singer Leonard Cohen.
Cohen met his muse and longtime love Marianne Ihlen. When Erica travels to Hydra, she finds herself submerged among this set. This novel will have you longing for your own long-lost summers and worlds you can only access through stories.
Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert
Part of a trilogy, Act your Age, Eve Brown is the last book of the series. This installment follows the youngest of three, Eve, as she dives into her own love story. Throughout the story we see her floundering after what seems like the millionth failed job attempt, only to land at a charming B&B.
The complete opposite of Eve, the hotel’s owner, Jacob Wayne, is focused and no-nonsense. Undeniably, the pair are perfect opposites and when they work together, magic happens. If you haven’t read the first two books, pick them up as well and take them along on your vacation.
We Want What We Want: Stories by Alix Ohlin
If you’re not one to spend a whole afternoon laying out in the sun but still want to spend some time enjoying a book this is the perfect option for you. Alix Ohlin’s new book is a collection of 13 darkly funny peeks into lives at what might be their weirdest moments.
For example, the first story stars Vanessa, titled “Money, Geography, Youth,” and follows her return after a year abroad only to discover that her dad has moved in with her childhood best friend.
Honorable Mentions
We’ve run out of room to fully cover more summer reads, but these books deserve some attention, too. Check out the following on Amazon or at your local bookstore if you finish everything on your summer reading list:
- Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
- Beach Read by Emily Henry
- People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
- Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
- The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris
- The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave
- The Guncle by Steven Rowley
- The Housewives: The Real Story Behind the Real Housewives by Brian Moylan
Conclusion
With all these amazing books you’ll surely be busy this summer! If the only thing missing in your suitcase was something to read then now you’re all set! But actually, there isn’t much else that you need other than a good book, a cute bathing suit, a killer cover-up, and good sun protection to keep you safe from those strong rays! Oh, and of course, you can’t forget your favorite sunnies so you can actually read at the beach.
If you are looking for a new suit or cover-up you can explore the new styles on the La Blanca website.
Sources:
35 of the Best Beach Reads to Help You Escape | Oprah Daily