One Summer, 73 Books

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Book Review

One summer, 73 books. No matter what you like — thrillers, audiobooks, cookbooks, historical fiction, music books, sci-fi, romance, horror, true crime, sports books, Hollywood tell-alls — we have recommendations for the perfect literary escape.

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In Lucy Sante’s new memoir, “I Heard Her Call My Name,” the author reflects on her life and embarking on a gender transition  in her late 60s.

For people of all ages in Pasadena, Calif., Vroman’s Bookstore, founded in 1894, has been a mainstay in a world of rapid change. Now, its longtime owner says he’s ready to turn over the reins .

The graphic novel series “Aya” explores the pains and pleasures of everyday life in a working-class neighborhood  in West Africa with a modern African woman hero.

Like many Nigerians, the novelist Stephen Buoro has been deeply influenced by the exquisite bedlam of Lagos, a megacity of extremes. Here, he defines the books that make sense of the chaos .

Do you want to be a better reader?   Here’s some helpful advice to show you how to get the most out of your literary endeavor .

Each week, top authors and critics join the Book Review’s podcast to talk about the latest news in the literary world. Listen here .

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DS Summer Books Landscape

Summer reading: 50 brilliant books to discover

From family sagas to political memoirs, the best recent books to accompany your summer break, plus page-turning paperbacks and children’s and YA books

Leading writers recommend their picks

Page-turning paperbacks

Top children’s and ya books.

Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld Sittenfeld has imagined the lives and loves of both Laura Bush and Hillary Clinton in bestselling novels. This time her subject is Sally Milz, a self-deprecating scriptwriter on a Saturday Night Live-style TV show. When Sally meets Noah, a pop star she assumes to be out of her league, the ensuing romcom is lifted by Sittenfeld’s sharp writing and eye for amusing detail. A perfect beach companion.

The Bee Sting Paul Murray

The Bee Sting by Paul Murray From the author of Skippy Dies, this epic, many-layered tragicomedy of an Irish family in crisis is as pleasurable to read as it is emotionally devastating. We enter into the mind of each family member in turn as long-held secrets, repressed desires and the bad choices of the past detonate in the present.

A House for Alice by Diana Evans A sequel to Evans’s 2018 novel Ordinary People, A House for Alice opens on the night of the Grenfell fire, then follows Alice – longing to return to her native Nigeria – and her three daughters as they reckon with a city and a country in crisis. You don’t need to have read the earlier novel to enjoy this tender yet political tale, though one of its pleasures is reconnecting with Melissa and Michael several years on.

The Happy Couple

The Happy Couple by Naoise Dolan The follow-up to Exciting Times is a sharp sendup of modern romance. Two spiky protagonists, head-in-the-clouds pianist Celine and commitment-phobe Luke, stumble into an engagement. Both are bisexual – and have double the doubts. As the wedding draws closer and friends and ex-lovers complicate things further, Dolan plays with narrative form and expectations in a deliciously tart comedy studded with one-liners.

The Ferryman by Justin Cronin A chunky high-concept mystery from the author of vampire blockbuster The Passage. On the isolated island of Prospera, the elite live out charmed lives, rebooted when they become old and weary. But the servant class are getting restive, and one day a cryptic message appears: “The world is not the world.” A page-turning inquiry into what makes a good life, with twists aplenty and cinematic action sequences.

August Blue: Deborah Levy by Deborah Levy

August Blue by Deborah Levy Levy’s elegantly ludic investigation into selfhood, mother love and meaning plays out across Europe, from Parisian cafes to Greek islands to the streets of London. A concert pianist who can no longer play spots her doppelganger in an Athens flea market: all that she has repressed begins to return, as she riddles over the mysteries of her origins and desires.

Looking Glass Sound by Catriona Ward Ward has carved out a unique gothic space where the fantasy, thriller and horror genres meet, and this tale of ardent friendships, grisly crimes and literary rivalry is her best yet. Horrific discoveries on the New England coast blighted a teenager’s coming of age; those events, and their repercussions, are constructed both as memoir and fiction in a twisty psychodrama of denial and desire.

The Ghost Theatre by Mat Osman

The Ghost Theatre by Mat Osman The Suede bassist’s madcap adventures of the rebels, dreamers and reprobates who make up a young theatre troupe in Elizabethan England are written with wit, invention and a luxuriantly gorgeous prose style. This is historical fiction that’s larger than life and twice as much fun.

Big Swiss by Jen Beagin Set to become an HBO series starring Jodie Comer, this sexy, madcap novel follows Greta, whose transcribing job for a therapist leads her into an obsession with one of his clients. What unfolds seems initially predictable, albeit in an eccentric, entertaining way. But as Beagin brings her characters and their pasts into clearer focus, the novel reveals a surprising, heart-wrenching core.

birnam wood eleanor catton

Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton Catton’s follow-up to the Booker-winning The Luminaries pits a group of young guerrilla gardeners against a billionaire with secret plans for a New Zealand national park. Ecological peril, political expediency, personal ambition and the generational divide are thrillingly debated in a novel of both action and ideas.

Fire Rush by Jacqueline Crooks This scorching, lyrical debut, soaked in dub reggae, draws on the author’s life as a music-loving young woman in the late 70s and was shortlisted for the Women’s prize. Against a backdrop of racism and police brutality, we follow Yamaye from London to Bristol to Jamaica, through love, loss and peril, as she chases her dreams and connects with her heritage.

The World and All That It Holds by Aleksandar Hemon

The World and All That It Holds by Aleksandar Hemon Beginning with the arrival of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo in 1914, this globe-trotting, century-spanning epic is a story of love and war, intimacy and history, as two men – a Bosnian soldier and a Sephardic Jewish pharmacist – find each other in the world’s tumult. Hemon revels in languages and storytelling, in a tour de force of narrative exuberance.

Penance by Eliza Clark Out at the beginning of July, the second novel from the author of Boy Parts is a fiendishly nasty investigation into online fandoms, broken Britain, the depravity of teenage girls and the voyeuristic appetite for true crime. A 16-year-old was murdered by her peers on the eve of the Brexit vote. Now a washed-up journalist lays out the “truth” at the heart of the story – but has a hunger for content led to a moral vacuum? Chilling, clever and unputdownable.

In Ascension by Martin MacInnes

In Ascension by Martin MacInnes An impossibly deep trench is discovered in the Atlantic ocean, shedding light on the beginnings of life on Earth; a marine biologist with a difficult family background is caught up in the quest to know more. This beautifully composed novel of human frailty and cosmic wonder travels into deep space as well as to the ocean depths, through human connections and profound solitude, finding enlightenment and new mysteries on the journey.

The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff Everyone thinks that Geeta killed her no-good husband. They ought to shun her, but they have no-good husbands they’d like to be rid of too. Longlisted for the Women’s prize, this witty feminist revenge thriller exuberantly melds black comedy and zippy dialogue with the grim realities of rural life for Indian women.

The New Life by Tom Crewe

The New Life by Tom Crewe Based on the lives of 19th-century thinkers who sought to change medical and public opinion about homosexuality and women’s rights, this incredibly assured debut spins intimate dramas from the fight for autonomy in life and love. A fresh take on the historical novel, with desire at its heart, written with a charged certainty that the personal is political.

Victory City by Salman Rushdie Rushdie’s 15th novel, completed before he was attacked in New York last summer, is a joyfully extravagant alternative Mahabharata: the story of the rise and fall of a medieval Indian empire told by a semi-divine heroine who lives for hundreds of years. It’s a mashup of myth and fairytale, comedy and melodrama, celebrating women’s agency and the enduring power of storytelling.

Kala by Colin Walsh

Kala by Colin Walsh In an Irish seaside village with a dark underbelly, a group of friends reunites, 15 years after one of them disappeared. Then a body is found ... Tana French fans will relish the stylish prose and slowburn menace of this impressive debut.

The Short End of the Sonne nallee by Thomas Brussig , translated by Jonathan Franzen and Jenny Watson Michael and his friends live in the shadow of the Berlin Wall, so close they can hear western conversations from the observation platform. Newly translated into English, this is a charming comedy of mid-80s East Germany; funny and tender, it damns totalitarianism through its warm focus on ordinary, riotous teenage life.

The Shards by Bret Easton Ellis, Swift

The Shards by Bret Easton Ellis The book Ellis was born to write? An autofictional journey into the dark heart of both the author and modern society, first published as a serial podcast, it takes us back to 80s LA, where Bret and frenemies are finishing high school. A serial killer is on the loose, and closeted desire makes the world a shifting, treacherous place. This is an atmospheric investigation into our shadow selves.

The Rachel Incident by Caroline O’Donoghue Sometimes the most passionate love stories are platonic. As sharply witty as it is warm-hearted and wise, this coming-of-age story about an Irish graduate and her gay best friend captures the intensity of friendship, the brittle craziness of youth and the desperation of gunning for an arts job in a recession.

Wandering Souls by Cecile Pin

Wandering Souls by Cecile Pin In this clear-eyed, moving debut, inspired by Pin’s mother’s experiences as a refugee after the Vietnam war, a family flee their village by boat – but only the three teenage siblings make it through various camps and on to London. A tender and illuminating portrait of displacement, endurance and family love, this is history told from the inside.

Tomás Nevinson by Javier Marías , translated by Margaret Jull Costa In the final novel from the late, great Spanish author, a spy is coaxed out of retirement and on to the trails of three women, one of whom may be an IRA terrorist working for Basque separatists. A meditation on thought and consciousness, identity and disguise, the gloriously rolling sentences offer the deep pleasures of a brilliant mind apprehending the world in real time.

For Thy Great Pain Have Mercy On My Little Pain by Victoria MacKenzie

For Thy Great Pain Have Mercy on My Little Pain by Victoria MacKenzie A tiny novel that contains multitudes, this is the story of two medieval mystics, the rambunctious Margery Kempe and the anchorite Julian of Norwich, and what happens when these two extraordinary women cross paths. Lightly done but intensely felt, it’s mind-expanding stuff.

Old Babes in the Wood by Margaret Atwood Fifteen stories from the inimitable Atwood, jumping from ageing to aliens to apocalypse with her trademark spry wit. At the centre is a sequence exploring the long marriage between Tig and Nell, and the widowhood that follows. Bracing, darkly funny and cheerfully unsentimental.

Illustration of a couple on a bicycle reading

Time Come by Linton Kwesi Johnson Indelible in the minds of many for his performance of Inglan Is a Bitch on The Old Grey Whistle Test, the resonant Jamaican-British poet has also written essays, articles and speeches. This collection charts his career in prose.

Quantum Supremacy by Michio Kaku Will a new generation of computers designed to harness the power of subatomic particles be able to cure cancer, unlock the secrets of fusion power and stop ageing? Physicist Michio Kaku thinks so, and sets out his stall in this resolutely upbeat book.

God Is An Octopus: Loss, Love and a Calling to Nature by Ben Goldsmith

God Is an Octopus by Ben Goldsmith When his teenage daughter was killed in an accident on his farm, the conservationist Ben Goldsmith was poleaxed by grief. This is his moving account of how reconnecting with nature helped him rebuild a capacity for joy.

The Power of Trees by Peter Wohlleben The German forester became an unlikely celebrity with 2015’s bestselling Hidden Life of Trees. Here he shows us that the way to help forests thrive is to leave them alone – and in doing so, reap the climate benefits these natural carbon sinks provide.

Radical: A Life of My Own by Xiaolu Guo

Radical: A Life of My Own by Xiaolu Guo In Chinese writing, the “radical” is the part of the character that lends it meaning; Guo charts her own quest for meaning and purpose in this kaleidoscopic memoir that follows her from London to New York and back again.

Awe: The Transformative Power of Everyday Wonder by Dacher Keltner Twenty years of research has convinced this psychology professor that a little awe goes a long way. Here he sets out the various types, from “moral beauty” to “collective effervescence”, and offers tips for finding it, not just on mountaintops, but in everyday life.

This cover image released by Doubleday shows “The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder” by David Grann. (Doubleday via AP)

The Wager : A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder by David Grann From the author of Killers of the Flower Moon, a forensically researchedn historical yarn that mixes Mutiny on the Bounty with Lord of the Flies. In 1740, a ship leaves Britain on a secret mission against Spain and is wrecked off the coast of Patagonia. Two years later, separate groups of survivors wash up, with contradictory stories of terrible crimes. Packed with literary references from Coleridge to Melville, this is a thrilling account of adventure, endurance and the ravages of imperialism.

An Uneasy Inheritance: My Family and Other Radicals by Polly Toynbee Is there a conflict between personal privilege and progressive politics? In an attempt to answer that question, the Guardian columnist subjects her illustrious family and herself to an unsparing analysis, spiced with anecdote and humour.

The Real Work: On the Mystery of Mastery by Adam Gopnik

The Real Work: On the Mystery of Mastery by Adam Gopnik What does it take to become a master magician, a great painter, a brilliant baker or just someone who can drive? The New Yorker critic embarks on a study of craft – from the celebrated to the unsung.

End Times by Peter Turchin From the man who predicted the rise of Trump – or someone very like him – a remarkably clear, data-driven explanation of why societies fall into crisis, and how to engineer a soft landing.

Reach for the Stars: 1996–2006: Fame, Fallout and Pop’s Final Party by Michael Cragg

Reach for the Stars by Michael Cragg In the early 2000s so-called British bubblegum swept all before it, with bands such as S Club 7, Boyzone and Blue shifting millions of units. This oral history fizzes with gossip and insight into the surprisingly hard grind of being a jobbing pop star.

Is This OK?: One Woman’s Search for Connection Onlin e by Harriet Gibsone What is it like to come of age with the internet? And can relationships conducted online ever compare to the real thing? Journalist Gibsone’s candid memoir is comic and dark by turns.

The Earth Transformed: An Untold History by Peter Frankopan In this follow-up to the magisterial Silk Roads, the Oxford historian seeks to show the environment’s inescapable influence on history – from the volcanos whose ash clouds caused crop failures in antiquity to the climate challenges of the present day.

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Fancy Bear Goes Phishing: The Dark History of the Information Age, in Five Extraordinary Hacks by Scott Shapiro Matthew Broderick’s teen hacker in the 80s movie WarGames is an odd starting point for a new era in world affairs, but that’s what first turned the US government’s attention to the increasingly urgent problem of cybersecurity. In a series of vivid case studies, Yale professor Scott Shapiro surveys the strange new landscape of hacking and its unlikely practitioners.

Foreign Bodies by Simon Schama Book Jacket

Foreign Bodies: A History of Pandemics, Vaccines and the Health of Nations by Simon Schama As we enter an age of zoonosis – with more viruses jumping from animal to human than ever before – the historian takes us on an erudite tour of past responses to pandemics, offering plenty of lessons for the next one.

To Anyone Who Ever Asks: The Life, Music and Mystery of Connie Converse by Howard Fishman The distinctive voice of Connie Converse, an obscure 50s folk singer who disappeared in the 1970s, captivated writer Howard Fishman when he first heard one of her records at a party. He attempts to trace her story, and find out what really happened to her.

The Great White Bard by Farah Karim Cooper

The Great White Bar d by Farah Karim-Cooper Should we consign pale, male, stale Shakespeare to the scrapheap? Absolutely not, argues Farah Karim-Cooper, who believes a race-conscious reading of his work enriches it and restores his status as a playwright for all.

In Her Nature: How Women Break Boundaries in the Great Outdoors: A Past, Present and Personal Story by Rachel Hewitt Hewitt, an avid runner, charts the neglected history of female sporting pioneers including the Edwardian mountaineer Lizzie le Blond. In doing so she tells a story of barriers and belittlement, the legacy of which continues to this day.

Transitional by Munroe Bergdorf Bloomsbury

Transitional by Munroe Bergdorf The model and trans activist on growing up, getting famous, being vilified and carrying on despite it all. Life, she argues, is a process of continual transition – no matter what your gender identity.

Monsters: A Fan’s Dilemma by Claire Dederer What to do with artistic heroes like Pablo Picasso, Roman Polanski and Michael Jackson, whose personal lives and crimes seem to stand in such contradiction to their sublime art? Dederer’s exploration offers up no easy answers, but the journey is never less than illuminating.

Don’t Think, Dear: On Loving and Leaving Ballet by Alice Robb

Don’t Think, Dear: On Loving and Leaving Ballet by Alice Robb Once a student at America’s top ballet school, now a journalist, Alice Robb looks back at the demanding, obsessional world that captured her childhood dreams, and the charismatic figures who shaped it.

Friendaholic: Confessions of a Friendship Addict by Elizabeth Day The host of blockbuster podcast How to Fail explores the joys and pitfalls of friendship – including the stresses of trying to maintain as many as possible. Could a modest address-book cull be the socially responsible way to start your summer?

Johnson at 10: The Inside Story by Anthony Seldon (Author), Raymond Newell (Author)

Johnson at 10 by Anthony Seldon and Raymond Newell If you can bear to revisit a period of misrule still painfully raw in the collective memory, Seldon and Newell’s meticulous book offers eye-opening insights into the workings of the Johnson administration from the people who witnessed it first hand.

Ultra-Processed People by Chris van Tulleken What happens if you eat a diet made up of 80% ultra-processed food – pre-packaged snacks and meals with long chemical names among the ingredients – for a whole month? Having done just that and seen the results, public health doctor van Tulleken explains the toll these products are having on our collective health.

One Midsummer’s Day: Swifts and the Story of Life on Earth by Mark Cocker The humble swift is the lens through which nature writer Mark Cocker presents the natural world in all its dazzling interconnectedness. Or perhaps not so humble – these are the birds, after all, that think nothing of nipping over to Germany in a single insect-hunting trip, and have been reported at heights of 4,400 metres. A natural wonder indeed.

Illustration of person in hat pruning roses that are holding the book they are reading

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver A triumph of voice: this Women’s prize-winning reboot of David Copperfield, set amid the poverty and opioid addiction of Appalachia, features an unforgettable young hero battling to survive.

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin Precocious coders and best friends Samson and Sadie get into the video game-making business – but will their relationship ever move beyond creative collaboration? A hugely enjoyable novel about lives and loves mediated by technology.

Trespasses by Louise Kennedy

Trespasses by Louise Kennedy Set in Northern Ireland during the Troubles, a multi award-winning debut about a dangerous affair across the political and religious divide.

Bad Actors by Mick Herron The latest in the Slough House series about inept MI5 secret agents sees Herron on top form, slashing through Westminster shenanigans and Russian thuggery with elegance and wit.

Send Nudes by Saba Sams Funny, sly and surprising tales of young womanhood from the BBC National short story award winner – perfect poolside reading.

Madly, Deeply: The Alan Rickman Diaries All you could ask for in terms of juicy titbits from the length and breadth of the beloved actor’s career; brickbats and bouquets for fellow performers, snippets of Labour politics and the filming of Harry Potter.

Constructing a Nervous System by Margo Jefferson

Constructing a Nervous System by Margo Jefferson The Baillie Gifford prize winner splices memoir with sharply observed cultural criticism in this unique meditation on ageing, art and personhood.

Landlines by Raynor Winn In a follow up to the bestselling Salt Path and Wild Silence , much-loved wild walkers Raynor and her husband Moth undertake their toughest challenge yet – the Cape Wrath Trail – in the face of Moth’s deteriorating health.

The Lost Rainforests of Britain by Guy Shrubsole Who knew Britain had rainforests? There may not be parrots, but a rich and precious heritage of ancient woodlands replete with mistletoe, fern and moss clings on, fed by our damp Atlantic climate. This book is a call to see the exotic in our own isles, and cherish it.

Spare by Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex This eye-popping memoir lays bare Prince Harry’s childhood trauma, his grudges and his gripes – as well as a rather intimate bout of frostbite. Too much information? Not for eager readers, who have made it the bestselling book of the year so far.

Illustration of a child holding an open book over their head reading while standing on a stack of books with an adult leaning in to read too.

Art Makes People Powerful by Bob and Roberta Smith A thick, satisfying art activity book that invites children of 6+ to discover their own powers of creation, painting fierce placards or drawing their own feelings and visions of a better world.

The Thames and Tide Club : The Secret City by Katya Balen, illustrated by Rachael Dean When Clem finds a mysterious object and triggers some seriously strange weather, she and her mudlarking buddies must go on an underwater adventure to return it. A delightful illustrated quest story for 7+, from a Carnegie-winning author.

The Case of the Lighthouse Intruder by Kereen Getten (Author), Leah Jacobs-Gordon (Illustrator)

The Case of the Lighthouse Intruder by Kereen Getten, illustrated by Leah Jacobs-Gordon Fayson doesn’t like her wealthy cousins, but when she’s sent to their Jamaican island for the summer, she might just get the chance to realise her dream of becoming a detective. Like Enid Blyton with a social conscience, this marks the start of an addictive new series for 8+.

The Swifts by Beth Lincoln, illustrated by Claire Powell At birth, each Swift is given a definition from their ancestral dictionary, and must grow up to embody their name – except Shenanigan Swift, who doesn’t believe in destiny. When Arch-Aunt Schadenfreude is and outrageously witty attacked at a family reunion, will Shenanigan succeed in finding the culprit? Fabulously illustrated, this clever, comic debut is perfect for 9+ Lemony Snicket fans.

Greenwild: The World Behind the Door by Pari Thomson, illustrated by Lisa Paganelli When Daisy Thistledown’s mother goes missing, Daisy obeys her mum’s last order and escapes into Greenworld, an eco-paradise she must fight to defend. This magical fantasy breathes new life into classic tropes while offering 9+ readers a cornucopia of wonder, peril and time travel.

Friends and Traitors by Helen Peters

Friends and Traitors by Helen Peters Sidney’s school has just been evacuated to a rural stately home, where clever Nancy is working as a housemaid. Then the girls discover that the earl is hiding something sinister in the stables. Concealed passages and fiendish plots abound in this second world war mystery, perfect for 9+ Robin Stevens readers.

Cupid’s Revenge by Wibke Brueggemann Tilly can’t stand living in a houseful of “creative types”, and now she’s worried about her grandad, who has Alzheimer’s, moving in. Love is not on the agenda – until she meets gorgeous Katherine Cooper-Bunting, her best friend Teddy’s crush, and winds up in the same amdram production. This sweet, believable queer romance for 14+ is frank, funny and poignant.

The Dos and Donuts of Love by Adiba Jaigirdar

This Summer’s Secrets by Emily Barr Long ago, grim secrets were hidden at Cliff House. Now, as teenage Senara finds herself drawn into the house’s affluent world – and, possibly, a first romance – those secrets begin to work their way into the light. A sun-splashed Cornish thriller with a dark heart, ideal for YA fans of E Lockhart.

The Dos and Donuts of Love by Adiba Jaigirdar Bengali-Irish baker Shireen is thrilled to be in the Junior Irish Baking Show – but less so to find her ex-girlfriend Chris is too. Can Shireen give her parents’ bakery a boost while working with Chris at close quarters – and what about the charismatic Niamh? Jaigirdar’s fourth novel is a sugar-dusted YA treat with a sharp spice of realism.

You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight by Kalynn Bayron Charity Curtis loves her summer job as “final girl” at Camp Mirror Lake, where guests pay to be terrified in a cult horror re-enactment. But when her co‑workers start disappearing, Charity will have to put her skills to work for real in this pulse-pounding horror, best suited to slasher flick aficionados of 14+.

Explore all the books in the Guardian and Observer’s summer reading lists and save up to 15% on RRP. Visit guardianbookshop.com . Delivery charges may apply.

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19 summer books that will keep you up all night reading

It’s summer — a time to catch up on missed readings, turn back to old favorites, and discover new ones. A time to sit with an easy read on the beach, or read something darker on the porch late at night.

For the best summer reads, we turned to two authors who own independent bookstores and their book-loving staff. Louise Erdrich, who is the author of 15 novels, including “Roundhouse” and “LaRose,” along with nonfiction and poetry, owns Birchbark Books in Minneapolis, while Emma Straub, whose novels include “Modern Lovers” and the “Vacationers,” recently opened Books are Magic with her husband in Brooklyn.

In the summer, Erdrich says, she often goes to the lake in Minneapolis, “and I bring a load of books, and I sink into them… It’s reading on the docks. It’s reading if you’re floating in the lake. It’s reading if it rains.”

For Straub, summer is also about endless reading. “I’ve always thought of summer reading as the stack of books I would bring with me to summer camp… You’ll have to bring as many as you’ll think you’ll read. And then, when you read all of those books in three days, you have your parents send you another box.”

Here are Erdrich and Straub’s essential summer books, along with more recommendations from their staff. In their words:

"Do Not Become Alarmed"

“Do Not Become Alarmed” Credit: Riverhead Books

“Do Not Become Alarmed” by Maile Meloy It feels almost cruel to recommend this for summertime vacation reading, because it is a vacation gone extremely, horribly, horribly wrong. It’s about two families who go on a cruise together and they decide to disembark the boat one day and go and have a little adventure. And then the children are separated from their parents and a lot of things go really, really badly. It’s an incredibly gripping thriller, one of those books that you will stay up late to read and say: “Oh, I’ll just read one more chapter, I’ll just read one more chapter.” It’s so delicious when you get one of those books and this is definitely one of them. –Emma Straub

"A Sea of Troubles." Credit: Arrow Books

“A Sea of Troubles.” Credit: Arrow Books

The Donna Leon crime mysteries There are actually 25 of these mysteries, and they are set in Venice. Venice itself becomes a character in these books. They center on Commissario Guido Brunetti, his entire family, and the people he works with. You become so wrapped up in these compelling characters that I think you could go through all 25 this summer. Each one is better than the last. –Louise Erdrich

"Somebody With A Little Hammer," Credit: Pantheon

“Somebody With A Little Hammer,” Credit: Pantheon

“Somebody With A Little Hammer,” by Mary Gaitskill Is it her breadth of experience? Range of interest? Depth of intelligence? All of these. She cuts through the malarkey like nobody. Her prose is like a diamond drill. And charming as always. –Christien Shangraw, manager, Books are Magic

"The Answers." Credit: Farrar, Straus and Giroux

“The Answers.” Credit: Farrar, Straus and Giroux

“The Answers,” by Catherine Lacey Lacey has a style-spiraling narration that makes you feel like you’re falling down a rabbit hole. Her latest novel is about a woman who, when ridden by inexplicable pain, seeks out a way to pay for treatments. She finds work as an “emotional girlfriend” to an actor on a quest to perfect love. Naturally, things go sideways. This is a bizarre tale of a woman and what she’d do to save herself. –Ikwo Ntekim, bookseller, Books are Magic

"Too Much And Not The Mood." Credit: FSG Originals

“Too Much And Not The Mood.” Credit: FSG Originals

“Too Much and Not the Mood,” by Durga Chew-Bose There are two essay collections we can’t keep on our shelves, and this is one of them. It’s an FSG paperback original that looks like a work of art — and is a work of art. It is about identity, and family, and becoming an adult, and personhood. The essays are so smart and so well-written. It’s a really perfect gift. –Emma Straub

"Sunshine State." Credit: Harper Perennial

“Sunshine State.” Credit: Harper Perennial

“Sunshine State,” by Sarah Gerard The second essay collection is about Florida, which is where the author is from. It’s a deep dive into identity, and weirdness and location, and family. Together, these books point toward a really exciting and fresh new corner of American essays in particular. W hat I’ve noticed that people have been buying a lot at Bookstore Magic over the past couple of weeks  are things like this that come in small packages. –Emma Straub

“When My Brother Was An Aztec." Credit: Copper Canyon Press

“When My Brother Was An Aztec.” Credit: Copper Canyon Press

“When My Brother Was An Aztec,” by Natalie Diaz I don’t think people usually take poetry to the beach, but this is different than your normal poetry book. Diaz is a powerhouse of a writer and this book is a wild ride. It has headlong rushes of ecstatic beautiful language, small details about life on Mahovi reservation. Diaz is Mohavi, one of the tribes of the Colorado river. And this is set in Arizona, but it’s also of course set in her heart and her head. There’s a sensibility that is so dark but so funny. It’s a rich, compelling piece of literature. And I would take it to the dock, put it down, and read it again. It’s the kind of book that you want to live with each poem for awhile. –Louise Erdrich

"The Love Interest." Credit; Feiwel & Friends

“The Love Interest.” Credit; Feiwel & Friends

“The Love Interest,” by Cale Dietrich This sci-fi young adult novel is the answer to all of our cliché love triangle woes. Caden, the kindhearted boy-next-door, and Dylan, a brooding bad boy complete with dark poetry and a leather jacket, are in competition for the genius Juliet’s heart. The winner gets the girl, and gets to live out his life in peace. The loser gets incinerated. This fight to the death gets upended, however, when the boys start developing genuine feelings — not for Juliet, but for each other. If you’re looking for something funny, action-packed, and romantic this summer, then this is your next read. –Abigail Rauscher, kids specialist, Books are Magic

"The Hate U Give." Credit: Balzer + Bray

“The Hate U Give.” Credit: Balzer + Bray

“The Hate U Give,” by Angie Thomas This book blew me away in the three short days it took me to devour it. It is narrated by a teenage black girl living between the privileged and stifling world of her private prep school and the harsh yet vital neighborhood she comes from. She has witnessed police brutality, gang violence and one specific incident that becomes a catalyst for her own growth and education. The protagonist is likable, smart and funny; the story is both timely and universally important. This book does not fall prey to tropes of tragedy. It rises above. A must read for any teen or adult. –Aza, Birchbark Books

“What It Means When A Man Falls From The Sky." Credit: Riverhead Books

“What It Means When A Man Falls From The Sky.” Credit: Riverhead Books

“What It Means When A Man Falls From The Sky,” by Lesley Nneka Arimah This new collection of short stories just came out a couple of weeks ago. It’s about family and relationships. And it’s got a gorgeous cover and it’s been sitting there and I keep walking past and fondling it, and picking up and waiting for the right time to read it. So I’m really excited to read this one. –Emma Straub

"Bark." Credit: Vintage Contemporaries

“Bark.” Credit: Vintage Contemporaries

Lorrie Moore’s books I’m rereading her books, because it was such a pleasure to read them the first time and I wanted to re-experience them the way I did before. So I started “Bark” again, and “Birds of America,” and I have “Who will run the frog hospital?” They are funny, sharp, of course she’s known for her extremely sharp wit, sharp observations, and her tremendous ability to capture the moments between couples where they grate against each other, or where they come together. Those are beautiful moments in the book and sometimes they’re very poignant. –Louise Erdrich

"A Visit From the Goon Squad." Credit: Anchor

“A Visit From the Goon Squad.” Credit: Anchor

“A Visit From the Goon Squad” by Jennifer Egan It’s one of those books that when I read it I felt kind of like I’d been hit over the head with a frying pan. Stars were twirling around my head like a cartoon character. I was gobsmacked. It’s such an inventive, astonishing book. And every time I have dipped my toe back in I am delighted all over again. So I’m looking forward to rereading that. –Emma Straub

"Chemistry." Credit: Knopf

“Chemistry.” Credit: Knopf

“Chemistry,” by Weike Wang It’s a great (she calls it) “late coming-of-age” story. The protagonist is a first-generation Chinese immigrant and college student majoring in chemistry, though failing, and thus the occasion for her self-probing. She’s grappling with immigration, family, love, and chemistry in all its forms. It’s wry and witty, but tender and philosophical—searching. The narrative moves swiftly, as does the prose, which never lags, and even edges into poetry at times. It is a profound meditation on self and humanity. —Sarah Gerard, author of Sunshine State, and bookseller, “Books are Magic”

"Difficult Women." Credit: Grove Press

“Difficult Women.” Credit: Grove Press

“Difficult Women,” by Roxane Gay The short story collection I never knew I needed until I picked it up and began reading. The women Gay highlights in her first story collection are wild, wicked, and completely difficult — depending on who’s looking. I stumbled upon “North Country,” a story in the collection, for a class and it has remained one of the very best stories I have ever read. Each anecdote follows suit in that you’ll never forget the women you come across because they’re your sisters, mothers, and friends. –Ikwo Ntekim – Receiving/Bookseller, Books are Magic

This collection of short stories artfully pulls you in and keeps you hooked. The lives of the women remind readers of the diverse and complicated lives of women everywhere. –Sasha, Birchbark Books

"Meet Me In The Bathroom." Credit: Dey Street Books

“Meet Me In The Bathroom.” Credit: Dey Street Books

“Meet Me in the Bathroom,” by Lizzy Goodman Just like every other twenty-something, I moved to New York right around the time all these bands were getting their start. Despite their annoying attitudes, it was pretty magical and electric feeling. Maybe it was the music? Maybe it was just that I was living in the greatest city in the world at 24? I don’t know. Either way, I feel like there are some interesting stories and lots of nostalgia in these pages. –Michael Fusco-Straub, owner, Books are Magic

"Give a Girl a Knife." Credit: Clarkson Potter

“Give a Girl a Knife.” Credit: Clarkson Potter

“Give a Girl a Knife: A Memoir,” by Amy Thielen Don’t miss this memoir or the author’s James Beard award-winning “The New Midwestern Table: 200 Heartland Recipes.” This book reveals the real life of line-cooking for New York’s best chefs and tells of the author’s life in rural Minnesota before and after New York. Awesome for foodies, this book should also be read by fans of literary memoir. –Martha, Birchbark Books

"I Am Where I Come From." Credit: Cornell University Press

“I Am Where I Come From.” Credit: Cornell University Press

“I Am Where I Come From,” edited by Andrew Garrod, Robert Kilkenny, and Melanie Benson Taylor When I first saw this book I immediately felt called to read it. Within just 10 pages, I laughed and cried (twice). Though this book exemplifies the incredible diversity of Indian country, the memoirs are united by common themes of perseverance and adaptiveness on majority non-Native campuses. These fascinating, hilarious, and heartfelt stories of unbelievable pain and struggle are contrasted by the strength that the authors draw from their families, their communities, and their ancestors–strength that has led them to defy the odds. A+. –Jack, Birchbark Books

"The Master and Margarita." Credit: Penguin Classics

“The Master and Margarita.” Credit: Penguin Classics

“The Master and Margarita,” by Mikhail Bulgakov This wonderfully strange masterpiece is a biting satire of 20th century Muscovite high society under Stalin’s regime in the form of an absurd, magical, hilarious fantasy. The devil and his colorful band of cohorts (including a large talking cat) sow gleeful havoc on the streets of Moscow, with special interest in Margarita, whose paramour, known only as the Master, has re-visioned the story of Jesus and Judas Iscariot in a manuscript that may or may not be lost forever. Bulgakov himself is The Master, with language that weaves seamlessly between tragedy and farce, visiting the profound and surreal, laughing all the way. Really one of my favorite books ever. ~ Nate, Birchbark Books

"The Wonder.' Credit: Little, Brown & Company

“The Wonder.’ Credit: Little, Brown & Company

“The Wonder,” by Emma Donoghue Set in Ireland, a Florence Nightingale-trained nurse is hired to monitor a young girl who is proclaimed not to have eaten in four months. This a completely engrossing read–you will barely be able to tear yourself away from it. I want to tell you more, but I don’t want to give anything away! ~ Carolyn, Birchbark Books

The above recommendations have been edited lightly for length and clarity.

Elizabeth Flock is an independent journalist who reports on justice and gender. She can be reached at [email protected]

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The 30 best books on our summer reading list in 2021.

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books of 2021

Dive into the season’s buzziest books — from beach reads to thrillers, contemporary fiction to memoirs, historical tomes and more.

that summer

“ That Summer “

Jennifer Weiner (fiction, Atria Books) Daisy Shoemaker is a married suburban mom with a rebellious daughter and a husband who provides for them — but never lets her forget it. When she starts receiving messages meant for another woman with a nearly identical email address, the two begin talking. The woman is everything Daisy isn’t: unmarried, unattached, with a thriving corporate job. As Daisy soon finds out, the women are connected in ways she never could have imagined, in this page turner about lost opportunities and decades-old secrets. 

last summer at the golden hotel

“ Last Summer at the Golden Hotel “

Elyssa Friedland (fiction, Berkley) The Golden Hotel is the last of its kind: Owned by the Goldman and Weingold families, the place is a classic Borscht Belt summer resort that has been the host of many happy memories. But its heyday is now long past, the bills are piling up, and the guest register is dwindling. When a development firm makes a bid that would involve tearing down the hotel and building a casino, the two families gather to discuss the offer — amidst numerous family scandals and plenty of drama. 

falling

“ Falling “

TJ Newman (fiction, Avid Reader Press) There are 143 passengers on board a plane from Los Angeles to New York City. What they don’t know is that the flight will be anything but routine. Minutes before takeoff, the pilot was contacted by someone who gives him a chilling directive: The pilot’s wife and kids are being held at gunpoint at home, and he must crash the plane or his family will be killed.

the husbands

“ The Husbands “

Chandler Baker (fiction, Flatiron Books) Nora Spangler is a successful lawyer on the partner track; but she’s also exhausted from overseeing her family’s life at home. When she and her husband go house shopping in Dynasty Ranch, the neighborhood is filled with high-powered women whose husbands do everything for them . Are they Stepford spouses — or the answer to all feminine prayers? 

the summer job

“ The Summer Job “

Lizzy Dent (fiction, GP Putnam’s Sons) Birdy has kicked off her summer job as sommelier at a remote Scottish hotel with a bit of a fib … well, a whopper. She’s pretending to be her best friend Heather, an actual sommelier, while she herself knows nothing about wine. The newly renovated hotel, meanwhile, is desperate for good ratings from restaurant critics to boost its bottom line. What could possibly go wrong? 

where the grass is green and the girls are pretty

“ Where the Grass is Green and the Girls are Pretty “

Lauren Weisberger (fiction, Random House) Peyton seemingly has it all: a job as a famous TV anchor, a loving husband and a Princeton-bound daughter. But when a college admissions scandal threatens to engulf her family, she flees to her sister’s upscale NY suburb to hide out — and try to rebuild her reputation. 

malibu rising

“ Malibu Rising “

Taylor Jenkins Reid (fiction, Ballantine Books) It’s Malibu in August of 1983, and Nina Riva’s hotly anticipated end-of-summer bash is happening. Everyone wants to be around the Riva siblings — the children of famous singer Mick Riva, they have all carved out their own niches in the area. But the air is filled with tension, old grudges and long-held secrets, and, by morning, the Riva mansion will go up in flames. 

the turnout

“ The Turnout “

Megan Abbott (fiction, GP Putnam’s Sons) Sisters Dara and Marie Durant have run the prestigious Durant School of Dance together since their parents died in a tragic accident over a decade ago. Marie teaches the younger kids while Dara handles the older pupils; her husband Charlie, once a prized pupil at the dance school, handles the business itself. When a strange accident occurs right at the beginning of the school’s annual Nutcracker performance, it throws everything into chaos. 

hell of a book

“ Hell of a Book “

Jason Mott (fiction, Dutton) A black author embarks on a cross-country book tour to promote his new book, but he’s followed by a (possibly imaginary) child. The author’s story is intertwined with the narrative of Soot, a young black boy living in a rural town. Mott has written a clever meditation on race and violence in America. 

count the ways

“ Count the Ways “

Joyce Maynard (fiction, William Morrow) Eleanor and Cam meet in Vermont in the early 1970s. Neither has much money, but they have a farmhouse and a family in a few short years. For a while, love is enough to keep them going. But when an accident changes their family dynamic forever, the couple do their best to muddle through a divorce. 

the guncle

“ The Guncle “

Steven Rowley (fiction, GP Putnam’s Sons) Patrick — “Gay Uncle Patrick,” or “GUP” for short — has always been a loving and fun uncle. But when his niece and nephew lose their mother and their father goes into rehab for the summer, he’s suddenly in charge. Patrick might not know much about parenting, but he’s determined to be the best uncle he can be, inflatable pool toys, house parties and all. 

bath haus

“ Bath Haus “

PJ Vernon (fiction, Doubleday) Oliver Park is a recovering addict who’s built the perfect life with his partner Nathan, an older surgeon, in their gorgeous Georgetown home. But one weekend when Nathan is away, Oliver finds himself visiting Haus, a gay bathhouse, where he has a terrifying encounter that almost gets him killed. Traumatized, he tries to shake off the encounter and move on without telling Nathan. That’s when he starts seeing his attacker around the neighborhood, and it’s clear the guy’s got Oliver in his sights. Terrifying. 

all together now

“ All Together Now “

Matthew Norman (fiction, Ballantine Books) Reclusive billionaire Robbie Malcolm has everything he wants — everything, that is, except time. When a doctor gives him a terminal diagnosis, Robbie invites his core group of high school friends for one final beach weekend they’ll never forget. 

palace of the drowned

“ Palace of the Drowned “

Christine Mangan (fiction, Flatiron Books) It’s 1966 and Frankie Croy has retreated to her friend’s palazzo in Venice, looking to bounce back from a breakdown triggered by a scathing review of her debut novel. While there, she meets a young woman named Gilly, who describes herself as a huge fan. Something about Gilly seems off, but Frankie can’t quite put her finger on it. Then a flood ravages the city, and the two women will never be the same. 

summer of the bluffs

“ Summer on the Bluffs “

Sunny Hostin (fiction, William Morrow) In the exclusive black community of Oak Bluffs, summer is a chance to relax and enjoy the beach. Seventy-year-old Amelia Vaux Tanner is about to host her last summer in her beloved vacation home before moving to France. She has invited her three goddaughters to spend the season with her; when it ends, one of them will be the owner of Amelia’s house.

mary jane

“ Mary Jane “

Jessica Anya Blau (fiction, Custom House) In 1970s Baltimore, 14-year-old Mary Jane has conservative parents and sings in the church choir. When a bohemian family in the neighborhood enlists her as a mother’s helper, Mary Jane is introduced to a wild new world unlike anything she’s ever known. 

the plot

“ The Plot “

Jean Hanff Korelitz (fiction, Celadon)  Back in the day, Jacob Finch Bonner was a hotshot young novelist with a promising first book. But all that promise amounted to nothing much. Now he’s teaching in a D-list MFA program and hasn’t written a word in years. When an obnoxious student comes in with an amazing idea, Jacob doesn’t think twice about it. But when the student mysteriously dies, the professor starts to think that a good idea shouldn’t go to waste. 

a double life

“ A Double Life “

Charlotte Philby (fiction, Harper Collins) From the granddaughter of Britain’s most famous double agent, Kim Philby, comes this page-turning thriller about Gabriela, a senior negotiator coming off of a seven-month stint in Moscow. When the woman returns home to her family, however, something isn’t quite right. 

the other black girl

“ The Other Black Girl “

Zakiya Dalila Harris (fiction, Atria Books) Editorial assistant Nella Rogers is the only black employee at Wagner Books. When another black woman, Hazel, starts working in the cubicle next to hers, she thinks she has found an ally. But as the weeks go by, Nella notices Hazel has become the office favorite — and she herself is getting left out of important projects. Then the notes start appearing on her desk: Leave Wagner now.

ridgeline

“ Ridgeline “

Michael Punke (fiction, Henry Holt) In the aftermath of the Civil War, a new conflict between native tribes and a brash new nation breaks out on the Western frontier. Colonel Henry Carrington has arrived in Wyoming to open a new road for gold miners and settlers, while Red Cloud, a respected Lakota chief, understands exactly what this will mean for his people. From the bestselling author of “The Revenant.” 

golden girl

“ Golden Girl “

Elin Hilderbrand (fiction, Henry Holt) Vivian Howe, a married mother of three grown children, is killed in a hit-and-run accident while jogging near her Nantucket home. As she’s ushered into the great beyond, she’s given the opportunity to watch one last summer play out on earth — and allowed three “nudges” to change the outcome of things for her children. 

blush

“ Blush “

Jamie Brenner (fiction, GP Putnam’s Sons) The family-run Hollander Estates winery is floundering, and matriarch Vivian fears this summer could be their last season. When her granddaughter uncovers journals from Vivian’s old “trashy novel” book club, they start to realize that the key to saving the vineyard — and to happiness in love and life — just might lie in the over-the-top novels. 

survive the night

“ Survive the Night “

Riley Sager (fiction, Dutton) Charlie met Josh Baxter through the college ride board: He’s a total stranger but also her ticket home from a school terrorized by a campus killer who has murdered three people so far. As the hours in the car pass, Charlie begins to notice inconsistencies in Josh’s story — and wonders if maybe she didn’t leave the danger behind on campus. 

NON-FICTION

golden boy

“ Golden Boy: A Murder Among the Manhattan Elite “

John Glatt, nonfiction, (St. Martin’s Press) Thomas Gilbert Jr. grew up with every possible advantage: private schools, a loving family, houses in the Hamptons. Despite all this, OCD and increasing paranoia, combined with an inexplicable hatred of his father, led him to murder the wealthy financier. An in-depth look at an act that shocked the city’s elite. 

the ground breaking

“ The Ground Breaking: An American City and its Search for Justice “

Scott Ellsworth (nonfiction, Dutton)  Memorial Day 2021 marked the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre, an event as shocking in its violence as for the cover-up that lasted for decades. With thorough reporting, Ellsworth researches the event, the people who kept the story alive and the ongoing search for victims’ unmarked graves. A must-read. 

kennedy's avenger

“ Kennedy’s Avenger: Assassination, Conspiracy and the Forgotten Trial of Jack Ruby “

Dan Abrams, David Fisher (nonfiction, Hanover Square Press) It was the killing seen on live television: Two days after the murder of President John F Kennedy, a nightclub owner named Jack Ruby slipped into the Dallas police station and shot dead alleged assassin Lee Harvey Oswald. The ensuing criminal trial of Ruby, forgotten by most, was in fact a bizarre and fascinating circus: How do you defend a man who pulled the trigger on live television? And how did he die an innocent man? 

the house wives

“ The Housewives: The Real Story Behind the Real Housewives “

Brian Moylan (nonfiction, Flatiron Books) When it comes to beach reads, what’s better than some good old-fashioned dishing? Moylan, who writes the “Real Housewives” recaps for Vulture.com, takes the reader on a behind-the-scenes tour of this most fantastic franchise. 

punch me up to the gods

“ Punch Me Up to the Gods: A Memoir “

Brian Broome (memoir, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) A powerful debut memoir — sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes hysterically funny — about growing up black, poor and gay in Ohio, feeling like an outsider and using drugs to seek comfort in a world where Broome felt unmoored. Poignant and raw. 

the great peace

“ The Great Peace: A Memoir “

Mena Suvari (memoir, Hachette) Suvari pulls absolutely no punches in this raw exploration of a Hollywood childhood full of sexual abuse, emotional abandonment and drug addiction — and reveals how she built a new life on her own terms. 

reborn in the usa

“ [Re]born in the USA: An Englishman’s Love Letter to His Chosen Home “

Roger Bennett (memoir, Dey Street Books)  Known as lovable “Rodge” to fans, Roger Bennett is one half of the popular “Men in Blazers” TV series, commenting on soccer and culture. His book is a love letter to the United States, and details his journey from Liverpool to NYC. 

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12 New Summer Books to Add to Your 2023 Reading List

Your favorite beach read is right here.

best summer books

We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.

There's just nothing like a good summer reading experience. Call them "beach reads," "summer flings," or just "great books that come out between May and September," the best summer books of 2023 will make you feel like you're relaxing in the sun no matter what the weather's like.

Some of your favorite authors have fabulous new titles dropping just in time for summer break ( hello , Emily Henry and Riley Sager!), and plenty of debut authors and under-the-radar hits are also ready to blow your socks off. No matter what your summer reading style, you're bound to find something to love on this list. Pick up a stack of these to carry with you wherever the sun takes you — and when you're done, dive into the Good Housekeeping Book Club for even more feel-good fare.

Happy Place by Emily Henry

Happy Place by Emily Henry

Harriet and Wyn’s friend group has vacationed at the same Maine house for a decade, so when it goes up for sale, they’re determined to soak up one last week of fun. There’s just one problem: Harriet and Wyn haven’t told their crew they’re no longer engaged, so they’re stuck sharing a room to keep up the ruse. But is it all really just for show, or are sparks flying?

Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club by J. Ryan Stradal

Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club by J. Ryan Stradal

Grab yourself a cold one from the garage fridge while you get to know the lovably flawed characters surrounding the Lakeside Supper Club, a quintessentially Midwestern restaurant that has been both the albatross and salvation of proprietress Mariel's family for generations. When a devastating tragedy strikes, Mariel and her husband Ned (himself a restaurant heir of a different kind), they've got tough choices to make — and you'll feel their struggle like it's your own.

The Guest by Emma Cline

The Guest by Emma Cline

Head to the Hamptons if only in your mind with this expertly painted observation on power and access. The beautiful and manipulative Alex has charmed her way into her older (and richer) boyfriend's life in the elite enclave. But when he unceremoniously dumps her a week before his big Labor Day bash, she's determined to somehow hide out on Long Island until confront him at the end-of-summer blowout. Come for the real estate envy, stay for the ~drama~.

Quietly Hostile: Essays by Samantha Irby

Quietly Hostile: Essays by Samantha Irby

Pro-tip: Don't even try to drink anything while working your way through this gut-busting essay collection by the TV writer and essayist who gets real about everything from her QVC habit to her maladjusted pandemic puppy. Life can get messy, and Irby is all for getting down and dirty about it and in that, we all win.

Late Bloomers by Deepa Varadarajan

Late Bloomers by Deepa Varadarajan

Recently divorced Suresh and Lata are trying to find love again after a 36-year marriage. Suresh keeps striking out on the apps, while Lata relishes her independence until a handsome academic comes calling. Meanwhile, their children have their own romantic struggles that they’d rather keep hidden from their parents. But the truth will out, and when it does, a hilarious comedy of errors ensues.

The God of Good Looks by Breanne Mc Ivor

The God of Good Looks by Breanne Mc Ivor

Former model Bianca Bridge has always wanted to be a writer, so when the notoriously tyrannical Obadiah Cortland hires her to run his makeup magazine, she jumps at the chance. But when a powerful ex-lover threatens everything she’s made of herself, she finds support where she least expects it.

Girls and Their Horses by Eliza Jane Brazier

Girls and Their Horses by Eliza Jane Brazier

Calling all former horse girls: This is the thriller you've been waiting for. Heather Parker signs her daughters up for show jumping lessons at the tony Rancho Santa Fe Equestrian, where a borderline-abusive head trainer and his broodingly handsome star rider rule over a cast of cliquey teens and their hovering Barn Moms. But there's something darker going on than perfecting their form, and pretty soon, the Parkers find themselves involved in a lot more than competitions.

Save What's Left by Elizabeth Castellano

Save What's Left by Elizabeth Castellano

This beach read will make sure you never want to buy a beach house. When Kathleen Deane's husband Tom decides to leave their 30-year marriage and safe-but-drab Kansas life to find himself, Kathleen does him one better and buys a little beachfront cottage in Whidbey, an artsy seaside community. But when she gets there, she discovers a monstrosity of a McMansion going up next door, and goes on the offensive against its many code violations (and eyesores) with her busybody neighbor Rosemary. In this hilarious farce, we realize that paradise really is anything but when you actually live there.

The Only One Left by Riley Sager

The Only One Left by Riley Sager

If parents want their kids to stay away from steep cliffs, just hand them this summer's Sager blockbuster. It's 1983 and in-home caregiver Kit gets assigned to care for the notorious Lenora Hope, who massacred her entire family one bloody night in 1929, as the lore goes. But they were never able to prove it, so Lenora has been cloistered in her cliffside mansion ever since. Rendered mute by a series of strokes, she can only communicate to Kit by painstakingly typing on a typewriter. But when Lenora starts to trust Kit enough to tell her what really happened that night, things take a dark turn toward one of Sager's signature gasp-inducing twists.

Excavations by Kate Myers

Excavations by Kate Myers

Elise, Kara, Z and Patty are four women all working on the same remote archaeological dig site in Greece, but that's about all they have in common. Kara’s a put-together conservator about to call off her wedding, while Patty would do about anything to find love. Z ends up on the dig after getting dumped and fired, and Elise, the best excavator on site, has got no more rhymes-with-ducks left to give. So when they uncover something at the site that could change history forever, they've got to decide whether they can put their differences aside to make a real difference.

Goodbye Earl: A Revenge Novel. by Leesa Cross-Smith

Goodbye Earl: A Revenge Novel. by Leesa Cross-Smith

You don't have to know The Chicks' song of the same name to love this deliciously devilish tale. It follows best friends Rosemarie, Ada, Caroline, and Kasey from the halcyon high school days of ruling their idyllic small town of Goldie, to a wedding weekend over a decade later when they all reunite to find little has changed — and everything has. This novel is as sweet as Southern tea, and you might find it carries poison just as well.

The Crow Valley Karaoke Championships by Ali Bryan

The Crow Valley Karaoke Championships by Ali Bryan

The residents of Crow Valley take karaoke so seriously that even an escaped murderer on the loose can't derail the championship competition. And no one loved it more than the late Dale, prison guard, firefighter and wizard at the mic. A year after his death, five residents get caught up in more drama than flubbed lyrics and wardrobe malfunctions in a madcap romp that will have you laughing all the way to the last page.

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@media(max-width: 64rem){.css-o9j0dn:before{margin-bottom:0.5rem;margin-right:0.625rem;color:#ffffff;width:1.25rem;bottom:-0.2rem;height:1.25rem;content:'_';display:inline-block;position:relative;line-height:1;background-repeat:no-repeat;}.loaded .css-o9j0dn:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/goodhousekeeping/static/images/Clover.5c7a1a0.svg);}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.loaded .css-o9j0dn:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/goodhousekeeping/static/images/Clover.5c7a1a0.svg);}} All the Best Books to Read Next

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  • EXPLORE Random Article

How to Prepare for Summer Reading

Last Updated: September 16, 2021 References

wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 21 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 21,944 times.

Summer can be a great time for reading, whether that reading be required by your school or just for fun. In order to make sure you get all of your reading done you will need to understand exactly how much reading you have to do and create a schedule that outlines when you need to do your reading by. Make the most of your summer reading by preparing for it and sticking to your schedule.

Preparing Your Summer Reading

Step 1 Look your book list over.

  • Some books might be required reading. These should take priority over any personal reading goals.
  • Optional and personal reading goals can take any form you want them to. Pick some of your favorite types of books to create a fun summer of reading.

Step 2 Get your books.

  • Libraries are a great place to find the books you need and won't cost you any money.
  • Book stores can be a fast way to find any books you might need and want to keep.
  • Shopping on-line is an easy way to find books. However, you will have to wait for them to ship to your house and will likely need a credit or debit card to purchase them.
  • Both libraries and online vendors offer e-Books which can be instantly downloaded to your tablet, e-reader, computer or other digital device.

Step 3 Create a schedule.

  • Find out exactly how much you have to read over the summer and break that total up into daily and easy to meet goals.
  • For example, let's say you have four books to read and each book has 100 pages. This means you have 400 pages total to read over your summer break.
  • Think about how long your summer break is. Most summer breaks are around 90 days.
  • You will have to read 400 pages in 90 days then. Dividing 400 by 90 results in a reading goal of at least 5 pages a day.
  • Don't forget to leave time for fun and breaks in your schedule. You might not want to read on the weekends, requiring you to read more during the days you are reading.

Doing Your Summer Reading

Step 1 Discover your reading style.

  • Do you like to have music or some other sounds in the background while you read?
  • Do you need an absolutely quiet space to focus on what you are reading?
  • Do you read better in a brightly lit space or somewhere with low lighting?
  • Multitasking is a myth. You cannot focus on your reading and something else (like TV or Facebook) at the same time. Make sure your reading style helps you focus on your reading. [3] X Research source

Step 2 Create or find a good reading environment.

  • Your can easily set up your own room to meet your reading needs.
  • If you like a lot of background noise you might enjoy reading in a café or coffee shop.
  • Libraries can be quiet places that are generally brightly lit and free from loud or distracting noises.
  • A public park can be a good spot to enjoy your summer reading.

Step 3 Stick to your schedule.

  • Review your goals at the end of each day to see if you have read the amount you had planned.
  • At the end of the day review your goals for the upcoming day so you know what to expect.
  • If you find yourself falling behind try to read more the next day in order to catch up.
  • Try to read at least a little bit every day.

Step 4 Talk about it.

  • Try getting your friends or family to read the same things you are.
  • Share the stories or information you've come across.

Step 5 Get a reading buddy.

  • Reading with a friend can help you keep on schedule during your summer reading.
  • Talking with your friend about what you have read can help you remember details or have a deeper understanding of that reading.

Step 6 Reward yourself.

  • Enjoy a healthy snack or treat after meeting your goals.
  • Reward yourself with some free time to watch your favorite show or play your favorite video game.

Expert Q&A

  • Summer reading can help keep your reading and writing skills sharp over a summer break. [6] X Research source Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
  • Making a reading schedule will help you stay on target and meet your summer reading goals. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
  • Don't be afraid to read more than you might be required. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

Things You'll Need

  • A schedule for your reading
  • A good place to read

You Might Also Like

Ask for Feedback

  • ↑ http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/teaching-plan-encourage-summer-reading
  • ↑ http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/summer-reading-tips-students-and-parents
  • ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/creativity-without-borders/201405/the-myth-multitasking
  • ↑ http://www.edutopia.org/blog/good-environment-home-study-art-markman
  • ↑ http://www.litworld.org/blog/2014/8/13/5-ways-to-set-and-achieve-big-reading-goals
  • ↑ http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/bridging-summer-reading-gap

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The 30 Best Beach Reads for Summer 2022

Roll out a towel, crack open a book, and escape into a whole new world.

best summer beach reads fleishman is in trouble by taffy brodesser akner and the unhoneymooners by christina lauren

Every item on this page was chosen by a Woman's Day editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.

Finding a great summer book can be overwhelming as there are so many best-selling fiction and non-fiction releases on the literary market. But whether you're a fan of mysterious thrillers , YA books , romantic novels , hilarious memoirs , or thought-provoking essay collections, there is something on this list that is sure to please any book lover. Not to mention, every book here would make a great addition to your book club's reading list or your own personal summer TBR list. Whether you're planning a family day trip to the nearest beach or you're heading off on vacation to a tropical destination, make sure to pack one (or a few!) of these beach read books.

Lucy Foley The Paris Apartment

Broke and alone, Jess turns to her half-brother Ben for a place to say after she leaves her job. He isn't exactly thrilled, but he doesn't say no either, so Jess arrives at his very nice Paris apartment nonetheless. But she is surprised to find that Ben isn't even there. The longer Ben stays missing, the more Jess begins to investigate his situation and learn that while she is running from her past, Ben's future might be in question. If you were a fan of Foley's thriller The Guest List , then The Paris Apartment is a natural follow-up.

Emily Henry People We Meet on Vacation

Emily Henry is one of the best rom-com writers out there, and People We Meet on Vacation only proves this point. Whether you are on a vacation yourself, or want to be transported elsewhere while you lounge by the pool, you will be swept up in the friends to lovers romance between travel journalist Poppy and high school teacher Alex. The chapters travel between past and present, chronicling their journeys together from college to their latest adventure which Poppy hopes will fix things between her and Alex. A single vacation could clear the air and give Poppy and Alex what they desire most.

Zakiya Dalila Harris The Other Black Girl

Nella Rogers is an editorial assistant at Wagner Books where she is the only Black employee. She's tired of feeling isolated and of her colleagues' microaggressions. So when Harlem-born Hazel is hired, she's excited to have someone in her corner. But that's when the threatening notes start arriving. Nella begins to think Hazel is not who she says she is and soon realizes there's a lot more at stake than her publishing career. This whip-smart thriller exposes the unfortunate realities of the workplace and what Black women are sometimes forced to do in order to not be overlooked.

Rebecca Serle One Italian Summer

It doesn't matter if you are looking for a plane read on your way to Italy or just a summer drama to inhale at the beach, Rebecca Serle will quickly transport you to the shores of the Amalfi Coast with One Italian Summer . Katy is left reeling after the death of her mother Carol, but decides to take the mother-daughter trip to Positano they had planned before she passed away. As soon as she lands, Carol reappears as a younger version of herself and Katy soon learns she doesn't know as much about her mother as she thought she did. This is another kind of love story: That between mother and daughter, a dynamic that is not always explored but is just as important.

Taylor Jenkins Reid Malibu Rising

The cover of best-selling author Taylor Jenkins Reid's latest novel might just have you picking up a surfboard this summer. But as you open Malibu Rising , you will learn of the complicated Riva family history and how surfing fuels the children of famous singer Mick Riva. Each chapter is timestamped leading up to the night in 1983 that will change the Riva family forever. The read travels back in time to when June met her future-husband Mick, as well as to the present, where eldest Nina navigates the responsibilities of taking care of her three siblings: Hud, Jay, and Kit, and herself. Each sibling has a story and secret of their own, all weaving together at the crest of a wave about to crash over the family.

Annie Hartnett Rabbit Cake

Annie Hartnett writes a laugh-out-loud funny coming-of-age story told from the perspective of Elvis Babbitt, a young girl navigating the recent death of her mother. Elvis knows she should be grieving, but she wants answers surrounding the strange circumstances of her mother's untimely death. Her journey towards closure may not be what she expected, but she is able to find the comfort she needs and learns the everlasting power of humor after loss.

Pamela Druckerman There Are No Grown-Ups: A Midlife Coming-of-Age Story

When people start calling Pamela Druckerman — an American living in Paris — madame, she's forced to confront how the age she feels inside differs from the way people see her. Part memoir, part instruction guide, this well-researched book will keep you laughing and pondering what it really means to grow older.

Christina Lauren The Unhoneymooners

In this fast, witty read, Olive is asked to take her newlywed sister’s place on her non-refundable honeymoon after she and her husband get food poisoning at their wedding. While a free trip to Hawaii sounds great, there's just one problem: her plus one is her detestable new brother-in-law, Ethan.

Catherine Steadman Something in the Water: A Novel

Erin and Mark couldn’t be happier when they set off to Bora Bora for their honeymoon. Things quickly change, however, when they spot something suspicious — and immediately life-changing — in the crystal-blue ocean. Follow along in this captivating psychological thriller as the newlyweds must decide if they keep their discovery a secret or speak out and risk it all.

Emily Giffin All We Ever Wanted

Nina Browning is living the good life raising her children amongst Nashville's elite, while Tom Volpe is a single dad who works multiple jobs to provide for his daughter. When a photo is taken during a drunken moment at a party, their lives become unexpectedly intertwined and both are left questioning the relationships closest to them.

Taffy Brodesser-Akner Fleishman Is in Trouble

One of the best-reviewed books of the summer, Fleishman is in Trouble does not disappoint. Dropping the reader into the life of recently divorced doctor Toby Fleishman, the novel follows the series of unfortunate events that erupt immediately after. When his ex-wife goes missing, Toby is forced to unravel his own internal monologue about how he's lived his life.

Elin Hilderbrand Summer of '69

Every year, the Levin family retreats to Nantucket, but in 1969, things are a little different. Blair is too pregnant to travel, Kirby takes a gig on Martha’s Vineyard, and Tiger’s deployed to Vietnam. That just leaves 13-year-old Jessie alone with her grandmother and mother — both distracted by their own secrets. Travel back in time to the year man walked on the moon, Ted Kennedy crashed his car, and everything changed both within the Levins’ insular world and our nation’s history.

Elizabeth Percer All Stories Are Love Stories

After two earthquakes strike San Francisco within an hour of one another, the fates of a group of survivors — Max, Vashti, and Gene — become intertwined in ways they couldn't have imagined. As Max and Vashti face the truth about their past together and Gene frantically embarks on his way back home, what results is a beautiful story about the enduring strength of love.

Stephanie Storey Oil and Marble: A Novel of Leonardo and Michelangelo

Historical fiction at its best, this novel lays out the rivalry between two great artists and brings them to life in Florence in the 16th century. Their feud runs deep as Leonardo is at the peak of his career (but has lost the commission for The David) and Michaelangelo is desperately trying to establish himself as a great artist while struggling to sculpt The David.

Betsy Reavley Murder at the Book Club

Tea, cake, books, and... murder? That's exactly what you're going to get in this Agatha Christie-style murder mystery novel. Following the lives of nine seemingly ordinary women who come together to share their love of books, readers will quickly discover that everything is not as perfect as it seems between the so-called friends. And when one of the women ends up dead, all signs point right back to the members of the book club. Filled with twists, turns, and plenty of unsuspecting moments, this Whodunnit novel will suck you in from the first page.

Katherine Center How to Walk Away

In minutes, Margaret Jacobsen’s life changes twice. First, when her dreamy amateur pilot boyfriend proposes mid-air, and again when the plane crashes, leaving Margaret permanently injured. Her fiancé is unable to cope, her big new job offer is rescinded, and she is forced to depend on her family. Though things aren't as she initially imagined, Margaret learns to heal with grace, humor, and even finds romance.

Summer Heacock The Awkward Path to Getting Lucky

Cat Carmichael is the owner of a thriving naughty bakeshop — who hasn't been intimate with her boyfriend in almost two years thanks to a muscular condition called vaginismus. Determined to find a cure before their next anniversary, life gets more than a little awkward when the shop's cutest customer offers to be her physical therapist.

Lisa Jewell The Girls in the Garden

Controversy surrounds a London neighborhood after a young girl finds her 13-year-old sister, Grace, unconscious and hidden in a remote corner of a communal garden. As investigations are underway, the entire community denies any part in the act. Ultimately, though, all of the secrets of the community are revealed and betrayals that lie beneath the neighborhood's picturesque exteriors begin to come to the surface.

Laura Dave Eight Hundred Grapes

When Georgia returns from Los Angeles to her family's small Sonoma, CA vineyard in a mud-covered wedding dress, things are not what they seem. The ceremony is still five days away, but big secrets about her fiancé and her family are surfacing — and, as a result, Georgia's marriage plans are unraveling.

Sara Gruen At the Water's Edge

Madeline Hyde thought she lived a comfortable life with her handsome, well-to-do husband. But when he suddenly drags her to Scotland in search of the Loch Ness monster, Maddie is forced to rethink her way of life and the people in it.

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Ni'Kesia Pannell is an entrepreneur, multi-hyphenate freelance writer, and self-proclaimed Slurpee connoisseur that covers news and culture for The Kitchn. She's the former Weekend Editor for Delish who also writes about faith, health and wellness, travel, beauty, lifestyle, and music for a range of additional outlets.

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Elizabeth Berry (she/her) is the Updates Editor at the Good Housekeeping Institute where she optimizes lifestyle content across verticals. Prior to this role, she was an Editorial Assistant for Woman’s Day where she covered everything from gift guides to recipes. She also has experience fact checking commerce articles and holds a B.A. in English and Italian Studies from Connecticut College.

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The best beach reads of all time, according to authors

Less, Get a Life Chloe Brown, and after the hurricane book covers

The idea of summer reading , when you’re in school, conjures up obligation. Later, though, the same words become associated with lounging outside, getting lost in a book . And we have an entire genre of books that fit the assignment: beach reads.

As this author-curated list shows, any book can be a beach read. “A lot of people think a beach read has to be light and breezy and short and it can be, but some of my best summer books have been hefty and full of many characters,” Megan Abbott, author of RWJ pick “The Turnout,” told TODAY. For Ethan Joella, author of “A Little Hope,” summer is a time to “mix it up” and explore different genres.

When it comes to beach reads, everyone has a different definition — and a different strategy for actually reading them. Lily King, author of “Writers and Lovers,” likes to bring paperbacks on vacation and doesn’t mind if they get wet, sandy or stained with iced coffee. “I want proof of summer on the pages,” King told TODAY.

Shelby Van Pelt, author of “Remarkably Bright Creatures,” on the other hand, is a self-professed member of “team hardcover.” Van Pelt added, “A hardcover book, when resting between uses, makes an excellent platform on your beach blanket for a cold beverage — just saying.” And for Jean Kwok, author of "Searching for Sylvie Lee," it's "e-books all the way."

This much is true: “Whether hardcover or paperback, books that survive a beach trip have some stories of their own to tell,” Van Pelt said.

Below, find some recommendations for the best beach reads, hand-selected by Read With Jenna authors and TODAY show regulars.

Seen on TODAY | More beach reads

Best beach reads seen on TODAY with Hoda & Jenna

Emma Straub and Jasmine Guillory stopped by TODAY in 2023 to share their recommendations.

"Kiss Me in the Coral Lounge" by Helen Ellis

"Kiss Me in the Coral Lounge" by Helen Ellis

"Kiss Me in the Coral Lounge"

"Helen is hilarious. These are essays. She's written in the past about family and friendship but this one is about love and marriage," Straub said, saying it's perfect for people in a long-term relationship.

"Mrs. Nash's Ashes" by Sarah Adler

"Mrs. Nash's Ashes" by Sarah Adler

"Mrs. Nash's Ashes"

Jasmine Guillory called this a "charming love story" and a book that made her want to "hug it to her chest." It's about two strangers who go on a road trip together to deliver ashes to someone's long-lost love. "In the process, of course, they fall in love," Guillory said.

"Quietly Hostile" by Samantha Irby

"Quietly Hostile" by Samantha Irby

"Quietly Hostile"

Straub's second essay collection recommendation is one by Samantha Irby, an author Straub said is guaranteed to make you laugh "on every page."

"For Her Consideration" by Amy Spalding

"For Her Consideration" by Amy Spalding

"For Her Consideration"

This romantic comedy set in L.A., recommended by Guillory, has a very L.A. plot: A girl falls in love with a movie star. Nina Rice had aspirations of being a writer but is instead languishing in the suburbs. Out of the blue, she's given an opportunity to ghostwriter for an up-and-coming actress.

"Tenderheart" by Hetty Lui McKinnon

"Tenderheart" by Hetty Lui McKinnon

"Tenderheart"

OK, maybe not a book to bring to the beach, but Straub says this cookbook — which is peppered with stories from the author's life — makes for a compelling read, with delicious results.

"A Living Remedy" by Nicole Chung

"A Living Remedy" by Nicole Chung

"A Living Remedy"

This memoir will "make you cry," Guillory says. The memoir is about the loss of the author's parents within a the span of a few years. She says the book is a balm for the loss and grief that marked the COVID-19 pandemic.

More of the best beach reads

'less' by andrew sean greer.

Less Andrew Sean Greer

"Less"

If you’re not traveling this summer, this Pulitzer Prize winning book will take you around the world nonetheless. The hilarious and life-affirming book follows an author as he travels from country to country, trying to outrun pain from a breakup.

"Andrew Sean Greer is hilarious, wise, globe-trotting, and ultimately relatable. It's a joy to read and re-read and a great beach conversation piece," R. Eric Thomas, author of “Here for It,” told TODAY.

'The Shore' by Katie Runde

The Shore

"The Shore"

Ethan Joella, author of the RWJ pick “A Little Hope,” said “The Shore” by Katie Runde is the definition of a beach read. “To me, the best beach read is when you look forward to coming back to the characters over and over on those long vacation days. ‘The Shore perfectly ticks those boxes,” Joella said.

The book is set in the town of Seaside, located on New Jersey’s coast, and switches viewpoints between members of a family as they deal with illness and coming-of-age. “Runde captures the setting so well you feel you are right in the middle of the boardwalk,” Joella said. “It is touching and gripping and life-affirming.”

'Devotions: The Selected Poems of Mary Oliver' by Mary Oliver

Devotions: The Selected Poems of Mary Oliver

"Devotions: The Selected Poems of Mary Oliver"

Margaret Renkl, author of the essay collection “Late Migrations,” provides a recommendation for a shorter beach read. Instead of a novel, Renkl suggests poetry — specifically, the work of Mary Oliver, whose inspirational poems are in conversation with the natural world.

“The most wonderful thing about summer is that we are outdoors so much more, and we have time to observe and time to ponder. Mary Oliver writes about the natural world with bright, loving clarity, and her poems are easy to dip into and out of. Read one page; close your eyes and listen to shorebirds calling; go for a walk beside the water and watch the schools of fish moving in concert exactly the way the birds above them are moving together; read another poem; repeat. All summer long,” Renkl said.

'Free Love' by Tessa Hadley

Free Love

"Free Love"

Lily King, author of the novel “Writers and Lovers,” recommends the emotionally astute work of Tessa Hadley for a summer read. As King explained, "It's about a woman from one world who takes a younger lover from another and the transformation that happens to her and all the people around her as a result."

King called "Free Love" the "ultimate beach read" because "it is gorgeously written, funny (and) transportive."

'The Neapolitan Novels Boxed Set' by Elena Ferrante and Ann Goldstein

The Neapolitan Novels Boxed Set

"The Neapolitan Novels Boxed Set"

Elena Ferrante’s Naples-set epic follows two friends, Lila and Elena, from childhood through having children of their own. Their charged friendship, and undeniable competitiveness, motivates each of them to dream bigger than what their relatives in post-war Italy can imagine for them.

“I look for books that are long epics (to last the entirety of the vacation), evocative of summer, with an absorbing story written with urgency and vivid sensory details, and preferably set in a foreign country. The Neapolitan Novels fits all these criteria,” Susie Yang, author of the RWJ pick “White Ivy,” told TODAY.

'Bomb Shelter' by Mary Laura Philpott

Bomb Shelter: Love, Time, and Other Explosives

"Bomb Shelter"

For Shelby Van Pelt, author of “Remarkably Bright Creatures,” a beach read is synonymous with a funny essay collection by the likes of David Sedaris, Samantha Irby or Jenny Lawson. “I don't know if it's because they're easier to read in short bursts (with two small kids, I never get to sit in my beach chair for long!) or maybe because I'm away from my own life, and therefore enjoy immersing myself in someone else's,” she said.

This year, she recommends “Bomb Shelter” by self-described “worrier” Mary Laura Philpott, who writes about motherhood and daily life with humor.

'After the Hurricane' by Leah Franqui

After the Hurricane

"After the Hurricane"

Etaf Rum, author of "A Woman Is No Man," points readers in the direction of "After the Hurricane," a 2022 novel by Leah Franqui.

After Hurricane Maria devastates Puerto Rico, Elena Vega returns to the island for the first time since her youth to search for her missing father. They've always had a troubled relationship — but with him gone, Elena can piece together clues to understand him in a way she couldn't before, as well as form her own relationship with her relatives and heritage.

'The Good Left Undone' by Adriana Trigiani

The Good Left Undone

"The Good Left Undone"

For Kristin Hannah, author of "The Four Winds," a summer read is "a book that both transports and enthralls." She particularly loves "an exotic, romantic setting" and "characters to fall in love with."

Put it together, and you get "The Good Left Undone" by Adriana Trigiani. "This is a beautiful, heartfelt novel that sweeps the reader on a journey through Italy. What could be better to read on a hot summer’s day?

'The Secret History' by Donna Tartt

The Secret History

"The Secret History"

Jessamine Chan, author of "The School for Good Mothers," turns to a gripping modern classic about a group of students studying Ancient Greek — and the ways of the Ancient Greeks — in a private New England college.

"When traveling, I need a book to be a true page-turner and I can think of no better example than this incredibly spooky, enthralling novel," Chan said.

'Hao: Stories' by Ye Chun

Hao: Stories

"Hao: Stories"

Naima Coster, author of "What's Mine and Yours," offers up a short story collection that she said "rocked me to my core."

"'Hao' by Ye Chun is a powerful, slim collection of stories about Chinese and Chinese American women finding their way in the world. These stories are all so different — they span centuries and continents and focus on women facing distinct challenges, from trying to recover language after a stroke, to navigating fraught marriages, and protecting their children from violence and siege. What the stories share is an interest in mothers and mothering, loving and nurturing, across time and place," Coster said.

'The Family Chao' by Lan Samantha Chang

The Family Chao

"The Family Chao"

Jean Kwok, author of "Searching for Sylvie Lee," says she looks for a compelling story in a beach read — "preferably something with passion, love and maybe even murder." For her, it's a plus if there's some humor woven in. "While I don’t want some kind of academic treatise, I also don’t want to feel like I’ve just binged on cotton candy," she said.

That's why she recommends Lan Samantha Chang’s "The Family Chao" for a summer read. "It’s a beautifully written literary mystery about a tyrannical patriarch who is found murdered and each one of his sons has a motive. It's filled with suspense, heartbreak and humor, and thoroughly entertaining," she said.

'The Book of Difficult Fruit' by Kate Lebo

The Book of Difficult Fruit: Arguments for the Tart, Tender, and Unruly (with Recipes)

"The Book of Difficult Fruit"

Megha Majumdar, author of "A Burning," looks for a book that can hold her attention. She's especially drawn toward "absorbing nonfiction," offering up Kate Lebo's "The Book of Difficult Fruit" as an example.

Lebo's collection of personal essays are structured around fruits, blending culinary facts with details about her life and musings about universal fruits. In this book, berries and bananas have lessons.

'Running Out' by Lucas Bessire

Running Out: In Search of Water on the High Plains

"Running Out"

Majumdar also recommended "Running Out" by Lucas Bessire as an example of absorbing nonfiction. Bessire returns to the High Plains of Kansas, where his family is from, to study the effects of drought on the environment and on people's lives.

'Grown Ups' by Marian Keyes

Grown Ups

"Grown Ups"

Bestselling author Marian Keyes has a trove of page-turners, and Charmaine Wilkerson, author of "Black Cake," recommends this one. After a concussion, one character becomes a truth-teller, exposing all the lies that prop up her husband's family.

"I look for humor and great dialogue in a beach read. I recommend this Keyes title for its insightful look at family and couple dynamics," Wilkerson said.

'Where'd You Go, Bernadette' by Maria Semple

Where'd You Go, Bernadette

"Where'd You Go, Bernadette"

Tara Conklin, author of "The Last Romantics," likes "Where'd You Go, Bernadette" for its heart-warming and hilarious nature. In the book, a mother at the end of her rope decides to disappear.

"With scenes in rainy Seattle and frosty Antarctica, the book will cool you down on the hottest beach days," Conklin said.

'The Old Ways' by Robert Macfarlane

The Old Ways: A Journey on Foot

"The Old Ways"

Lee Cole, author of “Groundskeeping,” admits that he associates this book with the beach because he read it in Cape Cod, but that's not the only reason why it's a good vacation read.

“But much of 'The Old Ways' is set around the beaches and coastlines of Britain. It's about the author's attempt to retrace ancient footpaths and trails, not just in England and Scotland, but in Palestine and Spain. Part travel memoir, part essay, it's a treasure trove of nature writing and gorgeous imagery, perfect for the meditative calm of the beach,” Cole said.

'Cover Story' by Susan Rigetti

Cover Story

"Cover Story"

Linda Holmes, author of “Evvie Drake Starts Over,” recommends “Cover Story” by Susan Rigetti. “It’s exciting, it’s surprising, it’s satisfying, it’s darkly funny, and it will keep you guessing,” Holmes said.

Lora Ricci knows she wants to be a writer — but isn’t sure how to get there. When she meets heiress Cat Wolff at a summer internship at a magazine, and Cat offers her a chance to be her ghostwriter, Lora drops out of college and accepts. Lora sees Cat's stories for what they are: stories. The action unfolds through mediums like diary entries, emails and FBI correspondence.

'Get a Life, Chloe Brown' by Talia Hibbert

Get a Life, Chloe Brown

Get a Life, Chloe Brown

“I think any Talia Hibbert book is an absolutely perfect way to spend a summer day,” Taylor Jenkins Reid, author of “Malibu Rising,” said.

Talia Hibbert is the author of contemporary romances. Her romances shine on both a sentence and character level. The language is witty, the sexual tension is steamy and the characters’ growth is something to marvel at.

'Let's Not Do That Again' by Grant Ginder

Let's Not Do That Again

"Let's Not Do That Again"

“Good Company” author Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney called “Let’s Not Do That Again” the “ultimate beach read,” saying “it's funny, smart, surprising and much of the book takes place in Paris so it feels like a mini-trip.”

In the book, Nancy Harrison is a politician with a stellar chance of winning her bid for Senator — if her two adult children don’t entirely derail her campaign.

'Mother Country' by Jacinda Townsend

Mother Country

"Mother Country"

Elizabeth Wetmore, author of “Valentine,” has three words when it comes to this novel: “Read it now.”

In “Mother Country,” a woman on vacation in Morocco finds an abandoned toddler with whom she shares an undeniable resemblance. Shannon and her boyfriend adopt the child and raise her in Kentucky — but the child has a mother, an undocumented woman who was trafficked as a teen, and now is going through another devastating separation done without her consent.

'Summer Sisters' by Judy Blume

Summer Sisters

"Summer Sisters"

Qian Julie Wang, author of "Beautiful Country," reaches for a book that conjures up nostalgia and the smell of the sea.

"For me, beach reads are about an escape, but to a safe and familiar place. For all those adults who remain nostalgic for the worlds of 'Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret,' 'Deenie,' and 'Tiger Eyes,' this book is the return you’ve been looking for."

'In the Cut' by Susanna Moore

In the Cut

"In the Cut"

Perhaps it’s no surprise that acclaimed mystery writer Megan Abbott is drawn to thrillers at the beach. “I like something that keeps me riveted and my mind active — the kind of book that, every day, you see at the bottom of your beach bag and you grab it so fast because you can't wait to see what happens next,” she told TODAY.

‘In the Cut’ is a textbook erotic thriller — and for Abbott, it’s the gift that keeps giving. “I've read "In the Cut" more than once and each time it still somehow keeps me guessing because it's about so much more than it seems,” Abbott said.

'Daisy Jones & The Six' by Taylor Jenkins Reid

"Daisy Jones & The Six"

"Daisy Jones & The Six"

Elizabeth Gilbert, author of "Eat Pray Love," recommended Taylor Jenkins Reid's 70s-set novel, the oral history of a band that never was — but will seem real, after following its evolution for chapters.

'Very Nice' by Marcy Dermansky

"Very Nice"

"Very Nice"

Fans of situational comedies and rom-coms will like this novel from Marcy Dermansky. Chosen by Jane Green, "Very Nice" features a small cast of wickedly funny characters and a plot straight out a Shakespearean romance.

'Queenie' by Candice Carty-Williams

"Queenie"

"Queenie"

Jane Green also recommends "Queenie," Candice Carty-Williams' honest, boldly political, and darkly humorous novel about a British woman in her 20s. As its main character ratchets from one bad idea to another, readers may recognize themselves in her — and maybe find some answers as she does.

'The Body Lies' by Jo Baker

"The Body Lies"

"The Body Lies"

Elizabeth Gilbert recommends "The Body Lies" for fans of dark, psychological dramas. With high-stakes storytelling and riveting suspense, this story goes beyond just a simple mystery as it addresses some of our own major societal problems.

'The Key to Happily Ever After' by Tif Marcelo

"The Key to Happily Ever After"

"The Key to Happily Ever After"

Romance author Jasmine Guillory shouted out this light-hearted read, giving readers a witty, romantic look into the lives of three sisters who work as wedding planners. When their parents retire, the three take over the family business and quickly realize that fairytale weddings are never as smooth as they seem.

"The Farm," by Joanne Ramos

The Farm

"The Farm"

This chilling novel from Joanne Ramos, picked by Green, makes readers consider weighty issues like gender and class, race and religion, American meritocracy and motherhood, and the trade-offs women make to secure their own futures — and the futures of those they love.

"The Hazel Wood," by Melissa Albert

The Hazel Wood

"The Hazel Wood"

Adeyemi picked this stunning bestseller. With a plot that pulls the reader through an endless series of twists and surprises, it's a satisfying, dramatic read that doesn't let up on the mystery until the final page is turned.

"On Being Human," by Jennifer Pastiloff and Lidia Yuknavitch

On Being Human: A Memoir of Waking Up, Living Real, and Listening Hard

"On Being Human"

Gilbert picked this inspirational memoir from Jennifer Pastiloff. Centered around touchstone stories that she shares in her workshops, Pastiloff tells the story about how one can battle their own demons to grow into the person they were always meant to be.

For more book recommendations, check out:

  • Jenna Bush Hager's June 2022 book club pick is a novel about female friendship
  • 6 books to read after 'Remarkably Bright Creatures' by Shelby Van Pelt
  • All of Jenna Bush Hager's book club picks

Subscribe to our Stuff We Love and One Great Find newsletters, and download our TODAY app to discover deals, shopping tips, budget-friendly product recommendations and more!

Elena Nicolaou is a senior entertainment editor at Today.com, where she covers the latest in TV, pop culture, movies and all things streaming. Previously, she covered culture at Refinery29 and Oprah Daily. Her superpower is matching people up with the perfect book, which she does on her podcast, Blind Date With a Book.

50 Can't-Miss Beach Reads for Summer 2024

Grab a cool drink and embrace lazy afternoons with this summer reading list.

best beach reads 2023

Country Living editors select each product featured. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Why Trust Us?

Never fear, fellow bookworms. We've compiled a list of some of the most popular books to read this year—some older favorites and some brand-new reads (some that will make you feel like you stepped into a Hallmark movie ). These beach books are the perfect partners to a day at the beach or lounging poolside and feature some of your favorite authors, as well as newcomers you're sure to love. If you want to grab your headphones, we've got the best new audiobooks of 2023 too. So dive in and grab a copy (or three) of these can't-miss summer beach reads you won't want to put down before it's time to move on to the best books of fall !

Mrs. Nash's Ashes

Mrs. Nash's Ashes

This new rom-com was truly a surprise for me. Former child star Millie is forced to drive from D.C. to Key West with Hollis, a distant acquaintance, after all flights are grounded. Millie is desperate to get to Florida to deliver the ashes of her beloved neighbor to her long-lost love, who is in hospice care. What sounds like a sad story is actually a road trip rom-com with a whole lot of heart that will have you believing in happily ever afters.

Once More with Feeling

Once More with Feeling

Fans of Elissa Sussman have not yet recovered from last year's Funny You Should Ask. In her new novel, teenage pop star Katee Rose has a life in the spotlight as she dates Ryan LaNeve, member of boy band CrushZone. They have a messy (and very public) breakup, and Katee fades from public life. Many years later, another member of CrushZone, Cal, hires Katee to be the lead in a Broadway musical, reigniting her career and possibly an old flame. The story is told in a dual timeline, with the past narrative taking place at a summer theater camp.

Same Time Next Summer

Same Time Next Summer

This just might be the ultimate beach read of 2023. Sam and her fiancé return to her family's beach house to plan their wedding. Those plans are thrown off track when Sam encounters musician Wyatt, her neighbor and teenage love. Sam's funny and endearing family provides the perfect backdrop for this read that's begging to be packed in your beach bag.

(Available June 6 )

Happy Place

Happy Place

Emily Henry's latest begs to be read beachside. In Happy Place, a group of friends reunites for their annual week at a summer house in Maine, only this time, everything has changed. The group finds out it's the end of an era, as the house will be sold after their trip. And Harriet and Wyn, the golden couple, broke up five months ago, but they pretend to be together for their final summer hurrah. Will they find a second chance at love or ruin the vacation for everyone?

The Five-Star Weekend

The Five-Star Weekend

Step aside for the queen of the beach read! Elin Hilderbrand is back with The Five-Star Weekend. After her husband dies unexpectedly, Hollis is struggling. On the outside, she's an influencer with a big following, but her daughter won't talk to her and she's reeling after her husband's death. So she decides to gather four friends (each from a different stage in her life) to spend the weekend at her home in Nantucket and her daughter joins them to film the festivities. Each friend is dealing with a big life event, from a concerning medical situation to being canceled for a controversial opinion. The weekend changes them all in unexpected ways.

Meet Me at the Lake

Meet Me at the Lake

Summer love is at the center of this brand-new romance. Will and Fern met by chance one one perfect day in college, with a promise to meet in a year. That reunion doesn't happen, until the two reconnect a decade later when they join forces to save Fern's family resort. Carley Fortune's follow-up to the BookTok sensation Every Summer After is a warm-weather must-read.

The True Love Experiment

The True Love Experiment

Christina Lauren fans demanded a novel about Fizzy, the best friend/scene stealer in The Soulmate Equation, and the authors delivered. This rom-com finds Fizzy, a romance novelist with a bad case of writer's block, cast on a reality dating show. There, she encounters filmmaker Conner, who complicates her mission to find love in front of the camera.

Bad Summer People

Bad Summer People

Manipulative friends Jen Weinstein and Lauren Parker spend their summers on the beaches and tennis courts of Salcombe, Fire Island. Their husbands, childhood friends, have secrets to hide, and their single friend, Rachel, is on the hunt for a man. It's a normal summer for the group...until a body turn up on the boardwalk.

The Block Party

The Block Party

Get ready to turn the pages in this new thriller about the scandalous neighbors of Alton Road. On the night of their annual summer block party, a body is discovered, and the story takes readers a year in the past to uncover the mystery.

The Unsinkable Greta James

The Unsinkable Greta James

In this heartwarming story, rock star Greta James finds herself on an Alaskan cruise with her father after her mother's death. Still reeling from an onstage meltdown that could threaten her career, she strikes up an unlikely friendship with Ben, a Jack London lecturer who is estranged from his wife. It gets my vote for best cover of the year!

Dream On

This perfect-for-summer romance even has fireworks! Cass, a driven law student, wakes up after a car accident puts her in a coma talking about a mystery man named Devin Bloom. In Cass's mind, she and Devin had been dating for months before her accident, but none of her family or friends have heard of him, and there's no record of them in her calls or text messages. And yet, she draws vivid pictures of him and recalls specific memories of their time together, until one day she stumbles upon him in a local flower shop. The story takes the reader in some unexpected directions as Cass and Devin try to uncover the mystery of their connection. (July 5)

Something Wilder

Something Wilder

This might be the ultimate beach read of 2022. Christina Lauren are back with this highly anticipated, super-fun romp packed with action, adventure, and a treasure hunt. The authors describe it as Romancing the Stone meets The Hangover , and you'll understand when you read it! It's a bit if a departure for Christina Lauren, but there's plenty of romance and banter to keep their fans satisfied (plus...one sleeping bag!). If you're new to Christina Lauren, stop what you're doing and read The Unhoneymooners, a perfect choice for a beach read.

Nora Goes Off Script

Nora Goes Off Script

This page-turner is a perfect summertime read. Nora pays the bills by writing formulaic scripts for the romance channel. When she decides to write her own messy love story, complete with an ex-husband who leaves her with two kids and a mortgage, everything changes. A major Hollywood studio buys the script and decides to film at her own house. And then the leading man decides to stay...

There's so much to love about Monaghan's adult debut. Nora is strong, independent, and never a victim of her circumstances. She works hard for her two adoring children, who are the center of her life. She has the love and support of her friends and family. There are unexpected moments and laugh-out-loud interactions. I was wrapped up in this story like Leo and Nora on the porch swing from page 1. (June 7)

Book Lovers

Book Lovers

Henry's Beach Reads is an all-time fave. In her latest, Nora, a tough-as-nails literary agent who normally finds herself on the wrong side of the romantic storyline, travels to Sunshine Falls, North Carolina, with her pregnant sister, Libby. Libby plans a small-town bucket list vacation, which takes a turn when Nora encounters her big-city rival, Charlie. What transpires is heartwarming, poignant, and laugh-out-loud funny.

One Night on the Island

One Night on the Island

Escape to Salvation with this new novel by Josie Silver. This unexpected romance follows dating columnist Cleo as she sets out on a "self-coupling" journey in honor of her 30th birthday. She arrives at the remote Irish island of Salvation only to find that her tiny cottage has been double booked and she'll be forced to share it with an American photographer and father of two who is struggling with some things in his personal life. The story packs a surprising emotional punch, but I really found myself falling in love with the island and its inhabitants.

Part of Your World

Part of Your World

This novel tackles some heavier topics, including abuse and complicated family dynamics, but at its heart it's a sweet love story between a sophisticated big-city doctor and a small-town B&B owner/woodworker/mayor. There's also a baby goat in pajamas, which is probably all you need to know to start reading. It will have you ready to pack up and move to Wakan.

The Cheat Sheet

The Cheat Sheet

Sarah Adams is a master of sweet (never sappy), funny rom-coms perfect for summertime. The Cheat Sheet is a friends-to-lovers story about dance teacher Bree and her professional quarterback best friend Nathan who have to pretend to be dating in the weeks leading up to the Super Bowl.

The Hotel Nantucket

The Hotel Nantucket

The Hotel Nantucket, Hilderbrand's 28th novel, surrounds a crumbling hotel that gets rescued by billionaire Xavier Darling. Xavier hires local Lizbet Keaton to get the hotel up and running and impress an important Instagram influencer. Oh, and the ghost of a chambermaid causes mischief. This book has been getting a lot of buzz, and I was happy to find it lived up to the hype! Intrepid Lizbet leads the charge of a charming and entertaining cast of characters, all while dealing with a breakup and a potential new romance. This was one of my favorites of the summer!

From the Jump

From the Jump

Lacie Waldon is back with a new novel after last year's vacation read The Layover . Graphic designer Liv Bakersfield is overworked and used to missing out, but everything changes when she quits her job and jets off to meet her friends in South Africa. The close proximity complicates her relationship with her friend Lucas Deiss. What will happen when they return back home?

This friends-to-lovers rom-com had plenty of unexpected turns to keep me guessing and entertained (especially Lucas's secret past!). I fell for all of the friends and coworkers and found myself rooting for Lacie as she faced adversity and found herself along the way.

The Bodyguard: A Novel

The Bodyguard: A Novel

This fun new novel by Katherine Center feels like a summertime blockbuster. Hannah may not look the part, but she works as a bodyguard for high-profile clients. In the midst of some serious drama in her personal life (her mother dies, her boyfriend/coworker breaks up with her), she is assigned to protect a major movie star who is in town visiting family. On the surface, it's a light-hearted romance, but it packs a bit of an emotional punch (along with some actual punches!).

Headshot of Ashley Leath

Katie Bowlby is Digital Director at Country Living, where she covers gift guides, product reviews, crafts, and TV shows like Yellowstone. She’s currently stitching up a cross-stitch pattern for the magazine’s next issue 

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summer easy reading

15 Excellent Summer Reading Ideas For Young Readers

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Lucas Maxwell

Lucas Maxwell has been working with youth in libraries for over fifteen years. Originally from Nova Scotia, Canada, he's been a high school librarian in London, UK for over a decade. In 2017 he won the UK's School Librarian of the Year award and in 2022 he was named the UK Literacy Association's Reading For Pleasure Teacher Champion. He loves Dungeons & Dragons and is the author of Let's Roll: A Guide for Setting up Tabletop Roleplaying Games in Your School or Public Library. You can follow him on Twitter and on his blog .

View All posts by Lucas Maxwell

Getting youth to read over the summer can sometimes be a challenge. Luckily, there are several fun and non-stressful ideas out there to keep them engaged with reading. In my opinion, striving for a particular number of books or meticulously noting down which books you’ve read may not be the approach for you and may actually increase the amount of stress you have. Reading one book over the summer might be what you’re aiming for, with the goal to enjoy yourself. That’s why I hope these summer reading program ideas provide some inspiration and enjoyment when it comes to reading for fun this summer.

1. Get Caught Reading

Getting students to read in fun, unique places can entice them to take part in different summer reading programs. Having prizes for the coolest places can also be effective. In the past I’ve had a lot of success with this one, with students having their pictures taken on trampolines, up trees, even in dryers (definitely don’t encourage that one). I usually put an asterisk on these ones as I hope students can provide a review of the book they’ve chosen with the picture, considering the whole idea is for them to choose a book they love!

2. Shared Reading

This one can be tricky but worth it, in my opinion. I get students and staff to choose one book to read over the summer. I try to get them to choose in May or June so I can get more copies of the book. I also strongly encourage them to visit local libraries to borrow the book. I then post regular updates about the book over the summer in the attempt to create a shared experience. The uptake on this program might not be massive but if a student or parent wants to be involved I will do everything I can to get the book into their hands. It’s a lot of fun to get students to vote on which book will be the summer read.

books on a shelf with a sign that says "read them together"

3. Surprise Summer read

I’ve written before about this great program. This works with younger students, teens, and definitely adults. I get people to tell me their favourite genre, which can be anything. I will then take a book from our shelves, wrap it up, and deliver it to them before the end of the school year. I ask that the teachers and students write a review of the book on a recipe / display card that I can then put on display in September. It’s a lot of fun and works really well.

4. Give Away Those Weeded Books

This has to have some clarification. I do not recommend giving away weeded books that are so ratty that they look like the Dead Sea Scrolls. In my experience, we sometimes have books that are in great condition but never circulate for reasons that no one will ever understand. These books might find a home somewhere if they are simply moved to a different location or seen in a different light. This is why I recommend giving them away as part of a relaxed summer reading program. I cannot stress enough the impact of giving away books can have on students: they really love getting books. Having a table of good quality weeded books is a great way to keep them reading over the summer.

5. Take a Look at Art This Summer

I have run this in the past and it’s been really popular. I borrowed a huge art book from the library that covered ancient and modern art. Each day I took a look at one painting and spent some time reading about it. This was just a way for me to try and broaden my horizons as much as possible. However, what it did was even better, as I decided to go to a local art gallery and find out more about different artists. I went to a larger gallery and was able to find some of the pieces that I had read about. This is not possible for everyone, but I really looked forward to reading about the history of each art piece every evening. I want to stress that this is not something I thought I’d ever be interested in. This would be a fun, easy summer reading program idea for families to take part in.

6. Read in 100 places

If you want to take the “Get Caught Reading” challenge up a notch, you can try this Read in 100 Places Activity . It creates a checklist of different places kids can read in over the summer. The idea of course is to make it a fun challenge and to hopefully keep them reading all summer long.

7. Reading Scavenger Hunt

This one also looks really cool , especially for younger students. It’s a free printable activity that gets kids to read books that a friend recommends, that they get from the public library, and so on. It’s a great way to try different and interesting books in my opinion.

8. Comic book challenge

I’ve written before about comics and how they still count as reading. I think if you’ve got a young one at home that seems reluctant to read in any way you can provide a fun challenge. To read as many comics as they can by the end of the summer, or finish one comic if that will be a good enough challenge. I love reading comics and will encourage students to read them as much as possible!

9. Reading Logs

Reading logs aren’t really my thing, but some students love them, as do some parents. If you are one of those people that wants to keep track of their books, you can make your own list as you go or find a free printable one here . My advice is to not get too worked up over them or to stress about filling them in or reaching a certain number.

10. Yearly reading

I’ve never personally done this summer reading program but I love the idea of it. Ask someone in your family the year they born and read a book from that year. It’s fun, simple, and will can generate some interesting discussion.

11. Book quizzes

I did these over lockdown here in the UK and they were very popular. There’s nothing to say that they won’t be popular as a summer reading program if you’ve got the time once a week. How it works is very simple. Before the end of the school year, choose ten to twenty different books that have been quite popular over the year. Make a series of quizzes on Kahoot, Quizizz, or something similar. Once a week for the first or last few weeks of the summer, hold a book quiz where families can log in using private codes to take the quiz. It can be a great way to keep them thinking about books over the summer and promotes books they may not have read as well.

12. One minute book review

Again, I did these over lockdown and they were very popular. I made a YouTube account and recorded 1 minute book reviews of books that I had read. I just did these on my phone, and they were simple and effective. I am going to encourage older students and staff to try this over the summer whether they just record their voices or take a video of the book themselves.

13. Virtual reading

Another hugely popular program over lockdown, this one you’ll need permission from the publisher, for unless the book is a classic that’s not covered for copyright reasons. I read a book aloud (again, with permission) and recorded myself reading it. The book was aimed at eleven to twelve year-old students and it was very popular with parents who wanted their students to engage with reading. I also strongly suggest an audiobook challenge where students listen to at least one audiobook over the summer.

14. Librarian’s choice

If there’s one thing librarians love to do, it’s recommend books. This is a fun and simple reading idea for the summer. Go to your public library and ask the librarian for one book that they recommend you read over the summer. It can be for someone of any age.

15. If you read just one book…

Another fun and simple one for the summer. I’m going to write on the whiteboard in the library “Recommend One Book To Read This Summer” and see what response I get. Students love recommending books and writing on the whiteboard in general; this kills two birds with one stone and creates a unique shared experience.

I hope some of these are summer reading program ideas are useful. The ultimate goal is to have fun and keep reading, whatever that may be. If you are fortunate enough to have a public library near you I strongly recommend visiting as they usually have unique and fun ideas that are specific to your area of the world. They also have summertime events and author visits that can really make a big difference in how youth engage with reading.

Finally, if you’re an adult who wants to do a summer reading program, we’ve got you covered!

summer easy reading

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Ultimate Beach Reads 2021: The Hottest Summer Reads

Ultimate Beach Reads 2021

Table of Contents

*UPDATED Ultimate Beach Reads 2023 is HERE *

It’s almost summer! Spring is in the air, but as the weather warms up I immediately fast-forward to planning my summer reading. Why? Because I want all the 2021 Beach Reads!

We like to pick books that are engrossing enough to hold our attention but not so complicated that we need to think too hard. After all, we still want to be able to put it down to explore the beach!

Also, no tear-jerkers! We know you don’t want to be seen sobbing in public like Kirsten did when she read Me Before You on the beach one summer. People looked at her like she was crazy!

Before we get into Ultimate Beach Reads 2021, did you see our Summer Reading Bingo game? Check it out at the Beach Read Hub.

Ultimate beach reads 2021.

This year’s list of Ultimate Beach Reads features all the books we’ve read in the past year that we think are perfect for the beach. Each book features a quick, honest review and they are separated by genre.

To easily navigate Ultimate Beach Reads 2021, use the links below to navigate to your preferred genres.

Fiction / Historical Fiction / Women’s Fiction / Romance / Thrillers / Mysteries / Fantasy / Non-Fiction / Young Adult Fiction

*Post contains affiliate links. Purchases made through links result in a small commission to us at no cost to you. Some books have been gifted. All opinions are our own.

Fiction Beach Reads 2021

Fiction Beach Reads 2021

the guncle

The Guncle by Steven Rowley

Steven Rowley is a writer who has mastered the art of storytelling. With his signature wit and humor, this book tackles love, loss, and growth.

When Patrick’s sister-in-law dies and Patrick’s brother needs to go to rehab, Patrick takes custody of his niece and nephew for 90 days. Patrick is basically David from Schitt’s Creek with snark and sass. He treats the kids like mini-adults in the most delightful way.

I am such a fan of Steven Rowley and each book provides depth and insight into people at their best and worst. While this is a book about grief, you will find yourself laughing out loud multiple times throughout. It’s a poignant reminder of the importance of family. If you have not read this contemporary fiction book yet, what are you waiting for?

The last summer at the golden hotel

Last Summer at the Golden Hotel by Elyssa Friedland

Last Summer at the Golden Hotel is all about 2 families who own a resort in the Catskills and are thinking of selling or overhauling the Golden. This is the ultimate in family drama books.

Three generations of the Goldmans and Weismann clans have gathered to make the decision and family secrets are unspooling left and right in the midst of goat yoga, comedy shows, and salon catastrophes.

It was a pleasure to read it while staying at the Hyatt on the Chesapeake and experiencing some resort life of my own. This is on our list of 52 Best Books for Book Clubs to Read and had to be included in our summer camp books list!

one two three

One Two Three by Laurie Frankel

I had really high hopes for this book because I loved her last book. I enjoyed this book about the Mitchel triplets who nicknames each other One, Two and Three. 17 years ago Bourne’s water turned green and now, the town is fully accepting of the differences in many of the children born in the aftermath of the poisoned water.

I liked this book but, for me, it didn’t have the same pull as Frankel’s first book.

Thank you Libro.fm for my copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

GIRLS WITH BRIGHT FUTURES

Girls with Bright Futures by Tracy Dobmeier

Girls with Bright Futures was gifted to me and it is a total page-turner! What happens when a group of entitled parents are all fighting to get their kids into the most prestigious universities? ⁣Backstabbing, jealousy, and doing anything to get their kids ahead.

I was shocked by what people were willing to do but not so shocked that every page of this book could not be true! However, this book is more than just a fast-paced race to the finish. It has heart, and emotion and had me rooting for the underdog. This is one of the books set in high school that I couldn’t put down!

The midnight Library

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

This is a library that has books filled with the infinite possibilities of the lives not lived.  Have you ever wondered about a choice, or a path not taken? When Nora finds herself in the library she is forced to face the choices that she made in her life- relationships, education, profession…This is a magical book and I loved every minute of it

The Vanishing Half and more family drama books

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

June 2020 gma book club pick.

I adored Bennett’s debut book The Mothers so I was nervous to read her sophomore novel. Sometimes the next novel doesn’t live up to the first, but The Vanishing Half absolutely does with this wonderful and thought-provoking book.

The premise of this book set in the 70s is so unique. Two black sisters are so pale they can pass for white. One embraces her black heritage and her hometown, the other disappears into white suburbia.

When they meet up again 20 years later through their own daughters, the result is a stunning portrayal of the ties that tether us to our families. This is one of the must-read books about sisters and family drama books! It is also an amazing book for book clubs because there is so much to discuss.

Cobble Hill 1

Cobble Hill by Cecily Von Ziegesar

This book explores families in the Cobble Hill neighborhood of Brooklyn and is a more mature look at NYC. The families and their stories are interwoven in a gossip girl like way, but the similarities end there. ⁣ ⁣ The struggles these families experience range from eccentric to serious, but they all feel very real and relatable. These could be your neighbors or friends and that’s what makes it so enjoyable!

A star is born

A Star is Bored by Byron Lane

A Star is Bored is a funny, yet poignant look at the life of a celebrity personal assistant.⁣ Charlie miraculously lands his dream job as a personal assistant to Kathi Kannon, Hollywood royalty, he is sure that he is set for life. ⁣ ⁣ As Kathi and Charlie embark on trips and shopping sprees, they become more than just an employer and her enamored employee. What a great first book by Byron Lane who was once a personal assistant to Carrie Fisher.

Miss Bensons Beetle

Miss Benson’s Beetle by Rachel Joyce

Oh, how I loved this book. I have never read anything like this before. Miss Benson is a woman who has dreamed of finding the Golden Beetle of New Caledonia all her life. She finally decides to embark on the trip of a lifetime- which is no small accomplishment.

Her assistant on the trip is a very unlikely companion named Enid. With her bright clothes, blond hair, and huge personality, she is the opposite of Miss Benson in every way. This story is touching, endearing, funny, and, at times, sad. It will leave you wondering why a beetle expedition isn’t a more popular subject for books. Rachel Joyce is a wonderful writer and this book did not disappoint.

Destination Wedding

Destination Wedding by Diksha Basu

I’m obsessed with Destination Wedding. It’s a wonderful read for wedding season. I knew very little about Indian weddings but now I’m dying to be invited to one! They sound like so much fun!⁣ This book takes place in India, but the main character is American-born.

The author touches on racism, and what it means to be an American-born child to parents who are from India. ⁣The feeling of not being at home in either location is explored in a way that I found very relevant today. I actually highlighted a few lines because they were eye-opening to me.⁣ 

Sex and Vanity

Sex and Vanity by Kevin Kwan

We did an  entire post about Sex and Vanity  because it’s just such an escapist read! It’s lighthearted and fun which is perfect when you want to take your mind off the doom and gloom of the world we currently inhabit. Like Crazy Rich Asians, this book features the over-the-top world of the wealthiest 1%, but it also deals with harder topics like microaggressions and racism. 

The house on Fripp Island

The House on Fripp Island by Rebecca Kauffman

Well, that wasn’t what I was expecting.⁣ I thought I was going into a family drama like The Vacationers by Emma Straub, but it opened with a murder.⁣ I literally sat up at that point and thought “well, well, what have we here?”⁣ It was a dynamic family drama with secrets, lies, and tension…and the whole time I was trying to figure out who had committed the murder and why. ⁣I loved it!

The Scent Keeper

The Scent Keeper by Erica Bauermeister

 I’ve seen many mixed reviews on this one, but for me, it was a reflective read about what it means to be loved, and the memories that scents hold. The premise of a little girl growing up on an isolated island learning about scents had me picking up the book, but the hard-life lessons she learned along the way kept me flipping the pages.

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Historical Fiction Beach Reads 2021

2021 Historical Fiction Beach Reads

the last train to key west

The Last Train to Key West by Chanel Cleeton

Well I was not expecting this doozy of a book. Chanel Cleeton’s Cuba book series is wonderful, but this one left me with mixed feelings.

I love the Florida Keys setting of this story and the elements of this Hurricane novel. I was not expecting the domestic abuse one woman experiences (I mention this as it might be a trigger for some,) and while I liked most of the plots, I wasn’t a fan of the mobster storyline. 🤷‍♀️

Still, it was a fun read for a stormy summer day at the beach.

Opal Nev

The Final Revival of Opal and Nev by Dawnie Walton

This is the closest of the books like Daisy Jones and The Six. It’s told in an interview format and is about a band from the 70s. The comparison makes sense… and yet…

This 70s book is wonderful in its own right! No comparison is needed. It looks at sexism and racism in the music industry during this time period and is as thought-provoking as it is entertaining. It is a total must-read. This is one of the full cast audiobooks that we included in our Ultimate List of Feel-Good Books to Brighten your Day

the last bookshop in London

The Last Bookshop in London: A Novel of World War II by Madeline Martin

Wow, did I love this book. Grace has always wanted to live in London and finds herself working at a bookshop as WWII looms on the horizon. Grace’s new found love of books, the store and the friends who have become family, become the glue that holds her together during air-raids, blitzes and nights spent in darkness.

Love books about books? Check out our post here .

The Royal Governess and more books about Queen Elizabeth II.

The Royal Governess by Wendy Holden

Well, this was a juicy bit of royal historical fiction!!! I had no idea that Crawfie, Queen Elizabeth II’s governess wrote a book about their time together later in her life, essentially banning her from the royal fold.

This work of historical fiction is based on the information gleaned from that book as well as Mary Crawford’s own history. It was so interesting to see the lives of the Queen and her sister through the eyes of their governess. This is perfect for royal lovers!

Band of Sisters

Band of Sisters by Lauren Willig

This is an incredible novel about the women of Smith College who went to help French war victims on the war front. The band of 15 women in this novel is based on the 18 real-life heroes of Smith College.⁣ ⁣ These ladies started from scratch to help those ravaged by war only to have the war come back and destroy the lands around them again. But they never faltered in their quest to help the war-torn villages of women and children impacted by the war.⁣ ⁣The book gives a well-rounded feeling of what these women needed to do to save the lands and the people.

The Rose Code

The Rose Code by Kate Quinn

Kate Quinn does it again with this story about three female code breakers working during WWII. Beth, Mab, and Osla’s stories each could have been their own story, instead, we got an epic tale of intertwining friendship with a spy mystery to boot!

Oh, and did I mention that Osla dates Prince Philip before he marries Queen Elizabeth II AND that part of the storyline takes place in the lead-up to the royal wedding?

Florence Adler Swims Forever

Florence Adler Swims Forever by Rachel Beanland

I really like this book but it was not what I was expecting- it was so much more.  I thought the book was about Florence Adler.  I was very wrong.  This book takes place in the United States just before WWII.  Every summer the Adler’s rent out their house in Atlantic City. Florence returns from college so she can spend the summer practicing to swim the English Channel.  When Florence dies in a tragic accident, the family decides that they cannot tell Florence’s sister who is in the hospital on bed rest after losing a child a year before.  I loved the writing, the story and the desire to keep family together at all costs.

Jackie and Maria and more of the best books of 2020

Jackie and Maria by Gill Paul

Excuse me while I gush about Gill Paul‘s newest biographical fiction book, Jackie and Maria.⁣ Gill Paul is quickly becoming an auto-buy author for me. I loved Another Woman’s Husband and The Lost Daughter, about the Windsors and Romanovs respectively. Paul’s take on a new dynasty, The Kennedys, is equally compelling.⁣ ⁣ Most people know about Jackie’s life during her White House years, but hearing the tale of what caused her to marry Aristotle Onassis was fascinating. I loved the dual narrators of Jackie and Onassis’s long-time lover, opera singer Maria Callas.⁣ It’s a perfect political novel about music!

THe Woman before wallis

The Woman Before Wallis by Bryn Turnbull

Lady Thelma Furness was the woman before Wallis Simpson. History remembers Wallis as the woman for whom  King Edward VIII giving up his throne. In this book, we get to see King Edward’s relationship with Thelma and why it unraveled leading him into Wallis’s arms.

Thelma is herself the aunt of Gloria Vanderbilt and a great-aunt to Anderson Cooper. There was a lot of juicy info in this historical fiction. It is one of my favorite books about royals.

Jane Austen Society

The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner

What a wonderful book for historical fiction lovers. Set just after WWII, a group of unlikely friends come together to save Jane Austen’s cottage. A movie star, a farmer, a doctor, and a widow all have personal struggles to overcome. Over the course of the book, the society is able to save more than just the cottage. I felt like each of the characters were personal friends by the book’s end. It was a lovely read to rekindle hope.

the Golden Hour

The Golden Hour by Beatriz Williams

This historical fiction story takes place in the Bahamas during WWII. The Duke and Duchess of Windsor are prominently featured, though the main story revolves around the murder of a man named Harry Oaks, life in Nassau, and the romance between the female lead and her beau.

There is also a bit of a flashback-type story that plays out in parts too. It’s a lovely little royal novel that had me flipping pages quickly and kept me entertained by the pool. 

the queens secret

The Queen’s Secret by Karen Harper

I don’t think enough is written about Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. She was a dynamic lady who was a guiding light for her husband, King George, as well as Queen Elizabeth. This biographical novel focuses on her work behind-the-scenes during WWII.

We get an inside look at the issues between her husband and his brother, King Edward, who abdicated to be with Wallis Simpson. Churchill’s relationship with the then Queen consort is also examined. We love the unique perspective of this pick from books about WWII.

Women's Fiction Beach Reads 2021

Women’s Fiction Beach Reads 2021

haven point

Haven Point by Virginia Hume

What a wonderful read. I truly can’t explain how much this book swept me away to Haven Point as I learned about four generations of the Demarest family.

This story focuses on the great-grandmother, grandmother (Maren), mother, and daughter (Skye) as they spend their summers in the waspy coastal town. Secrets unfold, loves bloom and fade, and the ties that bond are explored.

A wonderful beach read with heart, I hope you take a chance and get swept away too. It’s one of the best family saga books I’ve ever read.

Summertime Guests and other books for April 2021 Novel Ideas

Summertime Guests by Wendy Francis

Well, this book was such a treat! It takes place at a seaside resort over one fateful weekend. We get a glimpse into the lives of the various guests and what brought them to the resort.

Oh and did I mention it opens with a woman falling to her death by the resort pool? Was it a murder? Was it a suicide? Was it an accident? And which of the guests is the victim?

It’s a light read perfect for the beach. Check out more beach reads at our beach read hub!

Goodbye Lark Lovejoy

Goodbye, Lark Lovejoy by Kris Clink

This is the perfect feel good read for a hectic week. Lark Lovejoy is a 38 year old widow with two young boys. She decides to move back to her hometown and try and move forward with her life.

Will she have the guts to start winemaking as she always wanted to do before becoming a lawyer? And will she finally find a way to be happy again?

Lark did not expect to meet a younger man with his own difficult past. Despite sad moments and difficult topics, I found this book thoroughly enjoyable and difficult to put down. I cannot wait to read the next book in the series!

Under the Southern Sky

Under the Southern Sky by Kristy Woodson Harvey

There are so many things that I love about this book and I cannot wait to talk about them all with Kristy on April 12th! It is rare to find a book that can bring me to tears on page 10 and keeps me turning the pages. I read this book in a day because I just couldn’t put it down.

This is a love story that has depth and tackles difficult topics like infertility without being too overwhelming. I LOVED this book.

Ladies of the House by Lauren Edmonson

Ladies of the House by Lauren Edmonson

Thanks to Graydon House for my review copy. All opinions are my own. As soon as I realized this was a retelling of Sense and Sensibility, I knew I had to read it!

This version is set in D.C. and the key characters are involved in politics. It feels very appropriate post-election. ⁣I loved seeing the connections back to Jane Austen’s original work. It’s probably one of my favorite retellings of this particular story.⁣

Happy and You know it

Happy and You Know It by Laura Hankin

A funny bit of women’s fiction, this story revolves around a playgroup on the Upper East Side and their music teacher. As each of the moms in the playgroup struggle with aspects of marriage and motherhood, their guitar-playing musician has a different set of problems. The drama in this book could rival an episode of RHONY for sure, but that’s what made it so delicious!

28 Summers

28 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand

This is my favorite  Hilderbrand book to date and it is an emotional story is a tear-jerker for sure. At the end of her life, Mallory asks her son to make a phone call.  The person who answers the phone is  McCloud whose wife is the front runner to become the next POTUS.⁣ The story follows a unique love that spans a lifetime – one weekend each summer, for 28 years to be exact.⁣ 28 summers redefine what it means to be a soulmate. This is one beach read that you need to purchase this summer

The Switch

The Switch by Beth O’Leary

 I thought I was reading a light-hearted romance about a young woman and her grandmother switching places to reset their lives (and find love.) Instead, I found a story that was more about dealing with grief and finding your own happiness. Yes, there was a little romance, but this book was about heart IMHO. It was a wonderfully heartwarming tale. 

Miss Cecliy

Miss Cecily’s Recipes for Exceptional Ladies: A Novel by Vicky Zimmerman

It is such a feel-good book but a fair warning- reading this book will make you very hungry! Kate’s life is no exactly where she thought it would be months before her 40th birthday. Her job is not secure and she has had to move back in with her mother after yet another break with her boyfriend. What she finds is a grumpy, smart and very smart 97-year-old lady named Cecily. The two ladies begin an unlikely friendship that will change them both forever. This book is charming and delightful.

The Chicken Sisters

The Chicken Sisters by K.J. Dell’ Antonia

December 2020 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick

This is another winner picked by Reese Witherspoon! This was an enjoyable family drama based around two sisters competing in a fictional reality tv food competition.

As the competition turns to tricks and sabotage, the sisters’ war with each other turns ugly. Family secrets just keep getting exposed and the hijinx gets better and better. This was the perfect light read to end 2020 and a perfect pick for a list of books about sisters. If you are looking for books about food, this should be on your must-read list.

his only WIfe

His Only Wife by Peace Adzo Medie

I generally love  Reese’s book club picks . This particular one was billed as a Ghanan version of Crazy Rich Asians, a book I adored. There is gossip, and glamour, and lots of family struggles. The story focuses on Afi’s struggles in her arranged marriage, which is frustrating and fascinating to read.

Romance beach reads 2021

2021 Romance Beach Reads

People we meet on Vacation

People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry

Do you believe Harry (from When Harry Met Sally) when he said “Women and men can’t be friends”?

We are sure that he’s wrong, but one of our favorite tropes is friends to lovers. People We Met on Vacation is the latest beach read from Emily Henry and it’s addicting.

Poppy has been best friends with Alex since a car ride home from college a decade ago. Since then, they’ve gone on vacation together every year until 2 years ago when it all came crashing down.

Will they recover their friendship with one more trip or will their relationship be irrevocably ruined? This is the perfect beach, poolside read, or vacation read. You should be sure to add it to your summer reading romance books list. And if you are looking for the best friends-to-lovers romance novel, this is it.

to love and to loathe

To Love and to Loathe (The Regency Vows #2) by Martha Waters

 I loved to Have and to Hoax so I jumped at the chance to read this book and I loved it! ⁣ ⁣ To Love and To Loathe was exactly what I hoped it would be- funny, entertaining, and a great romance. It does not follow the same formula as the last book which makes it all the more enjoyable as something fresh and new. ⁣ ⁣ But don’t worry, you will see some of your favorite characters from the last book. I love the characters and I love the book all the more because of that.

Thank you Atria for my copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Act Your Age Eve Brown

Act your Age Eve Brown (The Brown Sisters #3) by Talia Hibbert

This is the third book in the Brown Sisters trilogy and I adored this forced proximity romance. Eve Brown is a mess. She switches jobs and careers on a whim and can’t seem to do anything right. When her parents cut her off and tell her to find a job, she finds herself at a bed and breakfast interviewing for a chef position.

After Eve accidentally hits the owner of the B&B with her car, she begins the job helping Jacob, the reluctant owner. This hilarious and steamy romance was a perfect one-sitting read. These two have a lot standing in their way before they can reach their happily ever after.

Find this book in Enemies-to-Lovers Romance / Books Like the Kiss Quotient

500 miles from you

500 Miles From You by Jenny Colgan

This is Lissa and Cormac’s story and it’s one of the more unique romances I’ve read. Lissa and Cormac are both first responders who end of switching places.

Cormac heads to the hustle and bustle of London and Lissa heads to quiet, sleepy Scotland. They correspond via email and text without every having seen each other.

This book also deals with organ donation and transplantation in a lovely, meaningful way.

Duke and I

The Duke and I (Bridgerton #1) by Julia Quinn

I watched the show and LOVED it so much. I previously read some of the others in the series but I really wanted to read this first book in the Bridgerton book series and I have to say, it was my favorite.

There is something about Daphne and Simon that I adore. This book is a perfect historical romance . The Netflix book adaption smashed records and caused a boom in book sales.

Daphne Bridgerton is the fourth of eight children and is beginning her first season in the ton. As young women of marrying age search for a husband, Daphne is not quite like other girls.

When the eligible Simon Bassett suggests they begin fake dating to allow them both a chance to breathe. However, things do not always go as planned. To make matters more complicated, Lady Whistledown always seems to know the truth and the information ready for everyone to read. This is one of our fake dating books of all time.

Are you a fan of Bridgerton? We’ve got a list of books like Bridgerton you will love! And if you love romance books, we have Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton Books in Order: Complete Guide to 20 Books .

The Heiress Gets a Duke 1

The Heiress Gets a Duke by Harper St. George

Like most of the rest of the world, I binged Netflix’s Bridgertons on Christmas Day. The regency romantic drama ended and I needed more! I immediately turned to this book to fill my need for a historical fiction romance. It comes out 1/26/2021 but it’s worth a preorder if you love these types of books. It takes place in the Gilded Age when a Duke needs to marry an American heiress to get her dowry to help restore his estates to their former glory. The problem is, the heiress in question isn’t so easily wooed….or is she? 

beach read

Beach Read by Emily Henry

This is one of the best romance books I have read in a long time.  What could be better than a romance about writers?  January is a romance writer who no longer believes in love.  Until she was 28, she led an idyllic life filled with the ideas of perfect love. 

Augustus Everett is a literary fiction writer who has never believed in love.  They could not be more different.  When they find themselves living next door to each other they decide to help each other overcome their writer’s block by challenging each other to a writer’s duel. This might be my favorite pick from our list of enemies-to-lovers books .

Find this book in Enemies-to-Lovers Romance Books / Grumpy Sunshine Romance / Emily Henry Books

boyfriend project

The Boyfriend Project by Farrah Rochon

Samiah Brooks becomes an unwilling internet sensation when she discovers her boyfriend is dating two other women. Instead of drama or fighting, Samiah, Taylor, and London form an instant tight bond of strong, smart, independent women and I absolutely loved their relationship with each other. The three women make a pact to spend the next six months bettering themselves and perusing their dreams and supporting each other.

Samiah has been thinking about developing a new app for years. Cue: a gorgeous, smart, and thoughtful new co-worker whose chemistry with Samiah is undeniable. I loved so many things about this book especially the candid discussions about the struggles of a black woman in the workplace and the strong, supportive women in the book.

boyfriend material

Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall

This was such an adorable LGBTQ 🏳️‍🌈 romance. When Luc, the son of two rock stars, needs a boyfriend who is respectable in order to keep his job, he is willing to fake a relationship. Oliver Blackwood is a barrister who needs a boyfriend to bring home to his family.

It is a perfect situation until fake starts to feel real. Despite the fact that the two men could not be more different, they just might be the perfect Ying and Yang.

love lettering

Love Lettering by Kate Clayborn

I got this cute romance from a friend for Valentine’s Day. The story is about a wedding calligrapher who predicts a marriage between a couple will be a mistake. In writing. On their wedding program.

When the wedding gets canceled, the groom comes in demanding answers. It was a great romance!

The Ex Talk and other book reviews in February 2021 Novel ideas

The Ex-Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon

I picked up The Ex-Talk because I wanted to read a romance by a Jewish author . I loved that this one featured a biracial, interfaith couple.

The concept was cute – two radio show hosts fake a relationship to try to get ratings. Except they are pretending they already dated and broke up… which eventually leads to them dating.

This fake dating book was a cute, easy read. This is an office romance novel that is perfect for books like The Love Hypothesis.

Things you save in a fire

Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center

I was pleasantly surprised by this book.  I read How to Walk Away and enjoyed it but I did not feel as strongly about it as so many people did.  This book is a romance that takes place in a very unlikely setting.  Cassie is a firefighter who has spent her life doing what she loves while blocking out and personal relationships.  When she decides to go live with her estranged mother to help her, her perspective on life starts to change.

TIES THAT TETHER

Ties That Tether by Jane Igharo

I love that contemporary romance writers have started writing novels that have meat. This book deals with death, family heritage, interracial relationships, and pregnancy in ways that knocked my socks off.

I was really impressed by how I could get romance vibes while still having a thought provoking read. This African novel is such a great read. I can’t wait to see what Igharo writes next. 

The Marriage Pass and the Novel 2021 Novel Ideas

The Marriage Pass by Briana Cole

I read this book as my February Reading challenge book about addiction. Darian is a rich and successful doctor who can never have too many women in his life, despite the fact that he is married and loves his wife Shantae. When she proposes the idea of a marriage pass to celebrate their one year anniversary, he cannot pass up the chance to have his night with Shantae’s younger sister. The one night turns into a messy affair that will have Dorian grasping to get back the control he craves. Thank you Sparkpoint for my copy of this book.

float plan

Float Plan by Trish Doller

This forced proximity romance follows the romance script with perfect predictability which means that it is perfect if you are looking for a romance. Note: there is a suicide in this book that might be a trigger for some people and you should avoid this book if that is the case for you.

Even though there are some heavier elements, I didn’t feel that the book ventured too much from the typical romance path. I enjoyed it.

Thriller beach reads 2021

Thriller Beach Reads 2021

the maidens

The Maidens by Alex Michaelides

What an amazing thriller. Alex Michaelides did it again! This secret society book was insane with twists and turns. It kept me on the edge of my seat and my heart beating a little faster! 

Mariana is a therapist who is still grieving the loss of her husband when she gets a call from her niece, Zoe. Zoe’s best friend Tara is missing and Zoe is afraid something has happened to her. 

One by one, When women start dying at Cambridge and Mariana gets deeply involved as she tries to solve the mystery. This Addicting Dark Academia Book is perfect to read before this creepy thriller book becomes a tv show .

The Good Sister

The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth

The good sister is a psychological thriller that will keep you on your toes until the very end. Fern and Rose are twins who have always had each other. Rose is the responsible one who has always looked out for Fern.

Fern has trouble reading social situations, doesn’t like loud noises, and makes dangerous mistakes all the time.

Rose’s most important job was protecting Fern from their crazy mother. When Fern decides to have a baby for Rose, secrets start to come out. This is one of the books about sisters that will keep you guessing until the end and even then, you’ll be thinking about this book.

too good to be true

Too Good to be True by Carola Lovering

This is one of the most enjoyable thrillers I’ve read in a while. Even after I was surprised by twist after turn,  the story kept moving in an unexpected direction.  I love a thriller that I not only did not expect the ending but that I actually like some of the characters and where the story ends.

Skye Starling is engaged to a handsome older man who seems to be the answer to her crippling OCD. When Skye realizes that Burke is actually happily married and is using Skye, the story starts to twist and turn.

the wife upstairs

The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins

 I’m calling it now. This is the best thriller of 2021. I love making sweeping statements like that, but it’s true! I devoured this book in one sitting and it kept me guessing the entire time! I listened to it, so I can tell you that it is EXCELLENT on audio. The story is a thriller retelling of Jane Eyre set in modern-day Alabama. I loved seeing the similarities to the original classic, but also how Hawkins took liberties to make the story fresh.

Goodnight Beautiful

Goodnight Beautiful by Aimee Molloy

I absolutely loved this thriller. There were many twists and turns that I just did not see coming! I gasped out loud on more than one occasion as I watched this creepy book unfold. It’s easily one of my favorite thriller books of the year. I did not see the ending coming at all!

home before dark

Home Before Dark by Riley Sager

Home Before Dark is Sager’s latest book and it’s a great one! I love a good thriller, especially this time of year, and Sager never disappoints. This time the author takes us into a literal haunted house. I loved reading Sager’s take on the traditional haunted house story. I was unable to figure out the various mysteries and I wasn’t able to read it late at night!

His and Hers

His and Hers by Alice Feeney

There are two sides to every story and this one had me guessing until the last page. I had to go back and re-read.⁣ Anna Andrews works at the BBC and has her dream job as an anchor until she doesn’t and she will do anything to get it back.

When she has to return to her hometown to cover murders that are centered around her, nothing could complicate the situation more…..until her ex-husband is the lead investigator. Oh, and he knows the first victim as well. ⁣This book is a puzzle that isn’t complete until the last page

Mystery Beach Reads 2021

2021 Mystery Beach Reads

The Push

The Push by Ashley Audrain

January 2021 gma book club pick.

This is a domestic noir that will scare the pants off most mothers. It’s compulsively readable.

Blythe Conner comes from a long line of bad mothers, but she’s determined not to be one. When she has Violet, she struggles to connect with her.

The reader is left wondering if Blythe is a mother who sees the worst in her child or if there is actually something off with Violet; something that even her husband can’t see. There is a reason this domestic thriller was chosen by GMA, it is a crazy good read and will have you on the edge of your seat.

Warning: the topic is disturbing and may be triggering for some people

Find this book in Books About Mothers and Motherhood / Psychological Thriller Books / Domestic Noir Books

Her Three Lives

Her Three Lives by Cate Holahan

Her Three Lives focuses on Jade and her fiancé after they have been attacked after a home invasion in her private life. Jade is an influencer and she keeps the invasion from her public following.

She also keeps her secret life from her fiancé, but as his PTSD has him growing more paranoid, he starts to distrust her. Will she be able to keep her secret private for long?

The mystery of Mrs. Christie

The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict

⁣Marie Benedict is the master of bringing women back to life in her historical fiction novels. The Mystery of Mrs. Christie is my favorite to date and I found it hard to put down. ⁣In December 1926, Agatha Christie went missing for 11 days. She re-emerged as mysteriously as she disappeared and more questions than answers persist.

Benedict does a wonderful job of building the mystery using her brilliant imagination and bringing us into the world of Agatha Christie. It is the perfect blend of fiction and mystery and my favorite pick from books about writers.⁣ If you love historical mystery books, this fictional biography is an absolute delight.

The Guest List

The Guest List by Lucy Foley

A murder at a wedding. On an isolated island. In the middle of a power outage.⁣ Yaaaaaaaaas. ⁣This is an unputdownable thriller. The murder sets the scene and then we get the story in flashbacks without knowing who is murdered until the end. ⁣I’ve become v picky about thrillers recently and this one is hands down my favorite of the year so far.⁣

the mother in law

The Mother-in-Law by Sally Hepworth

I was expecting a true thriller with this story, but it was more of a mystery. Diana is an aloof, strict parent and mother-in-law, but no one expected her to be murdered. Lucy, her daughter-in-law, struggles to understand why Diana acts the way she does, but the readers get a chance to see into Diana’s thoughts and we realize that her intentions aren’t quite what they seem on the outside. I fell in love with the story of Diana and Lucy’s relationship. The mystery of who killed Diana and why was the cherry on top of this delightful story.

The Windsor Knot

The Windsor Knot by S. J. Bennett

This cozy murder mystery was an absolute treat. I loved the Queen Elizabeth is the investigator in this mystery book (the first in a series) along with her assistant, Rosie.

Together they figure out who was behind the murder at Windsor Castle during one of the Queen’s Dine-and-Stays. This pick from books about Queen Elizabeth II is perfect for fans of Maggie Hope, Maise Dobbs, and the Royal Family.

Maisie Dobbs

Maisie Dobbs  by Jacqueline Winspear

I read this cozy mystery novel in one day. Maisie Dobbs is not your typical PI. For a start, she is a woman working as a PI in 1929. 

Her first case seems like it should be a simple case of infidelity. Instead, it leads her to a murder and back to WWI where she was a nurse. I cannot wait to read more books in this series.

She is smart, thoughtful, and fun to read. Maisie Dobbs is a psychologist and a detective who trained under renowned Maurice Blanche a former member of Scotland Yard. She branches out and decides to start her own business.

Find this book in Detective Books / Historical Mystery Books / British Mystery Books

Invisible girl

Invisible Girl by Lisa Jewell

Cate and her family have moved into a new neighborhood while their house is restored. Reports of assaults start to show up in the papers and it puts everyone on edge. Owen is a 33 year old man who lives with his aunt who does not hide her dislike for her nephew. He has never had a girlfriend and is a bit socially awkward.

Saffyre is a girl who lives with her uncle. She suffered trauma as a 10 year old and receives years of therapy from Cate’shusband Roan. He never uncovers the truth about her trauma and discharged her from therapy after three years. 

The story takes a long time to develop and I had a hard time reading Cate’s part of the story because as a reader I wanted to yell at her to wake up. However, once the story really gets going, it is full of twists and turns which are classic Jewell style. 

Fantasy beach reads 2021

Fantasy Beach Reads 2021

Magic for Liars 1

Magic For Liars by Sarah Gailey

Did someone say Harry Potter for adults?

This YA fantasy book is about a magic school and a chosen one wrapped up in a murder mystery with a not-so-lovable PI, Ivy Gamble.

Ivy has never had magic unlike her twin sister Tabitha. When Ivy is hired to investigate a murder at the school where Tabitha teaches, two worlds come together and Ivy must confront her past. This book was such a fun read.

Shadow and Bone and more books by Jewish writers

Shadow and Bone (The Shadow and Bone Trilogy #1) by Leigh Bardugo

I was so excited when I learned that Netflix was making this young adult fantasy book series into an adaptation. I think it will be amazing on screen and I am so curious to see if they keep to the book or change things, which is so often the case.

Alina Starkov is an orphan who has never excelled in anything. When her regiment is sent into the fold and her best friend is in danger of being killed, she unleashes a power, unlike anything anyone has seen. It may be the answer to the wars that have ravaged her nation.

Find this book in Books Like Shadow and Bone / Leigh Bardugo Books in Order / Netflix Adaptations

the invisible life of Addie Larue

Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

Addie LaRue is trying to escape a life of marriage to a man she doesn’t know or love. She makes a deal with the devil to live a life free and unknowingly gives away the ability to be remembered by anyone. For three hundred years people forget her the minute she is out of sight until she meets Henry. I loved this book from the first sentence. It’s a total must-read.

the House in the Cerulean Sea

The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J Klune

I had not heard of it but, it was recommended to me from a few people.  The story sounded great and the cover was so beautiful that I could not resist.  I absolutely loved this book.  The story has just a touch of magic but somehow seems to relevant.  Linus baker works as a caseworker in the Department in Charge of Magical Youth.  He is sent on a mission to a secret orphanage where 6 of the world’s most dangerous youth live.  This story was so much more than the sum of it’s parts. 

Serpent and Dove

Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin

I was utterly addicted to this tale of a witch, Louise, and a witch hunter, Reid, who must marry. Louise must keeper her identity as a witch secret from her new husband, but that’s easier said than done. The enemies-to-lovers story gave me all the feels. It’s the first book in a series.

The Ladies of the Secret Circus

The Ladies of the Secret Circus by Constance Sayers

Have you ever loved a book so much that you couldn’t put it down but also didn’t want it to end? That is how I felt about the book!

⁣In 2004 Lara Barnes’s fiancé disappeared on their wedding day. As Lara searches for answers, she starts to unravel a family mystery that goes back to 1925. ⁣This book has everything. It’s a dark fantasy filled with mystery, disappearances, and magic. I don’t want to give more detail because I don’t want to spoil any part of this book- it was one of my favorite fantasy of 2021!⁣

A Deadly Education and other Beach Reads 2021

A Deadly Education (The Scholomance #1) by Naomi Novik

 I LOVED this book.  I have never read anything like it and Naomi Novik is a wonderful writer who brings this story to life.  I have never thought of magic in the way that Novik creates it in this book.  For every bit of magic, energy is needed and the user can choose to create the energy or take it.  

There are no teachers and no contact from the outside world until you either graduate or die.  El is trying to get through school but unlike the other students, she is fighting her destiny of destroying half the planet with a single spell.  Picture Harry Potter meets the Hunger games.  I loved this dark, funny and well written fantasy.

A Curse so Dark and Lonely and other Beach Reads 2021

A Curse so Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer

If you love A Court of Thorns and Roses, this is the perfect book for you.  It is another fantasy retelling of Beauty and the Beast and I read it for a buddy read with some bookstagram friends.   I really enjoyed this book although it is definitely a lot tamer than the ⁣other books in the series.  It is not a typical retelling with more of a  love triangle but, I don’t want to reveal more.⁣ It’s the first in a new series and I cannot wait to get the sequel. 

The

The Extraordinaries by T.J Klune

Nick Bell is the most popular fanfiction writer of the Extraordinaries.  When Nick has an unexpected encounter with Shadow Star, his superhero crush, Nick decides to become a superhero.  With the help of his friends- an eclectic group of teens, Nick will do almost anything to become an Extraordinary if his ADHD doesn’t take him off course.  This book was laugh-out-loud hilarious.  I loved this YA coming of age story

The Ballard of Songbirds and Snakes and other Beach Reads 2021

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

If you have read the Hunger Games then you hate Coriolanus Snow.  But, how did he come to be the ruthless ruler of Pam-am? This book takes us back to the morning of the reaping of the 10th Hunger Games.  Young Coriolanus is the mentor for the female tribute of district 12- the lowest of the low.  Now, their fates are entwined as his success in the capital will be determined by her success.  This was not as good as the original trilogy; however, it provides enlightenment, insight and so many answers.  I really enjoyed the book,

Magic Lessons and other Beach Reads 2021

Magic Lessons by Alice Hoffman

 I absolutely loved this prequel to the amazing Practical Magic.  The  Owens women have a centuries old curse that started with Maria Owens in the 1600s.  With her amazing ability to weave a story, Alice Hoffman has once again written a book captured my heart on the first page.  Part historical fiction and part love story, this book had everything that I wanted from a prequel.

The Librarian and other Beach Reads 2021

The Librarian by Christy Sloat

This is the perfect book for  fans of Outlander ! When Emme’s grandmother dies, she agrees to take over Gram’s library despite plans to head to college abroad. When she opens a book from Gra’s special collection, she finds herself face to face with Jack Ridgewell in  1892 England.  Emme is part of an elite group of women who can travel to the past through books.  This brings a whole new meaning to book boyfriend.  

Non-Fiction Beach Reads 2021

2021 Non-Fiction Beach Reads

come fly the world

Come Fly The World by Julia Cooke

In this delightful book, we learn about uniforms, training, frolicking adventures, and the glamorous life in the air that had me picturing Gwyneth Paltrow in View From the Top.

It also discussed far more serious topics like hijackers, Vietnam War flights and rescues, and issues of discrimination toward women.

We talked with Julia about the research of this book, what surprised her most, and other fun things over on IG . Be sure to check it out. This is one of the best nonfiction books for beginners.

Finding Freedom and other quick reviews in February 2021 Novel Ideas

Finding Freedom: A Cook’s Story by Erin French

My first celebrity chef memoir was not at all what I was expecting and I loved it! ⁣I found myself thinking of Erin as a friend while reading this story. I rooted for her, cried with her, and had so many food cravings it bordered on ridiculous.

I was not anticipating that this would be a story about redemption, finding inner strength, and perseverance, but that’s what it was. It’s a story of a mother’s love, a woman overcoming addiction, and a damn good cook who finds herself planting roots where she least expected it

Soul of an Octopus and other Beach Reads 2021

The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration Into the Wonder of Consciousness by Sy Montgomery

My mom recommended this book to me for a feel-good book about animals for adults and it was exactly what I needed. Sy Montgomery is a naturalist who explores consciousness through amazing stories of animals- particularly Octopuses.  

The lives of these shy, amazing animals are unlike any other animal on the planet.  These intelligent animals with such distinct personalities are the backdrop for this wonderful feel-good, non-fiction book. 

The Other Side of the Coin

The Other Side of the Coin by Angela Kelly

I had royal fever this month while working on our Royal Reads post, so it’s no surprise that when my library hold for this autobiographical audiobook came through, I dove right it.

Angela Kelly is the Queen’s head dresser and long-time companion. She details her process for dressing the queen, talks about some iconic looks, and even reveals a few personal stories about her time with her majesty.

hidden valley road

Hidden Valley Road by Robert Kolker

This narrative non-fiction deals with the unbelievable, true story of the Galvin family. The family consisted of 12 kids, 10 of whom were boys, and 6 of those boys ended up with schizophrenia.

The book discovers how each child’s illness immerged, what the dynamics were like in the hold, as well as the trauma many of the children experienced. The look into the changing landscape of psychiatry was also fascinated because it changed so much over the course of the boys’ lives.

All Boys Aren't Blue and other Beach Reads 2021

All Boys aren’t Blue by George M Johnson

I love George M, Johnson’s voice as they talk about very difficult topics in such a way that the book is completely relatable to everyone. ⁣Everyone knows that memoirs usually aren’t my preferred genre but there was something about George’s story that had me hooked from the first sentence.

This book is eye-opening and profound. It made me think about things from a different perspective and I was captivated by the story throughout the entire book. This non-fiction book is so captivating, it reads like fiction.

Talking as Fast as I can and other Beach Reads 2021

Talking as Fast as I Can by Lauren Graham

I love Lauren Graham because, in my mind, she’s Lorelai Gilmore. So the fact that this book was billed as a memoir that revolved a great deal around my beloved show had me signing up to listen. I found Graham’s rise to stardom to be an interesting one, but it was the behind-the-scenes look at Gilmore Girls that had me truly enthralled. I loved that she went back and binged it all, filling in her memories and sharing little anecdotes. We don’t learn much about her private life, but it satisfied the fangirl in me regardless.

Young Adult Beach Reads 2021

Young Adult Beach Reads 2021

Tokyo evr after

Tokyo Every After by Emiko Jean

What a fun quick book by Emiko Jean. I feel like this book was one part Princess Diaries and one part Crazy Rich Asians.

Izumi Tanaka does not feel like she fits in as a Japanese American in her mostly white California town. When she finds out that her unknown father is actually the crown prince of Japan, she is determined to meet him.

This book about royalty was an entertaining and light summer read that will satisfy your desire to escape into a royal getaway.

Kate and Waiting

Kate in Waiting by Becky Albertalli

Kate and her best friend Anderson have communal crushes that work well when they are from afar but not so well when the crush comes to school and joins the school musical.

Matt Olsen was the cute guy to crush on from camp who now had the potential to come between Andy and Kate. Will their friendship be able to withstand heart ache and will Kate be able to step out of the shadows and into the spotlight?

Becky Albertalli captures the angst of high-school and heartache with perfection.

Thank you Book Spark for my copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

American Royals and other books in February 2021 Novel Ideas

American Royals by Katharine McGee

I finally got around to reading this YA royal romance! I’m a huge royal romance fan , and this book has been sitting on my shelf forever! The story set-up is this. What if George Washington had become America’s monarch instead of its president? How would his descendants be ruling the country today? I mean. What a fun plotline! This book was pure fun and honestly would make for a perfect beach read.

lost in the never woods

Lost in the Never Woods by Aiden Thomas

I loved this unique Peter Pan story that had me thinking about the true meaning of Neverland and the stories of the lost boys. Wendy Darling and her parents have never been able to move on after her brothers disappeared mysteriously five years ago.

Wendy has no memories of the 6 months she was gone and no explanation for why she came home and her brothers didn’t. Now, as children start to go missing again, it feels too similar to be a coincidence.

This is a smart, well-written, well-thought-out, twisted Peter Pan fairy tale retelling. This pick is perfect for a list of the best teen fantasy books and it is also one of the best paranormal books for teens.

kisses and croissants

Kisses and Croissants by Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau

Ahhh. This was just what I needed. A little bit of Paris, a little bit of ballet and a perfect romance to go with it. This book reminds me of one of my favorite movies- Center Stage- but set in beautiful Paris. It made me feel like I was there and I couldn’t put the book down.

This is a perfect YA romance and is a cute YA pick for books set in Paris!

fable 1

Fable (Fable #1) by Adrienne Young

If you are interested in young adult pirate books, you must add this to your list. This story of a bad-ass female pirate was incredible. Normally, I only like fantasies if they have a strong romantic element. But in Fable, I found myself drawn in by our namesake character and the vivid world description.

Well done, Reese with this sailing novel … I need to go update our list of the best Reese Book Club picks now, because this one is top-notch. This is a must-read in this list of fantasy books for teens.

Love and Gelato

Love and Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch

When it comes to books set in Italy that are escapist reads, this one is tops! In addition to offering a perfect description of all things food-related (yum), there was a sweet romance included.  

It was like a double scoop of happiness. There are two more ya romance books in the series and I think I would like to indulge in both! The Netflix book adaption is a charming one.

You Have a Match and other Beach Reads 2021

You Have a Match by Emma Lord

⁣When Abby signs up for a DNA service, she does it to support her best friend and secret crush, Leo. She doesn’t expect to find an older sister she never knew she had. ⁣To find uncover the entire story and get to know her green juice loving , Instagram queen sister, Abby heads off to camp where her sister works. It also happens to be the same camp where Leo works as a staff chef. ⁣This Reese book club YA winter pick is a perfect YA romance with a little more depth and emotion. Thank you so much to  Macmillain Audio for my copy of the book!!!

Dear Emmie Blue

Dear Emmie Blue by Lia Louis

When 16-year-old Emmie sends her name and email address attached to a red balloon, it travels over 100 miles and leads her to Lucas. This one gesture sparks a friendship that lasts for 14 years. 

Now, Emmie and Lucas are best friends and he surprises her with the fact that he is getting married.  The problem? Emmie is in love with Lucas. This YA romance is a best friends-to-lovers in the best possible way.

With the Fire on High

With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo

After hearing a lot about this particular coming-of-age story, I quickly snatched it up, and let me tell you, the hype is real. This story is set in Philly (which I love) and features a Black woman of Caribbean descent who is entering her senior year of college. 

Emoni wants to be a world-class chef but struggles with pursuing her passions in the kitchen while balancing the responsibilities of having a toddler. It’s a true coming-of-age story that is as delicious to devour as the many recipes described in the book.

This book is perfect for a list of books similar to Lessons in Chemistry because the two main characters have so much in common. Both are trying to balance career and parenthood and both are chefs! And as books set in high school go, this one is five-stars.

What if it's Us and other Beach Reads 2021

What if It’s Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera

 This book falls perfectly into that category.  I enjoyed this YA romance that checked all the boxes for a feel-good light read.  Ben is in the post office with a box of his ex-boyfriend’s stuff.  When Ben and Arthur have a  meet-cute in the post office, Arthur thinks it’s a sign or is it?  Will he get another chance with this cute stranger from the post office?

Did you find some beach reads for the summer 2021 season?

Ultimate Beach Reads 2021

Co-Founder and Creative Director

As a mother of two boys, Kirsten rediscovered her life-long love for reading while choosing appropriate books for her children. She started this website with Jackie to share their passion for literacy with other moms and kids. She uses her years of experience in marketing and public relations to create quarterly magazines, implement social media strategy, and ensure the website content is relevant and beautiful.

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EXCELLENT picks!!!

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Holiday reads 2023: the best books for summer

From sun-soaked romances to the most gripping crime and thriller books, here are the very best 2023 holiday reads across every genre..

summer easy reading

Whether summer 2023 is about jetting off to a far-flung destination, day trips with the family, or long lazy days in the garden with friends, we’ve carefully curated our edit of the best books to get lost in this holiday season. From immersive  literary reads  to fantasy novels that will take you to another world,  chilling thrillers  to  feel-good  stories of friendship and romance, here are the best holiday reads of 2023 to add to your packing list.

  • Feel-good & romantic books
  • Literary books
  • Historical fiction books
  • Crime & thriller books
  • Fantasy books
  • Science fiction books
  • Non-fiction books
  • Self-care books

Feel-good fiction and romantic holiday reads

If you like your summer reads with a feel-good factor or a large helping of romance, try one of these new novels.

More Confessions of a Forty-Something F**k Up

By alexandra potter.

Book cover for More Confessions of a Forty-Something F**k Up

Nell’s back. Her life  still  isn’t going to plan. And she’s still asking the big questions and getting none of the answers. Like, for example: why is falling in love so easy, but staying in love so hard? What do you do when your friendships are put to the ultimate test? In this hilarious, un-put-downable follow-up to the bestselling  Confessions of a Forty-Something F ## k Up , now the basis for the major TV series,  Not Dead Yet , there are laugh-out-loud lessons to be learned, truths to be told, adventures to go on and joys to discover. But first, Nell has some more confessions . . .

Don't Miss

Discover all of Alexandra Potter's books

The love of my life, by rosie walsh.

Book cover for The Love of My Life

The Love of My Life is a tale of love, deception, and hidden pasts from Rosie Walsh, author of The Man Who Didn't Call . Emma adores her husband Leo and their daughter Ruby. Yet, beneath their seemingly idyllic life, Emma has spun a web of lies. When Emma falls seriously ill, Leo, an obituary writer, uncovers the truth. As he peels back the layers, he discovers that Emma's entire existence is a sham, including her very name. Emma must confront her darkest secrets and prove to Leo that she's the woman he's always believed her to be, all while unravelling the love from her mysterious past life.

‘ A winning combination of big emotions and didn't-see-that-coming twist. ’ Good Housekeeping

Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt

By lucinda riley.

Book cover for Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt

Paris, 1928. A boy is found, moments from death, and taken in by a kindly family, but he refuses to speak of who he truly is. As he grows into a young man, evil is rising across Europe and he knows me must soon flee again. The Aegean, 2008. Seven sisters are gathered together for the first time, on board the Titan to say a final goodbye to the enigmatic father they loved so dearly. To their surprise, it is the missing sister who Pa Salt has chosen to entrust with the clue to their pasts. But for every truth revealed, another question emerges. Co-authored by her son, Harry Whittaker,  Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt  draws the Seven Sisters series, Lucinda Riley's multimillion copy sensation, to its stunning, unforgettable conclusion.

Discover all of the Seven Sisters books in order

The minuscule mansion of myra malone, by audrey burges.

Book cover for The Minuscule Mansion of Myra Malone

The Minuscule Mansion of Myra Malone  is a charming and magical debut novel, with a love story at its heart. Thirty-four year-old Myra Malone blogs about a dolls' house online. Across the country, Alex Rakes, heir of a furniture business, encounters two Mansion fans trying to recreate a room from Myra's stories. To his disbelief, Alex soon recognizes that it's his own bedroom being recreated, in minute scale. Searching for answers, Alex begins corresponding with Myra. Together, the two unwind the lonely paths of their twin worlds. 

by J.F. Murray

Book cover for Fling

Six years since they wed, Colin and Tara feel like the spark has gone in their marriage and that a split is on the cards. On the lookout for excitement and someone new, they both sign up for a controversial new dating app, meeting a 100% match who seems like they must be too good to be true. Funny and heartwarming, Fling is a witty, feel-good story of romance and second chances for fans of Marian Keyes and Nora Ephron. 

The Theory of (Not Quite) Everything

By kara gnodde.

Book cover for The Theory of (Not Quite) Everything

There are algorithms to help with everything, from finding a job to the perfect outfit. But if only there were a formula that helped the unlucky-in-love find a soulmate. For Art Brotherton, his beloved sister Mimi’s quest for the ideal match is easily solved – with maths. As he sets out to find Mimi’s future husband, he isn’t banking on meeting hopeless romantic Frank, a man who is anything but algorithm-approved. An uplifting tale of sibling love and how life isn’t always logical, this debut novel is guaranteed to put a smile on your face this summer. 

The Pre-Loved Club

By sue teddern.

Book cover for The Pre-Loved Club

When Ned (left by his wife while shopping in IKEA) and Gemma (found another woman’s sunglasses in the glove compartment) meet at a support group for single parents, they don’t exactly hit it off. However, as they both know from bitter experience, life is full of surprises, and it’s possible they have more in common than either might have suspected. A warm and witty book for anyone who has ever dreamt of finding true love, only to realize life doesn’t necessarily work that way.

Red, White & Royal Blue

By casey mcquiston.

Book cover for Red, White & Royal Blue

Alex Claremont-Diaz is handsome and charismatic, and the son of the President of the US. There’s only one problem. When the tabloids get hold of a photo involving an altercation between Alex and Prince Henry, U.S./British relations take a turn for the worse. Heads of family and state devise a plan for damage control: stage a truce. But what begins as a fake, Instagrammable friendship grows deeper, and soon they are hurtling into a secret romance that could derail the presidential campaign and upend two nations. Now also an Amazon film, this feel-good romance is sexy, witty and hilarious. 

‘ I took this with me wherever I went and stole every second I had to read! ’ Christina Lauren

Owner of a Lonely Heart

By eva carter.

Book cover for Owner of a Lonely Heart

Gemma is petrified about slowing down, because she'd have to face how lonely she is since she lost the love of her life. Her days are crammed with work and taking her dog, Bear, to visit young patients at the local hospital. Dan is the life and soul of the party, but he’s sure that if people find out what he’s done, everything will dissolve. And Casey is Dan’s twelve-year-old daughter – though they hardly know each other. She’s starting four weeks of treatment for a benign tumour, and thinks the summer might be her last. When the three meet one hot July, the connection is instant. Fate – and a little scruffy terrier – have brought them together, but do they have the courage to connect?

Single Bald Female

By laura price.

Book cover for Single Bald Female

At the point of turning thirty, Jessica Jackson has everything in place: a job, a great boyfriend and a snug London flat they share with their cat. Then a sudden diagnosis of breast cancer causes Jess's world to implode. As friends move forward with baby scans and weddings, Jess feels alone and left behind. And then she mets Annabel, a mysterious young woman with incurable cancer. Annabel may not have long left to live, but she wants to show Jess how it's possible to make every day meaningful.

The Wedding Planner

By danielle steel.

Book cover for The Wedding Planner

Faith Ferguson is one of New York’s most sought after wedding planners. Usually, she thrives on realizing dreams and making magic happen, but this year she faces both professional and personal challenges. And when the Alberts' showstopper wedding is nearly derailed by both a last minute invitee and the groom himself, Faith cannot avoid the warning signals. Desperate to provide the perfect day for all her clients, Faith has often neglected her own love life, but amidst planning –  and saving – this tumultuous wedding she will learn to 'never say never'.

Danielle Steel's latest books and bestsellers

In the summertime, by maeve haran.

Book cover for In the Summertime

With her marriage falling apart and her longed-for holiday cancelled, Georgina Greenhills gets an unexpected offer: a holiday in the small seaside town nestling in the beautiful South Downs where she grew up. There is only one catch: she must try and solve the mystery of the valuable antiques disappearing from the remote manor house belonging to an old lady called Maudie. Gina gathers her childhood friends, scatty Ruth and feisty Eve, to help her and Gina realizes how much she missed them and how happy she is to be back here in the summertime. Not least because of bumping into Daniel Napier, her shy and awkward teenage dancing partner, now an alarmingly attractive man. Although there is the small problem of his annoying girlfriend . . .

An Almost Perfect Holiday

By lucy diamond.

Book cover for An Almost Perfect Holiday

It’s time for the summer holidays, and in Cornwall Lorna’s cottages are fully booked. Three women have planned what they hope will be the perfect getaways, but not everything goes quite to plan.

Em has planned a holiday with her new boyfriend Greg, but with their children coming along, can their romance survive? Maggie is hoping a holiday will help fix her relationship with her daughter, but then her ex turns up out of the blue . . . And Olivia is looking for an escape, but the past always catches up with her. Will this holiday be a scorcher, or just too hot to handle?

Do I Know You?

By emily wibberley.

Book cover for Do I Know You?

What better occasion to read a book set on a luxury retreat than when basking in the sun yourself? But husband and wife Eliza and Graham's getaway isn't as idyllic as things seem. After five years of marriage, their relationship is breaking down and a gifted holiday in a romantic destination is the last place they want to be. That is until a well-meaning guest mistakes them as being single and introduces them at the hotel bar and suddenly Eliza and Graham find themselves flirting like it’s their first date. It's this turn of fate that could be the very thing that saves their marriage. 

The Last Summer

By karen swan.

Book cover for The Last Summer

Spirited Effie Gillies has always lived on the little Scottish island of St Kilda. When the island is visited by Lord Sholto, heir of the Earl of Dumfries, sparks fly between him and Effie. She shows the handsome stranger her island for a week, and then a storm hits and shatters her world. Three months later, and the islanders are being evacuated. Effie is offered a position on the Earl's estate, and now the differences between them seem impossible, especially when a terrible secret is uncovered back on the island. Based on the true story of St Kilda, this novel takes the reader back to both island life and high society in the 1930s.

If I Let You Go

By charlotte levin.

Book cover for If I Let You Go

When her heroic events in a horrifying train crash propel her to celebrity status, Janet Brown seizes the chance to escape her lonely existence cleaning offices. However, as the news spreads and more hear of her actions, her secret threatens to reveal itself, and Janet has to face the reality of her tragic past. A gripping story of consequences and the impact of coercive control, If I Let You Go is a moving and gripping novel you won’t be able to put down this summer. 

Literary holiday reads

Holidays are the perfect time to become engrossed in a long book or to allow yourself to be transported to a different time and place by an immersive novel. These literary books will certainly fit the bill.

Western Lane

By chetna maroo.

Book cover for Western Lane

Shortlisted for the Booker Prize 2023

Exploring themes of grief and sisterhood, this debut coming-of-age story packs a lot of emotion into just 176 pages. Eleven-year-old Gopi has been playing squash for as long as she can remember. When her mother dies, her father enlists her in a brutal training regimen. Soon, the game has become her entire world, causing a rift between Gopi and her sisters. But on the court, governed by the rhythms of the sport, she feels alive. This novel beautifully captures the ordinary and annihilates it with beauty as we follow a young athlete's struggle to transcend herself. 

Everything's Fine

By cecilia rabess.

Book cover for Everything's Fine

This stunning debut is a whip-smart exploration of an age-old question: what have you got to lose when you fall in love? When Jess first meets Josh at their Ivy League college she dislikes him immediately: an entitled guy in chinos, ready to take over the world. Meanwhile, Jess is almost always the only Black woman in their class. And Josh can’t accept that life might be easier for him because he’s white. But when they end up working for the same investment bank, their tempestuous friendship soon turns into an electrifying romance, forcing Jess to question who she is and what she's willing to compromise for love. 

‘ The book of the moment . . . It’s so good — funny, sexy, unafraid, brilliantly nuanced, completely unputdownable. ’ 100 Best Books of the Summer 2023, The Times

Young Mungo

By douglas stuart.

Book cover for Young Mungo

The extraordinary, powerful second novel from the Booker prize-winning author of  Shuggie Bain ,  Young Mungo  is both a vivid portrayal of working-class life and the deeply moving story of the dangerous first love of two young men: Mungo and James. Young Mungo  is a gripping and revealing story about the meaning of masculinity, the push and pull of family, the violence faced by so many queer people, and the dangers of loving someone too much.

To Paradise

By hanya yanagihara.

Book cover for To Paradise

Exploring an alternative to the American dream through three very different versions of the utopian ideal, To Paradise celebrates the qualities that make us human – love, fear, shame and loneliness – through Hanya Yanagihara’s bold, brilliant prose and masterful characterisation. Taking you on a whistle-stop tour through an alternate past, present and future and as gut-wrenchingly unputdownable as her Booker-shortlisted A Little Life , To Paradise is Hanya Yanagihara’s third novel. 

The World and All That It Holds

By aleksandar hemon.

Book cover for The World and All That It Holds

Rafael Pinto’s peaceful but humdrum existence is upended when war is declared in 1914, and he finds himself thrust into the trenches and face-to-face with death. After meeting fellow soldier Osman and falling in love, the pair desert the trenches, travelling across continents to escape the war and prejudice they face. An epic love story set against the backdrop of a world at war, The World and All That It Holds has been described as a “masterpiece” by the Booker-shortlisted author of Cloud Atlas , David Mitchell. 

Maps of Our Spectacular Bodies

By maddie mortimer.

Book cover for Maps of Our Spectacular Bodies

At times both heartbreaking and hilarious, this unique and memorable debut will have you feeling all the feels. The story follows Lia, her husband Harry and their daughter Iris after a sudden diagnosis derails their family life. But the most distinctive character is the first-person voice of a malignant force within Lia as it explores the interior contours of her body. Based on her own experience of growing up with a mother with breast cancer, Mortimer explores how the illness is not something to fight, but an abstract idea to live alongside, told through words that dance and weave across the page. 

by Hernan Diaz

Book cover for Trust

Everyone in 1920s New York knows of Benjamin and Helen Rask, the Wall Street tycoon and the daughter of bohemian aristocrats. They live in a sphere of untold wealth, but what is the true cost of their fortune? This mystery sits at the heart of Bonds , a bestselling 1938 novel that all of New York has read. But, like all stories, there are different perspectives, and Hernan Diaz puts these different narratives into conversation with each other, in a novel that tracks across a century and documents the truth-bending power of money, with provocative revelations at each turn. 

‘ Brilliant . . . Destined to be known as one of the great puzzle-box novels, it’s the cleverest of conceits, wrapped up in a page-turner. ’ Telegraph

by Raven Leilani

Book cover for Luster

Raven Leilani is a funny and original new voice in literary fiction. Her razor-sharp yet surprisingly tender debut is an essential novel about what it means to be young now. Edie is messing up her life, and no one seems to care. Then she meets Eric, who is white, middle-aged and comes with a wife who has sort-of-agreed to an open marriage and an adopted black daughter who doesn’t have a single person in her life who can show her how to do her hair. And as if life wasn’t hard enough, Edie finds herself falling head-first into Eric’s family. 

Our Wives Under The Sea

By julia armfield.

Book cover for Our Wives Under The Sea

Part love story and part horror story, this gothic masterpiece is Julia Armfield's first novel. Leah is back from a perilous and troubling deep-sea mission, and Miri is delighted to have her wife home. To have the woman she loves back should mean a return to normality, but Miri can feel Leah slipping from her grasp. Leah has carried the trauma of events that took place on the ocean floor into the couple's domestic life, and Miri soon realizes that the life that they once knew, might be gone. Our Wives Under The Sea is a rich meditation on love, loss and the mysteries of the ocean.

The Exhibitionist

By charlotte mendelson.

Book cover for The Exhibitionist

Longlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction 2022, in The Exhibitionist we meet the Hanrahan family. They are gathering for a momentous weekend as famous artist and notorious egoist Ray Hanrahan prepares for a new exhibition of his art. His three children will be there: beautiful Leah, sensitive Patrick, and insecure Jess. And what of Lucia, Ray’s steadfast and selfless wife? She is an artist too, but has always had to put her roles as wife and mother first. But Lucia is hiding secrets of her own, and as the weekend unfolds and the exhibition approaches, she must finally make a choice. 

Other Women

By emma flint.

Book cover for Other Women

For Londoners Beatrice Cade and Kate Ryan life could not be more different. Beatrice is a young, unmarried woman who, like millions like her, struggles to find her way after the war rips the heart out of her city and life. With her perfect husband and daughter, Kate has the life most women envy, until a chance meeting threatens to rip the façade she’s been living to pieces. A moving and mesmerising novel about the women whose lives were forever shaped by the Great War, Other Women’ s twisty plot and story of obsession will have you hooked this summer. 

by Sarah May

Book cover for Becky

Becky Sharp is determined to make a name for herself in the cutthroat world of 1990s tabloid publishing, where you’re only as good as your last scoop. Clawing her way to the top, Becky looks destined to achieve her dreams; until the past threatens to catch up with her and send everything she’s worked for crashing to the ground. Set in a world obsessed with celebrity, spaghetti straps, and the Spice Girls, Becky is this year’s sharpest novel. 

The best literary fiction to read right now

Historical fiction holiday reads.

Travel back in time, from Victorian London to the Blitz, with riveting historical fiction which is sure to keep you spellbound whether at home or away.  

by Kate Morton

Book cover for Homecoming

When she gets a call to say that her elderly grandmother is unwell, journalist Jess takes the first flight from London, her home of twenty years, back to her native Australia to be by her side. Combing through her childhood home as she waits for news, Jess unearths a family secret that leads her to examine everything she knows about herself, her grandmother, and her future. Homecoming, the new novel by international bestseller Kate Morton, has all the hallmarks of a future classic. 

Stone Blind

By natalie haynes.

Book cover for Stone Blind

As the sole mortal in a family of gods, Medusa begins to realize that she is the only one who experiences change, the only one who can be hurt, and the only one who lives with an urgency that her family will never know. Then, when the sea god Poseidon commits an unforgivable act in the temple of Athene, the goddess takes her revenge where she can – and Medusa is changed forever. Writhing snakes replace her hair, and her gaze now turns any living creature to stone. Unable to control her new power, she is condemned to a life of shadows and darkness. Until Perseus embarks upon a quest. At last, Medusa's story is told.

The Square of Sevens

By laura shepherd-robinson.

Book cover for The Square of Sevens

A historical fiction novel packed with fortune-telling, travels and mystery is the perfect book to escape reality with this summer. A girl known only as Red, the daughter of a Cornish fortune-teller, travels with her father making a living predicting fortunes using the ancient method: the Square of Sevens. When her father suddenly dies, Red becomes the ward of a gentleman scholar. But soon, she can't ignore the burning questions about her family. The pursuit of these mysteries takes her across the country in an epic tale of intrigue, heartbreak and audacious twists. 

‘ One of the best pieces of historical fiction I have ever read. ’ @bookishreadsme

by James Hynes

Book cover for Sparrow

This vivid coming of age story set at the end of the Roman Empire, follows Sparrow – a boy of no known origin living in a brothel. He spends his days listening to stories told by his beloved ‘mother’ Euterpe, running errands for her lover the cook, and dodging the blows of their brutal overseer. But a hard fate awaits him – one that involves suffering, murder and mayhem. To cope he will create his own identity – Sparrow – who sings without reason and can fly from trouble. This is a book with one of the most powerfully affecting and memorable characters of recent fiction, brought to life through James Hynes meticulous research and bold imagination. 

The Pillars of the Earth

By ken follett.

Book cover for The Pillars of the Earth

Set in medieval England, this classic of historical fiction tells the story of a cathedral as it is being built, and the skill, ambition and chaos surrounding it. Ken Follett brings history to life through human stories, and this is his most popular book, introducing readers to the world of Kingsbridge, the city where the cathedral is constructed. An epic, spellbinding tale of ambition, anarchy, and absolute power set against the sprawling medieval canvas of twelfth-century England,  The Pillars of the Earth  is Ken Follett's historical masterpiece.

Ken Follett's Kingsbridge series in order

By kate foster.

Book cover for The Maiden

Arrested in Edinburgh in October 1679 for the murder of her lover, Lady Christian is jailed, scandalised in the press and branded an adulteress. A taught and twisty historical thriller set in Restoration era Scotland, in The Maiden , Kate Foster weaves a tale of one woman’s quest to prove the truth and clear her name. Inspired by a real-life case in seventeenth-century Scotland, The Maiden gives a voice to a woman silenced by history. Until now. 

by Hannah Kent

Book cover for Devotion

It's Prussia, in 1836. Fourteen year old Hanne is longing for nature and the outdoors, as the world of womanhood begins to close around her. Then she meets Thea, and discovers what it is to have a kindred spirit. Her family are Old Lutherans who have to worship in secret, their community under threat. So when they are given safe passage to Australia, it seems seems prayers have been answered. But the journey will have huge consequences for Hanne and Thea, who form a bond too strong for even nature to shatter.

‘ Extraordinarily daring . . . a remarkable novel, an almost visionary celebration of the death-defying power of the women’s love. ’ Sunday Times

The Attic Child

By lola jaye.

Book cover for The Attic Child

It's 1907, and twelve-year-old Celestine is locked in the attic of a house by the sea. He has been forcibly removed from his home in Africa and is treated as a servant. He dreams of home and family, even as his mother's face, and his real name, begin to fade. Decades later a young orphan girl is banished to the same attic. Under the floorboards she finds mysterious artefacts, and on a wall there is a sentence etched in a language she does not recognise. What she does recognise though, is that she is not the first child to be held captive in the attic. This dual-narrative tale of love, loss and family secrets shines a light on the early Black British experience. 

The Dance Tree

By kiran millwood hargrave.

Book cover for The Dance Tree

Strasbourg, 1518. In the intense summer heat a solitary woman starts to dance in the main square. She dances alone for days without rest, but soon she is joined by hundreds of other women. 

The city authorities declare a state of emergency, and bring in musicians to play the devil out of the dancing women. Meanwhile, pregnant Lisbet who lives at the edge of the city is tending to the family's bees, but as the dancing plague intensifies she is drawn into a net of secret passions and deceptions. 

Inspired by true events, this is a compelling story of superstition, transformative change and women pushed to their limits.

The Nightingale

By kristin hannah.

Book cover for The Nightingale

Soon to be a major motion picture,  The Nightingale  is a multi-million copy bestseller across the world. It is a heart-breakingly beautiful novel that celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and the endurance of women. This story is about what it was like to be a woman during World War II when women’s stories were all too often forgotten or overlooked . . . Vianne and Isabelle Mauriac are two sisters, separated by years and experience, by ideals and passion and circumstance, each embarking on her own dangerous path towards survival, love and freedom in war-torn France.

Our top 50 historical fiction books of all time

Crime & thriller books to read on holiday.

Escape into a gripping new thriller or crime novel this summer. Here are the books that are sure to keep you on the edge of your sunbed.

Good Bad Girl

By alice feeney.

Book cover for Good Bad Girl

In a tale of intertwining crimes, a baby's abduction two decades ago connects to a murder in a care home. Unravelling the truth rests on the shoulders of a complex yet intriguing character, the 'good bad girl.' Edith, determined to escape her nursing home, forms a bond with Patience, a caretaker harbouring secrets. Meanwhile, Edith's daughter Clio remains distant, and a looming presence approaches Clio's doorstep with ill intentions. With mistrust brewing, the women must navigate a web of suspects, murders, and a singular victim, unearthing the fates of the vanished baby, the grieving mother, and the ties that bind them all.

Simply Lies

By david baldacci.

Book cover for Simply Lies

Simply Lies  is the latest thriller from David Baldacci, featuring Mickey Gibson, a former New Jersey detective and single mother of two. She also works for global investigation company, ProEye, to track down assets of the wealthy who have tried to avoid their creditors. One day she gets a call from a colleague, asking her to visit the home of a notorious arms dealer who has cheated some of ProEye’s clients in the past. Mickey arrives at the mansion to discover the body of a man hidden in a secret room and soon discovers that nothing is at it seems. 

Discover all of David Baldacci's books in order

By ruth kelly.

Book cover for The Villa

You'll be glad you're not staying in this killer holiday destination by the time you reach the end of Ruth Kelly's addictive new thriller. Death and mayhem erupt on an exclusive island as it plays host to a reality television show like no other, where every moment is streamed live to a global audience who have unprecedented control over those competing for the cash prize. Amongst the contestants is Laura, an undercover reporter, who soon discovers she's far from the only one with a secret.

‘ Set to be the hottest read of 2023, The Villa is a scorching, smouldering, turbo-charged cocktail of sun, sex and secrets. Ruth Kelly has redefined the airport thriller for our times. Fantastic! ’ Veronica Henry

by Jane Harper

Book cover for Exiles

Jane Harper’s thrillers are true page turners, and her new novel, Exiles , is no exception. When investigator Aaron Falk searches for missing woman Kim Gillespie, who vanished without a trace on a busy summer night, he soon realises that the case is not as simple as it may seem. Uncovering secrets that her community doesn’t want to be revealed, Falk has his work cut out to find Gillespie and discover the truth at the heart of the case. 

A complete guide to Jane Harper's books

By ellery lloyd.

Book cover for The Club

The grand opening of Island Home – a forgotten island transformed into the height of luxury – is set to be the celebrity event of the decade. But as the first guests arrive, the weekend soon proves deadly – because it turns out that even the most beautiful people can keep the ugliest secrets and, in a world where reputation is everything, they'll do anything to keep it. The Club  is an exhilarating, addictive read, telling a story of ambition, excess, and what happens when people who have everything – or nothing – to lose are pushed to their limit.

by Juan Gómez-Jurado

Book cover for Red Queen

The novel that inspired the new Amazon Prime Original series, Red Queen is the first book in the internationally bestselling thriller series starring Antonia Scott. A Lisbeth Salandar-esque heroine who takes the law into her own hands, Scott’s private existence is disturbed when she hears visitors outside her Madrid apartment. Soon, she realises that she is in more danger than she ever feared. With its sunny Spanish setting and unputdownable plot, Red Queen will transport you, whether you’re travelling or staying at home this summer. 

The Murders at Fleat House

Book cover for The Murders at Fleat House

When a pupil suddenly dies at an exclusive boarding school in deepest Norfolk, the headmaster is keen to brand it a tragic accident. But the local police are not so sure, and Detective Inspector Jazmine ‘Jazz’ Hunter returns to the force to investigate. Together with trusty sergeant Alastair Miles, she enters the closed universe of the school. And as Jazz begins to probe Charlie Cavendish’s unsettling demise, things take a deeply troubling turn . . . 

Into the Dark

By fiona cummins.

Book cover for Into the Dark

DS Saul Anguish, a brilliant detective with a difficult past, must face his own demons as he untangles the painful story behind the sudden disappearance of an entire family. 

The kettle is still warm, all the family’s phones are charging on the worktop, but the house is deserted. In fifteen-year-old Riva Holden’s bedroom, scrawled across the mirror in blood, are three words: Make Them Stop . In a gorgeous Art Deco home looking out to the bay of Midtown-on-Sea, a terrible crime has come to light. An entire family – Piper and Gray and their two teenage children – has vanished. 

When I Was Ten

Book cover for When I Was Ten

Dr Richard Carter and his wife were murdered in what was one of the most infamous double murders of the modern age. Their daughter, ten-year-old Sara Carter, spent eight years in a children’s secure unit for the crime, and is now living a quiet life under an assumed name.  with a family of her own. On the anniversary of the crime, journalist Brinley Booth is tasked with tracking down Sara and her older sister Shannon. But Brinley isn’t just a journalist – she’s also the sisters’ childhood friend. And confronting what really happened on the night of the murders will have consequences for them all. This is another gripping read from thriller writer Fiona Cummins.

Black Thorn

By sarah hilary.

Book cover for Black Thorn

Holidays call for a page-turner, and there is no better choice than Sarah Hilary's compulsive psychological thriller.  An exclusive new housing development, Blackthorn Ashes, is the new home for six families hoping for a peaceful life on the cliffs overlooking the Cornish sea. But six weeks later, paradise is lost. Six people are dead. One of its surviving residents, Agnes Gale, is determined to find out the truth about what happened. Even if that truth is deadlier than she could have ever believed possible. 

Picture You Dead

By peter james.

Book cover for Picture You Dead

In the latest installment in the bestselling Roy Grace series, Detective Superintendent Roy Grace finds himself plunged into an unfamiliar and rarefied world of fine art; but beneath the veneer lurks greed, deception and violence. Harry and Freya are an ordinary couple who dreamed for years of finding an overlooked treasure at a car boot sale, until the day they did. Behind the drab portrait they bought for a few pounds, they find a stunning landscape that might be worth millions, and one collector will stop at nothing to get what he wants. 

All of Peter James's Roy Grace's books in order

Discover more unmissable thriller books, fantasy holiday reads for the ultimate escape.

If you can't get away from it all in a literal sense, make your escape in the form of some fantasy reading.

The Atlas Six

By olivie blake.

Book cover for The Atlas Six

Few magicians are invited to join the prestigious and secretive Alexandrian Society, and those who are gain a lifetime of privilege and prestige amongst the magic order. When six candidates are asked to compete to guard the ancient knowledge the society harbours, they travel to London to prove their mettle. As they learn about the challenges they face, the six realise that the stakes are higher than they could have ever imagined . . . 

A TikTok sensation, The Atlas Six is a must-read novel for fans of all things fantasy. 

A complete guide to Olivie Blake's books

A restless truth, by freya marske.

Book cover for A Restless Truth

When Maud Blyth is asked to accompany an elderly acquaintance on an ocean liner voyage, she jumps at her chance to see the world. But when the old lady is found murdered the day after they set sail, Maud finds herself searching for the killer alongside a mysterious fellow passenger, magician Violet Debenham. Racing against the clock to make sure they don’t become the killer’s next victims, Maud and Violet realise they need to team up to crack the case. A magical locked room mystery for fans of Knives Out , A Restless Truth has all the ingredients a holiday read needs.

by Genevieve Cogman

Book cover for Scarlet

Revolutionary France is no place to be, especially for aristocrat vampires facing the guillotine. But the League of the Scarlet Pimpernel are determined to rescue them. And they have an ace up their sleeve: Eleanor, a lowly maid from an English estate with a striking resemblance to French royalty. For Eleanor, the League and their legendary deeds are little more than rumour – until she’s drawn into their most dangerous plot yet. Revolution's a bloodthirsty business . . .  Scarlet  is a thrilling reinvention of the tale of  The Scarlet Pimpernel  with the addition of magic and even more mayhem.

‘ Scarlet is utterly stunning. The intrigue and adventure keep you turning the page in this exciting tale of revolution, vampires and the guillotine. ’ T. L. Huchu

The Women Could Fly

By megan giddings.

Book cover for The Women Could Fly

Kidnapped? Murdered? A witch fleeing persecution? Josephine Thomas hasn’t seen her mother since she was fourteen. Now, at twenty-eight, she is finally ready to move on – but to what? Ambivalent about marriage in a country where single women must submit to monitoring by the State, unwilling to conform in a world where magic is real and unusual behaviour can lead to accusations of witchcraft, Jo’s ability to control her own life is on the line. So when she’s offered an opportunity to honour a final request from her mother’s will, Jo takes the chance to feel connected to her one last time.

Children of Blood and Bone

By tomi adeyemi.

Book cover for Children of Blood and Bone

Tomi Adeyemi conjures a stunning world of dark magic and danger in her West African-inspired fantasy debut  Children of Blood and Bone. Zélie remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic. When different clans ruled – Burners igniting flames, Tiders beckoning waves, and Zélie’s Reaper mother summoning forth souls. But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, anyone with powers was targeted and killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope. Only a few people remain with the power to use magic, and they must remain hidden. 

45 of the best fantasy books of all time

Science fiction holiday reads.

Be transported to another world with these science fiction books, perfect for summer holidays. 

Sea of Tranquillity

By emily st. john mandel.

Book cover for Sea of Tranquillity

Sea of Tranquility immerses the reader in parallel worlds and multiple possibilities. It's 1912, and Edwin St. Andrew is on a journey across the Atlantic. Arriving in British Columbia, he enters a forest, mesmerised by the Canadian wilderness. All is silent before the notes of a violin reverberate through the air. Two centuries later, acclaimed author Olive Llewelyn is travelling over the earth. At the heart of her bestselling novel, a man plays a violin for spare change in the corridor of an airship terminal, as a forest rises around him. Award-winning author, Emily St. John Mandel doesn't disappoint in this triumph of sci-fi storytelling. 

A complete guide to Emily St. John Mandel's books

In the lives of puppets, by tj klune.

Book cover for In the Lives of Puppets

A delightful and fantastical queer retelling of the story of Pinocchio , In the Lives of Puppets will transport you the a magical world of an android family created from spare parts. When fatherly android inventor Gio and human Vic salvage an unloved robot, Hap, Vic soon learns that the two already know each other and have an unsavoury past as human hunters. When Hap and Gio’s secret is revealed, they find themselves on the run from pursuers, and Vic must decide whether his feelings for his family are worth sacrificing himself for. 

Lords of Uncreation

By adrian tchaikovsky.

Book cover for Lords of Uncreation

The final part in Adrian Tchaikovsky’s epic Final Architecture space opera, Lords of Uncreation is the book that science-fiction fans have been waiting for all year. When Idris Telemmier discovers a secret that could end the war between humanity, he is in a race against time to reveal it and bring the fighting to an end. With the Architects trying to keep their weakness under wraps, the galaxy erupts into a conflict that will change everything, and Idris has to decide on the course of action he must take to save the galaxy. 

by Sarah K Jackson

Book cover for Not Alone

A dystopian thriller that brings the climate emergency into sharp focus, Not Alone is as gripping as it is terrifying. Set in a world where most of the population and wildlife have been killed by a toxic microplastics storm, Katie has to forage the desolate landscape to find food to feed her five-year-old son. Having never stepped outside their tiny flat, Harry has no idea what the world used to be like, until a mysterious stranger arrives on their doorstep, and the family embark on a journey to be reunited with Harry’s father.  

Our pick of the best sci-fi books of this year and all time

Non-fiction holiday reads.

Here we list some non-fiction books to ground you on those long summer holiday days.

by Laurent Richard

Book cover for Pegasus

Can foreign governments see your data or and what might they do with it? How dangerous is the personal information that private companies hold about us? How much should we care? Learn the answers to these questions and more in Pegasus , the behind-the-scenes story of the modern world of constant cyber surveillance and the company behind the world’s most sophisticated software. Written by journalists who discovered the software’s threat and exposed it to the world, Pegasus lifts the lid on how governments and private companies use our data for good and bad. 

Black and British

By david olusoga.

Book cover for Black and British

In his award-winning book  Black and British , historian and broadcaster David Olusoga examines how black and white Britons have been intimately entwined for centuries. Drawing on new genetic and genealogical research, original records, expert testimony and contemporary interviews, in  Black and British  shows how black British history is woven into the cultural and economic histories of the nation.

The Snakehead

By patrick radden keefe.

Book cover for The Snakehead

The masterful author of Empire of Pain lifts the lid on a secret criminal underworld in The Snakehead , an unputdownable story of an unlikely kingpin. A charismatic grandmother with a decades-old noodle shop in Manhattan’s Chinatown, Cheng Chui Ping was the last person anyone would expect would be the mastermind behind a people-smuggling ring. The Snakehead follows the FBI’s decades-long investigation to uncover Ping’s criminal empire and shines a light on the experience of undocumented immigrants as they fight to survive in the United States. Written like a gripping thriller, this is a book you’ll find yourself utterly absorbed in this summer. 

Book cover for Bad Blood

How far can you get with no expertise, technology that doesn’t work, and an extraordinary sales pitch? Disturbingly far. Bad Blood is the story of one of the biggest corporate fraud cases of the 21st century. Journalist John Carreyrou explores the rise and shocking fall of tech start-up Theranos, which was valued at $9 billion based on its innovative medical technology before it was all revealed to be a lie. Read everything you need to know about the Theranos scandal here. 

Nothing but the Truth

By the secret barrister.

Book cover for Nothing but the Truth

Having laid bare the darkly comic and tragic truth of how our legal system fails the people that need it the most, the Secret Barrister's new memoir tracks their transformation from hang 'em and flog 'em austerity-supporter to celebrated, campaigning, bestselling author. This diary that takes us behind the scenes of an outsider's progress down the winding path towards practising at the Bar, via painfully archaic traditions and the Hunger Games-style contest for pupillage.

The best non-fiction books of all time

Self-care holiday reads.

Holidays are the perfect opportunity to take some time for ourselves. These inspiring and educational self-help books make inspiring holiday reads. 

Closer to Love

By vex king.

Book cover for Closer to Love

We’ve never had more ways to meet people, but sometimes it can feel like we are less connected than ever. Vex King is determined to change that. In this practical guide to building stronger bonds, bestselling King shares his approach to understanding your role in relationships, using mindfulness to deepen your connections with others, and tips for building an authentic connection with someone. Whether you’re looking for a summer romance or more harmony in your existing relationship, Closer to Love is for you.

To My Sisters

By courtney daniella boateng.

Book cover for To My Sisters

They’re with us through all of life’s ups and downs, but often our friendships aren’t as celebrated as the other relationships in our lives. With their new book, podcasters Renee Kapuku and Courtney Daniella Boateng plan to change that. Part manifesto and part manual, in To My Sisters Kapuku and Boateng share how to make your relationships with your sisters more meaningful than ever. With practical advice, personal stories and tips for meeting new friends and nurturing existing relationships, To My Sisters is the modern guide to platonic friendship that everyone needs. 

The Kindness Method

By shahroo izadi.

Book cover for The Kindness Method

In these difficult times, we could all benefit from showing ourselves a little kindness. If you want to use this time to make a change, Behavioural Change Specialist Shahroo Izadi believes there’s only one way to make change last, and that’s to be kind to yourself . The Kindness Method was developed through a combination of professional training and personal experience and will leave you feeling empowered, positive and ready to make a change, whether it’s weight loss, cutting down on alcohol or improving your relationships.

That Little Voice In Your Head

By mo gawdat.

Book cover for That Little Voice In Your Head

Mo Gawdat's That Little Voice in Your Head  is a practical guide to rewiring your brain for joy. He reveals that by talking down the negative voice within, we can change the way we think, turn greed into kindness, transform apathy into compassionate action and create our own happiness. Gawdat's brain exercises draw on his experience as a former Google engineer and Chief Business Officer, as well as from his neuroscience studies. And he explains how – despite their complexity – our brains generally behave in predictable ways. Drawing inspiration from the life of his late son, Gawdat has written a manual for happiness that is steeped in empathy.

Discover your favourite self-help books on audio

You may also like, the best sci-fi audiobooks to listen to right now, the 60 best fiction books of all time, 50 best thriller books of 2024, and all time.

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2024 summer reading skills programs.

Submitted by Amber Shultice on February 8, 2024

children reading

2024 Summer Reading Skills Programs   

Programs Offered in Jackson 

This summer, help your child become a confident, enthusiastic reader. Summer Reading Skills Programs are offered by Mississippi State University, Center for Continuing Education, and designed and taught by instructors from the Institute of Reading Development.  

Strengthen Skills, Build Confidence, Enjoy Reading   

These single-grade programs teach key reading skills, from phonics and sight words for younger children to comprehension, reading speed, and textbook strategies for older kids, and everything in between.   

Guided by a knowledgeable and supportive teacher, students in these programs experience success with reading again and again, developing their skills and building confidence in outstanding books at the right level of challenge for each age.   

Your child will avoid the many challenges of summer learning loss and become an avid reader who enjoys reading for school and for pleasure.  

How the Programs Work  

Your child will attend weekly classes that build skills and provide great experiences with terrific books – books that are filled with interesting characters, exciting storylines, and engaging themes. Between classes, your child will practice reading and complete fun, interactive lessons that develop core skills and build confidence.   

An Institute of Reading Development teacher will provide all the support and instruction your child needs to grow as a reader and student. Your child will get a jumpstart on the next school year and be ready to make it a big success!   

Let’s Discuss Your Child’s Reading Development.  

Call to speak with a reading program advisor.  

1-800-964-8888  

Learn more about the reading programs and view schedules.   

Secure Your Child’s Spot Today! Class Size is Limited.   

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IMAGES

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  2. Summer Reading for Kids

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  3. Summer Reading Chart Printable

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  4. Summer Reading Program for Kids

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  5. Summer Reading Graphic with Books

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  6. Summer Reading Comprehension

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COMMENTS

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    Summer is officially in full swing, and for a lot us, that means more time for reading. And sure, you do want to have a few easy, fun reads: books you can bring with you to the beach or while you sip lemonade on your porch. Still, it's nice to read thought-provoking books that continue to challenge you as you get through these warmer months.

  5. Summer Reading

    The research is clear that children who don't read during the summer can lose up to three months of reading progress and that loss has a cumulative, long-term effect. The following resources and articles provide information about summer reading and summer learning loss. Plus you'll discover great activities to encourage kids to learn, read ...

  6. 21 Best Summer Books of 2023 to Add to Your Summer Reading List

    Release date: May 9, 2023 For fans of: The Midnight Library by Matt Haig and Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman Though main character Clover Brooks is a death doula—someone who...

  7. Summer reading: 50 brilliant books to discover

    Summer reading: 50 brilliant books to discover Illustrations by Debora Szpilman/The Guardian From family sagas to political memoirs, the best recent books to accompany your summer break, plus...

  8. 19 summer books that will keep you up all night reading

    A time to sit with an easy read on the beach, or read something darker on the porch late at night. For the best summer reads, we turned to two authors who own independent bookstores and their book ...

  9. The 30 best books for summer reading in 2021

    30 " The Summer Job " Lizzy Dent (fiction, GP Putnam's Sons) Birdy has kicked off her summer job as sommelier at a remote Scottish hotel with a bit of a fib … well, a whopper. She's pretending...

  10. 10 Weeks of Summer Reading Adventures for You and Your Kids

    Week 2: Keep in touch. Make a personal phone book. List phone numbers and addresses of your friends and relatives. Design your own stationery and write a letter to a friend. Start a journal with a friend or relative. Take turns writing in it all summer long. You can even do this by mail or e-mail.

  11. 12 New Summer Books to Add to Your 2023 Reading List

    There's just nothing like a good summer reading experience. Call them "beach reads," "summer flings," or just "great books that come out between May and September," the best summer books of...

  12. Summer Reading 2023

    This summer, kids in grades 1-6 earn a FREE book through the Barnes & Noble Summer Reading Program. Read any eight books and record them in your Summer Reading Journal (see links below). When you're done, bring it to a Barnes & Noble store and choose your free book! Redeemable 7/1-8/31. Learn more here. Summer Reading Journal for Grades 1-6 ...

  13. How to Prepare for Summer Reading: 9 Steps (with Pictures)

    5. Get a reading buddy. Like most activities, reading with a friend can be more enjoyable than doing it alone. Ask your friends if they want to share your reading goals and have regular discussions with you about your reading. You might even want to have a friendly competition to see who can read more over the summer.

  14. 2024 Guide to 20+ Engaging Summer Reading Ideas

    Barnes and Noble holds a summer reading program where kids track the number of books they read to earn a free book. Read 8 books and get one free. Also, check your local store for summer storytime opportunities. 19. Chuck E. Cheese's offers 10 free play points to kids who read each day.

  15. YA Easy Summer Reads (497 books)

    YA Easy Summer Reads. Great books for summer, reading on the beach or by the pool for young-adults. flag. All Votes Add Books To This List. 1. Anna and the French Kiss (Anna and the French Kiss, #1) by. Stephanie Perkins (Goodreads Author) 3.97 avg rating — 449,720 ratings.

  16. The 30 Best Beach Reads for Summer 2022

    Lifestyle Entertainment The 30 Best Beach Reads for Summer 2022 Roll out a towel, crack open a book, and escape into a whole new world. By Ni'Kesia Pannell and Elizabeth Berry Updated: May 09,...

  17. Easy Summer Read Books

    Easy Summer Read Books Showing 1-50 of 270 Book Lovers (Hardcover) by Emily Henry (Goodreads Author) (shelved 2 times as easy-summer-read) avg rating 4.15 — 996,829 ratings — published 2022 Want to Read Rate this book 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars The Husband's Secret (Hardcover) by

  18. The Best Beach Reads

    Amazon. $ 21.49. $ 26.99. Barnes and Noble. Ethan Joella, author of the RWJ pick "A Little Hope," said "The Shore" by Katie Runde is the definition of a beach read. "To me, the best ...

  19. 50 Best Beach Reads of 2024

    Now 50% Off. $14 at Amazon. Christina Lauren fans demanded a novel about Fizzy, the best friend/scene stealer in The Soulmate Equation, and the authors delivered. This rom-com finds Fizzy, a romance novelist with a bad case of writer's block, cast on a reality dating show.

  20. 15 Excellent Summer Reading Program Ideas

    14. Librarian's choice. If there's one thing librarians love to do, it's recommend books. This is a fun and simple reading idea for the summer. Go to your public library and ask the librarian for one book that they recommend you read over the summer. It can be for someone of any age. 15. If you read just one book….

  21. Ultimate Beach Reads 2021: The Hottest Summer Reads

    When she opens a book from Gra's special collection, she finds herself face to face with Jack Ridgewell in 1892 England. Emme is part of an elite group of women who can travel to the past through books. This brings a whole new meaning to book boyfriend. Ultimate Beach Reads 2021: The Hottest Summer Reads 116.

  22. Holiday reads 2023: the best books for summer

    The Love of My Life is a tale of love, deception, and hidden pasts from Rosie Walsh, author of The Man Who Didn't Call. Emma adores her husband Leo and their daughter Ruby. Yet, beneath their seemingly idyllic life, Emma has spun a web of lies. When Emma falls seriously ill, Leo, an obituary writer, uncovers the truth.

  23. 5 Great Summer Reading Plans for Kids

    16. 97. It is important to us as parents to raise kids that love to read. If you want your children to stick with their reading over the summer, you are probably going to need to help them a little. Even kids who enjoy reading can get caught up in the fun of summer and forget about it. Children who are more resistant to reading many want to ...

  24. 2024 Summer Reading Skills Programs

    2024 Summer Reading Skills Programs . Programs Offered in Jackson This summer, help your child become a confident, enthusiastic reader. Summer Reading Skills Programs are offered by Mississippi State University, Center for Continuing Education, and designed and taught by instructors from the Institute of Reading Development.. Strengthen Skills, Build Confidence, Enjoy Reading