Books
13 Unputdownable Beach Reads You Probably Missed This Summer
As the weather starts to cool down and the days begin to shorten, the end-of-summer countdown is officially on. Before the days of sunshine and outdoor reading are behind you, make sure to check out these beach reads you may have missed this year. August may almost be over, but summer doesn't really come to an end until September 22, so soak up the season as long as you can.
All summer long, you've been heading about the season's can't miss beach reads, but what makes a book a beach read, anyways? For me, it's a novel that is so engaging, you read through the heat and the sunburn all day long just so you can finish it. Beach reads can be titillating murder mysteries you can't wait to get to the bottom of, love stories that make you swoon, or compelling works on nonfiction so fascinating that they suck you in and doesn't let you go. Sure, the popular genres like women's fiction, thrillers, and young adult novels all fit the bill, but to me, beach reading can be whatever makes you want to dig your toes into the sand and read all day long.
Looking for something you can lost in during the final days of summer? Then check out 13 beach reads you might have missed this season.
'How to Find Love in a Bookshop' by Veronica Henry
A charming story that will make book nerds swoon, Veronica Henry's How to Find Love in a Bookshop is the perfect beach reading book for the final days of summer. Grieving from the loss of her father, Emilia Nightingale is struggling but determined to keep the family bookshop open, if not for her than for her beloved customers. From the man using books to stay close to the son he misses, or the young woman who fell in love in the stacks, Emilia's book-loving customers need her store for so much more than the reading material they find there. A sweet novel featuring characters you soon won't forget, this love letter to bookshops is just what your end-of-summer reading list needs.
'The Wildling Sisters' by Eve Chase
Put plenty of sunscreen on, because once you crack open The Wildling Sisters, you're not going to want to move until you've finished every last page. From the outside, Applecote Manor is beautiful, peaceful country estate, but underneath its idyllic surface lies decades of secrets, lies, and betrayal. Fifty years ago, four sisters lives were forever changed during the tragic summer they spent at the estate. Now, as Jesse tries to give her new family a fresh start at Applecote, she can't help but be pulled into the house's dark past as she struggles to deal with her increasingly complicated present. A riveting mystery about the bonds of family and forces that threaten to break them, The Wildling Sisters is a truly hypnotic read.
'Class Mom' by Laurie Gelman
Get ready to laugh out loud with Laurie Gelman's delightful debut about the ruthless world of parenting and classroom politics. Jen Dixon isn't the kind of class mom who plays by the rules, and she isn't afraid to show it, no matter how many PTA members get upset. Her methods may seem unorthodox, sure, but with two grown children already under her belt, Jen knows how to get things done, and no Real Housewives wannabes, paranoid parents, or even old flames will get in her way. A hilarious and biting novel that every parent who has even gotten snarky looks in the bus line with understand, Class Mom is a fast a fabulous read that will leave your stomach sore from laughing.
'A Stranger in the House' by Shari Lapena
One of summer's most anticipated thrillers from the author of New York Times bestseller The Couple Next Door, Shari Lapena's latest work is a dark and twisty thrill ride with an ending you have to read to believe. Karen doesn't remember anything about the accident: she can't recall why she left the house in a hurry, what made her drive to that bad part of town, why she crashed her car, or what was making her so scared. Her husband, Tom, wants to believe his beloved bride, but he can't help feeling that something more sinister is at work than a car crash. Meanwhile, Karen is positive someone has been in the house as more and more things appear out of place. As secrets pile up around them and the police find evidence of a serious crime, what was once a happy home begins to dangerously unravel. Smart and surprising, A Stranger In the House is an emotional roller coaster you won't be able to put down.
'Goodbye, Vitamin' by Rachel Khong
One of the best debuts of the summer, Rachel Khong's beautiful and witty novel about family, memory, illness, and starting again deserves a spot on your end-of-summer beach reading list. After breaking up with her fiance, 30-year-old Ruth leaves her job and moves back in with her parents in an attempt to gain control over her increasingly disillusioned life. But things at home aren't any easier, as Ruth returns to find her father losing his battle with Alzheimer's disease and her mother struggling to deal. A darkly funny novel that perfectly balances humor and heart, Goodbye, Vitamin will have you laughing, crying, and wiping tears (and sand) out of your eyes from start to finish.
'A Good Idea' by Cristina Moracho
This book may have come out in February, but Cristina Moracho's chilling mystery is the kind of book that will make you sink into your beach chair and sit, unmoving, until you've devoured every last page. Finley and Betty's friendship has survived every challenge that's been thrown at it, including a move across state lines and four years spent apart. After Betty disappears and her ex-boyfriend Calder admits to killing her but gets off for the crime, that friendship is put to the final test as Fin puts everything on the line to get justice for her best friend, including her own life. A dark and gripping YA about the bonds of friendship and the strength of love, A Good Idea is a haunting tale that will stay with you long after the summer sun has set.
'Motherest' by Kristen Iskandrian
A touching story about love, loss, and parenthood, Kristen Islandrian's poignant coming-of-age novel whose protagonist will captivate you from the very first page. A young college student in the 1990s, Agnes is having a hard time finding someone she can really talk to. That's why she writes letters to her mother, a woman she was never truly close with who seems to have disappeared from her life entirely. Through her writing, Agnes tries to get a better understanding of her new experiences, including blossoming romances, complicated female friendships, and becoming a mother herself. An affecting story of love, loss, loneliness, and growing up, Motherest is a unique debut you'll want to savor.
'Pieces of Happiness' by Anne Ostby
Travel to Fiji with five lifelong friends in Anne Ostby's breathtaking story of love, hope, and most importantly, chocolate. Friends since high school, Sina, Maya, Ingrid, and Lisbeth are all thrilled when, in their 60s, their adventurous best friend invites them to come live and work with her on a cocoa farm in Fiji. Ready to leave the disappointments of the past behind, the women come together for a second chance at life and all the wonder, beauty, and sweetness it has to offer. Pieces of Happiness is a sweet read that will leave you craving more.
'Conversations with Friends' by Sally Rooney
Another unique story of friendship and all the complications that go along with navigating those relationships as a modern adult, Sally Rooney's sharp and riveting debut is a must-read. Frances, the level-headed and observant one, and Bobbie, the beautiful and bold one, have been best friends for a long time. But when they meet Melissa, a celebrated photographer who draws them into her glamorous life, that bond begins to fray as romance, desire, and uncertainty plague their once steady friendship. A smart and raw look at young women finding themselves that doesn't shy away from the ugliness of growing (and messing) up, Conversations with Friends is a messy tale you'll love getting your hands dirty with.
'Made for Love' by Alissa Nutting
From the celebrated author of Tampa comes another absurd and brilliant tale of love and letting it go. When Hazel's husband, the CEO and founder of tech giant Gogol Industries, asks her to connect their brains in the world's first-ever human "mind meld," it's the last straw. Fleeing his overbearing control, Hazel moves into a trailer park with her father and his love: a very realistic sex doll. As she tries to find a new life for herself in this setting so completely unlike the clean and clinical world she left, Hazel must also find a way to break free and stay free from a husband who is determined to use technology to find her and bring her home for a good. A titillating tale that will have you laughing at every turn, Made for Love will change the way you think about sex and technology.
'Fitness Junkie' by Lucy Sykes and Jo Piazza
Get ready to traverse the intense, crazy, and often weird world of fitness in Lucy Sykes and Jo Piazza's laugh-out-loud funny novel about one woman's forced journey to get fit or get out. After being photographed eating a pastry at the front row of a fashion show, Janey Sweet, the CEO of a wedding dress company, is in danger of losing her job if she doesn't lose 30 pounds. Diving head first into the strange world of naked yoga, juice cleanses, and workout classes with cult followings, Janey tries everything to get thin, even if it means giving up her favorite foods and shelling out thousands of dollars to do it. As the results start to show, though, Janey can't help but wonder if weight was really her problem to begin with. A sly and biting satire about the world of fitness trackers, personal trainers, and fad diets, Fitness Junkie is the hilarious breakdown of the diet culture you've been waiting for.
'The Goddesses' by Swan Huntley
A bewitching story of love, friendship, betrayal, and forgiveness, Swan Huntley's latest novel takes you on a seductive trip you won't ever want to leave. After finding out about her husband's infidelities, Nancy is determined to give her marriage a fresh start and moves the entire family to the tranquil shores of Kona, Hawaii. But just as they begin to get comfortable in their new idyllic life, Ana, an enchanting yoga teacher Nancy can't seem to get enough of, enters their lives and threatens to tear it all down again. A hypnotizing story of desire and deceit, The Goddesses is a twisty psychological novel you won't be able to help but finish in one sitting.
'Stay with Me' by Ayobami Adebayo
Another debut you don't want to miss, Ayobami Adebayo's remarkable tale of love and marriage will give you all the feels. Yejide and Akin fell madly in love at school, and even though their culture celebrates polygamy, the couple decided that just isn't for them. That is, until Yejide can't get pregnant and a second wife is forced on their family. Desparate to hold onto the marriage she knows and loves, Yejide will stop at nothing to become pregnant and reclaim her relationship as her own, even if the cost is more than she had bargained for. A dazzling novel about the intersections of love and pride, trust and betrayal, Stay With Me is an emotionally riveting read you won't want to put down.
