Are you a seasonal reader? What does a “beach read” or “summery book” mean to you?
I would say that I am a seasonal reader, especially in the summer and the fall. To me, a summer read can be many things. I love contemporary romance this time of year but I also enjoy a fast-paced thriller. Anything that I can potentially read in a day! I also gravitate towards anything set during the summer months or some place warm.
I get some of my best reading done this time of year, so it is good time to tackle some bigger books!
I am going to recommend some books that fit into each of these categories and would love any recommendations you may have!
Romance
The third book in The Kiss Quotient series comes out on August 31st, so now is the perfect time to read the first two books in the series. The second book, The Bride Test, is arguably my favourite romance. These are super steamy and have amazing characters!
Does the cover for You Had Me at Hola not scream summer? I read this book in one sitting and I loved the telenovela element. Alexia Daria has a new book, A Lot Like Adios, coming out in September!
First Comes Like is actually the third book in the Modern Love series, but it is the only one I have read. It is set in California and is a really sweet and lighthearted romance. Perfect beach read!
Sweethand is set in Trinidad and Tobago and centers around a wedding. Something about weddings scream summer to me! I thought this was so fun and there was so much chemistry!
Thrillers
The Good Sister has become one of my favourite thrillers. I would actually call this more of a suspense and a character study. We are following two sisters, Rose and Fern, and it is really just about their relationship. You feel this tension the entire time you are reading because you know that something is off. I loved it!
I read Don’t Look For Me last year and I still think about it. It is a really fast-paced thriller that will have you quickly turning the pages!
No thriller has surprised me as much as I Let You Go! It is best to pick this one up knowing nothing about it!
The River is a thriller that is meant to be read in the summer. The entire thing takes place on a river and we are following two best friends in a canoe. It is intense!
I buddy read The One with a friend last summer and it was perfect beach reading. It has been adapted on Netflix, so it would be fun to read the book and then watch the show. Though I have heard they are quite different!
Summery Vibes
I think Malibu Rising is going to be the book of the summer and I feel kind of silly recommending it because I am sure everyone is talking about it, but I just loved it so much! It is truly the perfect beach read. When I wasn’t reading it, I was thinking about it. It might just be my favourite of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s books that I have read?
Bitter Orange is one of my favourite books, and part of why I loved it so much was the setting and the atmosphere. It is one of those books that is so perfectly describe that you can physically feel the heat that they characters are experiencing!
Sex and Vanity gets mixed reviews, which I understand, but I do think it is a fun summer read, especially the firsts half as it is set in Capri.
The Names They Gave Us is set a summer camp, so that speaks for itself!
Big Books
The Glittering Hour is historical fiction and is told through two timelines- one in the 1920s and the other in the 30s. We are following Selena, who is a Bright Young Thing and spends her days partying and drinking. She then falls in love and we slowly learn more about her. There is something so bittersweet about this 480 page novel. It is a book that will stay with you!
Something about City of Girls is so summery to me! It is a sweeping novel and we follow Vivian throughout her lifetime. It is set in New York, mostly at a theatre, and it is so fun and surprisingly impactful. I need to reread this! It is 470 pages.
Night Film is technically a horror/thriller, but at 640 pages I would hardly say it is a quick read! That said, it is told through mixed media, which makes for such a unique reading experience. I thought that this was so creepy and I loved every second of it!
There we have it! I hope that you found some new books to add to your summer TBR! Let me know what your summer reading plans are!
What are you currently reading?
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I don’t usually read thrillers but I did read The River!
I want to try to read more literary thrillers or something similar!
Heller has a new one out!
I loved You Had Me at Hola! I haven’t read the others but there are quite a few I’ve heard good things about. The River has been on my TBR for a while. Another summery suggestion is People We Meet on Vacation by the author of Beach Read. Vacation was really good, not perfect but great characters.
I have seen that book everywhere! The cover alone screams summer!
I’m actually reading Malibu Rising right now, early days but I’m enjoying it. I tend to lean towards contemporary and romcoms in the summer. Although have to confess I also love reading them in Autumn, Winter and Spring.
I hope you continue to enjoy Malibu Rising!
I am the same. I read RomComs all year round but crave them more in the summertime!
those thrillers look amazing!! (i only recently got into reading them)
I think all of them would be perfect if you are just getting into them!
I have The Kiss Quotient on my TBR and want to read it this summer. I’ve read Malibu Rising, and loved that one. Great list! Thanks.
I hope you love The Kiss Quotient as much as I did!!
I’ve made myself a very ambitious TBR of 15 books to read this summer! There’s so many on there I’m excited about, but right now I’m particularly looking forward to Honey Girl, Sadie and The Atlas Six!
I absolutely loved Honey Girl and Sadie! Both very different but perfect summer reads!
I’m really not a seasonal reader, but I enjoy one or two summer reads. I really cannot wait to get my hands on Malibu Rising!
I am curious to see what you think of Malibu Rising!
Me too honestly, because Evelyn Hugo is one of my favourite books but on the other hand I didn’t love Daisy Jones that much. So I’m really curious to see if I’ll enjoy this!