Beach Reads: What to Read This Summer

I always find time for reading, but summer tends to be when I read the most. I look for quick reads, lighter reads. A good story that sucks me in, but not really “serious literature.” Beach reads.

If you’re looking for a beach read, I have some suggestions for you. These are not necessarily the most recent releases, but just what I’ve read in the past few months that I would recommend. Though the bonus with that is they’re often less expensive than new releases or can be easily found in the library. I will share the links to these books on Amazon (affiliate links, so I earn a teeny bit if you buy from this post).

The Last One by Alexandra Oliva A Survivor-ish reality show where contestants have to compete in teams and navigate their way around the wilderness, then eventually make their way alone. But a sickness hits the country during filming and the contestants are left not knowing what is real and what has been set up for the purposes of the game. This was a great twist for reality tv fans.

Paper Princess (The Royals Trilogy) by Erin Watt This was a pure guilty pleasure read. It’s young adult in the sense that the Gossip Girl show was young adult. Wealthy teens and their twisted personal and family relationships. Juicy and fun, perfect for a beach read. I’d recommend buying the trilogy from the start because you’ll want to read them all. The series has a 4+ rating on Goodreads.

The Guardians Trilogy by Nora Roberts There’s a formula to Roberts’ trilogies: a quest, 6 people (3 men, 3 women), each book focusing on one of the parts of the quest and a romance between one of the couples. But, this formula works and I enjoy her trilogies. This one deals with the myth of stars that were hidden on earth by  goddesses. The characters all have some sort of supernatural ability. Entertaining fluffy beach read.

The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon You may have read Everything, Everything or seen the movie when it came out this spring, but I actually like this book by Yoon better(even if Everything, Everything is still a good read). Young Adult, the lives of the two main characters (and a few supporting characters) intertwine on one day, showing how paths cross and affect each other. It’s a sweet story.

Before the Storm by Diane Chamberlain I’ve enjoyed every book I’ve read by Chamberlain. She writes of family dramas, always with some sort of twist. In this one, a fire is set at a local church and a young boy (who has fetal alcohol syndrome) is at first the hero, helping kids to safety. But then suspicion turns on him as the person who could have started the fire that killed three people, injured others, and endangered many. This is set in a small beach town near me. The sequel is just as good, Secrets She Left Behind, though the first book functions as a stand-alone, so you don’t have to read the second (but the second really only makes sense if you read the first).

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarity I hesitated to put this one on my list as it’s the oldest on here and it seemed like everyone was talking about it a few years back. But I’m one of those people who is skeptical when “everyone” raves about a book and while I’d liked her The Husband’s Secret, I didn’t loooove it like so many people did. But a friend lent me this book a few weeks ago and it really does live up to the hype. The story opens with a death at an elementary school fundraiser and then goes back in time to explain the complicated relationships the school moms have with each other and their spouses. There are surprises and twists along the way. This was a super quick and enjoyable read for me.