Nadine Mustafa By: Vereena Bishoy
What better company to the warm sun on your skin, the crisp towel beneath you, and the waves singing in front of you than a good book to indulge in? This summer, your beach bag should include sunblock, a towel, a favorite drink, and at least one recommended beach read.
Kicking off this list with no other than the queen of beach reads herself, Emily Henry. The American author is known for her sweet summer romances made for the breezy beach weather, and coincidently one of her most famous fan favorites is Beach Read (appropriate for ages 17 and up).
January Adams, famous for her “chick lit” stories, is stuck in a writer’s rut, so she moves into a lake house to create a novel she owes her publisher. At the lake house, she finds out that next door resides Augustus “Gus” Everett, a novelist, former college acquaintance, and current rival, who is also working on his next book, which is nothing like those of January. As they rekindle, a bet is born. January is challenged to write a serious work of literary fiction, while Gus will attempt to write something happy for once—the perfect plot for a haters-to-lovers story to commence.
You may also want to check out similar tiles for Emily Henry, like People We Meet on Vacation, Book Lovers, and her newest release, Happy Place.
Suppose you are looking for an entertaining, scandalous, and gripping story full of twists and turns this summer. You can pick up the YA psychological thriller, We Were Liars by E. Lockhart (appropriate for ages 14 and up) and join the Sinclairs on their private island this summer.
Living off Grandfather Harris’ fortune and spending their summers vacationing on his private island, the Sinclairs have it all. Cadence, the eldest granddaughter, and her friends are nicknamed the Liars and are a tightly-knit group until one summer when Cadence ends up in an accident. As Cadence pieces together the circumstances of her accident, she will discover the truth about herself and her family.
Or, if you wish for a more adult-catered novel of the same essence, you can go to Fire Island with a group of friends with Bad Summer People by Emma Rosenblum (suitable for ages 20 and up) and join in on the story wrapped in infidelity, backstabbing, and a dead body.
On the note of murder, you might want to dive into a classic murder mystery crafted by one of the pioneers of murder mysteries, Agatha Christie. Death on the Nile is the go-to summer whodunit—the girl who had everything lost her life with a shot in the head. The famous Hercule Poirot joins the Egyptian cruise to unravel who killed the young and beautiful Linnet Ridgeway at sea.
If escapism is not your goal this summer, consider these memoirs and biographies because this is as real as it gets.
The heartbreaking and hilarious memoir Jennette McCurdy, a Nickelodeon sensation known for her roles on iCarly and Sam & Cat, has become very popular among readers worldwide. She takes you through her journey and struggles as a former child actor. How she grappled with addiction, eating disorders, and a complicated relationship with her mother hence the title, I’m Glad My Mother Died.
Paris: The Memoir, by Paris Hilton, has also been popular amongst its readers since its release in March of this year. A deep dive into the famous creator’s life, all titles stripped. She shares her struggles with undiagnosed ADHD, boarding schools where she “survived almost two years of verbal, physical, and sexual abuse,” and much more.
Leaving Paris and arriving in Buckingham Palace, Spare by Prince Harry and Ghostwriter J.R. Moehringer unveils the picturesque royal family by disclosing the story of the boy who walked behind his mother’s coffin in front of millions of people and how this moment altered everything. He reflects on his mother’s death, complicated relationships with other family members, and battles with the press.
Many write about the hurdles and bitterness of life. Still, others opt to laugh at them, and therefore if you are looking for a good laugh, check out Quietly Hostile: Essays by Samantha Irby, where she shares the gory details of her life behind the glitter and glam. This relatable read will guarantee you a laugh-out-loud.
