If you’re lucky enough to be escaping to the beach this summer, the chances are that you’ll be taking a good book with you. I don’t know about you, but I always read so much more on holiday. At home, it can take a while to finish a book, but on a sunny beach holiday, I can read one a day! My Kindle is always filled to the brim with new books. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the best new books that you won’t be able to put down…even for a dip in the sea.
The Assistants- Camille Perri
Twenty-something girls, working in low paid office jobs, this one’s for you. In business, the saying goes that behind every successful boss, is a busy assistant. Well, Tina’s boss is very successful, and she is definitely very busy-overworked and stressed. One day, an error in the expenses system sends Tina a cheque that would pay off every debt she’s ever acquired. The rest of the book centres around Tina’s wrestle with morality; is it stealing if it was technically given to you?
Buy it from Amazon here.
Girls on Fire- Robin Wasserman
Hannah Dexter is a nobody, bullied by queen bee Nikki. Until one day, Nikki’s boyfriend walks into the woods and shoots himself. Following the suicide, Hannah befriends a new girl, Lacey, who transforms Hannah into Dex- a Doc Marten wearing Nirvana fan who is up for any challenge. However, Lacey has a secret and it’s about to change everything…
This book is about female self confidence, from a terrifying and tragic perspective.
Buy it from Amazon here.
Modern Lovers- Emma Straub
Middle-aged friends Elizabeth, Andrew and Zoe are trying desperately to cling onto their youth. They were once in a band together, but have now watched each other grow up, buy houses and have children. Suddenly, as their adolescent children begin falling in love with each other, the friends have to grow up incredibly quickly. Set in Brooklyn, this story is reminding us of Rufus and Lily from the TV show Gossip Girl, but it’s an enchanting story about letting go of youth in it’s own right.
Buy it from Amazon here.
The Royal We- Heather Cocks, Jessica Morgan
Loosely based on the story of Prince William and Kate Middleton, The Royal We tells the story of American Bex Porter, who heads off to Oxford for university and meets lovely Nick from across the hall. She is quickly taken into his friendship group, as she doesn’t quite understand why every girl in the building is falling at his feet. What follows is a story of true love, told by Bex on the eve of the wedding of the century.
Buy it from Amazon here.
Six of Crows- Leigh Barduga
Hailed as Game of Thrones meets Ocean’s Eleven, this exciting novel has got everyone talking. Criminal Kaz is offered the chance to take part in a heist which could make him rich beyond his imagination, but he won’t be able to do it alone. Six dangerous outcasts come together to pull off the heist, if they don’t end up killing each other first. Although it is a young adult novel, Bardugo pulls you into a gripping world that you’ll find hard to escape.
Buy it from Amazon here.
My Best Friend’s Exorcism- Grady Hendrix
If you grew up in the 80s, this nostalgia fest is for you. Abby and Gretchen have been the best of friends since the fifth grade, but when they arrive at high school, Gretchen begins to act strangely. As the strange occurrences begin to add up, Abby realises there is only one explanation for her bestie’s bizarre behaviour- she has a demon growing inside her. Gretchen is Abby’s favourite person in the world, and she isn’t about to let her go without a fight.
Buy it from Amazon here.
The Decent Proposal- Kemper Donovan
£500,000 to spend two hours a week for a year, talking to one person? That’s what happens to Richard and Elizabeth, two thirty somethings living in Los Angeles. They know nothing about each other, except that a suspicious benefactor has offered them one million dollars to share. Richard needs the money, Elizabeth needs the excitement, so why not? This is a journey full of twists and turns, with a diverse cast of characters who help bring modern LA to life through the pages.
Buy it from Amazon here.
When She Was Bad- Tammy Cohen
Do you work in an office? How much do you really know about that colleague you chat to in the kitchen? The person sitting opposite you? Your boss? Amira, Paula, Sarah, Charlie and Ewan have worked together for many years, establishing a comfortable routine. Until one day, their boss is fired and in walks a new one, who is determined to shake things up. Suddenly, the air changes…who secretly hates who? What secret are they hiding? This is a gripping page turner which will keep you guessing until the very end.
Buy it from Amazon here.
The Girls- Emma Cline
In the heat of the Californian summer, 1969, the days seem to stretch on forever. Evie Boyd is a bored 14 year old, desperate to be noticed by somebody, anybody. Until one day, she sees them- the girls. Dresses skim their thighs, cheap rings adorn their fingers and their cold laughter rings in the air. Evie’s life is about to change forever as she becomes unwittingly tangled in a web of unspeakable violence. This is the book of the summer, no doubt about it.
Buy it from Amazon here.
Under the Harrow- Flynn Berry
Nora regularly takes the train to the countryside to visit her sister Rachel, for tea. On this day, Nora walks into her sister’s house expecting to find her cooking. What she finds instead, is a brutal murder scene. Nora is instantly taken back to the past, the past that herself and Rachel tried so hard to escape. Nora realises that she cannot rely on the police to find her sister’s killer, nor can she return to her old life. This psychological thriller explores the relationship between two sisters and the power of the past.
Buy it from Amazon here.
Sweetbitter- Stephanie Danler
Tess is a 22 year old girl who moves to New York for a fresh start. So far, a pretty standard beginning to a novel, right? This is no ordinary tale. Tess gets a job in an upmarket restaurant and the readers stay with her for a year, whilst she grows further entangled with two fellow servers- a handsome bartender and an older lady. Sweetbitter is a tale of discovery, disillusionment and enchantment; just don’t read it when you’re hungry, as Danler’s descriptions of the food will leave you reaching for the biscuit tin.
Buy it from Amazon here.
All the Missing Girls- Megan Miranda
This book is told backwards from day 15 to day 1. It’s been 10 years since Nicolette left her hometown following the disappearance of her best friend Corinne. Returning to care for her elderly father, Nicolette is soon transported back into an investigation as another young woman goes missing. You may think you can predict the ending, but Miranda literally picks up the reader and everything that they think they know, and turns them upside down. How far would you go to protect someone you love?
Buy it from Amazon here.
The Girls in the Garden- Lisa Jewell
Set in a communal garden in London, one night a festive midsummers party is taking place. Pip discovers her thirteen year old sister Grace lying unconscious; what happened to her? who is responsible? The author builds up suspense excellently, with lots of twists and turns. It’s filled with all different kinds of families who make up the community, from single parents to elderly residents.
Buy it from Amazon here.
Viral- Helen Fitzgerald
If you’re from the UK, you’ll probably remember the story of the young girl from Magaluf, perfoming sex acts in a club which went viral. That’s what this story is about, an eerily similar plot that truly explores the dark side of social media. You’ll become emotionally invested in Leah and her sister Su, as her family become desperate on their quest for justice, and the quest to find Su after she disappears.
Buy it on Amazon here.
So there you have it. Grab your towel, find a nearby bar and settle into your sunlounger for a summer of books you’ll never forget.
Don’t forget to let us know your favourite beach reads, past and present. We’re always on the quest for new tales.
