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The Perpetual Page-Turner

The Perpetual Page-Turner

Book Recommendations and Book Lists For Adults And Kids

Home | books | 39 New Books To Add To Your Beach Bag For Summer 2023

39 New Books To Add To Your Beach Bag For Summer 2023

May 6, 2023 - Updated June 7, 2023 // 6 Comments

It’s my favorite time of the year — the time where I share the books that I think are THE newer & best beach reads for 2023.

After our trip to Italy this spring we are hanging a little low this summer but with plenty of day trips to the beach (and maybe even a short trip to Jamaica for Will and I). Regardless, I know I will be doing all the outside reading full of frothy summer reads no matter where I am.

Summer is my favorite season for reading because I LOVE reading outside (we got a hammock last summer!) and I love making my summer beach read lists & guides every year — definitely feels like a throwback to all the years in school when I’d excitedly dive into the school summer reading list.

If you’ve read my beach reading lists before you know, while I think ANYTHING can be a summer read/beach read and it’s super subjective, there are certain types of books I personally gravitate to during beach reads season — light & easy reads of all genres, romance novels, fast-paced thrillers that I can’t put down and just anything super juicy and unputdownable. And I think I’m not the only one that sees those type of books when they are looking for good books to read on the beach.

Wanna catch up on my past beach reads posts? Check out 2022’s post, 2021’s post, 2020’s post, 2019’s post, 2018, 2017’s list, 2016’s list (if you search hard enough you can find some REALLY old ones but the posts are really ugly haha)

Best Beach Reads For 2023

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links which means that if you click on a link and purchase something I’ve talked about or recommended, I’ll receive a very small percentage of the sale. Please see my disclosure policy for more info

Beach Reading Guide: Table of Contents by Genre
  1. My Top 4 Beach Reads For 2023
  2. Contemporary/General Fiction Beach Reads
  3. Romance & Rom-com Beach Reads
  4. Thriller & Mystery Beach Reads
  5. Lighter Historical Fiction Beach Reads
  6. YA Beach Reads
  7. The Best Beach Reads From The Past Couple Years

Top Beach Read Picks For 2023

These are the beach reads that will most definitely be going into my beach bag/are part of my summer reading plans this year!

Book cover for Meet Me At The Lake by Carley Fortune

Meet Me At The Lake by Carley Fortune – Out Now

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Perfect for readers who: want summer vibes (lake setting!), nostalgia, longing and second chance romances

Every Summer After shot to the top of my go-to beach read recommendation last year and this atmospheric sophomore novel is a must for your beach bag if you enjoy romance and lakeside settings.

An instant connection and life-changing day spent together prompted twenty-somethings Fern and Max to make a plan to meet a year later at Fern’s family lakeside resort.

When Max is a no-show on the date they are supposed to meet a year later, it changes the trajectory of Fern’s life and she has never quite gotten over it.

Now, 10 years later, Fern has returned to the family’s lakeside resort after her mother’s death and is desperately trying to keep it going. And then in walks Max — 9 years too late and not quite the same man she met all those years before.

Book cover for Happy Place by Emily Henry

Happy Place by Emily Henry – Out Now

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Perfect for readers who: love romances with emotional depth (and palpable summertime settings)or who really enjoyed Carley Fortune’s Every Summer After

The ultimate vacation read for me — while I didn’t devour this on the beach or poolside, I listened to this book on the plane to and from Italy this Spring (and randomly at times while I was there) and it was everything I needed to read on vacation from its atmospheric and transporting setting to the second chance romance to the fun group of friends and feelings of nostalgia.

Maybe my favorite Emily Henry yet which is saying something because I’ve loved them all and heartily recommend them as perfect rom-com/romance beach reads. I’m not even a huge second chance romance lover and I couldn’t get enough of this one.

A second chance romance about a couple who has recently (and without telling anyone) broken up and called off their engagement and are forced to pretend to still be together when their long-time friend group goes on, what they find out is, their last summer they are able to all get together at the Maine cottage that has been a decade-long tradition. They’ll have to fake it in between old memories, nostalgic haunts and bubbling, unresolved feelings that threaten to spill forward.

Get the hottest books of the year for WAY less!

New books can get so expensive! One of the ways I save, besides my library, is by subscribing to Book of the Month — a monthly book subscription devoted to serving up the must-reads of the year at a cost less than what you’d get elsewhere. I love making my selection each year. Read my review of Book of the Month for more info.

Book cover for True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren

The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren – Out May 16

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Perfect for readers who: love binge watching dating reality shows (or just love a good rom-com to read on the beach)

Christina Lauren books always are top beach books for me so naturally a new Christina Lauren release should have a coveted spot in your beach bag this summer.

This one will absolutely wrap you up in the story of a romance author, in need of her own real life romance and a way out of her career funk, who gets roped in to a reality tv show to help her find her own true love by an aspiring filmmaker who is being forced into creating a hit reality show.

Book cover for Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros – Out Now

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Perfect for readers who: devoured ACOTAR on the beach (or anywhere)

Romantasy is my new favorite genre these days and if you don’t mind lugging a thick fantasy romance to the beach, check out this new series starter that is a bit Game of Thrones meets Sarah J. Maas with a bit of dark academia.

This one is about a 20 year old woman who has been ordered to join the brutal and competitive war academy for dragon riders instead of pursing her dream of being a scribe. Totally unprepared and with quite a few obstacles in her way, she must survive the deadly trainings (as well as the other students) as she tries to prove she is worthy — all while war rages outside and she suspects leadership is withholding some secrets.

P.S. If you love ACOTAR check out this guest post Sarah did on ACOTAR’s release day back in 2015.

If you like contemporary fiction to be at the top of your summer reading list

Book cover for Maame by Jessica George

Maame by Jessica George – Out Now

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Perfect for readers who: love a good coming of age story about that transformative time in your 20’s and don’t mind maybe shedding some tears on the beach (though fyi some of the story deals with loss/grief of a parent if that is a trigger)

One of the top books I’ve read in 2023 and one that hit me on such a personal level. While maybe not typical beach read fare, this contemporary coming of age story is heartfelt, funny and one that you will easily get lost in because the main character’s voice is so strong. It’s just a delightful gem of a book that deserves a spot on beach reading lists if you are a reader who wants a book that isn’t necessarily super light and is such a powerful, thoughtful read.

Book cover for The Comeback Summer by Ali Brady

The Comeback Summer by Ali Brady – Out May 9. 2023

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Perfect for readers who: love heartwarming women’s fiction with a dash of romance in it

Ali Brady’s The Beach Trap was one of my favorite beach reads last year so this is an instant add to the beach bag. A feel good story of sisterhood, love and a summer of self discovery!

Two sisters, desperately trying to keep the PR firm they inherited from their grandmother afloat, catch a break with a potential new client that could turn it all around. The only catch? The client is a self help guru who will only hire them if they complete a twelve week challenge all about getting outside their comfort zone.

Wanting to land this client and save their grandmother’s legacy, the girls set out on their summer challenge that will stretch them more than they could imagine and test the relationship (and also bringing old and new love their way).

You May Also Like: Most Anticipated 2023 Adult Fiction Books

Book cover for The Daydreams

The Daydreams by Laura Hankin – Out Now

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Perfect for readers who: can’t get enough of nostalgic & gossipy reunion specials IRL or juicy fictional celeb/musician books

With this one think a little bit more of a lighter Daisy Jones-esque read meets The OC (if it was more musical a la Glee or High School Musical).

The stars of a popular teen show from the early 2000s — rocked by a scandalous implosion and cancellation of the show– coming together for the first time 13 years later for a reunion special that will either be a chance for redemption or a chance at further scandal and mess.

P.S. Books Like Daisy Jones & The Six

Book cover for Hayley Aldridge Is Still Here by Elissa R. Sloan

Hayley Aldridge Is Still Here by Elissa R. Sloan – Out Now

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Perfect for readers who: want celeb fiction that is juicy and page-turning but also thought-provoking and critical towards the darker sides of celebrity and the industries that cultivate it.

Inspired by Britney Spears and her fight against her conservatorship (as well as others like Amanda Bynes), this celeb fiction follows a child star turned former Hollywood-It girl fighting back against the conservatorship that has dictated her life for the past decade and allowing her very little freedom. The story weaves together her fight as well as her retelling, to her daughters, the story of her rise to fame and descent into the conservatorship she’s fighting.

If you like your beach bag to be filled rom-coms and romances

Check out more new & upcoming romance and rom-coms to add to your list!

Book cover for Romantic Comedy

Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld- Out Now

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Perfect for readers who: are seeking smart and funny romantic comedies that feel a little more on the literary side but still very much classic rom-com vibes

Reminds me of all the classic rom-coms I grew up loving and actually funny — this exudes everything I love about the rom-com genre and love stories and pays homage to it all. There’s so much to love in this book and will be an absorbing book for the beach with memorable characters, plenty of lols and incredible writing.

A writer for a SNL-type comedy show is jaded when it comes to love/romance and has sworn it all off — choosing to focus more on her career and non-romantic relationships. That is until a dreamy pop sensation is a guest on the show and the spark feels like it goes far beyond their professional collaboration which challenges all her assumptions surrounding love, men like him and if things like this only happen in fiction.

Book cover for Once More With Feeling by Elissa Sussman

Once More With Feeling by Elissa Sussman – Out May 30, 2023

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Perfect for readers who: love a good celeb romance (esp if you were glued to Justin and Britney back in the day) or can’t get enough of pop culture/examinations of pop culture

A friends to lovers meets enemies to lovers romance? Plus set in the world of mega pop-stardom and, in the present day sections, Broadway with a dash of a celeb love triangle? It’s everything I need for a good juicy pool-side read. And it’s in paperback which is my favorite beach read format to throw in my beach bag.

Katee used to be a mega pop-star dating a popular lead of a boy band until she blew up her career and love life with one unforgettable night with another member of the boy band who has been her friend/crush since their theater camp days. Now, after living a normal life out of the spotlight, she’s offered a career re-building opportunity with a starring role on Broadway — the catch being that Cal, her childhood friend and crush, is the director.

Book cover for Same Time Next Summer

Same Time Next Summer by Annabel Monaghan – Out June 6, 2023

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Perfect for readers who: love second chance romances, nostalgic summer stories and completely devoured Every Summer After/Happy Place

Another author who gave me a really good beach book last year (Nora Goes Off Script) is coming out with what looks to be a perfect summertime beach read, how lucky am I!

It’s about a woman who, while returning home to tour possible wedding venues near her family’s Long Island beach home, has her perfectly planned and predictable life shaken when she finds out that her childhood love (and breaker of her heart all those years ago) is also home to play a music festival. When all their past memories vividly rush back and their connection seeming to be as easy as ever, she starts to question the trajectory of her life and who she has become versus the girl she was the last time they were together here.

If you like your beach bag to be filled with sizzling thrillers & mysteries

Page-turning and twisty these reads are — sure to keep your attention while relaxing all summer long whether at the pool, the beach or in bed after a long summer’s day.

Check out this year’s new thriller books for even more thriller beach reads!

Book cover for Stone Cold Fox

Stone Cold Fox by Rachel Koller Croft – Out Now

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Perfect for readers who: want a juicy thriller on the beach full of badly behaving rich people

I don’t know what it is about grift/con thrillers that has been my favorite type of thriller beach read lately but they are really what is bringing the perfect sizzling beach read vibe when it comes to the thrills.

This one is about a woman who has conned all her life alongside her mother and decides — in order to leave that life behind forever — she’s going to grift one last time to land herself the heir of one of the country’s wealthiest families. The only thing standing in her way is a friend hellbent on not allowing this match to happen turning into a dangerous cat-and-mouse game.

Book cover for Bad Summer People by Emma Rosenblum

Bad Summer People by Emma Rosenblum – Out Now

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Perfect for readers who: love domestic suspense dramas a la Liane Moriarty with a heavy dose of badly behaving rich people (White Lotus, Desperate Housewives). Especially for you if you’ve enjoyed books by Mary Cobb

I’ve already established that these types of domestic suspense dramas are my beach read thrillers of choice and honestly the worse behaved the characters the better. It just feels right to escape like that with my summer-time reads because I KNOW they will keep the pages moving at a breakneck speed and fully allow me to drift away from reality.

Set in a wealthy beach community, with plenty of secrets and scandals to go around behind the perfect facade, the ultimate scandal unfolds at the beginning of the book with the discovery of a dead body on the boardwalk and turns the summer upside down in this small community.

Book cover for The Chateau

The Chateau by Jaclyn Goldis – Out May 23, 2023

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Perfect for readers who: love a good locked-room whodunit with a luxurious setting

A group of 4 women are invited, by the grandmother of one of the girls, back to the Provence chateau where they spent time when they all studied abroad during college 20 years before — a sudden and surprising invitation but a dream trip nonetheless.

As the women descend on the chateau, an impending big announcement from their hostess never happens when the woman is found dead after a night of celebration. The shocking murder renders everyone suspects and things get even more sinister when an Instagram account pops up threatening to spill their secrets.

Book cover for You Can Trust Me by Wendy Heard

You Can Trust Me by Wendy Heard – Out June 13, 2023

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Perfect for readers who: love to get in a fast-paced and fun thriller and those who can’t get enough of fictional grifting

This fast-paced psychological thriller will be a must-read beach read for your summer vacation — compulsively readable and taut suspense.

Two best friends have been conning and scamming their way through the elite of sunny California. But when a big catch is reeled in, in the form of a billionaire and philanthropist’s invite to his private island, one of the girls accepts an invite while the other waits for the spoils of the trip.

But that never comes as her friend never comes back and has basically disappeared prompting her to head to the island to find out what happened after all.

Book cover for She Started It by Sian Gilbert

She Started It by Sian Gilbert – Out June 13, 2023

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Perfect for readers who: love sipping a daiquiri beach-side while reading a juicy revenge story

One of my most anticipated new thriller books for 2023 for its promise of twisty summer goodness in a beachy setting to boot.

A group of childhood best friends who have drifted, but still remain bonded by their secrets are surprised when they get an extravagant invite to a Caribbean bachelorette party by another in the group who, by social media appearances, seems to be living quite the posh life but whom they haven’t spoken to in some time. The women accept the invite for a Caribbean getaway but soon the party takes a sinister turn turning up some of their darkest secrets.

If a lighter historical fiction is your idea of a good beach read

Hotel Laguna by Nicola Harrison

Hotel Laguna by Nicola Harrison – Out June 30, 2023

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Perfect for readers who: are looking for historical fiction beach read and who love historical stories featuring strong & independent women finding their way in a world that wants to put them in a box

Historical fiction is a genre I love so much but it’s often hard for me to find historical fiction beach reads that don’t depress me/feel too heavy mood wise or that are too literary I can’t slip into them easy when my brain is needing something a bit lighter and page-turning. But a really good historical beach read can bring exactly what I need to enjoy the genre amidst the rom-coms and juicy thrillers in my bag.

Set in the sunsoaked coast town of Laguna Beach, it’s about a woman who came from the midwest to Calfornia to do her part in the war efforts, becoming one of the many Rosie the Riveters building bombers for the military, and who now post-war must figure out what’s next for her life that doesn’t involve going back into a traditional woman’s role when her dreams are much bigger.

Book cover for Did You Hear About Kitty Karr?

Did You Hear About Kitty Karr? by Crystal Smith Paul – Out Now

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Perfect for readers who: devoured The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and other glamorous/juicy multi-generational family sagas that flit from the past to the present as the generational family secrets reverberate there

Get lost in this Old Hollywood-set beach book in 2023 — a book that brings that glamour and juiciness of Evelyn Hugo mixed with The Vanishing Half’s exploration of race, privilege and family.

Long held family secrets and revelations are unearthed when a silver screen icon dies and leaves her estate to 3 Black sisters and a journal of Kitty’s — that chronicles her childhood in Jim Crow South through her time as a woman in Hollywood — and find out their shocking connection to the starlet and the secrets she held close about her identity.

If Young Adult Books Are Staples In Your Beach Reads Rotation

Book cover for Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute

Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert- Out Now

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Perfect for readers who: love a good friends to enemies to lovers book

Talia Hibbert is one of my all-time favorite romance authors and her YA debut is making a big splash this year!

Academic rivals and former friends are forced to work together at an outdoors survival program and the stakes are high in the form of a university scholarship. As they try to repair their relationship for the sake of survival on this adventure, the good memories they shared start to resurface and could be just the spark the two need.

Book cover for Her Good Side

Her Good Side by Rebekah Weatherspoon – Out May 30, 2023

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Perfect for readers who: fans of the fake dating trope and sweet YA romances like those from Jenny Han & Morgan Matson

Romance author Rebekkah Weatherspoon’s YA romance debut!

Two awkward teens, both striking out in the romance/dating department lately, decide to fake-date in order to get some experience and confidence for their next attempts at dating. And their scheme seems to be working in many ways but soon gets confusing as fake romance blurs into real feelings.

The Best Beach Reads From The Past Couple Years

Not looking for a brand new release from 2023 but still want a newer beach read to get lost in this summer? Check out one of these perfect beach books from the past couple years that have been favorite beach reads that I can’t stop recommending.

book cover for Every Summer After by Carley Fortune

Every Summer After by Carley Fortune – Out now

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I can’t enough of books that are set during summer and I always wind up throwing them in my beach bag first every year! Especially books that are told throughout the course of many summers as well as the present day — like this book. And this one was PERFECT.

When Sam and Percy meet the first summer at the lake, they become inseparable for the next six summers as friendship blossoms into something more. But, now, a decade later and Percy hasn’t been back to the lake since the summer she made a mistake that led her to never coming back or ever seeing Sam again.

But now, all these years later, Percy heads back to the lake for the weekend to attend the funeral of Sam’s mother and confront all she ran away from all those years ago.

Perfect for readers who: grew up devouring Sarah Dessen books on the beach (this isn’t YA but so that vibe of SD and or even The Summer I Turned Pretty but grown up!) , love messy & emotional romances, are fans of second chance romances

Book cover for Book Lovers by Emily Henry

Book Lovers by Emily Henry- Out now

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Two summers in a row Emily Henry has given me the most perfect summer time reading material and I am not shocked that this was another slam dunk in the beach reading department!

A cutthroat literary agent agrees to go with her sister to a small town in North Carolina (the setting of a romance novel from one of Nora’s clients and that her sister loves) for a month-long sister vacation to get away from the city for a bit and hopefully get out of the ruts they are in.

Her break from the city takes an unexpected turn when she runs into her rival – a brooding editor back in the city whom she can’t stand and who passed on that same romance novel years ago.

Entertaining a list of things to do that her sister came up with while they are there and a string of unexpected situations arising, she finds herself constantly being thrown together with her rival and realizes they have more in common than the books they both love so much.


Perfect for readers who: love romcoms, adore the rivals turned lovers romance trope, like books about book people, love a strong sisterly sub plot

Book cover for One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle

One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle

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Perfect for readers who: don’t mind a side of emotions with their beach read, are seeking vivid settings, love mother/daughter stories, enjoyed Faye Faraway like I did,  are in need of an armchair vacation

This book absolutely transported me to Italy and really got me with those food descriptions! It also made me a wee bit emotional on a personal level considering a big chunk of the story is about the main character working through the grief of losing her mother on this trip they were supposed to take together. A trip that there is no way her mom should be there but there her mom is – albeit her younger self. 

Suspend that need to know why or how that could happen and you’ll enjoy this Italian summer escape and one woman’s journey through grief and learning more about her mother’s story and history she wasn’t aware of.

P.S. Check out this list of books set in Italy for more Italian set books!

One of my favorite way to get through my never-ending list of books to read:

Audiobooks are HUGE in helping me find time to read all these books and LibroFM is my preferred audiobook service. They are THE best audiobook subscription, hands down. Get 2 audiobooks for the price of 1 here! Check out my review of LibroFM for more info.

Book cover for Cover Story by Susan Rigetti

Cover Story by Susan Rigetti – Out Now!

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Perfect for readers who: were enthralled by Inventing Anna on Netflix, love a fresh format (told in diary entries, media clippings, etc.)

Definitely inspired by Anna Delvey and all the scammer/grifter stories out there (Elizabeth Holmes & and Caroline Calloway also come to my mind), this read is the perfect escape to get lost into whilst on vacation or at the beach as you read about a young woman who gets entangled in the glitz and glamour of her newfound friend’s life — a life that isn’t entirely as it seems as the cracks start to expose things.


Book cover for The Unsinkable Greta James

The Unsinkable Greta James by Jennifer E. Smith – Out Now!

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Perfect for readers who: love stories of self discovery, family and grief with a side of a romantic elements and adventure

One of my favorite books of last year — compulsively readable! A perfect setting to escape into (Alaska), a tender-hearted meet cute and a poignant look at the shared grieving experience of those left behind.

It’s about Greta, a rising indie music star whose career is hanging in the balance after an onstage meltdown that went viral after the death of her mother, who ends up taking an Alaskan cruise with her father — a trip that her mother and father were supposed to take.

Greta and her father don’t get along very well and that relationship has become even more fractured since her mom has died which makes this trip fraught with tension along with the baggage they are both bringing — their grief as well as Greta’s attempt to outrun her heartbreak and humiliation and potential nose-diving career if she can’t get it together. This trip could either destroy what little relationship the two have left or heal it.

As the adventure gets underway, Greta meets a man who is dealing with his own life upheavals. The encounter, along with spending time with her dad, will help lead Greta to what comes next for her.


Book cover for Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan

Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan – Out June 7

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Perfect for readers who: loved Evvie Drake Starts Over or The Overdue Life of Amy Byler, are looking for something feel-good and uplifting

Straddling the line between contemporary women’s fiction and rom-com, this one is about a divorced romance channel screenwriter and mom who writes the best script of her life about her absolutely disastrous collapse of her marriage and ends up having this biographical script picked up to be a major motion picture.

This turn of events might just what she needs to help her reclaim her life and find love when the leading man of the movie asks her to stay at her home for a week to escape reality for a bit (and he’ll pay handsomely).

Book cover for The Beach Trap by Ali Brady

The Beach Trap by Ali Brady – Out Now!

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Perfect for readers who: enjoy heartwarming family stories with a side of romance

Fifteen years ago, Kat and Blake become fast friends at summer camp — until they realize they are actually half-sisters and the secret crumbles the friendship. Now, their dad has died and given them a joint inheritance of a dilapidated beach house in Florida.

The estranged sisters have conflicting views on what to do with the house but reluctantly agree to renovate the house together all summer. The summer brings clashing opinions, summer romances and coming to terms with the secret that broke everything so many years ago.

This is truly one of the best vacation reads ever!

Book cover for How To Fake it in Hollywood

How To Fake It In Hollywood by Ava Wilder

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Perfect for readers who: love fake dating tropes, enjoy your romances & rom-comes to also pack an emotional punch

A talented Hollywood starlet, looking to keep her career afloat after her long-standing teen soap drama ends, agrees to her publicist’s scheme to enter into a fake relationship with a reclusive A-lister who needs the PR stunt for his own reasons after personal hardships had him pull away from the industry.

Book cover for The Lying Club

The Lying Club by Annie Ward

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Did you love Big Little Lies? If so, pack this one up in your beach bag! This suspenseful read will suck you into a story of revenges, webs of lies, and murder all tied to an elite private school — all unraveled through the POV of three different women involved in the scandal in some way.

I also think this one would make a perfect summer book club pick, honestly! Entertaining, drama-filled and still giving enough to talk about.


Perfect for readers who: blew through Big Little Lies on the beach, are looking for books with lots of twists and turns, like their books with high drama

Book cover for One Of Us Is Dead by Jeneva Rose

One Of Us Is Dead by Jeneva Rose – Out Now!

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Desperate Housewives + all your favorite catty, messy reality shows mixed with the thrills of a domestic housewife thriller book is the vibe here.

Told through multiple points of view of the women of the affluent Buckhead neighborhood, secrets and revenge collide and someone won’t make it out alive. Is it the former queen bee and wife of a politician who has been dumped? Is it the woman who replaced her? The woman who has been waiting to take the queen bee crown? Or is it the one who knows all their juicy secrets?

Perfect for readers who: love shows like Desperate Housewives, looking for a “popcorn thriller” filled with messy drama & juicy secrets, enjoyed The Hunting Wives, enjoy the Rich People Behaving Badly & Possibly Murdery trope

Book cover for The Edge of Summer by Erica George

The Edge of Summer by Erica George- Out June 14

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This is like the epitome of YA beach read type books I love in the summer — a contemporary YA romance with some self-discovery and a need for some tissues. One of those books that shows side-by-side the beauty and tragedies of life that can co-exist at the same time.

This one is about a young girl who experiences the loss of her best friend and is determined to complete the list of things they wanted to do the summer before college together — including a marine biology internship on Cape Cod.

As she grieves and tries to heal during this summer of new beginnings and saving humpback whales, she finds herself distracted by a local lifeguard who she catches feelings for but proves to mix up her priorities of the summer.


Perfect for readers who: love books from Morgan Matson and Sarah Dessen, love contemporary YA romances about first love and loss

Book cover for The Liz Taylor Ring

The Liz Taylor Ring by Brenda Janowitz – Out now!

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Three adult siblings struggle about what to do with the much-loved diamond ring, an heirloom thought to be long lost, that belonged to their mother as a gift from their father – a ring reminiscent of the one Richard Burton gave Liz Taylor and has now unraveled some family secrets upon it being unearthed.

The story is told in the past and the present from multiple perspectives as we see the love story (and tumultuous times) of matriarch and patriarch of the family as well as what the ring means to each of the kids. 

Perfect for readers who: love a good family drama/saga that isn’t TOO heavy, enjoyed Malibu Rising or Last Summer at the Golden Hotel, enjoy a multi-perspective family saga that dips in the past and present

Book cover for On Gin Lane by Brooke Lea Foser

On Gin Lane by Brooke Lea Foster – Out May 31

Find it on Amazon
Find it on Bookshop.org

Set in the 1950’s, it’s about a young socialite who is whisked way to the Hamptons (Southhampton) by her fiance where he bestows a gift upon her — he has opened a glamorous beach-side hotel in her honor for them to also stay in every summer. The generous gift is clouded by her upbringing in the Plaza hotel but she tries to shake it off and embrace her new summer life until tragedy strikes on the opening weekend of the hotel and unravels her view of her future.


Perfect for readers who: love a glitzy beach-side setting, are looking for a page-turning historical as there is a mystery element, love a good story about self-discovery especially in an era like the 1950’s

Book cover for This Golden State

This Golden State by Marit Weisenberg – Out Now!

Find it on Amazon
Find it on Bookshop.org

Poppy has only remembered a life on the run with her parents and never staying in one place. With so little answers about who they are, her curiosity gets the best of her and she sends in a DNA test – a decision that will threaten her family’s very anonymous life.



Perfect for readers who: are looking for something absolutely page-turning that will keep you guessing the whole time, love a thriller/mystery that is equal parts coming of age story, couldn’t get enough of the family drama story of the show Ozarks

Book cover for What Might Have Been

What Might Have Been by Holly Miller – Out Now!

Find it on Amazon
Find it on Bookshop.org

This one is about a Sliding Doors-esque novel about a woman at a crossroads in her life and has to choose between finally going for her dream of becoming a writer and exploring a new love or moving to London to revive her career and see if she can rekindle things with The One Who Got Away. In alternating chapters, we see how her life plays out if she stays or goes as both choices will change her life in big ways.

Perfect for readers who: enjoyed Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid or the concept in The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

Book cover for Lease on Love by Falon Ballard

Lease On Love by Falon Ballard – Out Now!

Find it on Amazon
Find it on Bookshop.org

A down on her luck young woman + an innocent mix-up between a dating app and an app for finding a roommate while a little drunk equals possibly a new chance at love in this new rom-com.


Perfect for readers who: love a slow-burn romance, are looking for lighter read, enjoyed The Flatshare

Book cover for Funny You Should Ask by Elissa Sussman

Funny You Should Ask by Elissa Sussman – Out now!

Find it on Amazon
Find it on Bookshop.org

Told alternating between the past and the present, this one is about a young journalist who gets to interview an up-and-coming Hollywood heartthrob and the two spend a life-changing weekend together and the interview catapults her career (as well as his) leaving a wake of rumors about the two long after they part ways.

Ten years later, and a whole lot of messy life lived in the meantime, the two are reunited after all those years for a second interview bringing back all the feelings and truth of that whirlwind weekend.

Perfect for readers who: love a good Hollywood celeb falls for “normal” person trope, looking for a more emotional romance tone versus rom-com (a mix of women’s fiction and romance to me honestly), enjoy second chance romances

You May Also Like: Books For Bridgerton Fans

Book cover for The Wedding Season by Katy Birchall

The Wedding Season by Katy Birchall – Out May 3

Find it on Amazon
Find it on Bookshop.org

This one toes the line between rom-com and women’s fiction and will be a perfect book for the beach as it is equal parts funny and vulnerable as we dive into the main character’s journey.

It is about a recently jilted bride who, this summer, was already booked to attend seven weddings in one summer (her own was to kick off the wedding-filled summer) and, in light of the fact she wants to do anything BUT attend a ton of weddings by herself, her friends try to distract her with a series of outrageous and fun challenges to complete at each event!

As the wedding season actually turns out with her having some fun and finding some healing with the help of her people, she finds reason to keep her heart open and accept the detour her love story has taken.


Perfect for readers who: are looking for classic (British) rom-com vibes but with a bit of emotion at times as it is also about a healing journey, slow-burn romance lovers, fans of Mhairi McFarlane or Bridget Jones’ Diary, are looking for a non-steamy romance

Book cover for Something Wilder by Christina Lauren

Something Wilder by Christina Lauren – Out May 17

Find it on Amazon
Find it on Bookshop.org

This one is so different than their previous romances and romcoms but if you’ve ever thought I’d really love it there was a little more adventure (a la National Treasure) and shenanigans in my romance novels — look no further for a beach reading escape that will have you turning the pages. You’ll have to suspend your disbelief for sure but it will be a fun ride.

A (fabulous) second chance romance + western adventure where everything goes incredibly wrong.


Perfect for readers who: are down for a romance with an adventure element and a hint of mystery, fans of Christina Lauren who will follow them down whatever writing paths they will go

What new beach read books would you add to this 2023 summer beach reading list??

Need some other summer reading ideas?

Catch up on your this year’s book to movie adaptations while on vacation

Armchair vacation to Italy with these books set in Italy!

Get lost in the setting of one of these summer camp books!

Or maybe you are looking for new YA books written by Black Authors.

Need a bingeworthy YA book series?

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Filed Under: Best of Seasonal, book list, books Tagged With: beach reads, book list

About Jamie

Jamie is a 32 year old married lady (with a new baby!!) who is in denial that she's actually that old to be a married lady and a mom. When she's not reading you can find her doing Pilates followed by eating ice cream, belting out Hamilton (loud and offkey) and having adventures with her husband, daughter and rescue dog.

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  1. Bev says

    July 14, 2020 at 1:10 am

    So many wonderful books! thanks for the list – will definitely be reading a few of them!
    When I read your info and the first part of your post, I was struck by the similarity of you and my daughter. Bioth new mothers, both babies named Riley (your daughter)/ Riely (my dau’s son), and you both cooling off/summering in your backyard kid pools!

    Reply
  2. Hena Tayeb says

    July 14, 2020 at 12:06 pm

    These all look great.. going to add some of these to my TBR.

    Reply
  3. Andrea C says

    July 23, 2020 at 9:40 am

    I had no idea Jennifer Weiner had a new book! I am so excited to check it out. I was so happy to come across this list! I think it’s a great idea to have books set aside as “beach reads.” My beach read recommendation is 100% “ENDLESS: A Less Than Zero Rockstar Romance” by Kaylene Winter (https://rockerromance.com). This was such an addictive fun & sexy read and I think you would really enjoy it. I love a contemporary romance novel with a “tortured/damaged” leading male with a heart of gold (lol… I can’t help it!).  Ty comes from a rough childhood and is now the lead singer of a popular band. He meets Zoey, educated bookworm who comes from a totally different world from him and they have a fiery (but QUICK) romance before he goes on the road and she heads to school. She knows that she has to end things because she has to stay focused on her career in law but instead of talking to him about it she ghosts him… this is obviously super damaging for Ty and he goes on a bit of a bender (sex and access) on tour until they reconnect 8 years later. I don’t want to give away the whole plot but I am sure you can guess their reunion is a bit of a rollercoaster and there are a lot of dramatic twists and turns. This is book 1 of the series and I can’t wait to see what happens next. Happy summer reading everyone! Stay safe

    Reply
  4. booker talk says

    July 25, 2020 at 5:23 am

    I’m going no further than my garden either ! I don’t tend to change my reading interests according to the seasons but you’ve persuaded me that Last Train to Key West would be a good choice – I’ve twice booked a holiday in that part of Florida and had to cancel so at least if I read the book I can feel a bit closer to actually getting there

    Reply
  5. Hasini @ Bibliosini says

    April 25, 2021 at 1:35 am

    I love how long this list is! Such good options and an endless selection! Thanks, Jamie! 😀

    Reply
    • Jamie says

      May 2, 2021 at 11:19 am

      You are welcome! I really had to narrow it down too because it was even longer lol

      Reply

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“Why is it so hard to pick my next read?” — “Why is it so hard to pick my next read?” — she says as she is surrounded by piles on piles of books on the floor and desk and packed on her bookshelf and book cart. (Partner @berkleypub - thanks for the review copy).⁣
⁣
I managed to pick my next read, as chronicled in these photos, but it was not easy with so many options! 

Decided to go with a most anticipated book of 2022 for me from an author who has written books I’ve really enjoyed.
⁣
I am about halfway through and cruising along because I NEED to figure out if Joseph is the worst or what really is going on here in this story that starts with 3 women being stood up by the same guy on Valentine’s Day.  I feel like there is something more to this one but I can’t quite put my finger on it yet! ⁣
⁣
Hoping to finish it this weekend! What are you reading this weekend? And do you have trouble picking your next read? How do you choose amongst all the options?
Sunshine on my face and a mass market fitting perf Sunshine on my face and a mass market fitting perfectly in my hands.⁣…
⁣
Truly felt like there were zero things more joyful than the warm sun on my face after colder, dreary days and remembering how much I love the feel of reading a mass market paperback. It’s probably a very specific little joy of mine and I definitely reveled in it today.⁣
⁣
But the real big joy has been rereading this book and experiencing it all over again before @bridgertonnetflix season 2 — especially the Pall Mall scene. And something to do with a 🐝 😅 iykyk⁣
⁣
With all the joy I’m getting out of this reread it makes me wonder why I don’t prioritize rereading like I used to before I started blogging 10 years ago.⁣
⁣
In my head I just want to experience all the new stories and try to make a dent in my TBR but I forget, until I do it, the genuine pleasure in revisiting old companions and how it’s a different side of reading one can experience — the nostalgia, the person I’ve become since reading the book and the way I approach a book already knowing what happens. Well the general sense of what happens because my memory is 💩!⁣
⁣
Anyways that’s what I’m up to currently. Trying to finish this up so I can pack my books for a short trip I’m going on later this week. My first ✈️ since 2019!⁣
⁣
Whatcha reading? Do you reread often? And tell me a little teeny tiny joy from your day.
If I was a person who made Reels I would somehow m If I was a person who made Reels I would somehow mash up the “screaming, crying”  Blank Space clip with the “emotional damage” refrain to the Bastille’s Pompeii to let you know how I feel after the last few chapters of #TheGildedCage !!⁣
⁣
And if you don’t understand what that means, I’m sorry 😅⁣
⁣
But woo boy do I need the third installment of this series!!! But I also think I’m going to be even more emotional damaged after that one soooo.⁣ 
⁣
Seriously, one of the best simple joys of my life is the feeling of being so wholly and totally invested in a series that you have to remind yourself it’s fiction lest you spend all day in bed crying about the devastated look a character had on their face — a face you didn’t even see with your own two eyes but you are so invested that you feel nauseous and gutted like you sure did.⁣
⁣
Just me orrrrrr?⁣
⁣
No but for real. If you love YA fantasy, go start #theprisonhealer so you can be caught up when The Blood Traitor comes out in June (and be my emotional support person for the duration of reading it). I love these characters and I dying to see what happens next. 

Have you read this series yet? Last book series that had you SCREAMING CRYING THROWING UP because of the EMOTIONAL DAMAGE it inflicted?
A real life reading photo because I couldn’t be A real life reading photo because I couldn’t be bothered to make it pretty — mismatching fuzzy sucks, coffee almost gone and Christmas pajama pants that are super old.⁣
⁣
But y’all Black Cake is so good!! I’m almost halfway through and I know it’s A Choice to declare it one of the best books I’ve read all year but I’m feeling bold based on how it’s going.⁣
⁣
I love a good family story (especially one with a family secret!) and this is top notch. The writing is 👌🏻 and I know I’m going to be screaming when the pieces come together!⁣
⁣
In other news, I’m 65% of the way through The Dry by Jane Harper and I’m enjoying it so much that I ended up staying on the treadmill twice this weekend after my allotted time was over just so I could keep listening.⁣
⁣
Will and I FINALLY started Ted Lasso this weekend. It is a damn delight!! For all the hype and praise, it has overdelivered for me which is kind of shocking because normally hype is scary. I told Will that I feel like all the praise hasn’t even come close to how much I could love it. We are only 7 episodes in so no spoilers!⁣
⁣
I’m kinda mad we sat on starting it for so long but at the same time I think the timing is right to help me see my way out of this February funk I have found myself in the past couple weeks.⁣
⁣
Anyways, hope everyone is having a good weekend! Have you read Black Cake or The Dry? Where are my Ted Lasso fans at? I’m happy to join your ranks! Also please tell me your fave character bc I am finding it impossible to pick this far!
No but seriously every year I contemplate organizi No but seriously every year I contemplate organizing a search party for one Katjay Millay who wrote one beautiful and amazing book and then...vanished.

Like for real. She wrote a tweet in 2015 that she was taking a few weeks off and then.... no tweets, no new books. Radio silence.

I hope she’s okay, for real, and that she knows I obsessively stalk Goodreads/Twitter/the internet to make sure I haven’t missed new book news from her at least twice a year. 🥺

Is there any author who you’ve been waiting forever for a new release from??

I’d also like to add YA author Sarah Ockler to this list! Last release was 2015 😭😭
Ahhh some of my absolute OG young adult faves are Ahhh some of my absolute OG young adult faves are becoming movies/tv shows soon! And one of them is out TODAY!⁣
⁣
The Sky is Everywhere — it’s out today on AppleTV+ and I can’t wait to sob my brains out. One of my absolute most favorite books ever by one of my all time favorite authors. It’s gorgeous and heartbreaking in its poignant depiction of grief, first love and healing — all woven together in Jandy’s signature gorgeous, lyrical writing.⁣
⁣
Along For The Ride (out April 22) — one of a handful upcoming @sdessen books being adapted in the near future and I can’t wait! These books are so near and dear to my heart.⁣
⁣
No release dates yet for The Summer I Turned Pretty tv series (the ultimate coming of age summertime story!) or The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight (the cutest meet cute of all meet cutes all set in 24 hours) but I am HYPED and have all my fingers crossed for 2022 🤞🤞

Have you read any of these? Anyone else hyped for these adaptations.

Also, for the past few years, I’ve kept a running list of books becoming movies/tv shows for the year. Head to my bio to check out the list! I try to update it weekly and keep on top of it all but life ya know 😆 but I try!
Is this a book club? I think we just started a boo Is this a book club? I think we just started a book club. Or maybe just a @jenniferesmith appreciation club?? (partner @randomhouse )⁣
⁣
Either way, after loving Jennifer E. Smith's YA books for years, it's been a real treat to also read her debut picture book with Riley (we loved!!) as well as her adult debut out in 3 weeks!⁣
⁣
⁣So let me tell you about that adult debut — The Unsinkable Great James!!

This one just was the perfect warm-hearted read for a cold and gloomy January.

A perfect setting to escape into (Alaska), a tender-hearted meet cute and a poignant look at the shared grieving experience of those left behind.

I was initially drawn, like I always am, to the daughter losing a mother storyline and an exploration of that grief but I was so taken by the father/daughter relationship between two people who were left untethered by losing the person who held their family together.

Greta and her father don't see eye-to-eye on basically anything when they are thrown together on this Alaskan cruise, a trip Greta's father and mother were supposed to take, and you can feel the tension of their long-standing tumultuous and fractured relationship -- a relationship that feels like its hanging in a balance and could not recover.

The two are both hurting so much from this loss  and it took my breath away at times in how true it rang to be in your own grief bubble and feeling like the loss is yours and yours alone while forgetting about the others shouldering their own piece of this loss. I loved watching them very slowly SEE one another.

I can't say enough good things about this one -- great setting, Greta's music, the meet-cute, the messy and imperfect nature of family and love. Definitely recommend!⁣
I was on a hot reading streak and now for the past I was on a hot reading streak and now for the past few days I get all cozy in bed to read at night and am asleep by 4 pages in. Will got a kick out of waking up to me basically spooning my kindle. Ebbs and flows, y’all.⁣
⁣
Let’s do a little reading update with an edition of Last, Current & Next.⁣
⁣
Last - The Girl With the Louding Voice: Adunni is by far one of the most memorable voices I’ve read in a book in a very long time. Her hope and resilience in the face of some awful situations kept me turning the pages and rooting for her. I can’t believe it took me so long to finally read it. Highly recommend!⁣
⁣
Now - Deep in Providence (thank you @fiercereads ): I’m about halfway through after I carved out some time to read early this morning and I’m enjoying this story of grief, love and magic. I’m nervous about these girls trying to resurrect their dead friend though! When I put it down today I was getting a little creeped by some things happening.⁣
⁣
Next - The Kiss of Deception: I’m rereading the first book in this YA fantasy series because it’s been forever and I really wanna finish the trilogy. I’ve been really wanting to go through series I’ve left unfinished for years (not for lack of interest but because I suck at juggling all the series I start) so this is one of them. I remember loving it so I’m excited to dive in and binge. 

Whatcha reading? Have you read any of these? Anyone else on the struggle train with reading at night right now?
Braved the downpour to get my library holds. I hop Braved the downpour to get my library holds. I hope they are worth it! Please tell me they are!⁣
⁣
This is also, before I get to the stack,  an appreciation post for my tiny library and wonderful librarians.⁣
⁣
They normally open at 9am during the week —except Fridays. Did I remember that? Nope. So I was I was SO proud of Riley and I for getting our butts in gear to be for around opening time to drop off a stack and get my new ones.⁣
⁣
And alas, I go to open the door and it’s locked. Now I’m holding Riley’s hand, two tote bags full of books, an umbrella that I’m trying to keep over the both of us, mind you. I’m thoroughly confused until it hits me that it’s Friday.⁣
⁣
So I’m like, welp, guess we are just dropping off in the bin so I try to grab my books out and put them in one-handed while juggling the umbrella and less than enthused Riley.⁣
⁣
Mercifully the door opens and  our children’s librarian takes pity on us and lets us in to drop off and pick up the holds.⁣
⁣
Is this what being a VIP as a celebrity feels like?? Sure feels like it to me 😆 for real though, it pays to be a regular and have a cute kid in tow who is being pelted with rain.⁣
⁣
Anyways excited about this stack but especially Wahala, Daughter of the Moon Goddess and How High We Go In The Dark the most.⁣
⁣
Also have been meaning to snag The World Gives Way after @jordys.book.club recommendation!⁣
⁣
Have you read any of these? Any that you think were definitely worth the rain-soaked journey for??⁣
⁣
Alright now I’m off to curl up and read on this rainy, dreary day which is really what I think a day like this is meant for.
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More about Jamie

Jamie is a 32 year old married lady (with a new baby!!) who is in denial that she's actually that old to be a married lady and a mom. When she's not reading you can find her doing Pilates followed by eating ice cream, belting out Hamilton (loud and offkey) and having adventures with her husband, daughter and rescue dog.

I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

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“Why is it so hard to pick my next read?” — “Why is it so hard to pick my next read?” — she says as she is surrounded by piles on piles of books on the floor and desk and packed on her bookshelf and book cart. (Partner @berkleypub - thanks for the review copy).⁣
⁣
I managed to pick my next read, as chronicled in these photos, but it was not easy with so many options! 

Decided to go with a most anticipated book of 2022 for me from an author who has written books I’ve really enjoyed.
⁣
I am about halfway through and cruising along because I NEED to figure out if Joseph is the worst or what really is going on here in this story that starts with 3 women being stood up by the same guy on Valentine’s Day.  I feel like there is something more to this one but I can’t quite put my finger on it yet! ⁣
⁣
Hoping to finish it this weekend! What are you reading this weekend? And do you have trouble picking your next read? How do you choose amongst all the options?
Sunshine on my face and a mass market fitting perf Sunshine on my face and a mass market fitting perfectly in my hands.⁣…
⁣
Truly felt like there were zero things more joyful than the warm sun on my face after colder, dreary days and remembering how much I love the feel of reading a mass market paperback. It’s probably a very specific little joy of mine and I definitely reveled in it today.⁣
⁣
But the real big joy has been rereading this book and experiencing it all over again before @bridgertonnetflix season 2 — especially the Pall Mall scene. And something to do with a 🐝 😅 iykyk⁣
⁣
With all the joy I’m getting out of this reread it makes me wonder why I don’t prioritize rereading like I used to before I started blogging 10 years ago.⁣
⁣
In my head I just want to experience all the new stories and try to make a dent in my TBR but I forget, until I do it, the genuine pleasure in revisiting old companions and how it’s a different side of reading one can experience — the nostalgia, the person I’ve become since reading the book and the way I approach a book already knowing what happens. Well the general sense of what happens because my memory is 💩!⁣
⁣
Anyways that’s what I’m up to currently. Trying to finish this up so I can pack my books for a short trip I’m going on later this week. My first ✈️ since 2019!⁣
⁣
Whatcha reading? Do you reread often? And tell me a little teeny tiny joy from your day.
If I was a person who made Reels I would somehow m If I was a person who made Reels I would somehow mash up the “screaming, crying”  Blank Space clip with the “emotional damage” refrain to the Bastille’s Pompeii to let you know how I feel after the last few chapters of #TheGildedCage !!⁣
⁣
And if you don’t understand what that means, I’m sorry 😅⁣
⁣
But woo boy do I need the third installment of this series!!! But I also think I’m going to be even more emotional damaged after that one soooo.⁣ 
⁣
Seriously, one of the best simple joys of my life is the feeling of being so wholly and totally invested in a series that you have to remind yourself it’s fiction lest you spend all day in bed crying about the devastated look a character had on their face — a face you didn’t even see with your own two eyes but you are so invested that you feel nauseous and gutted like you sure did.⁣
⁣
Just me orrrrrr?⁣
⁣
No but for real. If you love YA fantasy, go start #theprisonhealer so you can be caught up when The Blood Traitor comes out in June (and be my emotional support person for the duration of reading it). I love these characters and I dying to see what happens next. 

Have you read this series yet? Last book series that had you SCREAMING CRYING THROWING UP because of the EMOTIONAL DAMAGE it inflicted?
A real life reading photo because I couldn’t be A real life reading photo because I couldn’t be bothered to make it pretty — mismatching fuzzy sucks, coffee almost gone and Christmas pajama pants that are super old.⁣
⁣
But y’all Black Cake is so good!! I’m almost halfway through and I know it’s A Choice to declare it one of the best books I’ve read all year but I’m feeling bold based on how it’s going.⁣
⁣
I love a good family story (especially one with a family secret!) and this is top notch. The writing is 👌🏻 and I know I’m going to be screaming when the pieces come together!⁣
⁣
In other news, I’m 65% of the way through The Dry by Jane Harper and I’m enjoying it so much that I ended up staying on the treadmill twice this weekend after my allotted time was over just so I could keep listening.⁣
⁣
Will and I FINALLY started Ted Lasso this weekend. It is a damn delight!! For all the hype and praise, it has overdelivered for me which is kind of shocking because normally hype is scary. I told Will that I feel like all the praise hasn’t even come close to how much I could love it. We are only 7 episodes in so no spoilers!⁣
⁣
I’m kinda mad we sat on starting it for so long but at the same time I think the timing is right to help me see my way out of this February funk I have found myself in the past couple weeks.⁣
⁣
Anyways, hope everyone is having a good weekend! Have you read Black Cake or The Dry? Where are my Ted Lasso fans at? I’m happy to join your ranks! Also please tell me your fave character bc I am finding it impossible to pick this far!
No but seriously every year I contemplate organizi No but seriously every year I contemplate organizing a search party for one Katjay Millay who wrote one beautiful and amazing book and then...vanished.

Like for real. She wrote a tweet in 2015 that she was taking a few weeks off and then.... no tweets, no new books. Radio silence.

I hope she’s okay, for real, and that she knows I obsessively stalk Goodreads/Twitter/the internet to make sure I haven’t missed new book news from her at least twice a year. 🥺

Is there any author who you’ve been waiting forever for a new release from??

I’d also like to add YA author Sarah Ockler to this list! Last release was 2015 😭😭
Ahhh some of my absolute OG young adult faves are Ahhh some of my absolute OG young adult faves are becoming movies/tv shows soon! And one of them is out TODAY!⁣
⁣
The Sky is Everywhere — it’s out today on AppleTV+ and I can’t wait to sob my brains out. One of my absolute most favorite books ever by one of my all time favorite authors. It’s gorgeous and heartbreaking in its poignant depiction of grief, first love and healing — all woven together in Jandy’s signature gorgeous, lyrical writing.⁣
⁣
Along For The Ride (out April 22) — one of a handful upcoming @sdessen books being adapted in the near future and I can’t wait! These books are so near and dear to my heart.⁣
⁣
No release dates yet for The Summer I Turned Pretty tv series (the ultimate coming of age summertime story!) or The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight (the cutest meet cute of all meet cutes all set in 24 hours) but I am HYPED and have all my fingers crossed for 2022 🤞🤞

Have you read any of these? Anyone else hyped for these adaptations.

Also, for the past few years, I’ve kept a running list of books becoming movies/tv shows for the year. Head to my bio to check out the list! I try to update it weekly and keep on top of it all but life ya know 😆 but I try!
Is this a book club? I think we just started a boo Is this a book club? I think we just started a book club. Or maybe just a @jenniferesmith appreciation club?? (partner @randomhouse )⁣
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Either way, after loving Jennifer E. Smith's YA books for years, it's been a real treat to also read her debut picture book with Riley (we loved!!) as well as her adult debut out in 3 weeks!⁣
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⁣So let me tell you about that adult debut — The Unsinkable Great James!!

This one just was the perfect warm-hearted read for a cold and gloomy January.

A perfect setting to escape into (Alaska), a tender-hearted meet cute and a poignant look at the shared grieving experience of those left behind.

I was initially drawn, like I always am, to the daughter losing a mother storyline and an exploration of that grief but I was so taken by the father/daughter relationship between two people who were left untethered by losing the person who held their family together.

Greta and her father don't see eye-to-eye on basically anything when they are thrown together on this Alaskan cruise, a trip Greta's father and mother were supposed to take, and you can feel the tension of their long-standing tumultuous and fractured relationship -- a relationship that feels like its hanging in a balance and could not recover.

The two are both hurting so much from this loss  and it took my breath away at times in how true it rang to be in your own grief bubble and feeling like the loss is yours and yours alone while forgetting about the others shouldering their own piece of this loss. I loved watching them very slowly SEE one another.

I can't say enough good things about this one -- great setting, Greta's music, the meet-cute, the messy and imperfect nature of family and love. Definitely recommend!⁣

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