Vacation Reads We’re Eager to Dive Into
Vacation. Lounging under a multi-colored umbrella by the pool on the beach, or swinging in a hammock in the trees. Listening to the wind and being warmed by the sun. Is there a better place to indulge yourself in a good book? Absolutely not.
You’re looking for something in your favorite genre, fun, somewhat easy to read, and utterly un-put-down-able. So here’s our listing of the most anticipated Beach Reads to entice your senses, engross your emotions, and engage your mind.
These new mysteries, thrillers, romances, historicals and horror tales should definitely find their way into your TBR pile.
My Friends, by Fredrik Backman, Atria Books (Literary Fiction)
From the bestselling author of A Man Called Ove comes an unforgettably funny, deeply moving tale of four teenagers whose friendship creates a bond so powerful that it changes a complete stranger’s life 25 years later when 18-year-old Louisa goes in search of the story of the tiny figures in the bottom corner of one of the most famous paintings in the world.
Atmosphere: A Love Story, by Taylor Jenkins Reid, Ballantine Books (Historical Fiction)
Fast-paced, thrilling, and emotional, Atmosphere is Taylor Jenkins Reid (author of Daisy Jones and the Six) at her best, transporting readers to iconic times and places – this time the 1980s space shuttle program – creating complex protagonists, and telling a passionate and soaring story about the transformative power of love – this time among the stars.
Never Flinch, by Stephen King, Scribner (Horror)
From master storyteller Stephen King comes an extraordinary new novel with intertwining storylines — one about a killer on a diabolical revenge mission, and another about a vigilante targeting a feminist celebrity speaker — featuring the beloved Holly Gibney and a dynamic new cast of characters.
Detective Aunty, by Uzma Jalaluddin, Harper Collins (Cozy Mystery)
When her grown daughter is suspected of murder, a charming and tenacious widow digs into the case to unmask the real killer in this twisty, page-turning whodunnit — the first book in a cozy new detective series from the acclaimed author of Ayesha at Last.
Great Big Beautiful Life, by Emily Henry, Berkeley (Contemporary Romance)
Alice Scott is an eternal optimist still dreaming of her big writing break. Hayden Anderson is a Pulitzer-prize winning human thundercloud. These two writers find themselves on balmy Little Crescent Island competing for the chance to tell the larger-than-life story of a woman with more than a couple of plot twists up her sleeve in this dazzling and sweeping new novel.
One Golden Summer, by Carley Fortune, Berkeley (Romance, Summer)
“I never anticipated Charlie Florek.” Good things happen at the lake. That’s what Alice’s grandmother says, and it’s true. Alice spent just one summer at a cottage with Nan when she was seventeen — it’s where she took that photo, the one of three grinning teenagers in a yellow speedboat, the image that changed her life. Now Alice lives behind a lens. But she’s never met someone who looks and sees her right back.
Shield of Sparrows, by Devney Perry, Entangled: Red Tower Books (Fantasy, Romance)
Shield of Sparrows is a slow-burn, high-stakes romantasy perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Rebecca Yarros, where enemies become lovers, monsters stalk a cursed realm, and a forgotten princess finds the strength to tear off her crown and become the warrior she was never meant to be. (Now in development as a feature film with Amazon MGM Studios, with John Wick screenwriter Derek Kolstad attached to write the script!)
Parents Weekend, by Alex Finlay, Minotaur Books (Thriller)
In the glow of their children’s exciting first year of college at a small private school in Northern California, five families plan on a night of dinner and cocktails for the opening festivities of Parents Weekend. As the parents stay out way past their bedtimes, their kids — five residents of Campisi Hall — never show up at dinner. Told from each family’s point of view,
Parents Weekend explores the weight of expectation, family dysfunction, and those exhilarating first days in the dorms when friends become family.
The Listeners, by Maggie Stiefvater, Viking (Historical Fiction)
In the early days of World War II, local girl June Hudson manages a West Virginia resort where Allied bosses are stashing captured Axis diplomats. When the FBI sends an agent to suss out Nazi secrets, the game is afoot! Known for her YA fantasy books, author Maggie Stiefvater (Shiver) folds romance, class conflict, and Appalachian magic into a new kind of spy story.
Welcome to Murder Week, by Karen Dukess, Gallery/Scout Press (Mystery)
A clever variation on the cozy mystery, Karen Dukess’ novel follows lonely Cath Little, a grieving American woman who travels to a small English village for a staged murder mystery event. While making friends with her cottage-mates — and making time with a handsome local craftsman — Cath discovers a new kind of happiness. And no one has to die!
Aftertaste, by Daria Lavelle, Simon & Schuster (Fantasy, Magical Realism)
Debut author Daria Lavelle offers up a new kind of urban fantasy ghost story with this profile of an aspiring New York City chef who can taste the presence of restless spirits. Aftertaste promises a synesthetic reading experience with its blend of mystery, romance, magical realism, and street-level reportage from the New York City culinary scene.
The Memory Collectors, by Dete Meserve, Crooked Lane Books (Science Fiction)
In the latest from author Dete Meserve (the Kate Bradley Mystery series), a maverick tech company offers clients the chance to travel back in time to a critical moment in their own past — but just for an hour, and just as an observer. Unfortunately, as four strangers soon discover, there are still a few bugs in the system.
The Love Haters, by Katherine Center, St. Martin’s Press (Romance)
In the festive sunshine of Key West, Florida, cynical video producer Katie Vaughn takes an assignment to film Coast Guard rescue swimmer Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson. The weather is gorgeous — and Hutch is gorgeous — but Katie still doesn’t trust the institution of romance. Katherine Center (The Bodyguard) presents a story of two lonely people and one pleasant surprise.
