Maybe COVID-19 thwarted you vacation plans, but you can still get the perfect summer escape. If you’re gearing up for a day full of sunshine and are looking for material to keep you entertained while you relax, look no further than these books. The books listed below are perfect for soaking up the sun because they’re easy to get lost in and read lightning fast. Add these to your summer reading list and enjoy them while you catch some vitamin D, just don’t forget the sunblock 😉
If These Wings Could Fly
AUTHOR: KYRIE MCCAULEY
GENRES: YOUNG ADULT, CONTEMPORARY, MAGICAL REALISM
TRIGGER WARNING: DOMESTIC VIOLENCE + PARENTAL ABUSE
If These Wings Could Fly is a stunning debut novel that in no way shape or form screams amateur from the author. McCauley’s voice is strong, powerful, and beautiful, and this has to be one of the best debut books I’ve ever read. If These Wings Could Fly details the story and life of Leighton Barnes, a seventeen-year-old girl from Auburn, Pennsylvania. Leighton’s story is a difficult one, as she’s living in a house where domestic and parental abuse from her father is the norm, and she’s now torn about whether or not she should leave behind the house of horrors that magically seems to fix itself after her father explodes and breaks thing, get her fresh start in college, or if she should stay and protect her two younger sisters from her father the best she can, as she’s always done. But that choice becomes harder when she meets Liam—a fellow senior whose perfection on the outside doesn’t mirror the struggles he’s battling internally. As Liam begins his pursuit of Leighton, she now finds herself facing an even more difficult choice: does she allow herself this one chance at happiness, or will it cost too much, and take her away from the sisters she’s vowed to love and protect fiercely?
The only comfort Leighton finds in her life is in the tens of thousands of crows that have now invaded Auburn. I loved the way McCauley used the imagery of the crows throughout the story, and despite the heavy topics, McCauley still manages beautiful storytelling with ease. This is the perfect coming-of-age story, as it’s a story of finding happiness, cowardice vs courage and, most importantly, a story of survival. Don’t let the 381 pages fool you, I devoured this book in one day. I couldn’t put it down.
The Other Mrs
AUTHOR: MARY KUBICA
GENRES: THRILLER, SUSPENSE, PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER, MYSTERY, PSYCHOLOGICAL FICTION
In the wake of her sister-in-law’s death, Dr. Sadie Foust, her husband, and two children have decided to abandon their life in Chicago and start over in a small island town in Maine–but nothing is idyllic in this coastal town. The old house the Fousts have now inherited holds darkness, and unsettling sixteen-year-old Imogen. The small town isn’t a fan of newcomers, and a murder on the Fousts street rocks the entire island. In pursuit of the truth and desperate to find out what happened, Sadie sets out on a mission that may come with a steep price, more than she bargained for. Kubica’s storytelling shines in The Other Mrs. Told in multiple POV’s, Kubica weaves an unsettling story about secrets, family, mental health issues (she touches on this in a phenomenal way), and loyalty. The Other Mrs is the perfect beach read, thanks to its easy writing style and lightning fast pace. This book will suck you in and fly by.
The Return
AUTHOR: RACHEL HARRISON
GENRES: HORROR, SUSPENSE
Let me preface this by saying that I’m typically not a fan of the horror genre. Though I can appreciate it for what it is, it’s simply just never been for me. However, IMO, The Return is so much more than that—the horror aspect is just surface level, it’s the stuff underneath that really burrowed under my skin and kept me engaged.
Four friends: Julie, Elise, Mae, and Molly. One day, Julie mysteriously vanishes without a trace. Molly and Mae think she’s dead, but Elise knows better, she knows that Julie is still out there. Two years to the day that Julie went missing, she returns, but she didn’t come back the same. She claims she has no memory of where she’s been or what happened to her. A long weekend at a remote hotel is set to bring the four girls back together again, but this reunion isn’t the one they were hoping for. The hotel is gorgeous, but there’s something about it that makes Elise uneasy. Is her uneasiness warranted, or is it all in her head? And where was Julie all that time? Who is she now? Narrated in the voice of Elise, Harrison weaves a story about the toxicity of female friendships, the jealousy and judgment underneath the booze, giggles, and makeup. It’s a story of vulnerability and staying closed off, the constant competition between women. I loved how the author used the setting of the remote, gorgeous, and creepy hotel to create the perfectly terrifying atmosphere. Harrison’s edgy and haunting writing will get under your skin, there was something always lurking underneath the surface. The Return will make your heart race in the best way possible.
The Wife Stalker
AUTHOR: LIV CONSTANTINE
GENRES: THRILLER, SUSPENSE, PSYCHOLOGICAL FICTION
The sister duo who wrote the amazing The Last Mrs. Parrish have returned with another twisty and salacious read. The Wife Stalker details the story of two women—Joanna, who’s fighting hard to hold on to the only family she’s ever known; and Piper, the jaw-dropping new girl in town who’s intent on making her mark in the with her wellness center in the dreamy seaside town of Westport, Connecticut.
Joanna has dedicated her life to Evie and Stelli Drakos, and she’s been waiting patiently for Leo to come out of his severe depression; but the clock is ticking, and Joanna convinces Leo to go to the new wellness center in town to get help. Little does she know, she’s managed to push Leo right into Piper’s arms. When Piper charms her way into Leo’s life and the children’s, Joanna is furious. Who is this woman? What is she hiding? Joanna can’t help it, she becomes consumed with unearthing the secrets of Piper’s past. As Joanna digs and digs, she begins to uncover some disturbing secrets about the beguiling Piper Reynard, and she must do whatever it takes to protect the only family she’s ever loved at all costs.
Told between the POV of both Joanna and Piper, Constantine’s effortless writing style makes this the perfect summer read. Though there were times this story had me rolling my eyes and in disbelief, there was a small, satisfying twist at the end that wrapped up this book nicely. Liv Constantine is very talented, and you won’t be disappointed in this one.
Honorable mentions:
- The Body Double by Emily Beyda
- The Perfect Roommate by Minka Kent
- The Memory Watcher by Minka Kent
- The Familiar Dark by Amy Engel
