School’s out, summer’s here! The sun is blazing, the ocean water is waving blue, and characters who are chasing after the perfect summer offer light, sometimes funny, sometimes romantic, and emotional stories. For these characters, summer offers the perfect landscape for self-exploration and all of their coming-of-age moments. So here are a few book recs that are perfect for your next beach read.
ALL TITLE DESCRIPTIONS ARE FROM THE PUBLISHER.
The Summer of Broken Rules by K.L. Walther
For a read that swells with budding romance in a time of loss, follow Meredith Fox as she tries to reconnect with her family after the recent death of her sister and her longtime boyfriend breaks up with her. During her cousin’s wedding at Martha’s Vineyard, her family’s annual game of Assassin will serve as the perfect distraction. Determination to win the game and not get caught up in another relationship meant to be doomed just isn’t quite the match for her heart, nor the unbelievably cute groomsman that she forms an alliance with.
It Only Happens in the Movies by Holly Bourne
Love doesn’t look like what Audrey imagined. And that’s even before she meets her coworker, Harry, at the local theater. He’s everything that she’s actively trying to resist, and with dealing with a previous breakup, her parent’s divorce, and friendships that she doesn’t seem to have the same grasp on, she can’t help but fall for the guy. Hoping for the whirlwind love to sweep her off her feet and wanting this time to be different, Audrey and Harry both learn that love, life, and romance are even more different than they thought.
The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
For a puzzling mystery, follow Avery Grambs. She’s a girl with a simple goal to survive high school and make a better life for herself. Life changes very quickly for Avery, and all of her dreams are just a mere reach away when billionaire Tobias Hawthorne dies and leaves his entire fortune to her. The only problem is Avery has no clue who Tobias Hawthorne is. However, getting her inheritance won’t be all that easy. She’s sent to Tobias’ sprawling estate, where she has to unveil all the secrets, puzzles, riddles, and codes and fight against Hawthorne’s two grandsons, who have long felt the fortune was rightfully theirs. It’s Avery’s biggest fight of her life—survival.
This story is part one of a 5 book series.
Let Me Hear a Rhyme by Tiffany D. Jackson
It’s the late 90s, and three friends in Brooklyn set to memorialize their friend, Steph, by pretending he’s still alive in order to make him a mega rap star. Steph’s gone, but his talent still exists in the world in the form of music he keeps under his bed. The three friends, Quadir, Jarrell, and Jasmine, create a new rap alias for Steph: the Architect and spread his music across Bed Stuy. When the Architect catches the attention of the city, and a music rep, it becomes harder and harder for the friends to keep their secret and confront what they each know about the truth of what happened to Steph.
The Unlikelies by Carrie Firestone
Life changes right before Sadie’s eyes when she’s recorded and goes viral for rescuing a baby in distress. It’s a quick turn from what Sadie thought would be the most boring summer ever. When she’s introduced to other teen hometown heroes, they embark on the summer thrill of being good samaritan vigilantes. It’s when they try to help a drug-addicted friend that they realize how far things might have gone and whether good intentions are enough to save everyone.
Don’t Forget to Write by Sara Goodman Confino
It’s the summer of 1960, and in an attempt to save their daughter’s reputation after she’s made a complete fool of herself in front of the whole congregation, Marilyn’s parents send her off to her great-aunt, Ada, for the summer. It’s to Marilyn’s surprise that her great aunt isn’t a strict old woman only made to match her with someone her family deems worthy. Instead, Marilyn learns that the woman is full of life, sharp, straight-talking, and even all the envy with her platinum blonde hair, draped in her Hermes scarf, and cruising in her Cadillac convertible. As the summer progresses and Marilyn helps Ada scope out eligible matches for the two of them, she discovers freedom and learns how to embrace the risks of life and how to make choices for herself.
Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko
Raised in isolation by an absent mother named The Lady, Tarisai is sent to the capital of the global empire, where she will compete with other children to be chosen as one of the Crown Prince’s Council. There are only 11 spots, and securing one would satisfy Tarisai’s longing to be a part of a family and to belong to a bond that’s deeper than blood. The only thing in her way is The Lady’s direct order for Tarisai to kill the Crown Prince. Raybearer is a story about Tarisai’s struggle between being strong enough to stand on her own or battling for acceptance from the person she wants to love her most.
