9 Summer Reads

July 11, 2018

Looking for a quick, fun read that’s perfect for a beach trip or a lazy afternoon in the sun? I’ve got you covered!

These 9 books are my favourite to read during the summer months, they’re funny, uplifting, have a happy ending and are absolute page turners. I hope you enjoy this post and discover some new books to read!

 

1.) Sophie Kinsella – Confessions of a Shopaholic.

Confessions of a Shopaholic

Goodreads Description

Becky Bloomwood has a fabulous flat in London’s trendiest neighborhood, a troupe of glamorous socialite friends, and a closet brimming with the season’s must-haves. The only trouble is, she can’t actually afford it—not any of it. Her job writing at Successful Saving magazine not only bores her to tears, it doesn’t pay much at all. And lately Becky’s been chased by dismal letters from the bank—letters with large red sums she can’t bear to read. She tries cutting back. But none of her efforts succeeds. Her only consolation is to buy herself something . . . just a little something.

Finally a story arises that Becky actually cares about, and her front-page article catalyzes a chain of events that will transform her life—and the lives of those around her—forever. 

This is one of my favourite series to read in the summer on a beach or in the garden as they are quick, easy and hours can fly by without me even realising. The antics of Becky Bloomwood really did make me laugh out loud! All of the characters are fun and quirky and make even the most mundane everyday tasks entertaining. As always if you saw and enjoyed the film the book is 100% better. I definitely recommend this series if you want a fun, lighthearted read this summer.

2.) Sarah Dessen – Along For The Ride

Along for the ride

Goodreads Description:

It’s been so long since Auden slept at night. Ever since her parents’ divorce—or since the fighting started. Now she has the chance to spend a carefree summer with her dad and his new family in the charming beach town where they live.

A job in a clothes boutique introduces Auden to the world of girls: their talk, their friendship, their crushes. She missed out on all that, too busy being the perfect daughter to her demanding mother. Then she meets Eli, an intriguing loner and a fellow insomniac who becomes her guide to the nocturnal world of the town. Together they embark on parallel quests: for Auden, to experience the carefree teenage life she’s been denied; for Eli, to come to terms with the guilt he feels for the death of a friend.

Sarah Dessen is the queen of summer reads. You want believable and relatable characters? Sarah Dessen. You want an uplifting story? Sarah Dessen. I adore her writing style, it’s comfortable and familiar and I know I’ll get some kind of a happy ending with all the loose ends neatly tied up. Along for the Ride is a cute, romantic story where the romance doesn’t take over the entire plot. It’s perfect for a relaxing poolside read.

 

3.) Simone Elkeles – Leaving Paradise

Leaving Paradise

Goodreads Description:

Nothing has been the same since Caleb Becker left a party drunk, got behind the wheel, and hit Maggie Armstrong. Even after months of painful physical therapy, Maggie walks with a limp. Her social life is nil and a scholarship to study abroad—her chance to escape everyone and their pitying stares—has been cancelled.

After a year in juvenile jail, Caleb’s free . . . if freedom means endless nagging from a transition coach and the prying eyes of the entire town. Coming home should feel good, but his family and ex-girlfriend seem like strangers.

Caleb and Maggie are outsiders, pigeon-holed as “criminal” and “freak.” Then the truth emerges about what really happened the night of the accident and, once again, everything changes. It’s a bleak and tortuous journey for Caleb and Maggie, yet they end up finding comfort and strength from a surprising source: each other.

If you haven’t yet read a book by Simone Elkeles then you are missing out! Leaving Paradise will keep you turning the pages, it’s a typical teenager romance story but it’s beautifully written and the characters feel so real. I struggle to put down any Simone Elkeles book, I get completely lost in the story and finish them within a few hours which is exactly what you want for a beach read!

4.) Sarah Dessen – Lock and Key

Lock and Key

Goodreads Description:

Ruby knows that the game is up. For the past few months, she’s been on her own in the yellow house, managing somehow, knowing that her mother will probably never return.

That’s how she comes to live with Cora, the sister she hasn’t seen in ten years, and Cora’s husband Jamie, whose down-to-earth demeanour makes it hard for Ruby to believe he founded the most popular networking Web site around. A luxurious house, fancy private school, a new wardrobe, the promise of college and a future; it’s a dream come true. So why is Ruby such a reluctant Cinderella, wary and defensive? And why is Nate, the genial boy next door with some secrets of his own, unable to accept the help that Ruby is just learning to give?

First of all can we just appreciate how beautiful that cover is! Yes, it’s another Sarah Dessen because as I said before, she is a queen. Lock and Key is one of the more darker Dessen books that explores bad home situations, abandonment and betrayal. Despite her troublesome nature though I loved Ruby and seeing her personal growth. Again as you can expect from Sarah Dessen this has a happy ending and is a quick, easy read.

5.) Nicholas Sparks – The Longest Ride

The Longest Ride

Goodreads Description:

Ira Levinson is in trouble. At ninety-one years old, in poor health and alone in the world, he finds himself stranded on an isolated embankment after a car crash. Suffering multiple injuries, he struggles to retain consciousness until a blurry image materializes and comes into focus beside him: his beloved wife Ruth, who passed away nine years ago. Urging him to hang on, she forces him to remain alert by recounting the stories of their lifetime together – how they met, the precious paintings they collected together, the dark days of WWII and its effect on them and their families. Ira knows that Ruth can’t possibly be in the car with him, but he clings to her words and his memories, reliving the sorrows and everyday joys that defined their marriage.

A few miles away, at a local rodeo, a Wake Forest College senior’s life is about to change. Recovering from a recent break-up, Sophia Danko meets a young cowboy named Luke, who bears little resemblance to the privileged frat boys she has encountered at school. Through Luke, Sophia is introduced to a world in which the stakes of survival and success, ruin and reward — even life and death – loom large in everyday life. As she and Luke fall in love, Sophia finds herself imagining a future far removed from her plans — a future that Luke has the power to rewrite . . . if the secret he’s keeping doesn’t destroy it first.

Ira and Ruth. Sophia and Luke. Two couples who have little in common, and who are separated by years and experience. Yet their lives will converge with unexpected poignancy, reminding us all that even the most difficult decisions can yield extraordinary journeys: beyond despair, beyond death, to the farthest reaches of the human heart.

Hated the film but LOVED the book! If, like me, you watched the film and found it painfully boring and extremely disappointing don’t let that put you off the book. The Longest Ride is such a cute and emotional read and always makes me think of summer. Ira and Ruth’s story was honestly beautiful and I always looked forward to reading their parts. I also really enjoyed Sophia and Luke’s story and how the two stories were linked. This is such a heartfelt book that I really recommend you all give a go!

6.) Sophie Kinsella – Can You Keep a Secret?

can you keep a secret

 

Goodreads Description:
Meet Emma Corrigan, a young woman with a huge heart, an irrepressible spirit, and a few little secrets: Secrets from her boyfriend: I’ve always thought Connor looks a bit like Ken. As in Barbie and Ken. Secrets from her mother: I lost my virginity in the spare bedroom with Danny Nussbaum while Mum and Dad were downstairs watching Ben-Hur. Secrets she wouldn’t share with anyone in the world: I have no idea what NATO stands for. Or even what it is. Until she spills them all to a handsome stranger on a plane. At least, she thought he was a stranger.…Until Emma comes face-to-face with Jack Harper, the company’s elusive CEO, a man who knows every single humiliating detail about her… 

This is honestly one of the funniest books I have ever read. Can you imagine having essentially your boss know every single one of your secrets? Absolute nightmare! This book is so hilarious it’s probably best you don’t read it in a public setting, I’d suggest reading this on a hot day out in the garden. It’s a lighthearted read that won’t take you long to finish and will keep you turning the page wondering which secret is going to come out next!

7.) Karen Joy Fowler – We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves

we are all completely beside ourselves

Goodreads Description:

Meet the Cooke family. Our narrator is Rosemary Cooke. As a child, she never stopped talking; now that she’s started college, she has wrapped herself in silence: the silence of intentional forgetting, of protective cover. Rosemary is now an only child, but she used to have a sister the same age as her, and an older brother. Both are now gone – vanished from her life. Her once lively mother is a shell of her former self, her clever and imperious father now a distant, brooding man. And there was something unique about Rosemary’s sister, Fern.
You’ll have to find out for yourself what it is that makes her unhappy family unlike any other.

I mentioned this book in My Favourite Books post earlier this year, while it may not be your typical summer read it will certainly keep you turning the pages for hours while lying on the beach. As I mentioned in my previous post I raced through this book as the story is so unique and cleverly written. If you read only one book this summer then make it this one!

8.) Sarah Dessen – This Lullaby

This Lullaby

 

Goodreads Description:

When it comes to relationships, Remy doesn’t mess around. After all, she’s learned all there is to know from her mother, who’s currently working on husband number five. But there’s something about Dexter that seems to defy all of Remy’s rules. He certainly doesn’t seem like Mr. Right. For some reason, however, Remy just can’t seem to shake him. Could it be that Remy’s starting to understand what those love songs are all about?

Okay this is the last Sarah Dessen book, I promise. This Lullaby is my favourite Dessen book. I absolutely loved Remy and Dexter and could read their story over and over! It’s sweet, frustrating at times and emotional but ultimately a great read!

9.) Elizabeth Scott – Stealing Heaven

Stealing heaven

Goodreads Description:

My name is Danielle. I’m eighteen. I’ve been stealing things for as long as I can remember.

Dani has been trained as a thief by the best–her mother. Together, they move from town to town, targeting wealthy homes and making a living by stealing antique silver. They never stay in one place long enough to make real connections, real friends–a real life.

In the beach town of Heaven, though, everything changes. For the first time, Dani starts to feel at home. She’s making friends and has even met a guy. But these people can never know the real Dani–because of who she is. When it turns out that her new friend lives in the house they’ve targeted for their next job and the cute guy is a cop, Dani must question where her loyalties lie: with the life she’s always known–or the one she’s always wanted.

Elizabeth Scott is such an underrated writer. Stealing Heaven has such an interesting story line, it’s cute and funny but has a lot of depth to it as well. Dani is a great character who you really feel for, she’s had a difficult upbringing and craves stability and we get to watch her grow as a person which I loved. It’s a really satisfying read with a few laugh out loud moments and I really recommend it.

Those are all my top picks for a summer read! Have you read any on this list? What are your favourite books to read during summer?

2 Comments

  • NunziaDreams

    July 11, 2018 at 10:43 pm

    Omg!! I LOVE Sarah Dessen!! She’s one of my favorite authors. This Lullaby is my absolute favorite (and I’ve read it way too many times lol) but I also have read so many of her other books. I think Just Listen, Lock and Key, and The Truth About Forever are also some of her best. I really would love to see a movie for This Lullaby! That would be amaaaazing!

    1. Hollie

      July 11, 2018 at 10:54 pm

      It’s my favourite too, I just love Dexter haha. It would be amazing as a movie! I’m surprised more of her books haven’t been made into films actually. Yes I love Just Listen too! Dreamland is also one of my faves. ?

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