Do you plan to spend some time soaking up the sun with a good book this summer? Then you’ll want to get your hands on some great beach reading materials (or deck reading materials, or lawn reading materials, or whatever works for you). Beach reading comes in many forms — steamy romance novels, chick lit, fast-paced thrillers, fun mysteries, and more.
There is no single type of beach reading that will appeal to everyone. And there are countless great books that fit into this group. Here are just a few that might make for interesting reads this summer. The following list is in no particular order.
1. Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris
This is Harris’ latest mystery / fantasy in the Sookie Stackhouse series. So if you like mysteries and vampire fiction, these might be right up your alley. Dead Reckoning is the 11th book in the series, so even if you’re not ready for it yet, why not start at the beginning? I know that’s my plan.
2. Vision Impossible by Victoria Laurie
Due to be released July 5th, Vision Impossible is the 9th book in Laurie’s Psychic Eye Mysteries series. This is another paranormal mystery, and Laurie’s books tend to be fun, well-paced reads. If the idea of a psychic detective isn’t your thing, Laurie also writes the Ghost Hunter Mystery series (which I personally recommend even more).
3. 10th Anniversary by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
This book is the latest in the Women’s Murder Club detective and thriller series if you’re looking for something to get your blood pumping on the beach this summer.
4. A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
If you’re a fan of fantasy novels, you might want to check out the new reprinting of A Game of Thrones, the first book in the A Song of Ice and Fire series. You might also know that this series was the inspiration for a new HBO television series as well. Read before you watch!
5. The Jefferson Key: A Novel by Steve Berry
Are you into history? Adventures? If you enjoy both you might like Steve Berry’s latest thriller featuring former Justice Department operative, Cotton Malone, and his quest to uncover the tie between four presidential assassination attempts and a hidden message in our constitution.
6. Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin
Here’s a romance that was recently released as a reprint in advance of this summer’s big screen adaptation. It’s a story of best friends — one getting married and the other who has a fling with (and then develops feelings for) her best friend’s fiancé.
7. 44 Charles Street by Danielle Steel
Danielle Steel’s latest romance is a post-breakup story of a woman who takes on three strangers as boarders in order to save her home. While she tries to get back to life and pick up the pieces, her life intertwines with her new friends and housemates — a famous chef, a single father with an erratic ex, and a woman with a talent for meeting potentially dangerous men online.
8. The Search by Nora Roberts
Here’s another one for fans of both romance and thrillers. If the idea of dogs, newfound puppy love, and a serial killer spicing up the scene sounds appealing, this might be your next summer beach read.
9. The Sixth Man by David Baldacci
If government and legal-oriented thrillers are your thing, you might enjoy Baldacci’s latest novel as characters Sean King and Michelle Maxwell try to find out if an alleged serial killer really is what people say, and who killed the supposed killer’s attorney (a friend of Sean’s).
10. If You Ask Me (And of Course You Won’t) by Betty White
We have to throw at least one nonfiction beach read out there and a humorous yet touching book filled with a lifetime of stories and wisdom seems to fit the bill. The fact that it’s written by the ever-amazing Betty White is just icing on the cake.
Great new summer reads come out ever year. What are your favorites? Are there any new books you’re looking forward to reading this summer? Share your own beach reading recommendations in the comments below.
