How is everyone’s summer going so far? I have to say this is one of the weirdest summers I can remember. With the quarantines and limited gatherings it just doesn’t really feel like summer to me. But even with everything up in the air and all of our summer trips and plans canceled there is one summer tradition I am adamant about keeping and that is my summer reading list. Reading is absolutely one of my favorite pastimes. To be transported to a new place with new people, events, and scenes all by the words of an author is truly a gift. So grab a fruity cocktail, put on your bathing suit and get ready to be carried away by a good book (even if the only beach you’ll be seeing this summer is the one in your imagination 😉 )

1. The Guest List by Lucy Foley

This is the book everyone is talking about right now! It is definitely on everyone’s summer reading list. It was an enjoyable book, I finished it in two days since I couldn’t put it down. That being said there isn’t one likable character in the whole book lol. The story is full of horrible people who do horrible things. I do generally like a story better when I can root for someone but I just couldn’t do that here. This is a “locked room” mystery and with many comparisons to an Agatha Christie novel my interest were seriously piqued. The story takes place on a remote island off the coast of Ireland. All the guests are gathered for the wedding of the century. On the outside the bride and groom are the perfect couple. Wealthy and gorgeous with the world at their fingertips, they are the couple you love to hate. But appearances are only skin deep and what lies beneath is anything but pretty. With the threat of your darkest secrets coming to light how far would you go to keep them hidden? It is not in the same category as a Christie novel but it is a decent mystery. Some things seem too coincidental but it is definitely worth the read!

2.Verity by Colleen Hoover

This book will take you on the most wild ride! This story will suck you in immediately and the outside world will cease to exist. The story starts off with Lowen, a struggling writer who accepts the job of a lifetime. When an accident leaves best selling author Verity Crawford unable to write the remaining books in her series Lowen is asked to step in and write them for her, but this job might be more than she had anticipated. While going through Verity’s book notes in her office Lowen stumbles upon Verity’s autobiography. The problem is that Verity never meant for anyone to ever read it. This book does ramp up your anxiety so reader beware. While reading this I did have a horrible nightmare one night since some of the subject matter is dark and disturbing. If postpartum depression is a trigger for you then you might want to avoid this book. That being said I did really enjoy this story and it is one that stays with you. I can usually figure out the endings but this book had me guessing till the very last page!

3. The Shape of Night by Tess Gerritsen

Let me start off by saying I absolutely loved this author’s writing style. The opening scene grips you tight and pulls you in. The creepy atmosphere of a coastal mansion in Maine known as Brodie’s Watch is the perfect backdrop for this eerie story. The story centers around Ava Collette, a food writer, who has rented this seaside mansion for the summer as an escape from Boston. The peace and quiet Ava was searching for is soon interrupted when she awakes in her new house to a ghost! The ghost of Captain Brodie, the original owner of the house, who seems to have never left. It’s up to Ava to determine if he is friend or foe. With mysterious events, a possible new love interest and a murder investigation Ava has to figure out who she can trust in this small town that’s full of big secrets. The way Tess Gerritsen writes puts you directly in the scenery, I could practically feel the sea breeze on my face! This is just the type of book I love to get lost in on a warm summer day.

4. You are Not Alone by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen

This is the second book I am reading by Hendricks and Pekkanen. The first was The Wife Between Us (listed below). I ended up really enjoying that one so I figured I would give this one a try. I’m actually not quite done with it yet but so far its pretty intriguing. The story centers around Shay, a girl who is struggling with her current situation. She is struggling to find a job, a boyfriend, and now an apartment thanks to her roommate kicking her out to have his girlfriend move in. After Shay witnesses a tragic event chance introduces her to the alluring and mysterious Moore sisters. It seems like fate is finally throwing Shay a lifeline. Cassandra and Jane Moore are everything Shay wishes she was. They are glamorous, gorgeous, and have an unbreakable circle of friends. What Shay doesn’t know is her new friendships having nothing to do with chance and everything to do with a web of secrets the Moore sisters are desperately trying to keep hidden.

5. Lock Every Door by Riley Sager

As I’m sure you can tell by now I love psychological thrillers. I had high hopes for this book but to be honest it was not my favorite. I did enjoy it but the story had a few twists that seemed a bit unbelievable. I still wanted to add it to this list though because I know a lot of people who really enjoyed it. This book has a total Rosemary’s Baby vibe to it. Jules takes a job as an apartment sitter in one of New York’s most exclusive and mysterious buildings. Even after her boss tells her the strict yet strange rules she must adhere to, like never having a visitor or not being able to spend a single night out of the apartment, she takes the job since she is newly single and broke. After a series of strange events, Jules starts to see that if something seems too good to be true it usually is.

6. The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen

This is a book I read awhile ago now but I wanted to include it because I really think it makes for the perfect beach read. It keeps you guessing throughout, trying to fit all the puzzle pieces together. It also has a twist I didn’t see coming, I love a good twist! I don’t want to give too much away and spoil it so I’ll just say it is about a woman and her ex-husbands fiancé. But the way it is written is so interesting and really keeps your attention. I finished this book really quickly because I was desperate to find out what was going to happen next!