Beach Reads

Are you looking for the perfect beach read for your vacation? Check out some of what our staff has been enjoying this summer!

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid– Mentioned by two of our librarians, Malibu Rising is about four famous siblings throw an epic party to celebrate the end of the summer. But over the course of twenty-four hours, the family drama that ensues will change their lives will change forever. Set in the California surfing and celebrity culture of the 1980’s. Also available in Large Print, eBook on Overdrive, and as a downloadable audiobook on Overdrive.

History of Wild Places by Shea Ernshaw– According to Laini Taylor this is a “riveting, atmospheric thriller that messes with your mind in the best way” . Three residents of a secluded, seemingly peaceful commune investigate the disappearances of two outsiders. Sometimes you can use just a touch of chill while you relax on the beach.

Boardwalk Bookshop by Susan Mallery– Three best friends brought together by chance, bookshop owners Bree, Mikki, and Ashley each get a chance for a new beginning and a love to last a lifetime when they fight for what they really want. Also available in Large Print, eBook on Overdrive, and as a downloadable audiobook on Hoopla.

West with Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge– It’s 1938. The Great Depression lingers. Hitler is threatening Europe, and world-weary Americans long for wonder. They find it in two giraffes who miraculously survive a hurricane while crossing the Atlantic. What follows is a twelve-day road trip in a custom truck to deliver Southern California’s first giraffes to the San Diego Zoo. Behind the wheel is the young Dust Bowl rowdy Woodrow. Inspired by true events, the tale weaves real-life figures with fictional ones, including the world’s first female zoo director, a crusty old man with a past, a young female photographer with a secret, and assorted reprobates as spotty as the giraffes. Part adventure, part historical saga, and part coming-of-age love story.

Death at La Fenice by Donna Leon– When renowned opera conductor Helmut Wellauer is found dead in his dressing room, the victim of cyanide poisoning, Guido Brunetti, the Vice Commissario of the Venice police, must sift through several suspects. The first in the international bestselling Guido Brunetti series. Your beach books could carry you throughout the year in this well done series. Also available as an eBook on Hoopla.

Love and Gelato by Jenna Evans Ward– Lina is spending the summer in Tuscany, and she’s only there because it was her mother’s dying wish that she get to know her father. But what kind of father isn’t around for sixteen years? When Lina is given a journal that her mom had kept when she lived in Italy, she begins to uncover a magical world of secret romances, art, and hidden bakeries. Soon Lina is inspired to follow in her mother’s footsteps and unearth a secret that has been kept from Lina for far too long. Young adult books aren’t just for teens anymore. Also available as a downloadable audiobook on Overdrive.

Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez– After a wild bet, gourmet grilled-cheese sandwich, and cuddle with a baby goat, Alexis Montgomery has had her world turned upside down. The cause: Daniel Grant, a ridiculously hot carpenter who’s ten years younger than her and as casual as they come-the complete opposite of sophisticated city-girl Alexis. And yet their chemistry is undeniable. Alexis is torn between her family’s expectations that she follow family tradition and become a high-powered surgeon and Daniel’s down to earth and tight-knit community. Also available as an eBook on Overdrive.

My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell– This memoir is only available as an eBook on Hoopla. When the Durrells could no longer endure the gray English climate, they did what any sensible family would do: sold their house and relocated to the sun-soaked island of Corfu. As they settled into their new home, hilarious mishaps ensued as a ten-year-old Gerald Durrell pursued his interest in natural history and explored the island’s fauna. Soon, toads and tortoises, bats and butterflies-as well as scorpions, geckos, ladybugs, praying mantises, octopuses, pigeons, and gulls-became a common sight in the Durrell villa. The inspiration for The Durrells in Corfu.

Beach Read by Emily Henry– A romance writer who no longer believes in love and a literary writer stuck in a rut engage in a summer-long challenge that may just upend everything they believe about happily ever afters. Augustus will spend the summer writing something happy, and January will pen the next Great American Novel. Will they have their own happily ever after. Also available as an eBook and a downloadable audiobook on Overdrive.

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