Pop-Culturalist.com

August is a particularly perfect month to spend going to the beach, if you can. It’s super hot and sunny, and there’s nothing better than smelling some ocean air as you relax (under the shade of an umbrella!). To keep you busy at the beach, we’ve pulled together a list of six books that you can enjoy.

Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch
Lina’s mom’s dying wish was that she spend time getting to know her father. Her father happens to live in Italy so Lina is spending her summer in Tuscany. There, she finds her mom’s old journal and discovers things about her mom that inspire her to embrace the world around her: art, hidden shops, food, and, of course, love (who wouldn’t love an Italian cutie names Lorenzo aka Ren?). There’s also a secret in the journal that Lina wants to unearth.

You’ll not only fall in love with the characters, but you will also fall in love with Italy. Make sure to have some gelato (or ice cream!) on hand when you read this.

Almost Impossible by Nicole Williams
Jade’s mom is a rockstar, literally. So when she’s tired of traveling around the world, Jade skips accompanying her mom on her latest world tour and decides to spend a summer living as a “normal” teenager at her aunt’s house in California. She gets a job at the local pool and meets Quentin…who also happens to be her neighbor. Naturally, sparks fly as Quentin pulls Jane out of her books and introduces her to things like beach bonfire parties and sneaking out of the house. But, as they get closer, Jade realizes Quentin is hiding something from her, and she has to get to the bottom of it.

This is a delightful, quick read. Jade is a down-to-earth relatable character while Quentin is the type of boy who would make any girl’s heart race.

Witches of East End by Melissa de la Cruz
The Beauchamp women have always lived out on the tip of Long Island in a small town, but they’ve harbored a huge secret: they are witches. Joanna and her daughters, Freya and Ingrid, have powers ranging from resurrecting the dead to predicting the future to healing anything. But, recently, things have been happening in the town (a young girl goes missing; attacks in town) so the women decide to embrace their magic and heritage to fight whatever evil has arrived.

This has a lot of fantastic elements: magic, romance, some danger, and badass lady characters. If you love this book then definitely watch the (sadly cancelled) TV show adaptation. It’s just as juicy and fun.

 

The Fragile Ordinary by Samantha Young
Samantha Young normally writes adult romances novels, but here she tackles the teen audience. It has all the elements of a solid romance novel that make readers’ hearts flutter. There is the attractive almost-bad boy with a sad past in new boy at school, Tobias King; there’s Comet, the main character who is the smart-but-quirky girl with distant parents. Unsurprisingly, Tobias and Comet are paired up on a school project, and she discovers he’s more than his tough guy exterior (and he discovers she’s more than her bookish appearance).

You’ll breeze through this heartfelt story of overcoming differences, looking out for your friends, and realizing everyone has hidden family issues.

Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson
Regency historical romance fans, this is the book for you! Escaping the boredom of Bath, Marianne heads to join her sister Cecily at Edenbrooke, a country estate at which Cecily is trying to get a husband. On the way, though, she has a run-in with a hghwayman which takes her on an unexpected turn. (Hint: lots of flirting and fun, clean romance!)

This swoony read will satisfy anyone who loves Jane Austen or is a hopeless romantic. You’ll fall for Phillipp yourself!

 

You by Caroline Kepnes
Looking for a thriller to take to the beach? This won’t disappoint. Joe Goldberg meets a gorgeous, aspiring writer in the East Village bookstore he works in. To find out who she is, exactly, he Googles her. Unlike most people, though, he quickly escalates to being a stalker, orchestraing run-ins with her around the city based on her social media accounts. Soon, he’s her boyfriend. And nothing and noone will get in his way of ensuring they stay together…

This keeps a fast-pace while being twisted and dark. This is one book that will get you through a long day at the beach. Also, look out for the TV adaptation coming this fall!