Amazing Books to Read This Summer Here on the Suncoast
With the heat this summer, travel plans, and the like taking up much of our time, tucking into a good book can be an amazing release. Whether you pack your Kindle with amazing books for wherever the road takes you or love the smell of a book, we have some good reads you can miss. Whether your genre is thrillers or romance, there are wonderful new offerings from a wide range of authors to make your summer reading an amazing and wonderful time of discovering new stories.
The Lie Maker by Linwood Barclay – this is a stand-alone story about a struggling writer hired to provide fictional backstories for people in the federal government’s Witness Security Program. While doing so, he decides to look for his father, who was taken into witness protection long ago, his whereabouts unknown.
The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration by Isabel Wilkerson – The epic history of the Great Migration isn’t an obvious choice for a summer read: It’s not “easy,” and it’s 800 pages or so. But reading The Warmth of Other Suns over the course of the summer can provide a good chance to absorb and possibly instigate a good conversation with family and friends you might be with.
Happy Place by Emily Henry – Harriet and Wyn’s friend group has vacationed at the same Maine house for a decade, so when it goes up for sale, they’re determined to soak up one last week of fun. There’s just one problem: Harriet and Wyn haven’t told their crew they’re no longer engaged, so they’re stuck sharing a room to keep up the ruse. But is it all really just for show, or are sparks flying?
More Than You’ll Ever Know by Katie Gutierrez – As a true crime reporter, Cassie Bowman finds the truth behind the stories that grip people most. She comes across an article about Lore Rivera, a woman who carried out a double life with a family in Mexico and one in the U.S., and thinks she’s found the ultimate career-defining moment. “More Than You’ll Ever Know” is an intertwining story about ambition, motherhood, and more.
A Likeable Woman by May Cobb – Fans of Desperate Housewives and Devious Maids will love this thriller about a young wealthy woman named Kira who returns home to her affluent Texas town decades after her mother was mysteriously murdered. Kira is hesitant to return—can’t blame you, sis—but her grandmother’s constant pleas eventually weigh her down.
Bad, Bad Seymour Brown by Susan Isaacs – Isaacs can be counted on for breezy fun along with the crime scenes and plot twists. With the pandemic moving her extended family into a shared Long Island McMansion, ex-FBI agent Corie Geller and her retired-NYPD dad are closer than ever. When his most frustrating cold case comes out of the freezer, the two are determined to nail it this time.
The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer – Meg Shaffer’s The Wishing Game is bound to be one of the best summer reads this year for its whimsical, escapist plot—a sort of bookish, adult take on The Westing Game and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. A mysterious, uber-rich children’s book author welcomes four strangers to his island for a chance at a life-changing competition. But, of course, the game isn’t easy. Puzzles and plot twists await the quartet of acquaintances, who are in for revelations and lessons more personal than they ever anticipated.
Have you read any of the books from our list? Did you add a new one or two for the summer reading you are planning this year? Books can add so much to time spent inside, travel downtime, and small breaks from the hustle and bustle of life. There are great books for inspiration, self-help, comedic release, or keeping you on the edge of your seat.
Happy Reading, Suncoast!
Feature Photo Courtesy of Deposit Photos