The occasional reader, or the “I only have time to read one or two books a year” reader, usually reads at the beach, and I am very interested in those books. During my walks, I pay more attention to the books in people’s hands than the ocean waves. My husband and daughter have been known to say, “My wife/mom wants to know what you are reading.” Most readers are excited to share and talk about the book.
This year the covers were diverse, and very few were new releases. The Kindle readers kept their reading life private, but I am happy to report seeing more books than e-readers again this summer.
Yet again, Sarah J. Maas’s The Court of Thorns and Roses made an appearance. The Romantasy series has remained popular since its 2015 publication. Book 6 will be released on October 27, 2026.
I spotted The Great Alone, and one reader in our group read The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah. These two historical fiction novels are heavy and not the typical beach read.
One reader was halfway through The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides and was not sure she wanted to continue. My daughter and I insisted she keep reading. The plot twist is so good!
My friend read The Bookshop by the Bay by Pamela Kelley. Running a seaside bookshop sounds heavenly.
We saw three different people reading Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt. I adore Marcellus, the giant Pacific octopus in this novel.
When I saw someone reading The Secret to Southern Charm by Kristy Woodson Harvey, I wondered if she knew a new novel in the Peachtree Bluff series is coming on September 15.
Two different men were reading Lee Child’s Reacher novels. Were they inspired by the Prime series, or have they been long-time readers of Child? After all, there are 31 books in the Reacher series.
My husband read the two thrillers. Crimson Thaw by Bruce Robert Coffin is a police procedural crime thriller and Back of Beyond by C.J. Box is a 2011 thriller set in Yellowstone National Park and the Montana wilderness.
My daughter and I both read Annabel Monaghan’s recent release, Dolly All the Time and rated it 4 stars. The fake dating trope romance set in a seaside Rhode Island town should be read at the beach. She finished three of the five Magnolia Parks Universe books in Jessa Hastings’s series. I also read Twilight Tides by Samantha Young and In Stormy Weather by Chelsea Curto (more about Stormy another time).
Stuff your pool or beach bag with these recommendations and others from your local library or independent bookstore.
Linda Sullivan is an avid reader and wants to inspire you to become one, too. For more recommendations or to talk books, reach out to her at thebookwhisperertn@gmail.com. She can also be found @thebookwhisperertn on Instagram.
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