Beach Reading

One of my favorite summer pastimes is grabbing a good book and heading to the beach. Today is a rainy Sunday here in Boston so since I won't be heading to the ocean, I thought what better weather to share my summer reads with you all.

The following picks are all fiction novels. Fun, easy reads to get lost in at the beach. Here's a run through of my book list for summer 2014:

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn - READ

My grandma loaned me this read from her collection. I started it over the July 4th holiday and couldn't put it down. After reading this, I heard that it is being made into a movie so I'll be interested to see how closely they capture this novel.

"MARRIAGE CAN BE A REAL KILLER. On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne's fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick's clever and beautiful wife disappears from their rented McMansion on the Mississippi River. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn't doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife's head, but passages from Amy's diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media - as well as Amy's fiercely doting parents - the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior, Nick is oddly evasive, and he's definitely bitter-but is he really a killer?"


Where We Belong by Emily Giffin - READ

Emily Giffin is one of my favorite writers. She has several other books you may have heard of like Something Blue or Something Borrowed, so I was excited to dive into this new one from her.

This book is about a thirty six year old television producer living the life in New York City. Marian has everything anyone could want - the perfect job, the perfect relationship, the best wardrobe. But one night, she gets a surprise when eighteen year old Kirby Rose shows up at her door.

From the moment Kirby arrives Marian's world is forever changed. The story shares their journey both past and present and takes the reader on a journey to discover where they really belong.


Guilty Wives by James Patterson and David Ellis - CURRENTLY READING

This book takes place in Monte Carlo. Four best friends set out on a lavish vacation. They stay in the best hotel surrounded by the best champagne, food, sun and fun. The girls venture to discos, casinos and find themselves on a private yacht. After a night of partying, the girls awaken on the yacht surrounded by police. Something awful has happened and they are thrown in prison for murder. Now their vacation of a lifetime turns into their fight for survival in a foreign prison.

I just started this book and am already hooked. I've always been a fan of James Patterson and this book is no exception.


On The Rocks by Erin Duffy - HAVE NOT READ

I have not started this book yet, but am looking forward to it being my next read especially since it is based in Boston and Newport.

This novel follows the story of a woman named Abby. Her fiance dumps her over Facebook after she already has many of the details of their wedding sorted out. Six months and twenty pounds later, her best friend Grace is worried about her. Grace devises a plan to get Abby to Newport for the summer. The two stay in a quaint cottage by the sea surrounded by cool breezes, cocktails and gorgeous men. In this era of social media, the girls find it hard to truly escape for the summer. As the summer comes to an end, Abby will make some surprising discoveries about love, men, friendship and herself.


Think Twice by Lisa Scottoline - HAVE NOT READ

"Bennie Rosato looks exactly like her identical twin, Alice Connelly, but the darkness in Alice's soul makes them two very different women. Or at least that's what Bennie believes - until she finds herself buried alive at the hands of her twin. Meanwhile, Alice takes over Bennie's life, impersonating her at work and even seducing her boyfriend in order to escape the deadly mess she made of her own life. But Alice underestimates Bennie and the evil she has unleashed in her twin's psyche. Soon Bennie, in her determination to stay alive long enough to exact revenge, must face the twisted truth that she is more like Alice than she could have ever imagined."


Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella - HAVE NOT READ

Sophie Kinsella is one of my favorite fiction writers so I was very excited to see this new novel from her on the bookstore shelf.

"Lottie just knows that her boyfriend is going to propose, but then his big question involves a trip abroad - not a trip down the aisle. Completely crushed, Lottie reconnects with an old flame, and they decide to take drastic action. No dates, no moving in together, they'll just get married....right now. Her sister, Fliss, thinks Lottie is making a terrible mistake, and will do anything to stop her. Bur Lottie is determined to say "I do," for better, or for worse."


Hopeless by Colleen Hoover - HAVE NOT READ

Colleen Hoover is my new obsession when it comes to authors. I was hooked after reading her novel Maybe Someday. After loving that book, I had to scoop up her other stories. I can't wait to dive into this novel to see if it lives up to Maybe Someday. Here's a quick synopsis:

"Sky meets Dean Holder, a guy with a reputation that rivals her own. From their very first encounter, he terrifies and captivates her. Something about him sparks memories of her deeply troubled past, a time she's tried so hard to bury. Though Sky is determined to stay far away from him, his unwavering pursuit and enigmatic smile break down her defenses and the intensity of the bond between them grows. But the mysterious Holder has been keeping secrets of his own, and once they are reveled, Sky is changed forever and her ability to trust may be a causality of the truth"


Losing Hope by Colleen Hoover - HAVE NOT READ

This is the follow-up novel to Hopeless.

"Hopeless was Sky's story. Now, in Losing Hope, we finally learn truth about Dean Holder. Haunted by the little girl he couldn't save from imminent danger, Holder's life has been overshadowed by feelings of guilt and remorse. He has never stopped searching for her, believing that finding her would bring him the peace he needs to move on. However, Holder could not have anticipated that he would be faced with even greater pain the moment they reconnected. In Losing Hope, Holder reveals the way in which the events of Sky's youth affected him and his family, leading him to seek his own redemption in the act of saving her. But it is only in loving Sky that he can finally begin to heal himself."

So those are my summer picks. Do you have any other novels that you think I should add to the list? I'd love to hear about them? Happy reading chickies!