Today, I’m sharing my seven favorite novels that I’ve read over the last few years that are perfect for summer vacation. Most of these books take place on the beach, which gives them the perfect summer vibe, and all of them are mysteries. I really enjoyed reading all of these novels and I think you will too! If you are looking for the perfect book to read (or listen to) this summer, then keep reading!
Instead of doing traditional book descriptions for this post, I’ve decided to grab a few random questions from this list: 50+ Book Club Questions for a Fun & Lively Discussion and I’m just going to answer one question for each book. I will also include links to the full book reviews that I have written.
Also, these are in no particular order. They are not ranked in this list!
The Guest List by Lucy Foley
What is the best scene?
Okay, so there were a lot of scenes in this book that I really enjoyed. But there was one that felt really visceral and real and still stands out to me even though it’s been a year since I last read this novel. In the middle of the book, there is a chapter featuring Olivia, the bridesmaid. The chapters are not numbered, so if you happen to own this book and you are looking for the scene, it starts on page 191.
Here is an excerpt from the scene:
“The waves are big, whitecapped far out. I let the wind blow over me, till my hair feels like it’s being ripped from my head, till my eyelids feel like they’re trying to turn inside out, the wind pushing at me like it’s trying its best to shove me over. There’s a sting of salt on my face.
The water out there is a bright blue, like the color of the sea in a photo of a Caribbean island, like the one where my mate Jess went last year with her family and from which she posted about fifty thousand photos on Instagram of herself in a bikini (all totally Facetuned, of course, so her legs looked longer and her waist looked smaller and her boobs looked bigger.) I suppose that it’s all quite beautiful, what I’m looking at, but I can’t feel it being beautiful. I can’t properly feel any good things anymore: like the taste of food, or the sun on my face or a song I like on the radio. Looking out at the sea all I feel is a dull pain, somewhere under my ribs, like an old injury.”
The Guest List, p. 192
This part of the book is so powerful and the reveal at the end of this chapter truly shocked me. I was also blown away by the stylistic choice by Lucy Foley to include so many run-on sentences. When you read it, it feels like you can’t even catch a breath and helps you feel like you are really in the moment with Olivia.
Read the full book review here.
The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave
What song would go with the mood of this book?
I think that the song Waves by Dean Lewis is a good choice for this book. There’s this feeling throughout the book that the main character is being pulled between who she thought her husband was and who he appears to be. But there are plenty of reason to feel somewhat hopeful throughout the book. I think the push and pull described in the song is perfect for this book.
Read the full book review here.
The Summer House by Keri Beevis
Did you Google anything while reading?
I chose this question because I did Google some things! This book is set in coastal England, so I looked up some areas described in the book to get a feeling for how it looked. I also found myself savings lots of English gardens on Pinterest after reading this book!
Read the full book review here.
Before We Were Innocent by Ella Berman
Read the last sentence aloud. Why do you think they choose the last sentence?
You are going to have to trust me that I am, in fact, reading this out loud. Here, you can read along with me. The last sentence is:
“The knowledge that I will never be the one to tell them otherwise.”
I am not entirely sure how to answer this question without giving away the ending of the novel. This last sentence comes from the perspective of Bess, one-third of the trio of friends. There is a lot that is said with this sentence and ….
Yeah, I don’t think I can really say anything about it without dropping a massive load of spoilers. But I will say that this book does not have a definitive ending. It has a somewhat open ending, so what Bess is basically saying is that she is going to hold onto her secrets.
Read the full book review here.
The Disappearance of Susannah Dane by Eliza Stopps
Okay, yes, I know. This is my book. Is it a little narcissistic to put my own book in a must-read book list? Maybe. But I mean, it is my blog, so I guess I can make the rules.
The question I chose for my book, The Disappearance of Susannah Dane, is:
What drink would go with the mood of this book?
I am still very much a Portland girl at heart, although I don’t live there anymore. So, here’s the perfect drink to make while you read: a Dirty Chai. One or two shots of espresso, Oregon Chai, and a splash of cream. I like to drink it hot, but you can definitely ice it up. It’s perfect, there’s not much more I can say.
I have not written a review of my own book (I think that would be going too far), but I do write about my books quite a lot. Here’s the page dedicated to this series: The Disappearance of Susannah Dane
The Lake by Natasha Preston
Who is your least favorite character?
The camp director, Andy. It isn’t that his character isn’t likeable but that he just felt so unbelievable. Why on earth wouldn’t he call the cops like as soon as creepy things started happening around camp? And none of the characters suspect him for a second. His reasons for putting things off really didn’t make sense, so yeah, I wasn’t a fan of him. I think Andy would get sued into oblivion in real life.
Read the full book review here.
We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
Would you say the love connection is believable?
In this book, Cady and Gat have a very sweet connection. Their relationship is definitely believable. It’s a first-love situation and even when Gat has another girlfriend (before they start to connect), Cady truly is head-over-heels for him. I found this part of this book super sweet.
I had to look at the book and re-read my review to remember the character’s names and I found myself absolutely cracking up at my book review. So, let me add, do NOT read my review if you haven’t read this book because I really lay it all out on the table. I was so invested in this story and the plot twist really sent me reeling. Also despite my somewhat emotional review, I will say that this is still a good book that I really enjoyed. (Even if a few parts of it were definitely a snoozer) and the ending makes it a wild read that you absolutely have to read once.
Read the full book review here.
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