Summer is in full swing, and whether you are sitting by the pool, on the beach, or relaxing on your couch in the air conditioning, these are the NEW recently released books that should be close at hand. If you’re kicking back and reading on the beach, you’ll enjoy Golden Girl, Malibu Rising, or Lady Sunshine. We Are What We Eat is a perfect read for “foodies,” and if you like to read a new take on an old classic, The Chosen and the Beautiful is a Great Gatsby rewrite.
Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid Family – Fiction
Malibu Rising is an entertaining, sunny beach read that is fast-paced and filled with family drama. It is the story of the Rivas family – surfer siblings Nina, Jay, Hud, and Kit as well as their mother, June, and their father, the famous singer, Mick Riva. It takes place over twenty-four hours, but it also culminates generations of secrets and traumas.
The Chosen and the Beautiful by Nghi Vo – Rewrite of The Great Gatsby
The Chosen and the Beautiful reimagines The Great Gatsby as a story full of magic, mystery, and glittering excess. The book is narrated by Daisy’s best friend, Jordan Baker, who is a golf pro, and a bisexual Vietnamese adoptee. Jordan makes the book feel new and exciting by adding depth to Gatsby’s overlooked women, but she stays true to Fitzgerald’s original story.
We Are What We Eat: A Slow Food Manifesto by Alice Waters – Food Science
We Are What We Eat takes a look at how people take food for granted, having anything and everything we want to eat all day and every day. Alice Waters, chef and food activist, moves from fast foods to slow food values making a convincing case that eating is political. How we eat and what we eat have powerful effects on the future of the planet.
Golden Girl by Elin Hilderbrand – Contemporary Fiction
A Nantucket novelist is killed in a hit-and-run car accident while jogging near her home and ascends to Heaven. Her death is “judged to be unfair,” so she is allowed to watch over everyone from the Great Beyond for one last summer. The novelist believes her family will sort out their past and present mistakes, but she is very worried about the release of her last book. It contains a secret from her own youth that could be disastrous. How will it be received?
The Disappearing Act by Catherine Steadman – Crime/ Mystery
The real British actress, Catherine Steadman, writes a suspenseful mystery about the cattle call of Hollywood movie auditions as seen through her eyes. The competition to “win” a share of Hollywood’s fame and fortune is fierce. This is an intense story about how far actors could go for a chance to climb the ladder of success to stardom.
Lady Sunshine by Amy Mason Doan – Historical Fiction
This novel transports you with free love, hope, and all the magic of the 70’s to a California commune owned by a famous uncle/musician. Twenty years later, the niece inherits the California coastal estate and returns to visit the memories and the secrets in search of her favorite cousin, who disappeared without a trace.
Palace of the Drowned by Christine Mangan – Literary Thriller
A dark, haunting tale of ambition and human nature asks how far you will go to achieve literary success? The book is set in the cold, dreary, off-season of Venice during the horrific flooding of 1966. Palace of the Drowned is a slow-moving, well-written psychological thriller where literary theft figures into the most unexpected final scenes.
Grab a good book and a cold drink and enjoy some sunny days reading a relaxing this summer.
If you are an Amazon Prime member you get a free Prime Read each month. Right now our favorite is There’s a Hole in My Bucket: The Journey of Two Brothers.
Read Next:
