It’s beach read season once again!
While the phrase “beach read” may conjure images of summer romance and ocean settings, any book can make a perfect beach companion. I do love a summer romance, but all I really need is a good page-turner to lose myself in while enjoying the sun and surf.
This week’s recommendations will definitely keep you reading all summer long.
Haley M. Opet, author of "A Bloodveiled Descent"
Book: "One Dark Window"
Author: Rachel Gillig
I loved this book because it was one of those books I literally could not put down. It has dark fantasy with just the right amount of romance. It has a unique magic system that is easy to follow.
I know fantasy might not be everyone's first thought when they think of a beach read, but for me, vacation is the perfect time to completely escape reality. And if you happen to finish it before your vacation ends, the best part is there's a second book waiting for you, so you'll have something to look forward to even after you're back home.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Tara Hamilton-Faye, Scranton
Book: "Anxious People"
Author: Fredrick Backman
It's a cleverly written book full of surprise, humor, and the baggage we all accumulate as we go through life. A bunch of people are attending an open house when a bank robber takes them hostage, and as the book goes on, the characters are well developed, and the lives of each are intertwined in some really unique ways.
If you're on a beach boardwalk with some access to fun games and rides, that's great. But even if you're not, this book will take you on a fantastic adventure.
Julie Sidoni, WVIA Director of Public Affairs
Book: "The Anger Meridian"
Author: Kaylie Jones
In the interest of full disclosure: I know Kaylie Jones; she was my mentor while I earned an MFA in creative writing from Wilkes University. But this pick is mine alone.
One day, Merryn Huntley has a wealthy husband, a bright, observant child, and a big circle of friends. The next, she has stashed what cash she can find and is escaping with her daughter to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, where her difficult mother resides.
Merryn is forced to deal with not only fallout from her husband’s bad decisions, but the trauma of being back in her psychologically-abusive mother’s orbit. Soon, she considers how much she has been lied to — but more importantly, how much she’s been lying to herself.
Is Merryn a victim? A co-conspirator? Or a self-empowered mother determined to do better than her own? I highly suggest you read The Anger Meridian to find out for yourself.
Kaylee Magda, owner, Lost & Found Bookshop, Scranton
Book: "The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires"
Author: Grady Hendrix
When asked to recommend a beach read, I wanted to pick something entertaining. "The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires" by Grady Hendrix isn't your usual beach read. This is a Southern Gothic horror set in the suburbs of the Carolinas in the 1990s, and this book delivers genuine suspense with lots of humor too.
When a book club of southern mothers starts to suspect their charming new neighbor isn't quite what he seems, and reports of missing children begin making headlines, the women decide to take matters into their own hands to protect their kids and the community. The result is a thrilling story with unforgettable characters and a new spin on the classic vampire.
This book will transport you. The pages drip with humidity and neighborhood gossip. It's the kind of story that sticks with you long after you finish the last page. I read it a while ago, and I find I still walk a little fast when I take the trash out at night, due to one of the chapters early on in the book.
This is a book that I recommend whenever a copy finds its way on the shelves of my store. Lost & Found Bookshop recently moved in June and has reopened its doors at a new location in downtown Scranton at 408 Biden St. With over 1,800 books filling our shelves, stop on by to find your perfect beach read this summer.
Lydia McFarlane, WVIA News Healthcare Reporter
Book: "The Compound"
Author: Aisling Rawle
What if "Love Island" and "Survivor" had a baby? And throw a little bit of "Lord of the Flies" into the mix too. Well, that’s what it felt like reading "The Compound" by Aisling Rawle.
The book starts with our protagonist Lily waking up confused in a compound in the middle of the desert, surrounded by other beautiful, model type young women. The men show up later in the day after a dangerous trek through the desert and the group embarks on a televised journey. They form relationships, complete easy and fun tasks and receive luxury rewards, spending most of their time lounging by the pool and gossiping. Participants must share a bed with a contestant of the opposite sex each night or face immediate elimination in the morning.
As the reality show progresses, the contestants' ranks dwindle and the stakes get higher. The tasks become more sinister and contestants push the bounds of their own morality in completing them."The Compound" asks, what would you do to win? And what does society’s obsession with reality television say about us? This book is fast-paced, summery and delves into themes of surveillance and human nature, making it the perfect beach read for me and I hope for some of you.
Brittany Shoemaker, The Charming Churchmouse
Books: "The Final Girl Support Group" and "The Last Time I Lied"
Authors: Grady Hendrix and Riley Sager
Being born and raised in Florida, I know a thing or two about beach reads. That doesn't necessarily mean lowbrow or fluff, but an escape. So today I bring you a summer camp-inspired double feature from two of my favorite thriller and horror writers, Grady Hendrix and Riley Sager.
The first, by Hendricks, is "The Final Girl Support Group," which is about six women who each survive six separate summer camp massacres, but now each is being killed off one by one by someone who knows their secret. It's full of final girl energy that's one part love letter to classic slashers and one part dark humor.
Sager's "The Last Time I Lied" centers around a woman who is invited back to be a paint instructor at the same camp her three cabin mates disappeared from 15 years prior without a trace. And now, it's happening again. This is a fast-paced tale full of twists that keep you guessing. Both are best enjoyed with a margarita in hand.
Sarah Scinto, WVIA Morning Edition Host and Reporter
Book: “Vicious”
Author: V.E. Schwab
My recommendation this week is a book I want to reread this summer to prepare for the third book in the series.
“Vicious” is the first book in V.E. Schwab’s Villains series. Victor Vale and Eli Cardale start out as college roommates. In their senior year, their research and interest in near-death experiences and supernatural events lead them to a thesis: under the right conditions, human beings can obtain extraordinary abilities.
When things move from theoretical to experimental, of course something goes wrong, and Victor and Eli find themselves pitted against one another. After all, where there is a superhero, there must also be a villain.
“Vicious” is vibrant, fast-paced and full of the immensely interesting characters I expect from V.E. Schwab. And if you finish this one over the course of a couple beach days, book #2, “Vengeful” is waiting for you before “Victorious” comes out in October.
That’s all for this edition of Bookmarks! Join us again on Aug. 1 for more.
