Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish.
It has now been moved over to That Artsy Reader Girl.
During the summer I personally find that I’m more drawn to mystery/thrillers or fluffy/dramatic contemporaries, there is no in between! So these are books that I think make for great summer reads whether you’re at the beach, pool, or traveling!
These are in no particular order and I will provide links to my full reviews if I have them available. (each title is linked to my full review)
(No graphics today because they’re being difficult for me!)
10.) Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
Gillian Flynn is one of my favorite authors, I’ve yet to be disappointed with any of her books. However, “Sharp Objects” is my favorite one! It’s a short read at only 254 pages and it’s overall dark and eerie atmosphere will make you glad to be reading it out in the sun. This is a great character driven story with some shocking twists that I definitely didn’t anticipate.
9.) With Malice by Eileen Cook
I’m going to avoid too much detail with this one since I feel that the synopsis spoils parts of the plot but it’s about a girl who awakes from a coma due to an accident she was in on a school trip to Italy. I loved the Italian setting and there are more than a few twists along the way as well.
8.) The Darkest Corners by Kara Thomas
This is super dark and gritty for a YA mystery thriller but the twists will keep you guessing until the very end. The main character and her childhood best friend testified against a man for killing their babysitter when they were young but now she believes they may have put an innocent man in jail.
7.) Little Monsters by Kara Thomas
I know this is the second Kara Thomas book on the list but she’s just such a fantastic author! This one is another psychological thriller with twists you won’t be able to predict and involves a search for the main character’s missing best friend.
6.) This Is Our Story by Ashley Elston
This one doesn’t have quit as many shocking twists as the other books I’ve mentioned on this list but it is a very suspenseful and engaging read. It’s about a girl who is doing an internship at the DA’s office and gets caught up in a case where in their small town 5 boys went out hunting and only 4 came back. They’re all protecting each other and won’t say who fired the fatal shot.
5.) Night Film by Marisha Pessl
I could honestly rave forever about “Night Film” and words cannot properly express what an amazing read it is. It’s very much a mix of horror, mystery, and thriller involving a journalist main character who begins investigating the life and mysterious death of Ashley Cordova. Being the daughter of the famous cult horror director and a man who has not been seen in public in over thirty years, Stanislaus Cordova, our main character gets caught up in his legacy as well.
It’s hard to explain but there’s so much suspense and it’s such a page turner!
4.) You Will Know Me by Megan Abbott
This is another book that’s a bit hard to explain since there’s so much going on. It’s about Katie Knox whose life she has dedicated to her daughter’s gymnastics career but then a violent death happens within their group and she finds herself caught up in it. This is a very character driven book and involves many secrets and much drama, but you won’t be able to put it down.
3.) Queens of Geek by Jen Wilde
This BOOK! I normally do not read romantic, fluffy contemporaries but I’m so glad I made an exception with this one. While it does focus a lot on romance between characters it’s also full of all the geeky awesomeness since it takes place at SupaCon (Comic Con) and is full of diversity (LGTBQ+, Mental Illness or Disability, and POC). Definitely a cute, quick read and perfect for the summer!
2.) Paper Princess by Erin Watt
“Paper Princess” is a book not to be taken too seriously, it’s best to just treat it like what it is: a soap opera in book form. The DRAMA and the writing are just so addictive though and this is perfect for those of you looking for a fun, fast read!
I could gush all day about “Royals” because I’m a sucker for anything involving modern royalty and this book was sooooooo much FUN! The main character is constantly getting herself into some messy situations but she’s hilarious and I loved her, also just sort of loved all the characters. It’s a very fast paced read and did I mention fun already? Fun!
Have you read any of these books? What did you think?
What are some of your favorite summer reads?
What do you have on your summer TBR?
Any great summer read recs?
Let me know in the comments!
Follow Me Elsewhere: Twitter * Instagram * Goodreads
Great list, Heather! Gillian Flynn is absolutely perfect for summer! And I’m really hoping I can pick up at least one of Kara Thomas’ books in the next couple months. Thrillers are great for this time of year! 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, I agree thrillers are always great summer reads! I would love to see what you think of one of Kara Thomas’ books, really either one since I loved both, her new one comes out this month as well! 🙂
LikeLike
Yay! I love Sharp Objects as well (my second favorite of hers)!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s such a good book! Which Flynn novel is your favorite? (she really needs to write more of them too, haha) 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
My absolute favorite is Dark Places! I know, I think she’s writing one right now but I haven’t heard any updates in a while.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s an excellent one as well! No updates? Noooo! I need another Flynn book stat! It’s really been a while since she’s released another one, which is unfortunate! Hopefully there will be some sort of update soon though. 🙂
LikeLike
Great list! I love fast-paced books in summer. It’s hard to concentrate on difficult books when I’m on vacation.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you and yes exactly! Like my mind already wanders while reading but how am I supposed to concentrate on a slow book with so much other summer things going on?! 🙂
LikeLike