Looking for your next read as we approach the warmer months? Check out these favorite beach reads of mine, and stay tuned for a more detailed review of each one over the next few weeks! The books: Summer Wives by Beatriz Williams The Library of Legends by Janie Chang Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys The Holdout by Graham Moore Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

This book is the ultimate summer read. Review details for Malibu Rising and what to expect ⬇️ Summary: Follow the generational history of the Riva family from its inception to the present day, when the four adult siblings throw a beach party that ends in disaster. The book unfolds into a saga of family, romance, and mystery. Themes: ☀️ Family relationships ☀️ Mystery ☀️ Romance ☀️ Class differences, wealth, & fame My thoughts: 👏 Truly the epitome of a summer read 👏 Excellent commentary about family relationships 👏 Page turner that keeps you guessing 👏 Really nice descriptive language to capture life by the ocean Overall, I recommend it for people looking for... ✅ A summer read ✅ A good mystery with a little bit of relationship drama ✅ A commentary on wealth, class, and how fame can impact families ✅ Another great book set in the TJR world

Love this for a summer read! Review details for #theFountainsofSilence and what to expect ⬇️ Summary: An American photographer travels to Spain with his high profile family in the 1950s. He meets a woman and is brought into her complicated life under the oppressive regime of Franco, the dictator of mid-twentieth century Spain. Themes: ☀️ Dictatorship & oppression ☀️ Romance ☀️ War ☀️ Clashing of different worlds My thoughts: 👏 A deep and thought provoking summer read 👏 Well written & emotional 👏 Well researched Overall, I recommend it for people looking for... ✅ A read for the warmer months with a bit more meat to it than a typical beach read ✅ A story about two people from different worlds coming together ✅ Messages and themes about oppression, dictatorship, and war ✅ A good love story ✅ A little bit of history you might not have known previously (Franco's lasting dictatorship and it's impact on the Spanish people is often overlooked by high school history curriculum 🤷‍♀️)

Love this for a summer read! Review details for #SummerWives and what to expect ⬇️ Summary: Winthrop Island is home to local and summer people whose lives and romances intertwine over the decades. This story follows their relationships across generations. Themes: ☀️ Class differences ☀️ Coming of age ☀️ Family, friendship, and community ☀️ Love & romance My thoughts: 👏 A wonderful summer read 👏 Well written 👏 Genuinely interesting and enjoyable Overall, I recommend it for people looking for... ✅ Something to read on the beach ✅ Likable characters with a cool setting ✅ A story that spans generations ✅ Undertones of class differences and family drama

Love this for a summer read! Review details for The Holdout and what to expect ⬇️ Summary: A former member of a murder trial jury joins her fellow jurors for a ten year anniversary documentary. Back at the trial, she convinced the others of the defendant's innocence, leading to his release. Now one of the other jurors is murdered, and she is the prime suspect. Themes: ☀️ Crime & legal thriller ☀️ Regret & hindsight ☀️ Societal issues, stereotypes, and assumptions My thoughts: 👏 A slow build, but still a page turner 👏 Excellent whodunnit 👏 Multiple perspectives done well Overall, I recommend it for people looking for... ✅ An entertaining mystery for a vacation read ✅ People who like to solve the whodunnit as they go ✅ Fans of multiple POVs ✅ Solid twists that keep you guessing ✅ Legal thrillers

Love this for a summer read! Review details for #theLibraryofLegends and what to expect ⬇️ Summary: A group of students travel across China seeking a safe space during World War II. With them, they bring a collection of myths known as the Library of Legends. Themes: ☀️ Mythology & folklore ☀️ Coming of Age ☀️ Friendship ☀️ War ☀️ Family & Legacy My thoughts: 👏 A very cool merging of history & mythology 👏 Well timed to keep you hooked throughout 👏 Well integrated mythology in a larger tale Overall, I recommend it for people looking for... ✅ Something that keeps you interested ✅ A little bit of fantasy/supernatural without it completely dominating the story ✅ WWII themes ✅ A coming of age tale ✅ Likable characters