Stuffing Your Beach Bag with Books

It’s that time of year when we all start to get ready for lazy days at the beach. You’ve got your new swimsuit, colorful towels and umbrella — but what books should be in your beach bag?

Here are some suggestions:

• Lost Girls: An Unsolved American Mystery — Telling the story of a serial killer in Long Island, New York, this book is true crime without seeming cheesy. It’s the story of five online escorts who are killed by an unknown murderer, who remains at large today. (Kindle price: $10.99; Hardcover: $19.29; Paperback: $11.66)

• One Plus One: A Novel — With a beautiful book cover reminiscent of the 1960s, this is British author Jojo Moyes’ sixth novel. American audiences love her stories, which focus mainly on relationships, including One Plus One, the story of a single mother who encounters a millionaire. But you’ll have to wait until July 1 for this one. (Kindle price: $14.99; Hardcover: $20.48; Paperback: $14.83)

• All Fall Down: A Novel — The perennial beach favorite, Jennifer Weiner, has made the list again with her latest (to be released June 17). In this novel, Weiner tackles the issue of suburban prescription drug addiction.  (Kindle price: $11.04; Hardcover: $19.88; Paperback: Not available)

• The Vacationeers: A Novel — How about reading about the beach while you’re at the beach? That’s what you get with The Vacationeers, the story of an extended family spending two weeks at Mallorca. (Kindle price: $10.99; Hardcover: $16.17; Paperback: $9.20)

• The Lowland — There are so many awards associated with Jhumpa Lahiri’s book, you can’t even count them all in a short list on beach reads. Lahiri, raised in Rhode Island, is known for her engrossing storytelling of family sagas, and reviewers felt The Lowland fell in that category. The story of two brothers ranging from the 1960s to present, this book was a National Book Award Finalist.  (Kindle price: $13.99; Hardcover: $15.97; Paperback: $12.93 - released June 17)

• The Queen of the Tearling: A Novel — Let’s escape the real world for a moment and enter a world of romance, magic, adventure, mystery and royalty. Sound good? That’s the world of Princess Kelsea, raised in exile, who must reclaim her throne from the powerful and malevolent Red Queen. The only caveat? You have to wait until July 8. (Kindle price: No price set yet; Hardcover: $19.88; Paperback: $19.88)

• One Summer: America, 1927 — All true, but told in narrative non-fiction style, Bill Bryson’s book tells the story of ganster Al Capone, pilot Charles Lindbergh, baseball player Babe Ruth and more in One Summer. (Kindle price: $10.99; Hardcover: $16.86; Paperback: $14.66 - released June 3)

• The Fault in Our Stars — Soon to be a movie, that always jumps a book straight into the popular beach reads lists, doesn’t it? Called one of the greatest romance stories of the decade by Entertainment Weekly, John Green’s novel has been sold millions of times already. But if you haven’t read it yet, pick it up now before you catch the movie. (Kindle price: $4.99; Hardcover: $9.99; Paperback: $8.15)

• Top Secret Twenty-One: A Stephanie Plum Novel — Janet Evanovich’s private investigator Stephanie Plum is always a popular read, and Top Secret Twenty-One is her latest in the series. To be released on June 17, you can pick this up for reading later in the summer. Plum is joined by Jimmy Poletti, Joe Morelli, Randy Briggs, Ranger, Grandma Mazur and a pack of feral chihuahuas. (Kindle price: $11.84; Hardcover: $16.79; Paperback: $19.97)  

• The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair: A Novel — Set in Somerset, New Hampshire, the novel focuses on the cold case murder of a 15-year-old girl, who Harry Quebert admits he had an affair with in 1975. A novelist decides to investigate the murder on his own, creating a literary thriller focusing on the murder of a young girl one misty morning in the Somerset woods. (Kindle price: $9.99; Hardcover: Not available; Paperback: $10.86)