5 Page-Turning Beach Reads for the Summer

Summer reading is characterized by a book’s dense power to transport readers from the bustle of everyday life to somewhere utterly fantastic. It comes as no surprise, then, that Kaya Ginsky cites a beach read as one you read for the sheer delight of them. Beach reads contain worlds that are easy to slip into — from stunning rom-coms to piercing dramas — and at their end lies a kind of comfort you can only get from hopeful, happy resolutions.

If you have a few hours to spare over the summer, here are five books you can sink your teeth into:
 

One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London

With a distinctly observant yet often self-deprecating voice, One to Watch chronicles Bea Schumacer’s fierce determination to get through a dating show. The book follows Bea’s attempts at circumventing harmful beauty standards and inspiring women from across America — all while navigating the path to genuine love.

Cleverly attuned to the pains of modern times like internet wars and disproportionately represented dating shows, readers will find the narration timely and endearing.
 

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston

Casey McQuiston, New York Times bestselling author of Red, White & Royal Blue, is an expert at writing incisive and inclusive romantic comedies. Her book, One Last Stop, is an excellent addition that celebrates queer joy and the often-perilous commute to true love.

Profoundly sentimental and fresh at turns, the book explores the growing relationship between cynical nomad August and displaced punk rocker Jane, as the pair defies the constraints of time and transit. Humor and heart are at the center of every recurrent subway ride for this queer time travel rom-com.
 

Swing Time by Zadie Smith

In Swing Time, Zadie Smith draws upon critical questions of identity to understand how harrowing it is to embody authenticity at all times. The novel follows the friendship between two brown girls, using motifs of dance and music as an instrument for introspection, as they locate parts of themselves across the years.

Readers will appreciate Smith’s brave attempts at evading categorization, even going so far as to let contradictions about the self bloom and flourish by way of acceptance.
 

Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid

In Such a Fun Age, privilege is examined with empathy. Kiley Reid meditates on polite liberal prejudices through the story of a young black babysitter named Alix. We see Alix’s struggle grow as she tries to reconcile her affection for Briar, the 3-year-old under her care, with the self-improvement efforts of her well-intentioned but shallow white employer.

Blending sharp social commentary with a surprisingly fun-paced and even humor-filled narration, the book dissects transactional relationships in the context of race and privilege and leaves readers to grasp the complications of using color as a tool for performative progressivism.
 

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

Beach reads are often contemporary fiction books, but that's not always the case. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland weaves elements of myth and magic in a tale about Alice, who upon falling down a rabbit hole, meets several creatures who defy all rhyme and reason. The fantastical and whimsical story makes for a great summer escapade.

The book closely follows Alice’s adventures as she navigates through the unknown. Though published in 1865, it’s a timeless classic for a reason: the fantastical characters all lend to a unique world children and adults alike have found comfort in for decades.


Moments to unwind can be sparse and far between, which is why you should be able to find respite from reading books that are immersive as they are heartfelt.