The White Lotus is messy. It’s dark, funny, and almost a perfect show. I say almost because waiting two-plus years for an eight-episode season is not ideal. Seriously, the wait is killing me. I needed the third season after the end credits of the final episode two years ago. I’ve needed the third season so badly I’ve started to read. That’s how bad I need it.Â
Now, if you haven’t watched The White Lotus, where have you been? The show has a killer cast who play characters that you can’t help but love to hate. It’s got Sydney Sweeney as a moody, entitled teenager complaining on a perfect Hawaiian vacation; Jennifer Coolidge is a very out-of-touch Billionaire heiress; Theo James is a Finance bro. Then, there’s Aubrey Plaza, who puts Theo James’ character in his place on more than one occasion.
It also has unknowns, such as Meghann Fahey, who is as magnetic as Daphne Sullivan’s hair. Her hair! If the cast and plot haven’t convinced you, Fahey’s hair will. Haley Lu Richardson is the stereotypical Gen Z who needs to stop shopping at Urban Outfitters. All the characters are so unlikeable you can’t help but love to hate them.Â
The White Lotus is an addictive show, but with the lack of episodes, I feel empty. I need the escape that is a handful of people assuming they are just going on a relaxing vacation. That’s where these books come in!
- Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
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Picture this: It’s Malibu, 1983. Four famous siblings are about to throw one of Malibu’s most talked about parties. There’s Nina, the surfer turned supermodel; Jay, the world-renowned surfer; Hud, the world-renowned photographer; and lastly, there’s the baby of the family, Kit. They are all children of the fictional musician Mick Riva.
Everyone desperately wants an invite to the party each year. But this year is different. Nina has recently been separated from her famous tennis player husband, Jay has recently learned of a diagnosis that will end his surfing career, Hud has a secret regarding his love life, and Kit has decided to invite the one person who was barred from the party list. At noon the siblings have begun preparing for the party. By Midnight the party has gotten out of control. By early morning the Riva Manson is nothing but ashes from the fire.
I loved this book. It pulled me into this little corner of California and didn’t let go until the last page. At first glance, it’s just a simple beach read about a group of siblings who surf, party, and sometimes fall in love, but it’s so much more than that. This book had me buying coconut-scented tanning oil, tanning in the hot summer sun, and wishing I was on Zuma Beach.Â
- Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
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Motherhood is messy. Everyone has problems, and everyone in this book is trying to hide their problems, all hoping that their secrets won’t be used as kindling during carline gossip. The story revolves around three mothers: Jane, Madeline, and Celeste.
Jane is a young mother who came to the fictional Pirriwee Beach to escape the aftermath of a horrific night. Madeline is dealing with her rebellious teenage daughter, Abigail, and her smart-mouth five-year-old daughter, Chloe. And Celeste is a mother with two twin boys and a gorgeous jet-setting Hegdefund manager husband, who seems to be perfect on the outside. The three mothers form an alliance to protect themselves from other mothers at Pirriwee Public School.
However, suburbia isn’t all picket white fences and manicured lawns. There are faults in the cracks waiting to break and unravel everyone’s seemingly perfect lives. Like The White Lotus, things aren’t as they seem. The characters of Big Little Lies and The White Lotus alike have problems that can’t be solved by pretending that everything is fine. The characters bottle up their problems, and those bottles don’t explode until trivia night. Not only is this a riveting book, but it’s also a bingeable TV show with stars such as Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, and Shailene Woodley!
- Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins
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Main Character Lux moved to Hawaii when her boyfriend Nico asked her to. Fast forward a handful of months and the couple is out of a job, staying in a friend’s living room. This wasn’t what Lux had envisioned when she moved to the island, but at least she has Nico, her charismatic boyfriend.Â
Nico’s charisma, however, has led him to meet Britanny and Amma, two strangers who ask Nico to sail them to Meroe Island. It isn’t until the four reach the island that they meet Jake and Eliza and realize that this island isn’t as remote as they thought.Â
Meroe Island is in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Once used as a fueling location in World War II, it’s now empty and barren. A handful of 20-something strangers set off to the island, wanting a cleansing retreat. The strangers expected three weeks of nothing but exploring the untouched island and swimming in the crystal-clear water. However, the island has its way of rearing its ugly head and bringing out the worst of people. As the vacation comes to an end, one person ends up missing, and six end up dead.Â
It’s a perfect beach read and a popcorn thriller that transports you to a sunny beach. Every new character keeps you guessing their motives and wondering what their backstories have to do with the current plot of the characters. By the end, everything makes sense, and you can’t help but root for Lux.Â
As I was reading these books, I imagined which characters in The White Lotus would read these books on their vacation. I could see Nicole from season one reading Big Little Lies and sympathizing with one of the minor characters, Renatta. I imagined Daphne escaping onto the beaches of Meroe Island from Reckless Girls and planning her next vacation to Hawaii. Olivia would read Malibu Rising and argue with her mother at dinner about how the past is better than the present and future.Â
All of these characters and books are fictional, but they all seem so real. I couldn’t help but wonder which characters would read the books I mentioned and what they would think after finishing them. So, while you wait for The White Lotus, pick up one of these thrilling stories!
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