Unconventional Summer Beach Reads

As the school year wraps up and the temperature continues to rise, Jersey Shore season is about to be upon us. That also means it is time to start loading up your GoodReads with hot girl reads to pass the time on the beach.

Chances are you have already read all of the quintessential beachside romances by Colleen Hoover, Emily Henry, and Lucy Score and are now looking for something new to quench your literary thirst. Or, you’re like me, and a romance novel—no matter how deliciously steaming—never quite grabs your attention. 

If so, check out this list of three unconventional beach reads to start curating the perfect summer book roster that will have all the BookTokers curious.

“Paris” by Paris Hilton 

She can DJ. She can pose. She can dress to the nines. And, she can she write! World-renowned socialite Paris Hilton released her memoir “Paris” last month, and as a self-proclaimed celebrity memoir enthusiast, I can say this is one of the best. Paris takes us through her childhood gallivanting around Beverly Hills, her tumultuous teenage years where she suffered abuse at three different boarding schools, her 20s in the 2000s where she takes us through all of her iconic club nights, photoshoots, and her reality show “The Simple Life.” 

What I found most fascinating about this book was Paris’s description of her lifelong struggle with severe ADHD. She went undiagnosed for the first half of her life, leading to behavioral issues. These issues caused her to be expelled from countless schools and eventually sent to “acuity-based care” schools. She wrote the book in the style of how her ADHD-afflicted brain works; she jumps from topic to topic and writes in run-on sentences, making the book extremely personal and entertaining to read! It was very interesting to delve into the brain of someone with ADHD. 

It was also a delight to read about how some of the most emblematic moments in pop culture history came to be. Paris explains how she zipped through Los Angeles nightclubs in roller skates, became the center of a David LaChapelle photoshoot by breaking into her grandparent’s Bel Aire estate in the middle of the night, and how she created the “dumb blonde” persona she became famous for in “the Simple Life.” This book is a fun read, making it a quick and easy beachside read for this summer. 

“The Nightingale” by Kristin Hannah

I read “The Nightingale” by Kristin Hannah on my family vacation in Florida last summer and it had me sobbing my eyes out by the hotel pool while I waited for my turn to get ready for dinner.

This novel is about two sisters in World War II-era France. The eldest lives in a small French village that slowly but surely falls under full control of the Nazi occupation. She is a teacher who dedicates her life to protecting Jewish children in town by forging their identification papers.

The younger daughter travels to Paris, where she joins a rebel network of smugglers. Together, they trek across the Pyrenees Mountains into Spain to take Allied soldiers out of Nazi territory to safety. 

Both young women are fierce in their passion, empathy, and love for one another. Although they spend the war separated, their goals are the same, and readers get to see two unique stories of women in World War II Europe. This a heartbreaking yet excellent read about female love, trust, and hope. It is a pretty hefty read, so summer is the perfect time to conquer it when you may have more time on your hands. 

“Big Swiss: A Novel” by Jen Beagin 

I read “Big Swiss” by Jen Beagin during spring break last month and it was…weird. But, I think it might be my new favorite book?

This book is told from the perspective of Greta, a 40-something vagabond living in an ancient farmhouse in Hudson, New York. She recently broke up with her fiancee of 10 years and went to Hudson to live with her older friend, Sabine. Sabine is a weed farmer who shoplifts and hides the stolen items in her hair. 

Greta works as a transcriber for the town sex therapist, and she spends all day locked in her bee-infested home, listening to recordings of sessions between eccentric (and narcissistic) therapist, Om, and his offbeat clients. It’s certainly the most unique story I’ve ever read. 

Greta eventually falls in love with one of Om’s patients whom she dubs “Big Swiss” because she is tall and Swiss, and they begin a whirlwind affair. Only problem is, Greta never reveals her true identity to “Big Swiss” as it would be a gross breach of confidentiality. 

This story is vividly told, and each character is interesting enough to warrant a book just about them. Hudson is described so distinctly that it becomes a sort of character in the story. “Big Swiss: A Novel” is witty, kooky, and reflective. It’ll be hard to actually get off your towel and into the waves because once you pick this one up you won’t want to put it down!

Grab your Kindle or head to Barnes and Noble on Easton Ave before school lets out to pick up these reads.  

• beach
• book
• booktok
• reading
• summer
• unconventional