16 Summer Reads for 2018!!

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I’ve reviewed the books that I’ve read for quite a few years now, but it wasn’t until I started reviewing for NetGalley a year ago that I became overwhelmed. The phrase, ‘So many books so little time’ comes to mind and is wholly true in this situation! There are so many authors out there and so many amazing books. If money didn’t matter and I wasn’t training to be a Social Worker, then spending the rest of my life reading, immersing myself in books and getting to know authors would be my dream. I’d spend my Summer visiting the book festivals and my winters planning my reading lists and catching up on the books I didn’t get time to read in the Summer because I was just so busy being Bookish!
So with that feeling of over-whelm-ness in mind (I would also curate new words just for fun if I had time), I started to create a Summer Reading List around April this year and have been adding to it ever since. The Summer Solstice is tomorrow, I only know this because my route home from work on the M3 to the A303 has those dreaded warnings ‘Delays 20th – 22nd June at Stonehenge.’ So what better time to get the list published and welcome in the longest day and hopefully the continuation of warmer temperatures.
Have I read all of the books on the suggested list? The answer is no. This is my Summer Reading Challenge and can be yours too! However most of the books are by authors that I have read and loved, with a couple thrown in that are new discoveries for me, so I’ve been adding them to the list because I’ve been excited for the new releases (and because I follow a lot of authors on Instagram and Facebook and get excited in the build-up to publication day along with them!) I’m in the UK and so my links to purchase the books are mainly to Amazon.co.uk and the prices may differ and not seem as generous aross the world. Sorry! Publication dates also differ…

Without further ado – here is the list. Enjoy, comment, let me know what you’ve read and what you plan to read and most importantly – have a fantastic Summer.

The Perfect Couple by Elin Hilderbrand

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Kindle Publication date: June 19th 2018 by Little, Brown and Company

I love most of Hilderbrand’s books – I love reading about the USA and Nantucket, those proper Summers and the family drama, loves and losses that come with them! This however, is Elin Hilderbrand’s first murder mystery, and that’s what intrigues me the most about this book. Will the underlying theme of a perfect location and a perfect Summer still be there? Will her style be affected? Will we love her less? No! Never! But still it will be good to hear the thoughts of those die hard Hilderbrand Fans after this one… Paperback fans you’ll have to wait until June 2019 for this one but Kindle users the book is available on Amazon.

Best Beach Ever by Wendy Wax

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Publication date: May 22nd 2018 by Berkley

Wendy Wax is a new author for me, but the blurb of Best Beach Ever (number 6 in the Ten Beach Road series) attracted me. I’ve popped this in as a Summer read for those who have read the others in the series, research suggests that it’s best to not deprive yourself of reading 1 – 5 first. I may give this a go without doing that as budgets don’t always stretch that far! But will keep you posted with my review. Best Beach Ever is available in kindle, Audiobook and Paperback from Amazon.

The man I think I know by Mike Gayle

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Publication date: April 19th 2018 by Hodder and Stoughton

I have only every given 5 Star reviews for Mike Gayle’s writing and I hope to continue the trend with this one! Brand New Friend and Turning Forty were my previous reads of Gayle’s but there are many more in his collection that are on my reading Bucket List (this list just keeps getting bigger, I’m going to call it my Nursing Home Bucket List as there’s just no hope of my achieving it at the moment!) The reviews of this book indicate that the characters are powerful and wonderfully portrayed and there have been many five star reviews of Gayle’s latest release, probably great relief from those who felt he made us wait too long for another book! (Never bitter, always grateful!) This book is on offer at the moment on Amazon for just £1.99 and the paperback is only £5.75.

Five Years from Now by Paige Toon

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Publication date: 17th May 2018 by Simon and Schuster UK

I snapped this book up in the £1.99 sale just after publication and have been really struggling not to read it yet. I had to get through a uni exam first and promised myself it would be one of my first Summer reads. I have read so many of Paige Toon’s books (many of them before I became a reviewer and so my thoughts are lost but I know that I loved them!) and I can’t wait to get stuck into this one. Giovanna Fletcher has endorsed this one ‘Tender, heartbreaking and magical…’ so what more do we need as a reason to get stuck in?!’ It’s still a bargain as a kindle and paperback edition on Amazon as well.

Summer at Buttercup Beach by Holly Martin

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Publication date: 30th June 2017 by Bookouture

I’ve read this one! I loved this book and gave it an instant five star review. The Summer definition of Hygge, Holly Martin owns ‘Cosy’ and writes all of her books to either be full of cosy wintery warmth or summery sunshine and holiday feels! This is a cosy romance and if you’re not into the chick lit holiday reads then this isn’t for you but if you ARE then this most definitely is. I don’t think I’ve read any of Martin’s other works yet (and there’s an amazing list) so I’ll definitely be browsing her titles…

Freya and Rome work together and are best friends. But that’s it… until this Summer when Freya finds herself feeling more for Rome than ever before! But can he return the feelings? Does he even see her that way? This book is full of cute moments, happy moments, frustrating moments and ultime romance..
I don’t think reading these out of the order they are meant to be in hurts either (I got this one as it was a bargain on Amazon for 99p!) So don’t be afraid to dip in and out of Hope Island.

How to Keep a Secret by Sarah Morgan

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Publication date: July 10th 2018 by HQN

description Welcome to adulthood. It’s messy, complicated, the pieces don’t fit, and the picture rarely looks the way you want it to. It’s called real life.”

Last Summer I read ‘Holiday in the Hamptons’ by Sarah Morgan so this Summer I just know that picking up her lastest book will not disappoint me! This book is slightly different to Morgan’s usual style as she focuses on three generations rather than her usual ‘one couple’ romance.

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

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Publication date: May 9th 2017 by Viking

A debut novel worth buying for keeps. This is a book that I received for Christmas and will never ever let it go! If I kept all the books I love then there would be trouble…but I had to with this one. Laugh and cry in equal measures – I dare you not to fall in love with this book.

“No thank you,” I said. “I don’t want to accept a drink from you, because then I would be obliged to purchase one for you in return, and I’m afraid I’m simply not interested in spending two drinks’ worth of time with you.”

To read my full review head over to my blog entry here.

The Sunshine Sisters by Jane Green

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Publication date: Kindle 6th June 2017 by Berkley Books

This is a powerful read and an incredibly vivid and descriptive novel about a mother who asks her three estranged daughters to come home to help her end her life. Jane Green’s books are wonderful and I’ve read many over the years, I think this one will challenge the reader, your own beliefs and your own values. Paperback and Kindle edition are both good prices over on Amazon right now (paperback available to pre-order with a release date of June 28th 2018.)

A Nantucket Wedding by Nancy Theyer

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Publication date:  3rd April 2018 by Ballantine Books

A good handful of Theyer’s books are on my ‘Want to read’ list on Goodreads but I haven’t yet got around to it. (Another for the nursing home bucket list? I’m 29…forward planning…) But I decided to try and read this one as part of my Summer reading challenge. Wedding bells are ringing, a family is reunited, and new romances are blooming–for better or for worse–in a standalone novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Island House and Secrets in Summer. From reading descriptions and reviews I’m getting an Anita Shreve/Elin Hilderbrand/Diane Chamberlain vibe…we shall see! Available on Amazon but for quite a hefty price at the moment. 

By Invitation Only by Dorothea Benton Frank

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Publication date:  15th May 2018 by William Morrow

Dorothea is one of my new authors for 2018 – to challenge me to stray away from the comfort zone and try someone other than my all time favourites! If you love books set in the deep south then this is definitely one for you, and partially why I’m attracted to this book as well. South Carolina is the setting and just from reading the blurb I’m already pulled straight in to the heat of the day, the old house, the cool afternoon air… Summer bliss. If you enjoy this one Dorothea has ten other publications as well!

You Let Me In by Lucy Clarke

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Publication date: 6th September 2018 by Harper Collins

And end of Summer read with a late season publication date, this is pipped as the ‘must-read’ thriller for 2018.

Nothing has felt right since Elle rented out her house . . .There’s a new coldness. A shift in the atmosphere. The prickling feeling that someone is watching her every move from the shadows. Maybe it’s all in Elle’s mind? She’s a writer – her imagination, after all, is her strength. And yet every threat seems personal. As if someone has discovered the secrets that keep her awake at night. As fear and paranoia close in, Elle’s own home becomes a prison. Someone is unlocking her past – and she’s given them the key…Available for a generous pre-order price from Amazon.

All We Ever Wanted by Emily Giffin

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Publication date: 26th June 2018 by Ballantine Books

I gave Emily Giffin’s book ‘Something Blue’ quite a low review on Goodreads back in 2013 but having re-read the descriptions and seen that I read it out of order, I’m going to give it another go! All we ever wanted is a stand alone book by the way, but her previous series ‘Something Borrowed’ is not. The advance reviews of this book are really promising, with it following two Nashville families are they struggle with the fallout from a horrible incident. Giffin has always been great at her creation of characters and by all accounts, she does not disappoint in this book.

One In a Million by Lindsey Kelk

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Publication date: 25th September by Harper Collins (5th July 2018 for Kindle!)

Another late season release… Harper Collins have us in for a treat this September! I was lucky enough to get this in advance from NetGalley this morning and so I’ll be reading and reviewing very soon. It’s the first book by this author that I’ll read but I’ve done some digging and the reviews of her previous books seem fabulous.

Oh by the way – UK readers we are incredibly lucky that Lindsey is going on tour this year with Paige Toon and Giovanna Fletcher! More info here… You can pre-order the Kindle edition of this book from Amazon today.

The Peacock Summer by Hannah Richell

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Publication date: July 1st 2018 by Orion

I remember reading Hannah Richell’s books many years ago (The Shadow Year in 2013 and Secrets of the Tides in 2012.) I loved them so much. I then remembered reading of the sudden loss of her husband, Matthew, who died in a surfing accident four years ago in Sydney. And there was my first real introduction to loss. I’d always read about it in books, but this was the husband of an author of those books…it seemed more real. I followed Hannah’s journey as she publically spoke out about her loss. Since then Hannah has relocated to the South West of England. Hannah was writing her third novel when her husband died, and progress understandably stalled. Instead she poured her writing into her blog until a letter from Penny Vincenzi reminded her that she would write again and Hannah released that she was right. That’s why the Peacock Summer is on this list. Many authors can churn out a vast amount of books without tragedy to stall them, or even because of tragedy. Richell’s books are gold dust and the journey that brought her to the publication fo the Peacock Summer is powerful and should teach us all something about life and loss.

Beach House Reunion by Mary Alice Monroe

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Publication date: 22nd May 2018 by Gallery Books

I’ve thrown in quite a few ‘new’ authors (new to me at least) and Mary Alice Monroe is another of them. This is the 5th novel in the Beach House series which weaves together the triumphs and struggles of the Rutledge Family of South Carolina. (Could this replace my sense of loss when I finished reading the Winter Stroll series by Elin Hilderbrand?!) I can’t identify whether this can be read as a stand alone however there have been quite a few positive reviews where people have read this book first and then delved into the others. Give it a go – I’ll let you know what I think!

Eve of Man by Giovanna and Tom Fletcher

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Publication date: May 31st 2018 by Michael Joseph

For something a little different I’ve thrown in Tom and Giovanna Fletcher’s latest book. This is because I can’t write this blog entry without mentioning ‘Some kind of wonderful‘ by Giovanna Fletcher – which truly is ‘Some kind of wonderful!’ To add to your Summer reading pile, you MUST slip this book in. So as I’ve mentioned that which was published last year, I also MUST mention their latest book. Eve of Man was published in May and so far has had some incredible reviews. It’s a trilogy and this is book one – it’s also the husband and wife teams first collaboration with writing. It’s described as an electrifying dystopian love story and is set in a future where no girls have been born for fifty years. Shocking. If you love Giovanna’s love story style then fear not, at the heart of this book is a love story and you won’t be disappointed. It’s categorised as Young Adult, but when did that ever mean an adult couldn’t read it?! (Malorie Blackman’s Noughts and Crosses series…another YA must read!)

Book Buying

Where to buy your books? I love love love a traditional bookshop. However I also love my Kindle and being able to read on the move without having to remember to take a book with me. That’s how I get all my best reading done! However I fully support buying local and buying from booksellers where possible. For ease this post contains a lot of Amazon links, as book buying can be pricey and Amazon have some great deals here and there. But don’t forget to treat yourself this Summer and go and browse Waterstones, Foyles, WH Smiths and whomever else you may have nearby. Keep that bookshop smell alive! Thank you to many of the above publishers for trusting me with advanced copies – I will always provide honest feedback. I don’t get paid for reviews, but often get copies of books in return (and sometimes even quoted in the back pages!) All of the above books will either be funded through free advanced copies or through me saving my Amazon vouchers from Christmas and Birthday!

 

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