10 Books to get you in the mood for Summer

The sky is blue and the sun is glistening on the azure sea. You are in relax mode so what can be better than a great book to help you chill on the beach or by the pool…oh yes, a drink would do nicely. Grab a book from one of our great selection below and lie back for a scorching read.

The Summer I Turned Pretty: The Collection

This is a trilogy of sensitively written young adult romance novels. The main theme is the coming of age of the protagonists and the novels deal with the perennial issues of love, loss, grief and gaining of independence. The author is adept at creating characters who immediately draw us in and are extremely relatable.

Jaws

Jaws is the story of a great white shark that terrorises a small resort town and the subsequent efforts of three men who hunt it down. It is a suspenseful read and the book inspired an iconic movie that went on to become the first summer blockbuster. The author describes the horror so graphically that many who read the book and saw the film were afraid to go back in the water! Definitely, one to read by the pool!

A Hundred Summers: The ultimate romantic escapist beach read

This is the story of a New York socialite who returns to the familiar, placid summer resort of your youth to try to heal her broken heart amongst family and friends. The return of her former best friend and her former lover, now recently married, promises to turn her world upside down. Matters come to a head just as a deadly hurricane hits town.

We Were Liars

This novel tells the story of a young girl from a patrician family who has passed through a dreadful experience and is seeking answers and closure. It is a cunning, clever, gripping novel which is full of surprises and which will keep you turning its pages until you uncover its shocking secrets. A family gathering, a private island, a secret — grab a copy to find out what lies behind this gilded facade.

The Rum Diary

This book chronicles the maniacal and hedonistic lifestyle of American journalists in the Caribbean boomtown of San Juan, Puerto Rico. It is a pacy, exciting novel that features a tangled love story involving jealousy, treachery and violent alcoholic excess. The characters stumble chaotically through life in an environment where corruption rules and anything is permissible.

13 Little Blue Envelopes

This book has a very original storyline and follows the adventures of a young woman who sets out on a journey throughout Europe by following instructions left to her in letters from her aunt. In doing so, Ginny, the heroine, learns the value of family, love and friendship. The book portrays Ginny’s experiences sensitively and authentically.

The Secret Garden

After her parents die, a spoilt and selfish young girl is sent to live with an uncle who lives in a bleak country manor in the UK. It is here that her life changes as she is inextricably drawn to a wondrous and mysterious garden. The book tells the poignant story of a lonely young girl who finds her place in the world.

The Pool House

This is a pacy, exciting novel that is a real page-turner. It is a dark tale featuring several twists that are set in the sophisticated Hamptons. The protagonist is invited to spend the summer with a group of glamorous, new friends, only to learn that she is taking the place of another woman who died in mysterious circumstances the summer before. She becomes obsessed with finding out the truth but everyone seems to have secrets.

The Sapphire Widow

Mystery, love, heartbreak and joy come together in this lush, breath-taking book that one cannot put down. A real page-turner, this novel is set in Ceylon, 1935. It charts the emotional journey of the recently widowed heroine who is devastated when she discovers the extent of the betrayal and web of lies woven by her husband during their supposedly happy marriage. This is a book not to be overlooked.

The Last Secret of the Deverills

This is an ideal summer read. It is a sweeping epic romance that spans continents and decades and is set around huge houses and aristocratic families. This is lush, vivid storytelling filled with secrets and forbidden liaisons and absorbing characters that reel you into their complex lives and relationships — a real blockbuster of a novel.

There is something for everyone and one is spoilt for choice at Agenda Bookshop. Grab your beach bag and book and head to the beach for the ultimate relaxing summer experience.