Hi, my bookish friend!
My group of friends all work in education in one form or another. So as soon as the school year ends (and I mean the very weekend after the last day of school), we make our annual pilgrimage to the Jersey Shore, typically Ocean City.
The weather in June can be unpredictable. One year, we shivered, wrapped in towels, one of us in a polar fleece jacket. Another time, we nearly passed out from heat exhaustion, our BOGO Polish Water Ice melting into sugary juice by the second spoonful.
This year was warm with a land breeze. The ocean that crept toward our encampment of beach chairs, umbrellas, beach bags, and cooler totes felt refreshingly cool. Other than emptying an entire can of bug spray on our ankles (because there always must be something), the day was nearly perfect for relaxation, catching up, and, of course, beach reading!
So, I snapped a quick picture of the books we brought for our beach day trip in hopes of sharing them with you. Hopefully, you’ll find a hidden gem from our picks!
Also in today’s post: Summer Reading Mini-Challenge #4, my tips for creating a Beach Bag TBR, and a skimmable book list of new beach reads! Plus, Bookish AF News Updates includes Oprah’s Book Club Pick #124!
Happy Summer Reading!
Your friend,
Audry
P.S. See last week’s poll results here for “How many books do you pack for a trip?”
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The Books My Friends and I Read on the Beach
So, what did my friends and I toss into our beach bags to read during our day trip to the beach? Here ya go!
Let’s Not Go Overboard Here by Erica Hendry
I brought this book! And I proudly announced that Grand Central Publishing had sent it to me, most likely because Bookish AF has recently surpassed a thousand free subscribers! Even better, I enjoyed the story’s entertainment value. See my glowing Goodreads review of it here!
Let’s Not Go Overboard Here is about a woman obsessed with reality TV culture but also heartbroken after losing her best friend. She gets invited as a plus one on a mega-yacht in Greece, where one of the socialites goes missing. Was she murdered? (Amazon | Bookshop.org)
Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson
It’s kind of funny that my friend, who is known for random streaks of hot red sunburn after a day at the beach, would choose a book with a child on the cover spontaneously combusting into fire!
Nothing to See Here is on my TBR, too! I nearly loaned the audiobook off Libby right before this trip! In this humorous, unique story, a young woman offers to help care for her friend’s new twin stepkids. However, these twins can’t get worked up … or they literally combust! (Amazon | Bookshop.org)
A Far-Flung Life by M. L. Stedman
The friend I can always rely on for a fascinating book rec didn’t disappoint on this beach trip! Many years ago, I had read and never forgotten The Light Between Oceans, also by M. L. Stedman. (What a story that was!)
A Far-Flung Life, M. L. Stedman’s newest release, just out this past March, is set in late 1950s Western Australia on a remote Sheep Station. It tells the story of a family and a tragic car wreck that forever changes the trajectory of their lives. The reviews are stellar! (Amazon | Bookshop.org)
Story of My Life by Lucy Score
From the friend who is also a reading specialist and thus often toting middle-grade or young adult fiction, this time brought a lighthearted rom-com! The edition with printed edges looked as delightful as the story within it!
Story of My Life sounds like a fun escape because it is! Set in a small town in Pennsylvania (I can relate!), a woman moves into a house in need of repairs. So she hires none other than the town’s attractive yet grumpy handyman. Reader reviews say even though you know where this story is heading, you won’t want to put it down! (Amazon | Bookshop.org)
The Stolen Heir by Holly Black
My friend, who reads the fastest among us and has the spiciest taste in books by far, brought two books to the beach: The Stolen Heir and Hidden!
The Stolen Heir is the first book in a two-book series about a runaway child queen in the fantasy world of Elfhame. She is saved by a prince and the heir to Elfhame, but can she really trust him? (Amazon | Bookshop.org)
Hidden by Kendra Elliot
The second book she toted along is about the sole survivor of a mass murder that took the lives of nine Oregon State University students, including her best friend. Now she works as a forensic odontologist. When her best friend’s remains are found, and new murders begin, she works extra closely (emphasis on “extra”) with an ex-cop to investigate, while danger is always lurking. Readers put its “spiciness” at 3 out of 5 chili peppers. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)
Bookish AF Summer Reading BINGO
This summer, add whimsy to your reading habit! Follow along with the Bookish AF Summer of Reading 2026 here!
Summer Reading Mini-Challenge #4 🏖️ Beach Bag TBR
Even if you aren’t heading to a beach anytime soon, you can still use this twist on your TBR to add whimsy to your summer reading selections!
Physical book readers: Simply, grab a sturdy beach bag. Then select books from your library that you most want to read this summer. Stash them in the bag for easy reference to match your mood or to act as a portable TBR! Add other bookish items (maybe sunglasses, bookmarks, or a journal) to the bag as well so you’re always prepped!
Ebook readers and audiobook listeners: Use this mini-challenge to create a “beachy” TBR jar. Cut out strips of paper and write the “beach read” titles you most want to read this summer. Fold up the paper slips and drop them into a jar or perhaps a large flipped-over shell. When you’re deciding on your next read, pull a paper to discover your next book!
Now is the perfect time to join the Bookish AF Summer of Reading! It’s giving bookish fun in the sun. It’s giving yelling Bingo at strangers. It’s giving ask-your-father-I’m-reading vibes! (Find out how to win a $50 Bookshop.org gift card!)
NEW Beach Reads to Add to Your Beach Bag TBR
Burnout Summer by Jenna Ramirez – A struggling Gen Z, the friend who bails her out of jail, and the burning friends-to-lovers romance in a Rhode Island beach town. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)
The Shippers by Katherine Center – Her sister’s cruise ship wedding, fake flirting (this always leads to unintentional romance!), and romantic mishaps! (Amazon | Bookshop.org)
The Someday Garden by Ashley Poston – Coastal Maine, a charming aging estate with a mysterious garden, and a love triangle with two totally opposite men. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)
The Summer Share by Jenn McKinlay – An old beach house in need of repair, two owners with two different plans, and the home’s romantic history that may bring these two together. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)
Down with the Shipmans by Meg Mitchell Moore - Three sisters, one last summer at their family’s beach house, and the complicated bonds that may tear them apart. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)
Beach Thriller by Jamie Day – An author down on her luck, a beach house that’s seen better days, and the AC cranked to chilling when dark secrets emerge. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)
Meet Me at the Seaside Cottages by Jenny Colgan – The Scottish Isles, a fraught mother-daughter relationship, and the cozy seaside cottage they’re renovating, plus a dash of romance. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)
When You Loved Me by Beatriz Williams – A family estate, a pirate treasure supposedly buried beneath, and the daughter who questions what really happened to her deceased father (looking at you, former love interest!). (Amazon | Bookshop.org)
View the booklist on Bookshop.org! (Local independent bookstores benefit from your purchases!)
More Beach Bag-Worthy Beach Reads!
I featured author Annabel Monaghan on last year’s beach read list. She’s back this summer with Dolly all the Time! Learn all about it along with another great beach read for the summer of 2026, June Baby by Shannon Garvey, on my Best New Books of Summer list!
Bookish AF News Update
June Book Club Selections
OPRAH’S BOOK CLUB Pick #124, Little Wonder by Sophie Chen Keller, tells the story of a mother, River, and her music prodigy son, Song. At age eleven, Song becomes separated from River on the busiest day of the year at the Beijing Railway Station. Days and years pass as they work their way back to each other. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)
Pride Month Book Recs: New for June 2026!
Girl’s Girl by Sonia Feldman
A trio of friends can get complicated quickly, especially when you’re fifteen, and double especially when, one pivotal summer, an unexpected kiss occurs between two of the friends. Perfect for literary fiction fans! (Amazon | Bookshop.org)
We Are Gathered Here Today by Bobby Finger
Finlay, a newly engaged gay man, attends his best friend/cousin’s over-the-top Texas wedding. While there, he meets several wedding guests who give Finlay cold feet for his own future commitment despite the hot Texas sun. (Amazon | Bookshop.org)
Bookish Quote of the Week
“Stop accepting less than what you’re worth, less than you want.”
― Lucy Score, Story of My Life
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