Trying to work in a quick beach trip before students are back in class? That's just three weeks from today for Hamilton County Schools. If you're planning an escape to the sand and surf, have one of these suggestions in hand for a great beach read.
THE INDEPENDENT BOOKSELLER
Star Lowe, store owner, and Katie Garaby, Star Line Books, 1467 Market St.
"The Essex Serpent" by Sarah Perry
Set in Victorian London and an Essex village in the 1890s, and enlivened by the debates on scientific and medical discovery that defined the era, "The Essex Serpent" has at its heart the story of two extraordinary people who fall for each other, but not in the usual way. Released in 2016 in Europe, this is one of the most-anticipated novels of the summer state-side.
Why we chose it: If you are looking for something a little more literary, "The Essex Serpent" is your book.
"Rabbit Cake" by Annie Hartnett
When Eva Rose Babbitt, mother of daughters Lizzie, 15, and Elvis, 10, drowns while sleep-swimming, her daughters are left to fend for themselves emotionally while their father tends to his grief by wearing his wife's bathrobe and lipstick.
Why we chose it: Annie Hartnett's debut novel is Star Line Book's July Book Club selection. It's a fantastic debut novel that tackles loss and grief with wit and humor, making this a truly original new voice in fiction.
"Theft by Finding: Diaries (1977-2002)" by David Sedaris
For 40 years, David Sedaris has kept a diary in which he records everything that captures his attention - overheard comments, salacious gossip, soap opera plot twists, secrets confided by total strangers. These observations are the source code for his newest book, and through them he has honed his cunning, surprising sentences.
Why we chose it: If you are looking for an absolute laugh-out-loud book to read while laying poolside, Sederis will not disappoint you.
"Touch" by Courtney Maum
Sloane Jacobsen is the most powerful trend-forecaster in the world (she was the foreseer of the swipe). Global fashion, lifestyle and tech companies pay to hear her opinions about the future. Soon, though, she concludes that the next trend will be a return to intimacy and interpersonal, in-person interaction.
Why we chose it: The book captures the midlife crisis of a woman at the top of her game, resulting in a perceptive, thought-provoking read.
THE LIBRARIAN
Cathy Royal, acquisitions manager, Chattanooga Public Library.
"Camino Island" by John Grisham
John Grisham has a passionate readership, grown over decades starting with his trademark legal thrillers. This summer's offering fits squarely into the suspense genre. "Camino Island" tells of stolen manuscripts by F. Scott Fitzgerald, a Florida island bookstore owner who might or might not be involved with the theft, and the unemployed university professor hired to get them back.
Why I chose it: Grisham's latest crime drama has suspense, killing and physical attraction in just the right amounts for an ideal beach book.
"The Identicals" by Elin Hilderbrand
Twin sisters Harper and Tabitha, divided by divorce in childhood and an ocean strait as adults, rekindle their dormant rivalry at their father's funeral. They decide to swap lives to escape their own problems, with unpredictably predictable results.
Why I chose it: Hilderbrand is known for stories centering on families, and this novel nails the trials of sibling relationships.
"Kiss Carlo" by Adriana Trigiani
Not all time travel is science fiction - the best authors can take you to any time they want, like the South Philadelphia setting of Adriana Trigiani's current release, "Kiss Carlo." Post-World War II is the time of this Shakespeare-flavored novel of two Italian families, an accidental romance and one man's discovery of his life's path. A romantic comedy skirting dangerously and hilariously close to farce frames this tale of family love and life.
Why I chose it: This novel is escapism at its finest, with characters who are believable and likable.
"I Can't Make This Up: Life Lessons" by Kevin Hart
New to best-seller lists is actor and comedian Kevin Hart, who shares his life's story in "I Can't Make this Up: Life Lessons." Beginning with his birth into a dysfunctional family, through a failed first marriage and into a meteoric comedy career, Hart uses his experiences to illuminate lessons he's learned for a funny and thought-provoking read.
Why I chose it: Hart's no stranger to success, with top-grossing action and comedy films in his resume. If you'd rather watch one of his movies than read his book, the library can help with that, too; several of his movies are part of its collection.
CHAIN BOOKSTORE
Kelly Flemings, community business development manager, Barnes & Noble Hamilton Place, suggests Young Adult fiction that adults will enjoy as well.
"Dumplin'" by Julie Murphy
Willowdean Dixon is a 16-year-old self-proclaimed fat girl who doesn't ask for or expect forgiveness for being fat – she's completely comfortable in her skin. While working at a local fast-food joint, she meets Bo, a private-school jock. She finds herself attracted to him – and discovers that the interest is reciprocated. But instead of increasing her confidence, the new relationship makes Will start to doubt herself. To recover her confidence, she enters the Miss Clover City Beauty Pageant. She, along with other unlikely contestants, prove they deserve their place onstage.
Why I chose it: Willowdean is an amazing character that you would love to know in real life. She is strong, self-assured and very self-aware without being self-conscious. "Dumplin'" had me smiling, tearing up and laughing out loud as I read Will's observations on life, self-esteem, love and Dolly Parton.
"Spider's Bite" (Elemental Assassin Series 1) by Jennifer Estep
This is an Urban Fantasy series with 16 books currently. Gin Blanco is smart, funny, strong, sexy - and an assassin. After her family was murdered when she was 13, she lived on the streets until she was taken in, trained as an assassin and became the Spider. When Fletcher Lane, her handler and father figure, is murdered, she vows revenge and uncovers a conspiracy that will lead her back to her parents' killers.
Why I chose it: What sets Estep's world apart is that Gin, and many other characters, are Elementals, with abilities to use stone, fire and ice. Fans of Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse series should definitely check this out.
It can be brutal at times, with some steamy scenes that definitely make this series for adults, but Estep has created a great multidimensional character with Gin Blanco.
"The Unwanteds" by Lisa McMann
This is Harry Potter meets Hunger Games. The citizens of Quill are put into categories: Wanted, Necessary and Unwanted. The latter are those who show creativity and imagination. Alex finds himself listed as Unwanted and sentenced to elimination on the "death farm." Alex leaves behind his twin brother, Aaron, a Wanted, with great difficulty.
With his fellow Unwanteds, Alex discovers Artime, where all of their creative talents become magical abilities. After a threat to Artime rallies Alex and his friends, he finds himself pitted against his twin brother in an ultimate magical battle.
Why I chose it: Although written for middle-graders, McMann's superb storytelling has created an outstanding book that appeals to everyone. "The Unwanteds" is not just a well-written novel, it is also about common issues that everyone deals with: responsibility, love, loss and finding your place in the world.
"This Savage Song" by Victoria Schwab
Verity is a city divided over power and survival. It is a place where human sins, like murder, create actual monsters that prey on the lives of its citizens. August Flynn, a young man who wants to protect the innocent like his father, and Kate Harker, a young woman who wants to be as ruthless as her power-mad father, must find out what it means to be human, and what it means to be a monster, before the city falls.
Why I chose it: Schwab's writing is beautiful, efficient and gripping. Fast-paced yet still deeply styled and crafted, it is thrilling and unpredictable.