“I just want to lie on the beach and eat hot dogs. That’s all I’ve ever wanted.” Kevin Malone
I’ve never considered Kevin Malone my spirit animal, but I see eye-to-eye with the Scranton branch numbers guy. I just want to lie on the beach. (If J-Dawgs happened to have a cart offshore, I’d eat a frank for sure.) Today marks the first day of summer. Hopefully, you’ve got some plans that involve dog days in the sun, the most relaxing waves ever, and time on your side. If you’re anything like me, deciding which books to tow along matters more than SPF. Good books make an escape even breezier. So, here are a few winners worthy of your beach bag.
If you prefer a light, carefree read on your summer vacay, you’ll want to check out Emily Henry’s latest: Funny Story. When Daphne experiences heartbreak after rooting herself to a Wisconsin native with girlfriend confusion, she’s forced to pivot. Her dream job as a children’s librarian fills her soul far more than her wallet. So she’s forced to consider a roommate. Choosing a quirky, scruffy guy named Miles who used to date her former fiancé’s soulmate seems like an odd choice. But funny stories rarely fall in step with the norm. Sharee said Henry’s latest is both sincere and heartfelt. It will warm you like the morning sun. (The fact that Julia Whelan narrates this charmer will make you love it all the more.)
Will it surprise that I don’t require a light read for the beach? I’m in a committed relationship with my TBR tower. I just finished David Balducci’s A Calamity of Souls. I’m new to Balducci, but I’ve been trying out authors lately in the same way I’m exploring alternate sources of protein. (Barebell is my latest favorite. Try ‘em, you’ll like ‘em!) The novel revolves around a murder case. The year is 1968. A prominent white couple is murdered, and their black employee is accused. Oh, how I love a mystery. This book is so much bigger than mere suspense. In fact, S.A. Crosby said A Calamity of Souls is “an immovable object of history slamming into the irresistible force of truth.” We all know To Kill A Mockingbird is in a league all of its own—Calamity made me nostalgic for Lee’s masterpiece. Now that’s sayin’ something. Throw in some sun and some sand and you’ve got an instant vacation.