The best beach reads for 4th of July weekend
Planning a trip to the beach this Fourth of July? Don't hit the beach without a great book. Whether it's your style to pack paperbacks or an e-reader like the Kindle for all your reading needs, there are thousands of excellent reads you won't be able to tear yourself away from this year.
But which books are actually worth your time? Does BookTok actually know what it's talking about when you peruse its recommendations, or do you need to read some synopses and pages to see for yourself? If you don't have time for any of that, we've done the hard work for you. We've curated some of the best novels and stories you can buy right now for a list of our picks for the best beach reads of 2024.
Our picks for the best beach reads for 4th of July weekend
Whether you love to dive into high-octane spy thrillers or complicated meet-cutes, you'll find something exciting to dig into this Fourth of July weekend. Grab your e-reader or a bookmark and get ready to chill beachside with a great story. These page-turners are on fire.
(Want to upgrade your summer reading experience with a new e-reader? Check out our picks for the best e-readers for 2024.)
"Eruption"
Just released on June 3 and already a No. 1 Amazon and "New York Times" bestseller, "Eruption" was a passion project of late author Michael Crichton ("Jurassic Park") that's been finished by James Patterson.
When billionaire tech CEO John Crowley climbs an active volcano in the exotic island nation of Vanutu, he gets more than he bargained for. The volcano erupts violently while Crowley is on the mountain.
Cut off from his guides, Crowley must make a terrifying solo descent down the mountain to escape. This thrilling tale combines interactions with deadly forces of nature like volcanoes and fast-paced storytelling. It all makes for a thrilling adventure you won't want to put down.
"Kill For Me, Kill For You"
This fast-paced psychological thriller is the perfect book for reading with your toes in the sand. You're going to need it to keep calm with a story that ends up being beautifully stressful.
In Steve Cavanagh's harrowing novel, two grieving women form an unlikely pact to get revenge. Wendy and Amanda meet by chance in New York City, only to discover they share a common torment: the men who devastated their families were able to walk free. Fueled by rage and loss, they make a secret arrangement to kill each other's tormentors.
But while both women make their plans to move forward, the plot thickens in ways neither anticipates. Full of dizzying twists and shocking revelations, this book will keep you guessing until the final paragraph. Can the pair pull off the perfect murders?
"The Chaos Agent"
Looking for plenty of action with a splash of romance and exotic locales? The latest entry in Mark Greaney's Gray Man thriller series is perfect escapist fare. Assassin Court Gentry just wants a peaceful life with his lover Zoya when they're dragged into a game of cat and mouse.
Someone is eliminating the world's top AI researchers, and an old acquaintance wants Court's help extracting a Russian scientist from the kill list. But merely being seen with him puts a target on Court's back. Now they've got to stay a step ahead of another assassin with seemingly unlimited resources.
If you're a big thriller fan or find yourself going back to the classic Bond books over and over, you'll fall in love with this series. Give "The Chaos Agent" a read.
"People We Meet on Vacation"
This novel, by the author who literally wrote the book on beach reads (or at least a book titled "Beach Read"), is a romance that's unlike the others you might have read. Even though it didn't come out in 2024, it's still an Amazon bestseller and a favorite among those who like to hit the sand with good reading material in tow.
The book follows Poppy and Alex, two best friends who took a trip together every summer throughout college, up until their falling out near graduation. After not speaking to each other for two years, Poppy reaches out to Alex proposing they take one more vacation together.
As they travel, memories and feelings from their past friendship begin to resurface. Poppy has always had unspoken romantic feelings for Alex that she hid to preserve their friendship. It soon becomes clear Alex feels the same way. If you've ever experienced a friendship that turned into something more, you'll feel right at home here.
"Good Material"
This exploration of heartbreak and self-discovery is perfect for your next beach vacation. Andy is reeling from his breakup with Jen while struggling to figure out where it all went wrong. Now homeless, career-less, and watching his friends move on with life, he's determined to solve the mystery of their failed relationship.
We get both Jen and Andy's sides of the story in a series of flashbacks. Their beginning as a couple contrasts sharply with the misunderstandings that led to their relationship's end. The book is packed with touching looks at a love that went sour for so many sometimes inexplicable reasons. It'll have you reflecting on your own relationships all the way through.
"Took a minute to get into, then it hit hard," says one verified Amazon reviewer. "So real. So good."
"Sugar, Baby"
Agnes is a 21-year-old who lives at home and works as a cleaner. On the weekends, she goes out and spends money she doesn't have while looking for ways to distract herself from the life she doesn't want to live. When she meets Emily, the daughter of one of her clients, she discovers the world of "sugar dating," or dating rich men for money. Immediately, Agnes is intrigued and hops down the rabbit hole.
When Agnes immerses herself completely in this new world of compensated dating, her mother Constance kicks her out. She then moves in with Emily and a group of other sugar babies, and navigates dangerous, toxic relationships that do little to fill the hole in her life.
It's a difficult read, but an engrossing one that you won't soon forget.
"It Ends with Us"
It's a good time to read this bestseller from Colleen Hoover: The movie adaptation starring Blake Lively is airing this June. In this romantic drama, Lily has worked hard to build the life and business she wants in Boston. When she feels sparks with Ryle, a gorgeous but complicated neurosurgeon, it seems too good to be true.
Ryle has a rule against dating, yet Lily becomes the exception. But as their relationship deepens, she wonders what made him so commitment-phobic. The reappearance of her first love -- Atlas, a kindred spirit from her hometown -- throws Lily's new life into turmoil as well. Eventually, she must make a difficult choice that she's not sure she's prepared for.
"This Summer Will Be Different"
This steamy romance is one that's best enjoyed beachside. You'll want to cool off after you read it.
Lucy travels to her best friend Bridget's beach house on Prince Edward Island every summer. Each visit, she finds herself drawn more and more to Bridget's younger brother Felix, no matter how much she tries to resist.
Their chemistry is off the charts, leading to secret trysts she wishes she could stop having. But with Lucy and Felix's tangled history and family bonds at stake, their electric connection gets complicated. Their feelings start to deepen and they soon find it difficult to keep their affair a secret.
"The Housemaid"
Need a twisty thriller you'll be thinking about long after you head to the beach? "The Housemaid" will do nicely.
Millie is an ex-convict looking for a fresh start as a live-in housemaid for the wealthy Nina Winchester. At first, the job seems promising. Nina is friendly and welcoming when Millie moves in. But Nina's behavior soon takes a disturbing turn. She gives Millie confusing instructions, sometimes failing to mention critical information like her daughter's severe allergy. Millie soon suspects her new boss may be unwell, or that maybe there's something else hiding beneath the surface.
There are so many secrets to unravel as the novel wears on.
"A Court of Thorns and Roses"
We suspect you may have already heard of "ACOTAR" (as it's known on TikTok). But if you haven't given this 2020 novel a read yet, we recommend sitting down with it on the beach this summer.
In this formidable fantasy, 19-year-old Feyre is a hunter who kills a wolf in the forest, which angers a mysterious fae who swears revenge. Feyre is taken captive to the land of Prythian, ruled by immortal faeries. She learns her captor Tamlin is not a beast, but one of the faeries that once ruled her world.
As Feyre adjusts to her new home, her feelings for Tamlin go from hatred to intense attraction. An ancient evil threatens Tamlin's world, and Feyre realizes she must find a way to destroy it if she wants a chance at being with Tamlin.
"One of Us Knows"
Kenetria Nash, diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder, gets a second chance when she accepts a job as caretaker to a historic Hudson River home. But as she settles in, she realizes she has no memory of how she got there in the first place.
When a storm traps her with strangers, including the man who ruined her past, Ken's world is changed again. After the man turns up dead, she becomes the prime suspect.
To prove her innocence, Ken has to work with all of her alternate identities. Together, they battle to remember the truth about Ken's past and the mysterious Kavanaugh Island before they lose everything.
"Just for the Summer"
Justin is down on his luck when it comes to the dating scene. When he meets a woman, they break up and his partner finds a new soulmate. When he matches with a woman who claims the same fate, they joke about dating to "cancel out" their curses. That's when nurse Emma moves to Minnesota for the summer to give it a shot.
Neither expects to actually fall for the other. But when Justin unexpectedly becomes a guardian to his siblings and Emma's toxic mom causes drama, the pair begin to develop feelings for each other.
But all of this was supposed to be just for the summer. Will Justin and Emma stay together even though they swore they'd part at the end of the season? You'll have to read to find out.
"The Women"
Set during the Vietnam War (1965), 20-year-old nursing student Frankie McGrath enlists in the Army Nurse Corps. Frankie quickly becomes part of the chaos of war -- a stark contrast to her sheltered upbringing in sunny California. She's forced to figure out how to navigate life and death daily while getting closer to the soldiers she treats.
Soon, Frankie grows into a seasoned veteran. But the real battle proves to be returning home to a very different America than the one she left behind. As she reconnects with loved ones and immerses herself in the antiwar movement, she learns important facts about humanity and herself.
