• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Joy the Baker
Joy the Baker
  • New Magazine!
  • Bread
  • Cookies
  • Cakes
  • Pies
  • Recipes
    • All Recipes
    • Biscuits
    • Muffins
    • Cupcakes
    • Drinks
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Fruit
    • Nuts
    • Buttermilk
    • Chocolate
    • Vanilla
    • Holiday
    • Healthy
    • Gluten-Free
    • Vegan
  • Blog
    • Baking 101
    • Tips
    • Beyond the Kitchen
    • Let It Be Sunday!
    • New Orleans

The Top 6 Summer Reading Recommendations of 2021

June 24, 2021 by Joy the Baker 23 Comments

books on a bench with framed art above

Hello friends! 

I’ve gotten a month into these thick summer days without one of my very favorite summer activities: relaxing with a juicy beach read under an umbrella with a spritz. I looked up from my Christmas-in-June haze and realized that I don’t even know what beach read I’m reaching for! 

Thank goodness for you. Your suggestions on Instagram were key – and so many of you suggested the same six books.  I’m glad y’all are on the same page. I trust you. 

I have yet to read any of these titles but I’m headed to the bookstore this week to pick up, well, all of them.  Gosh remember summer reading lists in junior high and high school? Did.Not.Enjoy.  This level of scandalous, twisty turny, humorous reading is what I can get into this summer.  If you have any additions to this category, I’d love to see them in the comments below.  

•  Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Four famous siblings throw an epic party to celebrate the end of the summer. But over the course of twenty-four hours, their lives will change forever.  Here at Bookshop.org and  here on Amazon. 

•  Scruples by Judith Krantz

Published in 1989 – Scruples is the novel that created publishing history, the first-and widely  acknowledged to be the very best-novel ever written  about the staggeringly luxurious life of a Beverly  Hills boutique and the people who work in it.  Here on Indiebound and here on Amazon. 

•  While We Were Dating the forthcoming book by Jasmine Guillory

Two people realize that it’s no longer an act when they veer off-script in this sizzling romantic comedy. Here on Indiebound and here on Amazon. 

•  Outlawed by Anna North

The Crucible meets True Grit in this riveting adventure story of a fugitive girl, a mysterious gang of robbers, and their dangerous mission to transform the Wild West. Here on Parnassus and here on Amazon. 

•  Beach Read and People We Meet On Vacation by Emily Henrry

Beach Read: A romance writer who no longer believes in love and a literary writer stuck in a rut engage in a summer-long challenge that may just upend everything they believe about happily ever afters. Here on Barnes and Noble and here on Amazon. 

People We Meet on Vacation: Two best friends. Ten summer trips. One last chance to fall in love. Here on Garden District Bookstore and here on Amazon. 

•  The Hunting Wives by May Cobb

The Hunting Wives share more than target practice, martinis, and bad behavior in this novel of obsession, seduction, and murder. Here on Indiebound and here on Amazon. 

I hope you found a book or two to add to your list. 

Happy Summer, friends! xo 

Previous PostNext Post

Filed Under: Beyond the Kitchen

Previous Post: « Weeknight Skillet Lasagna with Kale and Artichoke
Next Post: Let It Be Sunday, 328! »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Laura

    June 27, 2021 at 6:12 pm

    Oh my goodness Outlawed was so so good. The perfect summer read, I devoured it in two days, sitting in the sun on my deck drinking iced coffee. I guess I’ll have to pick up another one for a beach day next weekend.

    Reply
  2. Shila Soni

    June 27, 2021 at 4:49 pm

    Joy, you don’t know how much I needed this post. Thank you so much for sharing these juicy summer reads. I’m going to start with People we Meet on Vacation and work my way through.

    Reply
  3. Anna

    June 26, 2021 at 8:38 am

    I will also recommend the Daevabad Trilogy (starting with City of Brass). Fantasy, love, destinty… Game of Thrones feel but with much less gore, all set in a Middle Eastern world.

    Reply
  4. Nikki

    June 26, 2021 at 7:58 am

    I am reading People We Meet on Vacation now while I am waiting for my copy of Malibu Rising to arrive next week. I read Outlawed in three days it was that good. Another great beach read is One To Watch by Kate Staymann-London. A reality tv I spired novel featuring a plus size protagonist- loved it! And of course, a culinary mystery, Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala. Enjoy!

    Reply
  5. Rebekah Flanders

    June 25, 2021 at 11:49 am

    Fiction
    – Jurassic Park is fantastic! Super well written 10/10 recommend listening to it on audible.
    – Wonder by R.J. Palacio is such a sweet and heartwarming book
    – Anything by Llyod Alexander (my Dad is a huge reader and this was always his favorite author)
    – The Horse and His Boy by C. S. Lewis
    – Okay hear me out… Lord of the Rings. I couldn’t get through it on paper but when I put it on audible I was hooked. I didn’t expect to cry so hard or relate so much but that’s Tolkien for ya. Very great series with some amazing lines if you can get past the boring//detailed bits here and there.

    Non-fiction
    – Captivate by Vanessa Van Edwards was fascinating
    – The Coddling of the American Mind was pretty interesting
    – Another Gospel by Alisa Childress was one of the best books I’ve read in a long time.

    Reply
« Older Comments
Comments Page 2 of 2
« Previous 1 2

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

RELATED POSTS IN Beyond the Kitchen

stack of beach reads 2022
The Best Books for Summer 2022

Summer books are meant to be defiled. Pages should be smeared with suntan lotion and potato chip grease; covers should be sun faded and waterlogged, used as coasters for your margaritas, a landing pad for unwieldy ice cream cones. (Unless, of course, you’re checking your summer book out from the library. In which case, you…

Read More

Summer Bucket List, 2022!

BUCKET LIST buck•et list (noun): a number of experiences or achievements that a person hopes to have accomplished during their lifetime.  Also, a 2007 comedic film featuring Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson. SUMMER BUCKET LIST sum•mer buck•et list (noun):  a list of things that a person would like to accomplish and experience during the summer months.  If done correctly,…

Read More

A Peek Behind the Scenes of the new Joy the Baker Magazine

A few years ago when I embarked on the (incredibly exciting) journey of magazine making, I had no idea just how much it would flip my seasons and try to scramble my festive circadian rhythm.  Last summer, I had a Christmas tree up in the living room for most of July and August. Yes, fully…

Read More

Primary Sidebar

Fresh baked emails, delivered to your inbox

Receive recipes from Joy the Baker and updates on events at The Bakehouse.

HI! I’M JOY!

Welcome! This has been my little corner of the internet since 2008!

I’m a baker, photographer, cookbook author and teacher.  I live laugh love in New Orleans. 

MORE ABOUT JOY AND THE TEAM

BOOKS + Magazines

JOY THE BAKER 2022 SUMMER MAGAZINE

JOY THE BAKER 2021 HOLIDAY MAGAZINE

JOY THE BAKER 2020 HOLIDAY MAGAZINE

HOMEMADE DECADENCE

OVER EASY: SWEET AND SAVORY RECIPES FOR LEISURELY DAYS COOKBOOK

JOY THE BAKER COOKBOOK

Joy the baker with dyed bandana around neck

HOW TO MAKE DYED BANDANAS

as seen in JtB Magazine!

joy the baker on facebook joy the baker on twitter pinterest-social instagram-socialbloglovin-social

JOY @ WILLIAMS SONOMA

SHOP THE CAKE LINE OF CAKE MIXES!

DRAKE ON CAKE

Passionate from miles away since 2015.

Check it out on Instagram

Drake on cake instagram.

 

FAVORITE FRUIT RECIPES

strawberry sheet cake on a plate with strawberries on top.

My Favorite Super Easy Strawberry Sheet Cake

Berry crostata topped with whipped cream with coffee.

A Single Serve Berry Crostata Recipe

fresh baked blueberry cobbler on a plate with vanilla ice cream on top.

The Secrets To My Favorite Blueberry Cobbler

POPULAR CAKES

strawberry sheet cake on a plate with strawberries on top.

My Favorite Super Easy Strawberry Sheet Cake

Slice of coconut cake on small white plate with coffee.

My favorite Coconut Cake is actually made with cake mix

A slice of lemon blueberry gooey butter cake held on a cake slicer.

Lemon Blueberry Gooey Butter Cake

Footer

Instagram

joythebaker

📚Baker and author of books and magazines
🎂Creator @drakeoncake
💁🏻‍♀️Classes with me @thebakehousenola
🍰 Products with @williamssonoma

joythebaker
My EASIEST Strawberry Sheet Cake is also my absolu My EASIEST Strawberry Sheet Cake is also my absolute favorite. Get into a box of white cake mix and fresh 🍓🍓 purée! Topped with a thick layer of strawberry cream cheese frosting - this cake is a little pink dream! ⁣
⁣
The Easiest Strawberry Sheet Cake recipe linked in the bio for you! 💋
Our resident reader, @tobyfels shares my favorite Our resident reader, @tobyfels shares my favorite list of the summer on Joy the Baker this year: The Best Books for Summer 2022!  As a person who reads Beach Reads all year long, this is IT! With titles by @ashleymcoleman_ @anarasong @annleary @bonnie_garmus_author @heyashposton @annabelmonaghan @greerhendricks @sarahpekkanen @shelbyvanpeltwrites @marilynsimonrothstein @@misterosman and @kirstin.chen. The guide to your bookworm summer linked in the bio!
Over here testing the limits of “you are what yo Over here testing the limits of “you are what you eat” and will soon be taking my final form as a summer tomato. ⁣🫠🍅
⁣
This Mediterranean Feta and Fresh Tomato Tart is an absolute show stopper with a buttery crisp, press-in crust, whipped feta, and layers of fresh tomato, cucumber, onions, and olives. I’ll leave the recipe linked in the bio - it’s really very special. Join me. We are 🍅🍅.
Here are my two best kept secrets for getting thro Here are my two best kept secrets for getting through this summer.  I’ve never been much for secrets so I’m letting you right in! ⁣
1.	I’m committed to folding crumbled chewy brownies into the easiest homemade no-churn ice cream.⁣
2.	I’m shopping for all of my baking and summer entertaining essentials, wine and cheese at the new @aldiusa stores opening across the Gulf Coast! Wait… you’re as obsessed with ALDI as I am, right? The shopping is always easy and affordable and I always come home with a fun treat among my essentials. Hit up my stories to see my grocery haul (and the chips I ate in the car on the way home) and head to your nearest ALDI for your summer essentials!  #ad⁣
⁣
I’ll leave the recipe and your #ALDILove grocery list linked in the bio!
Let’s just make one! ⁣ ⁣ One Single Berry Cr Let’s just make one! ⁣
⁣
One Single Berry Crostata just you for. Double the recipe (🔗 in the bio) only if you want to share. ⁣
⁣
#joythebaker #berry #crostata #smallbatch #dessert #foodblogfeed
The freezer is packed with ice cream treats from h The freezer is packed with ice cream treats from here on out, and that’s a promise. ⁣
⁣
Find this Milk and Cereal Ice Cream Bar and loads of other semi-homemade ice cream treats linked in the bio! 💓🍦🫠
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2022 · Joy the Baker
All rights reserved. Violators will be whupped and sent to bed with no dessert · Privacy Policy

Scroll Up