Summer days are best spent at the beach. Maybe you’re lounging at an all-inclusive resort sipping on fresh coconut water; or you could just be down at the local pool. But no matter how glamorous the location, the one thing you need for a great day at the beach is an amazing book.
There’s so much good YA to choose from—swoon-worthy romance, page-turning thrillers, fast-paced sci-fi. Here are some of our favorite reads for your all-day tanning session.
24 Books to Bring to the Beach
1. Love & Olives by Jenna Evans Welch
From the New York Times bestselling author of Love & Gelato comes a Mamma Mia!–inspired tale about a teen girl finding romance while trying to connect with her absent father in beautiful Santorini, Greece.
2. Start Here by Trish Doller
Two teens go on a life-changing sailing trip as they deal with the grief of losing their best friend in this heart-wrenching, hopeful novel from the author of Something Like Normal and In a Perfect World.
3. Girl, Unframed by Deb Caletti
A teen girl’s summer with her famous mother turns sinister in this gripping thriller inspired by a real-life Hollywood murder from Printz Honor–winning and National Book Award finalist author Deb Caletti—perfect for fans of Courtney Summers’s Sadie.
4. One Great Lie by Deb Caletti
A compelling and atmospheric YA story of romance, mystery, and power about a young woman discovering her strength in lush, sultry Venice—from the Printz Honor–winning author of A Heart in a Body in the World.
5. Where Secrets Lie by Eva V. Gibson
Perfect for fans of Courtney Summers, this seductive and intense thriller unfolds in interwoven timelines of two summers as three friends are torn apart by buried secrets and star-crossed attraction…then pulled back together by tragedy.
6. In Deeper Waters by F.T. Lukens
A young prince must rely on a mysterious stranger to save him when he is kidnapped during his coming-of-age tour in this swoony adventure that is The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue meets Pirates of the Caribbean.
7. The Coming Storm by Regina M. Hanson
Music, myth, and horror blend in this romantic, atmospheric fantasy debut about a teen girl who must fight a powerful evil that’s invaded her Prince Edward Island home—perfect for fans of An Enchantment of Ravens.
8. I Killed Zoe Spanos by Kit Frick
For fans of Sadie and Serial, this “gloriously twisty” (BuzzFeed) thriller follows two teens whose lives become inextricably linked when one confesses to murder and the other becomes determined to uncover the real truth no matter the cost.
9. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han
What if all the crushes you ever had found out how you felt about them…all at once? Lara Jean has written five love letters in her life, but never sent them. So, when all five of them receive her no-longer-secret letters, her life turns completely upside down. If you haven’t already, don’t forget to watch the Netflix movie, which is out now!
10. Take Me Home Tonight by Morgan Matson
Two girls. One night. Zero phones. Kat and Stevie—best friends, theater kids, polar opposites—have snuck away from the suburbs to spend a night in New York City. They have it all planned out. They’ll see a play, eat at the city’s hottest restaurant, and have the best. Night. Ever. What could go wrong?
11. American Panda by Gloria Chao
17-year-old Mei is a freshman at MIT, following the next step in her parents’ plan for her to become a doctor and marry a Taiwanese Ivy Leaguer. What Mei can’t tell them is that she hates germs—and that she has a massive crush on her Japanese classmate.
12. The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw
The small town of Sparrow, Oregon is plagued by three sisters who were drowned for witchcraft centuries prior. Each summer, they return, stealing the bodies of three girls in order to lure boys into the water and to their own deaths. This year, an outsider arrives at Sparrow, not believing the danger. This is a suspenseful, witchy tale that nods to Salem while exploring romance, secrets, and of course, revenge.
13. Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett
Best-friends-turned-best-enemies Zorie and Lennon are abandoned in the wilderness. And as they travel through the California backcountry, secrets and hidden feeling surface. They can’t entirely blame the forest air and starlit nights on this rekindling connection!
14. Save the Date by Morgan Matson
Charlie Grant’s older sister is getting married this weekend at their family home, and Charlie can’t wait. The house will be filled with jokes and games and laughs again. Making decisions about things like what college to attend and reuniting with longstanding crush Jesse Foster—all that can wait. She wants to focus on making the weekend perfect. The only problem? The weekend is shaping up to be an absolute disaster.
15. Love From A to Z by S.K. Ali
What happens when a mad, sad fiery girl meets a beautiful cinnamon roll boy with secrets? An unforgettable romance following two Muslim teens who meet during a spring break trip.
16. Stay Sweet by Siobhan Vivian
In this adorable and—dare I say it—sweet YA, we follow seventeen-year-old Amelia who is determined to save Meade Creamery, the local ice cream stand, now that their late founder’s great-nephew has taken over management. You’ll be craving an ice cold treat before you finish the prologue!
17. Tradition by Brendan Kiely
Tradition is a rallying cry for all the rebels out there trying to figure out how to stand up for people who are being mistreated and make positive change in our society. Set at a boarding school with long-standing traditions that are harmful and need changing, Tradition follows the path of two students–one female, one male–who experience and witness injustice and are determined to bring an end to it.
18. What I Leave Behind by Alison McGhee
After his dad commits suicide, Will tries to overcome his own misery by secretly helping the people around him in this exquisitely crafted story made up of one hundred chapters of one hundred words each, by award-winning and bestselling author Alison McGhee.
19. Your Destination is on the Left by Lauren Spieller
Dessa’s life has been one long road trip—her family travels across the country in an RV caravan—and she’s ready to leave everything behind for a more sedentary life. But when she finally settles into an internship in Santa Fe, her family suffers an unexpected blow, and she’s faced with the decision of losing everything she’s worked for.
20. Saints & Misfits by S.K. Ali
Janna thinks of people in three different categories in her world, and she places herself at Jeremy firmly in the misfits. Janna thinks she and Jeremy are from two different worlds, but the old adage “opposites attract” can be very true.
21. Learning to Breatheby Janice Lynn Mather
After being shipped off to the Bahamas, Indira has been fighting how to be seen as herself by a family that only sees her mother’s mistakes. So, when an unwanted pregnancy forces her to seek refuge elsewhere, Indy discovers home is much bigger than just four walls and a roof—it’s about the people she chooses to share it with.
22. Love & Luck by Jenna Evans Welch
Addie and her brother Ian used to be inseparable, but Addie is sure that even a trip to Ireland won’t mend the rift. When travel plans change and Addie finds herself cramped in a car with Ian and his admittedly cute local friend, she realizes this might be her chance to reconnect with her brother.
23. Want by Cindy Pon
In a technologically advanced Taipei, the rich are protected by the pollution their corporation’s cause. The poor, like Jason Zhou, are not so lucky. After losing his mother to an environmental virus, he is determined to change things, no matter the cost. This is the perfect sci-fi to binge read while evening out your tan!
24. Burn for Burn Trilogy by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian
If you’ve read Dangerous Girls, Bad Girls with Perfect Faces, or Three Truths and a Lie, and are hungry for more tumultuous female friendships, direct your attention to the Burn for Burn trilogy by YA powerhouses (and IRL BFFs) Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian! Lillia, Kat, and Mary may not be best friends but are brought together by their need to get back at those that have done them wrong. On the postcard-perfect island of Jar Island, revenge is a dish best enjoyed together.
