Beach Reads, Last Call
Before summer turns the page, staff at Bergen’s libraries recommend reads for the final beach, pool and backyard days.
Summer may be winding down, but there are still a few glorious poolside, beachside and hammock-reading days ahead. If your stack of books has been waiting patiently for its turn, now’s the time to dive in.
From easygoing page-turners to stories that keep you up way past bedtime, these picks selected by staff at four Bergen libraries are just right for the final stretch of the season. Find your next read, settle into your favorite summer spot and turn the page.
Staff at the Ridgewood Library, for instance, suggests both current and past titles for your upcoming reading days. There’s John Lanchester’s witty and suspense-filled “Look What Your Made Me Do” and Mia P. Manansala’s “Arsenic and Adobo,” a book that combines mystery, thrills and humor.
The Upper Saddle River Library, meanwhile, has shared its staff members’ picks on a series of bookmarks, which can be picked up at the front desk. Selections include British fiction writer Lee Child’s memoir “Reacher: The Stories Behind the Stories” and the mystery thriller “The Inheritance Games” by Jennifer Lynn Barnes.
The Fit to Be Lit Book Club, based at Hackensack’s Johnson Public Library, will be discussing “God of the Woods” by Liz Moore at 11 a.m. on Aug. 22—but you can read the mystery at your leisure anytime this summer.
Your next reads, according to the Mahwah Library, should include Henry Winkler’s “Being Henry: The Fonz…and Beyond,” “The Frozen River,” a historical fiction piece by Ariel Lawhorn or “Remarkably Bright Creatures,” Shelby Van Pelt’s novel on unforgettable creatures that stole hearts.
If you’re looking to support local authors, consider books by two Bergenites. The Record columnist Mike Kelly’s latest, “After Ground Zero,” was released on Aug. 20 and is available at major and independent retailers, including Bookends in Ridgewood and Books & Greetings in Northvale. And Wyckoff children’s author Robert Skead’s next book, “Wrath of the Sea Hag,” is scheduled to be released on Sept. 15.
Share your favorite summer reads with us on Instagram @bergenmagnj.
