As summer winds down, here’s a look at some August reads that you should consider adding to your list. From summer love at camp, friendships in college, a kidnapping and a suspenseful read about self-driving cars, these books hit all the targets for great reading. Check out these books that might not be on your radar, but they should be!

Say You Still Love Me by K.A. Tucker

Is there anything better than a second-chance romance? Even better, this one is partially set at summer camp – my inner teenager is swooning! Say You Still Love Me is giving me major summer vibes, and following last year’s hit, The Simple Wild, K.A. Tucker’s newest novel is sure to be a hit with romance fans. After a whirlwind romance as summer camp counselors, Piper and Kyle fortuitously reunite as adults. “Will they or won’t they?” is the ultimate question, and it sounds like this sweet love story won’t disappoint.

Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center

Her previous novel, How to Walk Away, was a favorite of 2018, so I’m thrilled for the upcoming Things You Save in a Fire. Cassie, a female firefighter, moves to Boston at the request of her very sick mother. Realizing that her job is extremely different than the one she left behind in Texas, she knows she has to prove herself in a male-dominated field. Throw in some serious chemistry with one of the rookies on her squad and it sounds like this will have some sizzling romance, too. I have a feeling this one will go a bit deeper than your average romance and have us thinking about it long after we’re done reading.

The Other’s Gold by Elizabeth Ames

Freshman year, four friends, four mistakes. I can’t resist a juicy campus drama, and I’ve heard great things about this one. After meeting freshman year, this novel follows Lainey, Ji Sun, Alice and Margaret through their college years and beyond. Each makes a devastating mistake, and what follows will show how it impacts the women as a whole, and their futures going forward.

Lost You by Haylen Beck

A kidnapped child, stolen identity, surrogacy scandals… sign me up! Single mother Libby has a secret, and when she takes her son Ethan on vacation, she’s extra cautious. But then Ethan accidentally disappears after an elevator mishap, and when they finally locate him, he’s with a different woman who claims to be his mother. What’s the truth? Who is lying? And what has Libby been hiding? This one sounds extremely binge-worthy, so suspense fans, definitely be on the lookout for this new release.

The Passengers by John Marrs

After enjoying Marrs’s previous novel, The One, I jumped at the chance to read The Passengers. This novel almost sounds like an episode of Black Mirror, and I’m totally here for it. In a world where self-driving cars are the norm, eight people are in their cars when all of a sudden, all car controls are disabled and the car says, “You’re going to die” – panic and hysteria ensue, while the world watches from a live video feed. The public is asked to choose which of the eight passengers should live and who should die.

The Swallows by Lisa Lutz

Secrets, scandal and a battle of the sexes, set at prep school in New England… so far, so good. Upon her arrival at the school, teacher Alex Whitt quickly (and accidentally) stirs up trouble with her latest writing prompt. As she learns about the power struggles within the school, she begins to involve herself in an intricate conflict, creating enemies at every turn. As the long-fought gender war wages on, the female students seem to reach their breaking point, coming to realize the potentially deadly consequences of their actions.

The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri

Nuri is a beekeeper living with his wife, Afra in Syria. Forced to flee their country because of the war, they begin to make the dangerous journey to Britain in hopes of finding refuge. Hindering their travel is Afra’s sudden blindness and by the end, they must overcome unthinkable dangers, the loss of their home and the loss of their identities in order to find safety and each other.

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