A Raft of Reading Adventures
Written by SurfWriter Girls Sunny Magdaug and Patti Kishel
Whether you want to set sail on an adventure, romance, mystery, or surfing saga, SurfWriter Girls Sunny Magdaug and Patti Kishel have the books you’ve been looking for to jazz up your summer reading.
So, find a shady spot and a cool drink and settle in with one of these SurfWriter Girls Best Beach Books we’ve found for you.
Arsenic and Adobo, by Mia P. Manansala, is a delicious blend of crime and Filipino culinary classics. By the time we finished reading the book and knew whodunit, SurfWriter Girl Sunny was already heading to the kitchen to start making some of the dishes she grew up with – minus the book's lethal ingredients.
Great Circle, by Maggie Shipstead, is the story of two independent women a century apart whose destinies are interlinked – a daredevil, pioneering aviator trying to circumnavigate the globe by flying over both poles and the 21st Century actress who plays her in a movie. Bestselling author Shipstead deftly intertwines the women’s fates while drawing you into a glorious adventure through the skies and history.
The Holiday Swap, by Maggie Knox, is the perfect Christmas in July romance. When LA reality cooking show judge Charlie loses her sense of taste and smell there’s only one thing to do: secretly swap places with her identical twin Cass, who runs the family bakery back home. Will this save the day or be a recipe for disaster, especially when the unsuspecting men in their lives are thrown into the mix?
The Island, by Adrian McKinty, will keep you turning the pages to see what happens to this family in danger on a remote island near Australia when their vacation goes horribly wrong. Fast paced and frightening, you’ll definitely want to be in a safe space when you read this book that’s scheduled to be a Hulu original series.
The Knockoff, by Lucy Sykes and Jo Piazza, is a fun, fashionable battle of wits and will between an up-and-coming millennial at a fashion magazine, who wants it all now, and the Gen X boss who’s not ready to hand over the keys to the corner office or give up her front row seat at Fashion Week. People magazine calls it “The Devil Wears Prada meets All About Eve.”
Lessons in Chemistry, by Bonnie Garmus, combines science, rowing, and romance into one delectable treat centered around a popular 1960s TV cooking show, Supper at Six. Garmus, an open-water swimmer and rower, made her writing debut with this bestselling novel that has surprises and insights on every page and a heroine to cheer for. SurfWriter Girls loved it and can't wait to see the TV movie coming out soon.
Mimi Lee Cracks the Code, by Jennifer J. Chow, is the third book in her Sassy Cat Mystery series featuring a pet groomer-detective and her cat (who can understand English) partner Marshmallow. As they investigate a theft and murder on Catalina Island, the witty banter between them adds to the fun as the clues are revealed.
The Surfer and the Sage: A Guide to Survive and Ride Life's Waves, by Noah benShea and Shaun Tomson, brings together champion surfer Tomson and poet/ philosopher benShea on a literary journey to turn life’s darkest moments into rays of light. Combining words and stunning surfing photos, the book shares the grief that Tomson felt after the loss of his son and how he found a path of purpose, hope and faith. Surfers and non-surfers alike will be inspired by the life lessons it provides.
Surf is Where You Find It: The Wisdom of Waves, Any Time, Anywhere, Any Way, by Gerry Lopez, shares a lifetime of wave riding in this homage to surfing and the legends who travel the world looking for epic waves. Described as a “surfing samurai,” Lopez has done it all from big wave tow surfing to every other type of surfing and has the stories and photos to document his adventures.
Two Nights in Lisbon, by Chris Pavone, is a classic suspense thriller that keeps you wondering, guessing, and turning the pages while the clock ticks down on an explosive ending. Starting from the moment Ariel Pryce wakes up in Lisbon to find her husband missing the plot of this bestselling novel takes you on a roller coaster ride of devious and dangerous twists and turns.
And congratulations to our friend Dana Michaels, a former information officer with the CA Dept. of Fish and Wildlife, who switched from writing news releases to her first novel, In Your Dreams! – “An Unlikely, Later-in-Life Love Story." When California government worker Kat wins a trip to London and meets handsome British TV star Jamie sparks fly. But is he really the man of her dreams or just acting the part?
To set your own dreams in motion on a relaxing summer day, just pick out a book that’s calling your name and turn the page.
Sunny Magdaug and Patti Kishel hold the exclusive rights to this copyrighted material. Publications wishing to reprint it may contact them at surfwriter.girls@gmail.com Individuals and non-profit groups are welcome to post it on social media sites as long as credit is given.
