Celeb-Approved Books You Have to Read Before Summer Is Over

If the stars are hooked, you probably will be, too

By Amanda Randone Aug 11, 2017 10:03 PMTags

Summer is a busy time for celebs. 

Between their sun-drenched destinations of our dreams and the yacht excursions, it's a season of extravagant adventure. But it's also a time for celebs like Reese Witherspoon and Sofia Vergara to catch up on their reading. Whether they're packing their beach totes with a good thriller or hanging poolside with a sultry romance novel, it seems like stars are spending as much time with books as they are on boats this season. 

So we're taking notes. 

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Reese Witherspoon, Cameron Diaz & Drew Barrymore's Beach Getaway

Even if you're not heading to a tropical paradise, don't set out for the beach without considering one of these celebrity-approved summer reads. Sometimes, the best travel accessory is the latest New York Times best seller. If these novels are keeping your favorite stars hooked, there's a good chance you won't be able to put them down either. 

Ready, set, read.

Mindy Kaling

If she likes it, count us in! The Office star shared that she can't put The Hellfire Club by Jake Tapper down. The political thriller follows a young man with family ties who is thrown into office after his predecessor mysteriously dies. The new Congressmen and his wife soon discover hidden secrets and conspiracies they had no idea existed.

The Hellfire Club, Jake Tapper, $18.14

Cindy Crawford

Super models learning from other super models! The beauty made a long flight more exciting by picking up a copy of Perfect Is Boring by Tyra Banks. In the book, the America's Next Top Model host and her mom reflect on Tyra's journey and what lessons they have learned over the years.

Perfect Is Boring, Tyra Banks, $16.84

Reese Witherspoon

A recent pick for the star's book club was Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman. The #1 New York Times Bestseller is a psychological thriller about a couple who make a shocking discovery on their honeymoon. Reese declared, "it's the perfect beach read!"

Something in the Water, Catherine Steadman, $16.20

Hilary Duff

The expecting mom knows that there's no better way to relax than with a good book. She enjoyed a bubble bath while reading Pachinko by Min Jin Lee. The novel follows a teenager who becomes pregnant by a wealthy man, only to learn he is married. The main character struggles with loyalty and love in early 1900s Japan.

Pachinko, Min Jin Lee, $9.59

Emma Roberts

The American Horror Story star is an avid reader, and often shares her recs on her book account, @belletrist. Her recent recommendation was Godspeed by Casey Legler. The book is a memoir written by a former Olympic swimmer who struggled with alcoholism during her time in the spotlight.

Godspeed, Casey Legler, $18.76

Jessica Biel & Jessica Alba

A name isn't the only thing these two have in common. They have similar taste in books too! The actresses attended a release event for The Nanny Connie Way by Hollywood nanny Connie Simpson. The book gives tips for surviving and thriving during the first four months of motherhood.

The Nanny Connie Way, Connie Simpson, $13.89

Oprah Winfrey

The queen of book recommendations gives us another one! The mogul shared her love for The Sun Does Shine by Anthony Ray Hinton. The memoir follows Hinton during his 30 years on death row for a crime he did not commit. However, the author never lost hope or his sense of humor during his hardest moments.

The Sun Does Shine, Anthony Ray Hinton, $14.15

Jennifer Garner

Stars love getting book recs from each other! The mom-of-three picked up this novel after it was recommended by Sarah Jessica Parker. A Place for Us was written by Fatima Farheen Mirza and centers around Indian parents who must accept the choices their children have made when they are reunited for a wedding.

A Place for Us, Fatima Farheen Mirza, $16.20

Kerry Washington

This book looks shocking! The Scandal actress shared her newest read The Perfect Mother by Aimee Molloy. The novel is about a group of moms who go out on the town, and soon find out that one of their infants is missing. Need more motivation to read? Kerry herself is set to star in the film adaptation of the best-seller.

The Perfect Mother, Aimee Molloy, $15.29

Jessica Simpson

The singer says she was "inspired and in awe" after reading Beauty in the Broken Places by Allison Pataki. The memoir follows Allison, pregnant and on vacation with her husband, when he suffers a life altering stroke. As she takes care of a newborn and her husband, she is able to find strength and fall in love all over again.

Beauty in the Broken Places, Allison Pataki, $14.47

Brie Larson

A vacation isn't complete without a good book! For a good beach front read, the Oscar winner suggests The Heroine's Journey written by Maureen Murdock. The book describes a woman's search for fulfillment in a world revolving around masculine values, arguing the need for feminine values in the modern world.

The Heroine's Journey, Maureen Murdock, $15.16

Emma Watson

The actress is another star who has her own book club. A recent pick for the club was Heart Berries by Terese Marie Mailhot. The New York Times Editor's Choice is a poetic memoir about a woman's coming of age in the Pacific Northwest as she deals with death, mental illness and transition.

Heart Berries, Terese Marie Mailhot, $15.31

Alicia Keys

You can count on Alicia for a fierce reading recommendation. The singer suggested The New York Times best-seller Women Who Run With the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Ph.D. The author digs into rich fairy tales and stories to help women reconnect, examine and love the female psyche. This pick is also a favorite of Emma Watson

Women Who Run With the Wolves, Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Ph.D., $13.10

Emma Watson

The actress helped to hide 100 copies of The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood around Paris earlier this summer. The book is set in the future and describes the bizarre consequences of social unrest on men and women. It was eventually made into a Hulu original series, starring Elisabeth Moss. If reading is not your thing, this show is a must-watch!

The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood, $9.59

Emma Roberts

Emma was poolside with Sex and Rage by Eve Babitz. The story follows the jobless Jacaranda as she heads from Los Angeles to New York on a path of self discovery. "Jacaranda, speaks volumes to the messiness and mistakes that mark adolescence. I can't wait for you guys to read her story," Emma wrote. 

Sex and Rage, Eve Babitz, $11.85 

Jessica Biel

Jessica has been full of book suggestions recently. During a recent Reddit AMA, she mentioned The Fair Fight by Anna Freeman, which is about female boxers in the 1800s. "[It's] based on true events that were really happening," Jessica said. She also recently posted on her Instagram about the passionate novel inspired by historical events, And After The Fire by Lauren Belfer. We don't even know where to start.

The Fair Fight, Anna Freeman, $9.87

And After The FireLauren Belfer, $14.84

Reese Witherspoon

Reese is such a book worm that she created a separate Instagram account as a social space to share, discover and discuss. One of her summer suggestions is The End Of The Affair by Graham Greene, which is about one man's retrospective account of his adulterous affair, one year after the woman's death. The actress claims this pick is so good, you can't put it down..."no matter what you're doing."  

The End Of The Affair, Graham Greene, $13.86

Sofia Vergara

Sofia's summer reading rec will take you to the Amazon to follow one man's story of building his start-up in the middle of a rain forest. Tyler Gage's book Fully Alive, is about entrepreneurship, social responsibility and how to make a difference in this world.

Fully Alive, Tyler Gage, $17

Whether you're looking to be empowered or entertained, these celebs have got you covered in the literature category. 

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