It’s the middle of the summer & the weather is just,  heavenly. Days spent lounging by the pool or sun bathing at the beach are what we look forward to. And, what better way to spend them by catching up on some enticing reading. Sure, you can go to the New York Times Best Seller List to get some direction on what’s actually worth reading out there – but, wouldn’t it be awesome to get a list of books fellow minxes have actually read themselves and loved? Well, now you can – here’s Minx Society’s 5 favorite sizzling summer reads:

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

This captivating thriller tells a story about a wife gone missing and a marriage gone horribly awry through different perspectives. New York Times bestseller Gillian Flynn is so “hip,” and genius, that this extremely current tale combines edge with real insight into the human psyche. You will not want to put this one down. The Chicago Tribune proclaimed that her work “draws you in and keeps you reading with the force of a pure but nasty addiction.”

A Visit From The Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan

Jennifer Egan’s masterfully-written book interlocks many narratives to tell a story about secretive human relationships with just the right amount of pop culture goodness. Explore the inner-workings of the human mind– in first, second and third person —  spread across different eras  in locales as varied as New York, San Francisco, Naples, and Africa.  A Visit From the Goon Squad won the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and National Book Critics Circle Award for fiction.

Fifty Shades Trilogy by E. L. James

We know, we know…this is an obvious one. But, it really is worth the hype! As risque as it – you know, reading fictional porn – it really is interesting & entertaining. Be prepared to be jolted, perplexed, disgusted, excited all in one sitting with this slutty tale about two lovers living a life filled with S&M seduction, fame, and fortune. Besides you don’t want to be the only one who hasn’t read it – this book is replacing Bibles in certain hotel rooms!

Savages by Don Winslow

Though the movie was totally not up to par – the book itself gets you hooked. Follow a best friend duo who run a Laguna Beach–based marijuana operation and equally share a bombshell of a girlfriend as they try to stay safe from the unrelentingly vicious Mexican drug cartel. Janet Maslin of the The New York Times calls it “Stylish, mega-cool, & ferocious.”

Chopsticks by Jessica Anthony and Rodrigo Corral

Boy meets girl. Boy and girl fall in love. Girl suddenly disappears. Jessica Anthony and Rodrigo Corral’s new novel may seem like your typical teen romance – but it’s far from it. Instead of using text, their ill-fated relationship unfolds from photos, song lyrics, and even instant messages strewn across the pages.