Selections for a Rainy Jersey Shore Weekend

The weather isn’t looking too great for this weekend at the Jersey Shore. Hopefully the flooding remains minor, but either way it doesn’t look like we’ll be doing too many outdoor activities. Luckily, we have several great indoor options for you in this week’s Staff Picks!

Fruit Fly by Josh Silver

After blowing up on #BookTok over the Summer, YA author Josh Silver’s debut adult novel has been impossible to get in print. It’s finally been reprinted and you can pick up a copy at the library right now (or at least as of the time of writing this). In my full review I said, “Fans of this Summer’s hit Yesteryear will eat this up, but anyone looking for an expertly plotted bit of dark suspense will find it worthy of all the buzz. This is a must-read.” – Sean Farrell

Primetime

This thriller by Lance Oppenheim (Some Kind of Heaven) uses a fictionalized take on Chris Hansen and his luridly popular To Catch a Predator “news” series to examine some of humanity’s darker instincts. Matt Zoller Seitz at RogerEbert.com calls it “a film that gets under your skin and stays there”, while Robbie Collin at The Telegraph says “it is the best and nastiest film of its type since 2014’s Nightcrawler: it leaves its audience simultaneously appalled and thrilled, and thereby grubbily complicit.” – SF

Forgotten Island

Those looking for something more family-friendly should be well-served by DreamWorks’ Forgotten Island. From the team behind the beloved Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, follows a pair of best friends who discover a portal to a magical island. When they discover that it might be stealing their memories, they must try to get home before they forget each other forever. Kristen Lopez of The Film Maven calls it “utterly amazing”, while Frank Scheck of The Hollywood Reporter says “it becomes easy to get swept up in the fantastical proceedings, and the film’s touching portraits of the relationship between the two girls and lovable Lola, and with each other, provide genuine emotion.” – SF

Japanese Gothic by Kylie Baker Lee

This is my favorite read of 2026 (so far). Sen, the daughter of one of the last (and disgraced) samurai in 1877 flees with her family to a secluded house in Japan. In 2026, Lee, a twenty-something boy living in the same secluded house with his father, finds that his window sometimes shows a girl with a sword, and that a cement wall sometimes becomes a shoji door to the past. Sen and Lee set out to discover why two people living centuries apart are connected in this unique horror novel woven with a touch of Japanese mythology. – Kara Buono

The Heir Apparent by Rebecca Armitage

I haven’t had a chance to read too many debuts this year but was glad I picked up The Heir Apparent for a final summer beach read. It’s a fictional account of the British royal family and details what happens when a massive tragedy reshapes the anticipated line of succession. You don’t need to be a fan of royal culture to enjoy the storyline, although certainly that won’t hurt. The protagonist is a member of the family who had substantially distanced themselves from royal life, only to be thrust back in and finds themselves navigating the challenging situations and relationships they had aimed to leave behind. Fans of family dramas and high society may also find this title appealing. – Erin Brown

Mule by Orville Peck

Masked country crooner Orville Peck’s latest album, Mule, brings rockabilly into the 21st century. On this deeply personal record, the singer opens up about his battles with addiction and the road to sobriety. Unafraid to get dark, this is ultimately a hopeful collection with some of the singer’s best, most infectious songs yet. – SF

99 to Beat

This gameshow that pits 100 contestants against in each other in a series of ridiculous, Double-Dare-esque challenges to try and win a million dollars may not be high art, but damn if it isn’t entertaining. The just begun second season promises even more drama and suspense as the diverse cast—featuring many with direct relations to each other—compete in a mix of individual and group challenges that see whoever finishes last removed from the game. The tasks are simple enough that virtually anyone should be able to complete them, but many prove more challenging than they first seem. It’s harmless fun that’s perfect for when you don’t want to think too hard. – SF