The final installment of the Harry Potter series isn't out until mid-July, but you don't have to go bookless to the beach; there are plenty of titles out there perfect for relaxing in the sun.

"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" (Scholastic Inc.), by J.K. Rowling, is the seventh installment about the adventures of the schoolboy wizard. There's been huge anticipation — and anxiety — about this one: Rowling has said that two characters die in the final book.

The Potter books have sold more than 325 million copies worldwide with translations into 64 languages. Booksellers are expecting huge sales for the July 21 release.

"It's a no-brainer. It's obviously going to be the biggest title this summer," said Ann Binkley, spokeswoman for Borders, Inc.

But Harry and friends aren't the only hot topics this season.

Pirates are also in this summer, with "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" out in theaters, and that makes "Empire of Blue Water: Captain Morgan's Great Pirate Army, the Epic Battle for the Americas, and the Catastrophe That Ended the Outlaws' Bloody Reign" (Crown), by Stephan Talty, a good choice. The book tells the tale of the famed Henry Morgan's exploits in the Caribbean in the service of the English. His attacks on the Spanish empire on land and at sea determined the fates of kings and queens, and his victories helped shape the destiny of the New World.

"The Republic of Pirates: Being the True and Surprising Story of the Caribbean Pirates and the Man Who Brought Them Down" (Harcourt), by Colin Woodard is about the "Flying Gang," when a number of famous pirate captains such as Blackbeard joined forces. For a brief period, the pirate republic was enormously successful. At its height, it cut off trade routes, sacked slave ships, and severed Britain, France and Spain from their New World empires.

Another seafaring adventure, "Last Flag Down," by John Baldwin and Ron Powers, deals with the Shenandoah, the last ship to lower its flag during the Confederacy. The vessel was captained by Conway Whittle. After months at sea, Whittle learns that the Civil War he and his crew thought they were fighting had ended four months earlier and they were now considered pirates.

Binkley said books turned into movies sell when the film hits the theater. "Evening" (Vintage), by Susan Minot, has been out since 1999, but a new film starring Vanessa Redgrave and Meryl Streep has boosted sales.

For a more lighthearted read, "The Sleeping Beauty Proposal" (The Penguin Group USA), by Sarah Strohmeyer, is about Genie Michaels, a woman who always thought she needed marriage to make her happy — until her boyfriend proposes to another woman on national television.

"The Entitled" (Sourcebooks), by sportswriter and NPR commentator Frank Deford, is a tale about the boys of summer in the modern era. Protagonist Howie has finally been given a shot to manage in the big leagues, but America's pastime has changed. Whether this coach can spot a small flaw in a batter's swing won't matter if he can't manage megastar players. Another sports-themed book is "Tales from Q School: Inside Golf's Fifth Major" (Little, Brown), by John Feinstein.

"He's got a strong fan base, and he does these kinds of books really well," Binkley said.

"Loving Frank" (Ballantine Books), by Nancy Horan, a fictional account of a love affair between Frank Lloyd Wright and Mamah Borthwick Cheney, is poised for big summer sales, booksellers said.

"It's just really well done and extremely well written," Binkley said.

And thrillers are always a big hit during the summer months. "Killer Weekend" (Putnam), by Ridley Pearson, is a new series out midsummer set in Sun Valley, Idaho, and the first book deals with the efforts to thwart the assassination of a woman candidate for president.

There are also noteworthy authors making their debuts this season.

"The Blood of Flowers" (Little, Brown), by Anita Amirrezvani, is a tale of a 17th-century young Persian woman who makes her way with her mother from their village to a rich uncle's house in the city of Isfahan.

"It's mesmerizing," Binkley said.

Jessica Morrison's debut novel, "The Buenos Aires Broken Hearts Club" (5 Spot/Warner Books), is set in the Argentine city and revolves around the experiences of a young woman getting her so-called perfect life back on track.

And "The Lost Diary of Don Juan" (Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing Group), by Dough Adams, is a fictional story about a book editor who discovers the real-life diary of the world's most famous lover, written in Seville in 1593 and hidden until now.

"Einstein: His Life and Universe" (Simon & Schuster), by Walter Isaacson, is already a best-seller, as is George Tenet's "At the Center of the Storm: My Years at the CIA."

"A great summer beach read," said Binkley, "is a book that is a thriller, a great compelling story that you don't want to put down, even to reach for the sunscreen."