Top Ten Books That Make Great Beach Reads

Posted May 25, 2015 by Cristina (Girl in the Pages) in Top Ten Tuesday, Weekly Features/Memes / 32 Comments

TTTcustombannerTop Ten Tuesday is a fun weekly feature hosted by the fantastic blog The Broke and the Bookish. This week I’m recommending Top Ten Books that are great for the beach- or any vacation. When I travel I like to have books that are fun and compelling without being anxiety-inducing; I don’t like to read books with major cliffhangers when I travel because I want to be able to put it down and enjoy the activities I planned for my vacation, rather than having a major book-hangover or rushing back to the hotel room to finish a chapter. So these recommendations range from fluffy to moderately compelling, with story lines that will keep you interested without pulling at your emotions too much.

1) This is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith- A movie star romance set in a quaint Maine seaside town. Perfect to read while you lounge by the pool and enjoy some ice cream.

2) Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins- If you’re not already in some exotic European location, this book will give you the travel bug! Romance, mouth-watering food descriptions, and an international cast of characters make this a fun read for summer daydreaming.

3) Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz- While this book does cover some deeper themes and has a lot of character introspection, it also is a great story of coming of age over the endless summers of the teenage years. Perfect if you want a little something more profound in your beach bag.

4) We Were Liars by E. Lockhart- Some may argue that this is a “thriller” and while it definitely has some crazy psychological elements that may compel you to find out the twist, it’s such a short read that you could easily do it in one afternoon by the pool.

5) Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson- What would summer be without a road trip book?

6) The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashers- In middle school and high school I used to have the tradition of starting a binge read of the series the first day of summer every year. This is the quintessential summer series.

7) Anything ever written by Sarah Dessen- Ms. Dessen has the wonderful ability of writing summer books that take a subtle look at deeper issues. I read many of her books years ago when I was younger and I’m craving a reread this summer!

8) Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech- Summer is the perfect opportunity to revisit middle grade books as they’re often shorter, and this one deals with self-identity with a road trip through America.

9) The Selection by Kiera Cass- It’s a fluffy dystopian with pretty dresses. Perfect to while away your time tanning on the beach.

10) Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling- Because summer is a perfect time to binge-read your favorite, most familiar series.

What book do you consider the perfect summer read?

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32 responses to “Top Ten Books That Make Great Beach Reads

    • Stephanie Perkins is the perfect writer of quirky, fluffy YA that just makes you feel GOOD while reading it, while also still having good character growth and development. (Plus I am in love with the Anna series new covers!)

  1. God, I love “We Were Liars”!
    My favourite beach reads are classic chick lit books! I love to read cheesy Sophie Kinsella books while I’m on holiday! Her Shopaholic series was my sunbathing partner on many beaches around Europe over the years. 🙂

    Alina recently posted: May Book Haul
    • You know, I tried to keep my list mainly YA but I do love some classic adult chick lit in the summer, such as Meg Cabot (love her Size 12 is not Fat series). I also got The Royal We which is adult romance and I’m excited to try that one out too!

  2. What an awesome list! I definitely need to get around to reading The Summer of Travelling Pants. I feel like everyone has read it but me, and I’m missing some sort of summer tradition among YA readers. Maybe it’ll finally happen this summer, haha!

  3. I BADLY want to read Aristotle and Dante, I keep hearing so many great things about it 😀 Thank you for sharing these 🙂 I’m a new follower too so hiya Cristina! Here’s my TTT if you would like to check it out! Have a great day 🙂

  4. Great list! I definitely agree with every one I’ve read. Anna made me want to go to France even more than I already do. We Were Liars is so great as well. I think the length makes it a great summer book. Sarah Dessen is my queen. She is definitely a summer read girl. I think I loved Walk Two Moons when I read it in sixth grade. I really need to reread it because it just makes me super nostalgic. And anytime is a perfect time to reread Harry Potter.

    Alyssa recently posted: Send-offs and Start-ups | (5/24/15)
    • I think it’s interesting how (with the exception of HP) most people crave shorter books during the summer. What’s your favorite Sarah Dessen book? I think I’ve only read about 5 of her books so I’m looking for more recommendations!

  5. Harry Potter is also a great read haha. Anna and the French Kiss is a great beach read as well. I’ve seen Sarah Dessen all over this week’s topic! I still need to read a book from her. I have This Lullaby and The Moon and More. I should read one this summer. The Selection made my list, too! Awesome list!

    Anjie recently posted: Ten Books For the Summer!

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