Summer is hands down my favorite season. I love the sun, the warmth, and being outside with a cold drink and a great book. Summer is the season of cookouts, beach days, and road trips. It’s also the season of the “beach read”. But what exactly is a “beach read”?
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My personal definition of a beach read is a book that is easy to read, doesn’t take a lot of concentration, and is something that, despite many interruptions, can be devoured in one or two sittings. Beach reads are those books that you can take on airplanes (and leave for the next passenger), get sand between the pages, and spill your margarita on and not have the world end. It’s one that you’ll happily lend to your friends when they ask for a book to take on their vacation. I like to think of them as peacocking-books; you read them at beaches and public pools in the hopes that maybe the good looking lifeguard or the sunbathing hottie next to you will ask you about it.
You’ll probably see a movie or tv adaptation of these books in a year or so, thanks to their popularity and general relatable-ness. Probably not award winners but most likely have some pop culture relevance. Maybe an A-List actor in the starring role. Beach reads are lovely because they can be guilty pleasure books that you aren’t “embarrassed” to get “caught” reading. (Note: Never be embarrassed about something you like to read. Haters gonna hate.) “Oh, this? I just picked it up at the airport bookstore on my layover since I had already read everything else there.” Great ice-breaker books.
But really the definition of a beach read is totally subjective and open to interpretation. It doesn’t have to necessarily be of any one genre either. It can be romance, mystery, sci-fi, even a memoir. Each genre has its own beach read.
Past beach reads include Beautiful Ruins, The Paris Wife, Fifty Shades of Grey, Gone Girl, Orphan Train, The Longest Ride, Me Before You, Inferno, Orange Is the New Black, The Boys in the Boat, The Tipping Point, The Help, Water For Elephants, and One Day… just to name a few.
Now I’m no fortune teller or foreseer of the future but I have been selling books for the last 10 years and I like to think that I can spot trends when it comes to reading material. So with nothing but my gut instinct and a bunch of two sentence descriptions here’s a list of books that I think will be this years popular beach reads and ones that I will most likely be recommending to my friends and customers.
The Martian by Andy Weir (Sci Fi)
The Vacationers by Emma Straub (Fiction)
Pretty Is by Maggie Mitchell (Fiction)
The Life and Death of Sophie Stark by Anna North (Fiction)
The Rocks by Peter Nichols (Fiction)
Local Girls by Caroline Zancan (Fiction)
Pretty Baby by Mary Kubica (Mystery/Thriller)
Hugo and Rose by Bridget Foley (Fiction)
China Rich Girlfriend by Kevin Kwan (Fiction)
Suicide Notes From Beautiful Girls by Lynn Weingarten (YA Fiction)
The Hand That Feeds You by A.J. Rich (Mystery/Thriller)
Sick in the Head by Judd Apatow (Humor)
The Rumor by Elin Hilderbrand (Fiction)
Killing Monica by Candace Bushnell (Fiction)
In the Unlikely Event by Judy Blume (Fiction)
...and of course…
Go Set A Watchman by Harper Lee (Fiction)
What do you consider to be a beach read? What book(s) are you looking forward to reading this summer?
Great post, Tara! I'm definitely going to check out some of the books on your list. I've been meaning to read the Martian, but picked up Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (Sci-Fi) instead. China Rich Girlfriend sounds really interesting too-- going to check that one out as well. Thanks for the tips!
ReplyDeleteThanks! And you're welcome! Ready Player One is sooooo good! And I hear equally awesome things about The Martian. You'll have to tell me about it if you get to it before I do!
DeleteGreat picks!
ReplyDeleteThanks Mary!
DeleteGreat list. I like my beach reads to be fast and fun. I've got a lot of books cued up on my Kindle, but I bet I still scope out Amazon for some of your rec's. Because, well, you can never have too many books to choose from, right?
ReplyDeleteYou are so right, Brenda! You never know what you might be in the mood to read.
Delete"Never be embarrassed about something you like to read. Haters gonna hate."
ReplyDeleteAs a writer of pulp I strongly approve of this message.
I don't care if you are reading Fifty Shades or War and Peace... if you're reading I'm happy!
DeleteMy idea of a beach read is a good cozy mystery. Although, right now some SF is looking good. Going to check out The Martian.
ReplyDeleteFantastic! Matt Damon is playing the lead character in the movie if that's any incentive to read it ;)
DeleteMy idea of a beach read is... pretty much anything :-) The Martian is our next book club read. Several of my gals have started it already and love it - I can't wait to start! I'll definitely be looking into the others on your list.
ReplyDeleteI agree Carrie! I'm interested in hearing what you think of The Martian! I might have to push it up my TRB pile to join in on the bandwagon!
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