Top Ten Tuesday (June 12): Beach Reads

Welcome to another Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly meme hosted by the fabulous folks over at The Broke and the Bookish!

In celebration of summer and sun and flip-flops, this week’s topic is:

Top Ten Books I’d Recommend As Good Beach Reads

Of course, I live in a completely land-locked state, so I’m going to have to think of these as pool reads instead of beach reads, but the concept is the same. Minus the sand and the salt.

Also, please forgive me for being a bit dense, but I’ve never understood the concept of “beach reads.” I will personally just take whatever book I’m currently reading to the beach and continue reading it. My reading environment plays a very small role in my reading selection.

So, that said, I tried to think of books that I enjoyed, and that I wouldn’t be embarrassed to be seen reading in public, in a bathing suit. Because being in a bathing suit in public…that’s enough. I also tried to pick books that wouldn’t evoke any serious freak-outs, like ugly-crying. You could possibly do a dignified single-tear-trickle with a couple of these, but that’s not so bad in public.

I’m kind of all over the place with this list, genre-wise. We’re going to assume that’s okay.

 

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Gifted by Liz Long

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

The Host by Stephenie Meyer

Hourglass by Myra McEntire

The Princess Bride by William Goldman

The Selection by Kiera Cass

The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

Do you have books you designate as “beach reads?” And what does that mean? Please help me clear up this mystery.


35 thoughts on “Top Ten Tuesday (June 12): Beach Reads

  1. I think everyone is going to have a slightly different definition of “beach reads” which is going to make this week’s top ten even more interesting!

    I tend to think of beach reads as light hearted books that don’t take a lot of concentration. Where it won’t matter if I throw it down to splash in the water for a bit and then pick it right back up without missing a beat. Also, for some reason I really enjoy reading love stories when I’m at the beach, maybe it’s the romantic setting?

    Then again, maybe it’s best to keep in mind that I haven’t been to the beach in almost 6 years, so my definition may be a bit outdated. Regardless, I liked your list and this time I’ve actually read about half of them! “The False Prince” is definitely on my TBR list, so I’ll get to that soonish.
    Sarah @ Breaking the Binding recently posted..Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books I’d Recommend As Good Beach ReadsMy Profile

  2. “Because being in a bathing suit…that’s enough.” That’s pretty much exactly how I feel about it. That being said, I’ll totally only bring books that I wouldn’t be embarrassed to read (for example, certain vampire or “shade-y” books will never be in my hands, but especially not where people can see me).
    I feel super stoked to stand with all those titles!! Thanks for including Gifted. It’s definitely a light, fun beach read, I think too! 🙂
    Liz Long recently posted..YA Indie Carnival: Round Robin Fiction!My Profile

  3. I see a few of my FAVORITE books here — like The Princess Bride – I love that book so much! I also really love The Help, The Host and Before I Fall.

    AND OMG I AM DYING TO READ THE FALSE PRINCE! Like that book will be coming up soon for a read.

    And for my criteria for the list, I chose books that would make me laugh, are swoony or are lighter in tone. Nothing where I would sob.
    April Books & Wine recently posted..Summertime And The Reading Is BreezyMy Profile

  4. I love your take on “beach reads” – I’ve often wondered about what that exactly means myself! Like you, I’m going to read the book I’m already into, no matter where I am. With the exception of the ones that make me “ugly cry” – again, like you said! Thanks for sharing your list – I found a couple to add to my TBR list. We seem to have some books read/TBR in common! 🙂

    • Those books are fabulous! Yeah, I’m always the weird one at the beach reading sci-fi, so I think my definition of a beach read is skewed. Whatever, I’m at the beach, I’ll read what I want!

  5. I don’t read what is called “beach reads” either so I just chose books that I do like to read. To me they are “beach reads”. I have not read any of the books you picked but I have wanted to The Host and Hourglass. They sound like they would be good reads.
    Nancy @ The Avid Readr recently posted..Top Ten Tuesday #13My Profile

  6. I’m with you about not getting the concept of beach reads. I’d take The Brothers Karamazov to the pool if that’s what I was in the middle of reading. Be that as it may, I have read The Help, The Time Travelers Wife, and Water for Elephants. All are excellent and I would recommend them wherever you may be reading. Another one to try is Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell.
    Donna recently posted..Don Quixote de la Mancha – A ReviewMy Profile

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