If you are getting ready for your beach vacation and looking for that perfect beach read then this is the article for you. Here is a list of my top ten favorite beach reads. Toss one of these great beach reads in your beach bag and head to your favorite spot in the sun. Summer doesn’t get much better than this.
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
I enjoyed this story of the intertwined lives of two Afghan Women even more than Hosseini’s first book, the critically acclaimed Kite Runner. Hosseini is a masterful storyteller and his second novel is a compelling read, perfect for a day at the beach.
Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follet
Ken Follet’s masterpiece, which revolves around the building of a cathedral, is a fast-paced read. Follet’s book was an Oprah book club selection. Clickhere to see my article on the top ten Oprah Book Club selections. If you are planning an extra long beach vacation, you may want to pack Follet’s follow up novel, World without End. Both are great beach reads.
Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella
If you are looking for a light beach read, beach reads don’t come much lighter than Sophia Kinsella’s witty Shopaholic series. In her surprisingly funny and well-written series, Kinsella creates an amusing and likeably flawed heroine, Becky Bloomwood. Purchase the entire Shopaholic series and you will have a summer chock full of entertaining beach reads.
The Nanny Diaries by Emma McLaughlin
The Nanny Diaries is another light beach read for those who are looking for a story that can withstand the many interruptions that sometimes happen when you are reading at the beach. This story chronicles a year in the life of a nanny to a wealthy Manhattan family. Many of the tales are poignant and a little sad, while others will have you laughing aloud.
House Rules by Jodi Picoult
House Rules is Jodi Picoult’s newest novel and the perfect book to bring to the beach. For that matter, any of Picoult’s carefully crafted novels make good beach reads. House Rules is the story of a teenage boy with Asperger’s Syndrome who is caught up in a murder investigation. Click here for a full review of Jodi Picoult’s compelling new novel.
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
I hate to admit it but I loved the first installment of Meyer’s Twilight series. I was bored with the second Twilight book, unable to finish the third Twilight installment and had no desire to read the fourth and final chapter of Meyer’s vampire saga. Twilight (the first novel at least) has all of the characteristics of a good beach read. It is an easy read with a compelling story, which keeps you entertained without taxing your brain, making it a perfect book to take to the beach.
Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling
If you haven’t read J.K. Rowling’s seven delightful books about child wizard, Harry Potter then you have missed something truly special. I spent one summer many years ago reading the first four installments of the Harry Potter Saga and waited eagerly the following years for the next installment. The Harry Potter series are wonderful books and great beach reads.
White Oleander by Janet Fitch
Janet Fitch’s debut novel about a young girl of a murderous mother can attribute some of its success to Oprah Winfrey who fell in love with Fitch’s lyrical prose, and made it an Oprah Book Club selection. This is another compelling novel, which makes a great beach read.
Lady of Camellias by Alexandre Dumas
This classic novel by French author Dumas is one of the most romantic novels of all time. It is also quite short and very easy to read. If you are looking for a romantic beach read that will have you wiping tears from your eyes, this is the book for you.
Marley and Me by John Grogan
The final novel to make it to my list of the ten best beach reads is the delightful novel about a family’s experience with their yellow Labrador retriever, Marley. This wonderful beach read will have you laughing and crying. It is a wonderful book for a day at the beach.
