2011 Summer/Beach Reading List

[Stargazer]

I've preordered "The Price of Freedom (Pirates of the Caribbean)" by AC Crispin to read by the pool while we're in Disney.

Other than that, I still need to read "Incarceron" and "Sapphique" by Catherine Fisher -- I generally like YA books since I like a story that I can get lost in without analyzing everything the author is or isn't trying to convey.

 

[mhawk4]

Ooh, I have some!

The best book I literally read on the beach was Kate Morton's The Forgotten Garden. Her others - The House at Riverton and The Distant Hours, are great, too - as is Sarah Waters' The Little Stranger. All either family sagas and/or Gothic suspense.

Sue Monk Kidd's book The Mermaid Chair is great to read at the beach - it's set in the Low Country area.

I loved the House at Riverton! I did not know she had other books. I will have to get them.

If you liked that book you might also like the Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield. It has the same feel as the House at Riverton and everyone I have talked to who loved one of these books also loved the other one. I could not put either of these books down when I read them!

 

[mhawk4]

I also liked Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls.

Keep the list of books coming. I need so good summer reading.

 

[shortbun]

We need more!!!

 

[Donaldswife]

Here are few I have read recently that I enjoyed.

Bossypants - Tina Fey
Lies Chelsea Told me - Chelsea Handler (all her books are fun reads!)
Scar Tissue - Anthony Kiedis
**** My Dad Says
The Bedwetter - Sarah Silverman


I like funny books.

 

[DVCLiz]

The Secret life of Bees is one of my top five current favorite books. The others are Water for Elephants, The Thirteenth Tale, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, and Cutting for Stone.

The Sister by Poppy Adams is another favorite. It's creepy and Gothic but with a twist - I loved it.

LOVED Emma Donoghue's book Room - I am reviewing it for my book club tomorrow night. It will be interesting to hear what others thought of it.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, The Tower, The Zoo and the Tortoise and Major Pettigrew's Last Stand are three I've enjoyed recently.

I loved the House at Riverton! I did not know she had other books. I will have to get them.

If you liked that book you might also like the Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield. It has the same feel as the House at Riverton and everyone I have talked to who loved one of these books also loved the other one. I could not put either of these books down when I read them!

Great minds think alike!


I think I will reread The Thirteenth Tale this summer at the beach.

 

[minniebeth]

I keep coming back to this thread, I love to read, especially in the summer...just have been to lazy to post on it.
For some great book suggestions, look on the "what are you reading....' thread too!
Also, www.goodreads.com is a great website for book reviews, newsletters about upcoming and new books, and you can use the site to keep track of books on your "to-read" list, books on your "read" list, and you can review and share books with other "friends". There is a Disboards group already started.

Some books that I have read lately:

Are You There Vodka, It's Me Chelsea, if you like Chelsea Handler
Heart of the Matter by Emily Giffin (eh, not so great)
The Help by Kathryn Stockett, one of my favorites
Mudbound by Hillary Jordan, very good!
Room by Emma Donoghue~ I think I'm in the minority that I did not love this book~ I liked the first 1/3, then it fell flat for me.

Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella, fast light, fun reading
In the Garden Trilogy by Nora Roberts
The Hunger Games Trilogy

Authors I also recommend for beach reading:
Lisa See
Jodi Picoult
Janet Evanovich (Stephanie Plum series)
Vince Flynn (Mitch Rapp series)

Some of the books on my summer reading list are:
Moloka'ii by Alan Brennert
Bel Canto
Still Alice
Cutting for Stone
Winter Garden
Sarah's Key
The Bride Quartet Series by Nora Roberts
Water for Elephants
Life of Pi
Memory Keeper's Daughter
The Red Tent

I have lots more too, it's a start.
Happy Reading!

 

[luvflorida]

Lots of good reading suggestions on this thread!

Oh how I love to relax with a good summer beach book! Here are some of my recent favorites.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett. Loved this book, and it is being released as a movie this August. Can't wait to go see it!

Off Season by Anne Rivers Siddons (takes place in Maine and Washington DC from the 60s to now)

That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo

We Are All Welcome Here by Elizabeth Berg (takes place in the summer of '64 in Mississippi)

A Girl Named Zippy by Haven Kimmel
She Got Up Off the Couch by Haven Kimmel Both books are very funny and a bit quirky. The first one takes place in the 60s and 70s in a small town in Indiana. The second one picks up where the first one left off.

Swim With Me by Betsy Carter (a coming of age story set in the 70s in Florida. Very funny yet very warm.

Books I'm just getting to- Nantucket Nights by Elin Hilderbrand and The Beach Trees by Karen White.

I love all of Dorothea Benton Frank's books. They all take place in and around the islands and beaches near Charleston, SC (the low country). Excellent beach reads!!

 

[shortbun]

Good stuff! Bump.

I got a kindle and I'm looking over this list for repeats and cheap reads.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I really think all the books I read qualify as "beach reads"-at least I'm always seeing those words on all the covers of the books I read. I especially love anything by Elin Hildebrand, Susan Mallery, Robyn Carr, and Jennifer Weiner, Nantucket Nights by Elin Hildebrand, which I got but haven't read yet, says "A perfect summer pleasure" on the cover.
I just remembered-Susan Wiggs, especially "The Ocean Between Us" is great.

 

[luvflorida]

I really think all the books I read qualify as "beach reads"-at least I'm always seeing those words on all the covers of the books I read. I especially love anything by Elin Hildebrand, Susan Mallery, Robyn Carr, and Jennifer Weiner, Nantucket Nights by Elin Hildebrand, which I got but haven't read yet, says "A perfect summer pleasure" on the cover.
I just remembered-Susan Wiggs, especially "The Ocean Between Us" is great.

I know what you mean! I love books that take place on or near a beach, island, lake, coast, ocean...you get the idea. Everytime I see a book cover that has a picture of water on it, or sand, beach chairs, towels, flip flops, I zero right in on it.

I loved The Ocean Between Us!

 

[shortbun]

Weekenders, what are you reading?