Are ‘Beach Reads’ for You?
I have tried to read what reviewers label as ‘Beach Reads’, and many times these books just don’t do it for me. Not that I am a literary snob, because I have read and enjoyed many books that are simply entertaining. So, I am willing this sumer to try a few new suggestions that I have noticed in several publications.
First of all, Elisabeth Egan, revieweing for the New York Times, recommends an author she refers to as “queen of the beach reads.” That would be Emily Henry, and her book this summer is Great Big Beautiful Life. Ask no questions–just read it!
Another book Egan likes is the new one by the author of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Atmosphere flys high into the 1980’s space program. Of course we have women astronauts and a tense crisis on board the space ship, but the characters seem to shine in this book that gives the reader a glimpse into real life in space.
What Kind of Paradise, by Janelle Brown, is noted as a ‘beach read’ by Chelsey Sanchez of Harper’s Bazaar, but the summary sounds like the book is more than that. A girl living off the grid with her father in the woods of Montana decides to escape on her own to find what awaits her in the real world. (Highly recommended by many sources.)
Mansion Beach, by Peg Mitchell Moore, almost didn’t make it into this post. The only reason it did is because it is set on Block Island, a lovely place off the coast of Rhode Island with miles of beach and hiking trails. It’s pricey and very ‘upscale’, as is reflected in the lifestyle of the characters in the book. Look for the usual drama, extravagant living and love triangles that one might expect in a ‘Gatsby’ type story!
Now, if you don’t want to try any of the above books, there are plenty of other choices listed almost anywhere you might look. You can also look at the stack of books you have been meaning to read for several years but just haven’t had the time! Whatever you decide to do, enjoy the summer!