We've all been there.
The temperature starts to heat up as August prompts many to think of the impending stress of the school year. Trying to hold on to that last piece of summer, you head down to the beach for some much-needed R&R. In my opinion, the perfect companion to a day at the beach (besides sunscreen) is a good book. Taken from my bookshelf, here are my top 11 picks for the perfect beach read.
1. "The Hurricane Sisters" by Dorothea Benton Frank
Full of Southern charm, the longings, heartache and triumphs of three generations of women in a quirky Charleston family will leave you hungry for a trip down to the South Carolina low country.
2. "Island Girls (and Boys)" by Rachel Hawthorne
The premise is simple: three best friends move to a beautiful island the summer before college for one final grand adventure. Their carefully constructed plans begin to falter once a little romance begins to brew.
3. "Beach Blondes" by Katherine Applegate
While the title might indicate a certain level of fluff, do not judge this book by its cover. Set in the Florida Keys, this book spins the expectations of a summer novel on its head by tackling some very heavy topics.
4. "We Were Liars" by E. Lockhart
Cadence Sinclair Eastman is hiding a lot. Between her father leaving, her mother fighting for a share of the family inheritance, and her love for a man her family deems beneath her, her unstable mind is poised to crack. The perfect families are always the one with the most to hide.
5. "Newport" by Jill Morrow
If you're looking for flappers in this tale of the Roaring Twenties, you will be sorely disappointed. What will keep you up at night is this beautifully crafted tale of ghosts, secrets, and tormented love against the backdrop of the Jazz Age.
6. "The Improbability of Love" by Hannah Mary Rothschild
You never know what you might find in a thrift shop. The attempts of our heroine to discover the origins of a mysterious painting purchased in a junk shop will have you falling in love with art, London, and the world.
7. "And Then There Were None" by Agatha Christie
What could be better than a classic by the queen of the thriller genre? Ten people are assembled on a deserted British island to pay for their crimes with their lives. The murderer's identity is anyone's guess.
8. "Fallen Beauty" by Erica Robuck
Two very different women will be forced to confront their past, however painful it may be, to make way for a brighter future. Set in the Twenties, this refreshing story of female friendship is a treat for literary lovers, history buffs, and romantics alike.
9. "Palisades Park" by Alan Brennert
From a girl who dreams of being a high diver during the Great Depression to a father who falls in love with Hawaii during World War II, the people of this tale are all held together by their love for Palisades Park. Much like the celebrated American novel "Ragtime," "Palisades Park" encapsulates the American experience in the early 20th century through the lives of its complex, flawed and incredibly human characters.
10. "Brooklyn" by Colm Toibin
If you have not seen the Oscar-nominated movie, I would recommend starting your love affair with this beautiful story by reading the novel. A breathtaking glance into the immigrant experience in the 1950s, it takes a sharp look at the meaning of home and independence through the eyes of its inspiring heroine Eilis Lacey.
11. "Saint Anything" by Sara Dessen
Go forth and enjoy these last moments of summer with the sun on your face and a book in your hand!
