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Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Top Ten Tuesday: Books for Your Beach Bag


The summer reading season is here and Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, wants to help you pack your beach bag. As far as I'm concerned, there is nothing better than reading on the beach (under an umbrella, of course) with the sound of the waves in the background. My beach/vacation  reads are usually all about plot. But while I want a great story, good writing is also a must. That means I usually reach for literary fiction.

Here are my recommendations for vacation reading this year:

by Beatriz Williams

by E. Lockhart

by Meg Wolitzer

by Jojo Moyes

by Ariel Lawhon 

by Carol Rifka Brunt

by Tracy Guzeman

by Jennie Wingfield

by Barbara Kingsolver

by Pearl S. Buck

 Want to see what I recommended last year? Here is my list from 2013.

For links to more Top Ten Tuesday posts, visit The Broke and the Bookish.


46 comments:

  1. I want to read every single one of those books!

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  2. Great list! I'm next on the list at my library for We Are Liars but am not sure I'll be able to get it before we actually leave for the beach! I'm dying the read The Wife, The Maid and the Mistress. I'll have to check some of the others out. Even though I enjoyed The Good Earth I never actually managed to read anymore of Pearl Buck's work so I think Pavilion of Women will have to be first!

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    1. Katherine P - I loved The Good Earth! Pavilion of Women and Peony are excellent, too. Next up on my Pearl Buck list is Imperial Woman.

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  3. Great choices. I've got We Are Liars on my list.

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    1. Nise' - That is the perfect book for a summer afternoon!

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  4. Love We Were Liars and The Interestings as picks! I think I read both of them a little before summer, but would have loved to have them in my beach bag.

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    1. Shannon - I think The Interestings is my favorite book so far this year.

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  5. Tell the Wolves was wonderful! The Interestings is high on my TBR list too.

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    1. Melissa - Tell the Wolves was one of my favorites last year and I'm certain The Interestings will be on my list this year. Hope you get a chance to read it.

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  6. There are a couple of books on here that have been on my TBR list for a while. We are Liars and Tell the Wolves especially. This is an interesting list, some I have never heard of before but will definitely be checking out now :)

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    1. brocsbookcase - We Were Liars and Tell the Wolves are both great books. Hope you get a chance to read them this summer!

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  7. I have read The Interestings and loved it! One of my favorite books I have read in the past year. Also, Tell the Wolves I'm Home was good. Great list!

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    1. Sunday Taylor - The Interestings could very well end up being my favorite book this year!

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  8. Thanks for a great list of books for the summer. I've already read Flight Behavior and loved it. I have We Were Liars on reserve at the library. I really want to read the Pearl Buck book and I'm add One Hundred Summers to my list based on the cover alone. Happy reading!

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    1. Margot - I loved Pavilion of Women! Pearl Buck was such a wonderful writer. A Hundred Summers is my idea of THE PERFECT beach read (gorgeous cover always a plus). The author has a new book out and I hope to read it this summer.

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  9. Great list! Thanks! We Were Liars showed up on a lot of lists during Armchair BEA, too. Gotta get to that one.

    Joy's Book Blog

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    1. Joy - We Were Liars is the perfect book to read in one sitting on a summer afternoon.

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  10. You have a super list here...wow! I especially loved The Interestings. I'm really looking forward to We Were Liars too :D

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    1. Jennifer - I already want to reread The Interestings... so, so good. Can't wait to hear what you think of We Were Liars.

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  11. I've read 5 of these and think I'd enjoy the other 5 as well --great summer picks.

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    1. Thanks, Diane. These were all great reads.

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  12. Fab suggestions! I've wanted to read The Gravity of Birds since I read your thoughts on it so I think that will make it on to my summer list.

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    1. Anbolyn - After several months, I find that I'm still thinking about The Gravity of Birds. It didn't seem to get a lot of buzz, but it's definitely one of my favorites this year.

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  13. Awesome list! And well-rounded…not just brainless fluff! Beatriz Williams also has a new one out that I'm reading now…The Secret Life of Violet Grant

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    1. Sarah - I don't read much fluff, even on the beach. A Hundred Summers is probably the best beach book ever, so I can't wait to hear what you think of The Secret Life of Violet Grant.

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  14. The Homecoming of Samuel Lake was SUCH a good summer read! Good choices here :)

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    1. Terri B - Just thinking about that book still gives me goosebumps! Jennie sold the movie rights and is working on writing the screenplay... can't wait for that one!

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  15. Lovely list! I enjoyed The Interestings at the tail end of last summer--it was an engrossing beach read, definitely. I'm hearing so much this year about Tell the Wolves I'm Home... I guess that really needs to go on my list!

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    1. Leila - I just loved The Interestings (partly because I am of the same vintage, I'm sure) and am certain it will be one of my favorite reads this year. Tell The Wolves I'm Home was a favorite of 2013 - an outstanding novel!

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  16. Great list. I've read 3 of those and REALLY want to read Tell the Wolves I'm Home!

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    1. Stacy - I loved Tell The Wolves I'mHome! It was a favorite last year.

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  17. We Were Liars and Interestings are on my wishlist! So many have loved them. Great list!

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    1. Athira - Those novels are among my favorites this year and I plan to explore both author's backlists.

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  18. Awesome list! I've read about half of them ... now to read the others.

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    1. Beth F - All of them are such good reads. So many books...

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  19. The Homecoming of Samuel Lake is a good book! I definitely agree with you about it. I may have to put Tell the Wolves I'm Home on my tbr list.

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    1. Vasilly - I just loved that one, too! Hope you love Tell the Wolves as much as I did... it was a favorite last year.

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  20. Ack! I still haven't read all of the books you recommended last year and now only one of the books for this year. I've got to stop cleaning and start reading!

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    1. Lisa - There are just so many great books out there!!

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  21. Super books listed here - I have read many of these and now have a few more to check out!

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  22. Such a great list! I am going to tweet and google plus it!

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    1. Thanks so much, Pat. I loved all of these books!

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  23. I'm on the wait list for A Hundred Summers at the library--sounds like a perfect summer read. Surprised to see the Pearl S. Buck book--now I'm intrigued!

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    1. JaneGS - A Hundred Summers is the first book that pops into my mind when considering ideal summer reads! The Good Earth is one of my favorite books, so a couple of years ago I decided to read more Pearl S. Buck. Loved both Pavilion of Women and Peony... Imperial Woman is on my list for this summer.

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