Top Ten Books That Should Be In Your Beach Bag
Beach bag. Now there’s a nice idea. Unfortunately beach-weather isn’t really something that Ireland is known for, and if by chance we do get a heat-wave and I’m not working (now that I’m an adult, not a student, and “summer holidays” are a long-gone memory…*sniff*) I doubt I’ll spend those precious sun-shiny hours reading…
But back to the point. I’ve put together a list of ten books I think would make great Summer reads, this could be because it’s a light-hearted RomCom (and I used to read bucket-fulls of those) or just because something about it screams SUMMER!
1. Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover: I don’t think I can rave about this book enough at the minute, it was just SO enjoyable, and the sound track would definitely be brilliant to listen to during summer/on a beach/on holiday. I want to check out more books by Colleen Hoover and I think Summer is as good a time as any to do that, she definitely does the NA genre so well. You can check out my review of Maybe Someday here, it’s one of my favourite reads of 2014.
2. The Mortal Instruments – City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare: I finished the rest of this series around November 2013, I think, and I waited (im)patiently for the last book to come out. I was lucky to win my copy in a giveaway by Aimee and couldn’t wait to get stuck in. Except, I really wanted to reread the first five in the series. So, I committed. It’s OK, I can do this. I’m halfway through #1 and I’m avoiding all CoHF related online content like the plague (including scrolling slowly and with one eye open, I kid you not) to avoid spoilers. It reminds me of the excitement I felt when a new Harry Potter book came out and I had to reread the whole series to-date before getting stuck in. But then, over on Such A Novel Idea, Loren has said you should read The Infernal Devices before reading CoHF because they tie in… I’m so emotional and confused right now.
3. Attachments by Rainbow Rowell: I haven’t read anything by Rainbow Rowell…yet. I know, where have I been?? I do have an eBook of Eleanor and Park waiting for me, but I might leave it a little longer so I can read Attachments first. It sounds like a great summer read, and I’m wondering if the raved Rainbow Rowell can jazz up the RomCom, chick-lit genre for me. I used to read tons of this genre but it became so predictable that I jumped ship to fantasy, NA and dystopia.
4. Beautiful Disaster/Walking Disaster by Jamie McGuire: Beautiful Disaster has received some mixed reviews from bloggers, and opinions are clearly divided between total hatred for this book and absolute adoration. You can check out my review here for more of my thoughts. I think Beautiful Disaster makes a perfect Summer read (but be warned – I recommend checking out some reviews from people you trust first!), and I’ll definitely be picking up Walking Disaster soon, which is the same story told from the male perspective.
5. Boys Like You by Julianna Stone: This book is set in the Summer, it’s hawt, it’s humorous, it’s serious, it’s swoony, there’s music involved, it has so many feels, and I love, love, love Nate. I don’t think there are any other requirements for a fantastic Summer read (oh, and the protagonist is called “Monroe”, I love that name!). This is my first (and to-date, only) 5/5 rated book of the year. You can read my review here to find out all of the reasons why I LOVED this book.
6. The Geography of You and Me by Jennifer E. Smith: I didn’t rate this book very highly (check out my review here) but the story-line is very cute and it does have that perfect combination of being light and fluffy, with just enough of an emotional undertone to keep a slightly older reader interested. The story has the feel-good factor we crave in Summer, and for those who still have a romantic inside of them screaming to get out, this book will subdue the beast for a little while longer.
7. The Wolves of Mercy Falls Trilogy by Maggie Stiefvater: The Raven Cycle series seem to be Maggie’s most talked about books in the blogosphere and anyone who has read both The Wolves of Mercy Falls series and The Raven Cycle series seem to agree that Maggie’s writing greatly improved. I haven’t read The Raven Cycle series yet, but I LOVED The Wolves of Mercy Falls, so I guess at some point I’m in for a treat! Shiver, Linger and Forever tell a great story, have some amazing characters and even made me well up once or twice. Great reads.
8. The Boy Series by Meg Cabot: Not quite as embarrassing to be seen reading as The Princess Diaries or All American Girl (unless you’re using an eReader, in which case fill yer boots!), The Boy Series by Meg Cabot is essentially all the goodness and gooey-ness of those teen favourites but wrapped up in a more mature and ever so slightly more risque bow. Perfect Summer reading… and should anyone have a very long Summer break and want to relive the best of your teenage years, I highly recommend all 10 books in the Princess Diaries series, if nothing else it will prepare you for book 11 (NA, apparently!) due out in 2015!
9. Pretty Things by Sara Manning: It’s been quite a while since I read this, but from memory it would make a cracking summer read! Four teens in London are working on a Summer production of The Taming of the Shrew. Brie is in love with her gay best friend Charlie, Charlie is in love with straight boy Walker, and Walker is in love with Daisy, who’s a lesbian. Can you see where this is going? I wanted everyone to end up with who they wanted, even though it wasn’t even possible! This book made me fall in love with Manning’s writing and now I’m kicking myself that I haven’t read more of her stuff.
10. The Shopaholic Series by Sophie Kinsella: I think the first time I read this series it was during a Summer, probably quite a few years ago. Don’t let the movie put you off! This series is sweet, funny, charming… and that’s just the love-interest, Luke! No, really, Becky can be a little irritating at times because of her naivety and sense-less spending but the story just works and you won’t be able to put it down. What I like to call “take-your-brain-out” reading (and for those super observant readers, you might just notice where I got inspiration for my blog-name… anyone who loves buying books with sympathise with Becky in this one).
Not sure how much “Summer” reading I’ll be getting done, I’ve signed up to Mental Health Awareness Month for June and I have my wonderful TMI series to get through, but I will be reading The Perks of Being a Wallflower which I believe is supposed to be both about MH and Summery?? What are your top picks for Summer?
Confessions of a Book Geek 
I love you e-reader on the beach photos which accompany each title. Very cute!
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Hi, thanks for commenting 🙂 and thank you! They were quite fidgety and took longer to make than the post took to write!! R x
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Ooh, I JUST read Attachments, and I loved it! I’m going to post my thoughts next week, but, in the meantime, Stefani’s review is great:
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Thanks for the link! The story behind Attachments really caught my attention, it’s like taking the RomCom we all know and love and adding the modern/techy twist to it. Sounds really good. Looking forward to reading your thoughts on it! R x
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Oooo, thanks for the reminder that I need to buy Maybe someday! Great list – I totally agree that fun, flirty reads are the best for the beach.
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DEFINITELY need to buy Maybe Someday! I wasn’t sure if I wanted a hardcopy or an eBook just to try out and I’m so glad I bought a hardcopy! (I need hardcopies of books I love on my shelves!). Such a good book. Thanks for commenting, Christina. R x
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I agree, the Shopaholic series make for perfect beach reads. I read Shiver a while ago and enjoyed it, but never continued the series. Maybe I should pick it back up one day. I really loved The Raven Boys, I recommend it if you get the chance.
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Hi, thanks for commenting 🙂 The Raven Boys is on my TBR, initially I wasn’t overly keen on it, but I’ve heard good things and I really enjoyed the Shiver trilogy, so I’ll get round to it at some point (probably when my local Works store has it on offer, as that’s how I ended up with the Shiver trilogy in the first place!). Shopaholic is just feel good chick-lit but without the cut-and-paste love story. R x
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I recently read Attachments, and I really enjoyed it. If you are so inclined, you can read my review HERE.
I love your list because it’s such a great mix of genres. The Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy is fantastic!
Here’s my TTT!
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I spotted your review the other day! That’s what brought this to the front of my list, was a great review. Thanks for noticing the genre mash-up! I know some people think of chick-lit or romance for beach reads but I like mixing it up, if I read too many of the same genre right after another I start noticing too many genre-similarities and compare books too easily. I’ll go check out your TTT now 🙂
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Aw. Thank you!!
I mostly think of YA and contemporary for beach reads, but I tried to put a couple in there that were different. I do the same thing; if I read too many of the same genre, I start to compare them and also get a little bored.
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I have Maybe Someday on my tablet waiting for me. Everyone seems to love it.
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I really did enjoy it, got me out of a reading slump and I loved listening to the songs as the characters were creating them. I was expecting quite a fun and fluffy read but Maybe Someday surprised me with a few tricks up its sleeve (which the blogosphere has managed not to spoil so faar!). R x
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Love this post and your eReader titles on the beach! Adorable. I agree with you on Shiver – I loved that book. And I can’t rave enough about how much I loved Maybe Someday (https://bookjunkie54.wordpress.com/2014/03/27/review-maybe-someday-by-colleen-hoover/)
I really adored Attachments and I hope you do too. I never finished the Immortal Instruments series – only getting to book 3. Maybe I’ll pick it up again someday, once the excitement and expectations of the last book die down.
Great list of beach reads!
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Thanks, Brandie! I think the Shiver trilogy is a bit under-rated, I really enjoyed them too. I’m looking forward to Attachments now, as bloggers who like the same books as me (like you!) seem to have enjoyed it. You should definitely pick up TMI series again, I can’t wait to finish it – just avoid all spoilers because apparently book 6 is a good’un!
R x
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The Meg Cabot series is definitely perfect for the summer – I loved those books! Same with Shopaholic 1-3 (I wasn’t so keen on the later ones). I feel like I need to revisit those oldies but goodies. I thought Attachments was almost perfect and keep recommending/buying it for people so hopefully you enjoy it!
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Is Shopaholic and Sister in the first three?? I really liked it, and Shopaholic and Baby. I would LOVE to reread some of my favourites but there’s so many new books on my TBR too I struggle to justify it, and then I’m afraid I won’t enjoy it as much the second time around, or that I’ll rush it. I have this thing were the more you read the more critical you become and some old favourites might not read so well the second time around… Definitely looking forward to Attachments now though 🙂 Thanks for commenting. R x
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I love how you did those graphic! So cute. Boys Like You is such a great book, but I don’t think I could read it on the beach, too emotional! The Geography of You and Me was also a fantastic book. Have to check out many of the others on this list.
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Thanks! These are some of my favourite reads too – let me know what you think if you do read any of them. R x
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Attachments is a lot of fun, and it’s definitely a great place to start if you haven’t read any Rainbow Rowell yet. I’ve just borrowed Shiver from a friend and I’m really excited about starting that. And I really hope you enjoy City of Heavenly Fire – I finished it recently and really liked it.
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Hi, thanks for commenting 🙂 I have to get on the Rainbow train at some point! I definitely recommend the Shiver series, and there’s a new book set for release too. Really looking forward to reading CoHF!! R x
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I saw that a new book was being released, and because I’m a fan of The Raven Boys anyway, I figured I should read Shiver first. I’m definitely looking forward to it. 🙂
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Awwww hahaha love the first image 😀 I hope you get some warm days, global warming and all! 😀 😛 :X
I must read most of these, especially CoHF even though I’m a bit reluctant. :L
I just got Geography of You and Me today on NG, I heard amazing things 🙂
Cute picks!
Happy reading!
Come check out my giveaways!
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We joke here in Ireland that we get a two-week heatwave every year, and we always hope it doesn’t come early, because that IS our Summer! I’m so excited for CoHF, but I’m worried I should have read The Infernal Devices first…at least I’ll have those to look forward to I guess.
I didn’t LOVE The Geography of You and Me, but it was an enjoyable filler read.
Thanks for commenting 🙂
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I’ve heard so many good things about The Raven Cycle, it’s on my TBR and I need to try to start the series soon. I really liked both Beautiful Disaster and Walking Disaster, but I did prefer Beautiful over Walking Disaster. The prologue in WD had me in floods of tears though!
I haven’t read Maybe Someday yet, but I did read Slammed and I loved it. You’ve got me very curious about Boys Like You, I’m not familiar with it but it’s just gone on my TBR, thanks for the recommendation. Awesome list, and thanks for stopping by my blog earlier Rachel, have a great week!
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I’ve heard good things too but I don’t know why, I was just unsure of it. It’s on my TBR but it’s not a priority. I’m excited for Walking Disaster! Apparently there’s more in the series too?? Get on Maybe Someday, like yesterday! It was my first Colleen Hoover book, and I thought maybe the mixed media made me love it so I may not like her other stuff just as much, but I’ve heard so many great things and want to try them too. So, if you already like Hoover, you’re sure to LOVE Maybe Someday. Not everyone loved Boys Like You as much as me, maybe it was the mood I was in when reading it?? But I really love romance stories that are romantic but not complete overkill, and Boys Like You just had the perfect mix of romance, damage and swoon to make it work. Really loved it. No problem Alma, thanks for commenting 🙂
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I’m actually quite jealous of your rainy weather, but it’s too bad that your days of having summer holidays are over. 😦 I love the images you used in this post, and I’m glad you enjoyed the books you mentioned!
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You like rainy weather?? We have it all. the. time! It’s raining right now! It can be nice, sometimes, but after a while it gets boring. When the sun comes out everyone gets silly excited, sandals and BBQs galore! I would love to be a student again for just one year even, you definitely don’t appreciate it when you’re in it and then BOOM, adult life, no more summers. It’s a shock to the system! 🙂
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Ok so I love almost all of your choices! I JUST finished CoHF yesterday! EEE!!!! Great list!
TTT
Sandy @ Somewhere Only We Know
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Ahhh, don’t say any more!!! 🙂 It’s going to take me a week or two to get to it because I’m determined to reread the series first. I thought I’d forgotten it all but as I’ve been reading book one, all of the details have pretty much come back to me, so I was going to dump the reread and just get stuck in.. then my bookish-OCD kicked in and now that I’ve started the reread I figure I may as well continue with it… #geekproblems. Thanks for commenting 🙂
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I actually read the first Shopaholic, and I agree that it’s a great light, beachy read! The movie totally paled in comparison.
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Thanks for your comment, Katie. Shopaholic is definitely a light but very good read, and I agree, I was very disappointed by the movie and I think it put some people off reading the series. I’d have loved for there to be more movies – if they had have been a little better. They got the general gist of the book but I think they overdid the comedy, when it should have felt more like a Bridget Jones style movie, funny – yes, but with serious undertones. R x
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I agree that Hoover does the NA scene very well. Others have been disappointing and I had to abandon the genre for a while. Attachments was my first RR book and it made me fall in love with her writing.
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Hi Marisa, I’ve seen some really dodgy NA that put me off the genre for a while, but I think some people are ahead of the game with it, and Hoover seems to be one of them. I’m hunting out the library tonight for Attachments! Oh… well, once I’ve finished CoHF!
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Dodgy is the perfect word for the ones that put me off too! Hoover is solid. Tammara Webber’s Easy was my first NA and written really well. LOVED The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay and Flat-Out-Love by Jessica Park. Something Like Normal by Trish Doller was a breath of fresh air as well. 🙂
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I need more Hoover in my life. At some point. One day. When my TBR pile can’t crush me…
Thanks for the recs, these have been added to said crushing TBR! 🙂 Is The Sea of Tranquility NA?? I’m looking forward to it.
R x
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I can’t recommend Rainbow Rowell highly enough. You are in for a treat, my friend!
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Hi 🙂 thanks for taking the time to comment. I really have to read something by her now! I didn’t want the hype-monster to get me like it did with John Green, but with so many people recommending her books… I can’t say no much longer! R x
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I love Maybe Someday, too! It was such an amazing, emotional read. I’m very curious about Boys Like You. I’ve seen that cover around before, but haven’t given much thought to the book. 5/5 stars has me very intrigued to find out more about it, though 😉 Great picks!
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Hi, thanks for commenting. Maybe Someday was just so good! I’m trying to push it on some not-so-bookish people and they aren’t having any of it, I’m not giving up though! Boys Like You might still be on NetGalley, it was a perfect Summer read and I really enjoyed practically every aspect of it! Let me know what you think if you do pick it up 🙂
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Great list, I love how you have set this one out. Maybe Someday was such a brilliant read, definitely a great read for a summer day. The only other one I have read is Boys Like You, which was good but I wasn’t the biggest fan of but I read that one in one sitting and think it’s definitely a great beach read. Nice picks 🙂
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Hi Charnell, thanks! It took a wee while to get all the different sunglasses!! Lol. I think I’m biased towards Boys Like You, one of those reads that came along at the right time and had everything I was looking for in it. R x
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Ahh I love your beach book meme! CUTE!
Great post – lots of new titles I hadn’t heard before (and it sounds like I should have!). I have read Attachments – it’s great. I would say it’s supposed to be happy, relatable, an “every day” romance. I find every time I read a Rainbow Rowell book I end up screaming in my head “YES YES that’s so true!”. I hope you like it.
I also saw on goodreads that you’re reading The Book Thief, I hope you post a review, really curious to hear what you think!
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Hi, thanks for commenting 🙂 Ahh, that’s good, sometimes I like Romances that verge slightly more on the edge of “real”…and sometimes I like the massively over-romaticised ones, even though most of the time I’m thinking, “Pftt, yea, cuz that happens in real life!”. I am reading The Book Thief at the minute, I’m on a break from it due to The Mortal Instruments: City of Heavenly Fire, but I will get back to it soon(ish) and will definitely be doing a review. Do you have an active blog at the minute? R x
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No…. not at the moment, but soon hopefully!!! Thanks for asking! I will let you know when it is up and running 😉
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I unashamedly love Shiver. x) I love EVERYTHING by Maggie Stiefvater so far, but omg, she’s only getting better and better. I love how you did your pictures though. 😉 Super cute! I’m up to book #2 of City of Bones series. Very exciting. I suck at series, so I’m really moving while I’m on a roll here.
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Yay! Another Shiver fan! I haven’t read anything else by her yet bar the Shiver trilogy. Haha thanks, they were fiddly! I’m just about to start my reread of book 2 (I’m attempting to reread them all before I get to book 6… I stacked them all up together and then immediately regretted my decision, but I’m too far gone now to be saved!). Stick with it!! It’s worth it. Thanks for commenting 🙂 R x
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[…] I don’t get a “summer” anymore. Of course, I get the season of Summer, if you can call it that here in Ireland, but I don’t get a full-on summer break because I’m an adult now with a full-time job *boo, hiss* so I don’t expect to be able to do any more reading than normal *sigh*. For this weeks TTT, I’ve made a TBR list of books due out over the summer that I’d like to read. It’s pretty ambitious, but I’d like to get to these at some point. If you would rather read a list of “summer reads”, you can check out my Top Ten Books for the Beach Bag. […]
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[…] Ten Tuesday – Books for the Beach Bag – Best Books of 2014 So Far – My Summer TBR – Cover Trends I Love and […]
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[…] year I did the Top Ten Books For Your Beach Bag, this year I’m unashamedly making it all about me. I’m still trying to make some time […]
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