Let's Talk is a weekly feature here at i swim for oceans. I think it's important that we all have our say, and there's something to be said for raising our voices. Simply put, here on the little old blog, I like to host some of my very own discussion posts because, well, I like to converse with you all.

And so, Let's Talk will feature questions or prompts, which I will answer, too. Love it or hate it, weigh in or don't, it's my hope that Let's Talk will at least get you thinking...and maybe even get you discussing with the rest of us!

What underrated books have you read that you wish more bloggers would highlight and review?

There are so many books on the market - in all genres - that it's an impossibility to even think about reading them all, but let's be honest. We've all read some of those books that absolutely blow us away, yet nobody else seems to read or review them. Why is this? I'll never really know, but the great thing about book blogging is that we have the chance to share some of our favourites with others and recommend what we think they might just be missing. Here's your chance, people! Tell me what I'm missing out on!

I don't read too many books from the male perspective simply because, well, I'm a girl. I find it pretty difficult to get in a guy's shoes unless the author manages to breach that divide and make the male MC's voice and characterization truly transparent and accessible to the female audience. E.C. Myers totally blew me away with this book for multiple reasons. First of all, the concept is both engaging and unnerving. A magic coin? Unforeseeable consequences? Losing yourself to an inanimate object? Yeah, Fair Coin has all of that and so much more. Above all else though, this book is adventurous and fun, taking a new twist on sci-fi and fantasy and becoming a pretty amazing setup to a new series. I find it pretty hard to get invested in series with the amount of books I read and review these days, but let me tell you...this is worth the investment. 

You guys have probably all heard me rave about Raw Blue by Kirsty Eagar because - and let's be real here for a second - that book is pretty much perfection in terms of contemporary fiction. It seems as thought Night Beach has taken the back seat to her more famous title though and, while I get it, it's saddening. The great thing about this book is that the author isn't afraid to try (and do) something new that her readers don't know her for. It takes a risk, and it's certainly an eerie and off-kilter book. Best of all though, the characters of the book bare their souls - both dark and light - in this book, and it makes the prose haunting, terrifying and utterly captivating. No, it's not a contemporary read. And no, you probably won't find any great hidden meaning in this book, but you will find excellent characterization, a twisting plot and a story that will keep you guessing. 

I waited forever to read this book, and I actually wonder if others did so, as well, simply because they don't think it will stand out from the rest of their TBR pile. Let me tell you though...it's worth the read. It's not a terribly long book, but it's riveting from start to finish. It takes true skill for an author to manage to successfully set up a book with a tiny cast of survivors characters with limited means, a fairly limited setting and their own mortality looming over their heads. The Raft does this flawlessly though. There is such a tangible tension in this book that I wasn't even sure I'd make it to the end - simply because it was that gripping. There is drama, yes, but even more so, there is an extreme struggle for survival that demands to be heard - and felt. This book is one of my absolute favourite reads of 2013, and I think more bloggers need to give it a go because, trust me, you'll be blown away.

Obviously, there are a ton more books out there I wish more bloggers would read and review, but these are definitely my top three. What books do you think are underrated...or under-reviewed....give me something new to try!

Let's Talk is a new weekly feature here at i swim for oceans. I think it's important that we all have our say, and there's something to be said for raising our voices. Simply put, here on the little old blog, I like to host some of my very own discussion posts because, well, I like to converse with you all.

And so, Let's Talk will feature questions or prompts, which I will answer, too. Love it or hate it, weigh in or don't, it's my hope that Let's Talk will at least get you thinking...and maybe even get you discussing with the rest of us!

What are some of your all-time favourite summer reads?

From the very beginning of this blog, contemporary fiction has been of an iffy topic for me. I'm extremely particular with the contemps that I really want to give a fair shot, and I don't think that's changed too much in 3 years of blogging. However, there's something to be said with contemporary books as summer reads. Is it just me, or are beachy summer days just the perfect time to try those contemps you might otherwise avoid like the plague (because of your pesky prejudices...of course)?

That said, some of my all-time favourite summer reads encompass all genres and, really, they're those go-to books that I'll put in my beach bag time and time again. For example:

Clockwise from top left:

A. Raw Blue by Kirsty Eagar 

B. Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

C. Between by Jessica Warman

D. Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles

E. Night Beach by Kirsty Eagar

F. Sea Change by Aimee Friedman

All of these books work perfectly for me as a summer beach-bag read. They're a mix of paranormal, beautiful and powerful contemps and books with great characters with whom I can relate. That, in a nutshell, is what makes a summer read for me. I want to be transported somewhere else, and I want to really feel something. that's what summer's all about, right?! What makes a perfect summer read for you, and why?

Title: Night Beach
Author: Kirsty Eagar
Publisher: Penguin Australia
Publish Date: April 26, 2012
Genre: YA, Paranormal
Pages: 324
Source: Author

Imagine there is someone you like so much that just thinking about them leaves you desperate and reckless. You crave them in a way that's not rational, not right, and you're becoming somebody you don't recognise, and certainly don't respect, but you don't even care.

And this person you like is unattainable. Except for one thing...He lives downstairs.

Abbie has three obsessions. Art. The ocean. And Kane. But since Kane's been back, he's changed. There's a darkness shadowing him that only Abbie can see. And it wants her in its world.

Abbie is your ordinary teenager. She loves art, she loves to surf and she has a slightly off and slightly more than slight obsession in Kane who lives downstairs. Abbie often finds herself lost in her own world unless she's surfing or attempting to capture Kane's attention, but these parts of her lives are becoming more and more all-consuming. The darkness surrounding Kane could be dangerous, but as much as it terrifies her, she just can't stay away. Will Abbie figure out the truth in time, or will she be forced to face reality once and for all?

Just like Abbe  has somewhat of an obsession with Kane, I have somewhat of an obsession with Kirsty Eagar, and I say that in the nicest possible way. With Night Beach, Kirsty has tackled a new realm of fiction with the same grace and ease she did with Raw Blue. Playing to her strengths and creating a powerful host of characters in a tricky (to say the least) spot, Night Beach reels you in on its powerful hook and refuses to let go. Dark and alluring, rich and stripped raw, this novel bares the very basis of human emotion and invites you into a dark and twisty world set Down Under with a backdrop of the beach - a maze of contrasts that works in powerful and emotional ways.

If you remember, guys, I was completely floored by the power of Raw Blue. So, needless to say, I had an equal showing of apprehension and excitement for this novel. She warned us it was very different and that it might not work for everyone, but in a way, I don't think Night Beach strayed too far. While, yes, the novel adds a sort of cross-genre twist, for the most part it stays entirely true to her writing style. There is something so stark and raw about her writing style that makes it utterly believable. I have no hesitations when it comes to understanding and believing her characters. Abbie and Kane are stripped down to their barest forms, exposing their inner truths to the reader, but allowing for a sort of gray area to shine through the black and white. It's incredibly powerful and powerfully real. I think the true strength of Night Beach was the transformation in Abbie's character. She was so shallow and petty to start, but we get to watch as she evolves and transforms through the series of events. Regardless, I can empathize with her emotions because she's real, as her obsession and her fear. Likewise, the fear I felt through Night Beach was tangible and real, but it's the honesty behind the fear that made it so very real in the first place. Most of all though, this novel plays up the author's strength in characterization fueling a dark-tinged story.

This was a tricky review to write spoiler-free, but I simply wanted to capture the mood of Night Beach. It's powerful and raw and utterly addicting. I'm obsessed. I give it a 5 out of 5, and I highly recommend it to all fans of YA and upper YA, especially those who enjoy thrillers, paranormal and darker stories.

I received this book free of charge from the author in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.