Top Ten Summer Beach Reads

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. The feature was created because they are particularly fond of lists over at The Broke and the Bookish. They'd love to share their lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

Each week they will post a new top ten list that one of our bloggers at The Broke and the Bookish will answer. Everyone is welcome to join. All they ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so that everyone can check out other bloggers lists! If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Have fun with it! It's a fun way to get to know your fellow bloggers.

Top Ten Summer Beach Reads:

1. Raw Blue by Kirsty Eagar - I've said it once, and I'll say it a million more times. This book is phenomenal. It has everything from strong characters, to a beautiful and tragic plot to dealing with powerful issues. Plus, it's beachy and sweet. Sold yet? You should be. It's fantastic. 

2. Sea Change by Aimee Friedman - There's something about the sweet simplicity about this one that makes it just brilliant. It's the first mermaid book I read, and I like that it is a standalone, despite the fact that I totally would have loved a second book. Mermaids + beach + summer = a great beachy read! 

3. Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen - Summer feels like the right time to read contemporary for some reason. When I go to the beach, I want to bask in familiarity and real life. This is all that and more. It's sweet, perhaps a touch predictable, but totally believable and lovely. This is definitely a beach read.

4. Siren by Tricia Rayburn - Sirens live in the water. Water is at the beach. Beach is like summer. I think that pretty much sums it up, but this first installment in the series is lovely, heartbreaking and just summery enough to whet my appetite. Plus, who doesn't love a sweet summer romance that might just be something more?!  

5. The Espressologist by Kristina Springer - I never reviewed this one on my blog, but it always seems to find its way into my beach bag. There's something about the sweet story, the coffee on the cover and the fact that it's just contemporary enough to feel totally real and believable that makes me want to keep reading it. It's light and fun - just like a day at the beach!  

6. The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han - Frankly, the title says it all. It's a summertime book! I have never been a huge advocate of contemps, but there's something about this series that just soars. I love it, I love the characters and I love the sweet romance and summer feel. This is always on my summer reading list.  

7. Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler - Despite my initial aversion to the book because of the somewhat "loose" title, this one has me in its throes to this day. I love the fact that it's deeper than the title or cover implies and actually shows the grief and healing process with the backdrop of a beautiful transitional summer.  

8. Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson - For some reason, I avoided this one for a long time. Once I read it though, I was hooked. What screams summer more than roadtrips with great music and fabulous friends? I love the playlists interjected throughout the story and the fact that I always feel like summer - no matter when I read it.

9. A Ring of Endless Light by Madeleine L'Engle - Dolphins, my friends. Dolphins. A quick aside - NEVER see the made-for-tv movie because it's horrible. Regardless though, this book is powerful, sweet, a touch sad and just happy enough to make you want to visit the ocean, step in the water and experience what the characters felt.  

10. Many Waters by Madeleine L'Engle - No list is complete without this book for me, kids. I know, it's on every list pretty much. Think - Noah's Ark with a twist. We've got little mammoths, light and dark angels, a coming of age story and two brothers who love one girl enough to want to save her and transport her to their time. Gahhhh still love it.