Once Upon a Bibliophile

Read on the beach!

the sun where I live has been gorgeous recently, so yesterday saw me headed to the beach. Without stopping to think, I picked up the book I was halfway through. And that is how I found myself sunbathing in my bikini with Legendborn by Tracy Deonn in front of me.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I adore Legendborn. But it isn’t a very beach-y kind of book. On the beach, you need something fun, light, easy. Something that can double up as a sun block. And while Legendborn is many, many things, it’s not really a book that can be described as ‘light’, in both the literal and metaphorical sense.

And, so that you don’t make the same mistake as me, here is a little reading list of four perfect books to read on the beach:

1. The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

I couldn’t exactly not put The Summer I Turned Pretty on this list. I mean, it is based at the beach.

Sure, it isn’t the best book in terms of you know, plot and characters and writing style and all the things that I usually define ‘good’ by. But you don’t need those things for the beach. All you really need is a couple of hundred pages of romance. The themes of first love and friendship make The Summer I Turned Pretty a perfect summer read, and the youthfulness and simple prose mean it’s easy to read on the beach. Win -win.

2. Pride and Prejudice and the City by Rachel Lippincott

Pride and Prejudice and the City has been a favorite of mine for as long as I can remember. This clever reimagining of Austen’s classic story sees Audrey – a young artist who’s lost her spark after a breakup- transported back in time to Regency-era England, and is stuffed full of humour, bachelors, swoon and pure fun.

Pride and Prejudice and the City is one of those books that fills my heart with happiness. I love Audrey, and Lucy and James and everyone. I’ve read it so many times I can almost recite it off by heart, but never tire of the joyful, funny, bright tone and story.

3. To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo

This is the second time this book has appeared on a Little Reading List recently, however, I am adamant that it belongs on this one too. Unlike the previous novels, To Kill a Kingdom is a dark romantic fantasy, so instead of cute little summer romances, this book includes a lot more sirens, pirates and ripping-out-of-people’s-hearts.

Ok, so I admit that this might not be an obvious choice for a summer reading list, but To Kill a Kingdom was born to be read with your hair wet with salt water and the waves crashing nearby.

If you want something a little more compelling, something to devote some time to, To Kill a Kingdom is the perfect fit.

4. She Gets the Girl by Rachel Lippincott and Alyson Derrick

It would appear that Rachel Lippincott’s books are a reoccurring theme in this reading list.

She Gets the Girl is a simply perfect little contemporary romance. Unlike Pride, Prejudice and the City, She Gets the Girl is based on a modern-day collage campus. There, can headstrong flirt Alex help shy Molly get her dream girl, or will they end up falling for each other?

She Gets the Girl is like a rom-com in a book, full of cringe-worthy fails, main characters falling in love with the wrong people, and a subtle undercurrent of more serious themes. A truly heartwarming novel, She Gets the Girl is a must-read for summer.

I hope that this Little Reading List has been helpful for you, and that you enjoy your beach days with these novels by your side.