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Recommend your must-read beach books
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Anonymous
| Going to the Bahamas in two weeks, got a Nook for Christmas, and now I want to load it up for the beach! Any recommendations? |
Anonymous
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Tell us what you like!
(Also, it would be terrific if the responders could say WHY they're recommending a book, why they liked it, instead of just giving the title all by itself.) |
Anonymous
| I like light but not stupid books for the beach. I'd recommend anything by Jennifer Wiener (e.g., Good in Bed and In Her Shoes, to name a few). I'm currently reading a book called One Day by David Nicholls - it's kind of a rom com in book form but has gotten really good reviews. I'm early into it but like it so far. Other than that and this sounds weird but there is a young adult series by Meghan McCafferty that is fabulous beach reading. First book is Sloppy Firsts, second one is Second Helpings. I am 32 and I read serious stuff all the time (not that you can tell from what I'm recommending here) and these books are fabulous. Very well written candy! |
Anonymous
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So you prefer contemporary stories? I mostly read history and historical fiction, so I don't have much to recommend.
Have you tried the Sookie Stackhouse books, by Charlaine Harris? Total fluff; you can read one a night. And there are about 12 of them. Some of them get nice and smutty. It's vampire stuff, so if that's not your thing... In non-fiction, anything by Sarah Vowell. She is a historian with a unique perspective and style; hilarious and information. Start with Assassination Vacation, which covers American presidential assassinations and the details and oddities of each. |
Anonymous
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OP here, thanks! I do read serious stuff all the time, but for the beach I was looking for frilly girly chick lit type of stuff or mysteries, kind of like Vince Flynn.
Thanks in advance! |
Anonymous
| I'm 10:37 and my books are all in the chick lit category. I'm not a mystery reader so no help there. |
Anonymous
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Life in Miniature
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Anonymous
| The Outlander series by Diane Gabaldon. |
Anonymous
Anita Shreve writes good romance books. Some are historical and some are contemporary. I'm reading "Fortune's Rocks" right now and I could picture myself reading it on a beach.  I also really liked "Body Surfing".
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Anonymous
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I rarely read fiction but I randomly read one of those "Alex Cross" mystery/thriller series books that DH got at the airport because I had finished my book. It was called I, Alex Cross. It was surprisingly fun to read. It's set in DC, which was interesting, and it was actually pretty thrilling. Total fluff though.
I would also recommend The Company She Keeps. It's an autobiography by Georgia Durante who is a former model turned mob wife and stunt driver. You would think the entire book is BS because her life is filled with so many unbelievable things, but it was fascinating and read like a real life Danielle Steel novel. |
Anonymous
| Ken Follet's books are fun - Pillars of the Earth (and its recently published sequel), Eye of the Needle, A Dangerous Fortune... |
Anonymous
| 120:37 and 10:50, I'd like to hear more. I love Jennifer Weiner and Anita Shreve. I'm headed to a spa this weekend (first time ever - can't wait) and would love a good book to read. Anything else you would recommend? I've read and liked everything you both mentioned. Thanks! Signed, a professor who reads history for work but chic lit for fun! |
Anonymous
Agree 100% on Ken Follett. Pillars of the Earth was an amazing read. Little quibble, though: the sequel is World Without End. Eye of the Needle is one of his spy novels. OP, Pillars of the Earth is about the building of a cathedral in 12th century England. It's all interpersonal relationships and politics and strong characters. It's the least-boring 1000 page book I've ever read. |
Anonymous
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Emily Giffin is total chick-lit.
Elin Hilderbrand and Kristin Hannah write more serious books, but they are easy reads. For detective, I like Jonathan Kellerman, Faye Kellerman, and Harlan Coben. Have fun! |
Anonymous
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Have you looked into the Millennium Trilogy (Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, etc) by Stieg Larsson? We went on a beach vacation over Christmas, and those books were everywhere. I didn't read them, but plan to, and DH loved them. Everyone I met at the beach liked them too.
I grabbed one of the Dexter books, as I like mystery and suspense. It was pretty good. Last year for our beach vacation, I got a couple of the Jill Kargman books (Wolves in Chic Clothing, can't remember what the second book was). She does chicklit, of the Upper East Side variety. It was entertaining, but total fluff. I second the rec for the Sookie Stackhouse books, the first four at least, as well as the first Twilight book. |