My Top 10 Beach Reads

There is nothing I love better than sitting in a chair on the beach with a book in my hand.  I don’t want to sit on the beach biting my fingernails, waiting for what happens next, or bawling because the story is so sad. To me, the perfect beach read is a light, fun read with a touch of romance. Here are 10 of my favorite beach reads. Linking up with The Broke and the Bookish.

• Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins- Anna is pulled away from her American High School just before her senior year and sent to boarding school in France. She doesn’t speak the language and is sure she is going to be miserable, but as she starts to make some friends, she starts to realize how wonderful Paris can be. This is definitely a romance-y type novel. I heard so many good things about it, that I thought I would give it a shot. I am glad I did, it is such a darling, fun book.
• Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine- This is my absolute favorite retelling of Cinderella. Ella has been put under a curse by a fairy, she must obey any command she is given, even if someone were to tell her to jump off a cliff. It is a dangerous problem that she can’t tell anybody and it becomes even more dangerous when she starts to fall for a prince.
• Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George- When Creel’s aunt offers her to a local dragon in hopes that somebody wealthy will rescue her and bring money to the family, Creel decides not to stick around and rescues herself. She strikes a bargain with a dragon, that includes her freedom and an odd pair of slippers. The slipper cause trouble all over the place until the put the fate of the whole nation at risk. Creel must figure out what the slippers do and how to save the country before it is too late. I thought I had this book figured out from the very beginning, but it threw in some twists and turns I wasn’t expecting. I ended up really liking it. My full review here.
• Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas- Brought back from laboring in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, assassin Celaena, is given the chance to win her freedom by competing with other criminals for the chance to be the King’s Champion. As the trials begin, the contestants start turning up dead and Celaena must wonder what else is going in the castle. I loved this heroine and her strength. The book is clever and fun to read.
• The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen- The young prince has been missing for years, and one man has an idea to bring him back. He auditions four young men to possibly masquerade as the prince, training each one to become more like the missing prince. One will be king and the others will die. Although this book was predictable in spots, I really enjoyed it.
• Princess Academy by Shannon Hale- A small mountain society has been picked as the place where the prince will find his future princess. All the eligible girls must attend a princess academy to be prepared to possibly be the future queen. I absolutely love the characters in this book, they are fun and endearing.
• The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows- The story of an author looking for her next story just after WWII and her journey to the small island of Guernsey. There she learns of the struggles this occupied island went through doing the war and the struggles they still face. This book is told in a letter format between the main character and her friend. My full review here.
• Heist Society by Ally Carter- A light, fun read about a teenage girl who comes from a family of thieves. She has tried to get away to move on with her life and attend school, but she finds it is a lot harder to escape thieving when so many people don’t want her to. This is a light, run read about an art heist. I enjoyed the story and the characters.
• The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley – A story about an author with writer’s block who tries to getaway to the Scottish coast so she can write. She unfolds a beautiful love story, only to discover as she writes that the things she is writing might have actually happened. This story is set in both the present and the 1700s and it is one of my very favorites. My full review here.
• Everneath by Brodi Ashton- A story of misunderstandings, running away and guilt. This modern day retelling of the story of Persephone is a quick engaging read. Nikki spent six months running away from her family and problems in the Everneath and now she has only 6 months on the surface with them before she must return to the Everneath forever. I love the way this story is weaved together, it is the perfect light read.

P.S. I have entered the Summer Reading Survival Giveaway yet? The winner will receive 13 books and some swag! Enter here.