Top Ten Tuesday, a concept started by The Broke and the Bookish, is a themed post that connects bloggers to bloggers, bloggers to readers, and readers to readers. Every Tuesday has a special topic, and this Tuesday is Top Ten Books That Should Be in Your Beach Bag.
I don’t quite understand the concept of reading light, fluffy books in the summer and heavy, literary books in the winter. Maybe it makes sense…Dickens and Tolstoy somewhat on the dark side. When we attended school, summer was meant as a break and therefore our brains could rest a bit. But now that we’re adults, and there’s no such thing as a three-month long summer vacation, why continue to stay seasonal? Read what you want to read when you wanna read it! I’m notorious for revisiting Jane Austen in the summer and sticking to the Gothic in the winter, so maybe I shouldn’t speak…
Anyway, these are some books I’d highly recommend you take to the beach, to the mountains, to the lake, to your local park!
Southern autumn/winter setting, but feels so summery. Plus it’s filled with action and ninja-fighting skills!
A summer trip to Europe completely changes Allyson’s life. It’s gonna fill you with longing and wanderlust!
Smart, talented Vicky and her wild summer with art and suffragettes will fill you with feminist pride.
Set in 1950s England in a rather marshy area, this chilling and creepy novel will keep you up at night!
(ARC) Currently reading, and love the multiple POVs. It’s 19th-cent Austo-Hungarian Hapsburg, which is a rare find. Pub date: July 29.
Country music tour. Summer romance. Mending broken souls. Oh, and Matt Finch. *swoon*
WWI and WWII collide in this entirely epistolary novel set in the Scottish island Skye. Phenomenal read.
Morton’s work has improved with each publication, but her debut still holds something near and dear to my heart.
Who would I be without adding satirical Jane and her contribution to the Gothic genre? You jokester, you.
I just don’t understand why this isn’t getting more attention, because Redwine and this book are PHENOMENAL contributions to the SFF genre!
What books should I add to my bag this summer? Have you read any of these books?
Scribbles & Wanderlust 
21 thoughts on “Top Ten Tuesday: Books That Should Be in Your Beach Bag”
A.M.B.
Yeah, there’s no difference between the type of books I read in the winter and the books I read in the summer. Thanks for the recommendations. I just re-read Northanger Abbey (and discussed Austen’s sarcastic “dating rules” on my blog). It’s definitely a fun book, though not my favorite Austen.
Laura
It’s not a favorite for many people…Although my least favorite, Mansfield Park, seems to be a favorite for others. What’s your favorite Austen?
A.M.B.
Persuasion. I love Anne, and I find Austen’s portrayal of aging fascinating. I also think Austen’s subtle sense of humor really comes through in it. My favorite has changed over time, though.
Laura
Persuasion is an excellent one!! It also seems the most…authentic for its time? P&P, S&S, NA, MP, and E have truth to it, as that’s the point to satire, but it doesn’t seem believable. While P does. And I think it’s because it’s about an “older” woman and mistakes made and living with regret and fear and sadness.
A.M.B.
I agree! The world has changed a lot in the two centuries since Persuasion was published, but the novel still feels relevant. There are so many points in Persuasion when I’ve nodded my head and thought, “yeah, it’s still like that,” such as when Mrs. Clay describes the effect of “toil and labour of the mind” on aging. It’s a great novel.
For the Love of the Page
Oooo… Long Lankin sounds amazing! I am adding it to my T.B.R. presently! 🙂 Great list!
Laura
Oh it’s so good, incredibly creepy. I read it last summer and actually enjoyed the nightmares from it.
Irish
Open Road Summer!!! I love that book so very muchly!! I also really need to read Rebel Belle, its been on my TBR pile for eons and I just haven’t had the time to get to it yet. =( Maybe this summer!
My TTT is here.
Laura
Rebel Belle is great. It feels like a summer book even though it’s set in the fall!
LilysBookBlog
Oh i hope you ove Defiance when you get around to reading it! i also have Open Road Summer in mine! I’m planning to head off to spain and am bringing that one to the beach with me for sure!
Lily
Laura
I read Defiance ages ago. Deception was fantastic, and I can’t wait for Deliverance! I have the ARC right now!!!
Reading Open Road Summer in Spain – that sounds wonderful.
Krystianna (@DwnritDystopian)
Great picks! I’m hoping to read Defiance sometime soon because it sounds really good. I’ve seen Rebel Belle around so much and I just really want to read it! Hopefully I’ll be able to over the summer.
Krystianna @ Downright Dystopian
Laura
It’s excellent, non-stop action. I couldn’t put Defiance down. Same with Deception! Which is rare for a second book. Rebel Belle is great, especially if you’re a Buffy fan! It feels like a BtVS episode, even though it has nothing to do with vampires and demons.
kay
Defiance has been sitting on my shelf ever since it came out… I guess I really have to pick it up! Plus Rebel Belle sounds awesome, I will have to check it out. Great list!
Laura
Thanks! Hop to it, both are great books.
Amy Peveto (@AmyPeveto)
Long Lankin gave me the creeps, and it was awesome! Adding A Mad, Wicked Folly to my TBR right now. 🙂
Laura
Isn’t it? I never thought a MG/YA book could give me such chills. It was awesome.
Mel@thedailyprophecy
I’ve heard a lot of good things about A mad, wicked folly. It’s high on my wish list 😀 Defiance is pretty good! I’m also interested in Open road summer. Happy reading 🙂
Mel@thedailyprophecy
Laura
A Mad, Wicked Folly is enlightening and fun! The author is from Indiana, my home state, so I’m extra proud of that book. Loved Defiance!
BringMyBooks
Books I’ve read: House at Riverton (ERMAHGERD KATE MORTON – can’t believe her next book’s pub date got pushed to next year aka *sob*), A Mad Wicked Folly (my friend and I did a dual review of that one – we both really liked it!), Letters from Skye (this one had to grow on me; immediately after finishing I was meh, but it blossomed into book love after rereading some portions).
Books I want to read: Southern Belle (hearing so much about this one!), Fortune Hunter (although I still haven’t read The American Heiress), and Open Road Summer (does it need an explanation??)
Great list, Laura 🙂
Laura
Thanks Lindsey!
This is the first I’ve heard of another Kate Morton book coming! Do you know when next year it’s coming out?
I haven’t read American Heiress either, but so far The Fortune Hunter is turning out pretty great. Multiple point of views with interesting characters.