Top Ten Beach Reads

Top Ten Tuesdays are hosted at The Broke and the Bookish. This week's topic is all about beach reads. Whatever that means: I think we all interpret it a little differently. And I'm not really a beach person at all, but beaches mean summer and there are some books I definitely think of as summer books. Easy to read, but suck you right in and don't make you struggle to decipher each sentence. And preferably set during summer, of course!

1. We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
E. Lockhart's most recent novel came instantly to mind when I thought of summer. It's a teen book that takes place on a family's private Massachusetts island, and there are so many secrets!

2. The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
Another teen book set in summer, this coming-of-age novel is about a girl who spends her summers away from home (much like Summers at Castle Auburn, now that I think of it) and focuses on one significant year when everything changes.

3. I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson
A teen book about twins, Noah and Jude, and their romances and family secrets. It's one of my favorites!

4. I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
I feel like this is probably also a good winter read, but I'm keeping it here nonetheless. It takes place in a rambling old castle in the English countryside, and that's just perfect anytime!

5. Joyland by Stephen King
I always love reading Stephen King in the summer, but this one was especially summery with its carnival setting. It wasn't horror, but it was quite suspenseful, and as usual his characters really came alive on the page.

6. Wild Swans by Jessica Spotswood
Really, teen books are just perfect for the summer and there's a good chance you haven't yet read this recently-released novel. It's all about one girl's summer plans going awry by the return of her mother who abandoned her as a baby, and as a bonus she brings her two other daughters with her.

7. Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
Set mostly in a small Italian village, I can't believe this cinematic novel hasn't yet been made into a movie. The audio version is especially wonderful.

8. Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson
Because what's better in the summer than a road trip?

9. Beauty Queens by Libba Bray
A plane full of beauty pageant contestants crashes on a deserted island, and the girls must fight for survival. This is quite possibly the funniest teen book I've read, but also the best one about female friendships.

10. The Best Man by Kristan Higgans
I'd be remiss if I left romance off of a list of beach reads. This is a contemporary romance that takes place at a winery in California. I've read three books so far in this series and will continue to read more.

What are your favorite beach reads? Tell me in the comments!