Tuesday, June 11, 2013

My Top Ten Beach Reads


Hosted by (and above image from) The Broke and the Bookish


1.   SUMMER trilogy by Jenny Han (A, B, F, G, H, I)
2.   THE TRUTH ABOUT FOREVER by Sarah Dessen (A, B, E, F**, G, H, I)
3.   TWENTY BOY SUMMER by Sarah Ockler (A, B, E, F, G, H, I)
4.   THE LAST SONG by Nicholas Sparks (A, B, E, F, G, H, I)
5.   MEDIATOR series by Meg Cabot (A, D, E*, F*, G, H, I)
6.   PRIVATE series by Kate Brian (A, B, F, G, H, I*)
7.   FINNIKIN OF THE ROCK by Melina Marchetta (C, D, E, F, H, I*)
8.   SIEGE AND STORM by Leigh Bardugo (B, C, D, E, F*, G, H, I*)
9.   BITTERBLUE by Kristin Cashore (B, D, E, F, G, H, I*)
10.   HARRY POTTER series by JK Rowling (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I* = PERFECTION)

Lea's Beach Read Requirements
(A) Takes place during summer (in at least one book, if series)
(B) Has light or serious drama
(C) Super epic journey
(D) Magic or supernatural element
(E) Awesome main characters, * if they're sassy
(F) Swoonworthy romance, * if I adore them
(G) Involves water (even if it's only vaguely)
(H) Family / friends are present
(I) Secrets! * if there are many secrets.

Yes, I've got a whole system (in my mind, so it's a bit weird to see it written down) when it comes to what qualifies as a beach read. And yes, I'm a strange, bookish person.

What's your favorite beach read?


27 comments:

  1. Great list! Absolutely love your 'system', it's brilliant;)

    My TTT:
    http://evelinesbooks.blogspot.nl/2013/06/top-ten-tuesday-3.html

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  2. I like how you put together the different categories. Fantastic list! I loved Twenty Boy Summer and The Truth About Forever. I need to read The Last Song. I really liked the movie. The Harry Potter books are perfect for vacation/beach reading too though I wouldn't have wanted to read Deathly Hallows for the first time on a beach. It would have been too traumatic/emotional :)

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    1. Thank you! TBS and TTAF are fabulous (*swoons* over Wes). THE LAST SONG is really good, even better than the film.

      Oh my gosh, reading Deathly Hallows for the first time on a beach would be disastrous!

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  3. I love the categories, Lea! That was so dang clever. I definitely agree with The Last Song (and pretty much any Nicholas Sparks book, for that matter)! Great list all around :)

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    1. Thanks, Melissa! Sparks's novels really are such great beach reads - drama, secrets, romance! Everything you could need :)

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  4. I LOVE the different categories! :) I used to be obsessed with the Private series when I was a little younger. I'll have to read the ones that recently came out. Great list though1

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    1. Thanks! I loved the Private series when I was younger, too. I still think the first four are the better stories, books 5-8 were pretty decent, and books 9-12 were slightly ridiculous and hard to believe. I stopped reading at that point, but I'm also thinking of finishing the last few just so I can finish the series!

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  5. This is perfect! I love how you have it all broken down. :D

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  6. I'm seeing a lot of Sarah Dessen on these lists, I really need to read her Lea! I couldn't have loved Siege and Storm more, it was absolutely amazing and definitely one I can see myself rereading at the beach! Fabulous picks:)

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    1. Dessen is the Queen of beach reads! You so need to read her books (THE TRUTH ABOUT FOREVER and THIS LULLABY are two of her best books).

      SIEGE AND STORM was so amazing. It'll absolutely make a great reread at the beach :)

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  7. Great list!!! Love how you have a system for it, it would help me so much if my mind could do that.
    old follower
    my TTT
    http://kimberlysnovelnotes.blogspot.com/2013/06/top-ten-tuesday-22.html

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    1. My mind is very picky when it comes to beach reads - a system was a must! ;)

      Thanks for stopping by!

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  8. Sarah Dessen is on every list because she wins! :D

    www.booknerdsjourney.blogspot.com

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    1. Dessen books are excellent beach reads! She absolutely wins :D

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  9. Love the Mediator series! Really need to read the Jenny Han trilogy -everyone keeps raving about it and it's always checked out at my library!

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    1. Isn't the Mediator series so much fun? I'm always trying to convince people to give it a chance. Sassy heroine who kicks butt? Awesome.

      Jenny Han's books are really good, you should check out the first Summer book!

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  10. You really do have a whole system down. I've read Harry Potter (obviously) but none of the others. I think I'll have to check some of these out. I especially need to read Bitterblue since I recently read and loved Graceling. Great picks!

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    1. You should definitely check out BITTERBLUE (and have you read FIRE? That one is fantastic too)!

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  11. Love your list. Dessen made mine as well. I haven't gotten to read BitterBlue just yet, but I loved Graceling.

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    1. BITTERBLUE is amazing! Cashore's FIRE is excellent too :)

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  12. OMG, Lea. Your system is perfection! I'm the type of person who loves organizing things like this, so it's perfect. You definitely have a very particular idea of the ideal beach read and I love that. I definitely agree with your beach read requirements. And of course HP satisfies them all :)

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    1. Only a fellow bookworm can truly appreciate the insanity of my beach-read-system. :)

      HP is the perfect beach read! It's the perfect everything ;)

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  13. I recently purchased the entire Jenny Han series. I'm hoping to get to it soon! Great picks. :)
    Krystianna @ Downright Dystopian

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