While laying in bed reading a new book, I started thinking about the reading challenge I am participating in (read 30 books this year) and how many books I read this summer. Many of the books I have read thus far were read sprawled out on the beach with a nice glass of lemonade and A LOT of sunscreen. So I thought ‘what happens when you have “beach reads” but summer’s over?’ There’s no reason you can’t read a “beach read” after summer and, in fact, I recommend it. Here are the beach reads I enjoyed this summer that you can DEFINITELY read in the fall/winter/spring, really, you can read them anytime.
1. “Invictus” by Ryan Graudin
“Farway Gaius McCarthy was born outside of time. The son of a time-travelling Recorder from 2354 AD and a gladiator living in Rome in 95 AD, Far’s birth defies the laws of nature. Exploring history himself is all he’s ever wanted, and after failing his final time-traveling exam, Far takes a position commanding a ship with a crew as part of a black market operation to steal valuables from the past. During a heist on the sinking Titanic, Far meets a mysterious girl who always seems to be one step ahead of him…History is not as steady as it seems.”
This book was recommended to me because of how much I LOVE the NBC show Timeless, a show about a historian, a soldier, and a pilot racing through the past to save the future. This book was interesting and held my attention all the way through, I rated it 3 stars on Goodreads, just because of some minor things I didn’t particularly care for, but still worth the read!!
Recommended for fans of YA, historical fiction, romance, time travel, science fiction, and fantasy. Purchase here.
2. “Blackhearts” (Blackhearts #1) by Nicole Castroman
“Blackbeard the pirate was known for striking fear in the hearts of the bravest of sailors. But once he was just a young man who dreamed of leaving his rigid life behind to chase adventure in faraway lands. Nothing could stop him – until he met the one girl who would change everything.”
Let me start out by saying this is NOT a book I would normally read.The whole pirate thing isn’t my type.This book wasn’t even my type, but I still gave it a shot.If you like the pirate trope and are really into cheesy romance/drama, this book is for you. When I rate things on my Goodreads, it really depends on the mood I’m in.I gave this book 4 stars for holding my attention and being good for what it is: a trashy YA romance novel.I didn’t hate it and I plan on reading the second book just to see what happens, but this isn’t one of my “must reads.”
Recommended for fans of trashy YA romance, historical fiction, romance, retellings, and pirates. Purchase here.
3. “Passenger” (Passenger #1) by Alexandra Bracken
“In one devastating night, violin prodigy Etta Spencer loses everything she knows and loves. Thrust into an unfamiliar world by a stranger with a dangerous agenda, Etta is certain of one thing: she has traveled not just miles, but years from home. And she’s inherited a legacy she knows nothing about from a family whose existence she’s never heard of. Until now.”
Now this book I really enjoyed.Etta is one of the better female YA characters I have encountered, not the best, but certainly not the worst.I debated whether I should even read this book because the bloggers I follow all hated it.However, sometimes we have different tastes in books.“Passenger” is a lot like the two above books: time travel, romance, plot twist – nothing necessarily special.For me, I just liked the visuals in the book.I could see exactly where they were from the author’s detailed descriptions.I gave this book 4 stars on Goodreads for holding my attention, giving great details, and having a halfway decent story that I want to read more of.
Recommended for fans of YA, time travel, fantasy, romance, music, and historical fiction. Purchase here.
4. “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society” by Annie Barrows and Mary Ann Shaffer
“January 1946: London is emerging from the shadow of the Second World War, and writer Juliet Ashton is looking for her next book subject. Who could imagine she would find it in a letter from a man she’s never met, a native of the island of Guernsey, who has come across her name written inside a book by Charles Lamb…The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society boasts a charming, funny, and deeply human cast of characters, from pig farmers to phrenologists, literature lovers all. Captivated by {members} stories, she sets sail for Guernsey, and what she finds will change her forever.”
THIS BOOK PEOPLE.This one got me GOOD.If you were in Navarre Beach from August 1-8 and saw a girl dramatically crying on the beach it was ME.I wanted to read this book before I watched the Netflix adaption starring Lily James, Glen Powell, and Michiel Huisman.I got the book while on my vacation and read it in one sitting.It’s written in letter format which I didn’t care for at first and have never really liked. However, I ended up loving it.The style fit the time period so well and helped me understand the characters more in how they wrote letters to Juliet.The characters are well rounded, and you feel like you know them.Also, I really want my own Dawsey.I rated this book 5/5 stars on Goodreads because I laughed, cried, and smiled so much in one sitting.
Recommended for fans of romance, historical fiction, travel, and WWII. Purchase here.
5. “The Hazel Wood” (The Hazel Wood #1) by Melissa Albert
“Seventeen-year-old Alice and her mother have spent most of Alice’s life on the road, always a step ahead of the uncanny bad luck biting at their heels. But when Alice’s grandmother, the reclusive author of a cult-classic book of pitch-dark fairy tales, dies alone on her estate, the Hazel Wood, Alice learns how bad her luck can really get – when her mom is stolen away – by a figure who claims to come from the Hinterland, the cruel supernatural world where her grandmother’s stories are set. Alice’s only lead is the message her mother left behind: “Stay away from the Hazel Wood.”
YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT SUSPENSE???This book had me on edge the ENTIRE TIME.For someone who doesn’t particularly enjoy wild fairy tales, I LOVED reading the mini stories within this book.The idea is original and fun and really worth the read.Alice is a well-rounded character that you really question whether or not she is a reliable narrator, which is always fun to read.I rated this book 3 stars on Goodreads, simply because of the ending*. I hated the way the story just dropped off and left you wondering what the heck happens next.I was almost aggravating to have such a build up with little to no climax on the cliffhanger.For a single book with no sequel, that ending was disappointing. However, give this book a read, the story is incredibly unique and really, really worth your time.
Recommended for fans of fairy tales, fantasy, and YA fiction. Purchase here.
*Melissa Albert released that this book WILL be a series and I wrote this before knowing. But still, you get my honest opinion.
So here you go, my beach reads that are nearly all time travel, something I was clearly interested in at the time. YA books are for everyone, so don’t let the “young adult” stigma stop you from reading some AMAZING literature. Let me know if you read any of these books and follow me on Goodreads for more book recommendations.