Whether it's at the beach, in the backyard or just lounging on the sofa, for me, summertime would not be complete without plenty of beach/summer- themed books.
Here are some mini reviews of just a few of my fav beach reads (old and new) that I have enjoyed over the years.
And if you have a favorite summer book(s) to share, please do! I'm always looking for new ones to try. ;-)
The Tour is a story set in Ireland, about a group of people on a guided tour.
I read this story recently and finished it in a couple of days. From the great cover to the last page, I really enjoyed it.
Top marks to the author for very believable, memorable and often quirky characters.
The story moves along at a fairly good pace although there were a couple of times when I found myself skimming a few of the details re, Corlene. She was my least favorite character. Conor my favorite.
I will definitely check out more books from this author too.
A Haunted Murder is one of the best cozy mysteries I've read in a long time!
I love all things Cape Cod so right off the bat I was interested in reading this story, based on Nantucket.
The story is original and engaging. The characters are believable and well developed. I love the ghost/spirit aspect of the story too, as someone who has also had numerous interactions with the spirit world and know that things like this DO happen in real life.
Murder on Cape Cod is another Cape Cod-themed story.
It has a lot of twists and turns and red herrings along the way.
I also enjoyed the 'bridge' element to the story although it once again reminded me that this is NOT a card game I'd ever personally take on!!! ;-)
Characters were well developed and believable.
I kept tapping my kindle pages right to the end and for the most part, really enjoyed the story. I did figure out who the killer was before the end though, but that was ok too.
Towards the end, I did think it was getting to be a tad too long, but overall definitely worth reading.
Life's A Beach, Then You Die is a book that I read in a couple of afternoons, during a recent summer when it was too hot to be productive and I wasn't feeling at all energetic.
It is a fun beach read. The characters are quirky, believable and rather original too.
It did get a bit repetitious as some Amazon reviewers have mentioned and by the end of the story I was ready to "wrap it up" and move on to another book.
Overall though, a fun, relaxing and entertaining way to wile away a few hours.
Every summer, I re-read the following two books.
Two of my all-time favorite books and both make perfect choices for relaxing summer reading.
Beachcombing at Miramar by Richard Bode
I bought this book several years ago and after reading it once, proceeded to immediately buy numerous copies to give away as gifts. I was that impressed.
One close friend carried this book around in her purse for weeks. When she needed a ’stress break’ she would pull it out to enjoy a peaceful page or two.
Another friend stayed up all night, not able to put the book down until the last page was enjoyed. I can relate, it really is that good.
For me, this was a life-changing book and one that touched me deeply.
The story of Richard Bode’s journey from the rat race to a peaceful and contemplative life on a California beach at Miramar. A dream that for most people remains just that. Bode went for it. Gave up his high-paying, high-pressure job and left behind the life he had always known (including a marriage that wasn’t working any more) to find himself. To live out his dream of a life filled with meaningful and one- of- a -kind “memory” days.
Beautifully written, this is a book you will never forget. A rare glimpse and chance to share an extraordinary life transition along with the author.
I highly recommend this book to add to your summer reading list, if you haven’t read it already.
Summer’s Lease by John Mortimer
If lighter reading with plenty of laughs is what you are looking for; perhaps this next one will be more your cup/glass of iced tea. ;-)
This is the travel journal of an English family embarking on a trip to the Tuscany region of Italy.
Mother Molly: plump, disillusioned with her marriage and the demands of motherhood, decides to respond to a rather cryptic newspaper ad for a Italian vacation rental. She takes a rather bold step (for her) and rents a “villa” in Tuscany for the summer and so begins the tale.
As one reviewer on Amazon so aptly put it:
” A delicious Italian dish; sun-drenched and garlic-scented novel” .
If you are looking for a fun, entertaining and well-written summer novel with a touch of suspense, mystery, romance and even strange water-shortages abounding….. you may want to give this one a try.
