Wednesday, June 16, 2010

The Book List Meme: Three Perfect Beach Reads


Rebecca has chosen a great topic this week for The Book List Meme, Three Perfect Beach Reads --

Waikiki Beach - picture by K

My first choice is Brat Farrar by Josephine Tey.  It's suspenseful and not too long.  The sunny beach would be the perfect contrast to this dark tale.

Half Moon Bay, CA - picture by K

My second choice is The Flanders Panel by Arturo Perez-Reverte.  Quick, smart and with a shocking twist, this is one of my favorites to re-read.

Monterey Bay, CA - picture by K

My third choice is The Winter Queen by Boris Akunin.  A soft thriller with a heartbreaking ending, this one is best read in the sun.

Strangely, I seem to have chosen murder as the common thread between my beach reads.  I might even pick these same books for a stormy night!

Loving the juxtaposition of darkness and light,
K

9 comments:

  1. Interesting you've chosen 'the dark side' Kristen! I went for ones with happy (or fairly happy) endings. I once read Captain Corelli's Mandolin on holiday - and I ended up blubbing!
    I tend to be in a mood for lighter/escapist/funny reads on holiday. Murder is definitely for stormy nights!

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  2. I'm glad you said Brat Farrar! My sister got it for me at a book sale recently, and I've sort of just been eying it suspiciously. Glad to hear it's good!

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  3. I've been musing about which books to pick for this topic, and I'm going in the same direction that you are. I never read thrillers, but I'm definitely tending towards sad books, which I usually avoid like the plague. There's something about crying over a book at the beach and then looking up and seeing sunshine and bright colors all around. It's a balance. Nice list!

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  4. Love the beach photos and the thrillers sound good too; enjoy.

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  5. Ooo...sound good. Now I just need a beach. ;)

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  6. And I'm loving your photos of beaches! You've been to some nice places!

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  7. Murder mysteries are perfect beach reads! I'm going to have to check them out. I loved this list.

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  8. Everyone needs a theme on the beach! Great picks!

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  9. Tracy - I probably wouldn't choose a holiday read that I thought would make me cry! But crime tends to have a fast pace which I like when I'm away from home.

    Jenny - I hope that you like it! I think I might re-read it this summer.

    Cecelia - Haha! At least at the beach you can have sunglasses on and nobody will notice you crying!

    Diane - Thanks!

    Paige - We have "beaches" here which are really just lake shores. I'm hoping to head to California though and get some real beach time!

    Jenners - Thanks! I've been to beaches from the top of Washington to San Diego and then Hawaii, Florida and Mexico! Most of my vacations tend to include a beach.

    Buckeye Girl - Thanks! I hope you find something you will enjoy!

    Rebecca - It's hard to avoid a theme when you make a list -- even when the books can be as random as you want.

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