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
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!
ReplyDeleteI tend to be in a mood for lighter/escapist/funny reads on holiday. Murder is definitely for stormy nights!
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!
ReplyDeleteI'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!
ReplyDeleteLove the beach photos and the thrillers sound good too; enjoy.
ReplyDeleteOoo...sound good. Now I just need a beach. ;)
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm loving your photos of beaches! You've been to some nice places!
ReplyDeleteMurder mysteries are perfect beach reads! I'm going to have to check them out. I loved this list.
ReplyDeleteEveryone needs a theme on the beach! Great picks!
ReplyDeleteTracy - 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.
ReplyDeleteJenny - 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.