The Reading Challenge Group discussion

June's theme will be beach reads. Plan and report your reads here.

Beach Reads is a fun topic. I never think of classics or non-fiction as beach reading material for some reason. Not sure why. But almost every other genre seems beach-able to me, including biography/memoir. It should be interesting to see what everyone thinks of as a Beach Read.

I am just the opposite, Renee. I usually choose long classics for travelling, but I am sure I can find something suitable for the beach. I remember reading Doctor Dolittle goes to the Moon on the beach when I was 10 years old. So I will probably revisit some childhood favourites for this topic, starting with Mary Poppins. If I finish that, I will go on to read other fantasy books.

I always think of a beach read as a new bestseller because publishers' add come summer always feature their new fiction by bestselling authors

Oops...hit the post word. Publishers advertise their bestsellers at the start of summer with a beach theme. I just thin of Stacks of new books under a beach umbrella.. I'm probably stuck in the end of the last century.:) Anyway, my choice for Beach Read seems pretty perfect to me...Camino Island by John Grisham. Bestselling author! Comes out June 6! Writers, old manuscripts, collector books, female detective! And oh yeah, some of it takes place on the beach!

I often check out the site List Challenges to get ideas for books to read next. Today they had a new list entitled Beach Reads. It had a wide assortment of book titles, from classics to best sellers.

For me, beach reads remind me of childhood, so I have actually finished my first "beach read" - Mary Poppins and Mary Poppins Comes Back. I enjoyed the adventures of the children, but Mary herself was really annoying.

My beach reads are a very strange mixture. When I was younger our family holidays were always spent in Dorset, so Thomas Hardy's books have a special meaning to me. Walking through "Casterbridge" - actually Dorchester - you could still see many of the places mentioned in his books, & the county museum had a room set up as Hardy's study. More recently I usually read a mixture of books by authors I haven't read before, all recommended by friends, & we often literally swapped books on the beach! The move to reading mainly ebooks mean this happens less now, though we read each other's wish lists for ideas as well as discussing recent reads.

First book: Mary Poppins and Mary Poppins Comes Back

Second book: a kid's book set during summer vacation - Magic or Not? by Edward Eager.

Finished The Deep End - a steamy read for the beach

Fir me Beach Reads are anything set in the summer, as well as romance and light reads. So far, I have read three.
A Wedding on Primrose Street- A light romance, with a wedding set in June. Cute and quick
Etiquette & Espionage- A steampunk set in 1800's England. Rather interesting and diverting.
The Lucky Ones- Set in New York in 1929, during summer. This was also a quick read.

Jenny, what exactly is steampunk?

Rose, steam punk is usualy set in the 1800's, but the main defining points are that the fassions, mannerisms and such are of the Victorian era of England. The other part of is it that there are lots and lots of machines that are all steam powered. It's a good genera when done right.

Thanks for the info, Jenny.

I finished reading Wessex Tales - Thomas Hardy today. It's a set of short stories which I didn't enjoy as much as his other books.

You're welcome Rose, and I hope you enjoy the next book more Trisha!

Another steamy read - Alex

I loved listening to Cream of the Crop so much that I've started it over again. Nicely steamy, with a full-figured heroine who actually loves her curves. It makes me want to start a blog about books with luscious women. I've dnf some real stinkers filled with so much body-hatred that I couldn't justify continuing. But this one was really well-done; a good blend of naughty and funny. I liked the first of the trio, as well. But I read Nuts in May.

For something a little different - the cooler coastal waters of Alaska are the setting for this book of essays:
If You Lived Here, I'd Know Your Name: News from Small-Town Alaska

Continuing the theme of kid's books, I read Pippi Longstocking on this very hot summer day.

The Handsome Man's Deluxe Café - because who doesn't need a sweet slice of Africa for the beach?

Two books set during school summer vacation, Absolutely Normal Chaos by Sharon Creech and Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury. The Bradbury book was wonderful-very nostalgic.

Rosemarie wrote: "Two books set during school summer vacation, Absolutely Normal Chaos by Sharon Creech and Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury. The Bradbury book wa..."


Bradbury is a wonderful writer and Dandelion Wine is one of my favorites. It is magical like much of his writing, with such a sense of place. He has such a feel for Small Town, America. Great choice for this theme!

I finished my beach read, Camino Island by John Grisham, and I was disappointed. Still, it was a fast read, with lots of skimming. :)

My beach reads were Into the Water and The Summer that Melted Everything. When I picture beach reads, I always picture fictional books set the the summer that are easy to read.

Definite beach read - Overtime - a steamy hockey romance, just what I need to overcome my hockey withdrawal since the Preds have finished their run in the Cup Finals

Great job, everyone!

I read a Sherryl Woods book - The Calamity Janes. A light read, explores the bond of friendships that survive high school into adult hood. The Calamity Janes: Cassie & Karen: Do You Take This Rebel?\Courting the Enemy

Another beachy read done - The Perfect Play - nice steamy sports-based romance

I took beach reads to be bestsellers, easy reads, romance.... So courtesy of the Goodreads romance newsletter I chose My Best Friend's Ex. At times I felt like I was reading something by and for teenagers but it had its redeeming moments

This was the epitome of a beach read for a kid - The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy - mostly read in June