Everyone loves a light contemporary novel that you can read and not think too much while doing so. That way you can soak up the sun while reading. We label these as "Beach Reads" and I love them, even though I typically read them in the winter. #CanadianProbz
But for those of you getting ready to hit the sand and the surf in the near future (or maybe even right now!), here are some of my top choices for books you should bring along...
SUMMER OF SLOANE
Author: Erin L. Schneider
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Publication Date: May 3, 2016
Summary:
Warm Hawaiian sun. Lazy beach days. Flirty texts with her boyfriend back in Seattle.
These are the things seventeen-year-old Sloane McIntyre pictured when she imagined the summer she’d be spending at her mom’s home in Hawaii with her twin brother, Penn. Instead, after learning an unthinkable secret about her boyfriend, Tyler, and best friend, Mick, all she has is a fractured hand and a completely shattered heart.
Once she arrives in Honolulu, though, Sloane hopes that Hawaii might just be the escape she needs. With beach bonfires, old friends, exotic food, and the wonders of a waterproof cast, there’s no reason Sloane shouldn’t enjoy her summer. And when she meets Finn McAllister, the handsome son of a hotel magnate who doesn’t always play by the rules, she knows he’s the perfect distraction from everything that’s so wrong back home.
But it turns out a measly ocean isn’t nearly enough to stop all the emails, texts, and voicemails from her ex-boyfriend and ex-best friend, desperate to explain away their betrayal. And as her casual connection with Finn grows deeper, Sloane’s carefree summer might not be as easy to find as she’d hoped. Weighing years of history with Mick and Tyler against their deception, and the delicate possibility of new love, Sloane must decide when to forgive, and when to live for herself.
Purchase:
So I have been in the process of reorganizing my bookshelves. Which has taken me a lot of time. But I now have a total of 5 bookshelves that don't all have to be double stacked to fit all my books! YAY! I sort my books by genre and then by author last name so while I was going along, I noticed I have a LOT of historical fiction books sitting on my shelves. The only problem? I haven't read ANY of them.
This is actually pretty typical of my shelves -- I own a lot of books I haven't read (yet! Working on it though!). However, I would say I have at least 40% of my books read. But I would say I have read 0.00000001% of the books from the books that are classified historical fiction (with the exception of The Other Boleyn Girl which is much better than the movie. And also the second book in the Tudor Court series, so I read it out of order. Oh I've also read the beginning of the first Outlander book then got them on audiobook to listen to once I finish The Wheel of Time series.). And it got me thinking -- WHY. I love history, I love fiction, so why have I not read more historical fiction?
Just like with the Fantasy list, I'm going to do this in three separate lists. Basics, Further Study, Back of the Bookshelf.
"But Jamie, how do you define these?" you're asking. Well I do have an answer for that:
Basics are the books that are science fiction lite; they will help transition you into the genre and give you an understanding of the tropes/types of things you will see in most Science Fiction novels.
Further Study are the books/series that are heavier on the world building and character development; they are typically trilogies so they won't take too long to read.
Back of the Bookshelf are the epic sagas that go so much deeper than world building. I have tried to make these ones books that are not as mainstream.
So you are thinking about making the move into reading Fantasy novels but don't know where to go? I've got you covered! Not that I'm a certified expert, but I do have to say I have read a lot of fantasy novels (and own a lot -- enough to fill a bookcase and a half). I'm going to do this in three separate lists. Basics, Further Study, Back of the Bookshelf.
"But Jamie, how do you define these?" you're asking. Well I do have an answer for that:
Basics are the books that are fantasy lite; they will help transition you into the genre and give you an understanding of the tropes/types of things you will see in most Fantasy novels.
Further Study are the books/series that are heavier on the world building and character development; they are typically trilogies or short sagas so they won't fill up your shelves, just your hearts with love.
Back of the Bookshelf are the epic sagas that go so much deeper than world building. I have tried to make these ones the epic fantasies and the long sagas, but it also includes some books that are not as mainstream.
I'm going to limit each list to five books (or series) per list to not overcrowd you but if you want more let me know: I'm always good to rec a book. I am also going to ONLY place books on here that I have read and can actually recommend that you read -- I'm not a fan of recommending books I haven't read in case I categorize it wrong and/or don't like it because I wouldn't want you to read a book I didn't like.
I also have no real logic or system behind this other than the fact that I think some of them are easier to read and get into than others. In a sense, you have to be almost "seasoned" to read some of the books on the second and third shelves -- mostly because then you can see the tropes and understand why an author did something or said something a certain way, or even understand some of the mythology or varying uses of magic ahead of time. A lot of reading Fantasy to me is trial and error and finding your niche.
I tried to cover a wide spectrum of the genre so everyone could (hopefully) find something they want to read, but if you read all the summaries and think "NOPE" let me know and maybe I can find something more tailored to your Fantasy needs.
Author: Erin L. Schneider
