Happy Summer! Isn’t it crazy that’s the 4th of July just came and went? How was your holiday?

Beach read: fun, easy read / entertaining / nothing too serious / enjoyable, typically lighthearted book

I love reading, especially when it’s simply for my own personal enjoyment. I’d much rather listen to audiobook during a long car drive than the radio. However, I’m not one to analyze the books I read. I’ll read (or listen) to it, decide if I liked it and move on. Don’t come to me if you’re looking for the deeper messages of these books…unless they are totally obvious. I like to keep reading fun!

If you’re headed to the beach, going on vacation, or about to take a long plane ride and looking for some books to keep you occupied, here’s my shortlist of favorite beach reads to check out this summer if you haven’t already.

8 Favorite Beach Reads

1. The Fault in Our Stars 

So I feel like The Fault in Our Stars could fall into both a Beach Reads category and a general “Favorites” list. It’s that good. It’s a book that was always on my radar, but I never really picked up until a couple years ago, before the movie came out. I’m one of those people who likes to read the book if there’s a movie version coming out. I like to see how the book was adapted and be able to comment on whether it was done well or not.

This book made laugh, cry, smile, and everything in between. It manages to cover all the feelings, feelings that are tough to deal with at any point in life. If you haven’t read The Fault in Our Stars, put it on your list, go pick it up, order it from Amazon, or download it to your Kindle and read it this summer. It’s so good.

2. The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games was another one of those series that I read because the movie version was being made. I really liked The Hunger Games because it’s one of those books that sucks you into the story and holds your attention to the point of not wanting to put the book down. Except maybe to eat…go to the bathroom…or sleep…maybe. The second book, Catching Fire was pretty good too, and well, unfortunately, I wasn’t a huge fan of Mockingjay. It felt a lot harder to get through than both The Hunger Games and Catching Fire.

3. Harry Potter Series

Does this even need an explanation? The Harry Potter books are some of my favorites EVER! And a great choice if you’re needing a good book or books to get into this summer. I probably started reading Harry Potter a little late in the game, although I did start reading the series before the first movie came out. My younger sister was actually the first to read them. J.K. Rowling is such a good writer – it has just the right amount of detail without being tedious and also sweeps you into the story so that you’re right there with Harry, Hermione, and Ron. I’m thinking about rereading the books…but I need to own the set first!

4. Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

It’s probably not quite old enough to be called a “classic,” but I believe that the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants will eventually become one. It’s not a super deep read or anything, but it’s centered on friendship – the main thing that revolves and will continue to revolve throughout our lives. I know that when I read this book, I kind of wished that I had this kind of solid bond with my friends…and who doesn’t want a pair of magical pants that fits everyone perfectly? And I’ll be honest, I enjoyed the movie version with Blake Lively, America Ferrara, Alexis Bledel, and Amber Tamblyn. While the movie didn’t follow the book exactly, it brought the characters from the pages to life. I think it’s totally worth a read if you haven’t read it yet.

5. Almost French

This book. I love this book. I probably have a HUGE bias as to why, but this book will always hold a piece of my heart. I read Almost French the summer after I spent a year studying abroad in Lyon, France. If you know me at all, you know that I LOVE France and my year spent abroad was definitely my favorite year of college. I tell all my clients that if they are thinking of studying abroad, they should seize the opportunity and do it!

Anyway, this book is about a woman who goes to France, falls in love with a Frenchman, and it’s all about the ins and outs of learning to live in France. It hit so close to my heart when I read it that it’s stuck out in my mind all these years. If you love France, you’ll like Almost French, too.

6. Friday Night Knitting Club

Maybe it’s because Friday Night Knitting Club is set in New York or because I’ve always wanted to be part of an activity club…I don’t know, but I do know that I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I have vague memories of reading this book over summer vacation while I was in college, reading a chapter a night before going to bed. It’s part about friendship, love, motherhood, knitting, and life stories. I think it could make for a pretty good movie or at least a Lifetime movie…although it probably doesn’t have enough drama in it for Lifetime.

7. Something Borrowed

Now this is more along the lines of a “beach read”. I think I read Something Borrowed one summer during college and it was great. It was made into a movie a few years ago starring Kate Hudson and John Krasinski. The book was definitely better. If you finish Something Borrowed, check out the next book as well, Something Blue.

8. Julie & Julia

I can’t remember if I watched or read Julie & Julia first. I know that I probably heard about it from the movie promos, and I’m pretty sure I watched the movie first…maybe. I LOVED the movie (although Amy Adams had some moments where you want to slap her), and the book it’s based on was pretty good, too. I think the thing that got me the most was that Julie Powell started documenting her adventures into the Mastering the Art of French Cooking right around the beginning of when people really started blogging, publicly. I was fascinated how her blog caught on and blew up big enough for a book deal and then a movie deal. It’s one of those things where I was thinking, why didn’t I think of that?!

What are some of your favorite beach reads?