Back for 2020, here is a list of some more favorite beach reads! “Beach read” is a very fast and loose term for books people read over the beautiful summer months when we really should be outside “doing things” (responsibly for a pandemic of course!) but are instead reading…maybe outside. Some people see these months as an opportunity to slog through long classics (we’re looking at you “Moby Dick”) before the busy-ness of of the fall starts up, but for the sake of this list, we’re limiting our choices to stand alone, mostly feel good books (though there’s some obvious leeway here for Kate’s horror tastes!) that could be easily brought along on vacations. Or maybe staycations this year. So, still a very loose definition, but hey, we had to start somewhere! We will select one title for each of the genres we most read.
Serena’s Picks
Fantasy Title: “The Bone Houses” by Emily Lloyd-Jones
This book took me completely by surprise last fall and ended up making my “Top 10” list for the year easily. I also feel like it went largely unnoticed by most fantasy fans. For whatever reason, the hype train seemed to have missed it, and that’s a huge shame! This book is everything I look for in my YA fantasy titles. An excellent leading lady. A humorous side kick (this time in the form of an undead goat). A great romantic lead. And a fantasy tale that verges on a fairytale retelling, this time pulling themes from “The Black Cauldron.” And, of course, per the rules of this lists, it’s a stand-alone title that is completely and utterly satisfying to read all on its own. Not going to lie, I’ve been pretty much online stalking the author ever since to see when/if she’s coming out with something new soon! You’ll be sure to hear about it when I do!
Science Fiction Title: “These Broken Stars” by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner
Man, that cover really dates this book. I mean, it’s not even ten years old (it came out in 2013), but the whole “ballroom gown” cover art for YA titles is definitely a thing of the past. While this book is technically the first in a trilogy, each book in this series tells a complete story of its own and each features a new set of characters, even if familiar faces pop up now and then in the later books. This, being the first book, definitely reads as a stand-alone. It also falls on the romantic side of science fiction and is that rare YA unicorn: a science fiction title written for young adults. It’s pretty much a survival story, as well, when our two leading characters find themselves crashed landed on a strange new world and have no one but each other to depend on. It’s been a while since I read this (and I wasn’t a fan of the sequel when I got to it and never read the third one due to that failure), but I definitely remember enjoying it, and I gave it four stars on Goodreads.
Mystery Title: “The Body in the Garden” by Katharine Schellman
I read this one just this last spring, but it’s really stuck with me since as an exciting new beginning to a historical mystery series. Yes, yes, it’s the beginning of a series. But many mystery novels that I read are, but most can still be read individually, and this one definitely fits that bill with a solid beginning, middle, and end. Those who follow this blog know that I was pretty disappointed by the last Veronica Speedwell book to come out, so that made it all the more exciting to find a new lady sleuth. Lily Adler is a very different heroine than Veronica Speedwell. She’s a recent widow, for one things, which puts any romance plotline firmly on the backburner. She’s also a more quiet, introspective detective ala Sherlock Holmes than very flashy and bold. I really enjoyed the mystery itself, and she collects an interesting assortment of sidekicks along the way. One of whom is named Serena, so bonus!
Historical Fiction Title: “The Phantom Tree”
This is one of those historical fiction titles that definitely includes time travel, so it all borders on fantasy. But the historical fiction aspect of it is by far the predominant and other than the fact that time travel exists, it doesn’t stray much further into the realms of impossibility. The story follows Alison Bannister after she discovers a rare painting depicting a woman who is a historical mystery. But the woman in the painting, Jane Seymour, holds much closer ties to Alison than anyone would suspect, and in tracking down what happened to this woman, Alison begins to put together more puzzle pieces about her own life. The story features chapters from both Alison’s and Jane’s perspective, and the way the two’s story weaves together is both beautiful and tragic. It’s a lovey historical fiction title that is a great choice for a stand-alone read on a hot summer day.
Kate’s Picks
Horror Title: “Horrorstör” by Grady Hendrix
This was my first experience with Grady Hendrix, and right away I knew that it was going to be super wacky! The book is designed like an Ikea Catalog, which told me everything I needed to know about Hendrix as an author. And “Horrorstör” is a great introduction to Hendrix’s work if you haven’t picked it up already. At the Orsk Furniture store, strange things are happening. Items are being destroyed overnight and no one knows what is happening. Amy, who works there any hates her job, is offered six hundred dollars to stay over night along with a few other employees, to keep an eye on things. But instead of vandals, they find some pretty angry spirits are at play. It has its scares, but it’s also a fun hoot as only Hendrix can deliver!
Thriller Title: “Something in the Water” by Catherine Steadman
I couldn’t pass up the chance to pick a book that takes place on a literal beach! Though this one might make you think twice about searching for oceanic buried treasure… Erin and Mark are a married couple who go on a luxurious honeymoon in Bora Bora, hoping for romance and pampering. But after a tropical storm runs through, they find a mysterious bag in the ocean… and it’s filled with a lot of money. Seeing an opportunity, they decide to keep the money, as there are no markings as to who it belongs to. But an owner it does have, and that owner will do almost anything to get it back. This apropos setting and thrilling mystery will keep you on the edge of your seat!
Graphic Novel Title: “My Brother’s Husband” by Gengoroh Tagame
You want something sweet, and perhaps a little melancholy? A story about relationships between brothers, between lovers, between parents and children? A story with an adorable little girl and a delightful Canadian and a slightly neurotic single father? Then you definitely need to pick up “My Brother’s Husband” by Gengoroh Tagame! It follows the story of Yaichi, a single dad living in Tokyo, whose twin brother Ryoji has been out of touch with the rest of the family after being ostracized for being gay. When Mike Flanagan, a Canadian gay man, arrives on Yaichi’s doorstep to tell him that he is Ryoji’s widower, Yaichi’s world starts to change. You may need a tissue or two for this book, but it is lovely and adorable. I should note that it is manga and reads back to front and right to left, but it’s easy to get the hang of. And don’t let that stop you from reading this charming book.
Non-Fiction Title: “The Feather Thief” by Kirk Wallace Johnson
I figured that for my non-fiction selection I should stick to a topic that is super interesting and intriguing, but isn’t steeped in blood, gore, and violence. So instead we look to a true heist story! In 2009 an American citizen strolled into the Tring Museum outside of London, and stole a number of rare bird feather specimens because he wanted to turn them into fly ties for salmon fishing. He then basically faded into thin air. Years later Kirk Wallace Johnson heard about this story, and immediately wanted to know what happened next. So he did his own investigation into it, and what he found out was staggering and strange. So if you want a true crime story that isn’t going to upset you but will still totally take you to the criminal mindset, “The Feather Thief” may be a good choice to read on a hot summer day by the backyard kiddie pool.
What books are you hoping to read this summer? Let us know in the comments!
The Library Ladies 