This is my very first time participating in the Top Ten Tuesday! Are you excited for me? It’s ok, you don’t have to be. I’m excited enough for the both of us.
Since this is my first time there is a chance that I will commit some sort of book blogging faux pas.*
I don’t believe that beach reads necessarily have to be easily digestible books. I don’t think that reading a big fat classic while sand is getting into all of your crannies is great either. I’ve tried to pick some books in betwixt the two extremes.
Here are the books that I think would be a great addition to any beach bag:
Jaws by Peter Benchley – Because duh. I think it’s a test of our readerly mettle. If you can read this on the beach and still go in the water you are a true lit lover.
The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry – This book will be on every list of books I ever make EVER. It’s that good.
Lost Lake by Sarah Addison Allen – This takes place on a lake so it’s kinda a no-brainer.
Love Water Memory by Jennie Shortridge – Another easy pick…it’s a good book that starts out in water.
Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn – This backlist title hasn’t been shown nearly enough love. It’s absolutely perfect for word nerds.
*Such as choosing only 5 books for the Top Ten Tuesday. Ha!
Have a good one, ya’ll!
The Relentless Reader 
I'd be that odd person on the beach reading War & Peace. Heh. When people ask me for beach-read recommendations, I always think, \”As opposed to…?\”
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You may have only picked five but I've just added The Storied Life of A.J Fikry and Ella Minnow Pea to my wishlist so you've not done too badly :-p they sound amazing!
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They should title it \”up to 10 Top 10 Tuesday!\” I can usually only pick out 3.
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I totally agree with the rules for your list – I tend to hate the thought that books need to be soft and fluffy just because they're going in a beach bag.
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I'll definitely be reading A.J. Fikry this summer!
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I really want to read The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry! And Lost Lake also made my list this week ;)Great list! My TTT
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I love that you included Jaws. Perfect.And don't worry, I often do Top Tens with less than ten.
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I'm new to Top Ten, too. But I didn't manage one this week, because I can't get pass being grumpy that Missouri is a very long way from the beach. Joy's Book Blog
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Agreed, Ella Minnow Pea is great and does not get enough love. Oddly enough I did read Jaws at the beach then went swimming: jumping when something touched my leg and scanning the horizon for fins.
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I'm going to have to check out \”Ella Minnow Pea\”! I like the Top Ten Tuesday, but sometimes I need to take a break because I feel like my lists can get repetitive. The books I put on my list aren't fluff, but they are on the shorter side and the copies I have are paperbacks! Better than lugging around clunky hardcovers, especially when we might be lugging around my new baby niece at the beach this year 😉
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Love Water Memory is a great book! These are some great picks!
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Welcome to TTT! The beauty of TTT is that you don't have to commit to ten. You can do more than ten, less than ten…just shoot for ten 🙂 Also, your gif is a winner.My TTT
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Ha ha! Love that 😀 I've never subscribed to the idea that we're supposed to read fluff in the summer. I just don't get it.
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That's great to hear! I completely vouch for both of them…GREAT reads.
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LOL, maybe we need a new meme, Heidi 😉
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You and me both. I just read what I read and the season has very little to do with it. I might read something spooky in October because I want to tie it in with Halloween but I don't think we need to read complete brain candy just because it's warm out 😉
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Hooray! I'm sure you'll adore it 😀
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Great list!!! Although, I'm not sure I'd be comfortable reading Jaws on the shore? Especially a shore where I HAVE SEEN SHARKS??? LOL I forgot Lost Lake. I may have to add that to my bag, if I don't read it by the time we go to the beach.
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Wonderful, I sure hope that you do read Fikry, it's bookishly wonderful!
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AJ Fikry! Prime choice!
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I think a summer readalong of Jaws would be kinda brilliant…hmmmm.Thanks! I'm glad I'm not the only one!
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We have zillions of lakes around here 😉 I'm sure it's quite different from the oceanic beach but still.
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Another Ella Minnow Pea lover, I'm so glad!I totally have the Jaws theme music in my head now 😉 Dun Dun Dun Dun Dun!
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I was looking ahead at TTT themes. Some of them look like they'll be fun and some look like a lot of work, lol. A new baby niece! Oh, fun! I love being an aunt so much 😀 Congrats!
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Thanks 😀 I was a fan of that one and I think the watery theme really fits in here.
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I love that we can do whatever the heck we want, lol. Thanks!!
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I read Jaws last summer. It was a great read but one of the story lines was very different from the movie and I actually prefer the direction the movie went instead. A first!BTW, I saw your post on FB about the accident. Are you okay? How are you doing?
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I don't live anywhere near the ocean so Jaws isn't quite as dangerous to read, lol. The only thing that touches me in the lake might be a weed, ha! Those gross me out.
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Right? Right! I'm on a mission to make everyone in the world read that book 😀
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Wow, that's a very rare happening! I should read the book and watch the movie in quick succession to see what I notice. It's been a long time since I've done either. I'm good! Very sore, but it could have been so much worse. Thanks for asking! 😀
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Bahahaha! Love your faux pas and the GIF. AJ Fikry is the perfect summer beach read…even if you don't end up going to the beach. Hope you're feeling better!
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Think of it this way…you are giving people extra time to read more Top Ten Tuesday posts than they might have if you listed ten books. :)I'm going to go look up Ella Minnow Pea. Thanks for the recommendation!
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Welcome to TTT! I have to read Jaws one day. Great list!
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I do like the idea of reading Jaws at the beach, good luck with that 😛
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Oh gosh, I do not thing I could do Jaws on the beach! My sister is terrified of sharks, so I think she would also hate it!
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You always have the best gifs! I saw the HP one at work and laughed so hard my coworker came to check on me… Three out of your five are on my TBR pile… None of those are JAWS. Because I don't need more nightmares!
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Great list! I also don't get the lighter read things for summer though I have gotten somewhat seasonal. I like lighter reads during winter because my job is insane crazy stressful during that time and winter's in Iowa are brutal. I crave the escape. Summer seems like the time of year I have the brain power to tackle some heavier reads.
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You and your gifs! They crack me up! I will never forget reading The Road on the beach. Talk about TOTAL opposite experiences – nuclear winter versus the heat of the sun. And I won't mention the cannibals. I agree that summer reads should not be just lighter fare. I think we should challenge our minds as we work on our tans. 😀
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I'm with you, a summer or beach read doesn't have to be light. Personally I don't get out in the sun or beach much, and I live in FL!! I'm too old and get too hot..ha ha. Great choices, lots of variety! Your GIF!! too funny!!!
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I'm totally with you — just because I'm at a beach doesn't mean I want to read fluff, but I also don't want to tote around Anna Karenina. Gone Girl was my lake read a few years ago, and it fit the bill perfectly!
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Love Water Memory! I almost added that one to my post of to-reads this summer. (And you absolutely have committed no faux pas! Faux pases? See now I have.)
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Thank you 😉 I'm full of faux pas, believe you me! Ha!
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Hey, that's a good way to look at it! 😀 Awesome! It's such a good read, I hope you find it!
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Thanks! I've been eyeing this meme up since I started blogging and I finally decided to go for it 😀
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Beach reads a label that I use for purely fluffy reading, because I hate the sun, and I hate the beach even more. (Probably because I grew up in Florida) 🙂 Ironically Jaws was on my list as well. 🙂
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Ugh, I have had Ella Minnow Pea on my tbr FOREVEH. Someday…
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It's fun when you can recall WHEN and WHERE you read some books, yes? I seem to have forever linked mowing with Stephen King audios…
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It's kinda perfect for beach reading. I'm itching to do just that!
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Muahahaha! I have no feeling towards sharks, but that's probably because I've never been in an ocean 😉
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Ha ha ha! Hooray for interrupting the work day for a good laugh!
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