Top Ten Books in My (Imaginary) Beach Bag

Today I’m linking up with The Broke and the Bookish’s Top Ten Tuesday again. This week’s subject is ten books that would be in my beach bag this summer. The only problem is that here in Australia it’s winter, so it’s a little cold to be sitting on the beach reading. Instead, I’ll curl up in front of the heater, wrapped in my furry blanket, and pretend I’m reading on the sand with the seagulls around me. Today’s list is split in half, containing five books I’d like to read, and five books I’d like to reread.

Five Books I Want to Read

1. Cinder

Marissa Meyer 

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I’ve mentioned this book several times in my recent posts, but this is one book I would definitely have in my beach bag. A sci-fi retelling of Cinderella? Yes please! I read Cress, the third book in the series, not long ago, but so far I haven’t yet found a copy of this one. It’s definitely high on my to-read list, especially after it’s been recommended to me by several people.

2. The Book Thief

Markus Zusak 

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I started reading this book a while ago, but I have to confess I didn’t finish it. It seems a very interesting book, set at the beginning of the Second World War and narrated by a very unusual character, Death. He always has some interesting comment to make about the events in the story, from what I’ve seen, and his insights keep the book from becoming too dark. I’ve never read a story where the narrator doesn’t actually interact with most of the events, so I’m looking forward to reading the rest of this book and finding out what happens next.

3. The Raven Boys

Maggie Stiefvater 

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This is a book I’ve been hunting for in the library for a while. I read the sequel The Dream Thieves a while ago, and I’ve been dying to read this one ever since. The main girl character has a unique name, Blue, and the boys are so much fun to read. They all have such distinct personalities. I finally managed to borrow it from the library, and I’m so looking forward to finding out where the story started. Hopefully The Dream Thieves will make a little more sense once I’ve read this book.

4. Frozen Footprints

Therese Heckenkamn

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I've read another book by this author before, Past Suspicion, which I really enjoyed. My mum bought this book for me a while ago, and I’m looking forward to getting around to reading it at last. I don’t know much about it, but if it’s anything like Past Suspicion, then it’s sure to be good. Also, isn’t the cover gorgeous?

5. Unhinged

A. G.  Howard 

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This book was highly recommended to me by my friend Cait, so I’ve been looking forward to reading very much indeed. Unhinged is the second book in a trilogy that retells the Alice in Wonderland story in a very unique way. Technically Splintered should be in this spot on the list, as it’s the first book in the series and I haven’t yet read that one. But I could only find Unhinged in the library, so this is the book I’m sliding into my imaginary beach bag this week.

Five Books I Want to Reread

1. Love Comes Softly

Janette Oke

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This book is a bit different for me. It’s a romance set in the days of covered wagons in America. I don’t normally read romances, but this one was good enough to hook me and get me interested in American historical novels. I really enjoyed it, and was most delighted when I found that there were movie adaptations of this book as well as the others in the series. I definitely want to reread this one.

2. I Capture the Castle

Dodie Smith

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It’s been a while since I read this book, so I’ve forgotten many of the details, but I do remember absolutely loving the characters and laughing at many of the descriptions. The narrator has such a strong voice that I feel like she’s really talking to me. It’s sitting up on my bookshelf just begging to be reread, so I shall have to dust it off and familiarise myself with the story again.

3. The Woman in White

Wilke Collins 

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Wilke Collins is a master of the period mystery novel, and I’ve loved every single one of his books I’ve read. It’s been a while since I read The Woman in White, but recently I’ve got this urge to go back and revisit this story. It’s my second favourite of his books, coming in second to The Moonstone. It’s been so long since I read this one though, that I think I need to refresh my memory of its mystery and masterful writing.

4. Pride and Prejudice

Jane Austen 

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As a dedicated Jane Austen fan, I am slightly embarrassed to admit that I’ve only read this book a couple of times and I haven’t read recently at all. In fact, I am currently more acquainted with the movies than I am with the book. Of course this will never do, and I am resolved to read this book again as soon as I can. Regency England is one of my favourite time periods, and Jane Austen brings it alive so well with her witty characters and elegant writing. Plus there are a hordes of quotable lines, and I do love a good quote.

5. North Child

Edith Pattou 

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North Child is a retelling of the fairy tale East of the Sun, West of the Moon. I’ve been reading quite a few rewritten fairy tales recently, and remembered reading this one a while ago. So I borrowed it from the library, and am now anticipating dipping into world of ice, snow and enchanted polar bears. I do love a good fairy tale and always appreciate a happy ending.

So there you have it, my top ten books that would be in my beach bag if it were summer. Have you read any of these books? If you were going to the beach, what books would you take with you? Any recommendations for other good books?