Top Ten Tuesday: Great Beach Reads (Dessen Edition) and Books I Plan to Have in My Beach Bag This Summer

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Hi! So I took a break from posting Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly bookish meme by The Broke and the Bookish, for the past month but I’m back because I couldn’t pass up talking about this week’s feature: “Ten Books I Think Make Great Beach Reads or Ten Books I Plan to Have in My Beach Bag This Summer.”

I’ve been in a Sarah Dessen mood ever since reading Saint Anything the beginning of this month so I thought I’d make a mini-list of Great Beach Reads, Sarah Dessen style. I also included 10 Books I Plan to Have in My Beach Bag This Summer (basically, a peek of my summer TBR).

Okay, let’s do this!

5 Great Beach Reads (Sarah Dessen Edition)

IMG_2842As you guys know, I’m a huge Sarah Dessen fan and I think her books would make perfect summer reads.

My favorite is, obviously, The Truth About Forever but Just Listen and This Lullaby both come as close favorites. Along For the Ride and Saint Anything didn’t make me as awestruck with the story but they both still showcased Dessen’s beautiful and lyrical writing and proved that they were enjoyable when I read them.

As for the other titles, it’s been at least 5+ years since I’ve read them so I can’t exactly recommend them since I can’t remember. And I still haven’t read Dreamland or The Moon and More yet.

10 Books I Plan to Have in My Beach Bag This Summer

So most of the books on my summer TBR are pretty much fun, light contemporary reads. There’s even some humor in the adult ones.

I made this week’s list much shorter and less detailed than I normally do with T10T posts mainly because I feel like I overwrite and sound repetitive in my older ones. So I’m working on being more pithy and concise. I hope you guys don’t mind this new format!

And what do you guys plan to read this summer? I’d love to know! 😀

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69 thoughts on “Top Ten Tuesday: Great Beach Reads (Dessen Edition) and Books I Plan to Have in My Beach Bag This Summer”

  2. Beth Whatley says:
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    Your list looks amazing! I always struggled with Sarah Dessen when I was a teenager, but I’m hoping to try Saint Anything this summer. And Where’d You Go Bernadette needs to go on my list too! I hope you enjoy Fangirl and Eleanor and Park – THEY ARE MY FAVOURITE BOOKS and I love them. I hope you do too!
    Beth x
    http://www.thequietpeople.com

    Liked by 1 person

    • Summer @ Xingsings says:
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      I have to admit that Sarah Dessen books can be a hit or miss for some readers, but I hope you enjoy Saint Anything! And thanks, I have really high expectations for Rainbow Rowell after reading so many fantastic reviews. Hopefully I won’t be disappointed when I get to them! Thank you for reading and visiting, Beth! ^.^

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  5. Analee @ Book Snacks says:
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    These all seem like great books! I haven’t read much of Sarah Dessen’s books yet, but of the books I have read, I definitely agree; they’re perfect beach reads! Fangirl and Eleanor and Park are amazing books (Fangirl is better, in my opinion) and I hope you enjoy them! ❤

    Liked by 1 person

        • Summer @ Xingsings says:
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          I actually haven’t read it yet but I wasn’t a fan of Jenny Han’s Summer series when I first read them (therefore why I’m going to try to reread that trilogy before I try that one). I have heard great things about TAtBILB even from readers that didn’t like the Summer trilogy though, hopefully we’ll both like it! 🙂

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  11. Precious @ Clockwork Desires says:
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    I keep hearing about how amazing Sarah Dessen’s books are, and she’s obviously written a lot of books, so which one would you recommend me to try first?

    Liked by 1 person

    • Summer @ Xingsings says:
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      Some people go with the “I’ll read the worst book first” tactic just to build up the anticipation, but I’d definitely say go for either The Truth About Forever (my personal absolute favorite) or Just Listen (my second favorite but Dessen’s more popular one). I have to add that Sarah Dessen can be a hit or miss, it really all depends if you can connect to the narrator and she has plenty of different (but yet still similar) ones. I hope you enjoy them! 😀

      Liked by 1 person

    • Summer @ Xingsings says:
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      Sarah Dessen’s writing is pretty amazing in my opinion, it’s a simple and effortless style but one that grabs at your heartstrings at moments for the brutal honestly. I hope you enjoy them when you do give them a chance! ^.^

      Liked by 1 person

  14. Anjie @ Love thy Shelf says:
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    Wow, that’s a lot of Sarah Dessen books! I haven’t read a book from her but I have This Lullaby and The Moon and More. I loved the Summer trilogy and it also made my list! I hope you enjoy your books! I really liked Fangirl and If I Stay! Here’s my TTT if you’d like to stop by!

    Liked by 1 person

  15. Wesaun @ Oreos and Books says:
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    I like your list. Fangirl was a personal favorite of mine last summer. 🙂 I’d reccomemd Liars Inc by Paula Stokes. It’s a YA murder mystery and it takes place around California and the beach, so.

    Liked by 1 person

  17. Trisha Ann says:
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    Those are awesome picks! I always admire how your books seem to always be in order and good shape 😀 Rainbow Rowell books are truly perfect summer reads. Hope you’ll enjoy it 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  19. thebookmarkplace says:
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    Great post – We reviewed a couple of these books, too, so we have similar taste :). Also, your Sarah Dessen books are all in WAY better shape than mine.

    In terms of “adult books” – I would add Gone Girl and The Rosie Project, if you haven’t tried those yet!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Summer @ Xingsings says:
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      Thank you! I tend to read reviews of books I haven’t read than ones that I have, I’ll definitely have to check those out later today!
      And haha, I’m assuming this is Anisha? Well I’m not sure how my Sarah Dessen books have survived the years and many rereads but they did! And I have read Gone Girl but didn’t like it. I’m not a fan of psychological thrillers though. And I actually purchased The Rosie Project last week. I love Big Bang Theory, and from the premise Don totally reminds me of Sheldon. I can’t wait to read it! ^.^

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  21. The A Blog says:
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    Hi Summer! Lovely post 🙂 I need to read Sara Dessen’s books! You seem really into them and it looks like I should give them a try. It’s good to read light in summer, it’s part of your vacation! Looking forward to reading your reviews xx

    Liked by 1 person

    • Summer @ Xingsings says:
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      Thanks, Assia! Exactly, summer reading is always so fun, especially since the weather is nice and that means outdoor reading can happen. I hope you get to some Dessen titles, that way we can talk about them! Thanks, I always look forward to reading your posts (and looking at the pretty photos) too! ^.^

      Liked by 1 person

      • The A Blog says:
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        Thanks, me too! If you like British humour, Sophie Kinsella’s Shopaholic series is such a great summer read! They’re about a girl called Becky Blomwood who is obsessed with shopping and her daily life. ❤

        Liked by 1 person

        • Summer @ Xingsings says:
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          Oh! I actually have heard of her and her books. I think I’ve seen the movie called Confessions of Shopaholic. Chick flicks is one of my favorite genres to read in the summer. Thanks for reminding me, I’ll have to see if they have that in my local library. 🙂

          Liked by 1 person

  22. Thomas says:
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    Love the Sarah Dessen appreciation in this post, Summer! I also perceive a fun, humorous, and romantic theme amidst the books you have included here – curious to read what you think of Where’d You Go, Bernadette, because I have seen that book around for so long without really taking the time to give it a good look. As for my reads, I just want to read a diverse set of YA fiction/adult fiction/nonfiction centered on issues I care about (mental health/mental illness/psychology for the most part). I have not read almost any YA fantasy/sci-fi this year so I might delve into tha tsome. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    • Summer @ Xingsings says:
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      Thanks, Thomas! ^.^ Exactly, these light, easy reads are ones I tend to gravitate towards when the weather is warmer.
      A lot of my non-bookworm friends have read Where’d You Go, Bernadette and loved it, so I’m pretty excited to read that one. (Though according to my goodreads, you know how terribly slow and sporadic my reading can be.)
      As for YA fantasy/sci-fi, I have to admit that’s my standard and favorite genre. Sarah J. Maas books seem to be receiving a lot of attention so I’m particularly excited for A Court of Throne and Roses, just because it’s a Beauty and the Beast retelling.

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