Summer is right around the corner, bringing with it warmer days and the opportunity to head to the beach with a good book. Whether it is a romance, thriller, or comedy, a beach read can allow one to take a break from reality and enjoy the calming lull of the ocean waves. 

Reader’s Digest, a popular literary magazine, released a list of top beach reads for 2022. Included in these are Tita Rosie’s Kitchen by Mia P. Manansala, The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave, and Tell Me How to Be by Neel Patel. 

Tita Rosie’s Kitchen is a mystery series that consists of three novels. In the small town of Shady Palms, Illinois, Lila Macapagal and her relatives run Tita Rosie’s Kitchen, serving delicious Filipino delicacies while simultaneously solving crimes on the side, according to Penguin Random House (www.penguinrandomhouse.com). 

A Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick, The Last Thing He Told Me, depicts Hannah Hall, a desperate woman searching for her missing husband, Owen Michaels. Before his disappearance, Michaels smuggles a note to his wife, ensuring she protects his daughter. As the investigation proceeds, information Hall was never aware of comes to the surface. 

Tell Me How to Be takes place in Los Angeles and follows Akash Amin as he is shamed for liking men, excessive drinking, and not living up to the legacy of his brother. When Amin is informed that his mother is selling the family home, he must return to his hometown to confront his demons and the painful memories of the past. 

While these novels are highly rated and esteemed, it is important to hear high school students’ input on their favorite beach reads. Sophomore Dea Pulatani’s favorite place to read is the beach. “I enjoy reading in a place that has a calming atmosphere, and being in front of the ocean is definitely a contributing factor,” she explained. She thinks reading outside of school, especially during the summer, is important because it can expand one’s vocabulary. Her top-three beach reads are It Starts with us by Colleen Hoover, American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins, and the Harry Potter series by JK Rowling. “These are my favorite[s] because all the plots are interesting, and I was not able to put these books down,” Pulatani said. 

Sophomore Ava Palazzola’s top-three beach reads are Wonder by R.J. Palacio, It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover, and Smile by Raina Telgemeier. “These are my favorite[s] because they are all entertaining books that I am able to enjoy while relaxing,” she said. She feels that keeping up with reading during the summer is crucial because it helps one prepare for the school year ahead. She prefers to read at the beach because it is a relaxing activity to focus on while lying on the sand.

Sophomore Eliza Fucci also feels that it is important for her to keep up with summer reading because it gives her something to do when she is bored instead of turning to her phone for entertainment. Her top-three beach reads are The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han, One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus, and The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins. “Each one of these books is not only entertaining but easy to read,” she said. 

Bringing a good book to the beach can be a good way to relax and make productive use of the summer. Not only can this activity lower a reader’s stress levels, but it can also improve one’s mental prowess. So, enjoy your summer, and be sure to bring a book with you during your next beach visit!