When you go to the beach, do you usually throw a book in your beach bag? Many people are all for grabbing a book to read under the umbrella at the beach. But many others advocate that the beach is not the place to read. Either way, I think that some books are just not made to be read at the beach. From either reminding you of all the unknowns out in the deep waters by your feet, to being a book so good you forget to reapply sunscreen and the rest of your time is spent suffering from third degree burns.
Below I have found 5 books that you should definitely not read at the beach, but rather somewhere cozy and far away from deep waters. This way you can devote the next few days to them and take a small break before you pick up the next one in the series. Hopefully this summer you find reads that are captivating and not full of sand.
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Do not read:
5. Jaws by Peter Benchly
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The book that inspired a movie and many sequels that in turn scared thousands of people, Jaws is an older book but has a history of being scary. While today when we all know about it, the book may loose its spookiness, it won’t however, the creepy feeling it instills in you as you read it and watch your friends or family members play in the ocean just a few feet away.
After a body of a woman is found washed up on the shore, investigators soon realize she was attacked by a shark. While the police believe the beach should be shut down pending a further investigation, the mayor and the tourism board refuse. Worried about ruining the upcoming tourist season, the beaches remain open. But when more and more people show up being looky-loos for this shark, the investigators have no choice but to hire a shark hunter. From then on it only gets more haunting out on the open ocean with just 3 men pursuing one of the largest and most vengeful sharks ever to be seen.
4. Beware of Pity by Stefan Zweig
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While not set on the shores of a beach, this book is full of second hand embarrassment and some darker themes. It is a good read, but a bit cringy, this subject is not a light-hearted read one generally wants when relaxing on the beach.
This is the story of a man who lets his guilt rule his life. Our main character is a Calvary officer and he gets invited to the party of a local land owner. With money, food, and wealth everywhere this place is in stark contrast to his life in the barracks. He then decides to when the landowner’s daughter to dance, only to find out she is handicapped and this is only the start of his ridden mistakes with this woman. As he continues to add insult to injury his guilt also increases and his embarrassment over his love for her only worsens. His actions lead us to see how his selfishness causes the suffering of everyone around him.
3. The Shape of Night by Tess Gerritsen
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For some this book will be a perfectly good choice to read at the beach, but it is not considered a beach read because it is not light and airy, full of easy to read plots that don’t require you to focus and use your brain. It follows a woman who is running from her past. When her flee sees her end up in Maine, she ends up in the middle of a string of unsolved murders.
She is living in an old house that is quiet and seemingly peaceful. Then she starts to hear rumors and strange noises. She digs into the history of the house and keeps finding bits of information but much only leads to the realisation that a mystery surrounds the house. She then finds out about many murders and that the last tenant had just disappeared…
2. Moby Dick by Herman Melville
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Even though this book is a classic, it is a book you may want to read on drier ground. Full of heavy themes such as your social status, good versus evil, and the ever present debate of the existence of god. The story follows a sailor on a whaling boat trying to catch a whale that has proven impossible to catch. Full of grizzly details and facts on whale hunting and gathering whale oil, the book outlines the life of a sailor in that time. As we learn the sea is full of dangerous animals that also hunt, and feed off of the dead whales these sailors manage to catch.
1. The Black Tides of Heaven by Neon Yang
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Two twin children were sold at birth. Both have gifts that develop as they grow older. At the same time, a rebellion is brewing and many fight to keep the world from moving on. One twin wants to fight and be free while the other is holding onto the world as it is known. Is there a way to fight for what you believe in without shattering the bond the two twins have? Will family still be there for you no matter where you go? These are some of the questions the book addresses.
This book is another one that has more involved plot details and has myology woven throughout its entire length. Exceedingly addictive it and requires one’s full attention — reading this book will not leave you relaxed or lull you into sleep in the sun. You will be on your toes waiting to see what develops.
Now you know what to avoid packing on your next beach trip. However, that does not mean these books are not worth reading quite the opposite, save them when for cooler temperatures, and happy reading!
