By: Emily Bevelhymer

As the anticipation builds for spring break, now is the perfect time to acquire beach reads. There are few things more enjoyable than sitting in the sun, listening to the ocean with a good book in hand. Here are some recommendations for the perfect book to read while soaking in the rays.

A Man Called Ove – The novel A Man Called Ove follows Ove who is an old curmudgeon who was recently fired from his job. The story narrates his day-to-day life as he follows his strict routine and faces disturbances from his new neighbors and a cat who lurks around his house. The book also tells the story of Ove’s past and how he met and fell in love with his wife.

The Book of Speculation – Simon Watson is a young librarian who lives in a family home on the coast of Long Island. Simon’s parents are dead and his sister travels. One day he receives an old book in the mail inscribed with the name Verona Bonn, who was Simon’s grandmother. Simon spends his day reading the diary of the woman and trying to discover more about his family and the mysteries surrounding them.

We Were Liars – We Were Liars is a mystery novel set on a private island where a family resides for the summer. The story is told is a told in vignettes and explores a group of four friends and a secret they have between them.

The Accidental Empress – The Accidental Empress tells the story of Sisi who is Duchess of Bavaria. Sisi goes to the Habsburg Court in Austria with her sister who is will marry the Emperor Franz Joseph. Franz Joseph decides to marry Sisi instead and the novel follows Sisi’s life as she navigates Habsburg court politics.

City of Darkness and Light – Molly is recently a mother and her husband Daniel a cop when a local gang makes a demonstration. Daniel sends Molly and their son to Paris to stay with friends until the mess is cleared. When Molly arrives in Paris, her friends are nowhere to be found and on her search to find them Molly stumbles upon a dead body.