Chapter 30 - Beach Music

So today is my birthday and I plan to spend it doing something I love...reading at the beach. You might ask, "Well don't you do that a lot?" and the answer would be no. When you live at the beach, aside from walking in the morning, I have found that you generally have no time for reading at the beach. I am so busy with doing things for the store, for the blog, for social media, and for the house that I rarely get a chance to just sit and read at the beach.

I have lots of book on my TBR (to be read) pile. Some are advanced reader copies of books coming out in August, September, and later. Others are just books I have pulled off bookstore shelves (including ours) that look just spectacular or have been recommended by friends, other bloggers, or customers.

So while I am not sure which one will be the day's read, I can guarantee you that today (unless it rains) will be a toes in the sand, book in my hand type of day.

Here is my possible list -

Love and Ruin by Paula McLain - This is a book about Martha Gellhorn, Ernest Hemingway's third wife. Already acclaimed by her treatment of Hadley Richardson Hemingway in The Paris Wife, McLain has a wonderful way of bringing characters to life. Gellhorn was a wellknown journalist when she married Hemingway with probably more journalistic talent than he had. I can't imagine this will be anything but a good read.

I Was Anastasia by Ariel Lawhon - Since the Romanovs were killed by firing squad in July, 1918 and two of the family were seemingly unaccounted for, people have been claiming to be them. This novel tells the story of Anna Anderson, a woman who claimed for years to be Anastasia Romanov. As it is the 100th anniversary of the murders this year, this just might be the story I read today.

Slightly South of Simple by Kristy Woodson Harvey - If you are a frequent reader of this blog you know that I discovered this North Carolina author in New Bern, NC. This is one of her books I haven't read and might be a great one for the beach today.

The Ninth Hour by Alice McDermott - I received a copy of this book for an online book club I belong to. It is about a young Irish immigrant who is fired from his job and decides to commit suicide. The fallout from this event will impact many, especially his pregnant wife. It looks like a quick read so this might be the ticket.

The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin - While I have already read this and talked about it in my Savannah Book Festival blog I am facilitating our Myrtle Beach Book Club discussion in August so I need to reread it, draft questions, and do a little research to share with my book club friends.

Oh, by the way, today is National Paperback Day so go forth and enjoy!

What is on your TBR pile? To order these or other books go to www.bookendsonline.com.