I haven’t written about books in awhile. In large part because I’ve been too busy reading them. I’m determined to hit my goal of at least 52 this year. I won’t bore you (or me) with reviews of all of these. But here are my Top Five Favorites for your beach reading this season:

How to Stop Time: I loved this book. It’s imaginative and fantastical, but feels so real and possible. It’s a fun perspective on history with a wonderful love story mixed in. It might be my favorite read so far this year.

The Child Finder: I picked this one up at the famous Powell’s bookstore in Portland. It was a staff rec, which makes sense because this book gives one of the best descriptions of the wildness of the Pacific Northwest that I’ve ever read. It’s a poignant and mysterious page turner.

Everybody Always: I want to be Bob Goff’s best friend. This book is a light hearted and entertaining life manual for people who want to live a life that reflects Christ. It’s full of sweet stories—I cried at least half a dozen times. And its premise—love everybody always—feels so timely in America today.

Luckiest Girl Alive: This was a really interesting book to me for a reason I can’t share without giving away one of its biggest plot twists. Let’s just say that it’s also timely. And disturbing in a way that gets in your brain and stays there. It’s an fast read—un-put-downable, as book reviewers say.

The Great Alone: At times, this book gets cheesy. Let’s just get that out of the way. Now, that aside, this is a great read. It’s a fascinating look at Alaska as one of the world’s last frontiers, an interesting glimpse at American life in the 1970s, a story of the love between mother and daughter, and ultimately a love story.

Honorable Mention Beach Read

Something In the Water: It wasn’t one of my favorite five, but if I was going to pick the best beach read, this would be it. It’s the perfect mix of gratuitous descriptions of luxury, fun mystery we all kind of wish would happen to us, and semi-predictable plot twists. Pair this easy read with a fruity drink and a view of the ocean.