Summer reading at the beach can be a breeze

Loading up the back of the car with towels, umbrellas, coolers,

pails, shovels, beach chairs and more? Don’t forget to slip in that

handy paperback of fun summer reading.

In fact, they are called “beach books” or “beach reads” in the

profession because they are lightweight, summer fare that can be read

without too much concentration and without an unabridged dictionary.

All the branches of the Newport Beach Public Library carry a big

stock of easy-to-pack-and-carry paperbacks. Not only are they

lightweight for your beach bag and your mind, if the little one

throws it in the ocean, you aren’t out a lot of money in fines.

A sampling of a few titles that we recommend for a breezy summer

read would have to include Jane Heller’s “Princess Charming.”

Heller’s books are outrageously funny murder mysteries and this one

is set on a cruise ship that’s the Love Boat gone bad. It’s perfect

to read while gazing at the ocean and watching the boats go by.

If you are looking for funny, don’t forget to catch up on the

latest by Carl Hiaasen. “Basket Case” is his latest paperback and a

fine example of the Miami reporter’s wacky sense of what makes people

tick. This one centers around the untimely death of former rocker

Jimmy Stoma -- of Jimmy and the Slut Puppies -- who was killed in a

Bermuda diving accident.

Like your comic thrillers with a little romance? There is Rachel

Gibson’s “Lola Carlyle Reveals All,” in which supermodel Lola winds

up adrift in the ocean when government agent Max Zamora hijacks her

boat to get away from the drug runners who have just beaten him up.

For the ultimate in historical romances, give award-winning

romance writers Christina Dodd and Connie Brockway a try with “Once

Upon a Pillow,” which tells the “history” of a valued antique bed in

four novellas.

Romance not your style? How about a terrific courtroom thriller

featuring upstanding lawyer Dismas Hardy? These authentically crafted

books by John Lescroart include “The Vig,” “Hard Evidence,” “A

Certain Justice,” and “Guilt,” among others. If you like your fiction

in the spy vein or were intrigued by “The Da Vinci Code,” try Daniel

Silva’s series featuring art restorer Gabriel Allon involved in

Middle East intrigue. “The Kill Artist” is a fine example.

Science fiction and fantasy are always good genres for a dreamy

summer day. If you haven’t read Philip Pullman’s modern classic

series His Dark Materials, including “The Golden Compass,” “The

Subtle Knife,” and “The Amber Spyglass,” you’ve missed one of the

most fascinating sets of compelling reading in our time. If your

taste runs to classic science fiction, try John Varley, Orson Scott

Card, Larry Niven, and Poul Anderson.

Just don’t forget that reading can be fun too. When you are having

fun at the beach, a juicy or hilarious paperback book is a good way

to while away the hours. So run into any branch of the library on

your way to the beach and grab a good read. Oh, and don’t forget the

sunscreen; you just might get caught up in a good story and forget to

watch the clock.

DID YOU KNOW?

All the branches of the Newport Beach Public Library are now

equipped with WiFi, wireless Internet access, for your laptop

computer.

* CHECK IT OUT is written by the staff of the Newport Beach Public

Library. This week’s column is by Sara Barnicle. All titles may be

reserved from home or office computers by accessing the catalog at

https://www.newportbeach

library.org. For more information on the Central Library or any of

the branch locations, please call the Newport Beach Public Library at

(949) 717-3800, Ext. 2.