A little over a week ago, I returned from a vacation in the Outer Banks, North Carolina. For those of you who are unfamiliar with that area, it consists of several beautiful beaches.

I am a beach person. I absolutely love to spread out a blanket and towel, slather myself with sunblock, set up a beach chair, and…READ.

I love to read on the beach, especially a good novel. Granted, I rarely, if ever, read an entire book while on a vacation. However, I cannot be on the beach without a good book. While in the Outer Banks, I read Freeing Yourself from Emotional Dependency by Sara Leone. This is a self-help book, not a novel; however, I find it to be an excellent read.

Some books which I have devoured on the beach include Carrie and Christine, both by Stephen King, High Five by Janet Evanovich, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling, and The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins.

The beach, although wonderfully calming and peaceful, can become somewhat boring without a good book. Sure, I like to listen to the sound of the waves and lie down and fall asleep on the beach, but sooner or later, all of that gets old. When I read a book on the beach, it feels as if the characters are joining me on the beach while having their escapades. There goes Stephanie Plum, chasing her latest criminal while the seagulls fly and shriek overhead. There’s Christine, the Plymouth Fury, speeding through the streets of Ocean City, Maryland. There’s Gryffindor Tower standing in the sand next to my hotel.

When not too crowded, the beach provides just the right about of sound for recreational reading.* The sound of the waves provides a soothing background. When a reading environment is starkly quiet, things can become creepy.

*I mean recreational reading only. Academic or critical reading should be done in a completely quiet surrounding area.

If you are a “beach bum” like me, do you read on the beach? If so, what kind of material?