Best 'beach' reads for Spring

March 17, 10:07 AMSeattle Books ExaminerDanielle Dreger-Babbitt

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If you happen to be lucky enough to be sitting by a pool or on a beach someplace tropical, I raise my imaginary mai tai to you (though I can't complain since I was in Maui during this last bout of snow).  If you're planning on heading someplace sunny and are need of some beach reads, you're in luck.  I have compiled a list of the best beach reads for Spring.  Even if you won't be traveling to a tropical locale, you can still grab your library card or head to your favorite bookstore and pick up one of these hot reads.

Seattle Book Examiner's Best Beach reads for Spring

The Spellman Rules, Curse of the Spellmans, Revenge of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz- I can't sing enough praises for this mystery series.  I absolutely love these books.  Make sure you pack all three books, but be warned- you may find yourself so engrossed with them that you wind up with a massive sunburn.

You Must Be This Happy to Enter by Elizabeth Crane- This book of short stories is the perfect poolside read (or perfect for commuting on the bus or before bed).  For my reasons why check out my review.

Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella- The movie might have been a bust, but this is still the perfect beach read.  Becky Bloomwood and her shopping antics are as light and frothy (and tasty) as a tropical drink with an umbrella in it.  

Handle with Care: A Novel by Jodi Picoult- Picoult really can do no wrong.  She has written another engrossing family drama with her trademark blend of medicine, law and love. Charlotte and Sean O'Keefe's daughter, Willow, was born with brittle bone disease, a condition that requires Charlotte to act as full-time caregiver and has strained their emotional and financial limits.  delivers another engrossing family drama, spiced with her trademark blend of medicine, law and love. Charlotte and Sean O'Keefe's daughter, Willow, was born with brittle bone disease, a condition that requires Charlotte to act as full-time caregiver and has strained their emotional and financial limits.

Dork Wh*re:  My Travels Through Asia as a Twenty Year-Old  Pseudo Virgin  by Iris Bahr- You didn't think I was going to let you off without some nonfiction, did you?  This hilarious memoir by the critically acclaimed actor and writer Iris Bahr (who is probably best known for her recurring stint on Curb your Enthusiasm, and Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector ) is unlike any travel log you'll read.  Iris is unlike the average traveler, she has more in mind than just seeing the sights: she is on a desperate mission to lose her virginity.  If you like Chelsea handler, you'll love this.

When March Went Mad:  The Game that Transformed Basketball by Seth Davis-  If you happen to be a fan of basketball or just addicted to march Madness, this is the book for you.  Thirty years ago, college basketball was not the same sport it is today.  Into this world came two exceptional players: Earvin "Magic" Johnson and Larry Bird. Though they played each other only once, in the 1979 NCAA finals, that meeting launched an epic rivalry and  transformed the NCAA tournament into the multibillion-dollar event it is today.

My Booky Wook: A Memoir of Sex, Drugs, and Stand-Up by Russell Brand- If you loved Brand in Forgetting Sarah Marshall you'll love his memoir.  He learned early on to make a joke of fear and failure. From a troubled childhood in industrial Essex, England, to his descent into addictions to alcohol, drugs, and sex in the seamy underbelly of London, Brand has seen his share of both and miraculously lived to tell the tale.

No Angel:  My Harrowing Undercover Journey to the Inner Circle of Hells Angels by Jay Dobyns Nils Johnson-Shelton- In this honest memoir ATF agent Dobyns infiltrates a chapter of the Hells Angels to show that, aside from much of the romance surrounding the group, it is indeed a violent gang. His investigations lead him through a fascinating cast of crystal meth-heads, gun runners and frauds. Dobyns and co-writer Johnson-Shelton tell a griping story that doesn't gloss over any aspect of the toll his undercover job took on his life.