After two long semesters of reading textbooks, you're probably itching to read something a little less dull. Now that summer is here and you have some free time on your hands, you're able to read whatever you like. If you live near the beach, you know there's nothing better than spending a day in the sun with a good book. If you're struggling to find a few good reads to keep you entertained in the sun and sand these next few months look no further. From romance to history, and fiction to friendship, here are some suggestions to take to the beach for the book worm in all of us.

"Everyone Brave Is Forgiven" by Chris Cleave

Hot off the presses, this newly published novel about love and war will leave any history buff/romantic satisfied. A story about a young girl who leaves home determined to help the war effort in war torn England during WWII, despite her family's disapproval. The main characters bravery is inspiring, and her struggle with a love triangle between two best friends leaves the reader rooting for her perseverance through the hardships of love and war. Bring this book to the beach and you won't be able to put it down!

"The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper" by Phaedra Patrick

This might be the cutest version of Up ever. Arthur Pepper, a widower, is stuck in a rut leaving him feeling alone and hopeless. His daily routine like clockwork, he finally musters the courage to clean out his late wife Miriam's belongings, only to find a bracelet riddled with secrets from her past life. Arthur embarks on a world adventure to discover what made Miriam who she was, while slowly letting go of his suffocating grief and accepting a new understanding of life.

"Before The Fall" by Noah Hawley

If you love survival stories, this book is for you. Ten wealthy, privileged vacationers along with a painter board a flight from Martha's Vineyard to New York. Suddenly tragedy strikes and the plane crashes into the Atlantic Ocean. The survivors include the painter and a four-year-old boy, the only survivor of an incredibly powerful family. The stories of the deceased along with the struggle to survive combined with the aftermath of the crash makes for an edge of your seat read.

"Gone Girl" by Gillian Flynn

Even if you've already seen the critically acclaimed film, read this novel. Rated as thriller of the year in 2012, The New York Times Best Seller is a suspenseful mystery that will leave you anxiously turning the pages. Nick Dunne's wife, Amy, has disappeared into thin air and the troubling aspects of their marriage come to light during her disappearance. Made up of both Nick and Amy's journals of past and present, the pieces slowly come together to tell the tale of their abductive, toxic marriage.

"Girls In White Dresses" by Jennifer Close

A lighter beach read for the confused young adult in all of us. A story of three young women in their 20s surrounded by the world of weddings, having none of their own. The friends struggle with the task of navigating their own lives as they attend countless weddings, feeling like they are lost. Tag along on the journey these young adults try and find themselves in a world where everyone else already has.

Pack up your beach bag and find a spot in the sand, unfold your chair and enjoy! Happy reading!