The beach is possibly my favorite place in the world to read. Crashing waves, bright sun, and the smell of sunscreen and sea air make the beach ideal for some pleasure reading.

If you’re going to the beach (or the pool!) this summer, make sure to pack these five great reads in your bag:

1. Bossypants by Tina Fey

Tina Fey is just as hilarious on the page as she is on screen and very insightful as well. It was fun to learn about her life and her early career. Bossypants is a quick read that shouldn’t span much more than a day or two at the beach.

2. The Fold by Peter Clines

I read this book in a single day while waiting for the cable guy (they said he’d be there within a four-hour window). It’ll keep you glued to the pages—it’s a thrilling, fun read. You could also check out his earlier novel, 14, which is another single-day read. Just watch out for sunburn—you won’t want to stop reading to reapply your sunscreen!

3. The Sparrow Sisters by Ellen Herrick

This is a beautiful debut novel about the three Sparrow sisters, who own a flourishing nursery in the idyllic New England town of Granite Point. When one of the sisters, who makes herbal remedies for the townspeople, is implicated in the death of a local child, the town itself seems to wither as a modern-day witchhunt looms. I wouldn’t call this a “beach” read necessarily, at least in the sense of light and fluffy, but the crashing waves and sea air will only enhance the beautiful descriptions of the New England setting.

4. The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides

Dutiful English major Madeleine, while writing her senior thesis on the “marriage plot” that lies at the heart of many classic English novels, finds herself at the heart of a love triangle between two very different men: the enigmatic loner from one of her classes and her childhood friend. I’m not usually one for books that can be summarized with “love triangle” but don’t let that put you off—it’s a really interesting character study and Eugenides writes lovely prose. I actually read this on my honeymoon (which, yes, took place at the beach)!

5. Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened by Allie Brosh

Allie writes the amazing blog Hyperbole and a Half, and the book is composed of autobiographical stories—some that are published online and some that aren’t. Accompanying the stories are MS Paint drawings that are both hilariously terrible and somehow perfect. This is another one that will be a quick read because it’s mostly pictures, but it’ll make you laugh out loud.

What are your favorite beach reads? Share them in the comments!