Prologue
The first place I want to go when the stay-at-home orders are lifted is Assateague. This beach holds a special place in my heart and invokes a nostalgia and memory that warms me to the core. My family grew up vacationing many summers in Chincoteague, Assateague's southern district located in Virginia. Both beach districts have wild horses roaming the area and are a big tourist draw. We bought a cozy, little place in West Ocean City a little over a year ago, and Assateague is always our favorite place to enjoy the ocean.
Turning Pages
There are two different parks on Assateague Island, and each has different costs and different services.
Assateague Island National Seashore
The national park side is a little more basic in terms of facilities but also costs less if you're planning to visit for multiple days. They charge $25 per vehicle for a 7-day pass. They do not offer a daily rate. You can also purchase a yearly pass for $45. They have basic facilities at the beach including pit toilets and outdoor showers just for a quick rinse-off. You can bring pets on some parts of the beach, and we see lots of people taking advantage of this. They have camping facilities on this side as well, but we have never tried them out. We mainly use the national park beaches. There are two main parking areas. North Ocean Beach is the first one you come to after paying to enter. South Ocean Beach has a tiny parking lot and fills up pretty early in the morning during the summer months. Beyond that is the Over Sand Vehicle Zone which requires a permit.
Wild Horses
Assateague is best known for the wild horses that roam freely all over the island. It's rare that we drive to the beach and don't see them grazing by the sides of the road. They are often clumped in groups in the parking lots and will wander the beaches as well. I've seen them early in the morning before the sands get busy, but we've also seen them traipsing through throngs of beach goers in the middle of the day at the height of the summer season. There are signs everywhere cautioning people to keep a safe distance as they do bite and kick. They also will rummage through your belongings to find food. Coolers are allowed on the beach but they must be hard-sided containers that close tightly. The horses will try to bite through bags if they smell food. We've seen them sniff out a sandwich and banana from a closed beach bag and destroy it in seconds. The posted rules are for your safety and that of the horses as they can get sick from food and non-food items like plastic bags that aren't properly secured. The horses are lovely to watch and part of the charm of this beach sanctuary.
When I think of light, airy beach books, I think of Nicholas Sparks. Even though I'm not a huge fan, the books certainly do possess an air of reverence for the calming effect the ocean and those quaint coastal towns have on our psyche and souls.
 Every Breath by Nicholas SparksMy rating: 2 of 5 stars I don't know why I do this to myself. I read a lot of books with heavy, dark themes, and when I need something different and lighter, my first instinct is to look to Sparks. I rarely like his books, and yet I still read them for some unknown reason. I guess it's the predictability and the beach themes that suck me in. Set on a North Carolina beach, Hope Anderson laments her crappy boyfriend and longs for something different without knowing it yet. The part of the summary that caught my attention and is probably the reason why I decided to try Sparks again is the character, Tru Walls. Tru is a safari guide living in Zimbabwe who comes to Sunset Beach, North Carolina at the request of a man claiming to be his father. Tru's tumultuous childhood and back story is interesting but ultimately blends in with Hope's boring one and becomes a glob of gelatinous mush. The strangers meet, slowly reveal their lives to each other, and the love story bulldozes the rest of the book. The one part I really enjoyed is the Kindred Spirit mailbox. A random mailbox is posted up on a beach with a bench beside it. People write stories, letters, drawings, recipes, and whatever else is on their minds, leaving them signed or anonymous inside the box. It's a sweet idea and plays a big part in Hope and Tru's story. View all my reviews
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This is a young adult romance with a contemporary twist. There are tons of books out there with teenagers battling rare and complicated illness while falling in love with someone. This one is a little different so it's nice to see some plot changes within the genre.
 Sick Kids in Love by Hannah MoskowitzMy rating: 3 of 5 stars Based on the tons of glowing reviews for this book, mine is going to be highly unpopular. I like the simplicity of the title. I love how Isabel writes a column where she asks people questions but offers no advice. I like how the characters are two teens living with chronic illness. Isabel tries hard to repel her feelings for the gorgeous, funny, and completely loyal Sasha but ultimately grows to appreciate finding someone who can relate to the world of illness and chronic pain. I like the message that everyone's pain or problems are relevant no matter how big or small they may seem. They're important and life-altering for that person, and that's all that matters. I can see how high school kids would love this, but I just couldn't get into it. In fairness, I read a lot of YA and am fairly critical. It's not your typical YA romance fluff; there's substance to it. I just didn't really like Isabel, and she carries the story. She's terrible at letting people know her feelings, and it often makes her interact poorly with others. She gets upset when friends and family don't know how to respond to her battle with rheumatoid arthritis but doesn't try to explain what she needs or wants to anyone either. While it's certainly unfair she has to deal with this debilitating condition, it's also unfair that she has set expectations for how others should treat her but doesn't communicate those to the people that care about her. The romance is sweet and slow, a little weird, but lovely and realistic at the same time. I wanted to like this more. View all my reviews |
