Thursday, July 7, 2011

summer reads

I was talking to a friend the other day and
we were talking about what we were reading this summer.
I enjoy mysteries, historical fiction, biographies,
thrillers (if they are not too scary), and a little
romance can be nice but not too sappy please...
I don't need the sap.
And I said, "It's so hard to find good books."
And by good books, I mean books without language
that leaves one shocked and thinking,
"I didn't know you could put those words together to mean that!"
or sordid love scenes that make me want to wash my brain
or brutality that sears the mind with violent images,
or story lines that are so depressing that I want to go drown my sorrows in
a vat of chocolate.
Okay, I would just like a vat of chocolate anyway, books or no books.
But I do love me some good fiction.
I want to read books that inspire me, make me think,
make me laugh, make me cry
(not in a hopeless depressing way but in a "I love this story" kind of way)
and in short, offer a chance to escape into someone else's story.
And so here are 10 of my summer picks that meet (pretty much) the
"this is a good book" guideline.
1. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley
2. Murphy's Law by Rhys Bowen
3. The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
4. The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith
5. Christie by Catherine Marshall
6. Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear
7. A Trail of Ink by Melvin Starr
8. River Secrets by Shannon Hale
9. Here Lies the Librarian by Richard Peck
10. Home to Holly Springs by Jan Karon
So my question is, do you have any good reads for me this summer?
I would be forever in your debt.
Oh, and I'll take a vat of chocolate if you have that on hand, too.

6 comments:

DeniseO said...

I enjoyed "Half Broke Horses" by Jeannette Walls.

Debbie Lovette said...

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Simona said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Simona said...

I've been reading the Acts of Faith Series by Janette Oke and Davis Bunn.

Sheila said...

Thanks for the list! Always looking for recommendations. Just started a bookclub our first read was The Paris Wife. I did lend your books to a friend who is doing a weekly discussion group with them this summer ; ) they are loving it.

Kelly said...

I absolutely second "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett. One of the best books I've read in a while.