OT: Summer Reading Recommendations

[MEM]

I figured this fit under the Budget Boards since none of us would dream of buying a book when we could borrow it from the library?

Other than the last book in the Harry Potter series, does anyone have any must-reads for the summer? I just finished a terrific book that I read in one sitting - a memoir by Abigail Thomas called "A Three Dog Life". It doesn't sound like it would be enjoyable, considering its about how she handles her husband's traumatic brain injury, but some of the scenes are so funny that I laughed until I ran out of tears.

I just reserved from the library a book titled "The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio: How My Mother Raised 10 Kids on 25 Words or Less," by Terry Ryan.
Its the true story of a woman with 10 kids, married to an alcoholic, who helps support her family by entering contests and writing jingles and such.

What is everyone else reading?

 

[Bren's Mom]

Love this thread!

I got 'turned on' to Jodi Picoult last fall and I am a total addict. Don't know what I'm going to do when I run out of her books! My first was 'My Sister's Keeper'...if you read this book make your best friend or someone else read it too..you WILL want someone to talk about it with! I also read Tenth Circle, Perfect Match, Plain Truth, Keeping Faith and The Pact.

I'm temporarily on a 'Picoult' hiatus and reading Jonathan Kellerman's 'Rage'.

And I got all of my books from the library!

 

[KristiA]

Jodi Piccoult is great. I read a lot of Christian fiction- Karen Kingsbury is one of my favorites. Love the Redemption series. Will pick up Danielle Steel once in a while when I just feel like a real easy read. I like Patricia Cornwell too.

I have read some of the funnest books this year with my DD in a mother daugther book club- They are
-The Thief Lord
-Fairest- Gail Carsone Levine
-The Tail of Emily Windsnap
-Esparanza Rising
-The Fairie Path (one of my favorites)- Frewin Jones
-The Year of Mrs. Agnes
-Every Little Bird that Sings
-Everything On A Waffle

I can't remember all the authors off the top of my head- hopefully the titles are right. These books have been really fun to read!

 

[Daxx]

Some of my favorite reads:

The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory -- reads like watching a movie. V. fascinating!!!

The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver

To Kill A Mocking Bird by Harper Lee

Have to second (or third?) My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult! Excellent book!

For fun, light "beach" reading ...
The Devil Wears Prada
The Shopaholic series by Sophie Kinsella (Confessions of a Shopaholic, Shopaholic Takes Manhattan, Shopaholic and Sister -didn't care for Sister too much though -, Shopaholic and a Baby).

 

[C_leen]

Hi!

I read all the time, so here are some high points recently. I think I read all of these via the library, borrowed from a reading buddy, or bought cheap from Target & then passed on.

Young Adult
I agree The Thief Lord is good. I also liked Eragon & the Bartimaeus Trilogy. I too am waiting on Harry Potter.

Adult
Eat Pray Love (non fiction)
Shadow Divers (non fiction)
An Unexpected Light, Travels in Afghanistan (non fiction)

Light Adult Reading/ Romance
I'm a sucker for Nora Roberts but her quality has waned. If you've never read her, start with her older material as some of the newer stuff isn't that good.

Janet Evanovich: Again her quality has waned so start at the beginning of her series about her female bounty hunter in New Jersey. The first 3 or 4 books are hilarious!

Last night I read Witchling by Yasmine Galehorn. Its a new romance, supernatural series & the next one is due in July. This is like a PG-13 Laurell K. Hamilton with humor. I like Hamilton, but Anita Blake's story now gets lost in hard core sex. Not that I don't need some education in such matters, but I'm not one for blushing at the pool as I read!

I'm also fond of Linda Howard for quick reads. I read Cover of Night by her two days ago and it was good.

Windwalker by Natasha Mostert
The Time Traveler's Wife

I also dig Margaret Atwood and Isabel Allende. Allende's Zorro is quite fun!

Happy reading!

 

[sb4k]

Sometimes I'm ashamed to admit that I love Harry Potter. The kids and I are so eagerly anticipating this one. It will come out at midnight and we leave for vacation that morning at 8:00. I'm praying that our little local bookstore will have a midnight opening to sell it or I won't be near a store for a week!

I also work in a library part time and have absolutely loved these authors - all fiction. Mostly fluff pieces but since I'm a mostly stay at home mom who thinks TV has gone to crap, that's about all that my brain can handle.

Adriana Trigiani - Big Stone Gap series
Ann B. Ross - Miss Julie series
Love Nora Roberts and JD Robb
Suzanne Elizabeth Phillips
Emily Giffen
Sophie Kinsella - Confessions of a Shopaholic series
Stephen King but only the classics, his new stuff doesn't interest me
James Patterson
Tom Clancy
Steve Berry

And to whoever said the Eat, Love, Pray non-fiction book - You betcha

 

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

I figured this fit under the Budget Boards since none of us would dream of buying a book when we could borrow it from the library?

Other than the last book in the Harry Potter series, does anyone have any must-reads for the summer? I just finished a terrific book that I read in one sitting - a memoir by Abigail Thomas called "A Three Dog Life". It doesn't sound like it would be enjoyable, considering its about how she handles her husband's traumatic brain injury, but some of the scenes are so funny that I laughed until I ran out of tears.

I just reserved from the library a book titled "The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio: How My Mother Raised 10 Kids on 25 Words or Less," by Terry Ryan.
Its the true story of a woman with 10 kids, married to an alcoholic, who helps support her family by entering contests and writing jingles and such.

What is everyone else reading?

There was a movie made about that Mom......I only buy books, library books have never worked for me.

 

[wendithepooh]

Anything by Nicholas Sparks i.e.The Notebook,A Walk To Remember,etc.Romance.

I also like Dorthy Keddington but she maybe hard to find.Romance.

I cut a guys hair that has a book on Amazon.His name is Devin Pine.It is a short but good book.Romance.

None of these books are hard core by any means,just good books.

DH gave me another book for mother's day by a different guy that I cut his hair.The Survivors by Gregg Luke which I haven't read yet.(saving for my long trip to DLR)

But my favorite books are The Harry Potter series.I started reading them because DS was getting old enough to read them and I wanted to see what they were.I have since made everyone in my family fans as well.As a matter of fact,(I'm so embarrassed to admit it)Everyone in my family,except me,have magic wands from the movies.When I was in NYC 3 weeks ago DH went to FAO Swartz and bought 2 wands.1) was HE Who Must Not Be Named's and 2) was Lucious Malfoys' cane.Nerd,huh?Oh well, he could be a gambler or drunk or something.Oh yeah, for the last book DH made us all maroon shirts that said "I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good." DS12 is sad because his shirt doesn't fit anymore.He asked for a new one.We are all a bunch of nerds.

 

[flying_babyb]

Anything by joyce spizer!

 

[Debbie]

Janet Evanovich for me. I just ordered the "Full" set form my library on Monday, and I'll reread the Stephanie Plum ones, too. Light, funny, an easy read.

 

[justcruisin]

Here are my recent memorable books:

Kite Runner
The Memory Keepers Daughter
Timetravelers Wife
Namesake

Any of the No 1 ladies detective agency

 

[flying_babyb]

Just- if you like dective stories- Try "the cop was white as snow by joyce spizer.

 

[disneycutie84]

Here are a few books I love:
1. The Lovely Bones (one of the best books I've read in my life!)
2. The Mermaid Chair
3. Harry Potter series
4. Memoirs of a Geisha
5. The Devil Wears Prada (very fun, very light reading)
And right now I am working my way through the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Very well written and imaginative but jeez, those books can get wordy and slow at times.
Enjoy!

 

[belle and woody fans]

My all-time favorite books are....

Rage of Angels by Sidney Sheldon ( I absolutely love this book. Well, all of his earlier books actually)

Honeymoon by James Patterson ( I like this one best, although I have read all of his books)

Gravity by Tess Gerritsen (Don't let the science jargon get in the way!)

The Babysitter by Diana Diamond (Interesting, easy read)

I read about 3 novels per week, so I have "run out" of things to read for this summer. Keep adding books!

 

[MEM]

Here are my recent memorable books:

Kite Runner
The Memory Keepers Daughter
Timetravelers Wife
Namesake

Any of the No 1 ladies detective agency

Good to know! I just reserved Memorykeepers Daughter from my library. I also love the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency series.

It has been my habit since I was a teen to go back and re-read certain books over the summer - A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, All Creatures Great and Small, To Kill a Mockingbird and The Chosen are just four examples.

 

[peggster]

I just started The Memory Keeper's Daughter, so I'm glad to hear the positive reviews. One I'll recommend is The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson, which we just read for book club. It's non-fiction but reads like a novel, and I got totally sucked in; definitely a page-turner.

Also for the murder mystery fans, anything by Margaret Maron is great.

Hope that helps!

 

[AmericangirlinFrance]

James Patterson and John Sandford's series are both pretty good if you like murder mystery/detective stories. I just finished reading "Archangel" by Robert Harris, sort of a historical thriller that was good. Also "A Small Death in Lisbon" by Robert Wilson is GREAT.

Oh - and Lee Child's Jack Reacher books are all good reads. Keep the recommendations coming, I burn through books in the summer!

 

[gdulaney]

I'm reading the "Odd Thomas" series by Dean Koontz. I'd never read Koontz before, but if these books are good indicators, I'm going to start reading them. I've also started the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher. The SciFi series is based on his books.

I just finished The Quilter's Homecoming by Jennifer Chiaverini. It's a series that centers around quilt making. If you like Jan Karon's Mitford Series, you'd probably like this series.

I also read Sue Grafton's mystery series (A is for Alibi, etc). Love Janet Evanovich, Sophie Kinsella, and James Patterson. Kathryn R. Wall has a great series based in Hilton Head SC. It's the "Bay Tanner" mysteries. I absolutely recommend Mary Kay Andrews. Here books are very funny...but you might find some off color language.

Ginny

 

[Rubbertops]

I also liked the Time Travellers Wife.

I recently read The Red Tent and The Bad Mother's handbook. (chick lit.)

 

[theprincess]

I like Debbie Macomber. I'm reading Back on Blossom Street now and it is very good. Her books are a good,light summer read. Give her a try.