Summer Reading?

[elizabethkott]

Because I have *so* much free time (snicker)...
What are people reading?
I just finished "In Cold Blood" for my IRL book club, and while wonderful and interesting and all that good stuff, I need something a little more uplifting for the summer.
Any suggestions, recommendations of something you've read recently that you've really enjoyed?
Things that are readily available at the library are appreciated, but I do have a gift card to B&N burning a hole in my wallet...

[octmom]

I just read and enjoyed Love Walked In and Belong to Me, both by Marisa de los Santos. Several of the same characters are in both, so if you were to read them, you might want to start with Love Walked In. I also recently read and liked The Ten Year Nap by Meg Wolitzer.

[elektra]

"In Cold Blood" is pretty brutal but good. I just finished reading what I thought was a pretty good book, but it wasn't exactly a happy story. "All We Ever Wanted Was Everything". It wasn't the chick-lit book that I thought it might be ( but didn't really care since I was on vacation where a mindless read wouldn't be such a bad thing) so I was pleasantly surprised.
It's new though, so probably not in the library yet.

Ok so I just looked at my bookcase and saw one that would probably be in the library- "West with the Night" by Beryl Markham. It's an autobiography of a women pilot in Amelia Earhart times who grew up in Africa. It was really well written. Not a downer at all.

[citymama]

I also enjoyed Meg Wolitzer's "Ten Year Nap." Not sure I would buy it though - I just borrowed that from the public libary. Loved the new Jhumpa Lahiri "Unaccustomed Earth" - collection of short stories. Beautifully written. In recent months I've also enjoyed reading Ann Patchett's "Run" and Zadie Smith's "On Beauty."

Happy reading!

[kristenk]

I was thinking the other day that I needed to start a new book recommendation thread. I've been visiting the library a lot lately and it's so much easier for me to pick out a book if I have a recommendation. At the book store, I tend to browse the new release/new to paperback/featured titles section at the front for ideas. That doesn't work too well at the library!

So, here's my list of books that I enjoyed reading (and I'll echo a few others that people already posted):

Love Walked In :love5: and Belong to Me, Marisa De Los Santos
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, Lisa See
The Opposite of Love (*really* liked this one), Julie Buxbaum

I'm currently reading and liking Peony in Love by Lisa See.

Older books that I'm keeping around (I usually pass good books on to others!)
Summer Sisters, Judy Blume
Little Earthquakes, Jennifer Weiner
The Time Traveler's Wife, Audrey Niffenegger

Authors that I tend to read:
Jodi Picoult
Michael Crichton
Robin Cook (medical suspense - I have no idea why I like these so much!)
Anita Shreve
John Grisham

I'll update if I think of more.

[kijip]

The Greatest Thing Since Sliced Bread is a really good read. It's fiction.

For non-fiction, If I am Dead or Missing was very, very good. While not about an uplifting topic, the book has a very powerful message.

[BeachBum]

For a chick lit summer read my book club just did the new Emily Giffin book, Love the One You're With. It was quite enjoyable for the type of book it was. It actually ended up being meaty enough to have something to talk about at book club too.

[jerigirl]

Authors that I tend to read:
Jodi Picoult
Michael Crichton
Robin Cook (medical suspense - I have no idea why I like these so much!)
Anita Shreve
John Grisham

I'll update if I think of more.
Hi Kristen:wavey: -
can you recommend an Anita Shreve book? Out of your list, she is the one that I am not familiar with...
Thanks!

jeri

[candybomiller]

Such a Pretty Fat by Jen Lancaster. She's absolutely hysterical.

[KrystalS]

Not sure if they are good for everyone, I think I'm probably part of the younger crowd here (I'm 25) but I just started reading the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer. If you enjoyed Harry Potter then you would probably like them.
I love to read so I'm always looking for new authors. I love Jodi Picoult, I've read all her books. I'll have to check out some of the other books that have been posted. We spend most of our summer by the pool so I go through books fairly quickly.

[s7714]

I just finished The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs. Thought it was a pretty good story, but sadly not as uplifting as I'd hoped.

I have Belong to Me by Marisa De Los Santos on my reading list, which PPs have mentioned. I haven't read any of hers yet, so now I'm anxious to check them out.

I'll be watching this thread myself! :popc1:

[kristenk]

I just finished The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs. Thought it was a pretty good story, but sadly not as uplifting as I'd hoped.

I forgot about that one! I read it at the start of our vacation and sort of regretted starting off our vacation time with that one. I liked it, but I would choose something else for a typical summer read.

[kristenk]

Hi Kristen:wavey: -
can you recommend an Anita Shreve book? Out of your list, she is the one that I am not familiar with...
Thanks!

jeri

Hi, Jeri! :wavey: I'll check and get back to you! I need to look at a list to refresh my memory.

[Happy 2B mommy]

My favorite Anita Shreve novels are The Pilot's Wife, Resistance (really good for a summer read), Fortunes Rocks and The Last Time They Met (my favorite). The Last Time They Met pairs with her other novel The Weight of Water, but that one can be a downer, although I liked it.

[karin4]

My favorite read from the past few months was The Zookeeper's Wife, by Diane Ackerman. I'm not sure I'd call it uplifting-- it's nonfiction, the story of how the Warsaw Zoo's keepers saved hundreds of Jews from the Warsaw Ghetto during WWII by hiding them in the zoo. Terrible things are described, but the story is fascinating and I found it far more affirming than depressing. People are capable of base cruelty, but also of incredible courage and grace, and for me, the courage and grace were the take away emotions.

[lizajane]

Hi Kristen:wavey: -
can you recommend an Anita Shreve book? Out of your list, she is the one that I am not familiar with...
Thanks!

jeri

slight hyjack, because i am very familiar with her work:
fortune's rocks
weight of water
body surfing

i think where or when was the one i hated.

the pilot's wife isn't as high quality writing, but a good story.

resistance was good, i think, if i am remembering the right one.

the last time they met wasn't as good.

light on snow was ok.

seaglass was pretty good.

but fortune's rocks is by FAR my favorite of hers. and i did really like body surfing, which i read yesterday.

[almostmom]

Just read Time Traveler's Wife and couldn't put it down.

Also just read The Golden Compass by Phillip Pullman which was incredible,and I am now on the second book in that series - The Subtle Knife.

Also am reading a new book - A Gentleman's Guide to Graceful Living by Michael Dahlie - really great novel.

[missym]

I'm reading Terry Pratchett's The Fifth Element because I somehow missed it when it came out a few years ago. I just finished Gate to Women's Country for about the hundredth time. :p

Just a sidenote: check your local library to see if they have a summer reading program for adults! Ours does, with some nice prizes. I read all the time anyway, so I figure why not? I can get a bookbag, a GC to the library's used bookstore, and a chance to win a recliner.

[rlu]

Gate to Women's Country is by Sherri Tepper, right?

OP - highly recommend for super light-hearted reading Bobbie Faye's Very (very very very) Bad Day by Toni McGee Causey. Far-fetched but funny, and there's a sequel I'm waiting for my library to get. Also just finished mom-lit (it that a sub-genre of chick-lit yet?) Odd Mom Out (can't remember author) and A Short History of Tractors in Ukraine which is funny but more grounded in reality.

[jerigirl]

slight hyjack, because i am very familiar with her work:
fortune's rocks
weight of water
body surfing

i think where or when was the one i hated.

the pilot's wife isn't as high quality writing, but a good story.

resistance was good, i think, if i am remembering the right one.

the last time they met wasn't as good.

light on snow was ok.

seaglass was pretty good.

but fortune's rocks is by FAR my favorite of hers. and i did really like body surfing, which i read yesterday.


Thank Liza! I got The Pilot's Wife today at the library. We will see how it is. Most of her other titles that our library carries were checked out. I will have to try some of them as they are available.

[missym]

Gate to Women's Country is by Sherri Tepper, right?

Yes, sorry I forgot to put the author. It is my favorite book of hers, and in my top 5 list of favorite books ever.

[anamika]

I'm reading Terry Pratchett's The Fifth Element because I somehow missed it when it came out a few years ago. I just finished The Gate to Women's Country for about the hundredth time. :p

Just a sidenote: check your local library to see if they have a summer reading program for adults! Ours does, with some nice prizes. I read all the time anyway, so I figure why not? I can get a bookbag, a GC to the library's used bookstore, and a chance to win a recliner.


I love Terry Pratchett. I just finished re-reading Nightwatch. I loved The Fifth Element. Have you read Thud yet? It's his latest and really good.

I also read Three Cups of Tea which I thought was surprisingly positive. I expected to be completey depressed by the end of it but the message was very hopeful, IMO.

[LBW]

I just finished City of Shadows by Ariana Franklin, and I haven't enjoyed a book as much as this one in a long time. Highly recommended!

Now, I'm off to check some of the others from this thread...


ETA: I also love Sarah Dunant's books, especially Birth of Venus and In the Company of the Courtesan.

[Tammy]

Heck I love anything by Nora Roberts. I have so many of her books I have a hard time finding ones I don't already own. They're mostly romance/mystery books.

[August Mom]

I just read Water for Elephants on vacation and it was very engaging. It's not exactly a light read, but it is well written and captivating.

[LarsMal]

slight hyjack, because i am very familiar with her work:
fortune's rocks
weight of water
body surfing

i think where or when was the one i hated.

the pilot's wife isn't as high quality writing, but a good story.

resistance was good, i think, if i am remembering the right one.

the last time they met wasn't as good.

light on snow was ok.

seaglass was pretty good.

but fortune's rocks is by FAR my favorite of hers. and i did really like body surfing, which i read yesterday.

I'm a big Anita Shreve fan, too. I just finished Body Surfing, and I didn't really like it at all.

My favorites would have to be:

The Pilot's Wife (probably b/c it was the first one I read)
Seaglass
Fortune's Rock
Weight of Water
Light on Snow

Did she write A Wedding in December? Whoever did, I liked that one, too!

[lizajane]

I'm a big Anita Shreve fan, too. I just finished Body Surfing, and I didn't really like it at all.

My favorites would have to be:

The Pilot's Wife (probably b/c it was the first one I read)
Seaglass
Fortune's Rock
Weight of Water
Light on Snow

Did she write A Wedding in December? Whoever did, I liked that one, too!

she did write A Wedding in December- my DH got it for me for christmas and i just haven't gotten to read it yet. i read light on snow just before he got me a wedding in december. but now i am very interested now that you said you liked it so much! especially since your fav list first well with mine.

but i am DYING to know why you didn't like body surfing!!! my sister is reading my copy now (i am in town visiting) and so i am definitely going to ask her what she thinkgs. she usually reads a book in a day or two, so i am sure she is finished or is almost finished.

[mommy111]

Just read Three cups of tea on a friend's recommendation (well, actually, on my OB's recommendation, apparently she is a distant cousin to the guy who wrote it). While not a light read, it is a beautiful book with a powerful message.
I also recently read 'shopaholic takes manhattan' :)

[LarsMal]

but i am DYING to know why you didn't like body surfing!!! my sister is reading my copy now (i am in town visiting) and so i am definitely going to ask her what she thinkgs. she usually reads a book in a day or two, so i am sure she is finished or is almost finished.

I didn't really like the way she wrote it. It just seemed so choppy and disjointed to me. I also thought it was totally predictable, which I don't usually find with her books. I just didn't think it was one of her better pieces of work. JMO, though! I'm certainly no expert!

[LarsMal]

Since the BBB book club is no more- sniff sniff!- I've fallen back into my James Patterson, Anita Shreve, Nicholas Sparks comfort books. Haven't stepped outside the box in a while!

I just finished The Choice by Nicholas Sparks. I really enjoyed it.

I'm reading Dedication right now- authors of The Nanny Diaries. So far, so good.

It's bad, though, when you come home from the library with two books and your husband looks at one and says, "Didn't you already read this?" I looked at it again and was like, "Hmmm...maybe I have." To which he replied, "Of course you have, you own it!" OOPS!!!!

[kellij]

Not an uplifting novel, but an amazing author: George RR Martin. It's epic fantasy. Not my usual cup of tea at all, but my husband bugged me about reading it and he is a truly amazing author. I highly recommend him for anyone who appreciates talented writing.

[jerigirl]

I read The Pilot's Wife on our 6 hour car trip on Friday. I loved it! I will definitely have to check out Shreve's other books. Thank you for the suggestion!

[lizajane]

I didn't really like the way she wrote it. It just seemed so choppy and disjointed to me. I also thought it was totally predictable, which I don't usually find with her books. I just didn't think it was one of her better pieces of work. JMO, though! I'm certainly no expert!

my sister didn't care for the underdevelopment of jeff's "final decision." but otherwise liked it.

i didn't find it that predictable. i actually thought it was going to end several times but then it didn't. so that was weird to me. like she was JUST about to resolve an issue and then boom! the whole thing did a total turn around that started a whole new issue. so i kept thinking i was predicting it and then she pulled a switcheroo. but i did enjoy the read. still, fortune's rocks remains a STRONG fav.

and if you like shreve, you may like tracy chevalier. better writer and super stories/characters. start with Girl with a Pearl Earring.