Saturday, August 08, 2009

Summer Reading

I recently read an article in the Washington Post about book-reads for the summer. These were books that the writer thought would be good reads for you to take to the beach and relax and enjoy.

He (or she - no name was credited to the article) listed 5 titles:

The Peep Diaries
Although Niedzviecki does have some genuine insights, "The Peep Diaries," as befitting a book with "peep" in the title, is also well-stocked with salacious anecdotes. The suburban housewife blogger with fetishes for spanking and Star Wars is just one memorable example.
Shelf Discovery
… offers a nostalgic look back at classic young adult novels, ranging from Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House on the Prairie series to Newbery Award winning favorites by Madeleine L'Engle, Scott O'Dell and Katherine Paterson.
The Writing Class
While ostensibly a whodunit about a killer menacing an adult education course in creative writing, the highlights are not the shocking moments, but the portions when Willett allows us to read the students' writing.
Ugly Man
Cooper's stories feature copious doses of sex (usually gay), violence and drug use, but there is more to them than just chronicling degradation.
Ground Up
… chronicles the numerous challenges faced by a New York couple who decide to open a sophisticated coffee house.
What about you? What’s been your favorite read so far this summer?

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22 comments:

  1. Just finished The Girl Who Played with Fire and Dragon House. If you are interested in the books, I've done reviews!

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  2. Sadly I haven't picked up any summer reads, although I did read The Five Love Languages - Singles Edition for our church's singles group study session. (Not for me! My husband and I lead the singles.)

    BTW - those seem like odd choices...

    L. Diane Wolfe “Spunk On A Stick”
    www.circleoffriendsbooks.blogspot.com
    www.spunkonastick.net
    www.thecircleoffriends.net

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  3. Book Bird Dog, I love it when someone introduces me to new (to me) books. And these titles are both new to me.

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  4. I see that the Post article is entitled "Books with Brains." Not sure if my brain (which seems to be short circuiting) could handle them!

    I've read PD James' "Private Patient" this summer, but have a ton on my to-read list.
    Elizabeth
    Mystery Writing is Murder

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  5. I agree, Elizabeth, these books weren't exactly what you might think of when you hear "beach" reads.

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  6. Thanks for the leads. I haven't really had a memorable read yet this summer. Been editing and writing so much and also reading novice author books for reviews I need to take some personal time and pick up a good book or two for some R&R.

    One of the books I just read for review and virtual tour stop on my blog is pretty darn good, "For Glory" by Elizabeth Lee. Good story line, well developed characters and I like her writing style a lot.

    The Old Silly

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  7. Just finished The Belly Dancer by DeAnna Cameron and loved it. I don't normally read romance, but this was a perfect exotic getaway for the summer. Read it by the pool, if you can, with a frothy drink and a cabana boy nearby. Ahhhhh.

    Oh-oh-oh, I'd be remiss (and my publisher might growl at me) if I didn't humbly recommend my debut novel, Freezer Burn. A lot of readers are telling me it's a fun, quick summer read. It should be a quick read - I wrote it fast. LOL!

    Gayle
    http://gaylecarline.blogspot.com

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  8. My mom gave me The Time Travelers Wife, so I'll be working on that. But I don't read more in the summer than other times of year since it's been so long since I've had a vacation where I could read, I barely remember what it's like.

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  9. Stephanie, The Time Traveler's Wife is one of my favorite books. I'm looking forward to the movie. Hope it lives up to the book.

    Gayle and Marvin, thanks for the recommendations (Definitely Freezer Burn, Gayle!).

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  11. I'm such a sucker for Stephanie Plum. I read FEARLESS FOURTEEN by Janet Evanovich last month and loved every word on every page. It's not summer without my favorite Plum.

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  12. I've been lucky to receive several books to review this summer that have been great. Just finished Tommy Gun Tango by Brant Randall and Bruce Cook. That's an historical noir mystery. Good read. Also got an ARC of Baby Shark's Jugglers at the Border, also a noir mystery with a great central character. Received that ARC a while back and need to get the review written.

    But I just keep getting more and more books and they pile up after a while. Just got Sorrow Wood, by Raymond L. Atkins. Another great read in more mainstream fiction.

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  13. I know it's been out awhile but I just read The Lovely Bones and LOVED it!

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  14. Diane, it's been too long since I read an Evanovich. I need to get one of hers.

    Maryann, I liked Juggler's at the Border. I always look forward to the next Baby Shark.

    Terri, I liked The Lovely Bones too. When a new book comes out that defies the usual way of doing things like The Lovely Bones or The Time Traveler's Wife or Geek Love, it moves to the top of my list because it's so different.

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  15. Time Travellers Wife is one of mine and one of my husband's favorites. I wasn't expecting him to like it, but he tells everyone how wonderful it is. A similar one that intrigued both of us was Elizabeth Moon's The Speed of Dark.

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  16. I haven't read The Speed of Dark. I'll have to look it up online and read what it's about.

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  17. I have been on a good mystery kick lately, but of all the mystery/thrillers I've read so far this summer, the best was Lords of Corruption by Kyle Mills.

    For a non-mystery, I'd recommend Dancing in Combat Boots by Teresa Funke, a collection of short stories about women during World War II. I'll be featuring Teresa on my blog on Monday.

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  18. I loved The Lovely Bones. It's not summer here just yet but I've just finished a very good mystery called Exhibit A written by a fairly new South African writer Sarah Lotz. I see on the book it will come out in UK,USA and Australia too.

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  19. I spent way too much time on the laptop and blogging, sadly neglecting my reading or writing.

    Bargain with the Devil

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  20. There are so many books out there that I haven't read or even heard of. Have they invented a way to plug into an e-Reader while you sleep?

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  21. I've ordered up the Writing Class, purely on the basis of that description. Another book to add to the ever growing pile.

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  22. Jincy Willett's "The Writing Class," named in the Post article, is one of the year's delights for me so far. Also loved, loved. loved David Mitchell's "Number9dream," which is the most dazzling novel I've read in some time. Hard going at times, but if the reader just relaxes and lets him/herself be entertained, there are great riches in store. Also loved an early Kem Nunn, "Pomona Queen."

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