Friday, June 12, 2009

Beach Reads


Are you looking for a good summer read? Here are a few suggestions of books that are not to heavy, perfect for a relaxing day at the beach, in a hammock, or just lounging around the house:

Jennifer Weiner, one of my favorite authors, has a new book coming out in July, Best Friends Forever. If you cannot get your hands on this one in time for your getaway, one of her older titles is always a great choice as well. Good in Bed, the hilarious tale of a plus-sized woman whose ex-boyfriend publicly humiliates her in a magazine column is a great beach read.

Charlaine Harris's "Southern Vampire Series," featuring Sookie Stackhouse, has reached an all new audience with the advent of the "True Blood" television series on HBO. The books (and Sookie) are funny, sexy, and full of the supernatural. The first in the series, Dead Until Dark, was published in 2001.

A book that is receiving plenty of buzz is a memoir called, Perfection, by Julie Metz. After her husband unexpectedly passes away, Metz learns that he has had several affairs over the course of their marriage. Rather than ignore these facts, Metz chooses to confront the women. The knowledge that this is a true story adds to the interest level; however, some early reviews found the book to be very dark and "mean-spirited."

The "Nerd" series by Vicki Lewis Thompson is a fun and sexy choice for the summer. Each book features different characters that have two things in common - they are nerds, and they are sexy. Although this is technically a series, each book can be read on its own, so there is no need to read the books in order.

The Beach House by Jane Green is a wistful tale of an older woman who, out of financial necessity, opens up her Nantucket home to renters. Suddenly, this hermitic widow has people in her life once again, including her son Michael. With her old house now teeming with life, Nan finds herself learning to open herself up once again.

Wendy Wax has a smart new paperback out, titled The Accidental Bestseller. When three professional writers come together to help their floundering friend Kendall write a final book to fulfill her contractual obligations, they decide to publish it anonymously, giving them the freedom to share some pretty shocking secrets in the book. Can they all live up to the scrutiny when the story becomes a surprise bestseller?

Sophie Kinsella veers away from her "Shopaholic" series this summer with Twenties Girl, a tale about twenty-something Lara and the relationship she forges with the ghost of her Great-Aunt Sadie. This is a light mystery, with Sadie pressuring Lara to search for a piece of family jewelry despite the many other things Lara has going on in modern-day London. Also watch for The Wedding Girl, written under Sophie Kinsella's real name - Madeline Wickham.

If none of these books sound appealing to you, give us a call or stop in for further selections - we have too many great reads here, and we're sure to have something for everyone. Hope to see you soon!

No comments: