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Suggestions for Summer Reads for Teens and Adults

I thought I'd list some of my favorite books and authors.  I am hoping visitors to my blog will suggest their favorites - which I will add to the list below and perhaps will have something to read this summer.

Authors:
Jan  Evanovich - of the cozy mystery sort, I think most people know her but still a good easy read
M.C. Beaton - both Hamish MacBeth and Agatha Raisin series are a quick easy read that's entertaining
Douglas Adams - a funny twist on sci-fi, starting with Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Michael Crichton - Jurassic Park, Andromeda Strain, Congo - lots more

Books:
King Peggy (Bartels) - true story of a woman who has been living in America for many years and becomes King of her tribe back home in Ghana - my current favorite book.

In My Father's Country (Wahab) - based on a true story of an Afghan girl coming to America, then returning working for the United States, not my favorite book but it truly gave me an understanding of what is going on in Afghanistan.

Game of Thrones (Martin) - I read the book first and loved it.  I started watching the HBO series but had a hard time understanding why the women were naked while the men wore heavy furs. HA!

Diary of an Early American Boy (Sloane) - I learned so much from this book, including how to make ink from black walnuts - which we did.  Learn what it was like to live on a farm in the early 1800s.

Books I want to read:

My Beloved Word (Sotomayor)
Lolita (Nabokov) - I just started reading this.
I need more recommendations please :)

Books my tween and teen recommend, I have not read them but they liked them and yes, they are very much into series:
The Ranger Apprentice Series (Flanagan)
The Princess Diaries Series (Cabot)
The Uglies Series (Westerfeld)
Little House on the Prarie (Ingalls) - yes, they red this in Middle school, all of them.
Gilda Joyce: Psychic Investigator Series (Allison)
H.I.V.E. series (Walden)
Cryptid Hunters (Smith) - probably my kids all time favorite


Comments

  1. I have been wondering about Games of Thrones...I might just have to start reading it. Oh, any Diary of an Early American Boy...I want to learn how make ink from walnuts too!

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    1. It was very good. I read the first book before seeing the shows. I don't know if that makes a difference however I enjoyed the shows as well. Except when I knew certain gruesome scenes were coming and I kinda hid behind a pillow LOL.

      Diary of an Early American Boy is an oldie but goodie. It can be hard to find. I learned so much from that book.

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  2. I love Game of Thrones, but wished I read the book so had more of an understanding about all the kingdoms. I agree about woman being naked and men wearing furs, but it sells. Thanks for the list

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    1. I suppose it is a guy's thing - we need something catchy for the guys, like chick flick

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  3. I love to read so it would be hard pressed to tell you all the books that I love. But here goes. The one that first comes to mind it "Lord of The Rings" I have read and reread that book and still have the same awestruck reaction when I finish it. I have always love the books form authors of old such a "Pride & Prejudice, "Weathering Heights" and "Little Women". I have many more but that's it for now. :-), Susan Cooper

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    1. I love the Lord of the Rings movies but the book was tedious for me. There was soooo much description.

      And I love Jane, appreciate the Bronte sisters and Little Women saddens me and yet her desires and what she gives up sounds so real today as it was in her time.

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  4. Lolita is one of my favorite books! Taboo subject matter aside, Nabokov is a master with master. The one book that is on my summer reading list is Life after Life by Kate Atkinson. I highly recommend anything by John Steinbeck. Annie Proulx's The Shipping News is another favorite. If you like westerns, Lonesome Dove is a good read as well. As for naked ladies in Game of Thrones, I would say there's a good number of naked men as well... though not nearly as many as the ladies. I've only read the first book, and am relying on the HBO series to get the rest of the story. I did spend a good amount of time reading about all the kingdoms and families when I first started watching. That was an assignment in and of it itself!

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    1. I am not enjoying Lolita - probably because I have a 12 yr old. I found Steinbeck really didn't like women, it's hard for me to read his stuff when I want to punch him in the face. lol I'll check out Kate Atkinson and Proulx though, thanks.

      I missed the naked men in Game of Thrones, I suppose I have to watch more. :D

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  5. I love summer time just for the summer reads. I was actually trying to research good summer reads for this summer. Normally there are a gazillion lists every year but I didn't find too many this year or any that really interested me. But I always have this problem of setting my expectations too high. I really enjoyed Janet Evanovich's series, but I read them all over the past few summers and am now left with nothing. Gillian Flynn is really good for quick summer reads. I enjoyed all 3 of her books.

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  6. Have you tried GoodReads (or other similar website) for book suggestions based on what you have, are, and would like to read? I record the books I check out from the library (not the cookbooks though!). If I can't find anything at the library I'll look at the recommendations to find another title to read.

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  7. I recently read I Capture the Castle and I loved the interesting, thoughtful main character. It was an original coming of age story about a young girl, a would be writer, who lived in poverty, but romantically, in a crumbling castle with her siblings, genius writer dad and beautiful ex-model step mom. It's set earlier in the last century. Debbie @ ilovemylemonadelife.com

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  8. If you are willing to read Nabokov, I really enjoyed Pnin. I also liked his short stories. Lolita is quite weird. He was trying to shock (and succeeded).

    In My Father's Country sounds like I might enjoy it. I find I have specific tastes, and not everyone shares my tastes (I love reading history, biography and biographies of authors).

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    1. I'd have to say the only reason I was shocked by Lolita is because I always heard it was a story of erotica. Granted the story is all about sex but I did not know it was the imagination of sex of a 12 year old.

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  9. I love the Game of Thrones tv show, but I'm afraid I'd have a hard time keeping up with all the characters in the book, especially since I can barely keep up with them on the show sometimes!

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  10. Here in Australia it is actually winter, so I do most of my reading just before bed, all snuggled and warm. With a 4 year old I am finding that I am taking an extraordinarily time to finish them as I'm ready to drop. At least I am trying, the goal being one chapter per night. I'll keep your list if i ever get to the bottom of my pile :)

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