Biblio-Babble: Summer Reading

If you're looking for the perfect quick-read, page-turning, un-put-downable books for your summer reading, here are some suggestions:

"The Scarecrow", by Michael Connelly - If you read this author's "The Poet" then you will like this one, as it brings back reporter Jack McEvoy, after he's laid off in the latest budget cuts at The Los Angeles Times. His plans for the murder story of his career is a given, but how close to the story does Jack have to get? I read this in one night because I couldn't put it down! MPL has this on our NEW FICTION Power Wall.

"Summer Girls", by Hailey Abbott - This is a Young Adult paperback that is a quick, but fun read. This is on the shelf in our YA section, YPB Abbott.

Edith Wharton's "Summer". I read this one every summer, although it is not my favorite Wharton novel. I read it for the title, for Ms. Wharton's eloquent writing style, such as ".. the breath of the summer earth, the rustle of the forest, the fresh call of birds at sunrise ... " and because it was such a controversial book back in Ms. Wharton's day. I admire her for her courage to write this novella as Summer is considered to be "the most erotic fiction Edith Wharton ever wrote." The undertones in this story shocked early twentieth century readers, but are quite mild by today's standards. I recommend this if you're looking for a fresh, fast read written with candor and realism. You can find this book in FICTION-Wharton.
For more information about Edith Wharton, visit this web site: http://www.edithwharton.org.

"Shanghai Girls", by Lisa See - Pearl and her younger sister, May, are living in affluence in Shanghai in the 1930s, until their father says that his gambling habit has ruined their finances. To pay his debts, he has sold both sisters to a well-to-do Chinese-American as wives for his sons.

"Rocket Men: The Epic Story of the First Men on the Moon", by Craig Nelson ~ just in time for the 40th anniversary of the first moon landing.

A quick mystery thriller to read is Lee Child's "Gone Tomorrow", starring none other than Jack Reacher. His latest adventure begins when he suspects a female suicide bomber is aboard a Manhattan subway car.

And, last but not least, a must-read during our hot season is "Swimsuit" by James Patterson. Another one-nighter because as in most all of JP's novels, once you start, you cannot put down his books. To say this is a page-turner is an understatement. We have several copies of this @ MPL - besides the two on our Grab-&-Go shelves there are more at our partner libraries.

If you have your own Summer Reading Picks, let us know and we'll feature them here on our blog! Just leave a comment (below).