Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Summer reading

With the summer holidays looming, I'm feeling the need to gather a little library of summer reading. Although I love my local library and can spend many a happy hour browsing through the shelves at Borders or Waterstones, I often find the huge number of books on offer more than a little daunting.

I've just spent the past thirty minutes browsing online and am still none the wiser.

Therefore, I thought I'd turn to you. What book or books would you recommend?

I will read almost anything - including the back of the cereal packet but do love a good page turner that keeps you hooked and leaves you with that strange mixture of euphoria, at having read such a great book, and sadness that it's finished.

So now it's over to you - what are your favourite summer reads?

xxx

16 comments:

Nik said...

I would highly recommend the Stephenie Meyer's Twilight saga. Four books in total: Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn. Aimed at teenagers but don't let that put you off! I LOVED them and went through in four easily in a month.

Julie said...

Do you like mysteries? I like Robert Goddard's books. Lesley Pearse is a good author too and if you like a bit of a scare Barbara Erskine writes historical stories with a supernatural twist, sometimes with a time slip. The No1 Ladies Detective Agency series is an excellent gentle read and amusing too. Just a few suggestions. Hope you find something to enjoy and while away the summer hours :-)

Unknown said...

ooh ooh ooh - get the book thief by Markus Zusak. Everyone that has read it has said wonderful things about it. It's a quick read, perfect for summer, and it's really beautifully written. I took it on holiday in february and couldn't put it down.

Locket Pocket said...

I agree with Nik - Twig-light is pretty good and very readable!

I'm pleased to see Katy's comment because I have a copy of The Book Thief (bought for 20p from the library) so I might now get around to reading it!

I love anything by Katie Fforde and Jill Mansell - totally easy and lovely and squidgily romantic feel good books!

Then again I'll read anything so long as it doesn't tax my poor brain cells - they used to be so shiny and useful but now they are fairly non-existent (as you have seen on many an occasion!)

Me xxx

Gina said...

I agree about The Book Thief - I loved it! I've also just finished When Will There Be Good News by Kate Atkinson - couldn't put it down. (I loved the first two in the series too)

Renee said...

I loved The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. I couldn't put it down! It's a love story but with a twist

Ali said...

Breath by Tim Winton - one of those books that enters your gut.

maria said...

I loved The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton, I just couldn't stop reading it.

Rachel said...

In the interests of not turning this into an essay I'll just list a few that I've recently read or re-read:
Anybody Out There by Marian Keyes
Pillow Talk by Freya North
I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen
Very Valentine by Adrianna Trigiani
I also love My Life on a Plate and Don't You Want Me, both very funny books by India Knight, and I am always happy to read any of Bill Bryson's books too. Hope that should keep you going!

Charlie P said...

Erm...somebody who reads as much Stephen King as I do probably shouldn't be trusted to give any good book reccommendations.
I was pleasantly surprised by 'Devil in Amber' by the bloke from League of Gentlemen- it was amusing and rather bizarre. Other than that I've been reading German and Spanish books for 4 years and reccommend very few of them! The Reader is worth reading and so is Like Wather for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel.

Liz said...

Ooh - I was going to recommend the Forgotten Garden too. I also really enjoyed The House at Riverton by the same author.

For a page turner I really enjoy Jodi Picoult.

trash said...

not sure i am the person to ask as I am currently reading The Cloud-Spotter's Guide'!

i often peek in on what Pr. C-W is reading and we have jsut finished the Percy Jackson series. No.one is P.J. and the Lightning Thief.

Late to the party I have also recently finished 'the other Boleyn Girl'. Ummmm... other than that craft books and BBC Good Food!

dottycookie said...

Oh crikey, I'm going to be the voice of dissent - I HATED the Book Thief, every last page of it. I should add that everyone else in our book club loved it.

The Time Traveller's Wife, now that I adored. I have Tim Winton's Cloudstreet on my to-read list after hubby raved about it.

That was helpful, wasn't it?!

marit said...

ANY Marian Keyes- book! They are just too funny. I bought "The forgotten garden" in English recently, but haven't had time to open it yet. Ruth Rendell and her Wexford-mysteries are great, and I often turn back to old favourites like Celia Garth by Gwen Bristow (or any of her other books...) Oh, and P.D.James! Hmmm, I really need to get some time off soon to read...LOL!

Thimbleanna said...

Isn't it fun to read your comments and see what everyone is reading? I'm here to make Dotty feel better -- not a Book Thief fan either. Didn't really hate it, just didn't do anything for me. And since you asked, I'll just have to say it Again. The Help. (Now it's your fault that I sound like a broken record!)

wonderwoman said...

oh my, where to start - i too have read Forgotten garden and its brilliant, and then there's Elizabeth Noble, Girl Next Door, katie Forde, Love Letters - Trisha Ashley,Sowing Secrets - Annie Sanders, Gap Year for Grown Ups - Gil McNeil, Needles and Pearls - i could go on, but i better stop!!!
xxx