Tuesday, June 10, 2014

What's on Your 2014 Summer Reading List?

Reading is the sole means by which we slip, involuntarily, often helplessly, into another’s skin, another’s voice, another’s soul.  
Joyce Carol Oates



Time once again to post my summer reading list. After years of doing this, I've only made it through the entire list once -- by year's end. I'm easily distracted for some of the very simple reasons I now list.

A new book that has just come out from a favorite author
More than a few trips to the library
Choosing from the stack that arrives at Book Club 
Grabbing one of the other twenty-five books on my To Be Read shelf
A trip to the book store or a late night perusal on Amazon
A backlog of New Yorker's requiring attention
The multitude of short story books that crowd my night table - Best of 2013, 2012, 2011 or poetry books or a Dorothy Parker reader or...

Often what is next on my list just isn't what I'm looking for at that moment. What can I say? I'm flighty and subject to a moment's whim. 

I need to revisit but I think there is a blog group that reads only from their To Be Read shelf in January or February. Probably would be a good idea for me to catch up on those that show up on my summer list year after year. Lakeside Musing? Was that you?

Alas, this summer's list.

The Interestings  Meg Wolitzer
Longbourn  Jo Baker
The Lowland  Jhumpa Lahiri
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao  Junot Diaz
Taft Ann Patchett
Written in My Own Heart's Blood  Diana Gabaldon
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle  Barbara Kingsolver
Of Human Bondage  Somerset Maughm
Sous Chef Michael Gibney
The Snow Queen Michael Cunningham
Duty: Memoirs of a Secretary of War Robert Gates
Outliers Malcolm Gladwell
The Mouse-Proof Kitchen Saira Shah
Honeymoon in Paris  JoJo Moyes

I also highly recommend these books by some of my fellow Austin WriterGrrls

Hip Girls Guide to the Kitchen  Kate Payne  A hit-the-ground running approach to stocking up and cooking delicious, nutritious, and affordable meals.

Twisted  Marjorie Brody Sarah Hausman must hide a secret--even from herself. If she acknowledges the truth, it will destroy everyone she loves.

Out of the Frying Pan Robin Allen  Health inspector Poppy Markham suspects murder when a popular chef buys an organic farm.

Skirts at War  Jennifer Newcomb Marine  - Overcoming dual-family conflict with proven strategies for creating peace at home.

Slow Family Living Bernadette Noll  75 simple ways to slow down, connect, and create more joy

Take My Husband Please  Kimberly Jayne  (Due out in August) A soon-to-be divorced real estate rookie's hot new love affair gets derailed when a series of blind dates turns her ex into the man she always dreamed he could be.

I'm always on the lookout for well-written smut in my summer reading so let me know if you have a good one. Meanwhile, I'm off to my hammock.

What's on your Summer Reading List?





27 comments:

  1. I only fit one at a time on mine. It may take me a while to finish one. Reading, "The Thing With Feathers", by Noah Strycker.

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    1. Perhaps I need to take note on only having only one at a time. Would make my reading life much easier. I'll check out your suggestion.

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  2. I just finished a very interesting book, "Gone Girl" by Gillian Flynn. Mystery thriller but very different. And I've read, just recently, many of the books on your list! I especially enjoyed The Lowland. I've read everything Lahiri has written. :-)

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    1. I read Gone Girl last year and enjoyed it. Have you tried "The Dinner?" I've read The Namesake by Lahiri. Looking forward to this one. Sounds like we have similar lists. I love it!

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  3. I'm totally enjoying CRAZY, RICH ASIANS by Kevin Kwan; it's a smart beach read, pretty much!

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    1. Coming from you, I'm thinking I'll add that to the list.

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  4. Yes, that was me! For the past several years I've joined the TBR Dare, hosted by James (now blogging at James Reads Books). It starts on New Years Day and ends on April Fools Day, and the idea is to read only from your TBR shelves - physical or virtual. I'll definitely participate again :)

    The Interestings is excellent - probably my favorite book so far this year. Several of your other choices are on my list, too. Good luck!

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    1. I'm going to check out James Reads. Thinking I need to join that group. Can't wait to read The Interestings, however, I've heard it is so good that I'm waiting for the right moment.

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  5. I have The Interestings on my stack, too. I like the sound of Out of the Frying Pan!

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    1. Robin Allen's book is a fun read. Three in the series and this is the third. She is one of the most determined woman I know.

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  6. just check out Martha Grimes' latest Richard Jury novel; after, it'll be Daniel Silva. That's the fiction then will work on some devotionals and time management stuff. if I finish the time management stuff, I'll drink a bottle of bubbly to celebrate as, I'm pretty sure that's just wishful thinking -LAM-!!! (laughing at myself)

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    1. Certainly hope you get to that bottle of bubbly. Wish I could share it with you on that beautiful farm of yours because it gets sold.

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  7. I tend to read more in the winter when I am indoors more. The Outliers is on my list too though. Another good book on slow living is In Praise of Slow by Carl Honore.

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    1. I enjoyed The Outliers. I have to admit, I read a lot in the winter, too. Summer seems to be when I set the pick for some sort of reading destination for the year.

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  8. um....a question....how do you get the frames on your pictures?

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    1. Anybody? I think it came with the template I chose. Maybe. Can't remember.

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  9. Aw, thanks for the shout out for Out of the Frying Pan, Julie. I do enjoy watching Poppy solve strange murders.

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    1. You betcha, Baby. Glad to do it. Have always admired your determination, whatever venture you are on. You always seem to choose it, go for it, and do it well. Impressed.

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  10. I'm about to tear into "Friends & Favorites" a Look and Find book that I'll read with my grandson, Landon :)
    Maybe I'll settle down and reread Joseph Campbell's "Pathways to Bliss" or Paul Tillich's "The Courage To Be" Not too smutty, though...reading Tillich is like reading mathematics :)

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    1. Hmmm, Becky. Will have to check those out. Reading mathematics? Thinking I might look and listen to that one with your grandson.

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  11. Sounds like a great list! I've got five open books right now on my Kindle, and three on my night stand. I need to finish them! Last year, my favorite read was *Gone Girl*.

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    1. I enjoyed Gone Girl. Very different from what I normally read, but good for me to read an unreliable narrator.

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  12. Excellent list! Thank you! I'm bookmarking it so I can add these to my reading list. I like to find new books on Amazon and then go to my library and reserve them. I'm sneaky.

    Two excellent books I've read recently are The Life List by Lori Nelson Speilman and What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty. So good!

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    1. I read What Alice Forgot. Enjoyed it. Will check out the other. Thanks, Kat.

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  13. Just finished "Duty" which I like and now half way thru "The Goldfinch" which has some sparkling writing but so far I'm not sure if I like it or hate it. Will see where it goes....:)

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    1. I have The Goldfinch on my Kindle. Forgot to add that to my list. Supposed to be most interesting. Finished Duty also. Truly enjoyed it. Gates is a fine man.

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  14. Looks like you have a busy reading summer filled. I actually did well with our 2 week beach trip this year and finished 5 books. With the kids getting a little more self sufficient, I was able to plug reading in more frequently in between chasing them in and out of the ocean/pool/hot tub.

    I hope your weekend went well.

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