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Here’s a list of great summer reads [UPDATED]
Published 8:26am Friday, July 6, 2012 Updated 12:30pm Friday, July 6, 2012Summer reading is fluffy romances, suspenseful thrillers and anything humorous. The following titles are recommended by your friendly neighborhood librarians and are perfect for reading while at the beach, in your backyard or seated under the air conditioner.
Gone Missing, by Linda Castillo
Once Amish herself, Painters Mill, Ohio, Police Chief Kate Burkholder is a perfect choice to act as a consultant with the Bureau of Criminal Investigation as they look into the disappearance of two young Amish girls. As Kate and Agent John Tomasetti start looking into the lives of the missing teens, they begin to discover links to cold cases that go back several years.
Bodies also begin to turn up, and the investigation becomes a race against time to save the young girls. This is the fourth book in a series. Peggy Brause, Library Assistant
Ready Player One, by Ernest Cline
Ready Player One is set in the near future, where actual life is so grim that the majority of people live in a virtual world called The Oasis. The main character Wade uses his knowledge of 80′s pop culture to try and win a fortune in an all-engrossing Oasis contest. The audiobook version is read by Will Wheaton (from Star Trek fame), who amps up the geekery to make this my favorite book I’ve read this year.
Katelyn Edds, Adult Services Librarian
The Garner Files: A Memoir, by James Garner & Jon Winokur
A long time fan of James Garner, I was looking forward to learning more about the “real” person. It was genuine, charming and humorous. The roles he played as an actor are similar to his real life. He is a man of integrity and he voices his opinions when it matters.
Myra Domes, Assistant Reference Librarian
Dead Ringer, by Sharon Dunn
I have been enjoying titles in Sharon Dunn’s Love Inspired Suspense series. In Dead Ringer, Lucy Kimbol is a “dead-ringer” for victims of the local serial killer — long, dark hair and blue eyes. Detective Eli Hawkins is called to answer her distress call, and it changes her life. Other titles in the series include In Night Prey and Her Guardian.
Mary Jo Igelstad, Library Assistant
Mud Pies and Other Recipes, by Marjorie Winslow
Originally published in 1961, this charming make-believe cookbook for children has a vintage vibe and is full of fanciful recipes. Perfect for playing outside with a favorite doll (or action figure). Discover the secret to fried water, dandelion soufflé, silk spaghetti, and more! Great for a camping trip or backyard play.
Arielle Krohn, Youth Librarian
The Body Movers Series by Stephanie Bond
If you like the ridiculously fun adventures in Janet Evanovich’s series of mysteries, you’ll love this series as well.
Emily Millard, Library Assistant
In the Garden of Beasts, by Erik Larson
This one has been on my list for awhile — a fast-paced, can’t-put-it down portrayal of Berlin during the beginning of Hitler’s reign; a perfect history novel for the lazy days of summer. The story centers on the experiences of the American Ambassador William E. Dodd and his daughter as they interact with the Nazi regime during their rise to power.
Erin Smith, Library Director
