Summer Reading!

Remember those summers you spent trekking your little pink backpack to the public library in town, filling it with as many Sweet Valley High books as you could carry, and then reading those books like it was your one and only summer job? Okay, so the details may vary, but I can bet that everyone did their share of summer reading as a kid. Whether it was the table full of classics on the 10th grade reading list (Ugh, Lord of the Flies, again?!) or just a breezy beach read, there's something about sitting in the sun with a good paperback in hand that puts me in the mood for more.

So, I'm giving all of you my brief list thus far--with the hope that you will send me some of your favorite summer reads as well. That's how it works people.

Special Topics In Calamity Physics by Marisha Pessl

Not only does this novel have one of the coolest websites I've seen yet, but it is by far one of the most entertaining, beautifully written, and articulately crafted books I've read in a very long time. The story will have you guessing from start to finish--and even at the end you'll feel the need to flip back to page 1 and start again.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

Yes, it's on my list. Deal with it. No, I won't be waiting in line for my copy at midnight on July 21, but I stand firm in my support of Harry and his adventures based on the fact that since Potter's first appearance in 1997 J.K. Rowling has gotten millions of children reading. Plus, this type of book defines summer reading. The last installment in the Potter saga is sure to be quick, fast-paced, dramatic and heartwrenching til the end.

The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway

I'm in serious Hemingway phase right now, so if you want a classic choose one from the master. I have nightly dreams of Paris, sitting in cafes, and drinking from one of those wine sacks the characters all carry around. If you want something that won't disappoint--this one is a sure thing.

On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan

McEwan's latest, which comes out TODAY, is the first in a long string of summer reads that are apparently... bringing virginity back? Read a short excerpt and decide for yourself.

Happy Reading!