Summer Reading List

Image via thenestinginstinct.tumblr.com

After spending a bit of time placing holds in the eBook Library online this morning (my new favorite thing!), I thought it might be about time to share my summer reading list with you. It seems that every year at this time I have an urge to put together a list of good reads for the summer--perhaps because I start dreaming about all the reading I'll be doing on the beach, on planes, and while traveling to exotic locales over the summer. Although I'm not exactly planning on heading anywhere crazy over the next few months, I am planning on getting lots of reading done, because in my mind, reading = relaxation. Wouldn't you agree? 

So anywho, here are the books that I've recently placed on hold for my Kindle. Have you read any of them? Are they good? After reading this list and getting a feel for the types of books I like, do you have any suggestions? If so, please send them along!

Summer Reading List: 

1. Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James: after hearing about this book from multiple people, I feel like I have to read it. It's like any other bestselling/highly-discussed trilogy--The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, The Hunger Games, even Twilight (although I have to say that I only read the first one, just so I could "get" it)--I just want to be in the know and understand what people are talking about. Is that so bad? So yes, Fifty Shades of Grey has been added to my list...and I'm preparing to be slightly freaked out by it. 

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Image via bookblob.wordpress.com

2. The Way of the Happy Woman: Living the Best Year of Your Life by Sara Avant Stower: the author visited Tranquil Space earlier this year and I've heard amazing things about both the book and about her. I have the book, now I just need to read it!

3. The Financial Lives of the Poets by Jess Walter

4. Swamplandia! by Karen Russell: recommended to me by a friend who has amazing taste, so therefore, a no-brainer. Excited to read it!

5. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer

6. The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender

7. The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obreht: I checked this book out a month or two ago, then got busy, and was only halfway through by the time my 21-day loan ended...sigh. So, I'm back on the list and am excited about finishing it! It was really good so far...

Recent Recommended Reads:

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Image via goodreads.com

1. The Swan Theives: A Novel by Elizabeth Kostova: I just finished this book, and absolutely LOVED it. It helps that it contained a lot of my favorite things to read about--art (paintings!), intrigue/mystery, romance, drama, multiple time periods and points of view, and mental issues/genius (sad, I know, but I do find this interesting...), but either way, I highly recommend it!

2. The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes: a very poignant and interesting novel. Not for a casual reader, but for someone wanting a bit of an unusual character-study-type read. 

3. Last Night in Twisted River: A Novel by John Irving: as you probably know by now, I'm a big John Irving fan. Therefore, I found this novel to be great, as his novels usually are. Really interesting story that follows a man through his somewhat rocky life from childhood to adulthood. 

4. Zeitoun by Dave Eggers: after reading What is the What, I'm a TOTAL Dave Eggers convert. This book is an amazing true story that captures just one tiny snapshot of life in New Orleans during and after Hurricane Katrina. It's heartbreaking and really helped me to see the event and the aftershock of the event more clearly. A must-read for anyone who wants to learn more about this...

What are your most recent recommended reads? Please do share!

And with that, I'll leave you with a few fun summer reading images I found on Pinterest...

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This is where I want to be this summer...image via decorology.blogspot.com.

My dream getaway. Image via flickr.com.

Yes. Image via imgfave.com.

I heart hammocks! Image via vintagerosegarden.tumblr.com.

Ahhh....looking forward to it!

Namaste,
Mary Catherine