Great summer reads

Books for lazy, hazy days

By
Her

Monday, June 15, 2009

Nothing says summer like a porch, a cool glass of lemonade, a good book and a lazy afternoon.

This summer, set aside some time to read. Whether you select a tear-jerker, a romance, a mystery or a memoir, you're sure to enjoy being transported to another world for a while.

Here are some "great summer reads," suggested by members of the Her ... magazine readers' panel. You'll find them at local bookstores and online book Web sites.

— Jane Hudson

“Heartbreak Café” by Penelope J. Stokes (Berkley/Penguin, August 2009)

I love novels about the South, so I chose "Heartbreak Café" by an author who resides in Asheville. It's a fun, easy book to read. The story surrounds a statement made by Dell Haley's mom to her on her wedding day to Chase about cookin' and lovin.' Dell is a great cook, so she handles the cookin' part well. It's not until after Chase dies suddenly that she discovers who's taking care of the lovin' part with him.

Stokes has a real knack for developing strong friendships in her writing and has a way of bringing the characters to life. The book has a great story with a great ending. An added bonus to this book is that Stokes has included "Dell's favorite" recipes in the back of the book. She goes a little overboard at times with her Southern descriptions and expressions, and I think she could have chosen better names for some of the characters. Overall, however, I would recommend this book for your reading list.

— Jeri Jackson, 64, Greenville

“13 is the New 18” by Beth Harpaz (Random House, 2009)

All I have to say about this book is that I wish I had written it first! No, really, my parallel to Beth Harpaz's experience with her son's transition from 12 to 13 happened in my home, but with females from ages 11 to 12.

If you want a summer read that has everything from sex and foul language to suspense and espionage, "13 is the New 18" is the book for you! Truth is stranger, funnier and much more intriguing than fiction when it comes to the antics of a teen and the chaos that ensues in a home that has been relatively peaceful for 13 years.

The author captures the essence of life in the presence, or should I say absence, of her eldest son in his quest for freedom: Freedom from family time; freedom to hang with friends; freedom to ride the New York transit alone; freedom to exclude his parents from most aspects of his life. Being the parent of an adolescent these days takes creative genius just to stay one step ahead, and "13 is the New 18" will help you do just that!

— Kimberlee Raper, 51, Grimesland

“Tryin’ to Sleep in the Bed You Made” by Virginia DeBerry and Donna Grant (St. Martin’s Press, 1997)

This is a great read for women who seek romance, comedy and drama all in the same book! It's about two best friends who embark on their journey to success. Along the way one of them loses their father while eloping with a man she has only known for two months, while the other finds out a secret about her abusive aunt.

— Kyndall B. Peele, 21, Greenville

“The Memory Collector” by Meg Gardiner (Dutton, 2009)

If you like mysteries, this is a good read. Based on nanotechnology (little tiny computer chips) and psychology, it races over two continents at breakneck speed. The main character, Jo Beckett, is a police psychologist trying to put her life back together after the death of her husband. It is not as polished as mysteries by Janet Evanovich or Sue Grafton, and at times I had trouble keeping up with all the characters, but it has an exciting ending. Not bad for a second novel.

— Lauri Johnson, 52, Greenville

“Handle with Care” by Jodi Picoult (Atria, 2009)

If you are a fan of Jodi Picoult's books, then you will not be surprised that the book tackles a difficult subject. As in all of her books, the reader has to think and examine her feelings about a controversial or ethically challenging issue. In "Handle with Care," Sean and Charlotte O'Keefe are a couple who seem to have a pretty perfect life. She is a successful pastry chef, and he is a police officer. She has a daughter from a previous relationship. They are happy and healthy and desperately want a child together. When their daughter, Willow, is born with osteogensis imperfecta (OI), also known as brittle-bone syndrome, their whole life changes.

Caring for a severely physically disabled child takes a toll on the marriage and their other daughter in multiple ways. After they sue their obstetrician for wrongful birth, the family starts to break apart. This is a powerful look at how a family copes with caring for a child with disabilities and the choices parents face.

This is not an easy read but it is a good read. I recommend it for those of you who have read her previous books and those who don't mind something a bit heavier.

— Karen J. Koch, 45, Greenville

“Mercury in Retrograde” by Paula Froelich (Atria, 2009)

This book was a little slow at the beginning, but it was a nice, easy read, perfect for a day at the beach or pool. It shows how people from totally different lifestyles can have life-changing events that will have them cross paths, even though they may not ever have met under normal circumstances. Although it takes place during difficult times in the characters lives, it is lighthearted and entertaining. It makes you want to hurry and get to the end so you can see how everyone's lives turned out!

— Valerie Del, 50, Greenville

“The Girls from Ames” by Jeffrey Zaslow (Gotham Books, 2009)

I read this book during my week's vacation. It is a wonderfully researched and written account of a 40-year-old friendship among 11 women from Ames, Iowa, who were all born in 1962-63.

If I didn't know it before, I know it now for sure — the friendships we share with other women can not only make our lives richer, they can make our lives longer. If you haven't developed any close female friendships, do so now! If you have them, nurture them and they will in turn nurture you.

The 11 women speak vividly about what it was like to be girls in the 1960s and '70s, young women in the '80s, and new mothers in the '90s. They offer up countless examples of how close female friendships can shape every aspect of women's lives.

Even though I was born in the middle of the babyboom (1957), I found much that was familiar in the memoirs shared between the covers of this book and I recommend it wholeheartedly. You will enjoy the trip down memory lane, and you will call, text, write, or somehow contact at least one trusted girlfriend while reading this.

— Lynn Caverly, 52, Greenville

“Same Kind Of Different As Me” by Ron Hall and Denver Moore ( Thomas Nelson, 2006)

This is a true story, written firsthand by the authors. It tells the individual stories of Ron and Denver — Ron, an international art dealer from Texas, and Denver, a homeless modern-day slave from Louisiana. The story leads to how these two men are brought together in a life-changing meeting that ultimately makes them best friends.

Honestly, I cried so much reading this book. It is not difficult to read or really lengthy, but it is also not a light read, although it does have its humorous moments (I laughed out loud when Ron and Denver describe their first impressions of each other). I found the story so inspiring and was convicted of all the times that I, too, have judged people by mere appearances.

I have already recommended this book to all my friends and family; I would most definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a real-life inspirational story.

— Anna Vaughn Creech, 24, Greenville

“The Writing Class” by Jincy Willet (St. Martin’s Press, 2008)

I really enjoyed this book, but the big drawback for me is that it had curse words. I know that sounds minor but I really try to be careful about the things that I read. So, if you are staying away from books with curse words, you may not need to read this.

Once I got past the curse words, I was intrigued. It is a murder mystery, which I love. It takes place in a writing class, hence the title. The class is taught by Amy Gallup who has self-esteem issues and is a loner. She hates her life but teaches this night class to wannabe writers, who she thinks are hopeless but tolerable. She requires each of her students to complete a short story and everyone in the class critiques the other students' work. After each assignment, strange things happen: threatening notes, dangerous situations, mystery and murder. Amy has to determine which of her students is the killer. Each student's work gives you new insight into their character and the ending is very surprising. If you like whodunits ... in the most elementary sense, then you will love this book.

— Keisha Brown, 33, Greenville

“A Summer Affair” by Elin Hilderbrand (Little Brown, 2008)

This book doesn't have you guessing what it's about because the title says it all, however it does make you want to keep reading with every page turn to find out more and more about the characters and their affair.

Claire Danner Crispin is a mother of four living on the island of Nantucket with her builder husband Jason and working to reestablish her glass-blowing business she put on hold for her children. Claire is asked to help co-chair the Nantucket Children's Summer Gala, the biggest benefit that the island holds every year. Lock Dixon is the President of the Nantucket Children's Society and married to a woman who he fell out of love with many years earlier. Claire and Lock find themselves in a torrid summer affair.

This book was a great summer read and kept me wanting to know more: if Lock and Claire get caught, if they confess to anyone, do they stay together or go back to try and repair their respective marriages. To find out, pick up this book and enjoy.

— Crystal Hildenbrand, 36, Greenville

“Audition: A Memoir” by Barbara Walters (Vintage, 2009)

This is a touching memoir by one of the most recognized women in television. Ms. Walters gives us an inside view of what lies beneath the woman that we see on television and how she very humbly broke through the glass ceiling of a male-dominated industry. Although the book was very long, and at times rambled on a bit, it provided clear insight to Barbara Walters the person, not the TV personality. I have an even greater respect for Ms. Walters for having shared such personal aspects of her life.

— Evelyne Billingslea, 32, Greenville

“June of the Corn Husker’s Ball” by BK Mitchell (BookSurge, 2005)

This novel by local author and my friend BK Mitchell is a suspenseful historical mystery-romance filled with intrigue and espionage. The book centers on "June Bug" Horton and a journey through several decades and three generations of hidden family secrets. The characters are multifaceted, all intertwining with one another to uncover the mysteries of the past set against the backdrop of Southern charm, money, greed and magnolias. It is one of the best books I have read in a long time. Copies of this book will be available at Amazon and in major bookstores in August.

— Christina Ruotolo, 31, Greenville

"The Shack" by William Paul Young (Windblown Media, 2008)

If you're looking for a typical love story, this is not it. However, if you're looking for a book that will challenge your faith and how you believe, this is a must read. The book came to me HIGHLY recommended by three family members, so I trusted it would be a good one. I'll admit, I didn't like the sadness of the beginning, and then it had a strange twist of events. I prefer more upbeat reading, but I forged on because I knew my family wouldn't steer me wrong. And then, the prize for sticking it out was revealed. It all came together and the message started coming through loud and clear. This book is inspiring, creative and offers a fresh perspective of "why does God let bad things happen." I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a meaningful, challenging at times, read! It was worth the time it took to read; it was worth the tears I cried while I read it; it is a very good book!

— Elaine M. Hughes, 46, Greenville

"Twenty Wishes" by Debbie Macomber (Mira, 2008)

Another great addition to her Blossom Street collection, this story focuses on several widows (young and older) who realize their need to move forward with their lives as newly single women. At a group gathering the idea emerges that each woman should make a list of 20 wishes — 20 activities, dreams and even crazy ideas that she would like to pursue in this new season of her life. Because they are all from various backgrounds and had unique experiences in their marriages, the storylines take interesting turns and the characters become quite endearing and even comical.

This is a book of hope, change, joy and challenge. It would be a great addition to your summer library, and I expect that most readers will find themselves creating their own list of 20 wishes once they complete the book. I know I plan to!

— Karen Sneed, 46, Winterville