What Are You Reading This Summer?

Summer is synonymous with reading. Whether you’re digging your toes into the sand at the beach, lounging in a hammock in the woods, or simply sitting in your own backyard, summer is simply better with a book in hand. With that in mind, I thought I’d peruse a few prominent lists of summer reading must-reads and tell you what I’m reading, then ask you to share your picks for a good summer read.

We might as well start with Oprah, who has the literary Midas touch, at least when it comes to sales. Her summer reading list is comprised of some 20 books, including The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake, by Aimee Bender, in which a young girl realizes she can taste human emotions in food.

The Washington Post has a shorter list of the “buzziest” books of the summer, including The Passage, by John Cronin, which the Post describes as “a post-apocalyptic vampire saga, but with literary cred.” The list also includes The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest, the third and final installment in Stieg Larsson’s wildly successful Millennium Trilogy.

The New York Times published a list of good beach reads, titled “Fangs and Other Fluff: Completely Guilt Free.” And, appropriately, there are plenty of fangs and fluff, including Blood Oath, by Christopher Farnsworth, which chronicles the trials and tribulations of the president’s personal vampire. But hey, it’s summer! Leave the Dickens to the high school kids.

As for me, I’m starting out my summer with Day for Night, by Frederick Reiken, which you can read about here.

So readers, what about you? With the Fourth right around the corner, it’s time to get cracking! Share your summer reading picks in the comments below. Thanks!