What I read on my summer vacation

One of the things I'm asked by colleagues and patrons alike is, "How much do you read?  And how much of what you recommend have you read?"

It's not always that simple.  I have been an avid reader my whole life.  And I do read a lot.  I was an English major in college, and that was a lot of reading, too.  I'd say on average, I read 1-2 books a week, so between fifty to one hundred titles a year, in a good year.  However, I also read lots of book reviews and watch and listen when patrons check items out and return them.  If I'm hearing consistently great reviews on a title, I'll often pass that along to my fellow readers.  I may not have read every title I recommend, but I never recommend something I wouldn't want to read.

So, to give you an idea of what I do read, here's my list of what I read over the summer, and why:

June:

A Game of Thrones, by George R.R. Martin.  I waited until after the first season of the HBO show was over before I started in on the series.  All I wanted to do was sit and read this one--I couldn't put it down.  The same is true for the rest of the series.

The Doctor's Wife, by Elizabeth Brundage.  The title for my bookclub's July meeting.  It was one I was looking forward to, and really appreciated all of the subtleties in the plot.  It made for an excellent discussion!

Love You More, by Lisa Gardner.  It's no secret that I love Gardner's work, and this latest title had so many twists and turns!  Every time I thought I had it figured out, I would find out I was wrong.  Absolutely gripping.

Faith, by Jennifer Haigh.  I have read all of Haigh's work over the last decade, and always enjoy it.  While this included some rather uncomfortable subject matter, I thought it was handled very well.  Haunting and beautifully told.

A Clash of Kings, by George R.R. Martin.  I have been taking small breaks between books in the series, spreading them out to savor them.


July:

The Red Garden, by Alice Hoffman.  If you haven't read Alice Hoffman, I really think you're missing out.  She uses language like a paintbrush, and her pictures are so vivid and detailed, I'm always in awe.

Fly Away Home, by Jennifer Weiner.  This was a nod to summer reading, but it turned out to be slightly more emotional and less light and fluffy than I had anticipated.  The feel-good ending was perfect, though.

A Storm of Swords, by George R.R. Martin.  Are you sick of hearing me talk about this series?  Because I'm not sick of talking about it--at all!

Never Knowing, by Chevy Stevens.  Love.  One of the best thrillers I've read.  Period.

Then Came You, by Jennifer Weiner.  Perhaps I read this too close to Fly Away Home, but I found it a little weighty.  As is often the case, sometimes I'm just in the mood for something, and sometimes I'm not.


Thursday, I'll finish the list and talk about what I'm most looking forward to reading this fall.  But I really want to know--what did you read over the summer?