Summer Reading List... Number #1: How to Turn Off Your Mind

I, unfortuantely, have one of those jobs where a summer vacation is nearly impossible-- I am a spring/fall vacationer. Nonetheless, I always try and find myself on a beach here and there, book in hand. There is nothing more relaxing than summer reading. And so, I thought I would share a handful of book recommnedations for anyone who has time to focus on their summer reading.

So Book #1-- The fun, engaging read that will let you shut your mind down and focus on the surf

Dead to the World, by Charlainne Harris

I've read nearly every Sookie Stackhouse novel (for some reason I skipped the first). As someone who worships the literary greats like Margaret Atwood, John Irving, and Madison Smartt Bell, this feels like an odd choice, but these books are amazing for what they are-- pure, unpretensious entertainment.

The Sookie Stackhouse novels will surprise you, make you laugh, and (yes) at times make you groan and roll your eyes. But they will also pull you in and hold you in delightful anticipation.

This, the fourth novel, was by far my favorite and happens to coincide with this season of True Blood. Trubie or no, this is the ultimate beach read. And, you don't have to have read the first three books to jump in on number 4... BUT, I consumer each one of these books in about a day, so if you have the luxury of ten days at the beach, you may be able to get through the whole series and still have time for a BBQ and amusement park :)

My favorite book... Part 2

Most of us bibliophiles have had this moment... we know MONTHS in advance when an author's next title will appear on shelves/Amazon, and we are waiting anxiously to devour it. It is, in fact, one of my favorite book moments... the arrival moment, when you are so excited and full of antcipation. I've had a few great ones in my life-- the seventh Harry Potter novel, Flight by Sherman Alexie, etc. But, one author gives me this chance about once a year, bringing me novels I devour in a day and find delightful, empty bliss within, and that novel is Charlaine Harris, who once a year publishes a new Sookie Stackhouse novel.

For those of you who are unfamiliar, these are the novels on which True Blood (the best show ever) is based. On book #7, I was mystified that I was still reading-- I typically loose interest in a series after 3 or 4 books, but for these delightful, easy reads, I was still hooked on 7 or 8.

Last week, book 11 came in the mail, and I read it in a day. While I thoroughly enjoyed immersing myself in Harris' vampire world (think Twilight with an NC-17 rating), I am saddened to see my interest waning. Much of the dramatic tension that so pulled me in during the first 8-9 books just feels lacking in this last book (as it was somewhat in book 10). Sookie, or perhaps Harris, just seems to be going through the motions in this last installation, and I am very hopeful that next May a new, exciting book will bring the series back to its initial glory.

Or, eventually, Harris will run out of creative ways to work "Dead" into the title of a book :)

Regardless, the anticipation is still one of my favorite book moments.