Home > Summer Reading >
Pick one of these books for a great read!
As part of our Adult Summer Reading Program, people are turning in brief reviews
of the books they've read. Take a look - you might find a new favorite to enjoy!
Click on book covers to place titles on hold or to make sure they're on shelf.
|
|
Labyrinth
Kate Mosse
Fiction
4 stars - I thought the book was good. Some of the history was interesting.
- Sara D.
|
|
|
Key Lime Pie Murder
Joann Fluke
Mystery
4 stars - Another great murder mystery with great recipes!
- Donna B.
|
|
|
The Game
Laurie R. King
Mystery
4 stars - It was a good book.
- Sara D.
4 stars - Though not one of the best of King's Russell and Holmes novels, her skillful writing and the witty relationship between Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes make for another engaging tale.
- Jennie W. |
|
|
Under the Tuscan Sun: At Home in Italy
Frances Mayes
Memoir
4 stars - This book depicts my heritage and love for rehabbing homes. Refreshing to read and dream of home in Italy.
- Margaret V. |
|
|
Alice, Princess Andrew of Greece
Hugo Vickers
Biography
4 stars - Interesting book about Greek royalty and the inter-connectedness of European and British royalty!
-Lori N. |
|
|
When Bobbie Sang the Blues
Peggy Darty
Mystery
5 stars - When Bobbie Sang the Blues is a light mystery that makes me long for Florida and the beach. Darty mixes mystery into the everyday world, while giving us a light dose of good and bad. You come away being thankful for what we have in life.
-Ann M. |
|
|
Life on the Refrigerator Door
Alice Kuipers
Fiction
5 stars - A touching book that chronicles the life of a mother and daughter and day to day life. I loved this book so much, I had my 15 year old daughter read it too!
-Ann M. |
|
|
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood
Rebecca Wells
Fiction
4 stars - Better novel than her others. Good reading.
- Donna B.
|
|
|
A Walk in the Woods
Bill Bryson
Memoir; Humor
4 stars - An interesting glimpse of hiking the Appalachian Trail. Nice touch of history, geography, and humor.
-Rosemary L. |
|
|
The Ice Queen
Alice Hoffman
Modern Fantasy
4 stars - Very interesting, but sad.
-Juli K. |
|
|
The Girl Who Chased the Moon
Sarah Addison Allen
Modern Fantasy
5 stars - I loved this book and this author! I will definitely read all her books.
- Ann M. |
|
|
Groundswell
Katie Lee
Romance
4 stars - Good; kept me wondering how much this fiction book was mirroring the real-life experiences of the author.
- Donna B.
|
|
|
The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey
Candice Miller
Biography
4 stars - After losing the presidential election of 1912, Theodore Roosevelt turns to his next challenge, leading an expedition of the Amazon River valley. The journey nearly costs him his life.
- Ed M. |
|
|
The Sugar Queen
Sarah Addison Allen
Modern Fantasy
5 stars - Another fun book by an awesome author. Sarah takes a journey into people's lives and the special uniqueness they possess.
- Ann M. |
|
|
Cream Puff Murder
Joann Fluke
Mystery
4 stars - Just as good as her other books. All kind of tying into each other - but each with its own murder and story
- Donna B.
|
|
|
Murder on the Orient Express
Agatha Christie
Mystery
5 stars - I love Agatha Christie. A great "Who done it." Unusual because Hercule Poirot is the target. In all ways a surprise ending!
- Mary Jane L. |
|
|
Smoking Seventeen
Janet Evanovich
Mystery
4 stars - Better than some of her recent ones. Very entertaining and clever like her first ones - movie coming out in January 2012!
- Jean W.
5 stars - Janet Evanovich has again written a book that is humorous. Stephanie Plum attempts to capture those that have bonded out and failed to appear for court. In this storyline there are also people showing up dead. A lot of action that keeps you trying to figure out what's going to happen next and who is the killer.
- Chris G.
|
|
|
Apple Turnover Mystery
Joanne Fluke
Mystery
4 stars - Good book - would recommend it - good ending.
- Donna B.
|
|
|
I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You
Ally Carter
Mystery
5 stars - I thought this book was really good. It had a lot of suspense and mystery moments.
- Victoria G. |
|
|
When the Sandpiper Calls
Patty Darty
Mystery
4 stars - When the Sandpiper Calls is a nice summer read mystery, light and full of good characters. It is not dark and depressing, just easy and amusing.
- Ann M. |
|
|
Cherry Cheesecake Mystery
Joanne Fluke
Mystery
5 stars - I thought this was a suspenseful book that kept my interest by including recipes talked about in the chapters.
- Donna B. |
|
|
Sweetheart
Chelsea Cain
Thriller
5 stars
- Tracy A. |
|
|
How the States Got their Shapes
Mark Stein
Nonfiction; American history
4 stars - Interesting book about the history of the states, and how their boundaries became defined.
- Gail P. |
|
|
Family Affair
Debbie Macomber
Romance
3 stars - Fast read, but predictable love story. Boy meets girl & girl has no interest due to being hurt in the past & then they fall in love.
- Chris G. |
|
|
Evil at Heart
Chelsea Cain
Thriller
5 stars -
- Tracy A. |
|
|
The Red Garden
Alice Hoffman
Fiction
5 stars - Excellent collection of short stories.
- Juli K. |
|
|
The Christmas Sweater
Glenn Beck
Fiction
5 stars - What a great story to help us remember to be grateful and thankful for all we have! This was a nice reminder of how important the little things in life should be.
- Melanie C. |
|
|
In Our Time
Ernest Hemingway
Fiction
2 stars - One of his first books - I've read better!
- Lori N. |
|
|
The Elegance of the Hedgehog
Muriel Barbery
Fiction
5 stars - This beautifully written novel will lift your spirits. More than a great love story, the author also weaves the subjects of art, philosophy, music, and Japanese culture into a story rich with life lessons. Everyone high school age and above should read it.
- Ed M. |
|
|
The Way of Shadows
Brent Weeks
Fiction
3 stars
- Mike K. |
|
|
House Rules
Jodi Picoult
Fiction
4 stars - Great book, very interesting - learning about Asperger, a higher level of the autism spectrum. Though a novel, it provided great info.
- Lori N. |
|
|
Undead and Unwed
Mary Janice Davidson
Fiction
4 stars - Undead and Unwed is a funny, mildly romantic, portrayal of a girl who finds herself becoming a vampire and all that is dealt to her! I am looking forward to more in the series.
- Ann M. |
|
|
Once Upon a Summer
Janette Oke
Christian Fiction
3 stars - Slow moving. Placed in 1800s about how different families are but how it is also okay. Lessons about how it is good to trust in God and to do the right thing.
- Karen C. |
|
|
Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India, and Indonesia
Elizabeth Gilbert
Memoir
2 stars - Not really my kind of book - I kept moaning "Get a grip." I wish I had her money to travel, though.
- Mary Jane R. |
|
|
On the Road
Jack Kerouac
Fiction
4 stars - I found this reading desirable because, though not as early in age as 'Sal', I am an On the Road person. The anticipation of Nature's beauty beyond my boundaries and excitement of new faces, stories, and cultures is what I love most. Likewise, the beat generation group found life's solace in an earlier decade.
- Margaret V. |
|
|
Ship of Fools
Kathryn Anne Porter
HIstorical Fiction
5 stars - Ship of Fools is a very powerful book that examines how different classes of people react to each other during an ocean trip by boat. It also reviews how race and politics can cloud people's minds.
- Ed M. |
|
|
My Year with Eleanor
Noelle Hancock
Memoir
4 stars - A great book idea! I learned a lot more about Eleanor Roosevelt and it made me want to read more about her.
- Gail P. |
|
|
Spells and Sleeping Bags
Sarah Mlynowski
Fantasy
5 stars - I just love this book; it's amazing how Sarah Mlynowski mixed spells into a young girl's life. I would recommend this book to anyone.
- Tashell G. |
|
|
It's Not About Me
Max Lucado
Nonfiction; Christian Living
4 stars - This is a good book that helps remind us that this life isn't all about 'us'. It is about God's plan and what he wants done.
- Melanie C. |
|
|
A Discovery of Witches
Deborah E. Harkness
Fantasy
5 stars - Love, magic, vampires, alchemy, history, witches, family, genetics, and daemons - all mixed up into a highly entrancing tale you'll try to devour in one sitting. (Okay, it's too long for that - two sittings, then.) Definite hints of a sequel to come - I hope so!
- Jennie W. |
|
|
Neither Here nor There
Bill Brysby
Memoir
5 stars - A great book by a great author.
- Lori N. |
|
|
Getting Things Done
David Allen
Nonfiction; self-management
3 stars - Good book, but not the best. Action-management, action-reminders, getting control of one's life are all discussed.
- Paul R. |
|
|
The Centurion's Wife
Davis Bunn and Janette Oke
Christian Romance
5 stars - A touching story of two people from different backgrounds, one seeking a higher status, the other wishing to be invisible. Both end up following a path toward Jesus and finding love because of their journey.
- Karen C. |
|
|
Life is So Good
George Dawson
Biography
5 stars - Great book chronicling memories of an 103 year old man. Taking you back to times from an African American perspective.
- Joanne H. |
|
|
Bridegroom
Linda Lael Miller
Romance
4 stars
- Mary M. |
|
|
Area 51: an Uncensored History of America's Top Secret Military Base
Annie Jacobsen
Nonfiction
5 stars - The book is astounding. There's a lot of stuff in the book you don't know about.
- Al P. |
|
|
A Turn in the Road
Debbie Macomber
Romance
4 stars - Debbie Macomber wrote of three generations on the road going to a 50th high school reunion. One was a predictable romantic ending. The second she didn't resolve. The third was left up in the air until the end, not knowing whether she was going back to her ex-husband or to the person she met on her trip.
- Chris G. |
|
|
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
J K. Rowling
Fantasy
5 stars - I love this book. It has lots of drama, fighting, and suspense.
- Victoria G. |
|
|
Sizzling Sixteen
Janet Evanovich
Mystery
4 stars - Very funny - I liked the Hobbit theme.
- Juli K. |
|
|
Chasing the Dime
Michael Connelly
Thriller
3 stars - This was an interesting read with a bit of a twist ending to it.
- Melanie C. |
|
|
A McKettrick Christmas
Linda Lael Miller
Romance
3 stars - Did not enjoy this book as much as the other books in this series.
- Mary M. |
|
|
Travels
Michael Crichton
Memoir
5 stars - The author travels the world over and also writes about his experiences exploring psychic phenomena. The book is a very interesting read, especially when the author reflects on the lessons his travels have taught him.
- Ed M. |
|
|
Heaven is for Real
Todd Burpo
Memoir
5 stars - Compelling; leaves you eagerly awaiting to see what happens next. If you believe in God what a revelation!
- Karen C. |
|
|
The High King's Tomb
Kristen Britain
Fantasy
5 stars - This third book in the Green Rider series is just as exciting as the first two! Additions of new characters complicate the plot, but the story wouldn't be half so good without them!
- Jennie W. |
 |
McKettrick’s Heart
Linda Lael Miller
Romance
4 stars - Very good western romance writer.
- Mary M. |
|
|
Finger Lickin’ Fifteen
Janet Evanovich
Mystery
3 stars - This book was funny (as usual) – however I only had 2 laugh-out-loud moments. This book was easier to follow than some of her previous. I think that was because there weren’t too many characters to keep track of.
- Juli K. |
|
*available through Clinton-Macomb Public Library
|
Head in the Clouds
Karen Witemeyer
Romance
4 stars - I liked this western romance! It was very good.
- Emily H. |
|
|
A Million Little Pieces
John Frey
Fiction
4 stars - Good reading of ‘rehab’ destination. Truth to fallacy – Oprah’s Book Club.
- Margaret V. |
|
|
The Ladies of Grace Adieu and Other Stories
Susanna Clarke
Fantasy
5 stars - Ladies is a collection of faerie stories set in a version of 19th century England where magic is real. The book is ‘edited’ by a professor of Sidhe from Cambridge.
- Holly K. |
|
