Top Ten Books at the Top of My Summer TBR List

1.  The Distance Between Us by Kasie West—I'm reading this contemporary YA romance right now (it comes out on July 2, I believe) and, although it's pretty fluffy, I'm enjoying it.  It's a classic rich boy meets poor girl love story, set in a beach town in California.  Although it's set during the Fall months, it's the kind of light, fun book that's perfect for summer reading.

2.  Bones of the Lost by Kathy Reichs—I always get excited when a new Temperance Brennan novel comes out.  This is one of my favorite adult series.  Since the book doesn't come out until August, I was thrilled to get an ARC of this one via Edelweiss.  I can't wait to see what adventures Tempe has this time around.

3.  The Newcomer by Robyn Carr—Adult romances really aren't my thing, so I generally avoid them like the proverbial plague.  Unless, of course, they're written by Carr.  She's a warm, lovely person whose personality really shines through in the books she writes.  They're romances, yes, but they're also stories about communities, families and people who value things like integrity, fidelity and loyalty to one's family, friends and country.  Carr's newest series, set on the Oregon Coast, is just as appealing as her Virgin River and Grace Valley books.  The Newcomer is the second installment in the series and it looks like a perfect summer read!  The novel comes out in about a week, but thanks to the generous Robyn Carr, I already have a copy sitting on my shelf.  

4.  Matilda by Roald Dahl—Believe it or not, I've never read Matilda.  So, when the good folks at Penguin asked if I'd like to review it as part of the celebrations for the book's 25th Anniversary, I could not resist the opportunity.  Look for my review soon!

5.  World War Z by Max Brooks—Even though it's not really monster season, I love a good zombie yarn.  I just got this one from the library and hope to get to it soon.

6.  The Lucy Variations by Sara Zarr—Zarr's books are kind of hit and miss for me and her newest has gotten mixed reviews, so we'll see what I think of this one.


7.  The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman—I pre-orderd this one from Amazon because, well, it's Neil Gaiman.  People are saying it's really weird, though, so know I'm really interested to see what it's all about!


8.  Amity & Sorrow by Peggy Riley—I'm not sure why this novel about escaping polygamy sounds so intriguing to me, but it does.  It sounds a little heavy for the easy, breezy days of summer and yet, it's one I definitely want to get to soon.


9.  Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein—I've been seeing this one advertised on Amazon and I think it looks excellent.  It's a MG book about a kid who's trapped in a new library created by a genius game master.  He has to find clues and solve puzzles to find his way out.  It's being billed as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory meets Night at the Museum, which just totally intrigues me.  The book comes out on June 25th.  I can't wait to see what it's all about.


10.  The Kill Room by Jeffery Deaver—Deaver's books are pretty hard core, but I enjoy his series about quadriplegic forensic expert Lincoln Rhyme.  Rhyme's a brilliant character and his adventures are always fast-paced and compelling.  I hope the hold list at the library moves fast because I can't wait to read this one.  

Have you read any of these?  What did you think?  And, what's at the top of your summer reading list?      

3.  Unwind by Neal Shusterman—I love Shusterman because he's such a master at examining tough issues in new and interesting ways.  Unwind is a discomfiting story about what would happen if parents could "unwind" (basically, retroactively abort) their teenage children.  Lots of people pooh-pooh this book because it's too far-fetched—the way I see it, it's not meant to be "realistic," but symbolic.  To me, it's a very illumination examination of the divisive issue of abortion.  Not to mention an original, fast-paced action/adventure story.

4.  Calling Me Home by Julie Kibler—I just finished this fantastic novel about a white woman who falls in love with a black man.  It's set in Kentucky in the late 1930s, a setting that's definitely not conducive to an interracial friendship, let alone a romance.  Calling Me Home is a heart-wrenching story about racism, motherhood, redemption, and loving someone against all possible odds.  Made me cry.  A lot.  

5.  Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand—War stories are always difficult to read.  Especially those that detail the abuses suffered by innocent people at the hands of the "enemy."  Unbroken is no different.  It's a difficult read, but an incredible true story of one American soldier's battle to survive.  

6.  Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum—Another WWII story.  This one's a little bit different, as it's the (fictional) story of a non-Jewish German civilian's experience during the war.  It's heart-wrenching, but totally absorbing.  

7.  After Ever After by Jordan Sonnenblick—Like The Fault in Our Stars, this is another novel about kids with cancer.  And yet, it's funny, real and unique.  I wasn't wild about the ending of After Ever After, but I did enjoy the rest of the book.  P.S.:  I found out after reading this one that it's actually a sequel to Drums, Girls &  Dangerous Pie, which I probably should have read first.  Oops.

8.  The Space Between Us by Jessica Martinez—Although the ending of this one didn't quite satisfy me, I enjoyed the novel quite a bit.  It's the story of a teenage preacher's daughter who's struggling to deal with the pregnancy of her needy younger sister.  Genuine and real, this one touched me for lots of reasons.

9.  How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr—Another teenage pregnancy book, this novel spoke straight to my (very) tender adoptive mother's heart.  It's a beautiful, authentic story about the true meaning of family.  

10.  Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick—What's a tougher issue than cancer?  How about zombies?  Or, heck, why not do both?  In Bick's apocalyptic zombie fest, the heroine is hiking out to her favorite spot in the mountains to end her own life before cancer does it for her.  Then, the world ends, giving her a startling epiphany: She doesn't want to die after all.  Ashes is an exciting zombie-licious page-turner that kept me reading fast and furious to see what would happen next.

So, what do you think of my choices?  Have you read any of them?  Which "tough issue" books do you recommend?  

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

What if one mistake defined you for the rest of your life?  

When 13-year-old Deanna Lambert is caught with a high school boy in the backseat of his car, she earns the unofficial title of "town slut."  Three years later, she still can't shake her reputation—even though she hasn't so much as kissed a guy in the time since her dad yanked 17-year-old Tommy Webber off her.  She could have become a nun and guys would still proposition her in the school hallways.  Deanna can't wait to leave her small California town in the dust, can't wait to ditch the catcalls, the assumptions and, most of all, the constant look of disappointment in her dad's eyes.  There's nothing Deanna craves more than a fresh start.  

Deanna's determined to move out of her parents' house the moment her big brother Darren does.  She'd rather live with him, his girlfriend and their baby than spend another night under the same roof as her shamed father.  But leaving requires money, which requires Deanna to take a crappy job at the same grungy pizza parlor where Tommy Webber works.  As she comes face-to-face with that blast from the past, Deanna will have to work through her own insecurities and fears in order to prove to everyone that she's more than just a label—much, much more.

After falling in love with Sara Zarr's most recent novel, How to Save a Life, I knew I needed to read everything the author's ever written.  Like, now.  I decided to start with Zarr's debut book, Story of a Girl.  Since it was a contender for the 2007 National Book Award, I figured the story must be as good, or better, than How to Save a Life.  Except it really wasn't.  The book's well-written, in that the prose is strong, the characters are real and the plot is compelling enough to keep readers engaged.  And yet, it didn't wow me.  In fact, I found the story anticlimactic and depressing.  Compared to the warmth of How to Save a Life, Story of a Girl feels stiff, distant.  As much as I tried, I just didn't love it.  In fact, it left me torn—should I take a chance on another Zarr book?  Because her writing is so strong overall, I'm voting yes.  So, now the question is: Which of her books should I read next?  Which one is your favorite?

(Readalikes:  Hm, I can't think of anything.  Can you?)

Grade:  B-

If this were a movie, it would be rated:  R for language, sexual innuendo/content, and depictions of illegal drug use

To the FTC, with love:  Another library fine find

   

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

When Jill MacSweeney's mother announces her plans to adopt a baby, the 17-year-old can't figure out how she's supposed to feel.  Excited?  Angry?  Encouraging?  Sad?  All of those emotions and more ricochet around inside her, because although the adoption idea has come out of nowhere, Jill can see it for what it is—a lonely woman's attempt to replace her dead husband and college-bound daughter with someone who needs mothering.  Jill understands, but she can't quite get behind such an extreme decision.  Her mother won't be dissuaded, though, so, because she knows it's what her dad would want, Jill's trying her best to be supportive.  At least until she can convince her mom to vent her grief in some less drastic way.

Mandy Kalinowski knows the baby growing inside her will be safe with Robin MacSweeney.  Even though she's old (52) for an adoptive mother, Robin seems steady, stable—two adjectives that don't describe 18-year-old Mandy at the moment.  It's because of the woman's kind emails that Mandy decides to let Robin adopt her baby when its born.  Also, because she agrees to an unconventional adoption, with no contracts, no lawyers.  With Robin, Mandy can give her baby a better life and not have to let go of any of her closely-guarded secrets.  

Mandy's arrival in Denver leaves Jill even more convinced that taking in the pregnant 18-year-old is a bad, bad idea.  Mandy seems shifty, secretive—the exact kind of scam artist that could take her already vulnerable mother for everything she's got.  But the more Jill gets to know Mandy, the more she sees the scarred girl underneath the rough exterior.  And the more she observes her mom, the more she believes that a baby might be just what Robin needs.  At the same time, Mandy's got her own agenda, one that might dash every dream Robin has left.  With the baby's due date fast approaching, the three women must learn how to understand each other, trust each other and, ultimately, decide how to proceed when all of their hopes, dreams and goals are on the line.  

Well, I did a pretty shoddy job of describing the beauty that is Sara Zarr's fourth novel, How to Save a Life. Maybe, being an adoptive mother, I'm predisposed to like books that are about a subject that's so close to my heart.  Or, more probably, Zarr just knows how to write a story that's touching without being saccharine and sentimental.  Because, the truth is, I totally felt this one.  The characters are sympathetic, complex and genuine.   Same could be said for the story, which takes some surprising turns, but remains believable, true.  How to Save a Life is just one of those books that engaged me from its first word to its last.  It's a heart-wrenching, hopeful novel, one that reminds me why I love contemporary YA so much.  I wish I had the words to describe how much the story touched me, but I don't, so I'll leave you with these two words instead:  Read it.       

(Readalikes: Reminds me a teensy tiny bit of Chosen by Chandra Hoffman)

Grade:  A

If this were a movie, it would be rated:  PG-13 for language (1 F-bomb, plus milder invectives) and some sexual content 

To the FTC, with love:  Another library fine find