At Readers.com, we love a good, can’t-put-down book — or maybe even a whole library full of them. From fan favorites and must-read lists to up-and-coming authors, we’ve interviewed the greatest literary enthusiasts around. So what exactly is on their nightstand? Read on to find out, and be sure to check back regularly for the latest page-turning talk.
Our What’s On My Nightstand? spotlight is Lauren of Miss Bibliophile. This book aficionado has read and reviewed a wide range of books, and today she shares four of her favorite summer reads. Summer’s not over yet, so sit back after work or this weekend and escape with Lauren’s picks:
Hi, everyone, this is Lauren from Miss Bibliophile, the blog where I chronicle all of my literary adventures. I was thrilled when Readers.com invited me to stop by and share some ideas for summer reading. For my money, the best books to read in the summer are the ones that take you away from everyday life. Only a lucky few people actually get to spend all summer at the beach. For the rest of us, a good book can provide the perfect escape from the ordinary. Here are a few of my favorite literary escapes from recent years.
1. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows is one of the books that I find myself constantly recommending. Through a series of letters, it tells the story of how a group of characters living on the English Channel Island of Guernsey dealt with, and recovered from, the Nazi occupation there during WWII. Although that may sound like heavy subject matter for summer reading, it’s a completely charming and uplifting novel that transports readers to a fascinating time and place. (And if you find yourself facing a long road trip this summer, the audiobook adaption is really well done and entertaining.)
2. State of Wonder
The always-impeccable Ann Patchett offers one of the most dramatic and engrossing literary escapes in recent memory in State of Wonder. Readers follow pharmacologist Marina Singh as she travels from frozen Minnesota to the steamy jungles of the Amazon, on a mission to track down a former mentor who is conducting fertility research among rainforest natives. Reluctant at first, Marina soon finds herself immersed in, and enthralled by, a world she never expected to encounter.
3. The Summer We Read Gatsby
Readers looking for a lighter variety of escapism might enjoy The Summer We Read Gatsby by Danielle Ganek, which follows two sisters who spend a summer staying in a house in the Hamptons that they’ve inherited. It’s the best kind of chick lit — a fun read that still feels smart. With a generous helping of F. Scott Fitzgerald references peppered throughout the otherwise beachy plot, it’s the perfect choice for anyone who’s been caught up in the Gatsby fever surrounding the 2013 movie release.
4. I Capture the Castle
And finally, no summer reading list of mine would be complete without a classic British novel. I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith fits the bill perfectly. Narrated by the teenage daughter of an eccentric English family, it tells a wonderful coming-of-age story, while offering a glimpse into the world of the crumbling British aristocracy. It’s a gem of a novel with hints of everything from Jane Austen to Nancy Mitford to Downton Abbey.
I hope these ideas have put you in the mood for some late summer reading! Stop by my blog if you’re interested in following along with the books I’ll be reading this season.
Thank you for sharing, Lauren! For more interesting reads throughout the year, be sure to check out our latest suggestions in the What’s On My Nightstand? series.
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