Great Summer Reading @ your library

By Kate Mutch, Public Services Librarian

June 29 , 2005

Looking for something good to read this summer? When the days are hot and your mind is feeling lazy, a good book by one of your favorite authors might be just the ticket. Popular authors like James Patterson, JK Rowling, John Sandford and Nicholas Sparks have been busy the past several months and you can check out their latest releases and much more from your Natrona County Public Library.

Janet Evanovich fans will be on top of the world with “Eleven on Top,” the latest installment of her humorous mystery series starring bounty hunter Stephanie Plum. In this book, Stephanie decides it’s time to change her vocation but can’t seem to hold down a “respectable” job for more than a day.

Readers partial to down-home, romantic novels may be interested in Luanne Rice’s recently released, “Summer’s Child,” an engaging story about a mother and daughter who escape to Nova Scotia to begin healing from the troubles of their past. Those who enjoy Fannie Flagg’s style of writing should give Lorna Landvik a try. Her novel, “Your Oasis on Flame Lake,” is about best friends nearing the age of forty. After being dubbed “Least Changed” at a twentieth high school reunion, the friends decide it is time to take action.

If you are looking for some great summer eating, then your library has some new titles that might whet your appetite. “ Icebox Desserts : 100 Cool Recipes for Icebox Cakes, Pies, Parfaits, Mousses, Puddings, and More,” by Lauren Chattman, is full of recipes for no-bake frozen treats like Lemon-Blueberry Trifle, Summer Pudding, and Watermelon Ice Cream Bombe. Another appetizing book, Pippa Cuthbert’s “ Ice Cream!: Delicious Ice Creams for all Occasions,” has numerous ideas for tasty cold treats on those hot summer days.

Non-fiction reading can be great for the summertime, too. “Confessions of a Slacker Wife,” by Muffy Mead-Ferro, recounts the extreme antics one woman adopts to try to avoid housework. And what could more appropriate for summertime reading than a book about rodeos? “ Chasing the Rodeo: On Wild Rides and Big Dreams, Broken Hearts and Broken Bones, and One Man's Search for the West,” by W. K. Stratton, is a lively portrayal of the cowboys and cowgirls who compete in the dangerous and addictive sport of rodeo.

If you are interested in something a little more serious, David McCullough’s “1776” is a good choice. This New York Times bestseller is a well researched account of the pivotal events for American history that occurred in 1776.

Don’t feel like reading? Check out the library’s large selection of audio books. While traveling, gardening, or just lounging by the pool, listen to an old favorite by Agatha Christie or a new release, like “Fourth of July,” by James Patterson.

These are just a handful of the many titles you can find at your Natrona County Public Library. Come in out of the heat and let us help you connect to your perfect summertime read.

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