My recommendation is Shadow Divers by Robert Kurson. Not mindless summer reading - but couldn't put it down. True story about two guys who are deep divers and discover an unidentified u-boat off the East coast.

_Reading Lolita in Tehran_ and it's completely blowing me away. Put _The Human Stain_ down halfway through -- way too boring. Mr. cher_cher is reading something about the HMS Bounty. He's obsessed.

So far, I've read:

Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series. I tried these about four years ago and couldn't get through the first chapter of Master and Commander, but I loved the series on the second try.

Miss Julia Speaks Her Mind (and the following books) by Ann Ross. I'm waiting on the newest, Miss Julia Meets Her Match, to come in at the library.

A couple of Margaret Frazer's Sister Frevisse novels.

I'm also finishing my umpteenth rereading of The Lord of the Rings.

Lee Ann

I'll have to check out some of these recommendations. I also enjoyed "The Lovely Bones", "Curious Incident", "Atonement", "Time Travelers Wife". Also got bored with "Human Stain" (suppose I should return it to my Sister-in-law so many months later!)

I've really enjoyed the last few books I've read--
"Secret Life of Bees" by Sue Monk
"Reading Lolita in Tehran by by Azar Nafisi
"Some Things I Never Thought I'd Do" by Pearl Cleage

For summer, I also really enjoy Adrianna Trigianni and Dorothea Benton Frank - both have new books out this week.

HI Melissa,

My favorite read so far this summer was The Dogs of Babel by Carolyn Parkhurst (keeping the dog theme going here.) Really weird story, beautifully written. I also liked Good Grief by Lolly Winston and Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides (this one may not be everyone's cup of tea.) If you haven't read The Lovely Bones yet, I highly recommend it (make sure you have tissues--I cried through at least half of it.

In the mindless thriller/mystery department, I've just discovered Harlen Coben and like his style very much. And the latest by Sue Grafton (R is for Richochet) and Janet Evanovich (10 Big Ones) were both fun and perfect beach reads.

Good luck choosing!

Patti

A second for Time Traveler's Wife. I read it by the pool in 3 days last week. Just a super summer read! I'm now about 50 pages into The Dante Club...finding it tough to get into but should be good.

A found a copy of The Notebook that I had purchsaed eight years ago and re-read that, also REALLY enjoyed the movie! My middle son's nickname is now Noah by his GF! Looks just like him!

I also read The Shop on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber and recently picked up three new books, light girlie-type reads: Breakfast at Stephanie's by Sue Margolis (funny and witty author), Babyface by Fiona Gibson and Mulitple Choice by Claire Cook.

If I finish all of these in the next couple of weeks, I'll start my old-time favorite "Gone With The Wind" which I like to read each summer. Happy Reading! I take all of the books to our condo when I'm finished so the renters can enjoy them also.

I've got quite a library there now! Melissa, what's Beach Girls like? Scary, funny, what kind of plot, it sounds like something I would enjoy reading at the beach!! ***kim***

If you have children and a career - you would love "I Don't Know How She Does It" by Allison Pearson. I read it a few months back and loved it - so funny and could definately relate! I am also a big fan of the "Prey" books by John Sanford - his knew one is "Hidden Prey."

Love all the suggestions!

For gripping crime stories with quite a bit of social analysis (and thus more depth than usual) try the works of Swedish authors Henning Mankell (Dogs of Riga, The White Lioness etc.) or Ake Edwardson. They are true page turners IMHO.

The Day the World Came to Town : 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland
I put off reading this for a while, just still numb after the September 11 attacks, but this is a great summer read, finished it about a week ago -a good way to just feel good about life again!

To Elizabeth Reed

I enjoyed the Bon Bon book so much, I have now read all of Lorna Landvik's books. Are you going to tell us what she wrote in your book?

John Grisham's last book was the Last Juror--I liked it. It was more in the vein of The Painted House than a thriller type book like his others.

The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency is an easy to read book too that is kind of different.

Definitely have to read the Curious book--hadn't heard of it.

Books I have read and liked:

"Can you keep a secret" Sophie Kinsella
"The dirty girls social club.' Alisa-Valdes Rodriguez
"Angels & Demons"
Liked "Dogs of Babel" also. Kind of bizarre, but a good read.

I have "Deception Point" by Dan Brown and "Skinny Dip" on reserve at our local library.

?Am reading Harlan Coben's latest thriller, "Just One Look". Have enjoyed his other books. Also have the new Adriana Trigiai book, "The Queen Of Big Time". Want to read the latest Mary Jane Clark mystery. Her books are light but enjoyable. Loved John Gilstap's last mystery, "Scott Free".
Carolyn, you mentioned M. C. Beaton. Have you read her Agatha Raisen series? They are light and fun.

Been travelling, working, enjoying the family, and just plain being lazy this summer - all leading up to the excuse of not having read very much this summer.

Read all of Dan Brown's books, except one, last summer and fall. Also read "Life of Pi" a couple of years ago, good book.

This summer, it's John Grisham, been through three of his books already. Didn't want to touch fiction about the law because it didn't seem like a good fit, but his books are surprisingly good reads, except for the endings, which seem a bit weak.

Also read a couple of Ken Follett's books and a couple of Clive Cussler's, who is turning out to be one of my favorite leisure time writers.

Started "The Rule of Four" - all about a "mysterious coded manuscript" - seems like a takeoff on a Dan Brown theme - we'll see.

Also started "The Mists of Avalon".

Also half-way through Ken Follett's "Hornet's Flight".

I tend to have two or three "light" reading books going on at the same time - depends on which car I'm driving or which bed I'm sleeping in - lo!

Just picked up my copy of the "9/11 Report", probably wouldn't read much of it this summer, unless it becomes a controversial book.

Otherwise, it's all "heavy" reading!

Great suggestions on this thread! Will have to pick up on some of them! :)

Someone mentioned Janet Evanovich's #10 book...I just read number 9. I had not read any of the others and found number 9 simply hysterical. In fact, my husband kept coming in the room to see what I was laughing about.

Also read "Sushi for Beginners" by Marian Keyes and am currently reading "Trading Up" by Candace Bushnell. Both have been good "chick flick" reads.

easy,
we started to read The Rule of Four and I had a hard time getting into it..how do you like it so far?

I also recently read Susan Isaacs Long Time No See:)

"Mists of Avalon"--one of my all time favorites. Bradley wrote 2 others (Lady of Avalon and the Forest House) that are prequels (I guess you would call them) to the Mists of Avalon.

If you love paris and reading about food etc Ruth Reichels, "Rembrance of things Paris." Sixty years of writing from Gourmet.

I'm currently reading 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez - very good with interesting political analogies. We're going to spend a day in Savannah early next month so I want to finish it & move on to Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil which I've been told is a must prior to visiting Savannah!!