Bring on Those Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer!

Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer

Dust off the sun and moon and sing a song of cheer!
Nat King Cole

One of the best things about summer is the longer days, warmer nights, summer breezes... and lazing around reading a book outside, under a tree, at the beach..in a hammock. All good stuff. Thinking about what books I am hoping to read this summer, which ones do I looking forward to reading...which ones am I anticipating picking up when I get home. Here are some of my choices, so far.

Physick Book of Deliverance Dane---Katherine Howe

I haven't read any of Howe's books and this one received rave reviews. I am looking forward to reading this. It's also been some time since I read a good book about the witch trials in Massachusetts, time-travel, and how the past can affect present day...how could I not?

Killer Summer---Ridley Pearson

Love Pearson. His series which featured Detective Lou Bolt and Daphne Matthews, set in Seattle, were edge of your seat thrillers. This one is the third in his newer series about Sheriff Walt Fleming, it's set in Sun Valley, Idaho. I liked the first two of this series so far. This one is not quite as edgy as the other one, but so far so good.

Always Magic in the Air: the Bomp and Brilliance of the Brill Building Era--

Ken Emerson

I have been wanting to read this book for some time, and plan to make time this summer. I am a baby boomer and proud of it, especially when I hear the music from that time...."You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling"; "Jailhouse Rock"; "On Broadway"...these take you on a trip down memory lane. this book is about the writers of those songs and I am so looking forward to putting the music on, kicking back, remembering, and losing myself in this book. Big smile for this one. (And I can already hear the music in my head.)

The Defector--Daniel Silva

I am always happy when Silva is coming out with a new book. He never lets me down. Silva's Gabriel Allon character has to be in one of the best thriller series you can read. If you read Moscow Rules, this is a continuation of that book. (I always liked his The Confessor much better than the Da Vinci Code.....and I like to tell people that all the time.) Silva takes current world happenings and incorporates them into his books. He makes the reader think. If you haven't read Silva, what are you waiting for? Give yourself a treat.


Dreamfever--Karen Marie Moning

Yes, I caught the fever! Right from the first book in this series, Bloodfever. Just what the heck is going on over there in Ireland? Are those really just shadows, or are they the Shades? Celtic fantasy takes a walk on the dark side and unless you are a sideh-seeker....you can't "see" what just might be lurking right next to you. This is the fourth book in this good fantasy/thriller series. I am looking forward to finding out what's been going on. ( I actually caught the Moning fever with her Highlander series. Fantasy, love, romance, time-travel. Hot stuff)

Magnificent Desolation--Buzz Aldrin

Can you remember what you were doing July 20, 1969? Forty years ago? Let's see, I was....okay, it doesn't really matter what I was doing. Forty years ago this July, Neil Armstrong stepped out of Apollo II and became the first man on the moon, Buzz Aldrin was right behind him. How come Armstrong got to go first? Here is Aldrin memoir of that historical event, NASA, the Apollo missions, and I am curious to find out what his recollections are of that time.

Rain Gods--James Lee Burke

Usually when I am going to crack open a Burke book, I get my sweet tea, dirty rice, crayfish sandwiches ready, and the jazz CD's cranking because we are in New Iberia, Louisiana with Dave Robicheaux. Not this time around. We are in Texas with Sheriff Hackberry Holland..book two of his new series. Okay, I will get my country CD's going, Texas Tea all set, and salsa and chips and off I go.....(word of advice.... easy with the Texas Tea^^)

A Family Man--Elinor Lipman

Little light reading with Lipman. Quirky characters, off-beat plots, and full of humor. I always enjoyed Lipman's books for those reasons and look forward to this one.

Don't forget the beach reads and romance novels...they will be in a future blog.

Just a few books on my list for summer reading.....what's on yours?

**I will state here and now that there can always be additions whenever the mood strikes me.

Relax and enjoy the beginning of summer!


Happy Reading!

I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti

Read. Cook. Eat
Bev Wowak
I love a good memoir. I love a good cookbook. It doesn't get any better for me then a memoir with great recipes in it so I was in heaven reading I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti by Giuia Melucci.

As made very clear here, when you are in a relationship, cook. When you aren't in a relationship, cook. Breaking up? Cook. Trying to impress a new guy? Cook. Going it alone, cook! Just because you have no one in your life does not mean you don't cook for yourself. Melucci does a terrific job of sharing her hard luck with dating and looking for that "everlasting" relationship, hoping that this one is the one. It seems all her fellas loved her cooking, loved her to a point, but when she felt this was it, she had met the one to spend the rest of her life with...it fell apart. Melucci does a great job of sharing her love life snafus with us and yeah, I could relate. I laughed, felt her sadness but mostly I devoured her recipes!

I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti is a very enjoyable read, I recommend it, and as a bonus, you will love the recipes! Yes I did....I made almost all the recipes in the book and they are terrific...loved them. When I read cookbook memoirs I know you can read with one hand, cook with the other, then eat and read at the same time.

When I read a book that I really enjoy, I will usually buy it and I will be buying this one...I want those recipes handy so I can make them again!

Michael Crichton

"In the information society, nobody thinks.
We expect to banish paper, but we acturally
banish thought."
Michael Crichton 1942-2008


I was saddened when I heard that another writer had died. That makes three in the last few works and I hope the last one for a while.

Michael Crichton was a thriller writer best known for Jurassic Park, Rising Sun, Andromeda Strain and Disclosure. Many of his books were made into movies,. Jurassic Park gave him high profile attention when it was made into a movie directed by his friend, Steven Spielberg, who he also created the TV show ER with. Crichton also directed many of his books into movies as well as directing others.

Michael Crichton believed that we all should challenge our preconceived notions of the world around us and with his books, he did just that. Thanks.

"They are focused on whether they can do something. They never think whether they should do something."

I really liked this quote from Michael Crichton; gives you something to think about.