Five Books I want to Read this Summer - Rosemary's Picks

Last summer, we bloggers here at The Reader had a bit of fun making lists of books that we planned to read over the summer. It felt like such a great way to kick off our all too short summer season that we thought we'd do it again. First up is Rosemary:

Summertime is a weird time for readers It is either the time that everyone swears they are finally going to read some epic (like War and Peace), or the exact opposite by just reading (or listening) to "fluff". Well, I don’t really find a change my reading habits according to the seasons. The only real exceptions I make are to read something special for Christmas and a black author for Black history month. Here are some books that I kind of have my eye on for the summer (besides re-reading the Harry Potter series)

A Singular Woman : the untold story of Barack Obama’s mother by Janny Scott. Even if Stanley Ann Dunham was not a mother of the president, I think that her biography would be fascinating to read. She was known as Stanley throughout her childhood- "My father wanted a son’, she would say, "but he got me.". She spent her childhood through several states until they settled in Hawaii. The civil rights and womens’ movements were still in its very infancy when Dunham meet Barack Obama Sr. An interracial relationship, nevermind a marriage and children were very unusual and frowned upon at that time. After this marriage dissolved she married another foreign student, Lolo Soetoro moving to Indonesia with him. The rest has made history with her son becoming the first black American President.

The Story of Beautiful Girl by Rachel Simon. Another tale of an interracial relationship which faces its own unique challenges. In 1968, a young white developmentally delayed woman, Lynnie, is locked away in an institution. There she meets Homan, a African American deaf man. They fall in love. The institution is a horrible place to live so they escape to a farm house. The owner Martha offers them shelter. There Lynn gives birth to "beautiful girl". When the authorities catch up with them, these three people's lives are changed forever. Personally, I think this would be a great book club read.

The Beautiful Miscellaneous by Dominic Smith. My son is turning into a bit of a geek. He has won a scholarship to a science camp this summer and his favorite show to watch is the Big Bang Theory. I thought it might be one that we both could read.

Nathan Nelson is average. Unfortunately his father, Simon is not. Simon is a physics professor who wanted a genius child. Following a car crash, and subsequently a coma, Nathan develops synesthesia. This medical condition enables him to see, taste and feel emotions associated with words. (If you are interested in this try the Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender). His father sees this as a way to make Nathan a genius and sends him to the Brook-Mills Institute for Talent Development. How does the rest of Nathan life turns out ? We will have to read the book to find out

The Boy Who Came Back From Heaven by Alex and Kevin Malarkey. I fully expect to cry while reading this biography. Something tells me that it will remind me of the novel, The Shack.

In 2004, Kevin Malarkey and his son, Alex were in a terrible car crash. Alex was paralysed and in a coma for 7 weeks. When he miraculously awoke, he told an incredible tale of being taken up to heaven with the angels. Alex is the first child in the world to receive the Christopher Reeve" surgery, which allows him to breathe without a ventilator. He can stand with a supportive frame and with a special harness and help from his therapist walk on a treadmill. No matter what your beliefs are this is a truly inspiring story.

I have yet to read the Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins even though I have semi-heard them through my son’s bedroom door as he listened to them as a bedtime story. The Hunger Games follows the trend of children’s books being popular with all ages. You only have to look at the Harry Potter and Twilight series to see this. I have just heard Hunger Games is being made into a movie.

This page-turning trilogy takes place in the future after the destruction of the U.S. The new nation of Panem is divided into 13 districts. A lottery is held each year for one boy and one girl from each district, between the ages of 12 and eighteen. The "winners" are sent to the capitol for the Hunger Games. These life or death games are televised, just like our reality tv shows. I wonder how this story will compare to Stephen King’s The Running Man.

So there you have it, my reading wish list for the summer. I am hoping that all your wishes come through!Summer time and the reading is wonderful