Dear Readers,
I do not know how many of you follow me consistently, and how many just happen to find your way here for a specific review. For those of you who do read my posts consistently, I have to apologize. I am not going to be able to complete a review for July. With everything going on in my life right now, I simply do not have the time I would like to put into a review and make it good.
In an attempt to ease the blow I am going to try something a bit different. As it is summer, and for people that means vacations, and time to read, I am going to make a list of some of my favorite summer reading books, with a quick intro to each book.
Most of my summer reading tends to be either science fiction or fantasy. As far as fantasy novels go, very few people do them as well as Brandon Sanderson. My go to summer book when I am out camping is his first novel, Elantris. I love the mythological and political aspect of the story, and every time I read the book I find myself discovering new things about the story. Also by Sanderson is the Mistborn trilogy. Again, based around an interesting mythology and a exquisitely constructed system of magic, the Mistborn series is a must read for anyone interested in fantasy literature.
In the genre of science fiction, I recommend Ender's Game as a great place to start. A highly entertaining and thought provoking look at war and the psychological toll of victory, the story also features some of the most memorable characters and vivid scenes I have encountered in literature. Particularly fascinating is the concept of the battle school where children are trained to be military commanders from a very young age. Another good sci-fi read for this summer is Maze Runner by James Dashner. Like Ender's Game, Maze Runner follows a memorable collection of characters as they are placed in a dangerous and constantly changing maze, and their struggle to escape. This is a good read this year particularly, in preparation for the release of the movie version this fall.
If sci-fi and fantasy just are not your cup of tea, then consider The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin. Part murder mystery, part neighborhood romp, The Westing Game keeps you guessing right up to the final pages. The characters are enjoyable, and the mystery aspect is interesting, but not too scary. This story is perfect for family reading. Also in the great family reading category is Carry on Mr. Bowditch by Jean Lee Latham. A fictional rendering of the life of Nathaniel Bowditch, the book is funny and educational. A wonderful story, well told, of life on the sea, and the beauty of mathematics.
So there you have it, a few books to get you started on your summer reading, I hope that you all enjoy your summer, and hopefully I will be able to get back with a review in August.
Well, back to reality.
