The Best Books You Aren't Reading This Summer!

"Lost" is out to sea, and "Heroes" is in syndication on SciFi. What are you going to do now that that all of your favorite shows are on vacation? Allow me to introduce you to three of the best books you are not reading this summer!

First up is Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. This book has a little of everything in it and is sure to satisfy any reader. It takes place in revolutionary Barcelona in 1945. Daniel Sempere cannot remember the face of his mother, killed during the revolution, and begins a quest to save the works of Julian Carax only to find himself caught up in murder, intrigue and the politics of revolution.

If you like Mysteries, follow Daniel as he tries to find out why someone is destroying the works of Carax. Like Romance? Then you will find the relationship between Daniel and the daughter of one of Barcelona's leading families gratifying. If you are a fan of beautiful language, then you will find Shadow of the Wind immensely satisfying. Translated by Lucia Graves, daughter of poet Robert Graves, the lyrical quality of her work will blow you away! This book is perfect for those couples that like to read together. Available from Amazon.com for about $10.00, Shadow of the Wind is an excellent investment.

The next up is a book purely for the ladies. Seven women have been meeting once a week for years to drink wine, talk about their lives and sample exotic teas (the source of the book's title).

A crisis in the lives of one of the women spurs the others into action and the ladies of Elegant Gathering of White Snows take you on an adventure that will change your life as well. Walk along with them as these women let you into their lives while they inspire a National movement.

Beware! Their solution to the crisis will be very nearly irresistible to any woman feeling the pressure of trying to keep the family entertained this summer.
Also available on Amazon for under $10.00, Elegant Gathering will be a "walk to remember"!

Finally, if you are less than enthusiastic about all the books rehashing the Clinton Presidency, you will be thrilled by Audrey Niffenegger's The Time Traveler's Wife.

Take a little sci-fi, blend with it with a bit of mystery, add a dollop of romance, shake well and pour into a glass of excellent writing and you have one of the most delicious and engaging reads of the summer.

Henry DeTamble is a librarian who also is capable of Time-Travel. It is a talent that unfortunately he has no control over. Clare Abshire is an artist who has been inspired by an intriguing stranger who has literally popped into and out of her life since she was a young girl. Bounce between nearly four decades with Henry and Clare as they try to get in sync with one another.

The Time Traveler's Wife is romantic without being sappy and makes perspective shifts that are easy to follow. It is a wonderful way to spend a little time! Amazon.com price is $9.94.

A few "Honorable Mentions": Lalita Tademy's Cane River and the follow-up Red River. These two books will be a great hit with family history buffs. Ms. Tademy has taken years of genealogical research and created some of the most memorable people in fiction. Engagingly written, knowing that the characters were real people only adds to the pleasure of these books.

For the political buff, I recommend Neal Boortz's FairTax and Somebody's Gotta Say It. Plain talk and common sense are not dead!

With gasoline at more than $3.00 per gallon in many places why not stay home, and for less than the price of half of a tank of gas, be carried away by some of the best reads of the summer?