With summer just around the corner and school coming to a close this is a great time to enjoy some “fun” reading. Here are some of the best, and easiest, books for that perfect summer afternoon on the front lawn.
Ender’s Game
A science fiction novel by Orson Scott Card entails a futuristic world were a child genius, Ender, is recruited by the space academy to train for military actions. With some of the greatest minds enlisted in the academy the “space military” is one of the most powerful in the entire “world.”
This is a bit of a slower read than most unless science fiction is your thing. But definitely a must read for anyone who enjoys great writing.
Lodestar
Sarie MacKay is a local Montana author who writes this novel set in 1880’s about Persis Allen a young woman who marries a Union Pacific Railroad baron. When Persis Allen marries Alex MacKinney and they move to Montana to begin their new life together. Unknown to Persis her new life turns more sour then sweet and Persis must now make decisions to save not only her own life but her family’s as well.
MacKay sets the backdrop of the story in Butte City and Helena as they were just starting out in a young Montana. Anyone who loves Montana’s History, or even Montana itself it’s a must read!
Through Violet Eyes
This novel by Stephen Woodworth follows the investigation of FBI Agent Dan Atwater. Dan is investigating the death of a “special” kind of people. These people are called “Violets” and they can channel the spirits of the dead. When Violets start dying by violent means Dan is assigned to protect a Violet by the name of Natalie Lindstrom who is anything but cooperative. While Natalie struggles with receiving messages about the killer from her dead friends Dan tries to solve them before it’s too late for either of them.
This book is the first in a series of four novels by the same author. However it doesn’t read like a book that needs to have a sequel. It’s a perfectly good book on it’s own and is a compelling stories with likable characters. The writing is well done and it reads so well it won’t take long to get through at all. A must read for all book lovers.
Burning Water
This fantasy novel by Mercedes Lackey follows Detective Mark Valdez who has a unique ability, he is in fact psychic. With cattle mutilations and torturous murders occurring all over Dallas Texas Mark knows he’s out of his league. Mark calls in an old friend, practicing witch Diana Tregarde, who writes romance novels in her spare time, to help him get to the bottom of things. The two are pitted against ferocious killers and even a risen Aztec God.
This novel is a great story. It’s filled with mystery and personal tension between Diana and Mark. This is the sequel to a previous book by the same author under the name Children of the Night. The previous book doesn’t need to be read before this book but they are both enjoyable. The story is very well written and is a very easy book to get through in an afternoon.
Artemis Fowl
This book by Eoin Colfer was originally written for a much younger age group. It is however a very gratifying book. The book follows twelve-year-old Artemis Fowl, a child genius and a criminal mastermind who took over his father’s criminal empire after his father disappeared years earlier. The twelve-year-old Irish mastermind hatches a new plan beyond any adult’s capability, he is going to kidnap and ransom a fairy. Enter Holly Short, an officer in the underground fairy police force known as the LEPrecon. After kidnaping Holly Artemis and his trusted bodyguard Butler are pitted against the rest of the LEPrecon, a troll, a technologically advanced centaur and criminal dwarf.
This book is the first in a series of seven Artemis Fowl adventures by Eoin Colfer. These books were written for a young crowd and therefore a very easy read. One book could easily be read in a few hours. Even though these books are very simple in prose choice the characters are developed to the point of love. They are memorable, funny, and witty. Overall some of the best books to read over the summer.