What Are You Reading This Summer?

Next to a beach towel and sunscreen, some might argue a good book is one of the most important things to bring to the beach, pool or on vacation.

"Summertime is a great time to kick back and relax," said Anne Laird, owner of The Town Book Store, "and we could all use a little of that. During the summer months, it’s easier to let our hair down a little, the rules seem to loosen up and the days are more carefree. We all look forward to the relaxed atmosphere of summer when the pace of life slows down for a few months. 

"What is more relaxing then kicking off your shoes, lying back in a comfortable chair with a warm breeze blowing and cracking open a guaranteed good read? Now is the time to catch up on all those books you have been meaning to get around to. Why not escape this summer into a great book?"

Laird shared her summer must-read list, complete with titles, authors and personal insights:

Where’d You go Bernadette by Maria Semple….very entertaining and fun!

Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McKreight….a gripping mystery, Gone Girl meets Defending Jacob. LOVED THIS!

Gods of Gotham by Lindsay Faye…historical mystery set in NYC

Seating Arrangements by Maggie Shipstead…witty accounting of a family and a wedding gone awry.

Sisterland by Curtis Sittenfeld….the author of Prep, beautifully written novel of obligation we have for others and the responsibility we take for ourselves.

And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini… By the author of Kiterunner, Hosseini is a master storyteller. This book is not to be missed!

Inferno by Dan Brown…typical Dan Brown fast-paced page-turner set in Florence and Venice.

The Silver Star by Jeannette Walls…Author of The Glass Castle, a heartbreaking and redemptive novel about an intrepid girl who challenges the injustice of the adult world.

Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold in the 1936 Olympics by Daniel James Brown…Along the lines of Unbroken, a true life adventure story.

Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman…beautiful tale of love and loss.

For more information, visit The Town Book Store, located at 270 E Broad St, Westfield, call 908-233-3535 or 'like' the store's Facebook page.