‘Lori the Librarian’ shares a few reads for zesty summer fun

With the arrival of warmer temperatures, I eagerly anticipate longer days and spending time a little more leisurely. One of my favorite things to do is to grab an icy glass of lemonade and a great book to while away a few hours outside.
No matter if I am sitting on a beach listening to the waves crash and dipping my toes in the sand or gently rocking on my front porch while petting one of my pups, a great book is the thing that pushes me into true relaxation.
With that in mind, I want to share a few books on my radar for terrific summer reads. Not every book may appeal to every reader, but I hope you find something that catches your interest in these recommendations.
For our younger readers, “Impossible Creatures” by British author Katherine Rundell is a fantastic choice. This glorious fantasy adventure captivates readers from the moment our hero, Christopher, saves a baby griffin from drowning in a hidden lake.
After the daring rescue, Christopher meets Mal, a mysterious girl on the run, and embarks on a wild adventure to discover why magical creatures that have been hidden away are losing their magic or dying.  
This is the first in a planned five-book series and has received multiple Best Book of the Year awards for 2024. (I’m not going to lie, this book is totally on my list to read!).
If this one sounds appealing, your reader may also enjoy “Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow” by Jessica Townsend or “Inkheart” by Cornelia Funke.
“Sunrise on the Reaping” by Suzanne Collins revisits the dystopian world of the Hunger Games to uncover the origin story of Haymitch Abernathy as he is selected as tribute for District 12 in the 50th Hunger Games.
When your young adult reader has devoured this in one sitting, recommend “Life as We Knew It” by Susan Beth Pfeffer. This post-apocalyptic thriller follows high school sophomore Miranda after the moon is knocked off course by an asteroid.  Written in a series of journal entries, this absorbing novel is the first in a four-book companion series.
If I am sitting on a beach, there are a few books I am going to have in my tote for a guaranteed fun read.
First off, “Killers of a Certain Age” by Deanna Raybourn is at the top of the stack. This thrilling mystery follows four lifelong friends who have worked for the Museum, an elite network of assassins, for forty years.  
Now they have hit their sixties, their talents are considered a bit “old-school,” and it becomes evident the all-expenses-paid vacation they have been sent on to celebrate their retirement is to…ahem, retire them.  
After being marked for death, they must rely on each other to survive and show their bosses what it really means to be a woman of a certain age. The sequel, “Kills Well With Others,” is also available to follow the foursome’s adventures.
Another mystery of a cozier sort, “Finlay Donovan is Killing It” by Elle Cosimano, features Finlay Donovan – a stressed-out single mom of two and struggling novelist, who is mistaken for a contract killer after she is overheard discussing the plot of her newest book with her agent.
After inadvertently accepting an offer to dispose of a problem husband, Findlay discovers real-life crime is a lot more difficult than fiction as she becomes involved in a murder investigation.  
“The Blonde Identity” by Ally Carter is a hilarious romp of a rom-com that features mistaken identities, spies, amnesia and romance.  When a woman wakes up in a snow-covered street in Paris with no memory, she comes to the most obvious conclusion…clearly, she is a spy!  
When bad guys are chasing her and rudely trying to kill her, it becomes obvious secrets are everywhere, and she doesn’t know who to trust. This one had me snort-laughing out loud, and I demand a movie adaptation featuring Emily Blunt and John Krasinski. Do you hear me, Hollywood?!
“The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit” by Michael Finkel, a New York Times bestseller, is at the top of my non-fiction reading list.
Recommended to me by a friend, this biography follows 20-year-old Christopher Knight, who left home in 1986 to disappear into the forests of Maine. Based on extensive interviews with Knight, this vividly detailed account looks at the nearly three decades that passed without a conversation with another human and the measures he took to survive and thrive in solitude.
Elizabeth Gilbert’s “The Last American Man,” a National Book Award Finalist, may also be of interest as it shares the true story of Eustace Conway. Conway left his affluent suburban home at the age of 17 in 1977 to live rustically in the Appalachian Mountains. Gilbert examines his lifestyle as a symbol of American masculinity and wilderness, and creates a well-rounded narrative of Conway.
Whatever you choose to read to enhance your summer relaxation, I hope you enjoy the break from your day-to-day responsibilities and fully immerse yourself in the tale you select. Happy Reading!
(Editor’s Note: Guest columnist Lori Skinner of Hamilton is the head librarian for Northwest Shoals Community College. She can be contacted at lori.skinner@nwscc.edu. Lori invites everyone to visit their local library, and notes NWSCC libraries are open to the public. She said readers can also check out library holdings on Libby or the Librista apps, available for Android and Apple devices.)