We’re over the hump people because July is the seventh month and we’re ready for some summer reads for adults. These books will transport you to the beach without having to deal with the sand. If you are looking for clever, fast pace and a good escape I have some fantasy that will have you turning the pages. Get ready!
Kevin Hearne: Try his series The Iron Druid Chronicles about Atticus O’Sullivan, a pretty fast runner for a two-thousand-year-old Druid. Good thing, because he’s being chased by not one but two goddesses. Dodging their slings and arrows, Atticus, his friend Granvaile and their wolfhound Oberon are making a mad dash across modern-day Europe if they want to go on living. Hearne is an urban fantasy novelist and has ten books in the series. Publishers Weekly says, “In these adrenaline-spiked Iron Druid adventures, Hearne provides lots of zippy plotting and rocking action scenes…fans will be thrilled.”
Lucinda Riley: “The Seven Sisters,” is an epic series where each sister, upon learning about their father’s death, must come home. Along the way they face clues about their origins. Riley was born in Ireland, and after an early career as an actress, she wrote her first book at age twenty. Her books have been translated into twenty-seven languages and sold twenty million copies worldwide. Library Journal says, “Riley’s engaging and mesmerizing story of self-discovery and love will appeal to readers of Edwardian novels and Jane Austen style fiction.”
Matthew Reilly: I am reading Matthew Reilly’s seven series backwards – no I’m not crazy, just like to do it once in a while. Supersoldier Jack West is BACK in “The Five Greatest Warriors,” as the countdown to global catastrophe is on. This Australian action thriller writer has sold over 7.5 million copies of his novels around the world. His next Jack West novel will be out on October 12. Library Journal says, “Ancient history, heart-stopping booby-traps and wild adventure…a perfect book to jump-start your vacation beach reading.”
Jess Montgomery: If you like historical fiction based on real places and events try Jess’s The Kinship Series. Her newest is “The Stills’ then follows “The Willows” and “The Hollows,” all based in Ohio. This historical fiction has a woman’s point of view, the backdrop of the Appalachian coal mines, prohibition and women’s rights. In 1927 Ohio moonshine is a way of life in rural counties and even the upstanding Sheriff, Lily Ross, has been known to turn a blind eye when it comes to stills. With compassion and insight. Jess Montgomery weaves a gripping series of mysteries.
Genevieve Gogman: She got started with Tolkien and Sherlock Holmes at an early age and has never looked back. She recently introduced “The Masked City,” the Invisible Library series. Librarian-spy Irene is working undercover in London when her assistant Kai goes missing. She discovers he’s been kidnapped by the Fae Fiction which could be fatal, not just for Kai, but for whole worlds. Fantasy Book Review says, “Everything I could ever want out of a book…a stunning work of art that has me absolutely begging for more.”
There are too many excellent novels to count but these five will be plenty for irresistible beach reads or wherever you plan to go. So, pull up a towel, set up a chaise or dive into the pool without having to leave your backyard. Like our friends say in Louisiana, laissez les bon temps rouler—Let the good times roll!
