Summer Reading

I like to read. I read enough professional things during the school year, so throughout the summer I read fiction for entertainment. There are certain authors and/or series that I really like.

James Patterson is great EXCEPT that I just don't care for the Alex Cross series. However, I LOVE the Women's Murder Club series. I read the first of the series several years ago when we were in Myrtle Beach, SC. I can remember sitting by the pool and being absolutely shocked when I read certain parts of 1st to Die. I've been reading the rest of the series in order, pretty much immediately as they come out. I just finished 7th Heaven. They're very good...I wouldn't keep reading them if they weren't! (The TV series is another thing though.) I also read his individual books. Step on a Crack was excellent, as was Beach Road. Others are also very good, but those two I absolutely could NOT put down! He is fabulous at character development and that's important for a good author. I also like that the chapters are very short. I know I'm always only a couple of minutes from a good stopping point.

Years and years ago I just loved Danielle Steel. Most of her books included a horrendous childbirth experience and were at least partially set in San Francisco. About 7 or 8 years ago I noticed that her writing had begun to diminish. I think that the editing has also gone down the tubes. In the last 8 or 9 books or so I've read of hers, it seems as though information is mentioned in the book several times as though it had never been mentioned before. I also noticed that in one book (I can't remember which one) a conflicting description was given of a main character. That's something that should have been caught not only be Danielle Steel herself, but also her editor. However, I will still read some of her things when I don't have anything else to read.

Several years ago I read a book by Sandra Brown, called Envy. It was absolutely FABULOUS! A friend had been telling me to read it and I finally got around to it. Once I started it, I just could not stop. I didn't cook, I didn't do laundry, I didn't go anywhere, I didn't answer the phone, I didn't do ANYTHING until I finished the book! The Witness was another of her books that was very good. I think that's all of her books that I've read so far. I definitely plan on reading more though. I like the level of suspense that she creates.

I enjoy reading Mary Higgins Clark too. The level of mystery is always great in her stories. I just finished Where are You Now? and loved it. It's much more mystery than romance, but that's okay. I tend to like romance in books too, but occasionally will gravitate toward more mystery. She also writes short chapters.

There are a couple of others that I enjoy, but I'll save them for another time.

I need to start a new book today...since it's cool again, I know I won't be out in the pool, so a good book is definitely a necessity!