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BookLikes Authors Recommend Great Summer Reads
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Clean up your shelves, add a new collection to your e-reader, equip yourself with drinks and snacks. It's time for Summer recommendations! We've asked several of BookLikes authors to pick their perfect summer books. Here's a reading list that cannot be missed and a collection of reads that must be added to your TBR summer pile!
Meet & follow Tellulah Darling on BookLikes ->
A Darker Shade of Magic by V. E. Schwab
"I picked this up because I am a sucker for alternate versions of cities. Yes, Neverwhere is a fav of mine and so when I saw this had that vibe happening, I was in. Let's start with the good: crossdressing thieves, multiple Londons, super cool magic, chicks to the rescue, throne power plays, and an amazing mythology I want to fall into and stay suspended in for a very long time.
Now for the bad: book two doesn't come out for another year. Seriously. That's all I've got.
Kell and Lila are a fabulous swashbuckling duo. His backstory is totally compelling and fraught with mystery. His brother Rhy is a charmer with a heart of gold that I demand more of. The world building is insanely cool. This is an original, compelling, thoroughly engaging and entertaining book one of a new fantasy series. If you're looking for romance, you won't really find it in this book though it sets up tantalizing and frustrating (in good ways) teases to be played out. Bonus points for actually wrapping up the main plot while still creating enough questions about events to follow.
Honestly, by partway through the first chapter I was excited in ways I hadn't been for a story in a while. Grab it!"
A Bollywood Affair by Sonali Dev
Meet and follow Tish Thawer on BookLikes ->
As a reader, I love books that can transport you. With both of these novels, I felt as if I was "in" the story. The world-building was phenomenal and the paranormal elements were woven in so well, I no longer felt like I was reading fiction. Magic is real, people! :)
The Life & Death of Jorja Graham by Brynn Myers
"Once again I was blown away by the imagination and detailed writing that Brynn puts into her stories. She never fails to transport me into the world she's created, and in this case, the world was eerie and magical and filled with characters that captured my heart."
A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
"This book was so engrossing. The amazing detail of the alchemic process and imagery was amazing. This author did her homework!"
Meet and follow Samantha Wilcoxson on BookLikes ->
The Sunne in Splendour by Sharon Kay Penman
"This is my favorite book of all time by the author who sparked my obsession in medieval England.
Each of her books is wonderful with complex characters and impeccable historical research that transports the reader back in time.
Since Richard III, the main character in this book, has been in the headlines lately, this is an ideal time to get swept away in this novel."
"I recommend this book because it is lesser known than the author’s more famous Jane Eyre, but I feel that the story and characters are even more captivating.
Lucy Snowe felt like a kindred spirit as she attempted to make her way in the world. The realistic way that each person sees her differently, but none completely understand her is heart wrenching.
Anyone looking for a classic novel that is a little off the beaten path should try Villette."
Meet and follow Rod Raglin on BookLikes ->
War in a Beautiful Country by Patricia Ryan
"It’s quirky, perceptive and funny. It’s poignant as well as enlightening, entertaining and original. It ranges from the sublime to the ridiculous and covers a lot of the stuff in between.
The protagonist in War in a Beautiful Country is Regina, a middle aged woman living in New York City. Regina begins getting surface mail from an anonymous person threatening to blow her up, literally. The idea her life might end abruptly and without warning makes her examine her existence, her art, her relationships, her activities, and her purpose.
War in a Beautiful Country is wickedly funny while at the same time wise and worldly with fascinating insights on art and relationships."
The Last Bad Job by Colin Dodds
"The Last Bad Job is an apocalyptic story with a sense of humor.
What makes this novel standout, makes it exceptional is the writing – natural dialogue, characterization through action, exact diction and an imaginative plot that doesn’t let you catch your breath.
Our protagonist, best described as an anti-hero, is an investigative reporter assigned to do a story on an apocalyptic cult and it’s leader, Dizzy Sheehan. The assignment entails living with the group and right away he compromises his objectivity by participating in cult activities like having sex with the female members. This is the first, but certainly not the last demonstration of his almost complete lack of any sense of morals or integrity.
As the reporter’s life spins more and more out of control, and Dizzy’s prediction of the apocalypse begins to unfold our anti-hero comes to believe he has been chosen for some special purpose and, indeed, he has."
Meet and follow Sandra Gustafsson on BookLikes ->
"This author was new to me, and maybe it´s to soon to say this is my favorite author, but I really enjoyed reading this book. Here and there I stopped at sentences, just to read them again, and again because they were so well written. The details made me feel like I was there, beside the book´s protagonist.
The story is told in a simple yet very straight-forward way and I didn´t want it to end.
If you like people and the stories behind them, I think you will like this book."
The Lighthouse by Alison Moore
"This is a very well written and really tense short novel. It´s the sort of book were nothing seems to happen, and still - everything is happening in front of me. It´s melancholy, haunting and exquisitely written - a beautiful novel. If you enjoy a slow and intimate book this one is for you."
Meet and follow Amber Foxx on BookLikes ->
Two books I’d recommend to people who share my taste for mysteries that venture off the beaten track are The First Lie, by Virginia King and When the Clocks Stopped by M.L. Eaton. These are totally different from each other, and yet have in common a thread of the mystical, vivid settings, complex and realistic protagonists, and excellent writing.
The First Lie by Virginia King
"The First Lie is set in Hawaii, where Selkie Moon has escaped from her former life in Australia. Her voice as the narrator is compelling, and the bizarre events that overtake her made it hard for me to stop reading. The layers of mythology and psychology in the intense plot gave it the kind of depth I like. I want more than to know the solution of a mystery, but to get involved with the characters’ lives."
When the Clocks Stopped by M.L. Eaton
"When the Clocks Stopped takes place in a quaint English village with a dark history that comes alive. The main character, Hazel Dawkins, is utterly original, and so is the concept of this book, with the interweaving of the eighteenth and twentieth centuries, the crimes of both periods in time, and the ordinary and the extraordinary."
Anyone who likes a well-crafted and unconventional take on mystery will enjoy these books.
Meet and follow Jenny Schwartz on BookLikes ->
Two perfect summer reads for romance fans.
"The first is a fast-paced, sexy paranormal romance by one of my favourite authors, Ilona Andrews. Burn For Me has the ultimate alpha hero and a heroine unsure whether to love him or run."
Naked: A Novel of Lady Godiva by Eliza Redgold 
"My second recommended summer read takes you back in time to summer in Saxon England. “Naked” is the real story of Lady Godiva’s famous ride, beautifully told, and it’s special to me because it’s written by a good friend, Eliza Redgold, who is passionate about the power of Godiva’s legend and of Celtic women in general."
Meet and follow Murielle Cyr on BookLikes ->
Two of my summer readings picks swing precariously from the supernatural classic, Three Supernatural Classics, to the more lighter literary shôjo manga, The Heart of Thomas. Both are perfect for short and frequent time fillers needed while traveling, or even between beach dips.
Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration by Ed Catmull
"Anyone who has an interest in the creative process, from writers and artists to musicians and filmmakers, will find this book interesting and inspiring.
Catmull is the the president of Pixar Animation and Disney Animation. The level of struggle and revision that goes into making a Pixar movie is an inspiration, and the process they use to solicit useful and timely feedback on their work will be useful to all kinds of artists."
Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley
"A gorgeously crafted and designed book about the power of belief. Micah's journey may rekindle your own belief in magic.
I loved it so much that the moment I put down my library copy, I called the bookstore to order a hardback."
BookLikes authors recommendations made it to the reading lists on BookLikes. If you liked our authors' picks, you can easily add all books to your shelf through the Reading List: 20 great summer reads picked by authors ->
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Im still updating stuff though. :)
Anyone on FictFact?
I know for sure at least some people are on FictFact I just don't remember who.
Apparently I created an account in 2012 but I never got to actually using it, even though I've always struggled with keeping track of all my series. So, when I saw someone recommending FictFact I thought I'd have to try it. And so I did.
It's really a great site for the purpose of keeping track of series. I'm quite ashamed that I now know I've over 120 series that I haven't actively abandoned or read to the current or last book. And there are so many more series I'd like to try.
There is little interaction between people on the site, for as far as I can tell now, but feel free to add me: My FictFact
The moderators have been very friendly and imported a lot of series that I tried to add to the database.
Shadows
loved it...but of course, i liked the dude i shouldn't. haha. i wonder if he'll reappear in the series.
The Midnight Dress
Wow, this book was super interesting and unique. It had all the elements of a regular high school type book (new town, upcoming dance, "mean" girls) but it turned out like 100% unique. The beginning of each chapter has a little snippet of foreshadowing...almost like the story was told in present tense and future tense at the same time. It was slightly confusing at times...but i found that i liked it when things started clicking. I was like "ooohh" a million times. The mystery part of it was laid out very well. I kind of thought i knew what happened...i wonder though if there was more too it...like the past of the person. hmm. I really like Edie & her stories. The ending made my cry...so much was destroyed for so many people. :(
Burning Girls
Hmm, well i liked this book ok. It cleverly weaves history and a fairy tale retelling. The problem i had was that it seemed a little emotionless. Like when someone dies...which happens a lot...she just states it matter of factly then moves on. Or when she aborts a young girls bady (although she says "miscarries") she has like zero feelings or morals.. Hmm. The ending is interesting though...but i read somewhere that this book is considered horror...so be forwarned.
A Beautiful Dark
Well it was an awesome read but the first thing i encountered was underaged drinking...and thats something i never condone...esp in books geared towards younger girls. There are actually a few scenes with drinking so that kind a sucks. One scene in particular (i think this is in one of the other books in the series though), Skye's Aunt makes reference to a friend being "responsible" for not drinking since he was driving....like drinking any other time when be totally fine...meanwhile, the aunt and other kids are getting "tipsy". Sighhh. I almost stopped reading...but the story itself was really good. Thankfully, there wasnt any drugs....otherwise, that would have been my undoing.As far as the writing and such, it was pretty good. I cant remember any gripes really. The only other major issue i had was the series ending... It just seemed soo unnessary and selfish on Skye's part. Skye apparently isnt very quick on her feet. I cant really say more without spoiling it though. :P
Anna
This is the first book ive read from this author but i really enjoyed it. I havent read a book about space in a while and never with such strong astronomy references but i found this book amazing.First off, the story line was very interesting...once it started taking off. A lot of the book was describing Anna's day to day & i didn't find a lot of plot building at first. The synopsis gives hints about some supernatural elements...but when they surface in the book i found them sorta questionable. Towards the end however there is a huge twist and you realize exactly what's going on. I guess my description here may sound confusing...but once you start reading you'll probably understand. In the end, i very much appreciated all the detail and description that was put into the beginning of the story.
The characters were written awesome. My faves were Anna herself along with Steve and Jared (cough, cough). I also liked Heather and Andela. I disliked Michael and most of his friends, lol. As far as Anna's role, i think see was very well written and realistic. She has pretty strong morals and a love for science, which i can def appreciate. She did show slight signs of immaturity...but she is a teenager.
This author's writing overall was very detailed and descriptive. A few times she mentioned someones facial expression or outfit, which had nothing to do with the actual story line but it really does enhance my visual of the scene in my head. On the dreams and daydreams parts, i could clearly see, hear, smell & feel the scene. The author did an excellent job in that area.
Overall, i didn't really find anything wrong with the story. The ending was a slight cliffhanger....and of course, the next book isn't out. Haha, why do i always do this to myself? Lol. Im excited for book 2 though. Id recommended this to anyone who likes space books, science or ya in general. It does have a lot of astronomy and science but its overall story should have a wide appeal. There was no drinking or sex, only a slight reference to drugs.
Marionette
This series totally rocks my socks!! Ive never read a series that ventures through soo many things: creepy circus stuff, magic tricks, ghosts, aliens, monsters, medieval castles, time/space travel, parallel dimensions.... even history and romance. WOW. When reading though, it all flows so well and is seamlessly written. It dosn't even seem awkward. haha. This author is awesome!!This particular book starts where book 2 left off. Book 2 had a lot of physical travel in in, this book has lots of travel as well but more of the inter dimensional travel. We learn almost everything we need to know about the the why of the main dilemma in the series. Im guessing book 4 will just be coming up with the solution.
Book 3 def answered a lot of my questions and gives different perspectives of the story. Book 2 was Cassie and Jessamine. Book 3 is Cassie and Ethan. Yes, Ethan returns. The overall romance in the series is clear up here as well... but i must say that those last few chapters are slightly annoying. I've had a very slight issue with Cassie every since the first first book. She hasnt been my fave character necessarily and the whole thing with Ethan in this book is slightly annoying to me. I def would have handle it differently..... but i guess im older than she is and also, i have seen the story from different perspectives than she has as a character... but still. I said "WTF" out loud for everyone to hear. Hahaha.
There are a few unexpected things that popup that will greatly effect book 4. From the end of 3 and the synopsis of 4, i can already tell i will really really enjoy it. I noticed on the author's blog that #4 is finished and titled: Music Box. Anyone who has read book 3 already might know what that means. ;) I really want book 4 like right now. I read books 1,2 & 3 in 3 days. :P I need closure..haha.
Overall i would def recommend this book. Its a great addition to the series and sets up for book 4 really well. There is a small indirect reference to sex/rape and much more drinking than the previous books though, so be careful of that if you find it offensive.
Paper Dolls
This book was an excellent followup to book one. This book starts off in the dollhouse but then shows the time after the rescue. The structure of this book is much different than the first. The first was written more on a moment by moment basis through the whole ordeal. This book more skips from event to event (with weeks or more in between) and its focus is more on the "why & how" of the whole ordeal. We also get a little perspective change as we are brought to the 1920's and into Jessamine's world.Characters are awesome of course. The author does a awesome job at creating and maintaining characters. The characters in book one are def evolved in this book. There are some shocking revelations about some of them. I've found some of my favorite characters dropping to the end of the list and some of my least faves moving up to the top. I don't really want to specify any characters because i dont want to spoil it. But i'm sure you'll understand as you read...there are so many twist and turns. Lots of reveals and mistrusts. There is a bit of foreshadowing too, if you wanna keep an eye out. :)
The setting in the book is just awesome. This book is almost like a travelogue. Cassie, travels to lots of places and all the places are describe beautiful. This author is great with creative/descriptive writing. Id have to say my favorite place was the Island vacation and the Yacht. I mean of course....endless beaches and a mega yacht...yes please.
Overall i def love this book. If you read book one you will def want to read this one. It is a slight bit edgier than book one with drinking and a stronger reference to sex...but still not direct.
Dollhouse
Well wow!! This book was creepy & delicious for sure. I haven't read a book with this "creep out" level since Katie Alendar's Series. In the beginning of this books it seemed just like a search and research book with a little romance...something like a contemperary..but about halfway through you learn that there is sooo much more going on: ghosts, circus paraphernalia and creepy weird people...and of course dolls and toys. I know, scary as crap right. lol
As far as characters, My fave would have to be Lacey. I think i can relate to her the most. She seems the most sensible to me. I like Cassie & Missouri next because they are strong. Id have to say that i like Aisha the least. She just seems whiny and childish to me and i dont like it. I am not sure yet about Jessamine or Ethan. They both have a shroud over them and its really hard to tell if they can be trusted or not. I certainly don't like Henry...Frreeeaak. All the characters were written very well. The were deep, unique and well defined.
As far as world building and setting, i think the author did an awesome job. She is very descriptive in the writing without the "info dump" feeling. I could clearly see most of the scenery pretty easily in my head. I was pretty scared on some parts, but awesome none the less. I'm not sure if this is the author's first book, but it is very well written.
Overall, i would def recommend this book to anyone who enjoys creepy books. It's an awesome books and i found no flaws at all. It's pretty safe for all YA ages since it only contains very vague references to sex, drugs, drinking, but nothing direct.
Freak of Nature
Amazing! This book was spectacular! This was the second book ive read from Julia Crane (first being Coexist). I'm really coming to like her as an author. In this book particularly she talks a lot about beauty and how it's seen. Lucas describe Kaitlyn as strong and beautiful because of how she led her life. While Kaitlyn felt self conscious, Lucas' acceptance of her helped her change the way she saw herself. I think real life works a lot like that sometimes. Some people are naturally confident but others need a little push from someone else. I love that Julia added a link to Operation Beautiful in her book! I love that website!!As far as this book specially, i really loved it. I read one other robot/human book, but other than that, this concept is totally new & unique! I gotta say i sorta liked it. The thought of her being soo smart and fast but almost emotionless is appealing. The middle part of the book was pretty exciting and the ending was good. There wasn't really a huge, exciting action scene or climax but i think this book was more about personal growth & relationships. Either way though, the ending was satisfying and it setup nicely for the next book. I'm a bit unsure of the new element introduced in the last chapter though...No doubt that will cause drama in book 2.
For characters, i like them all! This book was written in third person and it switches from Kaitlyn to Lucas a few times, though the majority is with Kaitlyn. I gotta say, as i always do, that i really prefer first person because i like to know exactly what the characters are thinking. This book however does a good job of express the characters through the narration. As far as favorite character, I'd have to say Lucas. He is/was very sweet and understanding..and smart!! I didn't really dislike any of the characters...except maybe those military people.
I absolutely loved the atmosphere and environment. Her bedroom felt cold & sterile and the beach felt warm & lively, as they should! Adams' cottage was cozy and Lucas house was homey. All the places in the book really came alive with the wording. It was very easy to imagine! My two fave were the star gazing and the bowling! Anyone who knows me knows that i LOVE blankets under the stars. & I kick butt at bowling! I was glad to see things i could related with in the story.
The only thing i dislike about this book was the scene breaks. I think this is totally the format of the book and not the authors fault. Its just weird to have one line here then the next line in a totally different time. Some authors use line breaks or a dot sequence or something to signify a scene break. I'm a confused person by nature so i had to reread a few spot before i realized what was happening. lol
My overall thoughts of this book are outstanding and i'd consider this a five star read. While its not an epic adventure, its still a lovely story. I feel the next books will probably have more of an exciting flare to them. This one mainly laid out the groundwork for the series. I'd def recommend this book to most of my readers here but there is some sexual content and mild language.
The Strongest Ring
Well, this was def a short story. Very small indeed. But even with its short stature, i loved it! Vampires, hippies and coffee!! Yes please. Jordan def sounded like the perfect guy for me! If only i could find a sexy vampire hippie who reads and drinks coffee... and is willing to bite his girlfriend without all the "We shouldn't" haha. :) There were only a few different scenes in the book but they were all described well and the story itself was very intriguing. I sorta wish there was more to the story...i want to see what happens with them next! Have i mentioned how attractive Jordan was? lol
Daughters
First off, let me say that i love love love this series! I downloaded the first book, which is/was free, a while back then bought books 2 and 3 the same day! I unfortunately didn't even have the $3 to buy #4 and #5 at the time. I recently came into a few dollars, literally a FEW(3) dollars lol, so i purchased #4. Now i just need #5!! I'm not sure if the series ends with five though...Anyway, when you first start reading these books, you notice they are written differently than other books. Not only are they in 3rd person, but they also switch between characters, cites and even centuries. I guess that may make it sound confusing but its not. It basically follows the love story between one couple...so everything relates back to them somehow. I sorta liked how i got to see into the past and see how the characters developed. You know, what made them the way they are. In this particular book, you get a really good look at how the past affects in the present...even the future. So much so that i literally gasped and screamed: "WHAT" on those last few pages. It did leave on a sorta cliffhanger...but i have a few ideas of what i think may happen. :)
As far as the writing and world building, i think they are both good. The two main cities (Washington DC and New York) are pretty popular so i'm not sure if they are easy to picture because i'm so familiar with them or because she describes them well...but either way, it was even for me to get good imagery.
Far characters, i like them all! They are pretty unique to themselves and easy to tell them apart. I sorta despise characters where they all have the same personality, lol but thats not the case here. My fave is probably..hmm Trym or Freja. We are able to see Trym's humor better in this book and that's something i like. Freja is just a super sweet person, especially as an adult. This book is sorta traumatic and heartbreaking where she is concerned though. My least fave is probably Svala. I liked here in other books...but she just rubbed me wrong in this one. I don't have children and don't desire to...so i guess i just cant relate well with her and her parenting choices. I agree more with Viggo.
I liked this story overall. Id def recommend it to anyone who likes fairies books...though this one is very unique. I love the whole soulmate aspect and anyone liking a good love story will enjoy this. Download the first book and see what you think! It's appropriate for most in the ya age range but does have allusions to sex. No smoking, drinking or drugs.
http://bemusedbookworm.weebly.com/1/post/2013/08/review-daughters-by-saga-berg.html
