Summer Reading.

Oprah has a lot of really great ideas. Along with her "Declaration of Reader Independence," she also came up a list of 26 books you should read this summer. Ok, so maybe a summer reading list isn't the most original idea, but I was still inspired. We all know how much I love making lists, so here is a Summer Reading list that I made up to celebrate the first few warm days here in the Pacific Northwest.

A book you probably cliff noted in high school:

The Great Gatsby.

This book is simple and complicated all at the same time. All in all it is a beautiful novel and one of my favorites. It also doesn't hurt to imagine Robert Redford in the title role.

An edge of your seat mystery:

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

I don't have much experience with mysteries, but I really enjoyed this one. I've heard from several fellow readers that the ensuing novels in this series only get better. I can't wait!

Books to to steal from a teenager:

The Hunger Games.

This is a series (next installment out August 24th). They are brutal and wonderful all at the same time. You will not be able to put these books down.

The Book Thief.

This book moved me like no other novel has come close to doing. The concept is brilliant and the emotions are so real that at times I was overwhelmed.

Something old:

Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre.

Read them both, be impressed that novels written so long ago can still capture readers like they were written today, then decide which sister you think is the better writer (I prefer Charlotte).

Something true:

Fly Boys.

When I originally read it I dubbed it a 'boy book,' but beyond that, this was an awesome book that tells a very important story.

On the beach:

Love the One You're With.

I've loved every book that I have read by Emily Giffin. She tells a good story. At times they are predictable, but that is usually what I look for in a good summer beach read. "Something Borrowed" and "Heart of the Matter" are also 'cantputdownable' carefree books by Giffin.

On a plane:

Ella Minnow Pea.

There are three important things to take into consideration when you are choosing a book for travel, 1. it is light-weight, paperback, less than 500 pages. 2. You aren't embarrassed by the front cover, nor the content just incase someone peeks over your shoulder. 3. It is a good conversation piece. This books hits all the marks! Light, easy read with some good wholesome yet intriguing content.

Something to inspire you:

The Alchemist.

Seriously, if it doesn't then there might just be something wrong with you. The theme is simple, it is never too late to follow your life's dream. Get lost in the feeling this fable gives you.

Well my list isn't nearly as long as Oprah's, but I think it is a good start to your summer reading! Enjoy! Also, I'm looking for some fun new summer reads so start your own list and send it my way!

Update Book 55: Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie

A classic mystery. Although it wasn't one of my favorites, it was interesting to read and organized in a very unique way. This is the story of Hercule Poirot, an international detective. A murder occurs halfway through his train journey. Because the train had been blocked by a snow drift, only the 13 passengers in the coach can be suspected of the crime. The information is given in a very clean-cut sort of way, there are even diagrams included. There was quite the twist involved towards the end, making this a pretty difficult mystery to figure out.

Agatha Christie is the most published writer of all time. She wrote over 80 novels. As far as I know, this is her most famous. The thing with writers who publish so many books is that their books tend to just be good, not fantastic. Take Nora Roberts or Jamer Patterson for example. They just whip out books every few months. Their books are enjoyable (most of the time), but never deep. Luckily I found "Murder on the Orient Express" to be delightful.