Summer is a wonderful time to relax with a book while sipping iced tea. As sunshine enters through the windows of life, here are some literary picks (that include genres ranging from romance to horror) to kickstart your vacation reading.
Under One Roof by Ali Hazelwood
In this delicious romance are traces of Shakespeare’s classic rom-com Much Ado About Nothing. Opposites attract — especially if they start out loathing each other. In Under One Roof, Mara is an eco-scientist and Liam a big-oil lawyer. From a distance, the reader can juxtapose these roommates’ differences with ease. However, as Mara learns more about Liam, she begins to realize she’s falling in love with him.
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
If you’ve ever found yourself wondering what life would have looked like if different decisions were acted on, The Midnight Library is your new spring read. Nora, the main character, is in a dreary, almost suicidal state. A special library has the power of showing her, through books, how her life could have unravelled had she taken different life directions. Author Matt Haig drills into the dark and secretive questions most people fear bringing to the light for discussion. This is a book that will get the reader thinking and engaging with alternative realities.
Autopsy by Patricia Cornwell
Forensic pathologist, Kay Scarpetta, is trying to find a sadistic killer. It’s a science, but as Dr. Scarpetta soon learns, so is this killer’s methods. In this installment, readers observe how a mastermind killer uses science to bone-chilling and horrific ends. This is book number twenty-five in the Scarpetta series. If you’re passionate about crime fiction, Patricia Cornwell may very well become your new favourite.
Burning Questions by Margaret Atwood
Poet and novelist Margaret Atwood is never one to shy away from saying what’s on her mind. Her stunning collection of essays that she penned between 2004 to 2021 forms Burning Questions. Atwood discusses topics ranging from writing and climate change emergencies to democracy’s crumbling state. The essays are filled with charm, knowledge, and wit, presenting readers the opportunity to engage with one of the world’s most creative talents. Atwood’s ideas and opinions are candy for the mind.
Night, Neon by Joyce Carol Oates
Literary icon and master of the short story, Joyce Carol Oates, gives readers nine new stories of fright, suspense, and mystery. These tales are thrilling, haunting, and at times, deliver some hilarity. Oates’ writing style is eloquent, mellifluous, and near flawless. As the title suggests, Night, Neon is a collection of dark stories which shed light on the gothic brilliance of Oates’ ability to weave complex yet entertaining plots. From former beauties cloned, then sold for a price to other narratives that question reality, Night, Neon is your page turner for the midnight hour.
Jason Waddle | Contributing Writer
