The Summer Booklist
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Beach Read: Fifty Shades of Grey
You've heard your friends talking about it around the water cooler and happy hour drinks. Isn't it time you found out for yourself what all the fuss is about? A shy, introverted literature student is pulled in to a world of sexual awakening by a dashing billionaire. One who in spite of having everything can't shake his need for control. Salacious and scandalous, this is an absolute must when you're laying poolside or on the beach; it's juicy to the max.
Image: Barnes & Noble
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Flight Plan: Imagine
There's a baby crying somewhere in the back row and the peanuts are not helping your hunger pains. Nowhere may be better suited to let your mind be elsewhere than on a plane. Few distractions gives you the opportunity to sit down and read that non-fiction book you've been telling yourself you'll get to when you have the time. If you need a suggestion, try "Imagine." John Lehrer explains the science behind creativity, encouraging each person to see themselves in their most imaginative light. He provides methods for unlocking all of your daydream potential. According to Lehrer, there's no such thing as the "creative type," we're all full of imaginable possibilities.
Image: Barnes & Noble
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Overseas Vacation: Last of the Amazons
Finally taking that trip overseas to experience a place you've never been and a culture you've never seen? Get revved up for it by stocking up on historical fiction that gives you a sense of times gone by and a history that goes back much further than our Declaration of Independence. "Last of the Amazons" transports you to ancient culture and mythology with a story of war, love, and a fierce woman-warrior race. This book puts traditional historical fiction about catty royal hopefuls in frilly dresses to shame.
Image: Barnes & Noble
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Staycation: How to Cook Indian
So you've taken a couple of days off to just relax at home, maybe dabble in your fire escape garden, catch up on your Netflix queue and walk in the park. Sometimes a staycation is just what you need to recharge. Why not prevent boredom by picking up a book that provides instructions with tangible enjoyment. That's right, we're talking about honing a new culinary skill. There are tons of cookbooks on the market, don't be sucked into your average Better Homes and Gardens variety. "How To Cook Indian" has over 500 recipes of exotic dishes sure to impress at your next dinner party.
Image: Barnes & Noble
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Long Weekend: The Parasol Protectorate Series
Summer gives you Labor Day and Memorial Day, two three-day weekends. No big plans? No worries. "The Parasol Protectorate Series" follows a lead character whose unflappable wit and self confidence pull her through interesting, and sometimes dangerous, high jinks over and over. Intelligent, funny prose and a touch of supernatural whimsy set in Victorian era Europe will have you grabbing for the next book in the series faster than you can turn down that barbecue with your cousin's in-laws.
Image: Barnes & Noble
