Hot Summer Reads

Ah, summer. Lazy days in the garden, by the pool, or at the beach. Maybe you’re on a cruise or at a resort. The perfect time to relax with a good book. Here are some of my favorite reads you might like to try.

For short trips and quick reads, I highly recommend anthologies of short stories. Here are a few for your consideration.

Twisted Tales A unique short story anthology curated by the readers and editorial team of READERS CIRCLE OF AVENUE PARK (#RCAP). It’s a global effort, literally, with contributions from 15 authors across exhausting time zones that extend from Africa, Europe, America and Asia. You can download a FREE e-copy on the Readers Circle of Avenue Park. Check out the rest of the site for their book recommendations!
CROOKED TALES: Deception & Revenge in 14 Short Stories Another anthology by the writers of These 14 short stories come from those shaded corners; the shadowy recesses of our minds where deceit and revenge take refuge. Only to surface when we choose to be most unpleasant to our neighbors, our colleagues, our lovers, and to our families—and even our species. Above all, it’s the unpredictable kinks that catch you unaware that make the ‘CROOKED TALES’ anthology such a wicked delight.
She Dreamed Of Flash Fiction: A Collection Of Short Stories by Robyn Cain She Dreamed Of Flash Fiction is an eclectic mix of genres, mini tales that are humorous; salacious; dreams; everyday lives; or pure imagination.
The author invites you to join and share with her from this medley of 29 short stories, each only 200 words.
Looking into the Abyss: Saving the Rhinoceros one story at a time Looking into the Abyss is an eclectic collection of short stories written by eleven authors from around the globe. They have joined together to help raise awareness of the plight the Rhinoceros face as they are inexorably edged towards total annihilation. Buy buying a copy of this book, you can join us in supporting the few remaining Rhino’s as they are Looking into the Abyss of extinction. Thank you.

Within the Invisible Pentacle by Paul White This one is a paperback but well worth the investment. The stories Within the Invisible Pentacle may, at first glance, seem a rather eclectic collection, but there are several underlying unifying principles employed in their careful selection. The titles all have a feminine association as does each story’s individual focus, whether direct or implicit.

Novellas, Novelettes

A group called Electric Eclectic Novelettes has a collection of short books easily read in one or two sittings. ** Disclaimer ** I have several books on this site. While I would be delighted if you read one or two (or all of them!) I recommend checking out the others as well. Descriptions and links to all their books are listed here. “Electric Eclectic books are specially created to make it easy for people to find new storyworlds to escape into.” Paul White, Founder

Strange Weather: Four Short Novels by Joe Hill A collection of four chilling novels, ingeniously wrought gems of terror from the brilliantly imaginative, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Fireman, Joe Hill.
Different Seasons: Four Novellas by Stephen King My favorite King collection of novellas. Includes the stories “The Body” and “Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption”—set in the fictional town of Castle Rock, Maine

Full-Length Novels

THE ZEBRA AFFAIRE by Mark Fine Perhaps one of the best “indie” books I’ve read. When affairs of State battle affairs of the heart, ordinary people become heroes!The Zebra Affaire is a cautionary tale, a gripping story of a forbidden romance that shocked a nation – and the cruel powers used by an intolerant regime determined to stop it. 130 five star reviews on Amazon
The Watchmage of Old New York (The Watchmage Chronicles Book 1) by C.A. Sanders It is 1855, and Nathaniel Hood walks between two worlds. The Watchmage of Old New York is an expansion of the award-winning and highly popular serial from JukepopSerials.com. It’s a blend of fantasy, history, humor, and mystery, wrapped in a well-detailed and vivid mid-19th century New York. (The sequel, Cold Iron, is due out this month!)
Average Daydreamer by Anita Kovacevic Are couples supposed to be perfect or are average relationships the stuff of life? A sweet and humorous romance. Easy reading from one of my favorite indie authors.

The 9th Hour (The Detective Temeke Crime Series Book 1) by Claire Stibbe The first in the Detective Temeke series. These mystery thrillers are great for lovers of detective stories with lots of police procedures.
The Troubadours Quartet (4 Book Series) by Jean Gill Normally I wouldn’t add an entire series to this list, but once you read the first one you’ll be hooked. “Set in the period following the Second Crusade, Jean Gill’s spellbinding romantic thrillers evoke medieval France with breathtaking accuracy. The characters leap off the page and include amazing women like Eleanor of Aquitaine and Ermengarda of Narbonne, who shaped history in battles and in bedchambers.”
Taken By The Huntsman (Spellbound Hearts Book 1) by Mistral Dawn I love the intensely sexual and romantic fantasies by this writer. One look at the cover and you will know why. All her books are great, but I have read this one THREE times! “Discarded and ignored by those around her for most of her life, Cassie is a lonely human woman struggling to find her place in the world and meaning in her life. Cadeyrn is the Erlking, the leader of the Wild Hunt, a hundreds of thousands of years old Fae who has always known his purpose. He knows she will be angry and that he’ll have to work to earn her trust, but he finds his task to be even more challenging than he had thought it would be due to Cassie’s difficulty in opening her heart. Will Cadeyrn be able to convince Cassie that the bond between them is real and earn her love?”

What Isn’t She Telling by Michelle Medhat (Previously published as Connected: The Call and The Shift.) “Is it a spy story? Is it science fiction? Is it a thriller? Well, all of the above, and more. Get ready for a roller-coaster of a ride.” “Spy thriller cleverly intertwined with a sci-fi part perfectly in line with the increasing belief that everything and everybody is connected. A timeless battle between dark forces and the light resting on the shoulders of a Mr & Mrs Smith of a new genre.”