My Reading List

I’m always looking for reading recommendations so I read Vicki’s recent post with interest. I don’t really distinguish between what I read during the summer and other times of the year. That's probably because while here in Southern California we do have some change of seasons, the changes aren't as dramatic as other areas.

Here are a few books I’ve read this year that I found particularly interesting:

The One-Cent Magenta by James Barron. This
is the story of the most valuable stamp in the world, the One-Cent Magenta. This is not your childhood stamp collecting experience. We’re talking high profile stamp collecting. A very interesting read.

The Lost City of Z by David Grann. In 1925, British explorer Percy Fawcett ventured into the Amazon jungle in search of the lost city of Z and was never seen again. Over the years, others have ventured into the jungle trying to find him and the fabled city. This is their story as well as an account of journalist David Grann’s own venture into the jungle. I don’t know much about this corner of the world at all so I found it particularly interesting. A quick read. There’s also a recent movie based on the book. I haven’t seen it, but this book is definitely worth reading.

The Elusive Elixir by Gigi Pandian. This is the third book in the Accidental Alchemist series and my favorite so far. This series is part fantasy part mystery. It features alchemist Zoe Faust and Dorian, a living gargoyle. I like all of the characters, but I’ve fallen in love with Dorian. You can read this book without reading the first two in the series, but I’d recommend starting from the beginning with the Accidental Alchemist.

A Sticky Inheritance by Emily James. This is the first book in the Maple Syrup mysteries. I stumbled upon this series sometime this past year, I don’t remember where. Honestly, I might have simply been attracted by the cover. Interesting covers can lure me in. The main character, criminal defense attorney Nicole, inherits a maple syrup farm in Michigan. At first, I wasn’t sure about a mystery featuring maple syrup, but I fell in love with this series from the first page of the first book. I’ve read several more in the series and have two others queued up on my Kindle.

That’s my brief wrap-up. I’ve read lots more books so far this past year, but I thought I’d highlight these as being particularly interesting. What have you all been reading?