Ahhh … summer reading in Seattle. Whether you’re bringing a book to the beach or packing one (or four) for vacation, our staff has some recommendations for you. And perhaps while you’re at the Library you’d like to log your books read in our Adult Summer Reading notebook? All you need to do is write down your first name and make a 
check-mark for each book you’ve read since June 1. Play along and help us reach our goal of reading 125,000 books in Seattle this summer!In the meantime, here are three fine novels to consider:
The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett
Those pesky corgis! When Queen Elizabeth II’s dogs come upon a mobile library at the palace, she feels honor-bound to borrow a book. Thus begins her late-life passion for reading, which is her doorway into worlds never before seen. However, Elizabeth’s absorption with literature suddenly shakes up established royal routines and has wide-ranging consequences for “crown and country.” Lightly and sensitively told, Bennett’s tale is a perfect picture of the Queen’s coming of age at last, and the reactions of those around her. It’s also hysterically funny! The Queen on Harry Potter: “One is saving that for a rainy day.”
~ Ann, Central Library
The Winemaker’s Daughter by Timothy Egan
The Winemaker’s Daughter is simply a love story. Love for Seattle’s urban landscape, the crevices and cracks of its past that endure quietly as the rain pours through. Love for eastern Washington’s desert oasis and the life the Coulee sustains through its raging river. Love for Italy with a past that lingers in its architecture and in the wine from its vineyards. Through tragedy and plight, through hope and strength, everything is connected like the water that stretches across the landscape. No one knows this more than the Cartolano family cultivating the grape that has defined them all their lives. ~ Kara, Montlake Branch
Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale
Lady Saren has been locked in a tower for seven years for refusing to marry a man she loathes. Dashti, her lady’s maid, shares her punishment. As their food and supplies begin to dwindle, Saren depends on Dashti to find an escape route–and to speak to her favored suitor when he visits their prison. This rich reimagining of an obscure Grimm’s fairy tale takes place in a magical world based on medieval Mongolia. Though written for teens, it will appeal to any reader looking for an excellent romantic fantasy that also deftly deals with issues of class and self-reliance.
~ Hayden, Central Library, Teen Center
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