5 Geeky Beach Reads For This Summer

OMG, yes!  Not fantasy, but definitely fare for this inquisitive lot: THE VIOLINIST’S THUMB by Sam Kean (his first was THE DISAPPEARING SPOON, also awesome).  It’s nonfiction and about DNA. Believe me–not boring. (The Disappearing Spoon was about the table of elements–again, not boring at all.)

I love the Parasol Protectorate. I bought the first one as a Kindle Daily Deal and had to find the monies for the rest. They’re really fun and witty, which is a nice change from the other supernatural stuff out there now.

Also, if you’re gonna read them, don’t read any summaries of the later books, since they’re laden with huge spoilers. 

MEGASUPERYAY for a Parasol Protectorate mention! I love those books so hardcore.

Also, I would hugely recommend “Daughter of Smoke and Bone” by Laini Taylor. I just read it recently, and it was AMAZEBALLS. Laini’s writing is entertaining and beautiful!

In total agreement in regards to “Daughter of Smoke and Bone”.  Best book I’ve read all year.

Yes! I read Soulless for Felicia Day’s Vaginal Fantasy book club and I think it may be my favourite book so far (other than this month’s pick Kushiel’s Dart which hasn’t been discussed yet).

another shout out for the parasol protectorate! they really are good fun, i blasted through all five earlier this summer. 

kushiel’s dart is AMAZING. 

*Removed correction R.E. Hellboy; That said, could have mentioned the more practical trades are available – it’s up to around 12 volumes now*

I’d argue that B.P.R.D. is a better read than Hellboy, on many levels, and particularly when Guy Davis takes his position as Lead Artist.

And if you’re like myself, the Parasol Protectorate books are absolutely poor. Yes, Ms Carriger, we know you’re a lovely lady, but I don’t need to know about Alexia’s breasts every two minutes, nor their size, nor how you undermine her by turning her into a puddle of quivering jelly every time she’s within five miles of that werewolf bloke. And the inclusion of a “campire” really wasn’t particularly… unique. After she hit a vampire in the fork with her parasol, the book went downhill. Quickly. I’ve heard the series picks up, but the first book did its damage, and I gave it a few tries before anyone suggests I dropped it too quickly.

What would I recommend for Summer, though? Well…

J.A. Pitts’ Sarah Beauhall books. Lesbian protag, little bit of well-written romancing, and a lady with a magical sword who beats the living daylights out of dragons. It’s how urban fantasy should be done.

Jim C. Hines’ Princess series is also good Summer reading, as it’s a trio of kick-butt ladies who, well, kick butt.

 I love that book club! Picks aren’t always my cup of tea, but it’s always great fun to hear and read what every one has to say about them :)

Ha! Before the slideshow ended, I was thinking “I am sooo going to suggest Gail Carriger.” Good to know you can read my mind, LOL! I stumbled across her first book in the bookstore, and I’ve been loving the Alexia series ever since. The author is also a super nice person on Twitter, too. During the summer, I also go back and read my fave Discworld novels by Terry Pratchett. 

Gah, I’ve been trying to read the Parasol Protectorate for over a year now and none of my library systems (two public systems and two college libraries) have any of the books and I’ve had trouble getting them through interlibrary loans as well. And of course as soon as I’m asked for recommendations I completely blank out….

 Thanks for mentioning that about the summaries… I hate it when publishers do that!

Storm of Swords by George RR Martin the third book in the Song of Ice and Fire series, to prepare for season 3.

Anno Dracula by Kim Newman, an alternate take on Bram Stoker’s Dracula where Dracula does not die but instead goes on to enslave the Queen and soon vampires become the upper crust of society. Features a host of cameo appearances by literary characters like Dr. Moreau, Sherlock Holmes, and Fu Manchu.

The Terror by Dan Simmons. The story of the crews of the HMS Terror and HMS Erebus as they attempt to find a passage through the North Pole. The ships get stuck in the ice and have to wait for it to thaw as their food runs out and sickness overcomes the crews. Oh and there is a giant mystical monster out there picking people off one by one.

The Coming of Conan the Cimmerian by Robert E Howard. All of the original Conan stories as written by Howard in their chronological order.

Watership Down by Richard Adams. A tale of a group of Rabbits who flee their warren when one of their members has vision of impending doom.

Womanthology: Heroic, nuff said.

-George O’Connor’s “Olympians” series for fans of Greek mythology AND comic books
-Historical fiction: “Penny from Heaven”, “Turtle in Paradise”, and “Our Only May Amelia” by Jennifer L. Holm.
-”The Green Glass Sea” by Ellen Klagas (Two teen girls meeting during the Manhattan Project)
-Everything by Wendy Mass especially “The Candymakers”
-I’ll be revisiting classics such as “The Secret Garden”, “Ivanhoe”, “Anne of Green Gables”, “The Wind in the Willows”, and the fairy tales of Hans Christine Andersen.

Agree with you on Parasol Protectorate book. I wanted to scream “enough” after reading about the protagonist’s background, physical features, and lusty thoughts on every other page. 

Mike Carey’s Felix Castor series.  A down at heels exorcist just trying to put the dead to rest in present day London.  Funny and twisty with a great sense of place.  

If you are going to recommend a Joss Whedon comic book, I think people should pick up his run on Runaways. Not only is it a kick-ass series in general, but it is one of the few books were female members outnumber the males, has a female leader (and an awesome one at that; Nico Minoru). So yeah. Pick up Runaways, it is pretty amazing.

Terry Pratchett’s The Last Continent because wizards at the beach. Also a talking kangaroo. Or…any Terry Pratchett; light, entertaining and not too heavy (deep at times, but not heavy)

I truly enjoy the Parasol Protectorate and I’m thrilled I can get all of Whedon’s X-Men in one book.

I’m going to read Terry Pratchett’s new novel asap. Of course I still have to kill Diablo as the Barbarian, Monk, and Wizard too. ;) 

I enjoyed the first book of the Parasol Protectorate series, but the rest of the books I found kind of boring.  I might try them again this summer, since they’re light and easy to read.As for summer reading, I’d recommend anything Mary Roach.  Her writing is hilarious and educational, and gives you lots of weird factoids you can pull out during a party (FYI: nobody wants you to explain de-gloving at a BBQ, but I would do it anyway).  Plus, you gain +2 better person points every time you read a nonfiction science book written by a woman.

I made it to about the 3rd Parasol book before giving up. They were reminding me too much of the Amelia Peabody books by Elizabeth Peters…and not in a good way. Both series started out kind of amusing, and then just got annoying as they went on, they were so repetitive. Not to mention the main couple in both series are exactly the same, right down to personalities and relationships, the heroines’ physical enhancements, and the large arrogant blustering heroes’ who single-handedly keep button makers in business as they can’t take their shirts off like a normal human being.

Also, I would hugely recommend “Daughter of Smoke and Bone” by Laini
Taylor. I just read it recently, and it was AMAZEBALLS. Laini’s writing
is entertaining and beautiful!

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like @Beverly:Disqus explained I’m stunned that you able to get paid $5437 in a few weeks on the internet. did you read this link 

*Just Click At My name for The Link*

 LOVED “Daughter of Smoke and Bone,” as well. I am dying until the 2nd book comes out sometime this summer.

“Redshirts” was cute and a nice easy read. Great for the beach, and Geeky X 1000. Same goes for “Ready Player One” if you haven’t already. All the “Alloy of Law” books, seriously, get on those. If you’re looking for LONG and complex (which I never want for a beach book, but judging from the suggestions in the post, that seems to be the idea for some reason), I also vote for anything by Jacqueline Carey or “The Way of Kings” by Brandon Sanderson (stick with it until you get comfortable with the world). Super hero, short story fun? Read “Wild Cards I,” edited by George R.R. Martin.
 

Love the Parasol Protectorate books! They’re light enough to bring me up when I’m in a bad mood but have enough meat to make sure that they’re worth getting the next one. Highly recommend them!

I love the Parasol Protectorate, I’m slowly getting through the series. I also have to recommend “All Hallow’s Eve” by Carolyn McCray. Got it on my kindle and had to read it in one sitting–lots of twists and turns and just the right amount of creepy without being gross.

Scott Westerfeld’s LEVIATHAN series is amazing, especially if you’re looking for a different take on steampunk. It’s alternate WWI with Europe divided into Clankers, who rely on machinery, and the Darwinists, whose technology is based on genetic engineering. There are awesome illustrations by Keith Thompson, too.

How did Jenny Lawson’s book “Let’s Pretend This Never Happened” not make the list?! By the way, she is running the most incredible online book club this week with a few hundred rabid fans, and you guys are missing it. Seriously… check it out. It is all over her blog, The Bloggess.

I will add that I just read the manga version of “Soulless” in Barnes and Nobles and it was an amusing good romp of fun.

The “Emperor’s Edge” series by independent author Lindsay Buroker was what finally made me decide that my kindle was worth every cent my husband spent on it. There are (so far) 4 published books (7 are planned). I won’t get into too much detail except to say the protagonist, Amaranthe, is one of the best leading females I’ve read in a while. The first book in the series is free in digital format, so really, what do you have to lose? 

I just read “Daughter of Smoke and Bone”… I heard a recommendation of it somewhere and read a lot of YA fantasy.. I wasn’t expecting such good things…  (Girl at art school, her life is so hard? barf..) but it made its way up to among my favorites… great worldbuilding and excellent characters… plus plot twists I really didn’t expect.

Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files series is an excellent read, and at thirteen books is good to last all summer.  I also highly recommend Diane Duane’s Young Wizards books (aimed at kids, but with plenty of adult goodies and chock full of strong women), and Chris Dee’s Cat Tales series (if you have an e-reader and like really amazing Batman fanfiction).  

I loved looking at the Parasol Protectorate series and going “omg! i know the cover model!”