Fiction
Run by Ann Patchett. “It's a story about family -- who's in a family? Why? What are the boundaries and edges of what makes up a family? Stunning.”
S by JJ Abrams and Doug Dorst is a brilliant and consuming read. is supposed to be an early 20th century novel about a man with amnesia taken onto a mysterious pirate ship where time moves at a different pace than on the land. The novel is written by an enigmatic author, V.M. Straka who was implicated in many political assassinations and whose true identity remains a mystery. The novel is footnoted throughout, and the footnotes themselves are odd and often unrelated to the text. Here comes the cool part: throughout the margins, the novel has comments in two different handwritings. The original commenter, Eric, has been through the book at least once before the second person, Jenny, picks it up. The two of them begin their own relationship in the margins of the book. They try to figure out the true identity of the author and to solve the codes that are written into the footnotes. The codes are real (and hard!), and you could spend hours decoding and working parallel to Jenny and Eric. As they get closer to the truth behind VM Straka, they are pulled into his dangerous world of spies. s notes appear in multiple colors throughout, representing their many passes through the book. Tucked into the pages are notes and postcards to each other, newspaper clippings, and other bits of research.
"A story unlike any I’ve ever read. Buy the old-fashioned paper version and have fun! If you get lost there are webpages devoted to the book and the codes, and various opinions on the best way to read the book.”
Sacred Games by Vikram Seth. "One of the best books I’ve read in a LONG time. Completely got lost in it. Fell in love with one of the characters – it won’t take you 5 pages before you figure out who – and became mesmerized by the relationship btw India and Pakistan that the book traces. Maxing out around 900 pages, it is a commitment – not a beach fling – but you won’t regret it." From Wiki: Sacred Games combines the ambition of a 19th-century social novel with a cops-and-Bhais detective thriller. (Bhai is a Hindi slang term for gangster.)
Saint Anything by Sara Dessen. “If you need a little YA action in your summer reading, Sara Dessen is a great author who write breezy, thoughtful fiction for young adults that even us oldsters can enjoy. Saint Anything is about ay oung woman whose charismatic brother goes to jail for drunk driving, and she's left to find her place in the family structure and future out who she is. Man, that sounds trite and gross, but trust me — this book is sweet and good!”
Saints for All Occasions by Courtney J. Sullivan. “At its simplest, it is an engrossing story about family, secrets, faith, the immigrant experience (Irish) and living with the choices we make. But it is also wise, funny, perceptive and at times deeply moving. The characters are multi-dimensional and feel real -- and I find myself thinking about them when I am not reading. A great summer read!” Sullivan also wrote Maine, which came out a couple of years ago.
Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward. “Beautifully written, poignant story at approach of hurricane Katrina.” And: “A completely unique perspective of hurricane Katrina. Knock you down with stark prose and Faulkneresque hurricane descriptions.” [Ed: Another one that was almost a top pick.]
Sarah's Key by Tatiana De Rosnay. Historical fiction about the roundup of thousands of Jewish families in Paris, deported and and ultimately transported to Auschwitz."Easy, interesting read for the beach." "I read it in a day and understand why it's so popular but suggest reading with managed expectations. It's about a horrifying bit of French history. Sarah's story was poignant, evocative and sad. That said, it is not a very elegantly written book, and I had little sympathy for Julia (doormat!). It also ultimately devolved into a rather silly romance. With all that, I still think it's a good read."
Saturday by Ian McEwan. This got mixed reviews. Some people didn't like it, but others did. One contributor said, "It has a slow start but then his writing sweeps you in just like Atonement." Another said, "It all takes place in one day. I guess something really big happens at the end of the day, but I couldn't get past 3 or 4:00 to find out what it was, because I thought it was so tedious."
Saving Grace by Jane Green. "Predictable Jane Green story structure and writing style, but lovely nonetheless. Marriages, cheating, secrets lies, everything you want to devour in a day or two."
Say You're Sorry
Seating Arrangements by Maggie Shipstead. “This debut novel by a young writer is a barbed, sometimes hilarious, jab at a the monied class of America. Focusing on the Van Meter family over a summer weekend, when one daughter is getting married at the family’s summer home, the book quickly peels away the well dressed, seemingly tranquil layers of life in this family where at least two of the members are looking for more than they have.They feel cheated and are full of longing for something, if only they knew what. The patriarch’s missteps are baffling to the point of sad, but there is enough ridiculousness to keep you going, and the writing is fine.”
The Second Mrs. Hockaday. By Susan Rivers. "A debuty epistolary novel about seventeen-year-old Placida, who meets the much older Gryffth Hockaday, a Major in the Confederate Army, while he's on leave. They marry quickly and he takes her back to his farm. When he is called back to duty, he leaves Placida in charge of his young son, slaves and the farm. He returns two years later to find out that Placida stands accused of a terrible crime. What happened in his absence? You'll turn the pages to find the answer."
The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13 3/4
The Secret History by Donna Tart. I’ve read all of Tart’s books. Nothing compares to ‘The Goldfinch.’ If you like epic tales, this book is solid. A story of a boy who doesn’t belong at an East Coast college and a murder. It’s great for the beach. You won’t be stupider after reading it. (A great fear of mine and summer reading.)
Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig. "It’s billed as historical fiction, but I think it would be better categorized as historical romance/farcical caper. I flew right through it and enjoyed it. It’s one a few similar books by this author."
The Secret Keeper
Secret Life of Violet Grant by Beatriz Williams. Beatriz writes the BEST beach books. A Hundred Summers was on the list last year, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. This is her latest novel, another romantic, page-turning saga set against vivid historical backdrops. Secret Life has interwoven narratives – that of young Vivian Schuyler in 1964 Manhattan, and of her aunt, Violet Schuyler Grant in 1914 Berlin - an aunt Vivian never knew she had until she receives a mysterious parcel and begins to unravel a secret family history.
The Secret Rooms by Catherine Bailey. “Good beach read for those Downton Abbey fans. Sort-of a real life Downton Abbey story. True story about the 9th Duke of Rutland (England) & the Belvoir Castle/Estate.”
The Secret Wisdom of the Earth by Christopher Scotten. “Set in the Southern coal mining town of Medgar, KY, this novel is a coming of age story which revolves around a teenage boy named Kevin. He and his mom move in with his grandfather after a horrific accident which kills his young brother. (Kevin’s grandfather reminds me a lot of Gus McRae in Lonesome Dove). Great characters and good story.”....”A beautifully written first novel, Christopher Scotton tells a coming of age story set against the natural beauty and cultural traditions of Appalachia, while juxtaposed against the jarring destruction of mountaintop removal mining. It’s a dramatic novel that revolves around an act of violence and the repercussions that will change a young man’s views of humanity and compassion. In 1985, 14-year-old Kevin comes to stay with his grandfather, “Pops,” in Medgar, Ky. with his grief-stricken mother, who is nearly comatose after the tragic accidental death of Kevin’s younger brother. Kevin befriends Buzzy Fink, a half-wild local boy who tutors him on the mysteries of the woods and the mountains. After Pops and other locals organize an effort to try and curb the mountaintop removal that’s destroying the world around them, Buzzy witnesses a brutal hate crime, which triggers a series of events that pushes the boys to the limits as they seek survival in the mountains.”
Secrets of My Hollywood Life by Jen Calonita. "Tween Mother-Daughter reading. There are four books in this series and my daughter and I have read each one and talk about them. In depth. No swear words, some kissing, no sex, no weirdness. Just a fun story of a girl (think Miley Cyrus) who is a huge TV star and longs for a normal life. Light, fluffy, fun."