Book Talk: New Authors, Yay!

Summer is upon us, and that means that my children and I need books. Reading is a large part of our entertainment, and we have a lot more time for it now.

I think I've mentioned this before, but the nearest libraries to us are 90 miles one way. We go to different cities for different things, so we can't reliably check out and return books to the same one on our infrequent errand runs. And it's usually A. who does those errand runs, so the rest of us wouldn't have a chance to get to the library anyway.

Our only local options are the once-a-month bookmobile and a books by mail program. Neither of these have a great selection of books. At least, not that we want to read.

So, I buy books. Not the cheapest option, even buying used, but thems the breaks.

This is why when I find an author that we like, I buy multiple books by that author. It's a nice feeling to buy a book knowing we're going to like it, rather than just crossing my fingers.

Recently, I have found two authors we like. This is exciting. And I'm going to share them with you. Of course.

There they are.

Okay, I must admit that the Katherine Center books are really just for me. Not that no one else is allowed to read them, but they are most definitely books written for women.

Katherine Center was recommended on a book-related blog I read, and so I looked up her books. As I always do, I read the sample on the Amazon listing to see what the writing was like. Ninety percent of the time, that sample is enough for me to know if it's not worth my time.

This was. I read it in one day. They are somewhat fluffy books, but not stupid. I suppose I like my story lines to be relatively unchallenging, but the writing to be at least somewhat intelligent. Also, I like happy endings.

These books check those boxes for me. There's a few curse words, but nothing too inappropriate otherwise, and she is very good at creating real, sympathetic characters. All of the main characters have some pretty major challenges, but nothing that makes me so sad I can't read them. I have that problem with some other books. If it's too heavy, I just can't.

I've read two of her books so far and bought, um, five more.

It's a long summer, okay?

Next! Howard Frank Mosher. I do not remember how I stumbled upon this author, but I originally bought one of his books for the older boys. The author grew up in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom--which is on the Canadian border, like we used to be--and as far as I can tell sets his books exclusively there. They are essentially character sketches of the sort of people who live in that remote place, as well as an ode to a vanished way of life.

Although I bought the first book for the boys, I read it, too. All of us liked it so much I bought a few more. They are funny, and touching, and very, very real. They remind me a lot of Richard Russo, who writes novels about small-town upstate New York and pretty much nails the people.

This is rarer than you might think, as most authors seem to be urban and that is reflected in their books.

So those are my two most recent discoveries and recommendations.

Tell me: What are you reading right now? Anything you'd recommend?