Summer Reading List 2014

Summer is nearly upon us! By which I actually mean that the school year is about to end, which doesn’t really matter as I am not in school and my number of work hours will probably not change very much during the summer vacation… But still, summer reading list! It’s good to have plans to get things done.

First, the two books I didn’t get to from my reading list last year.

1. The Shield Ring, by Rosemary Sutcliff, as part of my general READ ALL THE SUTCLIFF plans.

2. On Gold Mountain, by Lisa See. I love memoirs/family histories and I’ve enjoyed many of Lisa See’s books (particularly Snow Flower and the Secret Fan and Shanghai Girls, although the latter is somewhat spoiled by the fact that it ends inconclusively and the sequel is rather subpar.)

Next, some books that I may not have access to once I move away in August.

3. The Dubious Hills, by Pamela Dean. I’ve been putting this off a bit because I want my memory of it to be quite distinct from my memory of Juniper, Gentian, and Rosemary, but I must get around to it before I move. I have no idea why Dean’s books are so hard to find; I can only assume it’s because people have loved them to death.

4. A Song for Summer, by Eva Ibbotson.

5. The High Deeds of Finn Mac Cool, by Rosemary Sutcliff. Because Read All the Sutcliff! Although I’ve read most of the easy-to-find ones. Simon, someday I will find you.

6. Rider on a White Horse, by Rosemary Sutcliff. Ditto.

7. Pippa Passes, by Rumer Godden. I tend to like Godden’s children’s books more than her adult books, and this book is one of the adult books...but it’s also about a ballerina, and I’m a sucker for stories about dance in general and ballet in particular. (I’m also looking forward to reading Eva Ibbotson’s A Company of Swans, although perhaps not this summer. ETA: No, totes read that this summer. And it is fabulous, unlike Pippa Passes, which I found most distressing.)

8. Nine Coaches Waiting, by Mary Stewart. DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG I HAVE LOOKED FOR THIS BOOK? Okay, it hasn’t been that long, just since Sarah Rees Brennan posted about it on her blog. BUT NONETHELESS. And someone reprinted it, and now the library has it! I AM SO EXCITED.

And finally, a couple of books that I’ve been meaning to read but just haven’t gotten around to for one reason or another.

9. Enchanted, by Alethia Kontis. I fully admit that I want to read this book because I think the cover is lovely, and the cover of the second book in the series simply ravishing.

10. It’s hard to decide on a tenth book. Uh...Any suggestions?