Summer Reading List from Our State

Summer is winding down, but Our State still has reading suggestions for you. Malaprop’s Bookstore in Asheville provides this week’s summer reading list.

Scroll down for more information about Malaprop’s Bookstore & Cafe, and leave your own reading list suggestions in the comments section at the end of this page.

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If I Loved You I Would Tell You This by Robin Black
This collection is absolutely splendid! The characters are extremely powerfully drawn and this book is perfect for an old fan of short stories or someone interested in trying the genre.

Bitter in the Mouth by Monique Truong
In this beautifully written story, the author explores friendship, loyalty, love, family, and the mysteries and secrets that make us who we are. Truong’s use of language is absolutely gorgeous. Bitter in the Mouth largely takes place in North Carolina.

The Carolinas Gardener’s Guide by Toby Bost
This guide is a helpful gardening reference. It includes full-color photos and care instructions for every stage of planting and pruning. Go play in the dirt!

All Other Nights by Dara Horn
So much happens in this book! You’ll be completely sucked in by this tale of wild doings, love against the odds, and the pursuit of humanity. Prepare to read late into the night!

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
North Carolina author Stephanie Perkins perfectly captures the voice of a teen in a new place surrounded by new people in a country where she doesn’t even speak the language. You’ll fall in love with Anna in this sweet romantic book for young adults.

The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab
The Near Witch feels like the most effortless and organic fable/fairy tale that has existed for a thousand years. You won’t want to put this wonderful romantic and magical book down!

Across the Universe by Beth Revis
Wow! This action packed book will have you riveted. Part mystery, part romance, part sci-fi, North Carolinian Beth Revis has created a story that will have you on the edge of your seat, and eager for more!

Hourglass by Myra McEntire
Emerson Cole is troubled. She sees ghosts. Even with the love and support of her family, she suffers. But what if this “curse” was really a gift? She needs to be taught how she can use her ability for the good of the world.

Nightwoods by Charles Frazier
With Charles Frazier’s (Cold Mountain, 13 Moons) haunting new novel, Nightwoods, in hand, you can give your critical mind over to a true storyteller. One can hear dry leaves crackle underfoot and smell smoke from a nearby fire as Frazier richly describes his characters and their surroundings. A middle-aged spinster who lives in a closed-down remote old lodge inherits her murdered sister’s mute twin children. Frazier keeps a time and place alive (20th-century Appalachia) and we are beholden to him for it.

Composed by Rosanne Cash
Rosanne Cash’s beautifully written memoir, Composed, is full of powerful anecdotes and imagery. It is an honest portrayal of her careers and her life’s successes and failures. She worked to create and maintain her own space in the world, reminding herself to work, not worry.

Seeds: One Man’s Serendipitous Journey to Find the Trees That Inspired Famous American Writers from Faulkner to Kerouac, Welty to Wharton by Richard Horan
This book preaches without hammering the reader about all the things the author sees and finds most important and almost forgotten – trees, nature, and making a difference one person, one tree at a time. It is a great companion for traveling and finding trees and the meaning behind their stories.

The Magician King by Lev Grossman
The Magician King, is easily the most eagerly-awaited book of the summer for staff at Malaprop’s to hand-sell. The Magician King is beautifully written, deeply imaginative, and ultimately, very moving and haunting. Grossman’s descriptions of magical realms and characters delight with their richness and funny, absurd details. Ultimately, the story is about the continuing struggle of the human characters and their relationship with magic. Don’t miss out on Grossman’s lyrical passages, humorous riffs on pop culture, or life-wisdom. Five stars!

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
This is the start of a great new fantasy series and a must-read for anyone who loves the shape of stories. Rothfuss has created a rich culture and an incredible system of magic for his characters to inhabit. It’s fantasy that doesn’t beat you over the head with its fantastic elements. It’s got everything – action, romance, humor, song, story, and magic!

About Malaprop’s Bookstore

At Malaprop’s Bookstore & Cafe their mission is to provide:

A gathering of books on diverse subjects that seem important to the educational benefit of the reader.
A gathering of people who are drawn to peaceful coexistence and the realization that knowledge is more valuable than money.
A place for readers who concern themselves with humanity and her development.
A place where the best reads, the best company, and the best coffee complete the picture.
A place where the books are the stars.
A place where the reader and book meet and a journey begins.

Malaprop’s founder Emoke B’Racz was honored by the North Carolina Writers’ Network as the first bookstore owner ever to have won an award in excellence for her contribution to our state’s literary heritage.