Welcome to Glass House Press

We are now fully into August (where did summer go?!) and our am-reading, want-to-be-reading, and will-be-reading lists appear to be getting longer every week! Of course they’re never too long though, and we’re always looking for recommendations, right? We figure you’re the same, so we’ve requested some MORE recommendations from our authors. No matter what your genre, these will keep you reading for the rest of summer and on into fall (and maybe into winter!).

 

Kimberly Mitchell

On my summer reading list?

FIND TIME TO READ

Haha. I mean, seriously. Time is so short, but there’s a few I guess I can aim for.

Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh. Even though this was written in 1955, I’ve never read it and it was recommended by my cousin as a must-read!

I’m re-reading Madeleine L’Engle’s Crosswicks Journals. I like to read these to remind myself that even successful authors struggle with balancing writing/life and getting their books published.

I’m planning to reread fellow Arkansas author Trenton Lee Stewart’s The Mysterious Benedict Society since it’s similar to a book I’m working on.

I have several books to catch up on, including Hidden Figures (yes, the book, not the movie, although I’d like to catch that, too) and Thick as Thieves by Megan Whalen Turner, as well as several by Sherman Alexie. And I’m hoping to finally get to Ta-Nehisi Coates’ Between the World and Me.

If I get through these, it’ll have been a good summer. Also I’ll be reading plenty of baby board books/pictures books!

 

Linda Foster

I have a very long summer reading list, but now that I’m on vacation I hope I’ll have time to catch up! I’ll just tell you about my most recent purchases. I just bought Lord of Shadows, The Six of Crows Duolgy, Night Circus, the Morganville Vampire Series, and Caraval.

I’ve already read Night Circus and it’s a new favorite of mine so I’m planning to read it again. The author does the best job at descriptions that I think I’ve ever seen. I could literally smell the popcorn as I read it. A love story, a mysterious circus that appears one night as is gone the next morning, and a high stakes competition between two magicians. So good!

Lord of Shadows is another continuation in Cassandra Claire’s Shadowhunter series, and I’m always eager to read her work.

I’ve read great things about the Six of Crows series, but every time I checked it out at the library I found myself too busy to read it. Blasphemous for a book lover, I know!

I also bought the entire Morganville Vampire Series, which I’d is always checked out from the library as well, so I’m excited to read them again. A town run by vampires, with the humans just trying to stay on their good side so they don’t end up as a snack–what’s not to love?

Last but certainly not least, Caraval. A story about two sisters stuck in a scavenger hunt with only one way to escape. Sounds really good, and I’ve read amazing reviews.

Hopefully I can sneak a few more in, but it is a start!

R.K. Brainerd

Okay, so it’s pretty difficult to really know what I’ll be reading because my list is gigantic (as they are for us all), but based on my best guess and the books that are mocking me from my coffee table:

BOOKS I WILL BE (probably) READING THIS SUMMER:  

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Because I’m trying to read intentionally to diversify my reading — and everyone raves about how good it is. And it sounds amazing.

Vultures by Lila Bowen

I stumbled upon her through Twitter and think she’s hilarious and real. I got one of her books for Christmas and it’s been mocking me for months now.

Bird By Bird by Anne Lamott

Because I should have read this years ago, and I need to be better about reading books on the writing craft to improve my skills! I read the shortened article and it was great, so I’d like to read the expanded version.

Blackbirds by Chuck Wendig

Because I love his blog posts and have been meaning to read his novels for forever.

(^How interesting, so many bird-related titles!)

Saints and Misfits by S. K. Ali

It just came out–and sounds incredible. Also one for diversity.

The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett

Because I’ve had it forever and I need to actually read it–another book that’s sitting on my coffee table mocking me. Plus, it’s kind of a classic and Pratchett could probably teach me a lot.

Children of the Mind by Orson Scott Card

I’ve been SLOWLY working my way through the Ender Series. It’s incredibly philosophical and hard-hitting about what it means to be human, and I aspire to pack as much into my writing as Card does. After Xenocide (the third in the series, before this one) I needed a break–that book was rough. But I should pick the next one up already.

An Indigenous People’s History of the United States by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

Because I think it’s vitally important to understand this history–not only because my ancestors stole this land, but also to know what happened from a perspective outside of the “winners’” side. I grew up with West Coast Native stories and history, and Native history (I know, it’s dangerous to lump all tribes together under one heading, but I do this with that understanding) has always been close to my heart.

… there are SO MANY other books on my list, some more “fluffy” pieces and some more serious. I’ll probably end up reading more light-hearted books then I intend, because I tend to hide myself in them when life gets the most taxing. I do know that J. C. Andrijeski is re-releasing revised versions of all of the books in her Bridge and Sword Series, which I will most definitely be reading as they come out. Oh, and there are a few beta-reading stories in my queue I’m super excited about…

 

So, Glass Housers, this marks the end of our reading lists for the summer … or rather then end of the BLOGS about the reading lists! What’s on your list for the summer? Got anything we absolutely have to read? Give us your suggestions on Twitter and FB and we promise to at least add them to the pile! Until next time …

Love,

The Glass House Gang