Share Your Summer Reading Recommendations
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Anytime is a great time to enjoy a good book, but the long days of summer really welcome a good read.
Share your book recommendation. Email the name of the book and a brief description of why you love it (75 words or less). Submissions will be featured here on InSite. Links are added for the titles we have in the County Library.
Whether you plan to pack a book on your next vacation or to take along for a beach day, here are some recommendations from your teammates. A big thank you to Library staff for getting us started!
Cassie Koldewyn, librarian at La Mesa Library
“Mister Magic” by Kiersten White
“‘Mister Magic’ by local author Kiersten White is a captivating blend of mystery, horror, and psychological thriller. The novel follows former child stars who reunite years after their TV show mysteriously ended, only to uncover dark secrets about their past and the enigmatic Mister Magic. White expertly weaves themes of childhood trauma, belief, friendship, and the blurred lines between reality and illusion. The compelling characters and bizarre setting create a spooky atmosphere that keeps readers on edge. Perfect for fans of chilling mysteries and intricate storytelling, ‘Mister Magic’ is a must-read that will linger long after the final page.”
Daniel Aguilar, librarian at Vista Library
“Starship Troopers” by Robert Heinlein
“Humanity has spread to space and is governed by the merit-centric Terran Federation. Racism? Non-existent. Sexism? Nope. Religious Discrimination? Unheard of. Citizenship? A privilege earned through self-less dedication, of placing the life of our species before your own. Huge freaking star-spanning insectoid empires? Of course! Loved reading how Juan ‘Johnnie’ Rico navigated the particularities of personal relationships, the rigors of military life, and debated the virtues (or lack thereof) of different types of human governments and societies, while fighting insanely-deadly bugs the size of cars.”
Southida Seriphayrath, accounting technician with County Library
“Sam” by Iain Rob Wright
“Awesome horror story with a lot of twist and turns. You also get suspense and mystery. A great read if you are into The Omen and The Exorcist.”
Carmen Ruiz, librarian at El Cajon Library
“Plain Jane and the Mermaid” by Vera Brosgol
“Everyone says Jane is plain and not too much to look at. Everyone has always told her to. When she gets kicked out of her home she has to figure out a way to be independent, survive and maybe make a friend or two in the process. An absolutely delightful graphic novel about loving yourself, finding where you belong and what true friendship really is.”
Stephanie Kern, youth program services librarian
“Happy Hour” by Marlowe Granados
“Isa and Gala are twentysomething party girls in pursuit of fun and glamour during one heady summer in New York. The problem? They’re broke. The narrative, told in the style of Isa’s diary, follows the girls through pinching pennies and hobnobbing with New York’s elite, the recounting of their adventures punctuated by Isa’s dry and acerbic observations. A bright, fizzy satire for fans of Ottessa Moshfegh, Kevin Kwan, and Evelyn Waugh.”
Lucy Park, library technician at Fallbook Library
“James” by Percival Everett
“Fan fiction at its best! James, by Percival Everett is a book that starts out very closely to the original story of the adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and Jim his slave friend. But as their story progresses the story takes off in a direction all its own. Jim turns out to be well educated, is bilingual, a gifted tenor, and anything other than mild mannered. It is fun romp based on an old classic, great reading.”
Jodi dela Pena, youth program services librarian
“A Day of Fire” by 6 bestselling authors including Kate Quinn and Ben Kane
“Everyone knows what happened to Pompeii when Vesuvius erupted, but did you ever think about the terror and survival thoughts of the inhabitants as the earthquakes rumbled and ash began to fall? Six authors come together to tell the story of six different characters and how they either survived the eruption – or didn’t. The novel is based on historical facts derived from archeological digs in the now excavated and preserved city of Pompeii. It is a thrilling journey through its last days and keeps you guessing which character is a survivor or was found buried in ash.”
Greg Thompson, library technician at Encinitas Library
Thompson had three books to recommend for summertime reading. They gave short descriptions for each book.
“The Black Powder War” by Naomi Novik: “Dragons during the Napoleonic Wars.”
“Written in Red” by Anne Bishop: “Wolf shifters, Blood Psychics, and Vampires Oh my.”
“Women of the Post” by Joshunda Sanders: “The real story of African American Women in WWII.”
Jenne Bergstrom, principal librarian
“Wild Things” by Laura Kay: “A group of friends in London decide to buy an old house in the country and fix it up. I love a book about people working on a project together, and if they happen to fall in love while doing it, so much the better!”
“Ninth House” by Leigh Bardugo: “How about something chilling and dark for this hot weather? What if Yale’s creepy secret societies could do actual magic?”
Nicole Bollhalder, departmental HR officer, HHSA
“The Temptation of Forgiveness” by Donna Leon
“In this mystery series, Commissario Guido Brunetti - a detective in the state police force stationed in Venice is back. He is approached by a friend of his wife. Professor Elisa Crosera is concerned about changes in her 15-year-old son’s behavior and suspects they may be due to drugs. She wants Brunetti to investigate who might be selling drugs to kids at Sandro’s school, but she doesn’t have any actual proof or leads.”
Sara Wilson, administrative analyst I, Edgemoor
“Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982” by Cho Nam-joo
“I read “Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982” by Cho Nam-Joo and it changed by life. Here is why I loved it: ‘Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982’ is not an easy read. A fictional account of the real struggles of women in South Korea. I think this quote summarizes what it means to be a woman: Some demeaned it as ‘bumming around at home,’ while others glorified it as ‘work that sustains life,’ but none tried to calculate its monetary value. Probably because the moment you put a price on something, someone has to pay.”
Delores von Mirbach, alcohol & drug program specialist, Probation
“The Meth Lunches: Food and Longing in an American City” by Kim Foster
“I love this book because it is raw, revealing, and represents everything we don’t show on the front page of our tourist city. Just like Las Vegas, we have real people suffering from real longing of basic human needs. The author does a good job of giving the reader a step into how food scarcity and systematic control of access to food impacts interpersonal traumas and entire socioeconomic classes, keeping whole generations in the doldrums.”
Juan Salgado, administrative analyst, General Services
“The Sellout” by Paul Beatty
“A black farmer in an ‘agrarian ghetto’ in Los Angeles runs into some ‘Constitutional issues.’ Includes biting racial commentary and satire, and doesn't shy away from the uncomfortable, while remaining darkly hilarious.”
Angela Zehr, departmental HR officer, Agriculture, Weights and Measures
“Eruption” by Michael Crichton/James Patterson
“Patterson did excellent bringing Crichton’s story to publish. It reads like Crichton and a little Patterson flare here and there. Like all of Crichton’s books, this one I could not put down and I finished it in one week. It had the excitement you are hoping for muddled with a little fact, fiction, and mystery. It left me wondering if something like this is happening somewhere in the world today.”
Sir Milo Loftin, communications specialist, Communications Office
“Mistborn: The Final Empire” by Brandon Sanderson
“This book is like a fantasy version of Ocean's 11, with unique magic users plotting to overthrow an evil empire. The Mistborn series is part of Sanderson’s interconnected book universe called the Cosmere, with each series set on different planets with unique magic systems. It's like the fantasy book version of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Mistborn books are a good entry point into the Cosmere and a fun read on their own.”
Erin Jensen, administrative analyst, Public Health
“The Dead Romantics” by Ashley Poston
“This is a cute and funny rom-com type book. The main character is a ghostwriter, who writes love stories, but no longer believes in love and is struggling to finish the final book in a famous author’s contract. She has to return to her small home town after a decade away and encounters an unexpected ghost that has her second guessing everything she knows about love.”
Vianca Lopez, human resources specialist, Public Defender
“The Cuckoo’s Calling” by Robert Galbraith
“‘The Cuckoo's Calling,’ by Robert Galbraith, is the first in a series of books about private detective Cormoran Strike. In this book, he is hired to assist in the resolution of a case that the police have already ‘solved.’ Beautifully written and completely captivating, with an ever-evolving plot that makes it difficult to put the book down. The whole series is amazing!”
Wilfredo W. Perez, retiree rehire, Aging and Independence Services
“Forced to Marry Him: A Lifetime of Tradition and the Will to Break It” by Davinder Kaur
“I highly recommend this book by a friend and County colleague, Davinder Kaur. In “Forced to Marry Him,” Davinder tells her powerful personal story as a victim of a forced marriage. The book details her struggle as a seemingly helpless victim of her culture’s tradition to marry off girls at a young age, often to much older men they barely know and do not like. Davinder chose not to become a victim of her culture and tradition and she courageously escaped her forced marriage. But there was a price to pay, as she was shunned by her parents, siblings, and community. The book is an eye-opener in that it explains the global problem of forced and child marriage.”
Emily Posedel, human services specialist, Self-Sufficiency Services
“The Women” by Kristen Hannah
“It’s the story of women who fought in the Vietnam War, and how everyone reacted to them. Very well written!”
Angeli Cabal, admin analyst, Behavioral Health Services
“Lone Women” by Victor LaValle
“Captivating (and short!) enough that I inhaled it in one sitting – ‘Lone Women’ is about a Black homesteader who arrives in the American West with a mysterious trunk hoping to settle in a new place with enough space to hide a horrifying secret.”
Kathy Griffee, public health nurse supervisor
“The Alienist” by Caleb Carr
“Historical story set in 1896 New York City as told by a New York Times Reporter. His friend and former classmate at Harvard, Dr. Laszlo Kreizler, a psychologist (‘alienist’ in the 1800s) help Theodore Roosevelt, the newly appointed police commissioner) in the murder investigation of the serial murders by a ‘twisted minded’ suspect. Very suspenseful!”
Tomas Sanchez Suarez, office assistant, Behavioral Health Services
“Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of The West” by Gregory Maguire
“The book, about to be turned into a feature film and a huge production on Broadway centers on the Wicked Witch of the West. Telling her story during her college years, with key flashbacks to the past. The book tells the tale through the ‘villain’ and serves as an in-depth analysis of perception, good vs evil, and prejudice. You also get the story of Glinda, the good witch, and her struggle to know what is just in these years. This story features many beloved Wizard of Oz characters and is a must read for anyone who loves the play or is planning to see the movie.”
Monica Paul, human services specialist, Northeast Family Resource Center
“The Invisible Life of Addie Larue” by V.E. Schwab
“I love reading and I love this book! It's the story of a young girl in the early 1700's who is different then the rest, not content with the predestined life her family and small village expect her to live. Addie, our main character befriends Estele, the local mad woman as her father would call her. Estele teaches Addie about the old gods, how to pray to them and how to make offerings but she gives Addie a very strong warning, never pray to the gods that answer after dark. As a young child Addie promises never to do such a thing but at 16 facing an arranged marriage that she is desperate to flee she breaks her promise and learns just how cruel the gods can be.”
Cody Blake Ambrose, senior park ranger
“Project Hail Mary” by Andy Weir
“In ‘Project Hail Mary,’ Ryland Grace wakes up on a spaceship with no memory, where he soon learns that he is the sole survivor on a desperate mission to save the earth. With only the two dead bodies of his crewmates as company and his memories slowly retuning, he must piece together what has happened and complete his interstellar mission to save humanity, possibly more.”
Antoinette McKinley, agricultural/standards inspector
“Project Hail Mary” by Andy Weir
“I love this book because it’s the perfect summer adventure read about space, mystery, friendships, and the fate of life on Earth. I couldn’t put it down when reading it and since then I’ve convinced many friends and family to read it too. It’s a non-intimidating sci-fi book that anyone can enjoy, and it’s being made into a movie that will star Ryan Gosling!”
Molly McKinley, administrative secretary, Public Health Services
“Project Hail Mary” by Andy Weir
“Man wakes up inside a spaceship and has no recollection of how he got there. He slowly starts to figure out his surroundings, the science, and discovers the dark history that led him there.”
Casey Shirk, human services specialist, South Region Live Well Center at National City
“The Priory of the Orange Tree” by Samantha Shannon
“‘Priory’ is a high fantasy novel that has everything a high fantasy fan wants, dragons, mages, and a detailed lore of the lands. The novel follows a young queen struggling to keep her court peaceful, the queen’s faithful lady’s maid and (unbeknownst to the queen) protector, and a young dragon rider from a faraway nation. The nations are divided, and it is up to these three to defeat the common enemy; The Nameless One. This epic fantasy is a great read for anyone looking to get away from this world.”
Charles Redmond, office assistant, Ramona Community Resource Center
“An Unfinished Love Story” by Doris Kearns Goodwin
“This is an unusual style of writing which intertwines actual history with firsthand accounts from the author and her husband. The personal files and archival material the author uses, brings alive history from the ‘fly on the wall’ perspective of great events from the 1960’s. The author is a Pulitzer Prize winning author and a Historian. This book shows why. A great read!”
Inez Pelayo, human services specialist, El Cajon Family Resource Center
“American Dirt” by Jeanine Cummings.
“‘American Dirt’ is a great book that will keep you on the edge of your seat and will catch your attention just by reading the first few pages. For me this book hit close to home. I grew up in San Diego very close to the border and immigration issues as well as Mexican cartel issues have always been top of mind. I have family in Mexico and this story could happen to anyone. This book touches on many subjects regarding immigration and the things some undocumented immigrants must face to arrive in America. It is I must read.”
William Proctor, seasonal vector control technician aide, DEHQ
“Forest of a Thousand Daemons” by D.O. Fágúnwà
“An amazing book I would like to recommend is ‘Forest of A Thousand Daemons.’ Written in 1934 by D.O. Fágúnwà the story is an epic telling of a Nigerian folktale. From sixteen eyed monsters, gnommids, and deceitful kings the hunter, Akara-ogun fights his way through a forest of horrors and enchantment seeking fortune and fame.”
Amelia Barile Simon, community health program specialist, HHSA
“We Were Dreamers” by Simu Liu
“‘We Were Dreamers’ by Simu Liu made me a HUGE Simu Liu fan so I went to the library DVD collection to borrow ‘Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’ *AND* ‘Kim's Convenience’ (All 5 seasons) which was hilarious and so awkward that I would laugh out loud. I really loved that Simu was an Asian Canadian who managed to film a local CBC TV series and a Marvel movie simultaneously.”