One of the most relaxing, enlightening activities a person can do is sit down and read a book. Especially during summer, it can be very relaxing to sit outside with a glass of iced tea and read a good novel. This is something to cherish and enjoy, as with fall semester will come a hectic schedule that won’t allow for such luxurious time-wasting. To aid in your reading, here is a list of the top five books to read if you have not already done so. This list is based upon the July 21 rendition of The New York Times “Best Sellers” list, which can be seen at www.nytimes.com/best-sellers-books/2013-07-21/hardcover-fiction/list.html.
1. Inferno by Dan Brown.
This novel is a 2013 mystery thriller. It is the fourth of a series of which previous novels include The Da Vinci Code, The Lost Symbol, and Angels & Demons. This novel is based on the life of Robert Langdon, who is working to decipher codes in Florence.
2. And The Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini
Written by the author of The Kite Runner, this novel “centers on a brother and sister born in Afghanistan, as said by The New York Times.
3. The Ocean At The End Of The Lane by Neil Gaiman
This novel is based upon the story of a middle-aged man who returns to his childhood home, where he is reminded of memories of loneliness and a suicide that had occurred.
4. Second Honeymoon by James Patterson and Howard Roughan
Second Honeymoon is a novel based on a couple murdered during their honeymoon and a father’s attempt to not only find out what happened, but get justice for the crime committed.
5. Affliction by Laurell K. Hamilton
Supporting the recent trend of vampires, “Affliction” is a novel based on the story of Anita Blake, a vampire hunter who “encounters a dangerous new breed of zombies,” as described by The New York Times.