Sizzling Summer Reads

June 30, 2008 — -- Summer reading can be the perfect recipe for relaxation. "Good Morning America" and Parade magazine have teamed together to find the most entertaining, intriguing, can't-miss books for this summer. Check out the list below and discover why summer reading isn't just for kids anymore.

"Chasing Harry Winston"

"The Devil Wears Prada" author Lauren Weisberger has returned with a new book called "Chasing Harry Winston." In the book, three single women try to change their lives.

Think "Sex and the City" without Miranda and you've got the title's characters. It's fun, well-written and has a couple of surprises for readers.

"Netherland"

"Netherland" is the perfect novel about immigrants striving for the American dream. The fictional tale is colored by Sept. 11; it's events serve as a backdrop. The book, by author Joseph O'Neill, can be very funny, and is filled with history while being wrapped in romance.

As you celebrate Independence Day this weekend, this just might the perfect novel about the nation -- even if the hero happens to be Dutch.

Best-selling author Stephen L. Carter's "Palace Council"is a gripping political thriller set in the Watergate and Vietnam eras -- a real page turner.

One of the best stories is that of the collector who had another alleged Jefferson bottle worth over $200,000. He took it to a party at a Four Seasons hotel to show it off and broke it. If you read this book sitting on a beach blanket, sipping from a jug of Gallo, your cheap wine will never taste better.

Even the most minor characters are well developed, and the incredibly smart plot offers an interesting twist on identity theft. Imagine if someone took all the information that's accessible about you and used it to commit a murder, and then pin it on you. The most thrilling thing about this thriller is just how real it seems. The facts about our information age and how that information can be abused, are truly scary.

In the same vein as "Broken Window," "The Whole Truth," by best-selling author David Baldacci, is a good read that asks the question: What would happen if the government launched a misinformation campaign to start a war? Both are quick reads that raise really interesting questions.