Summer is always a time when I find myself with my nose stuck in a book, or well, now it's with my nose stuck in my Kindle. Don't really know how that works, but you get the idea.

This summer has been an especially busy reading season for me due to that darn derecho leaving us without power for a few days. I've been reading a series and it gave me the opportunity to finish book number four and head straight into number five.

This series, "A Song of Fire and Ice," by George R.R. Martin is a spectacular journey into a new world with kings, knights, dragons, dwarfs, and of course, deception.

If the name sounds familiar, it's because HBO developed the series into a little known show called "Game of Thrones," which was the title of the first book.

The show is what got me interested in the series in the beginning. I stuck with it because of the character development, the twist and turns, and the style of writing. Instead of chapters, the book is narrated by the main characters, telling their side of the story,

I am currently halfway through the newest edition, book five, "A Dance with Dragons."

As Westeros tries to cope with the lost of not one but two kings, and with being ruled by a boy, surrounding countries continue a war for the throne.

An exiled princess long thought dead, a bitter brother of the former king and the "king" of the islands, all stake their claim for the Iron Throne, a throne wrought out of swords of fallen foes.

It's a larger than life story that introduces you to hundreds of characters, but it is definitely a page turner, or in my case, a button clicker.

What You're Reading

ﾕ Rebecca Huenink, of Renick, formerly of Lobelia is reading "The Big Sort," by Bill Bishop. She writes:

"[It] traces how Americans have increasingly 'sorted' themselves into neighborhoods, counties, and cities composed of people who think, act and vote like them.

The concern is that when people aren't exposed to others with different ideas, they become more extreme and dogmatic in their opinions, and are less likely to respect people who are different from themselves.

I'm finding it fascinating and I think our area is a good example of a place where people interact with all sorts of other people who are not just like them. It's one of the reasons I live here."

ﾕ Nathaniel Sizemore, of Hillsboro, is currently reading two books. He writes:

"The first is "Last Child in the Woods," by Richard Louv. The book focuses on how children increasingly grow up disconnected from nature and how vital it is that kids be given chances to explore, discover and play in unstructured, natural settings.

I'm not that far into it yet, but it seems to be well backed by child development research and it is certainly reinforcing my decision to raise my own sons surrounded by the same mountains, forests and rivers of Pocahontas County where I grew up.

My wife [Hannah] read it years before we'd even thought of having children or moving back home, and it encouraged me to pick it up.

The second books is aﾠ novel that came highly recommended to me by some friends ﾖ "Elantris," by Brandon Sanderson. It's fairly typical fantasy escapism (so far, anyway), centering on a mysterious magic that used to give people godlike powers, but suddenly and inexplicably changed into a terrible curse.

The combination of interesting characters, political intrigue and good storytelling is making it quite enjoyable, and I'm looking forward to seeing how the story turns out.

I'm 'reading' this one as an audiobook in the evenings while taking care of chores around the house, making boring jobs like doing the dishes less tedious."

So, whether you prefer to flip through a book, read one on an electronic device, or have it read to you on an audio book, the important thing to remember is, keep reading.