Top Ten Summer Reads

Although there is so much that is different about each summer, one thing remains the same: it's a great time to catch up on your reading! Juanita, former editor of Yucatán Today has curated a list of must-haves to keep your craving for turning pages completely satisfied. This selection includes fiction for adults and young adults, memoir, gastronomy, books for children, and a beautiful coffee table book. 

1. A Long Petal Of The Sea by Isabel Allende

Master of historical fiction Isabel Allende tells the story of a pregnant young widow during the time of civil war in Spain in the late 1930s. A dangerous journey over the mountains to France, an army doctor, and an unwanted marriage: this page-turner explores emotions and relationships in a time of conflict.  

2. Camino Winds by John Grisham

John Grisham, known as the master of the legal thriller, carries you off to paradise for some sun and sand as the backdrop for a possible murder in the midst of a hurricane. The perfect crime? Anything can happen on Camino Island.

3. Where The Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

97 weeks on the New York Times Bestseller list, this story which takes place in a quiet town on the coast of North Carolina in 1969 is a coming-of-age story, a tale of possible murder, and a close look at the way rumors affect the small town of Barkley Cove. By Delia Owens.  

4. I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika Sánchez

This novel for teens describes two sisters, Olga and Julia, and how one has to find out the truth about the other. The story takes the reader on a journey into the life of a family and of a girl learning how  - or whether - to live up to a seemingly impossible ideal.  

5. Becoming by Michelle Obama

If you haven't yet had a chance to read this intimate and powerful memoir by former First Lady Michelle Obama, and you are in need of some serious inspiration, this is the book for you. Michelle tells her own story of her life and her journey through the White House years, with wit and honesty, sharing it as she lived it. It's a deeply personal look at a most remarkable woman.  

6. Yucatan, Recipes From a Culinary Expedition by David Sterling

This award-winning book is the definitive work on the food of the Yucatán Peninsula, one of the world's most unique regional cuisines. The more than 275 recipes are accompanied by anecdotes about their origins, background about their ingredients, and mouth-watering photographs. By the late Mérida resident David Sterling, founder of Los Dos Cooking School.

 7. Amazing Ancients: The World Of The Maya by Elaine A Kule

This book for kids ages 8 -12 will take them back in time to the world of the ancient Maya. Activities include making your own Maya artifacts, puzzles, pop-out mask, and more!    

8. Get Up, Stand Up by Cedella Marley Bob Marley 

Bob Marley fans will love sharing this book with their children (ages 5 to 9). Based on one of his iconic songs, this picture book contains a timeless - and timely - message: kindness and courage can help to overcome injustice, and we all have the power to make a difference.  

9. Gwendolyn Bear and The Honey Bees by Teresa Kiddell

This is the story of a Sun Bear named Gwendolyn. She loves honey, but she has no money. As she goes on an epic search, she learns about bees and their role in nature, and that they need our help in order to survive. The rhyming story and beautiful illustrations will appeal to children ages 5 - 9.  

10. Mexican Style by Susana M. Vidal