LA's Summer Reading Guide (according to me)

I'm an occasional contributor to the "Best of LA" section of CBS Los Angeles' website, and even more occasionally, I get the opportunity to make my contributions book-related. My first feature for the site, in August of last year, was a late-summer-reading roundup featuring books and authors with prominent Southern California connections.

I was pleased to be offered the chance to put together another summer-reading guide for 2012--and we got it done much earlier this year! Once again, the books and authors featured have a local/regional slant, but this year I've included a few selections that won't be out until September (technically, that's still summer, even if vacation's over!).

Here's a sneak peek at my list:

Model Home, by Eric Puchner

The Barbarian Nurseries, by Hector Tobar

When the Killing's Done, by T.C. Boyle

The First Husband, by Laura Dave

How To Be an American Housewife, by Margaret Dilloway

So LA, by Bridget Hoida

The Age of Miracles, by Karen Thompson Walker

The Next Best Thing, by Jennifer Weiner

Descriptions, links, and a few more of my book picks are in "LA's Summer Reading Guide" at CBS Los Angeles--I hope you'll go on over there to read more about them! And if you can think of any recommendations to add--books set in Southern California and/or by authors from around here--please mention them in the comments.