1) Tomatoland by Barry Estabrook

You will never see a supermarket tomato the same way after you read this book. This non-fictional read traces the history of the tomato and the journey of the perfect red globe shining under the supermarket lights in America. It is quite a scary reality check. With all the science and history, the book did boring at parts and I wished the book also spoke about tomato cultivation in other parts of the world.

2) The Elegance of  Hedgehog by Barbara Muriel

This is one of those books, you will love or hate. There is no in betweens. I loved it. It has the right mix of philosophy, quirky characters and reality. Set in Paris, the story revolves around Renee the concierge of an apartment complex and its residents. The endearing Paloma, a 12 year old geek genius and Renne strike up an extraordinary friendship and they both discover appearances are not everything. Read this book for the poetry of words. Loved it.

3) Flora and Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo

This book got a 5 star ranking from me. Believe me that is a rarity. What a hilarious read with an unlikely protagonist duo. Ulysses is a squirrel that can type poetry. The characters are dramatic and over-the-top making the book an amazing experience. A cynic and a superhero meet and an eccentric read results.

4) The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith

I had read the first book in the Strike series and was impressed by the characters and it was a no-brainer that the second book will be read. Crime fiction is really not my genre of preference but I enjoy a well-crafted book and this was one. I really liked the characters – the madcap author Owen, the challenged Orlando, long-suffering editor Jerry Waldegrave and others. They make the story flow and real (or as real as a crime fiction can be). The growing drift between Robin and Matthew combined with the suspense of Robin’s past and the new Mrs.Jago Ross keep me waiting for Book 3 in the series. A good book should make you long for more right?

5) The Vacationers by Emma Straub

This book has constantly been on the bestseller lists and was highly recommended as a summer read. It did not disappoint. It is a great book to read lying on a beach and leave your daily life behind. The Posts family head to Spain to celebrate their 35th wedding anniversary along with the college going daughter Sylvia, their real estate agent son and his much older girlfriend and a gay couple who are long-time friends of the family. Everyone has their own issues – a debt, an affair, a child, an experience and more. They all find their own gratifications while they vacation. The story is nothing spectacular but the book is written well and fits into the “vacation read” category well.

5 books is a monthly series featuring some of the books I read and loved recently. For more book updates and to check my current reading list, head to my Goodreads account