SPONSORED: “Great Reads” is a regular roundup of books that the Orange County Public Library System thinks you should peruse that month.

The heat is on, Orlando! Each year it gets hot and we must acclimate ourselves all over again. It doesn’t stop of us from doing the things we do though. Orange County Library System has selected some reads to complement your summer activities: reads for the beach, upping your grill game, and learning the science of the climate surrounding you.

“Thank You for Smoking: Fun and Fearless Recipes Cooked with a Whiff of Wood Fire on Your Grill or Smoker”
by Paula Disbrowe

In this gorgeous, haze-filled smoke guide Disbrowe shows home cooks how to add smoke to meats, sure, but also to grains, beans, and desserts like Smoked Pecan-Chocolate Squares. Caution Hot: These ain’t your daddy’s recipes!

“Driven to Distraction”
by Lori Foster

Summers = Road Trips. Mary Daniels locates valuables for her very rich, eccentric boss. Her latest assignment pairs her with transporter Brodie Crews, who’s more trouble than he’s worth – and all kinds of sexy. Things really heat up when our duo is confined to a sweet ride for hours on end. Throw in an adorable dog, Howler, and what’s not to love?

“With the Fire on High”
by Elizabeth Acevedo

Emoni Santiago dreams of being a professional chef, but juggling between trying to finish high school and taking care of her daughter make that dream seem out of reach. This is an ode to single parents from Acevedo, a National Book Award-winner and author of The Poet X. This is a perfect summer read as Emoni’s determination and talent fuel her fire that keeps her going.

“The Weather Machine: A Journey Inside the Forecast”
by Andrew Blum
Florida summers mean dealing with those frequent summer downpours. Even when we try and prepare the forecasts aren’t always accurate. In this well researched, yet still entertaining, account, Blum covers the development of current weather prediction systems. This is an accessible view into the world of meteorology most of us take for granted.

“The Islanders”
by Meg Mitchell Moore
Nothing is better than a good beach read… especially one set on a beach! Three strangers have arrived at Block Island for the summer – a literary star, café owner, and a former corporate lawyer. Each one has their own mysterious reasons for being there.  As the weeks of the season progress, however, secrets and experiences will be shared amongst these three seemingly unconnected people, and their lives will be forever changed as a result.

“The Summer Guests”
by Mary Alice Monroe
Grace and Charles Phillips have a lot of friends that live on the South-Eastern coast.  When a massive storm threatens to land a devastating blow, the Phillips invite their many friends affected by the storm to their inland North Carolina home.  Though the days waiting out the storm are stressful, the Phillips end up showing everyone that the most important things in life aren’t the possessions that you might lose, but the relationships that stay with you for a lifetime.

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