Books I read this summer, part 1, 2013

I've tried several ways to keep track of and share what books I've read, all with various degrees of success.  Even during the school year I try to read a few minutes every night...even if it is just a cotton candy book (fluffy and no substance).  In fact, cotton candy books are the best kind during the school year...during the summer I have a little bit of extra energy and can occasionally read something intellectual....or not, you can be the judge...Most of these either came from my local library or from Amazon for my Kindle (and most of those were free).  Some were borrowed...and a couple I purchased because I've read the prequels or "needed" a book to read while I was somewhere else...I've tried to include a link to the book on Amazon, so you can read real reviews if the book sounds interesting!
So, again, I didn't receive anything to read or review these books...here we go...
June...
The Law of Similars (Chris Bohjalian)  I've read a lot of Bohjalian's books this year.  They all seem to be well-researched and easy reads, almost always with a twist at the end.  The first one I read was Sandcastle Girls.  The Law of Similars is about a single dad who becomes involved with a homeopathic doctor who is accused of malpractice.  I'm not sure I would have picked it up if I hadn't read other books by the same author, but it was entertaining, if not his best book.
The Astor Orphan: A Memoir (Alexandra Aldrich)  I saw this book advertised somewhere--People Magazine (at the orthodontist), Parade Magazine..somewhere like that.  It was a good summer read, had some things in common with The Glass Castle, but not as tragic.  I thought it was going to be about a child descended from the Astor who was on the Titanic, but it was actually about a descendant of one of his cousins...she only briefly discusses her ancestors, most of the story is about her childhood and early teens. 
The Language of Flowers (Vaness Diffenbough) The book club that I belong to at church read this book for July.  I actually ended up being able to attend for the first time in months and really enjoyed discussing it.  The story begins by introducing us to a young woman who has "aged out" of the foster care system and follows her life for the first few years of her adult life, as well as flashing back to her childhood. 
Unwritten (Charles Martin)  Charles Martin is another author that I've read everything I can find that he has written.  Some reviewers compare him to Nicholas Sparks, I'd agree they have similar styles, but Martin's books seem slightly less predictable lately. It is set in the Florida Keys, so it was a nice summer read.
The Calling of Emily Oakes (Janette Oke)  This was free on Amazon, inf act when I looked just now, it still is free.  It was a very predictable Janette Oke book--I enjoyed it, for what it was and was glad it was free.
The Buffalo Soldier (Chris Bohjalian)  See, another Bohjalian book...and another book about a child in the foster care system.  Interesting.  Good book, interesting twists.

I'm pretty sure that we listened to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix in the car this month, too--for about the 7th time (I love listening to Jim Dale read books...and we also listened to Bob and Lrry Go Country about 100 times...even though it isn't a book, it was a story, of sorts...