Ready for a mental vacation and a departure from reality?

Whether your summer plans include lounging poolside, lakeside, oceanside or bedside, plan to take a trip into a good book.

Thursday Next, a war veteran with her share of scars, is the protagonist in this reality bending introduction to the series by British author Jasper Fforde. Having a penchant for the ridiculous, Fforde manages to stuff all sorts of references and a few genres into his novels.