Check out my what to read right now list.
There's something for everyone.
From WWII historical fiction, to young adult romance, grown up mysteries and non-fiction disasters.
It's bound to be an interesting summer.
This weekend we took advantage of the fact that the kids were home and schedule free and we escaped to the beach.
Yes, I know, we live at the beach, but visiting another beach is always fun.
We gathered shells, walked in the sand, shared several delicious meals and I read.
It's not something I often have time for, but for some reason when summer rolls around I read.
I saw it on my friend Melanie's blog and the title stuck in my head and before we hit the sand, I hit the bookstore.
It's the story of a woman who was thrust into menopause after a hysterectomy.
Of course, that detail aside, she was aging regardless.
The book jacket said that she has a teenage daughter, elderly parents with health issues, her own health issues and is grappling with the idea of what comes next in this chapter of her life.
Wow...this one hit home. I'm still reading, but suffice it to say that when she started the book by describing how she always felt about her old home, I was hooked.
Of course one book at the beach is never enough.
So whenever I go on vacation, I always head straight for the local bookstore. This trip, I found two books there that have made my list.
It's called Zenn Diagram by Wendy Brant. It's been described as a meet-cute with a paranormal twist and I was drawn in by the book jacket.
High school characters, quick read, romance and a little magic.
After menopause and the - joys? - of aging, oh yes, I'm all ready to go back in time a bit for this one! Sign me up.
It's about The Great Hurricane of 1938 that affected seven Northeastern states and is still regarded as the most destructive natural disaster in US history.
It recounts personal stories and I love reading nonfiction.
The storm seemed to come out of nowhere, due to the primitive weather predicting technology of the day.
So many poor souls were caught completely off guard.
Silver Screen actress Katherine Hepburn was among those caught in the squall. Since I had just seen a PBS documentary on the subject, I was ready to dig deeper and this book sounds perfect.
Of course, I just read a review from my friend Gina about a book called Isaac's Storm, by Erik Larson. It's about the great Galveston Hurricane. That's on the list now, too.
When I decided to hit Amazon to see what was hot, The Life We Bury by Allen Eskens popped up. It seems very interesting and similar themes to In Search Of A Name by Marjolijn van Heemstra.
It's about a young student who needs to interview a stranger for a biography project. He heads to the local nursing home and finds Carl, convicted of rape and murder, he has been medically paroled.
He's dying of cancer. However, as the story unravels the biographer has a hard time understanding how someone who was a courageous hero in Vietnam could also be capable of such awful crimes. With his friend (a girl!) he digs deeper to uncover the true tale.
I'm already hooked and figure by the time I finish reading about hurricanes and math class, I'll be ready for a suspenseful grown up mystery.
AND...I noticed that the picture I took at the vacation village bookshelf, includes The Life We Bury.
Next up? A critic's suggestion.
The New York Times recommends The Woman In Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware.Described as Agatha Christie meets The Girl On The Train with a giant adrenaline rush, I can see why it's so popular.
It's an intriguing summary, so I might dig into this one, but it gets mixed reviews and I don't like wasting my time on books I don't enjoy.
Anyone out there read it yet?
The Lilac Girls: A Novel by Martha Hall Kelly comes with a very favorable recommendation from my friend Carla.
It's historical fiction, which is my all time favorite, a WWII story about three woman. One, a NY socialite, the second, a Polish teenager and a third who's a German doctor.
Their lives connect when one of them is sent to a Nazi concentration camp for women.
My dad was a WWII tail gunner and my mom was a giant WWII history buff, plus I need to know how such disparate lives could intertwine, so I am ready to read this one now.
Thanks Carla!
She's the author of the Peachtree Bluff series, The Wedding Veil and more. Under The Southern Sky, recently made the NY Times Bestseller List.
I haven't had a chance to read it yet, but you know it's a definite for this season.
And I'm so excited to include a brand new book The Gospel According To Maggie, by Deborah Globus. Deb is a good friend of mine and to see her book published and available in stores is amazing.
But any one of them is perfect for warm, sunny afternoons spent at the beach. And a tiny warning, once you dive into her plots and characters, you'll be addicted.
So there you have it, what I plan to read this summer.
True tales of the sea, historical fiction, a couple of mysteries...even a little young adult romance.
Because in summer we're all kids again.
Aren't we?
To read about some more good books you can visit my friends!
Carol at The Red Painted Cottage
Ricki and The Sketchy Reader
Carol at The Red Painted Cottage
Ricki and The Sketchy Reader
Kim, they all sound like good books. I read everynight before I go to sleep, so tend to read ones that I don't have to think about too much. I admit, I love chick stories but I have been reading a lot of Catherine Ryan Hyde lately. Good author, fun but believable stories and great, great characters. Summer is , among lots of other things, a great time to read a book..Happy Thursday..xxoJudy
ReplyDeleteI agree, Judy! Summer is a great time to read a book. I used to read a lot in the winter, but the kids' schedules have obliterated any free time I seem to have then, so summer it is! Happy Thursday to you, too!
DeleteAmbitious reading for the summer! I should... read more often. I picked up one of my Zane Grey books that I got for a nickle each and read The Maverick Queen, which was very good. A cross between a romance, suspense and western. Written in the very early 1900's. The second and third ones I tried to read - lasted maybe 10 or 20 pages into each and then went back on the shelf.
ReplyDeleteConsidering the way my life is going lately, I need to re-read Watchin' God Book One: Listed Alphabetically, so I can relearn the lessons.
And then there is the stack of early 1900's technical books I picked up on the side of the road in Bedford MA a few years ago. "The Wonder Book of" Wonders and Engineering Wonders, Machinery and The Wild. Amazing books! Also, "Towns of New England and Old England. Ireland and Scotland" to commemorate the Tercentenary of the Landing of the Pilgrims. 1620-1920". It's in pristine condition. In 3 years it will probably be worth quite a bit. I hesitate to turn the pages much!
Your collection sounds wonderful, Nancy. I love old books. I just grabbed a gardening book from 1954 at a church sale for a buck and I love turning the weathered pages. It's still great advice after all these years even if the pictures are a bit faded! Good luck with your own reading list...
Deletejust love this wonderful post! thank you!
ReplyDeleteabout every other summer i like to re-visit anne morrow lindbergh's classic 'gift from the sea'
I will have to check that one out, Tammy! I am always interesting in hearing about new to me titles.
DeleteHi Kim,
ReplyDeleteThese are all great reads. I am in summer read mode too. Hope all is well with you. Have a great Thursday my friend.
xoxo
Kris
I hope you actually find some time to read this summer Kris! You are going to be a very busy girl!
DeleteKim, Thank you for linking my recommended reading list. I've heard of The Life We Bury and I'm adding it to my list, along with Sudden Sea and A Man Called Ove, which I've heard is very good, too!
ReplyDeleteCarol, it's always fun to see what everyone else is reading!! 🙂
DeleteOooh, I like your list! It's as varied as mine is. I'm hoping to squeeze in a little nonfiction in the form of gardening books.
ReplyDeleteOur book club read The Woman in Cabin Ten. Since I am the girl who never picks up on subtle clues, I was surprised a time or two. :)
Gardening sounds like fun, Stacey! I just picked up a vintage BHG gardening book...circa 1951 for a buck!
DeleteThank you for the book recommendations . . .
ReplyDeleteWe must be on the same track . . .
I listed some Good Reads in my recent post as well . . .
Enjoy!
I will have to check them out, Lynne!!
DeleteI've just reserved three of these books at my local library, per your recommendation. Thanks. I love to read.
ReplyDeleteOh great! I’m so glad. I usually get my books at the library, too. I am always requesting something!! 😉
DeleteI am currently reading an Adriana Trigiani book based on a forum where I'd gone to get recommendations. I read one ( from the local library ) and liked it enough to go back for another one from her.
ReplyDeleteI always have non-fiction / spiritual books going on but I think that you are asking about fiction :)
THEN at the library ( I was also picking up a Little House on the Prairie book for the grands ) I came across James Clavell "Shogun" and decided to re-read that...what a blast from the past. I'd read that long ago and there was a TV series made from it...wish I could watch that again :)
I love non-fiction / spiritual books, Deb. I always enjoy them when you share them on your own site. And I remember the Shogun miniseries!! It was right up there with The Thorn Birds!!
DeleteAH!! I forgot about the Thorn Birds until now! I loved that back in the day! :)
DeleteThis is a great post!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much!
DeleteSadly reading is not an activity that I do very much anymore but it looks like you have a great assortment of books on your list. Nice.
ReplyDeleteReading fell off my list for a long, long time, Lorri. However, we spend a lot of time at the beach in summer (chaperoning kids) and I cannot just sit. So reading it its!!
DeleteI love this post, I love book recommendations. I love mysteries, and at the moment especially historical mysteries, though I cannot stand a cosy mystery :-) From your list I've read The Woman in Cabin 10 and I have The Lilac Girls in my pile. Enjoy your summer reading.
ReplyDeleteAmalia
xo
The Lilac Girls looks like a great read. I am curious, did you enjoy The Woman in Cabin 10?
DeleteLove posts like these! I am always looking for recommendations on what to read. Right now I am reading Sophie Kinsella's books....lighthearted silliness from the UK.
ReplyDeleteLighthearted silliness from the UK is my favorite...in books and movies! I will have to check your books out!
DeleteI'm excited to see that my book ZENN DIAGRAM made it onto your summer reading list! I, too, am in the throes of menopausal hot flashes, and it was fun and refreshing to turn back the clock (at least in my mind). I hope you enjoy it!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for popping by, Wendy! I was really taken by the description. It looks like a very fun read. I can't wait to dig in and yes, turning back the clock sounds just divine right about now! Best of luck with your book! 🙂
DeleteKim these are all great suggestions. I am in the middle of reading all of the Game of Throne books. They are like encyclopedias. So big and so packed with so many names.
ReplyDeleteI would need to take notes, Mary!! Enjoy!
DeleteSeveral of these sound very good, Kim. Now I just have to see if any are audio-available.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing,
Carol
Audio is the way to go, Carol!!
DeleteI always enjoy seeing what others are reading. It was probably my blog where you read about The Middlepause (https://comfyhouse.blogspot.com/2017/05/cleaning-out-bookshelves-and-my-current.html). Sorry to say, the book was disappointing to me. It'll be interesting to hear what you think. Right now, I'm in the middle of reading Eli the Good by Silas House - one of my favorite authors.
ReplyDeleteYes!! Thank you!! I will add your link to my post. I couldn't remember where I read about it...see? Middle age! 😉To be honest, I am still reading it. The end of the school year has had me on the ropes. School just wrapped up on Sunday and reading has fallen by the wayside. Although, so far it's a bit of a downer. I hope the book picks up a bit and she finds some silver lining to this aging process.
DeleteKim, several books sound interesting. We're on a brief vacation right now & I'm catching up on reading. Mine are rather low-brow at the moment. Like Danielle Steele, who I normally don't read, but when someone gives them to me, I try to read them. I've enjoyed them & love to read when I have time. I also love history & historical fiction. Love the sound of Lilac Girls & the one about the Hurricane sounds fascinating. I'm also reading "Berlin Diary" written from the perspective of a journalist about the rise of Hitler. And another I'm loving...a biography of Father Flanagan, the priest who started "Boy's Town."
ReplyDeleteThere is nothing wrong with a little Danielle Steele vacation reading, Florence! I hope you enjoyed it!!
DeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing Lilac Girls. It is a story that will last with you forever. It is good. I am still sharing parts of it with my husband on our walks.
My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry
by Fredrik Backman is what I am reading now. I also give it 5 stars!
My pleasure and I am eager to read it! I will also add "Grandmother" to my list. My oh my, I think I am going to be involved with my summer reading until December at this rate!! Haha!!
DeleteI'm curious about The Woman in Cabin 10 too. I keep hearing about it, but I'm one of the few that didn't enjoy The Girl on The Train, so I'm hesitant. Let us know if you like it. :)
ReplyDeleteI didn’t read Girl On The Train, but this one got a few stinky reviews. Hmmm. I will keep you posted.
DeleteThe Lilac Girls sounds like a book I'd enjoy, Kim. I like WWII stories. Last summer (when I was on my blogging break) I read The Nightingale, which takes places in German-occupied France. An outstanding read, in my humble opinion (due to be released as a movie next year). Also, Orphan Train was a good book. Both recommended by my step daughter. So far I haven't had time to read this summer. I hope that changes. Enjoy your books! Hugs.
ReplyDeleteYour front porch looks like a great place to read, Nancy! I hope you get some time out there with a good book. I haven’t read those books. I need to check them out. I do enjoy WWII books, too…Hugs!!
DeleteI'm always looking for a good book to read. Thanks for the recommendations. Now I need to find the time to read. ;)
ReplyDeleteYou and me both! Ha! It used to be easier when the kids were small and I had to lifeguard by the pool and the beach. Now that they are basically lifeguards themselves they don’t need me at the pool…and don’t want me at the beach! ;)
DeleteHi Kim, thanks for sharing this great list of summer reads. I always have a book going and just finished The Walk series(4 books) by Richard Paul Evans. Now I'm just beginning Slightly South of Simply. It's fun to read by the pool, after dinner on the patio and late nights.
ReplyDeleteMany you share here sound interesting so I will have to add some titles to my list!!
Have a great day and Happy Summer. So nice to see you on IG too.
Slightly South Of Simple was a great read and fun for summer that is for sure! I hope you enjoy it!!
DeleteI enjoyed reading about your reading list - I don't have a reading list, as I just don't have much time to read, but I think if I did, I would be interested in reading Lilac Girls, I read Carla's review of it as well, and thought it sounded like a good read. I hope you continue to enjoy beautiful moments at the beach with lots of relaxing and good book reading :) Hugs!
ReplyDeleteI find that I have had less time to read this summer than others, although summer has just started! I hope you have time to relax this summer Marilyn, whatever that means to you!! Have a super afternoon!
DeleteI have not been making time for reading. I need to pick up some of the books on your list.
ReplyDeleteI need to make more time for it too, Carol. I have been enjoying my garden a bit more than usual and that means less sitting! Ha!
DeleteI love your book list and I pinned this. I really enjoy reading books in my yard and drinking ice tea and that is why I love summer! Happy reading to you Kim. Hope you have a nice week and weekend.
ReplyDeleteJulie xo
Thanks Julie...and enjoy that ice tea in your yard. It sounds like a delicious way to spend a summer afternoon!
Delete