We are just past the mid point of July and, in my book (see what I did there?) anyway, that means the summer is half over. It’s hot and humid and reading in front of a fan with a cold drink is just the ticket for these dog days of summer, right?
One of my favorite things about connecting with other readers is hearing about what they have been reading. In light of that, today I’m turning the major part of the content of this post over to you, and I’m going to ask you to leave a book recommendation in the comments. Ideally, it would be something you have read this summer but if that doesn’t work for you then please just recommend a book that you love.
As a reminder, every comment enters you into a chance to win some fun reading related prizes at the end of the summer and, to really encourage you to talk about books in the comments, if you leave a comment today I will count it as two entries.
So, what book have you read this summer (or earlier) that you would recommend? And, if you’re inclined, tell me why.
I’m thrilled with anticipation knowing that my to-be-read list is about to grow!
I recently finished Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley, and would recommend it as a particularly good “summer read.” It’s a compelling coming-of-age page-turner with a mystery to solve — and some dating drama. It’s actually a YA novel (which I generally avoid like the plague), but this one is good enough that I just rolled my eyes about the teen-angst a little bit now and then. It’s perfect for reading in front of a fan with a cold drink! XO
I needed something light and entertaining after a winter of heavy political reading (like Carol Leonnig’s scary book about the failings of the Secret Service.) Consequently, I enjoyed “A Curious Beginning” by Deanna Raybourn, the first of a series. It concerns a headstrong and independent young woman in Victorian-era England. It seems as though it will be a bodice-ripper—but it isn’t! An entertaining and mysterious adventure ensues with a cliff-hanger ending!
I’ve got several good books to recommend that I’ve read this summer. The first is The Latecomer by Jean Hanff Korelitz. It’s a family story that’s full of unhappiness, but also how the family strives toward happiness. I loved that it was a saga told over many years. The second one I know you read, Lucy By the Sea by Elizabeth Strout. It won’t be published until 9/20 but it’s a wonderful continuation of Lucy Barton’s thoughts and insights. The last one is one I just started, Fellowship Point by Alice Elliott Dark. It’s the story of two friends who are very different, and I also love the cover!
I am trying to think of a book I have read that you have not! (That is a task and a half before I have even finished my first cup of coffee! LOL)
Anyways, my suggestion for you (and perhaps other readers who are looking for something to settle into!) is Richard Osman’s second installment of his Thursday Murder Club series…The Man Who Died Twice! A delightful group of “mystery solvers” and a good mystery to solve!
I highly recommend Godspeed by Nickolas Butler. I think he’s a gifted writer and I didn’t leave my chair for almost 2 days until I was finished.
Ocean State by Stewart O’Nan
The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles , Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain
Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys.
Thank you for all the wonderful book recommendations, I love reading your reviews!
I recently finished Remarkably Bright Creatures and I just loved the characters and the flow of the story. I also read The Painted Drum. Reading Erdrich feels like keeping up with old friends and uncovering more of their stories. I am current finishing I Never Thought of it That Way and it is really giving me a lot to think about.
I recently finished ‘Reminders of Him’ by Colleen Hoover – it is not great literature, but it was a charming read about coming to see the good in someone that you “know” is bad. I loved it!
Some of these are Canadian authors. I’m currently reading Tana French-The Witch Elm. It’s quick paced and suspenseful in parts. Jumpa Lahiri-Interpreter of Maladies are shorts w some entwinement between the stories. I loved Louise Erdrich-the Round House-Indigenous coming of age book! I just finished Mary Crow Dog’s Lakota Woman, which is an excellent non-fiction read. I also recently read Mary Lawson-The Road Ends about a family trying to break a cycle of violence, leaving home etc. My sister recommends the same author and her book Crow Lake, is the story of 4 orphaned children in a remote farming community set in northern Ontario.
My favorite book from 2-3 yrs ago is a thin, philosophocal book by Andrés Alexis called Fifteen Dogs. There is a poem at the beginning of each chapter pertaining to a certain breed. I’m not that versed in their characteristics so l just absorbed the poems. Two Greek Gods, maybe Hermes, make a bet to make a kennel of dogs the gift of a human mind. It goes on from there. Two people l k ow hated it (!!), which l don’t understand!
I’m not much of a reader any more, but earlier this summer I read Finding Dorothy by Elizabeth Letts. While it is definitely fiction, there is some truth in it (based on the author’s research about the movie The Wizard of Oz). It drew me in almost immediately. You may think you know everything there is to know about Oz and its wizard, but I promise, you don’t! Highly recommended from this reluctant reader.
My favotite reads this summer have been the Woman’s Prize shortlist books and I’m waiting to see what the Booker longlist has to offer. You’ve read some of the shortlist books, also, and I thought everyone of them was a summer highlight.
The Talk Funny Girl by New England author Roland Merullo was a good read and on a lighter note The Hotel Nantucket was clever.
The Patron Saint of Second Chances by Christine Simon was a perfect summer read! I don’t remember where I heard about it.
Just finished “The Lincoln Highway” which I found to be longer than necessary…not as good as “A Gentleman in Moscow.” Have now started (50 pages or so into it) “Violeta” by Isabel Allende and so far am loving it. Favorite books from the past: “Out Stealing Horses,” “Ahab’s Wife,” “The Poisonwood Bible,” and “The Shadow of the Wind.” I love getting reading suggestions from fellow bloggers. Thanks Carole!
I finished The Cartographers earlier in the week and thought it was a great summer read. Well paced, a little bit of suspense, and easy to breeze through.
I just read The Lake House by Kate Morton and I really enjoyed it. It’s a mystery that involves a current case as well as a cold case, so it goes back & forth between the past and present in Great Britain. There were some unexpected twists that made it more interesting.
The It Girl by Ruth Ware is a great summer read.
I enjoyed Big Summer by Jennifer Weiner and The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth. I decided to tackle some of the books I’ve had for years and I read the last three and 1/2 (there was a wrap up book about what happened to every character) Sookie Stackhouse books by Charlaine Harris. I’ve had them for years and have the full DVD set of True Blood but stopped until I finished the books. I decided this was the summer I would finish it off. I’m probably in a minority but I really enjoyed the ending.
I have been making my way through the Louise Penny’s Inspector Gamache series for a second time! I love those books! I think the next in the series comes out in November.
I loved Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid. I don’t remember who recommended it, but it may have been you? It took me right back to the late 70’s, and there was so much good music talk, and all the feels, in it. Fabulous.
The other book I loved recently was Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr. His All the Light We Cannot See is one of my favorite books, ever. This one jumps around between/times, and there’s a bit of a climate change theme for part of it. (That plus The Overstory is making me think that climate change as a theme is going to come up more and more.)
I also really enjoyed Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone by Diana Gabaldon, but that’s book nine in a series, so you’d want to start with the first book, Outlander. The books in this series feel like old friends; I love the time travel, science, medicine, history…all my favorite things rolled into one big mosh pit.
I recommend Without Reservations, by Alice Steinbach if you are dreaming of international travel. It’s well written account of a woman traveling on her own in the world for nearly a year – a lively, interesting, charming and inspiring read.