Summer Reading Suggestions

A faithful reader (AKA my sister) requested some summer reading recommendations.

I scrolled through all of the books I've reviewed on this blog with this question in mind: "If I pulled this book out of my bag as I was ___________ (at the pool, on the plane, in the yard), would I be happy?" Here are some that I answered, "Yes!"

Some lighter fare:
The Nanny Diaries by Emma Laughlin and Nicola Kraus
Funny, amusing, but smart!

The Red Thread by Ann Hood
A bit predictable, but that's okay sometimes, especially when you're by the pool.


A bit heavier:
Mudbound by Hillary Jordan
A gripping read.

The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith
Fascinating, but murderous.


A book that'll make you feel relieved that you're on vacation and not in law school:
One L: The Turbulent True Story of a First Year at Harvard Law School by Scott Turow
This is a really interesting, easy-to-read book. However, all the lawyers I've talked to say that law school really isn't this bad.


Some non-fiction easy-reading:
The Sharper Your Knife, the Less You Cry by Kathleen Finn
A cooking school memoir to savor.

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver
Adventures in gardening.

The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen

This story takes place in North Carolina is full of mystery, superstition, an unlikely friendship, and secrets.

I think you should add this one to your summer reading list. It's not really deep or super complex, but it would make for a good read while you're hanging out near the pool or sitting on the plane or sipping some lemonade in the yard.

Once Upon a Time, There Was You by Elizabeth Berg

Irene and John have been divorced for about ten years when they have to interact in person again because of a crisis concerning their 18-year-old daughter. This makes them both reflect on how they got together and why they separated.

I liked the character development and the story was fine. However, this wasn't a spectacular book, just pleasant reading.

Two Kisses for Maddy: A Memoir of Loss & Love by Matthew Logelin

The author, Matt, and his wife, Liz, were high school sweethearts. They dated for years, finally got married, and Liz got pregnant. 27 hours after delivering their daughter, Maddy, Liz died from a pulmonary embolism. Within two days, Matt had become a new father and a widower.

This is a sad, true story. However, the excessive and unnecessary use of the f*** word (almost on every page) was very distracting. It added a crass element to an otherwise heartbreaking but sweet story.

Tess of the d'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy

Sometimes I wander through the Fiction section of the library and pick out books that catch my eye. I checked this one out, and the next day a friend mentioned that it was her favorite book. Plus she said that she loved Thomas Hardy. So I started to read it.

It's about poor, young Tess Durbeyfield who is raped. This haunts her and her relationships for the rest of her life.

It took me a long time to get through this one. I had to read it much slower than usual to understand what was going on because of the words and the language. But I persevered. I read a chapter a day for what seemed like months on end. Actually, I think it was months on end. I had to renew the book a couple of times and then finally return that copy and check out another copy.

The Knitting Circle by Ann Hood

Mary's five-year-old daughter suddenly dies from meningitis. To survive her loss and her grief, Mary learns to knit. She joins a knitting circle with women who, on the surface, seem to have it all together, but underneath they are also dealing with losses of their own.

This book captured grief well. I liked it. So much that I even brought it with me to work because I only had 30 pages left. But I didn't get a chance to finish it and after I left the office at 8pm, I kicked myself for having left it in my cubby hole. I thought about going back to get it, but thought it was safer that I didn't. But only that safety factor kept me from running back through the parking lot and up the stairs to retrieve it.

Seven Years by Peter Stamm (translated from German by Michael Hofmann)

I had a day off recently and picked up an unread library book that was sitting at the bottom of my book pile. I thought, “If this book is good, I’m going to spend all day reading it.”

So I started it, it was good, and I did spend the whole day reading it (mixed in with some chores and a nap) and finished it in the evening.

Alexander is married to Sonia, a beautiful, smart classmate and fellow architect, but he can't shake his obsession with an old college flame, Ivona, who is plain, and non-descript. He doesn't understand his passion for Ivona, but he can't resist it.

An intriguing book (it held my attention all day), but I felt a bit off after I had finished it. I felt like I had been in a different world all day (which I kinda had). Plus reading about infidelity is quite disturbing. So yes, I couldn't put it down, but it probably would had been better for my brain if I had read it over a week rather than 12 hours.