We’re almost through the summer season, which means we have collectively read A TON of books this summer!
One of the best parts after publishing the annual Summer Reading Guide is seeing which books YOU actually read and enjoy. My favorite ways to stay in touch are in the Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club and on Instagram, where you can check out #summerstooshort to see community photos and reactions to this year’s Summer Reading Guide.
Based on your online chatter, shares, and MMD Book Club forum posts, it’s been fun to see which titles are rising to the top of your lists. This year we once again sent out a survey to ask both what you’ve already read, and what you wanted to read. Today I’m sharing those results.
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It’s no surprise that the titles in the 2019 Minimalist Summer Reading Guide top the list. (Check those out right here.) But of course I was curious to see what else caught your eye in this year’s guide.
The 7 most-read Summer Reading Guide books (so far)
The following titles are not in order.
The Mother-in-Law
This book was such a fun surprise for me: I was thrilled to recommend it in one of our very first Patreon-only bonus episodes of One Great Book. In the ten years she's known her, Lucy has never felt her mother-in-law Diana approved of her—an especial disappointment because she'd hoped Diana would finally be the mother she’d never had. Yet she’s distraught when the police show up to announce that Diana has died by apparent suicide—and even more so when they reveal that the evidence points to possible murder. As we get to know the family members, we discover each of them had a motive to harm Diana, and stood to benefit from her death. The story is told alternately from Lucy and Diana’s points of view, so we get to understand what's going on in their minds, and how badly they misunderstand each other through the years. But is it badly enough to lead to murder? A wholly satisfying domestic mystery, perfect for Liane Moriarty fans, that kept me guessing till the end. I devoured this on audio. More info →
Save Me the Plums: My Gourmet Memoir
I'm not surprised to see this on the list: we read Garlic and Sapphires as one of three summer picks for the MMD Book Club, and Plums was an unofficial flight pick. The story begins in 1999, when Reichl is offered (another) dream job: to take the helm at Gourmet, with free reign to make the staid publication relevant to today's cooks. Reichl dishes like a gossipy friend, sharing the behind-the-scenes scoop on the big picture, like livening up Gourmet’s stuffy culture, and the specific, like what was going through her head when she published David Foster Wallace's notorious piece "Consider the Lobster." Gourmet’s rise—and fall—is intimately connected with the publishing trends of the aughts, and as a reader and writer I found her take on her company's troubles captivating. Pure delight from start to finish. More info →
Inheritance: A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity, and Love
At this point I think it's fair to call this Shapiro's breakthrough book. This is her story about how at age 54, she discovered a life-changing, identity-threatening secret about her family, and how Shapiro chooses to move forward. At the moment of discovery, Shapiro has no idea what to do. "I couldn't imagine what might come next,” she writes. “It turns out that it is possible to live an entire life — even an examined life, to the degree that I had relentlessly examined mine — and still not know the truth of oneself." If you have any inclination to pick this up, I recommend you avoid the spoiler-laden reviews (that specify what that family secret is) and dive right in. Inheritance reads like a twisty mystery, full of false starts and dead ends, but with a lot of help, some from unlikely places, she solves her case in the end. More info →
Daisy Jones & The Six
This book has gotten lots of love from lots of bookish authorities this year, so it's no surprise to see it on this most-read list. I was a little skeptical when I first picked this up: I mean, a tell-all "documentary" about a fictional 1970s band? It took Taylor Jenkins Reid about three pages to win me over, with her fast-moving storyline and characters so convincing I had to google again to make sure the band wasn't really real. The plot revolves around Billy Dunne, the tortured, talented lead singer for the Six, and Daisy Jones, the beautiful, soulful girl with a troubled past who catapults the Six to fame when she begins singing—and writing—their songs. Daisy and Billy's chemistry is electric, and fans can't get enough of it. We know from the beginning that the story is about why the band broke up, and the reasons are both expected and hold a big surprise, unfurled in an engrossing story of sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll. More info →
The Gown: A Novel of the Royal Wedding
We read this book in the MMD Book Club (and had SUCH a good talk with author Jennifer Robson!). In 1947, when times are grim: so many have lost so much, war rationing continues, Britain is in ruins. But in a bleak year, there's a bright spot: Princess Elizabeth’s royal wedding captured the hearts of a nation, and was a beacon of hope to a country on its knees. The people insisted on a real celebration, including a beautiful gown. While Robson has a fine eye for detail, and her behind-the-scenes descriptions of the fine atelier's workroom are riveting, the heartbeat of the story comes from female friendship, secret pasts, and life after loss. Robson's story shifts among three protagonists and spans 70 years, but the common thread is Elizabeth's gown—and specifically, the women who make it. A must-read for fans of The Crown, and recommended for all seeking an intimate take on the often neglected postwar era. More info →
The River
I've been recommending this title nonstop; it just might be the best book I’ve read this year, and in a year as good as this one for new books, that’s saying something. When two college friends plan a long canoeing trip in northern Canada, they anticipate a peaceful yet memorable summer escape filled with whitewater paddling, fly fishing, and campfire cooking. The first hint of danger is a whiff of smoke, from an encroaching forest fire. The next comes from a man, seemingly in shock, who reports his wife disappeared in the woods. If these boys didn’t feel compelled to do the right thing and go look for her, they’d be fine, but instead they step in to help—and are soon running for their lives, from disasters both natural and man-made. A tightly-written wilderness adventure, a lyrical mystery, and a heartrending story of friendship, rolled into one. Pair with Sebastian Junger’s Fire for a next-level reading experience. More info →
The Last Romantics
I love a story within a story: this novel begins with Fiona Skinner, renowned poet, revealing the story behind one of her famous poems—which leads to the tale of herself and her siblings. Early tragedy forged a strong bond between the four Skinner children, but it also broke them in ways that don’t become apparent for many years. Decades later, another unfolding tragedy makes them question everything they know about their family. The story feels Intimate, yet expansive, while exploring the power of stories, and the bonds that keep us together. A sweeping family saga.
More info →The 7 books you most want to read in the Summer Reading Guide
The release dates in this year’s Summer Reading Guide span December 2018 to July 2019. That means that it’s much more likely for readers to have had those earlier releases, as opposed to the ones that just came out two weeks ago. That’s why we also asked you which titles you wanted to read in this year’s guide.
Again, these are not in order.
Save Me the Plums: My Gourmet Memoir
This one also made both lists. I'm happy so many of you are both enjoying and anticipating Plums. More info →
Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, HER Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed
This was a last-minute addition to the Summer Reading Guide: I read it right before our deadline and just HAD to squeeze it in. I'm happy you're finding it—and loving it. In her compelling new book, psychotherapist Gottlieb gets to the heart of what matters in life: how do we grow, how do we change, how do we connect with each other—and how can we do it all more effectively? She explores human nature through the lens of psychotherapy, employing an unusual two-pronged approach to show us how therapy really works. First, Gottlieb introduces us to four of her patients, taking us inside the room to show us what happens in their sessions. But Gottlieb is also in therapy herself, thanks to a sudden breakup, and through her eyes, we get the patient's perspective as well. I so enjoyed getting to know the people in these pages, session by session, and rooted hard for them as they worked through the process. Part memoir, part educational glimpse into the profession: if you like to learn something from the books you read, and you enjoy a good story, well told, add this to your list. More info →
The Huntress
The Alice Network author Quinn takes on WWII's aftermath in her latest historical release. Inspired by a true story she stumbled upon in the historical archives (which would totally spoil the big reveal—you're going to have to read the Author's Note to learn all!), Quinn weaves together three perspectives to tell a gripping story: Jordan is a Boston teenager who works in her father's Boston antiques store, Ian is a British journalist determined to bring his brother's killer—known as "the Huntress"—to justice, and Nina is a Russian fighter pilot and the only woman alive who can identify the Huntress. There's no weak link in the story; each thread is fascinating—and when they began to come together I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. A mesmerizing tale of war crimes, coming of age, love and fidelity, and the pursuit of justice, with stirring implications for today. The audio version is fantastic. More info →
Never Have I Ever
I JUST did an event with Joshilyn last night here in Louisville and it was SO FUN. Her latest Southern story feels both exactly like the books her long-time readers know and love and like a total departure. Her new domestic thriller (yes, really!) begins at a book club meeting in a quiet suburban neighborhood. These women live quiet lives revolving around family and sometimes work; they know each other well, and everything unfolds as usual … until a new guest arrives, one who has a score to settle based on long-buried secrets, and who won’t rest until she makes the woman pay for her crimes. But what happened back then, and why does it matter now? I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough in my quest to discover the truth for myself. An absorbing, rewarding mystery that will delight her loyal readers and entice new fans. Publication date: July 30. More info →
Waiting for Tom Hanks
I'm excited that you're excited about this book. Annie Cassidy is a Nora Ephron-obsessed writer who dreams of both writing a rom com and finding a Tom Hanks of her own to love. Those dreams begin to come true when a Hollywood film crew invades her Columbus neighborhood to shoot a new romantic comedy featuring the handsome Drew Danforth … who Annie believes to be an overgrown manchild who cares more about on-set pranks than acting the part of a serious film star. But as Annie gets to know the people on set better, her life starts to take on an eerie resemblance to some of her favorite movies. This familiar story feels fresh and fun in Winfrey's hands, and absolutely oozes charm. (In this closed-door romance, the sexy stuff is present, but happens offscreen.) Bonus: you'll come away with a long list of rom coms to watch. More info →
Evvie Drake Starts Over
This fun debut novel from Pop Culture Happy Hour host Linda Holmes just came out the last week of June. A grieving widow and a disgraced Major League pitcher start over after each suffers their own kind of tragedy. Because Evvie needs the income a boarder would bring, and Dean needs a refuge, a mutual friend connects the two. Evvie's husband dies in a car accident, but the truth surrounding his death is painful for reasons her small town community can never know. Dean's career took a nosedive when he inexplicably developed "the yips"—he's unable to pitch for reasons that might be all in his head, but nobody can figure it out. Out of mutual kindness and witty banter, a friendship develops, and then something more … but starting over as a grown-up is complicated. A warm, witty, and satisfying summer read. More info →
The River
Apparently my enthusiasm for The River has landed it on a million readers' TBRs. (I regret nothing.) More info →
I hope this has been a great reading season for you! If you haven’t gotten the Summer Reading Guide yet, click here to get your copy.
82 comments
Just got Save Me The Plums from the library and can’t wait to start reading it 🙂
briana | youngsophisticate.com
A lot of these are on my TBR list for sure (and on my holds list at the library, which means it’s only a matter of time!). The only ones I’ve read are Save Me the Plums (looooove Ruth Reichl—so glad you recommended Garlic and Sapphires way back when on the blog and got me hooked!) and The River, which, I’ll admit, I seem to be in the minority on…I was liking it fine (though the writing style took some getting used to), but I’ll admit—I HATED the ending. Ah, well! You can’t win ’em all 🙂
YES! The ending of the River really got me. I just didn’t see it coming.
I’m having a hard time getting into The River. I find the writing style challenging.
Ditto! The excessive description led me to abandon it tbh.
I also read the River and it wasn’t for me!
me too.
I HATED the ending, too!! I honestly don’t know that I would’ve read it knowing how much the ending would bother me. It’s one of my least favorite books of the year, definitely. And I don’t just read books with happy endings, either.
I loved the book until the end- why Peter Heller, why??
Agree … HATED the ending! I not only hated what happened to the characters at the end, but I didn’t like how the author “wrapped up” the book in the last few chapters. It just seemed to end abruptly with a quick wrap-up of what happened at the end of the trip. Huh??
I agree. I felt like he got tired of writing and just ended the story.
Same here. I didn’t love the book itself as I felt it was way too descriptive at times and lost me and definitely didn’t like the ending at all. I would love for Anne to talk in more detail about why she thinks it’s one of the best books she’s read this year. Maybe a Patreon episode?
I loved the Mother in Law. I thought it was going to be a lot lighter than it was. It was a mystery AND it maybe me really think…about my relationships and those of my family.
In chapter 3 I got a gut feeling that the book was going to be sad, and confirmed with a friend who read it, then abandoned…
Maybe You Should Talk to Someone is my stand-out read of the summer so far. I want everyone to read this so I can discuss it with them! I’ve read several other from the guide but the only other one that has stood out is The River – it is a well-crafted story and the writing is lovely – but I honestly thought it would all turn out ok and was devastated when it didn’t. Sometimes it’s the sneaking-up-on-you that gets you.
The River literally broke my heart. I had to take a couple days to figure out if I liked the book as a whole and I came to the conclusion that I did, and that’s why it affected me so much. I think it would make a great book club book.
Love, love, love the summer reading guide! I read six books this summer – a lot for me! I think there’s a difference between most read and most loved. I read The River, for instance, but didn’t like it that much! Lol!
Island of Sea Women was my favorite book of the summer.
I loved The Island of Sea Women. That was my favorite this summer also.
I’m listening to the audio version of Daisy Jones and the Six right now! I started reading the book, but then read about the cast of characters that read it for the audiobook. It’s amazing!
I listened to it and thought that the full cast recording was amazing. I’ve recommended it to so many people and for some it’s the first audiobook they have really loved!!!
I am listening on audio — loving it!
I absolutely loved Inheritance – my review is here
http://www.lindastoll.net/2019/03/the-bookbag-and-share-your-link.html?m=1
Finished off The Gown and Save Me the Plums. Superb.
And this women’s counselor is really resonating with Maybe You Should Talk to Someone. For sure!
Read and enjoyed all of the minimalist picks, and all but 2 of the others. Bummed that Jocelyn Jackson is going to be speaking in town at the West End Book Fest the weekend of Sept. 20, and I can’t be there.
I did enjoy Resistance Women, in spite of the length. Do you think the 608 page length deters readers???
I am reading Resistance Women now. Trying to decide whether to quit or plow through. I have so many other books to read and it is a slow read. I am weary of the World War II theme. Can’t anyone write about anything else?
I agree with this so much!!!
Joshilyn is SO FUN and insightful in person so I hope your paths cross in the future. And yes I definitely think 400+ pages is a deterrent to many readers.
I really enjoyed The Gown and also liked The Last Romantics. I’m realizing I need to read more from the list though! I think I’m still waiting on some of them to come in from the library. So far though, The Gown is my top pick.
I love that the release dates spanned a greater amount of time – I had read 4 of the above top 7 before the Guide was even released, so it definitely gave me a jump start on the Guide. I don’t always set out to read all of the titles, but all of this year’s were compelling enough that I wanted to read (or at least try to read) them. I have 2 left – one I own and the other due at the library a week from Saturday, so definitely should finish this month. So far, only one do I regret finishing and a couple that were “ok,” but otherwise, it’s been a GREAT summer of reading. 🙂 Thanks for putting this together every year!
This is good to know, thank you!
I really enjoyed the Gown, and my Mum loved it because she lived in London during that era.
On another note, does anybody know a good bookstore in Montreal or Quebec city?
Ive read six out of the seven most read – and they were all so good! I just placed a hold on the seventh – Save me the Plums.
Thank you for a great list!
I just finished Evvie Drake and enjoyed it! I’m waiting for a few more at the library. I’m a little surprised that some of the Jane Austen spin offs weren’t at the top of the list. I enjoyed Unmarriageable and am waiting for Ayesha at Last. Anne, you need to get an ARC of Beach Read by Emily Henry and see if it’s right for the guide next year. With a title like that though it’s hard not to want it on the list!
I am I the only person that didn’t like Daisy Jones and the Six? It was well written and really took me into the story which did read as a believable memoir/interview, but really just not my thing. I actually found it a little depressing.
No, I read three quarters of Daisy Jones and the Six. Then I quit. Not like me but it was too depressing!
No, you’re not the only one! I like Tara Jenkins Reid’s other novels, so I was surprised when I couldn’t get into Daisy Jones and the Six. I stopped reading the book after about 60 pages.
I agree it was a pretty dark depressing story
I quit reading Daisy Jones & the Six as well. Not my cup of tea.
I’m almost done with Never Have I Ever, and I am ear-marking it as my favorite book of the year. I really think it’s my favorite Joshilyn Jackson work yet, which is really impressive given my love for gods in Alabama.
I agree that Never Have I Ever is one of my top favourites of the sunner!!
Twisty, twisted, and satisfying!
Yes! I was so impressed that she was able to take everything I love about her other books and pour it all into a new-to-her genre, one that I so enjoy reading.
I loved it, too! It left me with such a book hangover – I wasn’t sure what I could possibly read next that would come anywhere close. The character development was so strong and then you add in the plot and the excellent writing and it checked all the right boxes. I hope the author writes another thriller in the future.
I was glad to see Inheritance on the list, I loved it!, but not The Gown—I feel that that book was a gyp—the entire thing was fabricated from one interview with one embroiderer, and there was really no story! I think it was just trading on the current popularity of the Royal Family and all things royal. My opinion.
And, I just ordered The River and The Mother-in-Law thru interlibrary loan, and now I’m a little worried about The River, given the reader’s comments above! But Ann raves about it, so maybe I’ll love it, too. Stories don’t have to have happy endings, just appropriate ones or ones with a punch—hey, I love Thomas Hardy! Looking forward to The Last Romantics, and Ruth Reichl’s books.
My friend and I both thought it was one of the best books of 2019…give it a chance. Tight and suspenseful (not sure how it was boring but everyone has their right to their opinion).
I agree 100 percent about The Gown. To me, it read like a research project (how gowns/lace were hand sewn) with a cobbled together story line. I could see the outline – we’ll look at two women one from France, one from England, they’ll become friends, something tragic will happen to the conservative one, then x.
My favorite book of the Summer is Ask Again,Yes. Just loved it! I thought The River was boring and slow moving. Sorry!
I listened to The Huntress and loved, loved, loved it. I think it was Anne’s recommendation to listen to it and it was a great one. It’s WWII from a totally different angle. Am reading Resistance Woman now and really struggling.
There is no shame in putting a book down in finished! I finished Resistance Women but it was a huge disappointment: too long, too shallow and sort of boring. I’m sadden that The stories of these exceptional women were not more dynamic In Jennifer Chiaverini’s hands. Also, one of the women was a fictional/composite, although the book is historical fiction I felt the book was lessened by this and that the author could have found another device to keep all the characters true.
Loved “Save me the plums” and “Maybe you should talk to someone”, even though they are really far from my typical reads. I read a bunch more from the guide and loved them all, with the exception of “Time after time”, maybe I’m not romantic at heart enough for it, but it’s the first Mrs. Darcy pick I’ve been unhappy with.
Time after Time wasn’t for me, either. I abandoned it about half way through (which I almost never do). I didn’t really connect with the characters – they seemed kind of flat.
The Last Romantics, The Crown, and The River were my top 3 SRG. Always fun to dig in and try to get them read before September. But my TBR is stacking up to the roof and time to move on. 🙂
IG: @bookbimbo
I’m loving “The Last Romantics”, it’s such a quick and interesting read. Would be a terrific movie, I can picture it vividly!
I must give a plug for “A Woman is No Man”, it was the most impactful book that I’ve read in years. A gripping story, a must-read.
Am I the only person who didn’t like Daisy Jones? I really loathed that book…I’m not certain what the big deal was. I am excited to read Waiting for Tom Hanks and Save Me The Plums.
You are not, I couldn’t get through 2 chapters. Didn’t care about the characters.
When it comes to the reading life, you are NEVER the only one.
The River was fantastic on audio! Also just got the Romantics from the library this week and so far loving it!
Only DNF Evie Drake starts Over, Waiting for Tom Hanks, and never got to read the Inheritance but is to be coming to me soon. All of the others were great!!!!!A wonderful summer of reading and cannot wait till Sept 18th for the fall guide which falls on my birthday!!Whoohoo what a wonderful gift!
I haven’t read many, but my favorites so far have been Field Notes on Love and The Accidental Beauty Queen. Not listed here, but related to the Jane Austen favs, I loved Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors. (I am not a fan of Unmarriageable. It felt like the new version of The Lion King. The exact same story told over again. I adore retellings, but I want them to have a reason for the retelling and some kind of additional flavor. Pride definitely had that, as did Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors. Unmarriageable did not.)
I am a rom-com lover, but I almost didn’t finish Waiting for Tom Hanks, I disliked it so much. Specifically the idiotic move one of the characters made about 3/4 of the way through. I literally threw the book across the couch and didn’t touch it for 3 days.
Evvie Drake Starts Over, The Gown, and Recursion are on my tbr soon list!
Yes, on Waiting for Tom Hanks! I did the same exact thing!! I got 3/4 way through and threw it down (thinking I would never pick it back up), and then after a few days I reluctantly finished it before it was due back at the library. Not good!
I loved Evvie Drake. My fave thus far.
Loved loved loved The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters…didn’t vote for it because when I took the survey I hadn’t read it yet. Just put her last book (Erotic Tales for Punjabi Widows) on hold. She should get credit for her interesting titles alone!
Omg, they are all—and I mean all—awful! I tried them, but ugh! No romance in any of their souls! Sad face.
I rarely quit on a book but I had to put the River down!! My mom felt the same way even though she finished it. I had to ask her how it ended and it does sound like a disappointing ending. I feel so passionate in my dislike of this book!!! 😂 It was boring and weird, and I usually like all genre types, but the River was not my cup of tea. 😏
I liked The Last of the Romantics. REALLY liked The Huntress! I find that I love books told from multiple characters’ viewpoints. Started The River but couldn’t get into it. I think it was the way it’s written, as others here have attested. I’m actually getting more into non-fiction recently. Just started Michele Obama’s autobiography, Becoming, and enjoying it.
Thank you to the reader who suggested The Pavilion of Women by Pearl Buck.
I had to order it through the statewide library system because none of the local libraries had it but it was worth the wait!
I’m slowly going through the SRG, mostly because our library has exactly zero of the books included in it (and won’t be getting them, either). I loved Daisy Jones & the Six, which really surprised me, since I usually don’t even read heavily hyped books like that after a bad experience a while back. I’ve also read Only Ever Her, which was disappointing.
Fortunately, I have The Gown, Ask Again Yes, and Never Have I Ever waiting on my shelf for me.
Oh, The River. Bought it at three, and finished it before bedtime. It was THAT riveting. Loved the descriptions of the beauty of the area, mixed with an ever growing sense of foreboding. Yes, perhaps the ending was wrapped up oddly, but it worked for me. I almost want to re-read it (more slowly) and savor the descriptions, now that I’m not dying to find out how everything turns out. Thanks, Anne, for the recommendation!
I couldn’t agree more. I loved The River. Thanks for a stellar recommendation. Anne. I’m excited to read more by Peter Heller.
I agree, the poetic description of nature painted the wilderness for me. And Peter Heller has an excellent vocabulary (Moil, ululant,) The ending left me wondering if the boys had not stopped along the way, if they had not friend to help- would they have been true to themselves?
I read: Ayesha at Last, Save Me the Plums & just finished I Miss You When I Blink – I adored all of these books! Never Have I Ever is next up and I’m so excited! I have been a fan of Joshilyn Jackson for years! This was my first year with your Summer Reading Guide and it was a treasure!
Thank you so much, Anne; your Reading Guide is always a highlight of my summer! I have read 7 so far and I think my favourites are Gravity is the Thing (quirky, heart-warming and the characters have really stuck with me), The Current, and Ask Again, Yes. I can’t wait to read more of the selections!
That’s so interesting!! Love the venn diagram of these results 😉 hope you do this again for future reading guides!
I loved The Island of Sea Women. Evvie Drake was cute but predictable. I just finished The Last Romantics and I really did not like it. While the beginning hooked me with the kids having to fend for themselves, I did not like any of the characters as adults, I felt like a lot of their behavior was selfish. Not my cup of tea. I still have The Gown on my TBR stack.
I cannot wait to read the Huntress. I have enjoyed all the books I have read so far. Many of the books are on my library wish list so I can work thru them.
My favorite was Waiting for Tom Hanks – it was a great summer read but most of all it was so darn funny. I found myself laughing out loud which I haven’t really done too much while reading books lately. I just loved it!
I loved The Huntress!! Absolutely could not put it down. Recommended it at the library where I work and now it is never on the shelves. Thank you for so many wonderful recommendations. I find it really hard to choose a book off the shelf, so order in many I discover here. The Mother-In-Law sounds good too.
Most of the books are still on my TBR list but I did just finish The River and was disappointed. I thought it was a good book but not a great one. I felt it really dragged with all the little details of species of birds, the way the wind was blowing, the speed they were paddling, etc. I felt the story could have been completed in half the time. I also felt the ending was unsatisfying. It just creeped up and landed and it was over.
I loved “Maybe You Should Talk to Someone” by Lori Gottlieb so much that I have found myself researching graduate programs in clinical psychology the last couple of days. I just finished reading it and wow, I had gotten it from the library but will splurge to buy it, read it again and highlight my favorite quotes!
I love Joshilyn Jackson’s novels, so I have been eager for the one this summer. However, I was really disappointed to read a lot of bad reviews on Goodreads and Instagram. Not just bad reviews, but ones that said the book was troubling.
I did love the Tom Hanks one. It was a little predictable, and I got that I-Love-Lucy-type of anxiety toward the end, but it was cute.
I loved several of the books on the list, and had a wonderful summer because This list and Anne’s recommendations.
My favorite was The River, and I have recommended it to several people; all of them say that they liked it. Yes, I wish it had ended differently, but it is still y favorite of 2019.
Thans, Anne for putting it on the list!
I am historically not a thriller person. I really don’t like psychological thrillers, I’m an HSP, but I will occasionally try to push myself in my reading. I got The River from the library even though as soon as I heard the synopsis, I thought NOPE NOPE NOPE. I read a decent chunk and then I had to find a detailed synopsis of the plot so I could spoil myself to keep going. I mostly skimmed the rest of the book. The writing style was pretty good I thought, a little different, but I couldn’t really appreciate it. Also maybe more detail than I needed on fishing, etc.
I just finally got Inheritance from the library after many months of hold – DC only has it in ebook and audio – so I’m looking forward to reading it. I’ve read 16 of the summer reading books and hope to read a few more when I can get them and find the time.
Ruth Reichl is my latest new favorite author. I ve been buying her books, as I find them, for some time now, but somehow I never knew she was editing Gourmet Magazine. I wish that I had known, I would have looked at a few of the magazines! I now have something like six of he really books, and am looking for any of her books I don’t have, including the book ” Gourmet Cookbook” which is a huge book. But I love her writing, and her recipes, too. “My Kitchen Year” by her is a lovely book, with gorgeous photos!
I loved Save Me the Plums!!!!
Working on the rest. May be winter before I get my stack read, but enjoying my reads!
I did not enjoy The River at all. I finished it but skimmed most of it. Way too descriptive for me and just sort of strangely told. I also listened to Only Ever Her-it was okay, think the story was not enhanced by the narrator of this particular audiobook. Wish I had read more from the Summer list buts it’s never too late! Love the summer reading list Anne creates!