My last book club post was in April and suffice to say.. I’ve read a few books since then. 20 to be exact. I’ll keep these reviews fairly concise in light of that, but wanted to check in as we’re just past the halfway point of summer and I’m on 8 out of 15 from my Summer Reading list. Hoping the tackle the rest between now and Labor Day weekend. And hoping that you find a great book or 2 to try out of the below list. There’s a little bit of everything on this list!
Yellow Wife by Sadeqa Johnson: This was one of my virtual book club picks earlier this year and while I’ve read quite a few books on slavery, this one stood out because I knew almost nothing about the history of “yellow wives” – enslaved Black women who were the daughters of slave owners and then, due to their mixed race, were able to become the wives of slave owners. It was a tough read at times but really eye-opening. (4 out of 5 stars)
Jackie and Maria by Gill Paul: Historical fiction about First Lady Jackie Kennedy and famed opera singer Maria Callas – and the way their lives intersected due to their complicated relationships with Greek tycoon Onassis. I felt like this dragged in a few parts but overall I really liked this glimpse into these women’s lives post-JFK. (4 out of 5 stars)
Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner: Among the most honest and wrenching books I’ve read on grief. Zauner chronicles the ups and downs of her relationship with her mother, explores her relationship to her Korean heritage through food and shares the illness and ultimate death of her mother with startling clarity. This was another book club read and we all were blown away by it. (5 out of 5 stars)
The Windsor Knot by S.J. Bennett: The Crown meets Agatha Christie – this murder mystery has the Queen solving crimes. If you like a who-dunnit but thrillers are too much for you, this might be a good pick! I ultimately think mystery isn’t really my genre. (3 out of 5 stars)
Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff: I’d heard people rave about Groff’s writing for years and I don’t know what took me this long to get to it… because, damn. A book that instantly joined the rankings of my favorite literary fiction of all time. Go into it blind and let the story lead you. (5 out of 5 stars)
Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi: One of the best YA books I’ve read. Choi’s writing is razor sharp and her characters are so believably modern. There was a romance at the heart of this but also friendships and a complicated mother daughter relationship that I thought was really well done. (5 out of 5 stars)
The Two Lives of Lydia Bird by Josie Silver: Coming off of several back to back 5 star reads, this one fell a little flat for me, but I know others really enjoyed it. I think I struggled to connect with the main character and wished for less in the middle of the story and more surrounding the ending. (3 out of 5 stars)
Yolk by Mary H.K. Choi: After reading Emergency Contact I was quick to pick up Yolk by the same author. It was like the older sister – with more mature content and more of an edge. I loved this story of sisters but to give fair warning – if disordered eating is a difficult subject for you – please proceed with caution here. This book is brutal at times but worth it in the end. (5 out of 5 stars)
Beach Read by Emily Henry: This book was a really popular fiction release last summer but I hadn’t gotten around to it until this year – and I’m glad I did! It was a quick read and a fun, romantic comedy with an ‘enemies to lovers’ trope which I always find fun. I want to read Henry’s ‘People You Meet on Vacation’ next. (4.5 out of 5 stars)
Luster by Raven Leilani: This one fits into that category of “millennial malaise” to me- think Normal People and My Year of Rest and Relaxation. Luster tackles modern issues of race and class alongside its central, troubled relationship and while there were moments that felt brilliant to me, there were others that were really difficult to get through. Which I think was Leilani’s intention here… but still. (3.5 out of 5 stars)
The Switch by Beth O’Leary: In much lighter fare, The Switch was just delightful. So rarely do you get a main character in a book that is in her 70s – finding love, building friendships and going on adventures. This book reads like the movie The Holiday in which a Grandmother switches places with her Granddaughter so that both of them have a chance to reignite their lives. A bit predictable but I honestly didn’t mind. (4.5 out of 5 stars)
Enchateé by Gita Trelease: I only read ‘fantasy’ in pretty specific scenarios and this book – witches in Marie Antoinette-era Versailles and Paris ticked all the right boxes. It was a really fun escape read. (4 out of 5 stars)
Find Me by André Aciman: This is the follow-up story to Call Me By Your Name – a book that I love so much I kept my expectations very low going into this one. And you know what? I was reallyyy pleasantly surprised. It’s not a straight forward sequel and many years have passed – but you get to return to these characters and that rich world of Rome and Paris and I just loved the way it twisted and turned slowly towards the ending. (4.5 out of 5 stars)
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig: Another book club pick and while almost everyone in the group really liked it, I struggled a bit with the writing. The concept – of a young woman exploring alternate versions of her life – was one I really liked but I think the execution ended up feeling slightly cliché for me. That being said, I think there were some nice lessons in it and if you are looking for some words of affirmation about life, this could be it. (3.5 out of 5 stars)
To Night Owl from Dogfish by Holly Goldberg Sloan & Meg Wolitzer: This is probably the first middle grade book I’ve read since well, middle school. Who cares, sometimes it’s fun to read something really PG and sweet! I read it in an afternoon and it had a modern-day Parent Trap vibe and a really cute grandma side character that made me smile. I wish I knew a 13 year old to pass this book along to. (4 out of 5 stars)
Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid: Admittedly I didn’t love this book like I loved Daisy Jones and The Six or The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, but Reid’s latest was still a really fun read. I devoured it in a day – which felt fitting since the entire book takes place over a 24 hour period in Malibu. And it actually subtly crosses paths with Daisy Jones and Evelyn Hugo’s stories. A family drama and wild party setting are almost always a win for me. (4 out of 5 stars)
The Guncle by Steven Rowley: Hijinks and heartswells abound in this story about Gay Uncle Patrick (GUP for short) who is an out of work actor hiding out in Palm Springs when he unexpectedly has to take his young niece and nephew into his care. I loved it. (4.5 out of 5 stars)
Florence Adler Swims Forever by Rachel Beanland: Set in Atlantic City in the 1930s, this story is centered on a singular tragic even that sets into motion a series of family secrets that ripple throughout the course of a summer. I loved this one and think it’s perfect for fans of historical fiction like Lilac Girls or family dramas like Everything I Never Told You. (4.5 out of 5 stars)
Under the Rainbow by Celia Laskey: The premise is that a LGBTQ committee gets sent to live in what’s voted America’s most homophobic town. They’re meant to infiltrate and essentially try and change the minds of the towns residents. Each chapter is from a different person’s point of view, with lots of intersection in the stories. Some of the chapters made my heart hurt but I loved the premise of this story. (3.5 out of 5 stars)
Nobody Will Tell You This But Me by Bess Kalb: I adored this book. It’s a memoir written from the perspective of Kalb’s grandmother and tells the story of the lineage of strong women in their family. For anyone that had a special relationship with their grandmother as I did – this one will hit all the right notes. The ending had me in tears. (5 out of 5 stars)
