We love summer’s languorous pace. The relaxed pace, the warm breeze, the easy outfits, and the time to really dig into some good books. We love to read, so the thought of days to just curl up by the pool with a cocktail and a great book is our idea of time well spent.
If you are like us, you love suggestions for what to read. Here are a few books that delighted us this past year. Read on, friends!
1. The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman
This book was a perfect piece of lite lit. A lighthouse keeper and his wife find a baby in a boat and, rather than call the authorities, raise her as their own. Despite such a dramatic set-up, the book never crosses over into schmaltzy cheese. In fact, the author deftly balances their sense of isolation and longing with their understanding that they have done the wrong thing. Nobody in this book can help themselves and the author makes each character sympathetic and understandable. This is not a look at crazy, but a reflection of just how far we will all go for what we love. Not bad for a page-turner.
2. The Vow by Wendy Plump
Wendy Plump is a cheater. She is also a completely open, honest, almost uncomfortably real writer who talks candidly about her broken marriage and all of the ways she and her husband failed each other. Plump is exceptionally good at rendering images and drawing you into a world you hope you never have to enter. Her heartbreak becomes a mesmerizing read with each clever turn of phrase. In the end, you are left with hope for the age-old institution of marriage even in light of all of the ways it didn’t work for her. Unputdownable.
3. Rules of Civility by Amor Towles
This is a book for those who want to get lost between the pages. Towles evokes a time and place in his portrayal of 1930s Manhattan that would be fun to visit in and of itself, but he adds the wonderful character Katey Content to this tale and we are transported. Katey is the plucky, lucky every-girl who is trying to make something of herself. When random events change the course and temper of her future, we recognize Katey and root for her. We all have been that girl on the cusp of possibility. A wonderful, buoyant novel about coming of age.
4. The Emperor of Maladies by Siddhartha Mukherjee
Yep. We are recommending a non-fiction book about cancer. Don’t hate us or ignore us. This book is a behemoth, but so infinitely readable, you’ll forget you are reading the history of cancer and get wrapped up in the stories between the pages. If you love a little non-fiction with your beachside cabana, this might be the one for you.
5. The Hypnotist by Lars Kepler
We devoured The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo books one summer. If you thought those books were literary crack too, this is definitely a book for you. If not, we’ll try not to judge you for that, but you should move on to #6. Kepler opens this book with the grisly murder of a family. There’s only one surviving witness, a little boy. Erik Maria Bark, the hypnotist, is called in to help find out what happened. His intervention unleashes a terrible chain of events that makes for an intense but satisfying read.
6. When Will There Be Good News? by Kate Atkinson
Oh, man, this book is chock full of crappy, crappy things that happened to people. There is murder, a terrible train crash, a drowning, and some domestic violence thrown in here too. But don’t let that stop you. Atkinson has created some unforgettable characters here in this pseudo crime drama/pseudo thriller. She controls the pace of the novel so well that you have time to really get to know all the characters and marvel at the ways each story touches each other.
7. I Just Want to Pee Alone by Kick-Ass Bloggers
A compilation of essays on motherhood from some of our most favorite bloggers on the web, this book made us wish this had been around when we were new moms. How great it would have been to have these stories not only for commiseration, but to lighten us up so that we could find the funny in the sheer ridiculousness that is parenting small children. Hilarious, tender, and true, this book is a reassurance that imperfection is normal. And it goes great with cocktails. Or so we have heard.
8. Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
Absorbing, interwoven stories and beautifully drawn characters help you travel back and forth over 50 years in this tale. You won’t mind the trip a bit. In fact, you will be drawn into this world. From the lovely actress to the soulless movie producer, from the novelist to the innkeeper, each character dreams deeply improbable dreams and you can’t help but be carried away with them. Summer is the perfect time for day dreaming and this book fits the bill.
9. Seating Arrangements by Maggie Shipstead
Poor Winn. His daughter is getting married at the Kennedy-esque family compound, and his world of privilege is unravelling. He’s a man with everything but true happiness, and the three day extravaganza is primed to turn into a spectacle rather than the refined affair he desires. A lesser author might have made this story into a tragedy, but this book is laugh out loud funny. Even as Shipstead takes on the world of the well-bred with a sharp, biting wit, you will be swayed by her sidesteps into the heart of desire, the obligations of love, and what we must never surrender for fame, fortune, or a seat at the country club. This is funny with a super sized helping of smart, and it goes down smooth.
10. Moms Who Drink and Swear: True Tales of Loving My Kids While Losing My Mind by Nicole Knepper
When we stumbled upon the blog, Moms Who Drink and Swear, we kind of pictured a gang of moms tossing back beers and yo-ho-hoing like merry wenches à la Pirates of the Caribbean. When we delved deeper, we found a sharp-witted, hilarious writer who refuses to worship at the altar of perfection. Nicole Knepper, a smart, educated woman who is a girlfriend’s girlfriend, serves up a heaping dose of “this is the real motherhood” in her new book. Chapters such as “Making New McFriends” and “Dinner is Like Herpes” will have you nodding along while laughing to the point that people will feel obliged to ask, “Are you okay?”
Here’s to a summer full of good books, cold drinks, and happy memories!
-Erin and Ellen
After we published this, we found out that two of our favorite bloggers Michele at Old Dog, New Tits and Mel at According to Mags were grooving on the same wavelength. They have a super-fun link-up called Ketchup with Us and this week their prompt is “What book is on your bedside table?”. If you need even more great suggestions or have a few of your own, check them out! You won’t be sorry!
Great list, ladies!
I am looking forward to doing some summer reading myself. I just got my copies of all the Brene Brown books in the mail (yes, I still read actual books), as well as Kelly Oxford’s “Everything is perfect when you’re a liar”.
Here’s to great summer reading!
Kerstin @ Auer Life recently posted..Are we still fighting?
Ooh, thanks for the suggestions too! Erin
Our book club just finished “The Light Between Oceans”. I, however, am still reading it and enjoying it. 🙂
Always looking for some good summer reads. Will definitely print your list off.
Diane recently posted..How I Spent my “MAD” Weekend… #WordlessWednesday
It IS great. I hope they didn’t spoil the end for you! Erin
These are fantastic. I really like your summaries. I’m adding a few of these to my list for the trips we’re taking this summer. 🙂 THANKS!!
Mel recently posted..Ketchup With Us – Prompt #18
Thanks for the list! I’m always looking for a new read.
I’m going to print out this list and head to the bookstore. These all sound great.
(BTW: “languorous” is a fabulous word.)
Tara R. recently posted..Going to hell in a handbasket
I’ve read The Emperor of Maladies. It’s a good read.
I’m in the middle of doing research so I am reading Harriette Wilson’s Memoirs: The Greatest Courtesan of her Age, Victorian London: The Tale of A City 1840-1870 by Lisa Picard and Upstairs and Downstairs: The Illustrated Guide to the Real World of Downton Abbey by Sarah Warwick.
I love this stuff!
Georgie Lee recently posted..Rocking the Stuart Style
OMG! I will have to read the Downton Abbey one. I’m a twee obsessed. Did you read our post about it?? Erin
You just made my trip to the library much shorter! Thank you!
HouseTalkN recently posted..Rants From Mommyland
I just got my very first Kindle in March and I am searching for some good books to download. So thanks for this!!!! And thanks for including The Pee Book!!! xo
Dani Ryan recently posted..Why my family stopped going to barbeques
Check out Red Circle Days by Leah Vidal!
http://www.amazon.com/Red-Circle-Days-Leah-Vidal/dp/1614560900/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1367637311&sr=8-1&keywords=red+circle+days
Ooh, that sounds great! Thanks! Erin
I like the shortening of it to just The Pee Book. Ha! Erin
Oh, my God, you guys! (blushing) Thanks for the mention. Funny how we were all sort of on the same page. (I said page … because we’re talking about book. BOOKS! Get it? *** falling over backwards laughing at myself while everyone else just looks on ***)
You’ve got a lot of great picks here. Excellent diversity of choices. I’ll be sure to pass the list on to my wonderful book group who has been so gracious as to allow me to retain my membership despite the fact that I am always (ALWAYS!) the last to finish a book.
What is WRONG with me? (Sigh … loudly)
OldDogNewTits recently posted..Ketchup With Us #18
If our book club lets us stay, there’s hope for everyone. ; ) Erin
Great list! I’m going to add several of these to my list. It could be titled, “Books I really want to read but will probably only get to around 10% of” but still… 😉
Bridget recently posted..Instinct Schminstinct
It’s the damn kids. Always blame them. It’s not us. THEM. ; ) Erin
Thank you for this list. I have read several of these titles and would have several of them in my own list for sure. My favorite book in the past year has been Journey (If Where You’re Going Isn’t Home) by Max Zimmer. It’s a coming of age story about a young boy growing up in Mormon America with a dream to play jazz trumpet. Zimmer draws on his own experiences, offering great insight into the often misunderstood Mormon religion and tells an inspiring story of a young man trying to find his place in a world of conflicts. http://maxzimmer.com/journey/
Yay! Another suggestion. MY summer reading list is really shaping up! Erin
Great list – added some to my “to read” shelf on Good Reads. I’ve read two of them, so lots more to try out! Kate Atkinson’s newest book “Life After Life” is another one that I want to read this summer.
Dana recently posted..My musical ode to summer reading
I kid of love her in a she-might-complete-me kind of way! I’ll check it out. Erin
Great ideas! I had looked at “The Light…” and now maybe I’ll pick it up. I just read and enjoyed The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom. Now I’ve moved on to something translated from German that is actually vaguely trashy, but nonetheless delightful. Thanks for a great list!
Alicia @ Naps Happen recently posted..Guest Nappers #156 and #157: Concrete Crash
I will have to check out your suggestion too. And you KNOW we’re gonna need the name of the trashy German translation. It’s fun just to talk about reading, no? Erin
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According to Goodreads I am 8 books or 27% behind
my yearly goal if reading 30 books. I blame this not
On the birth of my daughter in December, but
the gift from my husband “the time suck” aka my
iPhone.
This list is great- I have some already on my bookshelf and
a couple I read already ( before being gifted the time
suck).
I finally jumped on Goodreads, and now I need to send my kids away to summer camp so I can read all of the things on my list. I adore book suggestions, so this list makes me happy! (And not only because I Just Want to Pee Alone is on it!)
Amy – Funny is Family recently posted..Just Add Water: My Week Condensed 5/19/13
Thank you so very much for this. I used to read like crazy! And then I started blogging and rarely read anything save a page or two of the New Yorker, something I am spending $50 a year on to make hopeful clutter in my house. Looking forward to getting to some of these!
Momsnewstage recently posted..A Letter from your Dance Teacher
I love The New Yorker too. Ellen feels the same way. I can’t give up the books though. Erin
Thank you for sharing these recommendations with your readers and I look forward to adding many of these to my summer reading list. I do have a beautiful book to share by author Dipak Basu entitled “Mission to Teach” (http://missiontoteach.org/). It is a non-fiction memoir about his brave and amazing daughter, Jhumki Basu. During the last decade of Jhumki’s life, as her teaching career took off and her battle with cancer raged on, her father was her confidant and her strength. He learned about the state of education in American public schools and of cancer care which provided him with unique insight into his daughter’s life and work. In her relatively short time here she developed ground-breaking teaching techniques that were rooted in her own experiences as a teacher in struggling city schools. She did not let the cancer slow her down and she made a difference in her student’s lives and fellow teachers. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a little inspiration
Yay. Thanks for this. Going to book mark for the next few months.
Jamie@SouthMainMuse recently posted..Twenty feet in matters of life and death.
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