Oh how I love a good book. To me, it doesn’t matter if it’s an actual book or an audio book or an ebook on my Kindle. I just want a good story. One that will sweep me up and make me forget that I’m sitting on my couch or walking my dog (yes, I read while I walk).
It’s always interesting to me how certain books end up in my hands. How some can languish in my to-be-read pile indefinitely and others come out of nowhere. Makes me wonder what will happen to my book when it hits the shelves.
So far this summer, I’ve enjoyed:
Peace Like a River by Leif Enger
My friend Wendy raved about this one so I had to check it out. I’m glad I did. The narrator’s voice is unbelievable and it’s got so much amazing symbolism. It’s a great book club book.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
I remember asking for book recommendations a long time ago on the ACFW loop and Jenny B. Jones highly recommended this one. A while later, Chip MacGregor recommended it too. It took me several months to finally pick it up and when I did, I couldn’t put it down. The entire narrative is beautifully told via letters.
The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
Several of my girlfriends and I started a book club a few months ago. Talk about fun. Girl talk, treats, and books. Life doesn’t get much better. This was our July pick. It’s not something I would have read on my own (which is why I love book club), but the writing is amazing and the ending made me emotional. It’s a nontraditional story where the protagonist is actually an entire group of women.
Fairer than Morning by Rosslyn Elliott
Rosslyn is a writing friend of mine and ever since I heard she signed a three-book deal with Thomas Nelson, I was super excited to read her debut. This one was so good I finished in two days, reading well past midnight to see what would happen.
Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier
This was our June pick for book club. It’s very mysterious. The vibe reminded me of Jane Eyre.
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
This one took me a long time. I kept starting and stopping. But every time I stopped, I’d see a tweet or a hear somebody rave about it, so I’d give it another try. I’m glad I stuck with it, but some parts were really hard to read.
Oddly enough, I think all of these (except Rebecca) are debut novels. Right now I’m reading Heaven is for Real (our August book club pick) and Little Bee by Chris Cleave (which is also a debut novel). And a book on my to-be-read list that I can’t wait to read is The Language of Flowers.
Let’s Talk: What books have you read this summer? If you could recommend only one book to me, which book would it be?
Due to my obsession with my latest novel, I will be taking a blogging break next week. I want to give these revisions the attention they deserve and meet my self-imposed deadline!