I was the kid who did the Belden Library summer reading challenge in weeks. The Cromwell CT library that I walked to as a kid was one of my favorite places to be when the months got sticky. No central air but there were window units and plenty of fans that kept me happy in the stacks. The highly competitive person that I am wishes libraries would host these events for adults too but alas, each June I’m relegated to giving myself stickers and squishies. So instead let’s share what we’re reading and spread the love to each other and for those authors!
I have read (and listened to via Libby) some absolute GEMS this summer. So far, they are:
The Hop by Diana Clarke. A book that most people I’ve mentioned it to have not heard of. Kate moves from New Zealand to Las Vegas after the death of her mother to become a sex worker at The Hop. Mother/daughter relationship, the patriarchy and identity are big themes. It’s a lighter read without being “light”. Literally nothing I would change. 5/5.
Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar. 5/5
The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride. 5/5
And I read a few others that had merit and would recommend.
The Extinction of Irena Rey by Jennifer Croft. Author Irena Ray’s translators are summoned to her home to translate, as they always go, her newest book from Polish into their respective mother tongues. General silliness and sex are in the background of a fascinating exploration of language by an author who is also a translator. Very meta, kind of fun and will keep you on your toes, albeit likely also confused and sometimes lost.
The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls by Antissa Ray. Oldest sister and former family matriarch Althea is sentenced to prison. Her family, including her two daughters, are shocked and shattered. The story is told from her perspective as well as her sisters which makes for a tender, poignant read.
I started but did not finish:
Little Monsters by Adrienne Brodeur. Just not for me.
North Woods by Daniel Mason. Compelling idea but the main character, per se, is the house and that wasn’t doing it for me. I would have loved to see fewer stories within the story and to have those expanded.
The Cemetery of Untold Stories by Julia Alvarez. Again, just not for me.
There were also a few that were totally mediocre that I finished because I was either desperate, on a plane or without my phone (for Libby). No need to mention those here.
It’s been a few months of almost exclusively fiction. But I have several non fiction in the hopper. Either I’m waiting for via Libby (Legacy by Dr Uché Blackstock, Disability Intimacy by Alice Wong, Sociopath by Patricia Gange and The Invisible Kingdom by Meghan O’Rourke). Also one that I didn’t get in time from the Durham County Library that I may need to order (Rabbit Heart by Kristine Ervin) and one that I just didn’t feel motivated (see: moving to Germany, Biden, *rump and state of the world in general) to read yet: Holding it Together: How Women Became America’s Safety Net by Jessica Calarco.
But it’s not over yet! We still have at least a month of summer left. So, let’s do a summer reading share. So tell me. What are you reading?
"I am reading FLUFF!!! And listening to all. Here is a partial list of my June/July titles...
The Other Mothers, Katherine Faulker
Go as a River, Shelley Read *this is a really beautiful book; I would highly recommend it!!
The Summer of Songbirds, Kristy Woodson Harvey
Housekeeping, Marilynne Robinson
The Upstairs Delicatessen, Dwight Garner *this could appeal to your love of food and books; I did find it hard to get into and then the literary allusions were rife (I started jotting notes until I realized there would be multiple references/recommendations in each sentence!!!)
The Maid and The Mystery Guest, Nita Prose
Bad Summer People, Emma Rosenblum
Meet Me at the Lake and Every Summer After, Carly Fortune
Ah yes, _Heavy_ one of my top 10! Mmmm, yes, it is a masterpiece. I think I learned of _Raising a Rare Girl_ through you, Allison? That's on a Libby list. I haven't heard of the Taffy essay. I enjoyed _Fleishman_, but not the fan that others are. Maybe too NUYC ;-) I'll look for her NYT essay though. Glad to hear your thoughts, Allison!
I also didn't like Fleishman as much I expected to. The essay I mentioned is quite a departure, though it deals with some overlap in subject matter. Definitely seek it out.
Allison, your taste/liking so often aligns with my own so as soon as you mentioned this other essay, I went to find it! Total departure, I agree. And while I don't agree with all Brodesser-Akner's conclusions around trauma, I really appreciate many of the related connections she's making. I'll be sharing in my next post. Thanks for pointing me to it, Allison!
I just finished Raising a Rare Girl by Heather Lanier (she also has a great Substack, The Slow Take). This summer I've also read Heavy by Kiese Laymon, which I've been meaning to read for a long time (it's a masterpiece), and The Sicilian Inheritance, by Jo Piazza, which was the perfect summer read.
And I've been delving into some wonderful essays as well. The essay that made the biggest impression on me was The Kidnapping I Can't Escape by Taffy Brodesse-Akner in the New York Times. It is extraordinary.
It has definitely been a summer of fiction for me:
The Paris Novel and Delicious by Ruth Reichl escapism through food
Brooklyn and looking forward to starting Long Island by Colm Toibin
The Kamagawa Food Detectives more escapism through food and culture. Looking forward to the release of the next book in this series after translation
Tattoos on the Heart moving and relevant
The Women I found interesting for it's subject but the ending felt like she was just tying up loose ends
The Third Rainbow Girl mixed feelings about this. Interesting to note I was at the beach with a group which included two people that had lived and taught school in Pocahontas County during this time of the trial who had also read the book. They thought she had gotten the culture right but felt it was too wandering and lacked focus. I agreed.
Ordinary Grace movingly written suspense/mystery book by William Kent Krueger.
How to Kill Men and Get Away With It only could have read this sitting on the beach
Still on my list for the summer:
Erasure
Maid
Beneath my Feet
And for just my pleasure Pay Dirt by Sara Paretsky
Ooh great, diverse list, Debbie! I love all things Ruth Reichl so will definitely check out that mention. And I'll add _The Kamagawa Food Detectives_ to my list. That sounds right up a similar alley. I feel you on The Third Rainbow Girl. The culture aspect was fascinating and totally unfamiliar to me so I learned about the area through her words (I remember talking with you about this part) but I wanted more of a journey for her. It did meander. Thanks for chiming in here! <3
From a reader who emailed me:
"I am reading FLUFF!!! And listening to all. Here is a partial list of my June/July titles...
The Other Mothers, Katherine Faulker
Go as a River, Shelley Read *this is a really beautiful book; I would highly recommend it!!
The Summer of Songbirds, Kristy Woodson Harvey
Housekeeping, Marilynne Robinson
The Upstairs Delicatessen, Dwight Garner *this could appeal to your love of food and books; I did find it hard to get into and then the literary allusions were rife (I started jotting notes until I realized there would be multiple references/recommendations in each sentence!!!)
The Maid and The Mystery Guest, Nita Prose
Bad Summer People, Emma Rosenblum
Meet Me at the Lake and Every Summer After, Carly Fortune
The Love of My Life, Rosie Walsh
I love the conversations you are starting!"
Adding _The Upstairs Delicatessen_ to my list since that sounds VERY much up my alley. And _Go As a River_. Thanks for these, H. <3
Ah yes, _Heavy_ one of my top 10! Mmmm, yes, it is a masterpiece. I think I learned of _Raising a Rare Girl_ through you, Allison? That's on a Libby list. I haven't heard of the Taffy essay. I enjoyed _Fleishman_, but not the fan that others are. Maybe too NUYC ;-) I'll look for her NYT essay though. Glad to hear your thoughts, Allison!
I also didn't like Fleishman as much I expected to. The essay I mentioned is quite a departure, though it deals with some overlap in subject matter. Definitely seek it out.
Allison, your taste/liking so often aligns with my own so as soon as you mentioned this other essay, I went to find it! Total departure, I agree. And while I don't agree with all Brodesser-Akner's conclusions around trauma, I really appreciate many of the related connections she's making. I'll be sharing in my next post. Thanks for pointing me to it, Allison!
Our tastes really do align. I'm glad you found the essay as interesting as I did!
I just finished Raising a Rare Girl by Heather Lanier (she also has a great Substack, The Slow Take). This summer I've also read Heavy by Kiese Laymon, which I've been meaning to read for a long time (it's a masterpiece), and The Sicilian Inheritance, by Jo Piazza, which was the perfect summer read.
And I've been delving into some wonderful essays as well. The essay that made the biggest impression on me was The Kidnapping I Can't Escape by Taffy Brodesse-Akner in the New York Times. It is extraordinary.
It has definitely been a summer of fiction for me:
The Paris Novel and Delicious by Ruth Reichl escapism through food
Brooklyn and looking forward to starting Long Island by Colm Toibin
The Kamagawa Food Detectives more escapism through food and culture. Looking forward to the release of the next book in this series after translation
Tattoos on the Heart moving and relevant
The Women I found interesting for it's subject but the ending felt like she was just tying up loose ends
The Third Rainbow Girl mixed feelings about this. Interesting to note I was at the beach with a group which included two people that had lived and taught school in Pocahontas County during this time of the trial who had also read the book. They thought she had gotten the culture right but felt it was too wandering and lacked focus. I agreed.
Ordinary Grace movingly written suspense/mystery book by William Kent Krueger.
How to Kill Men and Get Away With It only could have read this sitting on the beach
Still on my list for the summer:
Erasure
Maid
Beneath my Feet
And for just my pleasure Pay Dirt by Sara Paretsky
Ooh great, diverse list, Debbie! I love all things Ruth Reichl so will definitely check out that mention. And I'll add _The Kamagawa Food Detectives_ to my list. That sounds right up a similar alley. I feel you on The Third Rainbow Girl. The culture aspect was fascinating and totally unfamiliar to me so I learned about the area through her words (I remember talking with you about this part) but I wanted more of a journey for her. It did meander. Thanks for chiming in here! <3