Tell Me What to Read: Summer 2017 Edition
It’s been too long since I did one of these!
Which might be because I got so stalled on Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes, the book I was supposed to finish in. . . September . . . from the last round of Tell Me What to Read.
I finally just gave up.
So now, it’s clearly time for a new edition of Tell Me What to Read.
You know the drill – suggest something fun (although that doesn’t need to mean chick-lit – I’m up for non-fiction, memoirs, young adult, middle grade, AND chick-lit), and I’ll pick three to read in May, June, and July!
Your job: Comment with the title of a book you think I should read.
My job: Choose three from the suggestions and announce which ones I’ll be reading.
I’ll read one a month (ish) between now and the end of July (hopefully). Feel free to read along and check back every month for my reviews.
And, as always, even if I hate the book, I will not hate you.
And go!
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
I second the Station Eleven recommendation.
I third or … fourth it! (more below) As a heavy reader of dystopian fiction (adult and YA) this book was still fun and brought something new to the genre. Fast read too – exciting!
I love that you’re doing this again!
I highly recommend A Thousand Miles to Freedom: My Escape from North Korea by Eunsun Kim. You won’t believe this young girl’s story, and reading it made me feel grateful for so many things that I barely think about. Happy reading! 🙂
John Grogan, The Longest Trip Home: A Memoir ( same author as Marley and Me)
Defending Jacob by William Landay
My favorite book recently is The Girl Who Drank the Moon. I adored it from cover to cover!
My sister gifted me The Boy Made of Blocks for Christmas and I could not put it down. It’s about a dad, whose marriage is falling apart because he’s lost touch how to communicate with his wife and his eight year old son who has autism. He’s determined to fix his relationship with his son first which he does with the help of the gamer Minecraft. I’m not a gaming person at all but this novel was beautiful. It’s set in the Uk ??. Totally worth a read.
A Hundred Summers – Beatriz Williams
Cancel the Wedding – Carolyn Dingman
It Ends with Us – Colleen Hoover (warning of some R rated content, if you can get past that, it’s a good book)
LOVE A Hundred Summers. I tend to reread it every year!
The Shack by William P. Young! I just finished it and it opens your eyes to our pre-conceived notions of God, Jesus and The Holy Spirit! It’s emotional to read, especially if you are a parent but definitely worth the time!
I recently read (ahem, listened) to Talking as Fast as I Can: From Gilmore Girls to Gilmore Girls by Lauren Graham. I really enjoyed it! I liked listening to Lauren as the narrator.
I just read This is How It Always Is. Very realistic book about a family with a transgender child. I couldn’t put it down. I also love, love, loved The Forgetting Time. It’s about a boy who has been reincarnated. I’m not sure that I believe in this, but boy was it a great book!
The Cenote by Chelsea Dyreng! I really loved this book. The opening page is from the author stating that there’s a clarion call sounded in the world, and this is her spear. It’s in defense of marriage, but told from the perspective of an islander couple put together in an arranged marriage and the elements they face that threaten to break their marriage. Humorous, surprising, and romantic. And heartbreak, of course. Anyway, I loved this one. Highly recommended. 🙂
Bone Gap by Laura Ruby, a little mystery/fantasy combo that’s not easy to put down!
My Mrs. Brown by William Norwich would be a wonderful summer read–a contemporary novel in the coming-of-old-age category that was solidly four starts in my book. Also Navigating Early by Clare Vanderpool, ugh, amazing!!!
All fall down Jenifer Weiner
I loved this book. Managing a household, children, a blog, husband etc the stress became to much for Allison and she becomes addicted to pain killers. Its a fun book and totally relatable(minus her pill addiction)
I, Juan de Pareja – an older YA book that won the Newbery. It’s told from the point of view of a slave/assistant to the painter Diego Velasquez, based on true characters.
To the Bright Edge of the World – absolutely the best book I read in 2016.
My friend Kelsey McMurtrey just wrote a book called, “One Day At A Time: 100 Days in the Life of a Mother” (here:http://amzn.to/2puSQ8P) and I haven’t read it yet, but am super excited to!
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel is interesting – would love to hear your thoughts on it
Have you read My Lady Jane yet? I thought it was really fun. It’s definitely on the silly side, and I’d highly recommend you listen to the audiobook. The narrator makes the story even more hilarious.
My other suggestion is not fun. It’s rather serious and weighty. I highly recommend Symphony for the City of the Dead: Dmitri Shostakovich and the Siege of Leningrad. Read it while listening to Shostakovich’s music. Very powerful and a great book club pick too.
(Also, loved Bone Gap, one of the other suggestions in the comments.)
Things I’ve read/re-read recently:
Fiction: In this House of Brede and Peacock Spring (YA) by Rumer Godden, When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit series (Judith Kerr – her when the tiger came to tea illustrated books are great).
Non-fiction: The Almost Nearly Perfect People (Michael Booth) about living in Denmark, Behind the Black Door (Sarah Brown) an account of living in Number 10 by a former UK Prime Minister’s wife, also Every Secret Thing by Gillian Slovo and Jerusalem: A Biography by Simon Sebag Montefiore (long but worth it)
I’m going to second It Ends with Us. So good, if (like Kristin mentioned) you are ok with a bit of rated R material.
I’ll also second This is How it Always Is!