Then followed that beautiful season... Summer....
Filled was the air with a dreamy and magical light; and the landscape
Lay as if new created in all the freshness of childhood.
~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
For me,
summer is a time of renewal. The end of a school year means extra time to do things that I enjoy. Reading is one of my simplest pleasures, and summer is the best time to
delight in dozens of books. Whether I'm at the pool, beach, or on an airplane, reading is a fantastic pastime.
These books are at the top of my summer reading list.
Bond Girl is a hilarious and quick read. When I read this book, I couldn't put it down and finished it almost immediately. Alex, the heroine of the book, feels like
she could be one of my best friends and I was cheering her on throughout the book, although there were a few times when I felt like I needed to pause to give her some (unsolicited) relationship advice. She shares her
adventures on Wall Street as the new girl and grows up quite a bit before the end of the book.
The Rock Star in Seat 3A is somewhat of a departure from Jill Kargman's standard novels such as The Ex-Mrs. Hedgefund and Arm Candy. Hazel is not the typical preppy, twin set wearing blonde living in New York like other Kargman heroines. She's edgy and does not hesitate to filter her thoughts...or her language. This book is a perfect and easy read for the beach or on an airplane; after all,
you never know who will be sitting beside you on the plane!
I Never Promised You a Goodie Bag is a powerful memoir from Jennifer Gilbert. Her incredible story and her inner strength touch me deeply and remind me a lot of some of my own personal struggles with a frightening car-jacking incident in Mexico. What strikes me the most about this book is that sometimes people can have an outward appearance that everything is perfect, when in reality, they are crumbling on the inside. She rebuilds her life piece by piece and is
not a victim, she is victorious! Although the book is enjoyable, you'll need some tissues for this poignant summer read.
Do you ever re-read books? I find myself constantly revisiting some of my favorite classics. One of the first books I remember reading as a young girl is
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. Mrs. Danvers is probably one of the most haunting characters in literature to me because she is so manipulative and spiteful to the new Mrs. de Winter who is trying to make her new life as Max de Winter's new wife at Manderley. The story of a naive young woman is carefully told with more twists and turns than a Monte Carlo road and
keeps the reader guessing until the very last page.
Another one of my favorite classics that I could read every summer is
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. You've probably read this book many times and don't need any introduction or explanation to this classic novel. I love a good book that
takes me to another place and time. That's exactly what this book does to me when I read it. Simply perfect!
What are your favorite books this summer? Please leave a comment with your suggestions; I'd love to add them to my summer reading list.
xoxo
book images via amazon