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12 Must Read Books for Summer #BookRoundUp


Pack your beach bag, we are going to the beach! 
I live in Missouri so by beach I really mean public pool but it's close enough. On the off chance that we do make it to the beach this summer, I'll have plenty of books to keep me company. Summer is the perfect time to read in my opinion. Long nights, plenty of sunshine and kids who are occupied by the pool with lifeguards to watch over them. I'll be close by, nose in book, tan lines and all. Here's a round up of all the books I hope to tackle this summer: 





Given a B+ by Leah Greenblatt in Entertainment Weekly, this book promises to be intriguing and thought-provoking. A man is walking down a country lane. A woman, cycling towards him, swerves to avoid a dog. In that moment, their future hinges. There are three possible outcomes, three small decisions that could determine the rest of their life. What versions of their life will unfold? You don't have to guess. You get to read along as the author describes 3 completely different versions of the story. Kind of reminds me of those "choose your story" Goosebumps books where you would skip forward to certain chapters. I'm sold. 

1950s Texas Glamour. Enough said, am I right? Cece is a devoted friend of Joan and will do anything to keep her close. Through Joan, Cece gets a glimpse into the thrilling world of the rich and elite. Joan's life in the social scene is glamorous all right, and apparently dangerous as well. Dun Dun Dunnnnn..... 

Northern California, 1960s. It's summer and a lonely and thoughtful teenager sees a group of girls in the park and is immediately caught by their freedom, their careless dress, their dangerous aura of abandon. When she decides to become one of the group, she seals her fate and plummets into a web of unthinkable violence. This is going to be the perfect book to read during a summer thunderstorm. 


My two favorite bloggers from Jana Says and Life According to Steph talked about this book on their Podcast, Armchair Librarians and I knew I had to pick it up. In a Detroit neighborhood, blue collar men are disappearing. The wives, left behind to pick up the pieces and build lives that look a lot different from the ones their husbands promised before they left, are wondering the why and the how of their husbands' absences. Will the same fate await these mens' sons who will soon also feel the mysterious pull to leave? 

Two mothers both stricken with the devastating loss of their children. These deftly interwoven stories offer a picture of mother and daughter finding strength in themselves and each other in the face of tragedy.  

An uninvited party guest, a stolen kiss and a whole lot of secrets. All of these ingredients are mixed into a cocktail of lies, affairs and deception. Oh yeah, and then someone in the family falls in love with a writer who decides to use  their drama as the basis of his new novel. People are going to be pissed... 


Two teenage girls with a lust for chaos and rebellion...something different and thrilling to mix up my reading list. I heard about this book from @bookriot's All The Books podscast with Liberty and Rebecca and I know it's going to be a good one. 

A 29 year old recluse, a sprawling Connecticut lake house and a blended family with secrets to be unveiled. I'm thinking yes. 

You know I have to have a memoir on my list and both Entertainment Weekly and Emma Watson's book club recommend this one so on to the reading list it goes.  This is Maggie's account of her life with Harry Dodge. Described as "a rigorous exploration of what iconic theorists have said about sexuality, gender, and the vexed institutions of marriage and child-rearing," this sounds like an intense read but definitely worth it. 


"Six responsible adults. Three cute kids. One small dog. It’s just a normal weekend. What could possibly go wrong?"  I will always read Liane Moriarty. Her others, like The Husband's Secret and Big Little Lies are among my all time favorite reads. This looks to pack the same mysterious yet quirky punch, which I love. Looks like it involves a group of friends and parents and something happens one summer that changes everything. Intriguing and fun, this is definitely one of my most anticipated reads of the summer! 

Liberty from BookRiot described this book on Litsy " like Showgirls in a restaurant in the best way."  What will Tess do when she moves from her mundane life to New York and discovers the enthralling co-workers she meets at her new job? This book promises "discovery, enchantment, and the power of what remains after disillusionment."

This is my "fun and flirty" read for the summer that I think will go perfectly with a poolside view with the kids splashing in the back ground. Two characters are teeter todering between adulthood- marriages, mortgages, the whole bit- and their enchanting younger days where they were band members and lived a much faster lifestyle. I love books about life in the before and after stages. Bonus: its setting is in my favorite neighborhood, Brooklyn. You've got a winner in my book! 

Comments

  1. The Versions of Us is such a wonderful book, I hope you enjoy!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm totally into Girls on Fire and The After Party.

    I was not a fan of The Girls! Such promise, lacking in delivery.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I haven't read any of these-this is wonderful!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Your list looks very similar to mine! Can't wait to hear what you thought of these.

    ReplyDelete

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