It’s gonna be a weird summer, isn’t it? If you’re brave, you might be able to make your way to a beach and get to dig your feet into some nice, warm sand. But even if you only go as far as your backyard to run around barefoot in your luscious grass, I’ve got some great reads to help boost your summer reading.
It’s always fun to read a book where I identify with the main character and this one felt like the author followed me around for the better part of my 20s. I loved Nina — I’ve always been a bigger fan of books than of people too. Nina works at her local independent bookstore on the east side of LA. She unexpectedly finds out that the father she never knew has passed away of a heart attack. This throws her, a highly-introverted trivia master, into a maelstrom of complicated family members. Add a love interest from a rival trivia team and Nina has to figure out a way to balance her new life and still have time for her Thursday reading nights. This would be a great read for the beach, but be careful of staying too long in the sun. I didn’t want to put it down once I started reading it.
This was one of those great books that you never want to end. Cassie is a tough-as-nails firefighter who loves her job in Texas. But when her ailing and estranged mother suddenly calls her home, Cassie drops everything and has to start her life over in Boston. The good news is her new fire station comes with a cute rookie. Unfortunately, it also comes with a lot of hazing, a lack of funding and poor facilities. I absolutely loved this one. It made me cry (which I hate) and I still didn’t want to put it down. I wanted to get in there and mix it up with and for Cassie — not that she needed any help.
Like most single moms, Amy Byler is overworked and underpaid. Luckily, her husband shows up to take the kids off her hands for the summer. Unluckily, he’s been MIA for the past several months and it takes all her friends to convince her to let him do it. To make the most of her #momspringa, she heads to New York, ostensibly to speak at a seminar, but she also ends up having a great time. I wish I had friends like Amy’s — who would let me crash at their apartment and give me makeovers. This book was not what I was expecting, but I really liked it. In fact, it may be the best book I’ve read so far this year.
When it comes to summer vacations, I think The Clash said it best — should I stay or should I go? Either way, make sure to take one of these great reads with you and you’ll have the best time. And don’t forget to log your summer reading hours! We’ve got prizes, people.
Happy Summer Reading…
:) Amanda
