Early Summer Book Report

Picture this: I’m sitting outside on my back patio. The blue and white striped awning provides shade from the hot sun. My poodle, Chloe, is sitting beside me. A glass of iced tea is at my arm’s reach on the side table. And I am reading a book I can’t put down. Rinse and repeat.

This is what my summer reading life looks like, and there are so many titles to choose from. I was utterly overwhelmed by the plethora of book guides circulating, so I decided to mix up some new great reads with backlist titles. Here’s what I’ve been reading lately.

All That is Mine I Carry With Me by William Landay
(320 pages)

I can sum up this review in four words: Excellent read—terrible title.

I could never get the title right when people asked me what I was reading. First, it is quite a mouthful, and I often confuse it with the novel All the Light We Cannot See. They are two completely different stories and authors but similar in popularity and book cover colors. I also never connected the title with the story until I was two-thirds into the book. The meaning is briefly mentioned, but not enough to wrap my head around.

The good news is that these are my only two complaints about the book. Here is the setup: A mother goes missing one day, and her husband and three children are left to wonder what happened to her. As the years go by, the father is presumed guilty, but there is no evidence or witnesses to prove it. His children have doubts, and their mother’s disappearance affects each one greatly and in different ways. The story unfolds from the perspective of four different people related to the case. The author, who is also a lawyer, navigates the investigation and legal elements of the case quickly and skillfully. The mystery, the civil court case, and the subsequent family drama and questions around loyalty make this novel a thrilling read.

It took me a little while to get into the print version of this book, so I switched to Audible, which was a much better experience. The full cast of narrators sucked me in immediately and made the reading experience even more enjoyable. Our book club had a good time discussing this book. Years ago, we also read Defending Jacob, which he also wrote, and I remember enjoying that as well. I also recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good mystery or family story told over several decades. For those of you who like neat and tidy endings to mysteries, some of your questions will be answered, but there is a twist at the very end that will keep you guessing long after you finish it.

A Great Country by Shilpi Somaya Gowda
(256 pages)

Yes, that was me sitting in the library parking lot finishing this book before I had to return it that day.

I haven’t heard a lot of buzz about this book, but I really enjoyed it. It’s about a close-knit Indian-American family living in California who came to this country hoping for a better life. In India, the couple were members of a lower caste level, with fewer opportunities for success. When they came to America, they began their new life in an immigrant neighborhood but quickly moved to a fancier section of town. They struggle to keep up with the Joneses, so to speak, and try to fit in with the wealthier crowd. But when the 12-year-old son is arrested and brutally treated by the police, the family must deal with the fallout following that event and their future.

This was a quick read and a short book packed with raw emotion and a compelling story. The son’s precarious situation forces them to come to terms with reality within their family and community while trying to save his life. The struggle to fit in and keep their family intact while redefining the meaning of success makes for an exciting read.

I recommend this for people who want to read about different cultures, immigration, class differences, generational rifts, and investigative police work. If you read The Lost Daughter by the same author or Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid, you will probably enjoy this book.

Bits and Pieces: My Mother, My Brother, and Me by Whoopi Goldberg
(258 pages)

I love a good celebrity memoir, and this one did not disappoint!

I’ve always been a fan of Whoopi Goldberg. Even when she sticks her foot in her mouth about specific topics, she comes back with more knowledge and insight and a heartfelt apology. Whoopi shares fond memories of her childhood with her brother while being raised by a single mother. Her mother, Emma, taught her children not only to survive but to thrive. Growing up poor in New York City, their mother encouraged them to enjoy and absorb the city’s arts, culture, and history. Fans of this memoir called this a moving tribute from a daughter to her mother.

Some celebrity memoirs are self-indulgent and arrogant. You won’t find any of those qualities here. I could listen to stories about this family for much longer than the audiobook allowed. It was like I was sitting in Whoopi’s living room and learned about herself from the EGOT winner herself. If you like memoirs like this, I hear that Viola Davis’ memoir, Finding Me, provides a similar experience. (I haven’t read that one yet)

The Husbands by Holly Gramazio
(352 pages)

Although I’m not a fan of books where I have to suspend belief to enjoy a story, I listened to this debut novel. There has been so much buzz about it this summer, and I convinced myself to try it. I’m not sorry that I did.

Here is the setup: A woman comes home from a night of drinking, lets herself in, and is greeted by her husband. It sounds pretty normal—except for one thing: She isn’t married. After spending a little time with this man, she realizes everyone recognizes this person as her husband, so she plays along. But when her husband goes up into the attic to change a lightbulb, a new husband comes downstairs.

Okay—I’ll play along, too. I liked the concept behind this book, which turns out to be a bit of a satire on dating life and what qualities one can live with versus what the deal breakers are. After a few more “husbands,”  she realizes she can control the situation by sending one up into the attic and exchanging him for a new one.

While I’m not a fan of time loops and the aforementioned suspension of reality, I found this book enjoyable and am glad I read it. I’d love to know what others thought of it. It was nice to get out of my comfort zone and try it. Plus, I like to support new authors.

Funny Story by Emily Henry
(395 pages)

I hated this author’s last book, Happy Place, and reviewed it here. I know it was the IT book last summer, but I DNF’d it with less than 100 pages to go. That’s how much I disliked it.

However, this author is as much of a staple of summer reading as Elin Hildebrand’s Nantucket book series. I’ve supported Henry’s work since her debut novel, Beach Read. I decided to give her one more chance with Funny Story, and I’m glad I did.

The setup is a little confusing, but it worked really well. Daphne and Peter are engaged but break up at the beginning of the book when Peter falls back in love with his childhood best friend, Petra. Peter asks Daphne to move out of their home, and with no place else to go, Daphne winds up temporarily moving in with Petra’s ex-fiancé, Miles. Got it?

When Daphne and Miles are invited to Petra and Peter’s wedding, they pretend they are together and post photos of their summer adventures to promote the ruse. But is it a ruse or a budding romance? You have to read the book to hear this “funny story.”

I enjoyed all of the characters in this book, including the minor ones, such as the best friend and the younger sibling. The author definitely redeemed herself with this summer’s new novel, and I hope that continues. I’m not always a fan of romance novels, but her books have backstories that I can get behind, which makes all the difference to me.

No Book Buy July

Last week, I came upon an indie bookstore that I had never visited before. It is called LBI Book Swap in Beach Haven, Long Beach Island, NJ. If you are in the area, I highly recommend stopping by.

Normally, I would leave an indie bookstore with a new book to read, but because I observe No Book Buy July, I left empty-handed. And it almost killed me because there was a gently-used book section in the back where I could have taken home so many new books.

But let’s face it. The whole point of No Book Buy July is to read the books I have and not add anymore to my shelves. If I remain disciplined, it is a rewarding experience. If I fail miserably, I will have discovered a new book (or books) that I can’t live without.

So, it’s a win-win situation. LOL!

What’s in my TBR pile?

I am currently reading, The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher. It came out in 2004 and has been pressed into my hands many times by avid readers. This is finally the summer that I will tackle it. And I do mean tackle because it is 544 pages. At the library, my long time hold, The Many Lives of Mama Love: A Memoir of Lying, Stealing, Writing, and Healing, by Lara Love Hardin, finally came in. I’ll be juggling both of these books which will keep me quite busy.

Okay, your turn. What is on your summer reading list? Let me know in the comments!

XO,

Elisa