Don’t-Miss Summer Reads

Summer is passing quickly this year, which is a mixed blessing for me. I hate the heat and am always eager for better weather to arrive but also love the slower schedule that summer provides. While I am a firm believer that any type of book can and should be read in the summer, there are certain genres that lend themselves to reading on the beach or at the pool. This week I am highlighting some books that are fun titles to read while lounging around:

The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston (romance) – When Clementine loses her beloved Aunt Analea, she finds it difficult to move forward so she throws herself into her work as a book publicist and looks for love, but struggles to find the right guy. After inheriting her aunt’s apartment, she moves in and is startled one day to find a strange man in the kitchen. As they begin to bond, she is dismayed to learn that he lives seven years in the past. Her aunt had often hinted that the apartment held secrets regarding time and how it exists there. I find time travel stories intriguing, and this one is a winner. Both the premise - a New York City apartment where time occasionally overlaps by seven years - and the way the story plays out are fantastic, and I was so sad when the book ended, but the ending is wonderful.

Night Will Find You by Julia Heaberlin (thriller) – Texan Julia Heaberlin hits it out of the ballpark with her latest thriller, Night Will Find You. At age ten, Vivvy Bouchet became famous when she made a prediction that saved a boy’s life. Years later she is an astrophysicist who does her best to suppress the visions she sees. Mike, the boy she saved, grows up to be a cop and believes that Vivvy still sees things that others do not. So Mike ropes Vivvy into helping Jesse, a police detective and friend of Mike’s who only believes in things he can see, with a cold case regarding a kidnapped girl. I am always on the lookout for unique and entertaining thrillers - ones that don't read like other countless ones on the market. This thriller definitely fits the bill, and I loved the Texas setting as well. The book is already being developed for a TV series.

The Summer of Songbirds by Kristy Woodson Harvey (fiction) – In this ode to cherished relationships, Harvey captures the nostalgia of childhood summers, particularly those spent at camp, the importance of lifelong friendships, and the enduring impact of first love. Daphne, Lanier, and Mary Stuart met at Camp Holly Springs when they were young and have remained close friends well into their 30s. When they discover that the camp is about to go under, the trio bands together to raise the money Daphne’s Aunt June needs to keep this slice of heaven for girls open. In addition to saving the camp, Daphne and Lanier are struggling with issues in their personal lives that may impact their friendship permanently. Chock full of humor, compelling characters, and a focus on the importance of treasured relationships, The Summer of Songbirds is delightful from beginning to end.

The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits by Jennifer Weiner (fiction) – The Griffin Sisters' Greatest Hits follows two sisters, Cassie and Zoe, whose 2003 meteoric rise to musical fame occurs when they are just out of high school. Overweight and socially awkward, Cassie is a child prodigy, a gifted singer, songwriter, and pianist, who wants to embrace her love of music but not in the spotlight. Friendly and outgoing, Zoe is decently talented as a singer and on the guitar, but desperately wants to become a star. When fate intervenes, the two sisters are thrust into sudden stardom as the Griffin Sisters. But not even a year later, the duo mysteriously splits, and the two women fade back into their everyday lives. Two decades later, Zoe’s daughter is desperately trying to understand what happened and why. This family saga explores the high cost of fame, what happens when secrets are kept, and the deep bonds of both sisterhood and motherhood. Weiner addresses the music industry’s obsession with appearance, and in particular, its focus on insisting women must be thin. While this behavior is abhorrent, it is the way the industry operates, and I appreciate Weiner’s inclusion of this story line and its impact on Cassie. This book will appeal to those who enjoy books about music and familial relationships.

For more book recommendations and bookish thoughts, see Cindy’s monthly Buzz Reads column, her award-winning Thoughts from a Page Podcast or follow @ThoughtsFromaPage on Instagram.