Summer Reading & 3 Salads for Dinner

I started another reading challenge. LOL. Our public library has a Summer Reading Program and I challenged both my Kids to beat me in reading over the next 2 months. They are doing GREAT! Last summer I read a ton of new summer romances. This year however, most of the new releases didn’t catch my eye. I mean, I love Abby Jimenez but her new book doesn’t sound great. Don’t hate me but Emily Henry is just so… meh and Ali Hazelwood has a new book out but it’s the second in the series and I haven’t read book 1. There were a few though that I DID read and although I don’t have a list of hot summer romances, these books will satisfy all different summer readers. As I am no longer an Amazon Affiliate #ElbowsUp, I have attached links to Canadian owned bookstore Indigo/Chapters but you can go to your local library, secondhand shop or local bookstore for these great titles. I didn’t include a link to Where the Lost Wander as they don’t sell it??? But it was SUPER good! I also tacked on (in italics) what category I checked off on my 4 reading challenges.

One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune Set in the summer. There are a lot of things I liked about this book. One being that it was set in Canada. Another is how photography and art are viewed in this book. I’m uptight but creative too and the two are hard to reconcile sometimes, I think this story shows how balance is needed in a fun way. I really liked how Alice puts her foot down with her art/work boundaries. I liked how Alice and Charlie got each other. I liked their senses of humour. I liked Nan, Bennett and I’m interested in reading more about Percy and Sam, there’s a book before this? I had no idea. I liked the way Charlie interacts with all the women in her family, and I love Rod Stewart Lol Forever Young is one of my favourite songs and the fact that there is so much Canadianity twisted up in old school Rod Stewart, really made me warm and fuzzy, not to mention the whole pierogi making scene, swoon!

Go Tell The Bees That I Am Gone by Diana Gabaldon Animal in the Title. I’ve had this book on my shelf since it came out in 2021. I got it for Christmas and I was so excited but I was in my first MS flareup so I waited to REALLY enjoy it. This is the 9th book in the Outlander series. I read the first 8 a decade ago. However, I watch the TV show so I didn’t feel like I needed a giant refresher, and Gabaldon writes in a way that you can remember who/what from the older books easily. With that being said, this is the first book I have read since I started watching the TV show and all I can picture in my head are the 2 actors, doing the actions, it’s so detailed in the book. Like when Claire puts the back of her hand on her forehead and asks Jamie a question, I can picture it! Lol All the characters play her words so beautifully! No wonder why it has captivated so many people! I love that Brianna brought Frank’s very timely book back with her. It was great catching up with The Frasers and all their friends and family. I can’t wait to watch the new season that relates to this book because it really felt like I was reading about the characters on screen. I almost wonder if she wrote this book thinking of the TV show cast?

Mary Jane by Jessica Anya Blau About or featuring music or musicians I loved Mary Jane. I so enjoyed reading about the summer she was 14 and she was nanny to Izzy Cone, who I also adored. I was happy for her when she realized how much she could do on her own. I was happy when she was curious and opened her mind to new thoughts, ideas and experiences. It was interesting to me as Mary Jane learned about stereotypes and that you never really know what happens behind closed doors. I think this is a wonderful coming of age book and I was satisfied with the ending. I will recommend this to my teens to read as I think they will laugh, learn something and enjoy this book as much as I did.

The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren Published in 2024 Oh, this book is funny! When West and Anna meet again after three years apart, I could not stop laughing. Whenever you mix fake spouses with weed gummies, and a 10 day wedding on a private island you can be assured hilarity will ensue. West or as we later know him as, Liam, and Anna have a marriage of convenience, they are basically strangers and they have to prove to everyone that they are a happily married couple of five years. This is like a season of White Lotus if it was a comedy. Rich people, luxury and lies, but thankfully, no murder lol. I loved Anna and her take on excess and even Liam’s privileged take on the class system. I laughed through this entire book, was completely satisfied with the ending, and I loved the dual takes throughout the book, the authors wrote both characters so well, like they always do.

Miss Eliza’s English Kitchen: A Novel of Victorian Cookery and Friendship by Annabel Abbs Written by or about a chef. This book combined my three favourite things, books, cooking, and history! This is an easy book to read filled with beautiful descriptions of mouthwatering food cooked with exotic spices and interesting ingredients. It touched on serious issues but lightly. I liked both points of view and both Eliza and Ann were good characters. There wasn’t really a big conflict or any tense moments, making this a very calming book. It is a love story to food and companionship. Miss Eliza and her apprentice were basically the first food bloggers lol. Although the ending was satisfying I wish it wasn’t summed up so quickly in the epilogue.

Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid The 1 – A book you think will be a new favourite. What a great book! I really liked Joan and her direct approach to life. Vanessa too. Frances was also a great character and her story was an emotional roller coaster for me. I enjoyed the ongoing conversation about the difference between courage and bravery. I liked the time period it was set in (the 80’s) and I loved all the geeky stuff about space, (I went to Space Camp) without getting too technical. The discussion about God and the universe was interesting, the topic of feminism was eye opening and the LQTBQ+ storyline is beautiful and also sad because they have to hide their love. This book had a bit of everything but it came together seamlessly. I really liked how the past and the present were integrated and the tension you feel all the way through the book wondering how the mission ends and who will live. This was an exciting, emotional, and enlightening read that I will remember.

Where the Lost Wander by Amy Harmon Something you tried to read previously but didn’t finish. I took this out last year and just wasn’t in the right headspace to read it. I’m so glad I waited, so that I could fully appreciate the weight of Naomi and John’s story. I remember playing Oregon Trail on the computer when I was very young, I always died of dysentery. Reading what the Trail to California was like was heartbreaking and fascinating. I can’t believe people were brave enough to walk/ride across the country through awful weather, illness, and unknown lands. I couldn’t have been a pioneer, there was so much hardship, fear, and death oh and dirt! Ugh! Aside from the trail story I really liked how time and time again it is made clear that anyone from any culture or ethnicity can be bad, that doesn’t make the whole bad. People are scared of what is different. Loved this book.

We the Kindling by Juliane Okot Bitek Author from Africa. The author was born in Kenya but has lived in Canada for the majority of her life. Wow. This is a powerful story. I have heard about students being kidnapped and being put into child armies, and this is one of those stories. In detail. Miriam, Helen, and Maggie are captured in the middle of the night by the Lord’s Resistance Army in Northern Uganda in 1996, now known as the Aboke Abductions. This is their horrifying stories as well as other women’s, of captivity and the sad story of returning home completely different people. Folk tales weaved into history and the fictional character’s stories made a big impression on me while reading. I felt sick to my stomach reading about all the stolen kids and their lives before, during and after. Every horrifying scenario, you could imagine, these children are put through. I went down a rabbit hole learning more about children soldiers. Almost 100,000 children have been abducted to become child soldiers since 1985. This was a heartbreaking book that will stay with me for a very long time.

Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy Featuring or about the ocean and A book out of my comfort zone. This book was not what I expected. It was interesting. I was waiting for something to happen. It reminded me of how I felt reading Broken Country and God of the Woods. Slow burns with endings that are all tied up but the conflicts seemed flimsy. I waited a LONG time on hold for this book so I had high expectations and I was left feeling something about plants, animals, and the future, lol but not really about the characters. And although the setting was described, often, I couldn’t picture it.

One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle Seven – a book with a number. The quote before chapter 1 even starts is from Lorelai Gilmore so I know this is gonna be a gooder lol. This was a tearjerker. I once referred to my late mom as my soulmate while talking with a new friend. It shocked me, but I could really relate to Katy and the feelings she has when she loses her mother. She is lost. So she goes on a trip that she and her mother had planned. From there it turns into a journey of self discovery as she tours and eats her way through Positano. Rebecca Serle describes the food, the views of Italy and the feelings of grief so well. This is a beautiful book filled with thoughtful reflections, a little bit of romance, beautiful descriptions of the Amalfi coast, and just the right amount of magic.

How to Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley Heartwarming Story. You always know what you’re getting with this author, a feel good story from multiple perspectives. This is a hilarious story about a social group of senior citizens, their middle aged going through a midlife crisis social group leader, a five-year-old traumatized boy, and a teenage single father and his beautiful eight month old daughter. Their antics as they grow their friendships and try to save the community centre are heartwarming, cute and very funny. This was a lighthearted read that made me laugh. I loved how all the storylines resolved and I was very satisfied with the ending.

Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall Set in the 1960s I’m having a hard time putting how I feel about this book into words. I liked it. It was, quiet. I liked the characters, the writing, and the matter of fact storytelling. Even though the book jumped between 3 different timelines the before, 1968, and the trial, everything was very clear. The problem for me were the conflicts. The break up, Bobby, and even the murder trial all seemed, flimsy. This was a good book. that was a very easy read, and even though it was slow, I was interested to find out what would happen.

Conclave by Robert Harris Title Starts with “C” Since I have been born, there have been 4 popes. Recently, the pope died and it’s been a while since I’ve read Angels and Demons by Dan Brown lol so I read this book for a refresher on how a new pope is elected. This book is very descriptive while describing the nuances and behind the scenes of the conclave. You would think it would be boring to read how many buttons are on the Cardinals many layers of choir cloths, but it’s fascinating and told in such a smooth way, you don’t know you’re learning while you’re reading lol. I really enjoyed this book even though there wasn’t a ton of action I was always on the edge of my seat.

Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man) by Jesse Q Sutanto Red – Book with a red cover Vera Wong is back and so is all her wonderful descriptions of food that she cooks for her friends, family and anyone else she meets or wants to extract information from lol. In this second book in the Vera Wong series, Vera has much more confidence after solving a murder case in the last book. Her confidence makes her even more hilarious and bad ass! I love the cast of characters Vera collects with her motherly instincts and “detective” skills. The case turns into something very serious that I’ve never read about before. I love Vera and I hope we get another book in this series. Perhaps a girls trip to Paris? Lol I sure hope so!

Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert Romance with a neurodiverse character I started this series about 3 sisters, 1 book for each of them, last summer. Chloe made me laugh so hard, Dani was a force, but Eve? Eve is the youngest sister and bounced in and out of the first 2 books, but didn’t really capture my attention. So I put off the 3rd book until now. Big mistake! I love how Talia Hibbert writes neurodiverse characters and their romances. They are honest, smart, and hilarious characters that tell such great stories. Eve is a disaster. The whole introduction debacle between her and the male main character, Jacob is absolutely absurd, lol in the most adorable way! Side note, Gigi watching Cat People reminded of that movie and the fact that when I was a kid, it gave me nightmares for months!!! LOL This was a wonderfully fun series. I will miss the hilarious, smart and sexy Brown sisters but I know they all have happy imaginary futures ahead of them lol.

Heartwood by Amity Gaige Gorgeous – A book you bought for the cover. This book captured me from the cover, the first page, and the first chapter. I find missing people stories compelling. I would not call myself a hiker, but I love nature, and this gave me a similar feel to one of my favourite books, Wild by Cheryl Strayed. This is a story about a woman who goes missing while hiking in the Appalachian Trail. There are many different storylines in this book, but each one is interesting and I really liked all the characters. There is the lost woman Valerie, Lieutenant Bev who is in charge of the search and rescue, Valerie‘s hiking partner Santo, and an elderly woman named Lena who is conducting her own investigation of the disappearance with the help of her internet “friend”. This book touches on the rise of skepticism, conspiracy theories and life after COVID. I also loved the different relationship between mothers and daughters and the love that binds them.

The King’s Messenger by Susanna Kearsley Green Cover I’ve read a LOT of historical romances in my life but this one was different. At first, I really didn’t enjoy the main character, Phoebe. However, throughout the course of the novel I warmed up to her. I liked David who happens to be a real historical person, but doesn’t have a complete internet pages to find out more about. The mystery about who killed Prince Henry doesn’t seem to be an actual mystery in history and is laid out for the reader pretty plainly. This book is trying to be a historical fiction, with a bit of romance, a little bit of mysticism, and mystery but I don’t know, if it hit any of those marks. It had a satisfactory ending, but no real angst and apparently I like a little bit of angst in my books lol.

Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave by Elle Cosimano Picked without reading the back/blurb This is seriously one of the funniest series I have ever read. In Finlay’s life it’s one thing after another and it is always hilarious. Finlay and Vero are messy in the best possible way. This is the 5th book in the series and like the first 4, I cried laughing, especially at the special brownies part. This series has so much action and the whole things has taken place over just a short 5 month period. How the author keeps all the mishaps, storylines and characters straight and involved in the plot is mind boggling. This want the strongest book in the series but I’m excited to see where Finn and Vero’s adventures take them next.