This is not a typical summer reads review post. I don’t change my reading habits based on the seasons; I don’t have specific books that I read on the beach or by the pool. However, I understand the desire to read a fluffy or upbeat book while sipping piña coladas, so I have arranged these reviews from lightest to heaviest in topic and tone.
While it may appear as if I’m barely reading any books (four of these five books were audio), in actuality, many of the books I’ve read this year are not review-worthy. I only tell you about the ones I like!*
Disclosure: The Amazon links are affiliate links, which may earn me enough to buy a 99 cent Kindle special.
Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography by Neil Patrick Harris (audio)
Disclosure: I am a tad bit obsessed with Neil Patrick Harris. This book could have been complete crap and I would have loved it.
It was not complete crap. It was poignant, witty, silly, and an overall fun read. Fun listen, actually – I wanted to hear Neil narrate, and he was fabulous. The choose your own adventure format is a gimmick that surprisingly worked even in the audio version, although it doesn’t have an impact on the storytelling.
Unless he’s snowing us all, NPH is a down-to-earth, normal guy who knows how amazing his life is. Not in an I-eat-caviar-for-breakfast way, but in the way the rest of us gauge our joys and successes – by the people we love and who love us back.
The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin (audio)
This is a lovely book. It is a simple story of a man who loves and loses, and loves again. A.J. is a crotchety bookstore owner who has no joie de vivre, until an unexpected arrival appears at his store. To say more would be a disservice; the joy of this book is the discovery.
I read this not knowing any more than I just told you, and I’m so glad I did. Read this book – you’ll be glad too.
The Children’s Crusade by Ann Packer
I tend to enjoy books more when they are plot-driven; I like things to happen. But if a book is well-written and the characters are complex and interesting, I am drawn into their stories regardless of how much action takes place.
The Children’s Crusade is this type of book. Bill and Penny marry in the late 1950s, and within ten years have four children. The novel alternates between the past and the present, and each chapter reveals new family dynamics and relationships. How does your childhood affect who you will become? What role do your parents and siblings play in the formation of your character, your psyche, your life? Do you really change, or do you just get bigger? A family saga without melodrama, The Children’s Crusade tells the tale of one family with a richness and depth that made me want to sit down with each character and pick his or her brain.
Bonus: Did you read Packer’s The Dive from Clausen’s Pier? Excellent book.
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah (audio)
In a French village in 1939, Vianne’s husband heads to the Front as the Nazis invade France. Left to raise her daughter alone, Vianne must billet a German officer, and do whatever she must to keep her daughter safe. Her younger sister Isabelle is hot-headed and rebellious, and determined to join the Resistance and fight for a free France.
I keep telling myself that I will not read any more books set during World War II, but I keep doing it anyway. I think this is because a good novel examines the war from a unique point of view, and there is an intriguing insight into the human mind and spirit that only a war time setting can provide.
The Nightingale tells of the war from the female point of view: mother, daughter, wife, sister. The reader follows both Vianne and Isabelle on their journey as they make choices they should never have to make. It is a story of resilience and survival, and surprisingly one of hope in a desperate time. It’s not a fluffy beach read, but it’s definitely worth the time.
The Pearl That Broke Its Shell by Nadia Hashimi (audio)
I listened to this novel every chance I got; the story enthralled me. It is the tale of two Afghani women; Shekiba in the early 20th century and Rahima almost a century later. Rahima is one of five daughters, and her family allows her follow an ancient custom in which she dresses and is treated like a boy until she is old enough to marry. Her great aunt Shekiba also survived by passing as a boy.
Alternating between the two stories, the reader follows both girls into womanhood, in a culture that regards females as property and breeders. It is unfathomable to me that in 2015, there are still countries that condone and encourage this treatment. So many times I shook my head at the ignorance, misogyny, and cruelty so ingrained in the culture. You will root for Shekiba and Rahima, and you will turn page after page to discover what life has in store for them.
***
I hope you can find at least one book here that catches your interest. If not, check out my comprehensive list of great books to read HERE.
I have loaded up my Kindle for a summer full of reading, including Among the Ten Thousand Things by Julia Pierpont, The Book of Speculation: A Novel by Erika Swyler, The Impossible Lives of Greta Wells by Andrew Sean Greer, and Every Day by David Levithan.
Have a book to add to my to-read list? Let me know in the comments!
*With one exception: If like me, you were one of the few readers who did NOT love Kate Atkinson’s Life After Life last summer, you should know that I had to put down her newest novel, A God in Ruins, after 100 pages. I’m still in the minority; it has many glowing reviews on Goodreads. You may like it too, but I found it boring and not worth my time.
Now I’m interested to see how you can have an audio version of a choose your own adventure book. I’ll have to take a look at that one!
It was very clever. And I liked that I didn’t have to flip around the book and make sure I didn’t miss anything.
I really liked The Nightingale. I will need to check out The Pearl. It looks like a good book for a long flight!
It would be a great one for a long flight, Kate. Happy reading!
Two for The Nightingale! Between you and Janine, I am building up a new list. I really suck at Goodreads so I appreciate you sharing your reviews here. I’m excited for new audio. Hope the library waiting lists aren’t too long. I haven’t had anything to listen to since Yellow Crocus. I am currently reading a real live paper book called Breath, Eyes, Memory. I wanted a cultural read specifically from Jamaica since we just visited there. They are on hold but this one background is from Haiti, so that’s a culture I’ve never read about. So far so good. I stopped by to see if you were back but I hadn’t seen this post 😉
I am back…I’m just slow to get back on the blog horse. I’m hoping to have my first Europe post up this week, but with almost 700 photos it’s a daunting task!
I usually don’t have time for reading unless it’s for school. I think we have similar tastes with our reading though!
Hope you get some time for pleasure reading this summer, Tess!
We have similar tastes, Dana! And I didn’t know about NPH’s book! Where in the world have I been? Added to the list 🙂 Also added was Nightingale. Sounds fantastic. I loved Storied Life and also the Pearl that Broke.
We do have similar tastes…definitely check out NPH’s book. I adore him.
Thank you! I never did understand why people had to have a separate summer list!! I love all your choices! The Choose your Autobiography sounds very intriguing and I do love NPH! I’m also very interested in the last book because it is about a completely different culture!
That’s one of the reasons I love that one, Roshni. I love learning about different cultures, and even though it was an intense read, I’m glad I read it.
so many great books to choose from, love learning about new books. Thanks!!!
My pleasure, Karen!
Oooh, good list! And I bet you’re doing lots of reading now, too!
Not as much as I expected, Nina – summer has been busy! Hoping to pick up the pace, though.
These look great! I’m particularly interested in the book about the Afghani women. Thank you for another intriguing round of mini-reviews.
Happy Summer!
Happy summer to you too, Julia – and happy reading!
Nightengale is on my Kindle ready to read. I recently read the Charlotte Kramer series, which was excellent. If you are looking for a different read, I would suggest Shakespeare saved my life. It was very thought provoking.
I just looked at it on Amazon – it does sound good! Thanks, Kerri.
The Pearl that Broke its Shell CHANGED me, and I loved it times a billion. Thank you for the recommendation so much.
Anytime, Kristi 🙂
Have you read Big Little Lies? OMG SO SO GOOD.
Nope – another one for my list!
Neil Patrick Harris is hilarious! I need to read his book 🙂
You do – it’s great!
I do like to do fluffy reads in the summer, but it’s just a preference and I won’t exclude other types of books from my reading list just because it’s a certain type of year. That leads me to my next point: I just read The Girl on the Train. I picked it up because of Kate from Another Clean Slate’s recommendation and I LOVED IT!! Have you read it?
I have (I listened to it, actually) – it was great!
I just started reading Girl on the Train (after you recommended it, I knew I had to read it). By chance it was on the “Catch this book before we leave the library” cart, which was exciting since it has such a long wait. I’m like you (not surprising!) in that I don’t read by the season — I read light fluffy books and serious novels all throughout the year. I’ve loved NPH since watching How I Met Your Mother. I think it’s amazing just how different he is in real life from Barney. He seems like an awesome guy, and I’d be curious to read something he wrote!
Oh, I loved his book, Bev. Such a fun listen!
Thank you for the suggestions.
I’m absolutely obsessed w/ audio books.
I’m listening to Girl on a Train presently… and on my walks,
I’m saying aloud, “NO, are you kidding? He’s the KILLER!
LOLLL.
happy weekend, Dana. xx
Ha – I talked out loud when I listened to that one too! The neighbors probably thought I was having a conversation with my dog as I was walking her.
Nice list! I’m especially intrigued with the last one. I need to use more audio books this summer. It’s easier with all the hustle and bustle of the summer, I find.
Definitely listen to that one, Beth! I listen at 1.25 speed, because normal speed seems to slow for me.
We’re twins. Cassidy will see me tear-stained on the couch and ask, “Why do this? Why read another World War II book?” I can’t seem to stop. I finished “The Nightingale” last month and I’m reading “The Children’s Crusade” right now, and yes, I read Clausen’s Pier and LOVED it.
It’s weird. I think I will finish it but I’ve been on the fence about it. I’m not in love. I want to hit Penny.
I felt the same way! It was one of those books that I didn’t gush over, but I’m glad I read it.
The Pearl that Broke it’s Shell sounds so fascinating! Not a light read by any means, but it just sounds so interesting! Thanks for the recommendations!
My pleasure, Leslie. It’s not a light read, but I really enjoyed it. If you read it, let me know what you think!
I jut finished The Nightingale – devastating. I loved The Dive from Clausen’s Peer, adding it to the list. It sounds fantastic – I think I’ll submit it as my book club pick.
I always get nervous when it’s my turn to pick a book – so much pressure!
Interesting! We are headed to the beach this coming week. I just finished Me Before You and have been trying to decide what to read at the beach. I was thinking about Girl on the Train just because it is one only list I haven’t read yet, but the Nightingale sounds intriguing, too!
It’s great, but definitely not a light read. Have a great time at the beach!
I still cannot get over The Nightingale and will tell you that for days after I finished it, I was truly consumed by the ending. Seriously, one of the best books I have read in a long time and definitely agree with you that it is more than worth reading. Thanks for the other recommendations here and adding a few, especially the Neil Patrick Harris one.
You’re right, Janine – The Nightingale was one of those books that just stays with you for days. Hope you get some time to read this summer!
Perfect timing as usual! I’m almost done with my latest book ‘Crazy for the Storm’ about an 11 year-old who is the sole survivor of a plane crash in 1979. It’s amazing and mostly about the relationship of a father and son.
I love that you don’t read fluff in the summer as I was never one to read it anytime either. I think I’ll start with The Pearl that Broke it’s Shell and work my way up your list! Thanks again Dana.
That books sounds great, Allie. I will check it out. Let me know how you like The Pearl that Broke Its Shell if you read it!