Author Abby Jimenez delivers again! I’ve read all of her books and they are all nothing short of delightful. If you want a break from the seriousness of the world and are looking for something that will make you feel good, then her books are what you need. “Part of Your World” might be my favorite out of them all, too.
Alexis comes from a long line of city doctors while Daniel’s family is deeply rooted in his small-town community. At first look, their lives are completely different, but that doesn’t stop their attraction to each other. Not only is the book about finding love, but it’s also about figuring out what you want for your life, not what others want for you.
If you like romance, you’ll love this!
Three words that describe this book: sweet, romantic, satisfying
You might want to pick this book up if: you are in the mood for a quick, light-hearted romance.
-Mary
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading. Submit your own book review here for a chance to have it featured on the Adults Blog.
“Set on You” follows a young woman who is attempting to live her life joyfully and positively and project that to others watching her. She is “curvy” and fit and wants others to realize that a person does not have to be model thin to be happy or healthy. She meets a very attractive young man who understands that as well. The books is very funny and a really quick read but it does focus on a few lessons that are very serious — accept yourself just as you are while making yourself the most healthy possible, and cruel, degrading words can hurt even the most seemingly confident person. I liked the humor and the life lessons. It was a much “steamier” read than I normally choose so I would recommend it for young adult and older.
Three words that describe this book: timely, open, honest
You might want to pick this book up if: you need a reminder that you are the best you there is and no one can tell you how you should change to be a “better, prettier” you.
-Anonymous
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading. Submit your own book review here for a chance to have it featured on the Adults Blog.
I am apparently always a year behind on reading author Jennifer Weiner’s annual beach reads. Last summer, I read her “Big Summer” (published in 2020) and now I’ve read her “That Summer” (published in 2021). This year’s release is “The Summer Place.” Keeping all of those “summer” titles straight in one’s head is a task in itself! I am patiently waiting on the library’s holds list for the newest book, so hopefully, I will manage to get to it soon and get caught up with the masses.
Judging from its cover, “That Summer” is a light, fluffy beach read. However, having read several of Weiner’s books previously, I knew to expect some depth, particularly in regard to exploration of female relationships and body image issues. However, this one is perhaps darker than her others (and certainly darker than the cover would suggest), with a lot of references to the #MeToo movement. Rape is depicted and its lifelong effects on the victim and others involved is explored. So yeah, not exactly a light and fluffy read!
I enjoyed the alternating perspectives and the mystery that pulls you in as you unravel the connections among the characters. The characters themselves are enjoyable and relatable, and I especially enjoyed the mother/daughter relationship that was explored. The settings were evocative, especially Cape Cod. The conclusion left me wanting more, but then, Weiner was dealing with enormously difficult and emotional issues without clear-cut, easy solutions in real life or in fiction, so I don’t fault her too much for that.
Three words that describe this book: #MeToo, evocative, summer
You might want to pick this book up if: You enjoy chick lit — or if you’ve never tried it before and wonder what you might be missing out on. I feel that books about the female experience are important for those of us who relate to them directly but wouldn’t it be nice if those on the “outside” would also read them occasionally and have a better understanding of what it’s like to live in our shoes?
-Erin
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading. Submit your own book review here for a chance to have it featured on the Adults Blog.
Ahoy, mateys! Arrr ye ready for a voyage through history? Inspired by this year’s Summer Reading Challenge, I read “Pirate Women: The Princesses, Prostitutes, and Privateers Who Ruled the Seven Seas.” Tis always been a pirate’s life for me, but I never before heard tales of ladies taking to the high seas. Thanks be to author Laura Sook Duncombe, for catchin’ me up on the stories of the many women who sailed beneath the jolly roger.
Spannin’ from the bronze age through the 21st century, Duncombe takes us on a voyage through the lives of dozens of women pirates. She also explores the cultural biases held by the landlubbers who recorded the stories of these pirate ladies. Like a well-honed cutlass, Duncombe cuts through the fog of historical revisionism and legend with a perfect mix of information sharin’ and storytelling.
I did find me self wondering about Duncombe’s definition of piracy. Her answer stirred something deep within the depths of me soul: “The heart of piracy is freedom.” Tis this sentiment that drove all the featured lassies as they sailed under a black flag, pillaging across the seven seas. Avast me, hearties! Pick up “Pirate Women” and set sail for the shores of knowledge. Tis time I shoved off. Fare thee well, mateys!
Three words that describe this book: Informative & entertaining
You might want to pick this book up if: You like reading the untold stories of women from history. Especially if those women happen to be pirates.
-Joe
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading. Submit your own book review here for a chance to have it featured on the Adults Blog.
Set in England in the late 19th Century, “A Curious Beginning” follows the unexpected journey of lepidopterist, independent woman and budding lady detective, Veronica Speedwell. While this is the first adventure on which we join her, she has traveled the world in search of butterflies and experienced what the world has to offer in ways uncommon for a woman of her time.
This book is a light, fun, spunky page-turner that chronicles her unlikely alliance with Stoker, a grumbly fellow natural historian who begrudgingly joins forces first as a “protector” and then as a partner. They run from police and other opponents with mysterious and dark intentions, ultimately uncovering the truth about Veronica’s identity as well as solving a murder mystery. This book was a delight to read and perfect for a summer reader looking to balance a smart, feminist story, with a light and lively tone!
Three words that describe this book: Light, spunky, smart
You might want to pick this book up if: You’re looking for a smart, fun, page-turning summer read!
-Sara
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading. Submit your own book review here for a chance to have it featured on the Adults Blog.
One of the best things to happen to storytelling through sequential art is the advent of the graphic memoir. From celebrities to travelogues to regular folks’ personal journeys, graphic memoirs allow readers to experience an illustrated slice of someone else’s life. I stumbled upon “Parenthesis” by Élodie Durand while perusing Hoopla’s Bonus Borrows for May. Translated from the French by Edward Gauvin, this graphic memoir follows the years Durand spent living with epilepsy. Durand’s art style is simple, leaning toward the abstract. Yet, it powerfully conveys both the story of her life and the emotions she felt while that story unfolded.
For those who don’t often read comics, this graphic memoir could be considered an intermediate level read. The text and dialogue are easy to follow, but much of it is written in a cursive font that isn’t the easiest to actually read. Fortunately, the artwork meshes perfectly with the text. This aids the conveyance of Durand’s personal and emotional experiences as she learned to live with epilepsy.
Of note, this book counts toward Task #23 (read a book by a disabled author) of this year’s Read Harder Challenge. It could also be used for Task #24 (pick a challenge from any of the previous years’ challenges to repeat), as read a graphic memoir was one of the tasks in recent years. This is the perfect book for anyone who wants to step out of their comfort zone and read something new and unique. “Parenthesis” offers readers a glimpse into life in another country while taking them through Durand’s moving journey from illness to recovery.
Three words that describe this book: Hopeful, Inspiring, Informative
You might want to pick this book up if: You like graphic novels, memoirs, or translated works.
-Joe
“The Salt Path” is a memoir about a homeless couple who walk the South West Coast Path in England. The author tells and describes the journey so that it is easily imagined and felt. It has so many layers to it — sadness, happiness, life, death — all in the theme of taking a walk. There was no way I was able to figure out how it might end which made me keep reading it to find out. The whole metaphor of being “salted” was interesting as it developed throughout the book. The book had its gut-wrenching moments with the couple and the author did a great job of giving history about the places they were seeing along with some environmental issues that were happening at that time. I think at its baseline it’s about humanity and how we treat one another in our own family as well as each other globally, especially those who are less fortunate or who are perceived as such. I would read this book again and again.
Three words that describe this book: Magical, Mythical, Heartbreaking
You might want to pick this book up if: It was an award winner and I tend to pick up books if the cover catches my eye which this one did.
-Cindy
“The Empress of Salt and Fortune” is a novella that focuses on a team collecting information about the former empress who is now deceased. Through a collection of artifacts, the subtle plotting of the northern princess is revealed as to how she was able to send communications, raise an army, establish an heir and take over the kingdom. What I liked about this story was how cleverly the characters were portrayed and how subtle the evidence was of what the princess was doing. Side characters, small details, and the artifact lists are really important in this when usually you expect them to be such throwaway accents; here it is central to the plot.
Three words that describe this book: Short, clever, sneaky
You might want to pick this book up if: If you like fantasy books, you’d enjoy this plotting to take over a kingdom; if you enjoy shorter books, this doesn’t take long to read but still has many rich details and a full story inside; if you like figuring out puzzles and noticing small details and not having everything spelled out for you, you’d like this novella.
-Melissa
Evie has given up on love, in the real world and in her once-beloved contemporary romance novels. How can she when her parents have just gotten a divorce? When she suddenly acquires the ability to see the end of a couple’s relationship (and as Evie will tell you, they always end) it only confirms her belief that love isn’t worth the time because no one gets out unscathed. And yet, when Evie gets partnered with X at the La Brea Dance Studio, she can’t help herself from noticing all his positive qualities, and she can’t walk away. So now Evie must navigate a world where she is confronted by love and visions of its subsequent heartbreak everywhere she goes, while trying to keep herself out of its snare.
I loved so much about “Instructions for Dancing.” The premise is a little goofy (suddenly she can see the whole “lifespan” of a relationship when she watches a couple kiss?), but it lends itself well to the challenges Evie is facing as she grapples with love and the risk that it is. Yoon is a great writer; she breaks from a standard storytelling mode to seamlessly integrate Evie’s visions and texts with friends in a way that moves the story along without it feeling awkward.
Three words that describe this book: Delightful, unique, heartwarming
You might want to pick this book up if: You might pick this book if you enjoy Nicola Yoon’s other works, YA romance, romantic comedies or dancing.
-Sarah
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading 2021. We will continue to share these throughout the year.
“First Comes Like” is about a young, single woman who also happens to be a fashion influencer. As seems to be the case with on-line communications, she becomes engaged in a flirtatious convo with somebody and alllllll the things go askew. I loved this fun romp … it was light-hearted and easy while still being substantial enough to thoroughly enjoy. I also really appreciated the multi-cultural considerations when it comes to dating, love and marriage.
Three words that describe this book: fun, funny, thoughtful
You might want to pick this book up if: You’re in the mood for summer fluff with nutritional value.
-Kate
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading 2021. We will continue to share these throughout the year.
