OT: Summer Beach Reads - YouLookFab Forum

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OT: Summer Beach Reads

Debora

Veteran

I hope you don't mind indulging me, but I would love to hear what you all are reading this summer. This is such a well-read forum and I'm looking for suggestions.

I just finished Paula McLain's The Paris Wife, a historical fiction novel about Hadley Richardson, Ernest Hemingway's first wife. I started off my Paris in the 1920's kick by first rereading Hemingway's A Moveable Feast. I then saw the movie Midnight in Paris (which I adored) and then went on to read McLain's novel in which Hadley narrates their marriage and time in Paris through her own eyes and voice.

So, what books are on your nightstand or beach towel this summer?

Book Club

18 replies

Latest reply was from Debora

judy

Veteran

Debora, I'm about halfway through The Paris Wife right now! Not at the beach here in currently cloudy Seattle, but instead, under a blanket with the cold 60 degree wind blowing. Still fun, though. It makes me want to read Hemingway again, which I haven't since we were assigned him in High School.

Before that I read Tina Fey's Bossypants....a gift from my son who is visiting. She is one clever, funny, down to earth woman. Very fun read. We've been rereading parts of it out loud for a good laugh.

I really enjoyed the movie Midnight in Paris too.

taylor

Veteran

That sounds like a great read...I haven't had anytime to read anything yet...I will be watching this thread for ideas:)

Inge

(website)

Oh I almost missed this. The Paris Wife sounds interesting.

I promised myself to first catch up with what's currently on my shelves and hasn't been read yet, so most of these titles have been out for a while/a long time;-)

- Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson
- The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows
= two sweet and disarming books, but with very real and difficult issues and times at the heart of them (WWII and racism)

I always have a few books waiting for me where there's food involved too:
- Toast by Nigel Slater. I loved this! Beautifully written. Quite terse, detached even, yet heartbreaking, hilarious and vividly spot on.
- Bento Box in the Heartland, My Japanese Girlhood in Whitebread America by Linda Furiya.
- A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg (still have to read this one).

- Case Histories by Kate Atkinson, a detective story.

- The Crimson Petal and the White by Michael Faber. High time I finally start in it, I've had it for ages.

Debora

Veteran

Thanks Judy, Taylor and Inge! I appreciate your recommendations. I've been reading up a storm and have gone through my stack of books-to-be read.

Judy, I love Tina Fey and will look for Bossypants. Love that title!

Inge, I enjoyed The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society. It was a sweet book! I will have to look for Major Pettigrew and check out your other suggestions. Thanks!

Irene

Veteran

I don't know, right now I'm onto 'the classics', reading Forster's Howards End I could recommend you The Time TRavele'rs Wife, maybe...

nicoleb

(website)

Veteran

Hmm well i read mostly urban fantasy so i don't know if you'd want my recommendations. I'm also on a dystopian book kick right now. I'm kind of nerdy :B

You could read, "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan" by Lisa See. I saw they just made it into a movie. I read it last year and it was enjoyable and slightly....painful in parts. This year I read "Shanghai Girls" by the same author.

I have a goal to read 150 books this year (last year i read 113) and so far i'm 40 books in! Maybe i should get off the computer and back to reading lol

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I recently finished "The Swan Thieves" by Elizabeth Kostova and really enjoyed it. Currently reading "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand (author of Seabiscuit), and it's very compelling so far.

Up next, "The Summer Guest" by Justin Cronin.

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

I devoured The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery on the plane back from Hawaii. Warning, the ending made me cry.

Anonymous

Nicole, I just read a dystopian YA book that kept me turning the pages: Matched by Ally
Condie.

Steph

Veteran

Annagybe, I read the Elegance of the Hedgehog on the plane back from Hawaii too! On the plane TO Hawaii I read Sarah's Key, which I would never suggest anyone read on a plane. Good book, but the tears were pouring down my face for half the flight, which was very embarrassing.

Aziraphale

Veteran

Waaaah no time for reading yet! I'll be checking back here for ideas.

Debora

Veteran

Airin, I loved the Time Traveler's Wife but somehow missed the movie!

Nicole, I like dystopian books. too. I've read Never Let Me Go and Brave New World this year so far, and last year it was Handmaid's Tale and Fahrenheit 451. I also like fantasy and am a big Harry Potter and Lord of the Ring's fan. I haven't heard of urban fantasy before...do you have any good recommendations? I'm impressed with your reading goal! Oh, and Snow Flower was great! I'm looking forward to the movie.

Janet, I loved The Swan Thieves and looked for just picked up a Justin Cronin book at the library today called The Passage.

Anna and Steph, Elegance of the Hedgehog was great! I love her writing and have also read her book Gourmet Rhapsody.

Steph, I read Sarah's Key this past winter and it made me cry, too.

Alicat, I'll look for Matched!

lynn

Veteran

Another vote for "Unbroken". Everyone should read this!

nicoleb

(website)

Veteran

Alicat - I have Matched in ebook format but haven't read yet! Glad to hear you enjoyed it.

Debora - I just finished Fahrenheit 451 a couple weeks ago! I loved it. Urban Fantasy is basically fantasy stories in a modern day setting. Here are a few of my favorite series in the genre:

The Fever series by Karen Marie Moning - this is my very favorite or close to it.
Dark Swan series by Richelle Mead - I got to meet this author and i love all the series she writes.
Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews - first book is slow but the rest out so far rock.
The Disillusionists Trilogy by Carolyn Crane - Only two out so far but this series is so good.

I'll stop there.

Anonymous

I have the Hedgehog book on my shelf, but if it's making everyone cry I will keep it on hold. Real life has made me cry enough in 2011!

I got Witches of East End by Melissa de la Cruz from the library today. This is the first book in a series, hope it's good.

Linda

I just loved the Paris Wife! My summer reading is much lighter than my normal fare, but so far I have enjoyed (in order of preference) Before I go to Sleep (a great thiriller), The Imperfectionists,, What Alice Forgot, Faith, Gone wit a Handomer Man (not exactly literature, but fun and kind of stupid). I also read Cloepatra, but that's much more serious than any of the above books and not exactly light reading. II just started An American Heiress and so far it looks like it will be a good read.

Debora

Veteran

Lynn, I'm adding Unbroken to my list.

Nicole, thanks for the recommendations. I don't know if this would be classified as Urban Fantasy, but I enjoyed reading The Discovery of Witches this past spring.

Ali, I'm adding your book to my list, too. I'm always up for a good fantasy tale!

Linda, thanks for the great suggestions! I actually have Before I go to Sleep on my list of books I want to get from the library. I can't remember how I heard of it (either a newspaper review or the Today show) but it got a great review. I'm glad to hear you liked it and I'll check out your other titles, too.

Debora

Veteran

Oops, double post! Sorry!