Gearing Up for Summer Reading (My recs and my TBR list!)

 

Memorial Day weekend always feels like the kickoff to summer...despite the rain,  gray skies and 60 degree highs we're experiencing here in Michigan.

I've read some great books in recent months, and I'm happy to pass on some recommendations.

You should know that I'm not a big reader of the latest hot fiction best sellers that we are inundated with at every book store and grocery store. I tend to read older books, but there are a few new titles that I enjoy, too. I like cozy, comforting books. I like mysteries. I like a story that warms my heart, not troubles my mind.

With that being said, here are some great reads that I really enjoyed!

Mrs. Lorimer's Quiet Summer by Molly Clavering

Miss Buncle's Book by D.E. Stevenson

Vittoria Cottage by D.E. Stevenson

The above three are very "small village life" stories. Delightful

Gilead by Marilynne Robinson : A 2004 Pulitzer Prize winner for good reason. The prose...so beautiful! The story, told in epistolary form, slowly unfolds. A masterpiece.

Parnassus on Wheels by Christopher Morley: I was about a third of the way into this book when I knew I'd be sad when it ended. Just a joy. Funny, touching. 

Over the Gate by Miss Read

Farther Afield by Miss Read

Miss Read's books are also "small village life" from a bygone era.

Coming Home by Rosamunde Pilcher

A LONG book, but I was sucked into it and couldn't put it down. Fantastic.

The Kitchen Front by Jennifer Ryan

The Underground Library by Jennifer Ryan

Both of these stories take place in England during WW2, and both tell stories of how women coped during trying days.

The President's Hat by Antoine Laurain

Very French, but also funny.

The Hopkins Manuscript by R.C. Sherriff

This story is a bit of a sci-fi adventure, and yet so much more. I was sad to see it end!

And here are some books on my To Be Read list. I have a pretty good pile!

Some old, some new. Some mysteries, some cozy reads. I may not get to all of them (and I may find new titles that get added to the list!). So many books, so little time!

Happy reading friends!