Five Books to Devour This Summer
Summer's nearly here—that means it's time to prep for vacation. For me, that requires finding at least three to four books to load onto my Kindle (or borrow from the library, if I don't plan on going near water). I'm a pretty avid user of GoodReads, so it makes it easy to find recommendations when friends ask for them. In the past year, I've picked up some enthralling reads that are worth bringing along on your vacay. Note, not all of these are recently published books, but rather ones that I've enjoyed in the past few months.
"Bonjour Kale: A Memoir of Paris, Love and Recipes," Kristen Beddard
The story of how one expat woman left her beloved behind when she moved to France-her beloved kale, that is. Unable to find le chou kale anywhere upon moving to the City of Light with her new husband, and despite not really speaking French, Kristen Beddard launched a crusade to single-handedly bring kale to the country of croissants and cheese.
My GoodReads rating: 4/5 stars
Average GoodReads rating: 3.6/5 stars
"The Girl with No Past," Kathryn Croft
Leah Mills lives a life of a fugitive – kept on the run by one terrible day from her past. It is a lonely life, without a social life or friends until – longing for a connection – she meets Julian. For the first time she dares to believe she can live a normal life. Then, on the fourteenth anniversary of that day, she receives a card. Someone knows the truth about what happened. Someone who won’t stop until they’ve destroyed the life Leah has created.
My GoodReads rating: 4/5 stars
Average GoodReads rating: 3.58/5 stars
"Behind Closed Doors," B.A. Paris
Everyone knows a couple like Jack and Grace: he has looks and wealth, she has charm and elegance. You'd like to get to know Grace better. But it's difficult, because you realize Jack and Grace are never apart. Some might call this true love. So why are there bars on one of the bedroom windows?
My GoodReads rating: 5/5 stars
Average GoodReads rating: 3.94/5 stars
"Come Away with Me," Karma Brown
One minute, Tegan Lawson has everything she could hope for: an adoring husband, Gabe, and a baby on the way. The next, a patch of black ice causes a devastating accident. Tegan is consumed by grief, not to mention her anger toward Gabe, who was driving on the night of the crash. But just when she thinks she's hit rock bottom, Gabe reminds her of their Jar of Spontaneity, a collection of their dream destinations and experiences, and so begins an adventure of a lifetime. From the bustling markets of Thailand to the flavors of Italy to the ocean waves in Hawaii, Tegan and Gabe embark on a journey to escape the tragedy and search for forgiveness.
My GoodReads rating: 5/5 stars
Average GoodReads rating: 4.08/5 stars
"The Man of My Dreams," Curtis Sittenfeld
Hannah Gavener is 14 in the summer of 1991. Over the next decade and a half, as she moves from Philadelphia to Boston to Albuquerque, Hannah finds that the questions become more rather than less complicated: At what point can you no longer blame your adult failures on your messed-up childhood? Is settling for someone who’s not your soul mate an act of maturity or an admission of defeat? And if you move to another state for a guy who might not love you back, are you being plucky or just pathetic? By the time she’s in her late 20s, Hannah has finally figured out what she wants most—but she doesn’t yet know whether she’ll find the courage to go after it.
My GoodReads rating: 5/5 stars
Average GoodReads rating: 3.2/5 stars
