Off-Topic Summer Reading

[alisoncooks]

Originally Posted by Erica H.

I got this one as a goodreads giveaway and liked it but didn't love it.

Same. I loved the midwife stuff — both my girls were caught by a midwife and I enjoy reading about it. But the historical time/location just felt a bit too bleak. I realize that was reality but I personally try to avoid reading overly sad material — I find it sticks with me more than I want.

[KarenJo]

Originally Posted by DD546

Just finished The School of Essential Ingredients. It was a delightful book! This was recommended by Beth (I think). It was a quick read and I really enjoyed it.

Originally Posted by toaster

I did, although I think someone else here recommended it to me; so glad you found it as delightful as I did! Speaking of sequels, there is one to this book as well (it's good but not as good).

I recommended it to Beth. Glad to see someone else who liked it. Besides the sequel, The Lost Art of Mixing, she has another novel, Joy for Beginners, and a nonfiction book, House Lessons, about buying and remodeling an old house. I liked all of them. ETA She is Erica Bauermeister.

I recently read Anne Youngson's two novels - The Narrowboat Summer and Meet Me at the Museum - and liked them both. Meet Me at the Museum is epistolary - told through letters between two characters. The Narrowboat Summer is two women who just met going way out of their comfort zone to help another woman they just met by moving her live-aboard boat up the narrow English canals to the guy who is going to do some work on it. The plots of both are really learning about yourself and what you really want in life and what you are willing to do about it. Narrowboat also has a lot of location, character and social description.

[Laura S.]

I finished Angels of the Pacific by Elise Hooper. I thought it was her best book so far, and I've enjoyed them all.

[Paine]

I just started Three Wishes by Liane Moriarty and I'm also reading Hello, Molly! by Molly Shannon.

[Erica H.]

Originally Posted by Paine

I just started [I] I'm also reading Hello, Molly! by Molly Shannon.

I really liked Hello Molly. I don't even like Molly Shannon's work and don't know how I ended up reading her book but I loved it and thought very highly of her after finishing it. Usually memoirs have the opposite effect on me.

Erica

[Schnauzeritis]

Just finished The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James. I liked it.

Now I'm reading The Last House on the Street by Diane Chamberlain. On Chapter 12 and loving it.

[Paine]

Originally Posted by Erica H.

I really liked Hello Molly. I don't even like Molly Shannon's work and don't know how I ended up reading her book but I loved it and thought very highly of her after finishing it. Usually memoirs have the opposite effect on me.

Erica

Erica H., I'm enjoying Hello Molly so far. I didn't realize she had so much trauma as a child. I know what you mean about memoirs changing your impression of someone. I ended up not liking Matthew McConaughey after I read his memoir (and I never expected that to happen).

[SpiritYogi]

I just finished The Foundling by Ann Leary. Great story based on historical facts.

Excerpt from the summary:

Inspired by a true story about the author’s grandmother, The Foundling offers a rare look at a shocking chapter of American history. This gripping page-turner will have readers on the edge of their seats right up to the stunning last page…asking themselves, “Did this really happen here?”

[Erica H.]

Originally Posted by Dena

I just finished The Foundling by Ann Leary. Great story based on historical facts.

Excerpt from the summary:

Inspired by a true story about the author’s grandmother, The Foundling offers a rare look at a shocking chapter of American history. This gripping page-turner will have readers on the edge of their seats right up to the stunning last page…asking themselves, “Did this really happen here?”

Looks good! Thank you! I put it on my to-read list on Goodreads.

Erica

[SpiritYogi]

Originally Posted by Erica H.

Looks good! Thank you! I put it on my to-read list on Goodreads.

Erica

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.