June Reading
A mostly complete book stack
Summer is probably my best reading time. It’s when I put social media limits on myself and have more free time to read. I attack my to-be-read list, and anything else that library holds will allow.
Here’s what I’ve finished/started in the last week or so.
Handle With Care by Lore Ferguson Wilbert. I heard about this book from Annie B. Jones, owner of the Bookshelf in Georgia, and I have really been thinking about it ever since. In a society in which touch is misunderstood or used to take advantage--or, in the current season, when it’s a danger--the author reminds us that Jesus used touch as part of his ministry. This is the first book I started, and I’m really interested in what she has to say. It’s one of only two nonfiction in this stack, and while I’m not expecting it to be light, I am expecting it to bring hope.
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett, a Book of the Month pick (and if you’re interested in Book of the Month, send me a message and I’ll find a discount code for you). Twin sisters grow up together in rural Louisiana and part ways in their early adulthood. One lives in an African American community. The other lives as a white woman. This is one of the few on the list I’ve already finished, and it’s powerful in its message on identity, race, family, and home. I immediately gave this book to my husband and am looking forward to the conversations we will have with the reflection of the current cultural context.
The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner. I love Jane Austen, and putting her name on a cover is a good way to make me want to buy a book. This one is historical fiction and came highly recommended by almost everybody I’ve seen. It’s about a group of people who tried to found the Jane Austen Society in her hometown of Chawton just after World War II. I finished it last night, and it is a sweet delight.
The Bright Side of Going Dark by Kelly Harms. I got her book The Overdue Life of Amy Byler for Christmas and really enjoyed it. It was a light read but one that clicked with me because it followed a mom who needed a break. I’m only a few chapters into this novel, which is about a social media influencer who goes offline to experience her real life. As someone who loves Instagram way too much, I’m interested in what this book will say.
Here’s what’s on my stack next.
Of Literature and Lattes by Katherine Reay. I have always enjoyed Reay’s writing. Her books are perfect light escapes. The Printed Letter Bookshop was my favorite, and since this is apparently a continuation of some part of that story, I have been anticipating this one for a while. This is the kind of book I always want in the summer. Also, I’m a sucker for books with literature references.
All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven. This was a Book of the Month Club pick that I missed, then heard about later. It’s YA, which I’m all about lately. I’ve seen it compared to Eleanor & Park and The Fault in Our Stars, which I also loved.
Most Likely by Sarah Watson. Four lifelong girlfriends. One will become President of the United States...but which one? I heard about this novel from Annie B. Jones too, and I’m intrigued by the premise and the unique ways our backgrounds shape our futures.
The Big Finish by Brooke Fossey. I honestly don’t remember why I put this one on my list, except that the description mentioned “curmudgeon,” which reminded me irresistibly of Backman’s A Man Called Ove. It was tabbed as a feel-good read, which feels essential to me lately.
The Book of Delights by Ross Gay. This was recommended by Shauna Niequist, one of my favorite authors, and it’s a book of essays that focuses on simple joys. I don’t know much more about it, except that the author is a poet, and I tend to love essays written by poets. I can’t wait to get to this one.
The Boyfriend Project by Farrah Rochon. For some reason I especially love stories of love and friendship in the summer. The main character finds out on Twitter that the guy she is seeing is also seeing two other women. The three of them band together, dump the guy, and form a friendship.
I’m afraid to put down a book that turns out not to be for me, so I may not finish all of these, but I’m excited at all the possibilities they hold--for fun, for learning, for new perspective, for hope.
Here’s to summer reading!