Ending the beach vacation with a truly beachy read. Sex and Vanity is the latest by Kevin Kwan and on the surface it’s pretty empty and quite predictable. But, there are some interesting introspective race/ethnicity components, fascinating descriptions of clothing, education, and home decor, and it’s irreverent and funny. Overall, I found the story to be enjoyable despite it’s generally frivolous nature. This was the second-to-last of my summer want-to-reads. I look forward to completing my two lists and reviewing them all together before the end of the month.

Emma Donoghue’s latest, The Pull of the Stars, was riveting from the first page. It’s the story of Nurse Julia Powers who is on a maternity/flu ward in Dublin during the height of the Great Flu in 1918. Boy, does it feel timely. I really enjoy Donoghue (Akin, Frog Music, and Room) and historical fiction. This latest of hers was no exception – I blazed through it in a day. Grab it, even though it’s a bit dark and the ending, in my opinion, is a little too quick and too perfect.

Mystery/thrillers are not my usual cup of tea, but I generally enjoy them. The Chestnut Man by Soren Sveistrup was a great one and a perfect chilling summer read. While it was long, I couldn’t stop reading. Amazon describes it perfectly and succinctly: “A psychopath is terrorizing Copenhagen. His calling card is a “chestnut man”—a handmade doll made of matchsticks and two chestnuts—which he leaves at each bloody crime scene. Examining the dolls, forensics makes a shocking discovery—a fingerprint belonging to a young girl, a government minister’s daughter who had been kidnapped and murdered a year ago. To save innocent lives, a pair of detectives must put aside their differences to piece together the Chestnut Man’s gruesome clues.” It’s really good, though a little gorey.

I should have read Just Mercy by Brian Stevenson a long time ago. It has come through my Little Free Library numerous times and has been on my shelf for longer than I would like to admit. What a terrible and engrossing story Stevenson tells about the work he does and the problems with incarceration and racism in our country. If you haven’t read it, add it to your list right away. And, next, I should take on the movie. Does anyone have opinions about which is better, the book or the movie?

I started this one with some skepticism. It was almost the same story as one I had read earlier in the summer: Come Away With Me. However, this was better-written and very readable. Kate’s husband is killed and she is engaged to someone else 12 years later. But she begins having very vivid dreams about her husband and daughter that lead her to make choices that change the course of her life. It’s a great summer read and if you haven’t read Come Away With Me, it’s even better.

I’m not sure how Necessary People by Anna Pitoniak ended up on my list, but it was on there for a while and then on Kindle sale. So, even though I had a hefty set of new titles to finish before the end of the summer, I picked this one up. I haven’t read many thrillers this summer, so it was a change of pace. This wasn’t as much of a thriller as I expected. But, it had some good twists and even though I didn’t really like the characters, the story was good. Amazon says: “Stella and Violet are best friends, and from the moment they met in college, they knew their roles. Beautiful, privileged, and reckless Stella lives in the spotlight. Hardworking, laser-focused Violet stays behind the scenes, always ready to clean up the mess that Stella inevitably leaves in her wake….Stella might be the one with the rich family and the right friends, but Violet isn’t giving up so easily. As she and Stella strive for success, each reveals just how far she’ll go to get what she wants — even if it means destroying the other person along the way. Beach read? Yes.

I read about The Beauty in the Breaking by Michele Harper in multiple locations, including the NYT. And, the author went to my high school! I always like reading books by my fellow Eagles. Elizabeth Gilbert (Eat, Pray, Love) sung the praises of The Beauty in the Breaking, so I thought I would grab a copy. And, it’s a timely choice – the memoir of an emergency room doctor. What a wonderful book. It’s sad, but, if you, like me, loved ER or Grey’s Anatomy (is that show STILL on?), you will enjoy this book that not only lets you in to the author’s life, but into the emergency room too. It’s a page-turner and a great read.

I have had Memorial Drive on my TBR list ever since I read it was coming out, many months ago. And, imagine my surprise, when I ordered it from P&P and it came as a signed first edition! What fun. And, it’s a beautifully written memoir and a very sad story. Treadway’s mother was murdered by her stepfather. It’s a spare book and gorgeously written. Absolutely worth reading.

When You Read This by Mary Adkins has been on my To Be Read list for a long time. I have no idea why. It’s a sweet, quick read, told entirely in blog posts, emails, and texts. Iris learns at the beginning that she has six months to live. It’s her story, the story of her boss, who owns a failing marketing firm, and each of their families. I didn’t like it at first, but it grew on me. And, it’s available at the library (though I paid a few dollars for it on my Kindle).

I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith has been on my shelf for longer than I can remember. I think I have brought it to the beach on multiple occasions and never read it. So, this year I tackled it. Many people have told me they loved it. It was certainly slow to start and very old-fashioned feeling. However, in the end, I did enjoy the story. Would I put it on the list of my top reads? No, but it was good.