I read about the other americans by Laila Lalami and it sounded interesting. It’s the story of a family whose patriarch is killed in a hit-and-run accident and how they both cope with this loss and solve the murder mystery. I liked most of this book. The characters were interesting and the story was engaging. However, ultimately, I was disappointed. I thought the ending lacked ooompf and overall, it was unsatisfying. If I were you, I would give this one a pass.

The Secret of Clouds was a wonderful story. It’s partly about Katya and Sasha, Ukrainians who emigrate to America and have a son, Yuri, who has a heart defect. It’s also the tale of Maggie, a teacher who tutors Yuri at his home, since his illness prevents him from attending school. Maggie and Yuri’s relationship is the crux of the book, but the periphery stories about their relationships are interesting as well. If you are or have been a teacher, you’ll love this one.

Looking for a fantastic read? Grab Normal People by Sally Rooney. I have read many recent pieces about this wonderful book and it didn’t disappoint. It’s a love story full of regret and missed opportunities. Amazon says: “At school Connell and Marianne pretend not to know each other. He’s popular and well-adjusted, star of the school football team, while she is lonely, proud, and intensely private. But when Connell comes to pick his mother up from her job at Marianne’s house, a strange and indelible connection grows between the two teenagers—one they are determined to conceal.” I couldn’t put it down. It’s a must-add to your beach bag!

So, I have posted my choices for good summer reads that I have already vetted. This post covers those I am looking forward to biting off myself (*I tried to limit the list to ten, but I couldn’t do it). Let me know if you have read and enjoyed or hated any of them. They will be packed in my beach bag…

Memorial Day weekend around here was filled with chores, downtime, time with friends, and summer reading. A Good Enough Mother by Bev Thomas came off a summer reading list I saw a few weeks ago. I always enjoy a psychological thriller and this one was no exception. The narrator, a psychologist, has lost her twin son and ends up with a patient who looks just like him. Of course, this presents problems. This was a good, quick read, but nothing really edge-of-your-seat and nothing I would go out of my way for. OK, but not great.

Miracle Creek by Angie Kim (a local author) was an engaging read. I had never heard of the controversial and experimental medical treatment of therapeutic “dives,” a pressurized oxygen chamber that patients enter with the hope of curing things like autism or infertility. In this novel, the chamber explodes and one of the patient’s parents (not the device owner) is accused of murder. It’s a courtroom drama, and a very interesting one. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I might have enjoyed getting to know the characters more deeply, but that would have made the book too long. It’s a good summer choice.

I haven’t read any of Ruth Reichl’s books (even though a friend lent me Garlic and Sapphires years ago), but I was excited to pick up Save Me the Plums since I have heard so many good things about it. It’s on a ton of summer reading lists, including my favorite by Modern Mrs. Darcy. And, when I read the epigraph, which is one of my favorite poems by William Carlos Williams, I was sold. This is a wonderful memoir about the former editor of Gourmet magazine. Grab it and put it in your summer reading bag. You won’t be disappointed!

Of course I wanted to read The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo since Reese picked it for her Sunshine Book Club. It’s the story of Ji Lin who is helping her mother work off a mahjong debt by working at a dressmaker and a dance studio. One of Ji Lin’s dance partners accidentally drops a vial with a finger in it and Ji Len tries to figure out where the finger came from. At the same time, Ren has been told by the doctor he works for that he needs to reunite his severed finger with his body after his death. These are the alternating stories we learn as we read. While I didn’t love this one, it picked up as it went and I found myself enjoying it more and more as it got closer to the end. Overall, though, it would not be one of my best reads so far this year.

I enjoyed Lilac Girls and was excited to read Lost Roses by Martha Hall Kelly, even though it hasn’t been as well received. And, now that I have finished, I can see why. Lost Roses is about friends, living in Russia and New York during WWI. Eliza, Sofya, and Varinka lives are detailed through the book. The stories are interesting and I liked learning about the characters, but the book as a whole was too long. I am glad I read it, but it was slow-going.