So Much Reading…
June is here, my friends. The days are longer, the sun is mostly shining, and I am (as always) thinking about summer reading. I decided to keep the party going and create yet another list of books to pack in your beach bag this summer. I love to read, and sharing suggestions with friends, and now friends of friends, is fun for me!
I started making lists of book recommendations nineteen years ago. For the first six years I wrote curated lists in word documents that I shared with friends and colleagues. Thirteen years ago I got fancy and switched to creating a blog, and the rest is history as they say! I know I need to switch to a “hipper” platform, but my laziness and procrastination make this platform good enough for one more year! And no, I don’t write my blog with AI, Chat GPT, or any other nonsense that might get in the way of my need to babble about the only talent I actually have which is reading, a LOT!
What a year for reading! I am inspired by so many people listening to audiobooks, reading on their Kindles, and of course, reading print books! Excitement for reading is contagious and I adore hearing what everyone is reading.
This was a banner year for books! So many clever choices to spark conversations. Theo of Golden by Allen Levi and The Correspondent by Virginia Evans are just two of the books that had readers chatting and sharing. I recommend both if you have not already read them. Strangers by Belle Burden is another book that not only sparked conversations, but also social-media firestorms. In my school, I have passed my copy of Strangers around and around and I love seeing the response of my colleagues when they return the book. Everyone is usually quite angry at “the husband” as I call him, and have words of opposition for his choices. I love it! So much reading!
I hope you can find a book on this list that you enjoy enough to pass along to a friend.
This summer, I wish you sunshine, joy, and Oh…So Much Reading!
Cherylann
 | Summerland Cove by Ellen Baker Mariner Books describes this book as a, “beach read with teeth.” A summer of celebrations turns into a season of drama-complete with a missing husband, a messy family, and a coastal Maine summer falling apart! Be sure to pack this book with the picturesque cover in your LL Bean Boat and Tote and be ready to laugh, cry, and reflect!
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 | Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hochhauser Well, well, well…Our fave bookseller Jen Sullivan from Barrington Books is recommending a reimagining of Cinderella? I am not sure what in the world of twisted fantasy is happening to Jen, but I am here for it. Jen explained in a passionate text, “When was the last time I recommended or even read a fantasy novel?.. ummm never! This re-characterization of the evil stepmother from Cinderella surprised me in so many ways! Obviously, it still contained some of my favorite themes in the original story; heartbreak, redemption, love, and family trauma, but this retelling recasts all you thought you knew about this fairytale. At its core, Lady Tremaine is about an unapologetically fierce mother who will do whatever it takes to build a future for her children, to literally keep a roof over their heads. I found it impossible not to cheer for her as she goes into full mom mode! Oh and that precious prince. . . he ain’t all that!”
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 | Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke Full disclosure: I did not want to read this book that the NY Times called “Best Book of the Year(So far)” because the reviews said it was about a “tradwife influencer.” “What a ridiculous term,” I declared! Even my trusty(somewhat bossy) bibliognost friend Jen Sullivan couldn’t convince me to read it. I finally gave in to Jen, as one does, and read it. Of course, she was right - do I dare put that in writing? This book will keep you on your toes as it exposes the perfect life of a woman documenting her farm life on social media. In a “what the f*** move,” the farm wife(see there I go avoiding the term tradwife) becomes a real farm wife in 1855! This book kept me on my toes, even when it aggravated the crap out of me. I even attended a book event to hear women strongly debating this book from page to page!
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What Remains by Carole Radziwill Is it even a summer book list from me if there isn’t a book about the Kennedys on it? My friend Christine Griffin also loves a book that gives us a glimpse into the world of the Kennedys. Christine explains, “When Love Story ended, this book practically fell into my lap. The tragic story of JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette was front and center again, and the title of Carole Radziwill’s memoir perfectly captures the soul of it all. Growing up in a small town, Carole's life changes completely when she meets Polish prince Anthony Radziwill—nephew of John F. Kennedy—while covering the Menendez Brothers trial in Los Angeles. They eventually marry. Radziwill’s story centers on one terrible summer: the moment they had to stop pretending Anthony was going to beat cancer. Along the way, Radziwill and Carolyn Bessette become dear friends. Then, the unthinkable happens. While Carole is preparing for her husband’s imminent death—and John F. Kennedy Jr. is actually writing the eulogy—John and Carolyn are tragically killed in a plane crash off Martha’s Vineyard. Unforgettable writing.”
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The Pact by Sharon Bolton Christine picked two books to recommend this year and she said, in ALL CAPS - - “I COULD NOT PUT THIS BOOK DOWN! It starts with a golden summer and six talented teenagers looking forward to the brightest of futures—until a daredevil game goes horribly wrong, leaving three strangers dead. The plot is fast paced, packed with twists and turns right up until the very last page.” Is there anything better than a thriller on the beach? I am definitely taking Christine’s suggestion and packing this twisty thriller in my beach bag!
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 | Strangers-A Memoir of Marriage by Belle Burden Let’s face it-this is one of the books that everyone has been talking about this year. Belle is all over social media and on many talkshows. Women are either pissed at Belle’s husband or pissed that Belle has some serious cash in her trust. I personally loved this book and cheered for Belle. As avid reader Carolyn McGarry says, “I don’t often pick up non-fiction but my reader friend Susan raved and lent this to me - promising I would devour it. She was right…I think it took me all of 48 hours and I couldn’t stop thinking about it! Strangers is the true story of the break up of Belle Burden’s 20 year marriage when her husband suddenly leaves her and her children during Covid. She is completely blindsided as she thought they had a loving marriage and were living a fairly idyllic life. The book delves into her utter despair and confusion about the man she thought she knew and the family and financial ramifications of the split. It’s a truly heartbreaking memoir - a story of betrayal that makes you want to google the husband and cheer for Belle as she builds a new life. I highly recommend it!!”
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 | Into the Blue by Emma Brodie When I asked my librarian colleague, Melanie Roy for a pick for the list she instantly responded with her choice. Melanie loved this book and wrote, “Do you know that rare book that you simultaneously don't want to ever end while also needing to know the ending? The book that ruins it for all others for the next month or so? Into the Blue was that book for me. Two teens form an outrageously tight bond one summer. It's building up to a satisfying conclusion when one suddenly leaves without a goodbye. Seven years later, they meet again and the connection is still as wildly strong as before. It is a book filled with such intense yearning. If you loved Chris Whitaker's All the Colors of the Dark, you will devour Into the Blue.” I can’t wait to take Melanie’s suggestion and read this gem!
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 | Whistler by Ann Patchett My dear friend Ina Garten loved this book and exclaimed, “I couldn’t put it down.” I mean if Ina likes it, right? Maybe she read it while drinking a watermelon cosmo sitting with Jeffrey? At any rate, Ann Patchett is a lovely writer and this book is a story about two adults looking back over the choices they made, and the choices that were made for them. Beautiful in its simplicity, it is ultimately about how love endures, and how the feeling of being known by one other person, even for a short period of time, can change everything.
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 | Audiobook Pick: Mansion Beach by Meg Mitchell Moore I told my true blue- Darlene Amoroso that she could finally make the summer book list if she recommended an audiobook. She loves to listen to audiobooks while on the move and recommends this light read. Darlene shared, “Set on Block Island, the story leans heavily on atmosphere - ocean views, summer crowds, and quiet, reflective moments. Hearing those descriptions aloud can feel immersive, almost like someone is telling you a seaside story while you relax.”
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 | Down with the Shipmans by Meg Mitchell Moore This new book by the same author of Mansion Beach looks like a fun beach read! The New York Times has this book on “The Summer’s Best Beach Read List.” According to The Times, “The stakes are high, the drama is juicy, and the views are sublime.” Hmm… a juicy beach read with three sisters, beach dogs and drama over the family cottage? Count me in for this one - I’ll be under the umbrella with a seltzer escaping!
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| Cheers to Reading! | Happy Summer!
XO Cherylann |
