I get a lot of my book recommendations from the Popcast and Jamie recommended this one. It’s such a wonderful blend of silliness and heart. I laughed out loud multiple times and was reminded of how important diverse voices are. Although essay collections aren’t usually something I pick up, I am so glad I read this *gem* of a book.

Did you know there are beaches in Michigan? Well, I didn’t until I read this book which takes place on a beach but in Michigan. I’ve said before that romcoms aren’t really my thing, but I heard trusted reviewers say this one was indeed a good Beach Read. It was pretty spicy! But the writing was really good, and it was pretty funny. It inspired me to plan a beach trip to Michigan!

This is the book of the moment, and for good reason! I was on the fence about Brit Bennett’s debut ‘The Mothers’ but I really liked The Vanishing Half. It’s about twins who choose to live their lives completely differently. It’s compelling, thought-provoking, and so original.

I’m not sure how I felt about the ending of this book, but I loved the rest of it. The story is a little implausible: a married couple move their two and seven year old onto a boat for the summer and sail the Caribbean. One factor that makes me love a book is when it has a strong sense of place. It’s about marriage and what it really means to live. The husband and wife have different political views and I thought that was an interesting element. This one is for fans of Liane Moriarty, Little Fires Everywhere, and sailing 🙂

Guys, June was a tough month! I think I would have enjoyed this book more if it hadn’t been such a tough (few) months. This is about a teenager who goes missing in the mountains of Colorado. I think my brain is extra sensitive right now to hard stories, even when they’re fiction. If we weren’t in a global pandemic, I think I would have liked this a lot better lolz. I had two other complaints. First, it was too long. Fifty pages less would have suited me just fine. Second, some parts of the story were hard to follow. The writing is lyrical and used a lot of metaphors in the beginning and I was like ‘what is happening?’ If you can handle mysteries right now, I’d recommend this one.

When it’s summer and I’m in a book rut, I turn to Gabriel Allon. Reasons I love them: 1.) They’re fast moving. I can read one in a couple of days.
2.) They’re set in Europe and all over Europe, and in case you didn’t know, I LOVE EUROPE. 3.) You don’t have to read them in order (but I am because I’m a rule follower). 4.) They’re great spy books without being too complicated.