Chapter 27 - Each and Every Summer

A few weeks back I wrote a blog about new books that I was excited to read. I could probably do this every week because it seems that every week I pick up another book to add to the pile. Summertime is always a good time for new books and I seem to read more in summer anyway. I am not a big TV person so I'm not sure why my reading steps up at this time. It might be that there are just so many good books out there. It is also reminiscent of when we had to do summer reading in school and write book reports. This was one of my favorite things!

Summer is also a time when I catch up on the new books I've been collecting since the beginning of the year (or since the book came out, really). Some of my favorite authors, like Elin Hilderbrand, Daniel Silva, Emily Henry, and Mary Kay Andrews, release summer books and I can't wait until that happens. So here are some books I've read lately which I'm recommending you add to your summer reading list.

The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba by Chanel Cleeton - As I mentioned in a previous blog, Chanel Cleeton is a favorite author of mine. I love it that her books are published in trade paperback which makes them less expensive and extremely portable. While this story has three main characters in in, only one Evangelina Cisneros, was a real person. Her story, reported by William Randolph Hearst's New York Journal, may have been the incentive America needed to help Cuba win its freedom from Spanish rule.

The Sunflower Sisters by Martha Hall Kelly - Kelly's first novel was The Lilac Girls which was about Caroline Ferriday and her role in helping women after World War II. The Sunflower Sisters is about the Woolsey sisters (Caroline's ancestors) and their mission to help slaves escape to freedom during the American Civil War. I learned a lot and kept checking the internet for pictures of these remarkable women.

Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro - Ishiguro often writes about dystopian societies and how the dystopia effects people. This was a book club book for me in June and I think it is probably one of the best books I've read all year. Klara is an AF, artificial friend, who waits in a store window just waiting to be picked by the right child. Along comes Josie, a girl with an unspecified illness, who thinks Klara is just right for her, and so begins Klara's job as an AF. This is a terrific book club selection with no end of themes to discuss.

We Begin At the End by Chris Whitaker - A small town police chief with a secret, a convict getting out of prison after 30 years, an unscrupulous real estate developer, murder and a 13 year old who thinks she can solved the mystery - what could be better? My friend Stacy recommended this and I am so glad she did as the book kept me captivated until the very end!

Last Summer at the Golden Hotel by Elyssa Friedland - The Weingold and Goldman families have owned the Golden Hotel in the Catskills since the early 60's. In 2018, it is falling apart as are the lives of many of the family members. Founder Benny has just died, founder Amos at 84 isn't getting any younger, the children and grandchildren have very little interest in the hotel and, most importantly, an highly lucrative sale offer has been made with a decision needed in 5 days. Can the Golden be saved or is it too late for all?

Are there any books you are recommending this summer? Let me know.