My Summer in Books

Joe and I have been on a book buying rampage ever since we moved to Sacramento. There are SO MANY great independent bookstores around here, many of them are secondhand and super cheap, and somehow we find ourselves wandering into one weekly and walking out with a year's worth of books. You know it's a bad sign when instead of reigning in the book buying, you find yourself looking for an extra bookshelf instead. We know it's a tad excessive, but my book loving heart just can't help itself. 

I love reading other bloggers book reviews (I'm looking at you, Whitney!) and I keep thinking I'll join in one day, yet somehow month after month goes by and I never get around to it. Since tomorrow is the official first day of fall, the tips of the trees are turning yellow and red, and the weather is cool and crisp, I decided what better time to talk about summer books?? 😉 This whole year has been filled with so many great books, and I feel like I've been on a roll for somehow finding ones I love with very few duds mixed in. One thing I believe about books is that you have to read them at the right time for you. A book may have a wonderful plot and beautiful writing, but maybe it just doesn't resonate with you at that particular moment, for whatever reason. That's why you won't find too many current best-sellers in my pile of books. 

This summer I read twelve books (two not pictured because they're library books), and I'm going to order them from my favorite to least loved. I'll link to Goodreads, but instead of giving a full synopsis I'm just going to give my brief thoughts on each book.

"Until I feared to lose it, I never loved reading. One does not love breathing."

1. To Kill a Mockingbird - I'm not sure how I managed to get all the way through school without having to read this book, but I feel like I missed out. It was such a fast moving story with lovable characters and is sadly still so relevant today. I think it's hard to write from a child's perspective targeted to an adult audience, and Lee managed to do that beautifully. Fun fact: that tattered copy in that stack of books above once belonged to my grandmother, and this was her favorite book. Goodreads rating: 4.25 🌟 My rating: 5 🌟

"There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside of you."

2. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings - Yet another book I probably should've read by now, but hadn't. Maya Angelou's eloquence, and most of all, her resilience, are so inspiring. She lived through things nobody should have to live through, and she came out of it all with a love of humanity. I will definitely be reading more of her books in the near future. Goodreads rating: 4.19 🌟 My rating: 5 🌟

"But who can remember pain, once it's over? All that remains of it is a shadow, not in the mind even, in the flesh."

3. The Handmaid's Tale - I originally read this thinking I'd watch the hulu series, but sneaking in TV time is pretty rare, so I still haven't gotten around to that. The book was fantastic though. I liked the way the plot unfolded and details of Offred's past and the Republic of Gilead slowly became more apparent and horrifying. I felt emotionally drained after reading this, which is a sign the author did her job well. Goodreads rating: 4.06 🌟 My rating: 5 🌟

"That short time would be enough. A few days could contain a lifetime."

4. The Little Paris Bookshop - Any book that has "bookshop" in the title automatically piques my interest. Throw in the fact that this author also happens to share my first name, and obviously I had to read it. My good friend Courtney was kind enough to send me a copy for my birthday and I was excited to dive right in. I found the beginning a little slow, but a few chapters in it really picked up for me and the writing was so beautiful it wound up being one of my favorite summer books. Goodreads rating: 3.51 🌟 My rating: 4 🌟

"Black bears rarely attack...That doesn't happen often, but - and here is the absolutely salient point - once would be enough."

5. A Walk in the Woods - This was the quintessential summer book. It was an easy read, a nice woodsy setting, unforgettable characters, and it was hilarious. I was cracking up through most of the beginning, and, unfortunately for Joe, I found it so funny I had to interrupt whatever he was doing so I could read aloud to him several times. The first half is definitely the strongest, and then the story shifts settings and loses momentum, but I still finished it quickly and immediately wanted to read more of Bryson's work. Based on other Goodread reviews, you either love his sense of humor, or you hate it, but the same seems to be true of most author's writing styles. Goodreads rating: 4.05 🌟 My rating: 4 🌟

"People think a soulmate is your perfect fit, and that's what everyone wants. But a true soul mate is a mirror, the person who shows you everything that's holding you back, the person who brings you to your own attention so you can change your life."

6. Eat, Pray, Love - This was my second time reading this book. The first time was much closer to when it originally came out, and was also at a time when I was going through a breakup, so it really resonated with me. At this point in my life I found it a lot sadder and overall less enjoyable, though it did give me the travel bug. Gilbert's detractors seem to find her completely self-centered, and I agree that her life choices aren't for everyone, but I don't read books to judge the author's/characters choices, as long as it's written in a way that I can put myself in their shoes for 200-300 pages. Fun fact: Elizabeth Gilbert  and I share a birthday. Goodreads rating: 3.51 🌟 My rating: 4 🌟

7. Another Little Piece of My Heart - If you, like me, have a special place in your heart for hippie culture, then this is a must-read. I wish I could go back in time to San Francisco during the Summer of Love, or to see Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, and the Beatles in concert, but since that can never happen the second best thing is to read a first hand account by someone who wasn't only there, but actually knew many of the musicians personally, and is able to write about his experiences lucidly and eloquently. All the protests, the thrills, the free love, and the dark side of the drugs are in this book. It doesn't paint a picture of peace signs and flowers, but I love that it gives a real account of what it was like to live through the 60s. Goodreads rating: 3.69 🌟 My rating: 4 🌟

"You're not necessarily supposed to believe it...You're just supposed to believe in it."

8. Big Fish - I saw the Tim Burton version of this book a long time ago, and while it was ok, I didn't love it. Yet somehow I was drawn to this book when I saw it at the secondhand store. It's a super quick read, and I liked the mixture of fantasy with reality. Definitely a case of liking the book better than the movie, but still a middle of the road book for me. Goodreads rating: 3.64 🌟 My rating: 4 🌟

"That is how you know you've left childhood behind - when you wish for time to go backwards."

9. Here on Earth - Somehow I had never discovered Alice Hoffman until this year. I know it sounds like I've never read a book before this summer - I really have, I promise! I read Story Sisters in the spring and was hooked from beginning to end. Hoffman's style of writing is absolutely magical, even when she's talking about very real, often disturbing subjects. I preferred Story Sisters to Here on Earth, even though they both deal with dark subjects. I find no fault with the writing here, I just don't think I was in the mood for such a dark plot, and so it fell further down my list of ranking. Still looking forward to reading Practical Magic this fall though! Goodreads rating: 3.68 🌟 My rating: 4 🌟

"Close your eyes, cover your ears with your hands, and open your soul."

10. Ali and Nino: A Love Story - I admit, this is another book I was drawn to because Nino is almost Nina, and it's kinda rare I see my name on things. Turns out it was a hidden gem, and if I wasn't burnt out on reading it would've ranked higher on my list. It has all the trademarks of a book I would love: romance, adventure, natural writing style, historical, and it completely opens up a world that I know very little about. I liked learning more about the Middle East during WWI and I honestly can't say anything bad about this book, but like I mentioned in the beginning, timing is often just as important in reading a book as quality of writing and plot, and I think I should've taken a little break after Hoffman's book. Goodreads rating: 3.91 🌟 My rating: 4 🌟

11. July's People - This book was rough for me. Unlike Ali and Nino, which opened my eyes to a time and place I know very little about (the Middle East during WWI), July's People left me confused about the historical facts and what exactly was happening. I had to do a lot of googling about South Africa's race riots in the 1980s to fill in the bigger picture, and while I can see how this is an important piece of literature, I think you need at least a bit of background in South African history to get the most out of this book. Goodreads rating: 3.53 🌟 My rating: 3 🌟

"You have to grow about eight hundred grapes to get just one bottle of wine. If that isn't an argument to finish the bottle, I don't know what is."

12. Eight Hundred Grapes - I wanted to like this book, I really did. And I feel like I was this book's target audience, yet I still didn't like it. Something was lacking for me. It was predictable, there wasn't a huge transformation, or much depth to characters, and the writing just didn't click with me. The best part about this book was drinking wine to go along with it. Goodreads rating: 3.58 🌟 My rating: 2 🌟

And there you have it - my summer in books. What's your favorite book you've read this year? Currently accepting recommendations!