Summer reading has begun! Kick it off with these reads.
One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune
I really enjoyed Carley Fortune’s This Summer Will Be Different last year, so knew I needed to read her latest, One Golden Summer, and I loved it, too. It’s about Alice, a photographer who longs to create work that feels true to herself. She takes a breather for a summer in Barry’s Bay with her grandmother, Nan, who needs to recuperate from some health trouble as well as get her spirits up. Alice and Nan stay in one of Nan’s friend’s cottages on Kamaniskeg Lake where Alice once stayed when she was seventeen, and that summer, she took the photo that launched her career — a photo of three carefree teens in a yellow speedboat. She is surprised to discover that the man helping them get settled in the cottage is Charlie — one of the boys from her photo. Charlie is remarkably charming but seems a little full of himself; however, as Alice gets to know him better, they become friends (as well as Nan). I thought Alice and Charlie’s story was sweet and enjoyed them both as characters. They grow and learn more about themselves and each other throughout the summer and are able to find what they are looking for by the end. I really like this author’s books and the lake settings in Canada. The only book I actually haven’t read of hers is her first, Every Summer After — but I know Charlie was in that book, so I may need to go back and read it!
33 Place Brugmann by Alice Austen
I really enjoyed this one. It takes place in Brussels before and during the Nazi occupation, and tells the story of the residents of 33 Place Brugmann. The chapters switch between the different residents’ perspectives as the German occupation becomes reality. Although at times I found following the story a little confusing (depending on the narrator), I loved reading certain chapters, especially those told by Charlotte Sauvin, an art student who lives with her architect father across from the Raphaëls, a family who suddenly disappears. The novel focuses on the time period, the residents and their experiences, and the small, human moments during the war. It was a beautiful book.
Taylor Swift by the Book: The Literature Behind the Lyrics, from Fairy Tales to Tortured Poets by Rachel Feder and Tiffany Tatreau
This is such a fun and interesting one to read for Taylor Swift lovers! The book goes through each era/album and explains literary references found in most of her songs. Truly a delight to read for those who know and love her music well.
All That Life Can Afford by Emily Everett
I enjoyed this London-based read. It follows Anna, an American and graduate student in London, as she tries to establish a life there. As Anna struggles to make ends meet as a tutor, she meets the Wilder family, who hire her to spent the holidays with them in Saint-Tropez and tutor their teenage daughter, Pippa. The older daughter, Faye, introduces Anna to a life of luxury like she has never known, as well as her group of young friends, who regularly enjoy lavish dinners and trips. As Anna is swept up in their world, she must figure out where exactly she belongs, and how to stay true to herself, while trying to find her own footing in London.
Happy summer reading!
P.S. All my book thoughts.
