Summer 2023 Edition

As the summer sadly comes to a close, I once again shuffle through the remnants from the bottom of my beach bag. Alas, this is what I find in this bottomless bag: the obligatory, almost-empty sunscreen bottle, the sticky popsicle wrapper left over from a refreshing treat, seashells crumbled into broken pieces, and sand, sand, everywhere. But the best finds are what come from the bottom of my beach bag, well-worn pages of new favorite books waiting in the depths of a bottomless bag.

These book titles and suggestions, however, are not simply for summer reading. The intention is for these recommendations to be enjoyed any month, any season, all year long. Some titles included in this list have been suggested by friends and voracious book readers. Other choices are from my Book of the Month club membership, which I highly recommend to all enthusiastic readers. An additional secret? I keep a running note page on my phone of titles passed along so I can keep adding books to the bottom of my beach bag.

So, without further hesitation or distraction, let’s get to the good stuff.

Fiction Frenzy, My Favorite

Hang the Moon, Jeannette Walls (2023)

Walls, of The Glass Castle notoriety, introduces readers to the Kincaid clan of rural Virginia during the 1920s Prohibition era. More importantly, she delights us with Sallie Kincaid, the heir apparent to the family run business. Sallie is a strong, fiery protagonist who is easy to root for from the opening pages. Her challenge is to gain the respect of her many foes, and when the time comes, Sallie takes the reins. She keeps fighting the good fight, trying to find justice for all. The familial twists and turns will keep readers intrigued and interwined with the Kincaid dynasty.

The Maid, Nita Prose (2022)

In this entertainingly quick read, Prose gives us loveable Molly Gray. As the protagonist, Molly is a hotel maid with integrity, yet her integrity is often misconstrued, thus working against her. Obsessed with cleaning, Molly likes her job but has difficulty deciphering social cues which creates more chaos around her. Eventually Molly learns who can be trusted and who might be taking advantage of her. The quirkiest maid at the Regency Grand might just be the right person to help solve a murder.

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, Gabrielle Zevin (2022)

Selected as the Book of the Month Club’s Book of the Year, Zevin’s intricately woven novel tells the story of a friendship spanning ten years. Built on childhood innocence and strengthened through the desire to create something unique together, Sam and Sadie cannot break the tie that binds them. The characters’ development is a plus for this novel and the part I enjoyed the most as they all demonstrated growth as their gaming creativity took off. Gaming is the central theme of the book which was a bit cumbersome for me as a non-gamer.

Carrie Soto is Back, Taylor Jenkins Reid (2023)

Another strong female protagonist, Carrie Soto, created by a favorite author who also gave us Daisy Jones and the Six and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, stands to lose more than she has already gained by returning to the professional tennis circuit at the age of 37 years old. Sacrificing everything to be the best, Carrie decides to come out of retirement to reclaim her coveted record. Cocky and confident, Carrie is tough to like yet readers may find themselves rooting for her anyway. You don’t have to be a tennis fan to enjoy the book but reading it earlier in the summer during Wimbledon sure was fun.

Thrillers not for the Faint of Heart

The Last Flight, Julie Clark (2020)

Two women, two flights, two identities, both trying to escape and leave their lives behind. A chance meeting at the airport puts into motion events that neither Claire nor Eva could have predicted. There are many secrets these two fleeing women hold. Readers will hang on to each chapter as the perspective changes from Claire to Eva and back again. The intrigue? Trying to predict if they will make it out alive once the identity swap is complete – or discovered.

The Soulmate, Sally Helmsworth (2023)

This edge-of-your seat thriller will have readers up all night trying to figure out the who, as in, whodunnit. The quick pace of the book matches the quick pace in which Pippa and Gabe’s seemingly perfect life unravels. The chapters switch quickly back and forth between two women’s perspective in both past and present day, one dead and one very much alive. Both women struggle to put the pieces together to obtain the truth. The result is what happens when love pushes you to the brink.

A Nod to Historical Fiction

The First Ladies, Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray (2023)

Another collaboration by the authors who gave us The Personal Librarian, and they have scored again. An easier, less pretentious read, we discover the deep friendship that develops between soon-to-be First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and respected Civil Rights activist Mary McLeod Bethune. It is a great history lesson as well as a message about strong women in our country’s past and their perseverance to fight for deeply felt causes. The best takeaway is how Eleanor Roosevelt set the standard for future First Ladies and the causes they would champion in by following the path she paved.

Meaningful Memoir

The Many Lives of Mama Love, Lara Love Hardin (2023)

You have to read it to believe it. From suburban mom to drug user to petty crime thief to jail to redemption to writer, this inspirational memoir is full of raw vulnerability. I thoroughly enjoy a captivating memoir. Lara Love Hardin delivers with her honesty as she divulges the ugliness that surrounded her before she was able to get clean and find her way again. The most thought-provoking point for me was how the legal system seemed to do little – very little – to assist once she was on the right path. It actually seemed to work against her and other women in her position, making Hardin an advocate for incarcerated women.

For the Love of Books

Be warned, I am the creepy lady who walks down the beach looking at what other people are reading. I am also just creepy enough to stop and inquire what you think about the book in your hand. Pardon me in advance as I may want that title for the bottom of my beach bag.

And a funny side note: I ‘gifted’ my mother a membership to the Book of the Month club for Mother’s Day this year. Coincidently, for the past two months we have selected the same book! Like mother, like daughter. We have vowed to discuss our next selection so we can swap books in the future.

Feel free to drop a favorite book title in the comments section that you simply have to share. I will add it to the bottom of my beach bag list.

Looking for more reading suggestions? Take a look at this list from a few summers ago: Edit Post “8 Summer Best Sellers and Beach Reads” ‹ scribingwithscout LLC — WordPress