Summer reading hints and three drastically different reads

Plus Pulitzer predictions and books for your late spring reading mood

It’s the last day of April and, while this feels pretty wild, that means summer reading season is right around the corner. This year I’ll be putting out my third annual Paperback Summer Reading Guide. The guide was born out of my absolute refusal to lug a hardback book to a pool or beach and my frustration with seeing so many of the same buzzy books on so many summer book lists. I still love seeing what other readers, publications, and book whisperers think we should read each summer, but very few of the buzzed about books spoke to my personal summer reading preferences.

Every year I start crafting the guide by thinking about what I want to read this season. There are some moods that pop up for me every year. I love a good tome for summer reading, but I also like to have a few bite-sized books or story collections around for when I just have a sliver of time. But each year I’m also struck by different and specific reading itches. Some years I crave warm comforting books for beach reading season, other years I find summer is the season when I have the time to really challenge myself.

Once I’ve crafted a selection of reading moods that fit my summer vibe, I pour through my reading logs to find backlist books for each category. Sometimes I’ll revisit these books to make sure they stand up or at least flip through to refresh my memory on characters and writing style. And then if a category is looking sparse, I start reading! I dig into backlist prizes, best-of lists, and the books that have been languishing unread on my shelves to fill up the guide with books I love and adore.

I’m very excited to put the 2023 guide into your hands in the coming weeks! Next week I’ll share a few more details about what to expect and when to expect it. Until then, let’s get into our business as usual!

This week in books.

This week I read…

• From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg. We’ve read a lot of nostalgia-inducing books for our Children’s Classics episodes on Novel Pairings, but this one evoked the most memories for me by far. Before I started reading, I only remembered the big picture plot: two siblings runaway to the Metropolitan Museum of Art where they encounter a mysterious statue that leads them to the discovery of a lifetime. What I did not remember but instantly came flooding back as I read, are all the incredible details Konigsburg includes about what the children eat, how they spend their days, and their strategies for stretching their last dime as far as possible. Being back at the Met with Claudia and James was an utter delight, and I can’t wait for you to hear our discussion of it dropping this Tuesday. Amazon | Bookshop | Libro.fm

• When Two Feathers Fell From the Sky by Margaret Verble. Two Feathers was the FictionMatters Book Club selection for April, and I really liked it! This is one of those books that’s just a solid read…a good story with a fantastic setting, crisp prose, and a lovable ensemble cast. Set in 1920s Nashville, the main plot of the book follows a Glendale Park horse diver (yes, like in Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken) called Two Feathers leading up to and after an accident that begins a strange string of events at the park. The book’s biggest strength is the way it evokes its setting, both the larger setting of this time in the American South and the more specific setting of the historic Glendale Park and Zoo. While this won’t appear on this year’s Paperback Summer Reading Guide, I think it would make a good poolside read for readers allergic to anything too saccharine and historical fiction lovers looking for something a little different. Amazon | Bookshop | Libro.fm

• Greek Lessons by Han Kang. While Greek Lesson was only recently released in English, Kang wrote it prior to some of her big breakthrough English titles like The Vegetarian and Human Acts. You can tell reading this that it’s an earlier work because it doesn’t quite have the heft and vibrancy of her more recent books. However, this is still one of the best books I’ve read this year—a tender exploration of love, loss, and language written in meticulous prose. This is the story of a professor of Ancient Greek who is losing his sight and one of his Korean students, a mother in the midst of a trauma that has left her mute. Readers discover both nameless characters’ backstories as we watch them circle each other and finally come together. Read this book if you read for writing. Amazon | Bookshop | Libro.fm

• A few titles I’m considering for my Paperback Summer Reading Guide. I know…this is one of the few times each year I get a little secretive with my reading. But I need there to be a few surprises in there—even for the most avid newsletter readers!

Now I’m reading…

• Inkheart by Cornelia Funke is the next book in our kid lit lineup for Novel Pairings. I can’t believe our Children’s Classics semester is nearing an end! It’s been a delight to read so many great books for young readers, but I’m looking forward to diving back into something a little denser for our slow down summer readalong.

If you are an international reader or just prefer UK covers, you can also order books through my Blackwell’s affiliate page!

Links I love.

Yesterday was the 10th annual Independent Bookstore Day. Here are 10 of the best indies around the world to add to your bucket list.

Electric Lit is offering some Pulitzer predictions…

What’s your late spring reading mood? Romance or thriller?

Author Julie Bunton on the uncanny omniscience of Judy Blume.

Are book bans going to be the issue in the next election cycle?

In case you missed them: the best audiobooks that came out in April.

This deep dive into the overlap between #momfluencers and conspiracy theorists is scary but fascinating.

Here’s what Emily Henry is reading.

What a cool story about colorful kids books and political resistance.

I think we must all be lonely because there have been so many excellent interviews and articles about the importance of adult friendships. I loved this newsletter from Anne Helen Petersen about the benefits of living near friends. This interview on how to find your people is also excellent.

End notes.

This week in views, listens, eats, and moments of joy.

• Lou helped me make cookies this week, and had the best time watching the KitchenAid.

• We’ve been keeping the fridge stocked with berries, salami, and good cheese, which has made for the best mini charcuterie snacks and lunches.

• If you’re into the Love Languages or the culture of self-help in general, this podcast episode is a must-listen.

• It’s that time of year when I get to bust out my absolute favorite shoes. My almond Nisolo Huaraches are absolute perfection and I wear them almost every day in the spring and summer.

• After a couple years of living in sweats and waffle henleys (pandemic then pregnancy than nursing a reflux baby was not great for fashion), this fall and winter I really embraced my seasonal uniform. This primarily consisted of relaxed jeans, a cotton sweater (this henley and this cardigan were on constant rotation), comfy socks, and Blundstones. I’m hoping to carve out a similar personal Spring style guide to make getting dressed less of a hassle and to help me feel like myself. Currently I’m loving this striped shirt from AYR (pricey, but I’ve already worn it at least five times since purchasing) and this cute button-up which is currently on super sale. Now I’m on the hunt for some great denim shorts and a couple casual dresses that feel comfortable for a mid-thirties mom.

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Happy reading!

Sara