Summer is a perfect season to relax and enjoy doing nothing in particular for hours. It’s so much easier to just sit when you have a good book in your hand – or in your ear (in audiobook format) while you work away on light projects.
I don’t know what I’d do without my online library membership for audiobooks in addition to my Audible Membership. This way I can do two of my favourite things at the same time: crochet and listening to stories! I think my love of listening to stories stems from my childhood. Mom would read to my brother and me when we came home for lunch on schooldays. I guess I still love being read to.
Am I the only person who will listen to an audiobook from the library and then buy the hard copy or Kindle version – or the Audible version so I can listen to it again and again?
The Cottage Wife
In order to simplify the stuff I have out on shelves or tucked away in closets, I’ve switched a lot of my paper-based books over to my Kindle. Yes, I know that means I’ve purchased the same book at least a couple of times! While I still love the feel and smell of reading paper-based books, the convenience of having my whole library in one place, along with having access to free books with my Prime Membership, wins out.
As an added bonus, my library membership, Audible and Kindle options mean that I get to save some trees, or at least manufacturing processes to recycle paper to make more books. Yes, I’m aware that I now have to use electricity to recharge my devices – you just have to pick your battles these days. (sigh)
Let’s get on with the book picks shall we? Here we go! In no particular order …
My Summer Reading Recommendations
The All Girl Filling Station’s Last Reunion by Fannie Flagg
This was the first book I listened to by Fannie Flagg and I was totally hooked! I just love the way she weaves real historical people and events into engaging stories. Fannie Flagg skillfully blends the pain and humour of every-day life and characters into charming prose.
More by Fannie Flagg
I’m adding some of my other favourites into this one section because they’re all by Fannie Flagg! Fannie is the creator of Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe which was turned into an excellent film named – you guessed it Fried Green Tomatoes. Strangely enough, I haven’t actually read that one yet.
I just love the way Fannie allows her characters to appear in more than one book. This gives the books and the characters real depth and colour. How she keeps their quirks and stories straight is beyond me though! My only fear now is that I run out of books to read – it would feel like moving away from long-loved neighbours.
P.S. If you’re into it, I highly recommend the audio versions of these books – the accents and voice variations for each character make the experience even more rich than the text version can provide.
Moving away from Fannie Flagg, here are more of my favourite books for summer …
The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out The Window And Disappeared: A Novel by Jonas Jonasson
Jonasson is a master at blending real historical events into a fantastical, thoroughly entertaining story. The things this old guy gets himself into are astonishing and side-splitting funny. You just have to read it to believe it!
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
I didn’t want to like this book. I almost gave up on it because it seemed so darned depressing. And then it wasn’t depressing at all! And then it was moving, endearing and dare I say … funny. All I can say is stick with it, you’ll come to love it if you don’t right from the start.
Falling Down Girl by Cheri L. R. Taylor
If you’re looking for side-splitting fun and wildly unique characters, this is the read for you! I might be biased because I know the author personally but cheezus she writes a good yarn. Just when you think it might be getting a little serious she throws a character into another horrifyingly hilarious situation.
and just in case you didn’t get enough of Falling Down Girl … the story continues with …
More side-splitting hilarity ensues in Falling Down Girlfriend. I can honestly say, it’s almost too much humour! It’s so much humour that you almost start to feel bad that the poor girl just can’t keep herself out of nonsense. But you’re laughing so hard you can’t put it down.
Warning! You may be forced to tell people what the heck you’re laughing at so they don’t lock you up!
Get Your Reading Journal Here
Why not keep all your book/reading notes in one place? This Book Lover’s Journal has plenty of space to track your reading habits, book lists (read and want to read), and your own personal book review notes.
These next selections are simply good, well rounded, well written stories. They each have a little bit of history, a little bit of humour, and a whole lot of good solid, compassionate human-life writing.
I had to throw A Tree Grows in Brooklyn into the mix because it’s a perennial favourite of mine. The first time I read it was in high school. Now, I read it again at least once a decade, and each time something new strikes me as poignant, or is it important, or maybe just interesting.
I could go on … believe me! Sadly, summer is only so long.
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