my summer reading list this year certainly left much to be desired
both in quantity and quality
the last 5star book i read was "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett
followed by "Saving Cee Cee Honeycutt" by Beth Hoffman
which were both months ago
so i have been craving a book i can't put down
& sadly, have yet to find it
crossing oceans
realized on page 50 something that the main character
is a single mom dying of metastatic melanoma
ummm...won't be finishing this one
if you know my story you'll understand why
one of my fave authors is atlanta local, Patti Callahan Henry
love all her books
read somewhere that Beach Music was her favorite book
figured if patti loves it
paige will love it
so i toted all 768 pages around
however at page 275 realized i was taking way too long to finish
so its back on the shelf
til later tater
belong to me-fair
a time to dance -fair
cee cee-good
(not to be confused with cee cee honeycutt....k?)
secrets she left behind-fair/good
summers child-fair/good
will of wisteria-good
now you know all about my love of a great cover
having confessed that
obviously my literary choices are usually based on nothing more
again, another book that was taking a while to get into
it probably starts to get fab but i was ready to move on
fair
south of broad-great
what can be said about pat conroy that hasn't already been said
master story teller
did not disappoint
lift-good
an easy read you can wrap up in the carpool line
by Johnnie Gabriel
my mom's close friend from back home in Macon Georgia
all you ATL girls must visit her restaurant in Marietta
& ask for the pimento cheese
so good it'll make you slap yo mama!
excellent cook book
& finally
my current read
which came with an excellent recommendation from a fellow book worm
i have high expectations & hope this will be another 5star!
thanks melissa
some of my all time 5 star faves include:
Same Kinda Different As Me
Redeeming Love
Harry Potter...all seven
any of Patti Callahan Henry
all of Mary Alice Monroe..all but Last Light over Carolina
Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah
To Kill a Mockingbird
so, what fabulous book did you enjoy this summer?
do tell
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29 comments:
Mornin Paige :-)
I was looking for a quick read this summer while at North Myrtle Beach so I picked up a book I had read a few years ago...
Sufficient Grace by Darnell Arnoult
It was good...again.
I'm going to try out a few of the ones you listed.
Have a great day
Tammy
Thanks for sharing your list! My last fave book was "The Help." Just read an old bargain book of Paula Deen's -- she has a few recipes thrown in here and there! Yay Paula!
Hope you have a great week! School starts this Thurs at our house!
Janet
I just read "Radical", by David Platt. It changed me forever. Hope you get a chance to read it.
"The Help" is next on my list. Thanks for the recommendations.
Good Morning Paige!
I am in the middle of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, am loving it! Off to Portland without kids this week so plan to finish it on the airplane...so luxurious!
xo~Jill
Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire was an absolute favorite. I haven't read much more though...so sad. I did have The Help on reserve but didn't get the time to get it, so I'm back on the waiting list. Right now I'm reading Heart of the Matter and it's pretty good...sad, but good. Oh, and I read I, Alex Cross and that was really good.
Oh goody... all new ideas for book club! Thanks girl! :)
Thanks for sharing your list, Paige. I usually pick a few of yours to read and look for your current reading sign. I still want to read "The Help". It's on my list to get. Here's my list:
I'm not quite in the middle of "Crossing Oceans" and will continue to read even though I know what's coming. I guess I'm waiting to read about the pieces coming back together.
"On Mystic Lake" by Kristin Hannah - loved it
"What Difference Do It Make" by Ron Hall, Denver Moore - a run off their other book "Same Kinda Difference as Me" - encouraging and yes very good
"Fingerprints of God" and Lessons I Learned in the Light" by Jennifer Rothschild - this lady is amazing and you'll enjoy her insight into living a world where the light was taken away from her at a young age.
"Home to Holly Springs" by Jan Karon - took me awhile to get in to it, am still struggling finishing and will pick up soon - interesting writing style - each chapter goes back and forth in time.
"Picking Dandelions" A Search For Eden Among Life's Weeds by Sarah Cummingham - I really enjoyed this and the way she compared dandelions to stages in life.
"Strong Women Soft Hearts" by Paula Rinehart - I read as part of a book study with BLOOM - of course loved it
"Whitethorn Woods" by Maeve Binchy - a little hard to read at first, but was intrigued and continued to read - interesting how the pages flowed
"Plan B" by Pete Wilson - you have to all read this - amazing guy and Pastor
"The Bathtub is Overflowing but I feel Drained" by Lysa TerKeurst - love this book, lots of humour. I went to a women's conference and saw Lysa. Wonderful and inspiring.
"I Will Carry You" by Angie Smith. I'm sure most of you know about Angie already. I cried almost all the way through this book. Tears can be very cleansing.
I hope you don't mind I took up so much room here, but I really appreciate hearing about a good books and sharing thoughts on them.
Hi Lovely Lady! Much as I love reading, I've had to slow down for a while because I was neglecting things I felt I needed to do in favor of curling up with a good book...so I'm afraid I've got nothing to offer.
Glad I commented on this one, huh? ;-) Just can't resist commenting on one of your posts.
Oh, and I wanted to thank you for your lavish praise of the photos of me and my sis...you made me feel beautiful (not an easy feat, I might add. ;-)
xoxo
Wendy
Have you ever read anything by Ann Rivers Siddons? I have a feeling you would like them. Colony, Outer Banks and Peachtree Road are three very good reads.
Hey Paige,
I have the same problem that you have had this summer. I have returned so many books to the library this summer (unread). I loved "The Help", I loved the "Kitchen House", and I also loved "South of Broad". Of course I love anything that Pat Conroy writes. Beach Music was probably my least favorite of his. I even have read his cookbook twice. I just finished "Lowcountry Summer" by Dorothea Benton Frank, it was pretty good. I've read all of her stuff too. I'm always looking for a good southern author.
Sheila L.
don't listen to Jill...
the girl with the dragon tatoo was hard to get into.{even though i am sure the movie will be fabulous}.
Us girls at book club had to throw it out just like Eat Pray Love..even though we are heading to see the movie tomorrow night.
Wish you were coming out with us for drinks and a movie.
xo
I am planning my reading post this week. I read some good ones this summer:) But my best one has been the Bible. I started a program on January 1st to read the Bible in a year and here it is August and I am right n track to finish on Christmas DAY!
I liked The art of racing in the rain too.
I'm a sucker for a good cover too, haha. Have you ever read any of the earlier books by Anita Shreve? Her more current books are a little shallow but my favorite of her's is Eden Close. I've recommended it to many, many people and every single one raves about it. I also love Snow Falling on Cedars. Read it cover to cover inflight from ATL to Hawaii.
The Hellllllllllp! Holy cow, was that ever a good book. Have you ever read anything by Elizabeth Berg? You should. And Belong To Me - Fair??? No way, Jose!! :)
Give Beach Music another shot - it's actually a great book. I read South of Broad while on vacation and it was good, but I thought Beach Music was better! I also read the Secret Life of Ci Ci Wilkes and thought it was predictable and not great. I'm going to start a new book called Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner. I'm hoping it's good. I've enjoyed her other books in the past. I listened to an audio book of The Help. It was fantastic - I never listen to books on CD, but it really was a great book and the actors did a fabulous job reading. That really made my commute to and from work so wonderful. Thanks for sharing your book list - I'm always looking for recommendations. Love your blog and all the beautiful pictures you take!
Thanks for the ideas!
Loved Firefly Lane,too.
A Summer Affair by Elin Hilderbrand was good. A quick read.
Currently reading Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner. Not sure about it yet...
What can I suggest to you-I really enjoyed Sarah's Key but you may find it too heavy given you have children-great book, try The Crowning Glory of Calla Lilly-akin to Saving CeeCee Honeycutt.
I always love your overviews:)
I've been reading some Kristin Hannah but now need to pick up PostMistress:0
Hi Paige!
Yes, you have
to kiss a lot
of frogs in the
literary world
to find a "prince!"
I've read my share
of frogs this summer,
too. I'm now reading
Little Bee but not
far enough in to know
if it's a winner. No
"The Help" has emerged
for me, either. Now
THAT'S a movie I can't
wait to see. {I agree
with Kasey about EPL...
couldn't stand it!} I
love Southern writers
and Elizabeth Berg's
earlier books. The last
few have been predictable.
Good luck, your prince
of a book is out there!
xx Suzanne
love all of your book picks!! we read a lot of the same titles!! i LOVED the help, and south of broad was great!!!
Hey, I'm ready throught "The Help". Love is so much already and only on Chapter 10. It reminds me of "The Secret Life of Bees". I also read "same kind of different as me" and it is in my all time faves. Someone told me they are making it into a movie.
--I loved seeing all your beach pictures....
i am always drawn to a pretty cover too. i read a few good books this summer. i discovered another nantucket writer, nancy thayer. love a good summer beach read. i will have to post on my reads. i need to look at my bookshelf to remind myself.
have a great day paige.
ok. We have some of the same tastes in books... I JUST finally bought "The Help" -- I've held it in my hands at least once a week for several months but couldn't bring myself to spend $25 and figured I would wait for paperback... but then I found it at Sam's Club for $13! Can't beat that. Starting it after my deadline.
Some others for you to try... Anything by Denise Hunter (want me to send you her latest? I read it in a day...I love passing my faves on)... also anxious to read "CHasing Lilacs" by Carla Stewart and love Deb Raney's books too. :)
Send me your address and I'll send you that book...it's a simple beach read, but I liked it. :)
Just found your blog :) Thanks for sharing your book list!
As for the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, it is a great book, but it takes at least 100 pages to begin to get interesting...if you stick with it, it is well-worth it. I have read all three.
If you like The Help, then try Mudbound by: Hillary Jordan.
Also loved Tully by: Paullina Simons (pretty old book, amazon doesn't even have it...)
Looks like a fun list! After you suggested the Help ages ago I downloaded it on my Kindle and I was in Heaven, I loved it so much! I tell everyone to read it! I'm still looking for that one I can't put down. Read many that were good but just not great! Love Celia Ahern, she is a good story teller!
Well ... you are quite welcome, my friend! I even liked The Kitchen House more than The Help! LOVED it!!
We have a lot of the same favorite books -
My book club just picked THE Same Kind as Different as Me for our next read ...of course, I have already read it - one of my all time favorites. I will be re-reading it!
Oh and Yes .. Mudbound was fabulous!!
South of Broad made it on our book club list the year so that's exciting... my favorite book of the year so far. Love in the Present Tense. Just loving and comforting and meaningful- a 5 Star!
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