Books for Summer

 

Dear friends. As I was collating this month's round-up it crossed my mind they were all be perfect for holiday reading. There are, as always, some remarkable female characters (and writers). I read most of these in the dark months of winter, thanks to NetGalley and the publishers providing advance digital copies. I've indicated with an asterisk any books I bought myself. 

A note on the ratings. I no longer include books that I didn't enjoy, to which I would have to give a rating of 3 or below. You can be assured that the 4 and 5 star reads I feature were enjoyed with gusto.

Consider Yourself Kissed by Jessica Stanley (4 out of 5 stars)

A warm, perceptive and relatable book about a noisy, chaotic family with all their complications: parental baggage, Christmases, quirks, sadness.

The title comes from a book Coralie was reading, where the male character signs off letters to his girlfriend "Consider yourself kissed." Coralie and Adam appropriate this and sign off from texts and other communications with "CYK." It's one of the things I loved about the book because most families have their own shorthand and phrases.

It's very much about a particular demographic: Hackney, Ocado orders, Montessori schools and so on.

 The first part has Coralie and Adam meeting and falling in love, with lots of exclamation marks.

They move in together and we follow them through births, lockdowns amidst a backdrop of politics. Adam is a political writer, podcaster and journalist. Their lives are vibrant with family members and friends: Coralie's sinister father in Australia, who still signs himself "Dad" in brackets; the two gay grannies; the larger than life husband of Coralie's brother.

As with all family life, there are low points too. Coralie descends into depression. She longed for two children but now she craves time on her own, to write a book. She resents Adam for being able to follow his dreams professionally. 

I'd like to go through the next 20 years of their life.

A Sharp Scratch by Heather Darwent (4 stars)

Dark and delicious, although delicious may be an unfortunate turn of phrase when you learn the somewhat unusual twist!

Betsy and three other women are afflicted by mysterious ailments. They're are invited to stay free of charge at Carn, a luxurious, unorthodox retreat.  At Carn, Betsey discovers that her imperfections make her unique, not weak. She finds herself regaining her health and vitality. 

However things at Carn are not what they seem. Betsy becomes suspicious about the staff and how the retreat operates, and makes some shocking discoveries.

Tension builds and we head towards the final devastating twists.

Edge of the seat stuff!

Jamaica Road by Lisa Smith  (4 stars) 

This would be a great choice for book clubs as Jamaica Road has a plethora of interesting strands and issues to discuss. It's the story of an enduring friendship between Daphne and Connie (Cornelius) in 1980s South London. As the only black girl in the school, Daphne tries to keep her head down. Connie, arriving from Jamaica, is the opposite. The story moves from London to Jamaica. On the way story lines include racism, prejudice and the plight of illegal immigrants. But it strikes an optimistic tone and the superb characters and plotting make it a memorable read.

A Beautiful Family by Jennifer Trevelyan (4 stars)

This book by a New Zealand writer starts in a rose tinted, lazy days of summer way: a family spending several weeks in a holiday rental by the sea and a lagoon. 10 year old Alix founds friendship with Kahu and it seems we will be following their adventures trying to find what happened to a missing girl.

But as the story develops we learn about family secrets, suspicious neighbours and rebellious teens.

Prose as shimmering as a spectacular sunlit day, with storm clouds to add variety. 

Pig by Matilde Pratesi  (4 stars)

Touching and beautifully written, Pig tells the story of Vale's (Valentina) hunt for acceptance and happiness.

Pigs are her passion, although she knows she shouldn't talk about them obsessively with her bookshop colleagues and flatmate Clara. She tends to do it when she's nervous or unsure. 

Vale is under coercive control, although she doesn't recognise it as such. If she sees the truth, will she have the courage and support network to break free?

I rooted for Vale throughout the book. A memorable heroine for our times, in the spirit of Strange Sally Diamond.

The Names by Florence Knapp* (4 stars) 

An astonishing debut novel. A woman defies her husband when she registers the name of their baby boy. The repercussions play out in 3 versions of the boy's life: his life with the name his father wanted; with the name chosen, and with another name his mother had considered.

I don't normally like books that give us "what if" or sliding doors moments,  but this tender and perceptive book captured my heart. 

Books Reviewed in Blog Tours this month 

Death at Fakenham Races by Ross Greenwood 

The Cardinal by Alison Weir 

I hope you enjoyed this month's round-up. Please share any books you've recently read that would make great holiday reading. You'll also find some books suitable for holiday reading in my April and May selections. 

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