A few of my recent reads this summer.
In middle school I kept a spiral notebook with the names of every book I read. The list no doubt included many Nancy Drew and Babysitters Club titles. There may have have been a few Fear Street titles, the teen mystery/horror novels popular in the early 1990s. After a particularly gruesome passage kept me up all night I gave up reading anything by R.L. Stein.
I don’t have my notebook list any longer, but I remain an avid reader. I still prefer mysteries but I try to avoid anything too gory. I’ve kept my local librarians busy this summer requesting lots of books. I might not be on vacation just yet, but I have been in the mood for some good beach reads. Thanks to our regional library system and access through NC Cardinal, there’s hardly ever a book the librarians can’t find for me.
If you’re looking for some suggestions, here are a few of the books I’ve read so far this summer with brief descriptions and reviews.
“Saint X” by Alexis Schaitkin. This book was suggested to me by a college friend. The story begins with a family on vacation at a resort in the Caribbean. Seven-year old Claire’s world is irrevocably changed after the disappearance of her older sister, a mystery which draws national media attention. In her early adult years living in New York City, Claire comes in contact with one of the men suspected in her sister’s death and becomes obsessed with finding out the truth.
I really enjoyed this book and it definitely takes a surprising turn towards the end. Though not exactly central to the mystery, I thought the comparisons of the wealthy tourists to the local native people on the island and then lives of immigrants struggling to make ends meet in New York City was particularly compelling.
“Nine Perfect Strangers” by Liane Moriarty. Moriarty is well-known for her book “Big Little Lies” which has become a popular HBO tv series. “Nine Perfect Strangers” follows the experiences of nine people who have checked in to a rather unusual health resort in Australia. I thought this was going to be an Agatha Christie “And Then There Were None” type of story but it’s not. This is one of those books it’s hard to describe without giving too much away, but I do highly recommend it. It is suspenseful and has some major unexpected twists you just don’t see coming. A Hulu series based on this book is premiering next month.
“The Hunting Party” by Lucy Foley. If the hot summer temperatures are getting you down, this book’s wintery setting will cool you off and keep you in suspense. This one is a little more in the vein of Agatha Christie. Longtime friends take their annual trip together, this time to a remote lodge in the middle of the Scottish Highlands, where dark secrets soon emerge.
“Mexican Gothic” by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. I said I didn’t read horror anymore after that long ago incident with R.L. Stein, but this was an exception. I saw this recommendation via Kelly Ripa’s Instagram page and really wanted to check it out. Set in the 1950s, socialite Noemi leaves her busy life in Mexico City to check on her newly married cousin living in a remote rural Mexican town after a strange letter arrives talking about ghosts in the walls. A spooky, molding Victorian mansion on a misty hillside in rural Mexico makes for a super atmospheric backdrop. If you’re squeamish at all this might not be the book for you, but I actually really did enjoy it. A tv-series is also planned for this book too.
“The Cabinets of Barnaby” Mayne by Elsa Hart. This was a random pick off the front shelf at the Elkin library and it did not disappoint. Set in the 1700s the story revolves around educated men (and women) who collect all sorts of natural relics. One man’s obsession with his collection turns deadly and a female collector and botanist seeks to solve the murder.
“The Once and Future Witches” by Alix E. Harrow. I saved the best for last. I absolutely loved the book. I also checked it out from the library but I might buy a copy to keep because I loved it so much. This isn’t your Harry Potter kind of magical tale, it’s all about women taking back their own power in order to conjure a more just place for all. The tale follows three sisters during the early women’s suffrage movement who are using more than banners to push for a different future.
Send me your summer book recommendations and I’ll add them to my reading list!
Kitsey Burns Harrison is Editor of The Tribune and The Yadkin Ripple, here she shares her musings on life. Reach her at 336-258-4035 or follow her on Twitter and Instagram @news_shewrote.