I’ve been taking a bit of a hiatus from my website to write a weekly column for the Sudbury Star, which will soon be coming to an end. That means I can get back to what I miss the most and that is connecting with book lovers and librarians around the world! So, let’s get back to where we left of, shall we? 

Summer reading and laying on the beach may be synonymous as chocolate and peanut butter, but that doesn’t mean that you have to be immersed in sand to enjoy a good summer read! The first half of the year has brought us some page-turning thrillers to tear-jerking endings. I’ve even immersed in fiction over non-fiction in the first half the year, but it seems like every book I have picked up has turned my eyes into little emoji hearts. Here are some summer reads that will keep you busy all summer long!

City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert
I’ve been waiting for a novel that I could connect with written by Elizabeth Gilbert, and well, folks, here it is. City of Girls takes place in 1940’s New York City, where 19-year-old Vivian Morris moves in with her Aunt and is surrounded by showgirls, costumes and a newfound freedom.  Her Aunt’s eccentric theatre company allows Vivian to express her desires and explore her sexuality. When a scandal that hits the papers threatens the theatre’s latest production, Vivian finds herself at 95 years old recalling the events that truly allows her to be free. A self-love story like no other.

The One by John Marrs
Time surely flies when you’re reading this page-turner. If you know me, you know that I love a play-on of reality-fiction that leaves you thinking…could this really happen? Let’s jump right in, shall we? If you could take a DNA test that allows you to be matched with your perfect partner, the one that you’re genetically made for, would you do it? It’s a concept that would put Tinder out of business. Millions of people around the world have been matched with their perfect match. In The One, we meet five people who have received notifications that they’ve been matched with their perfect partner and they’re about to meet their one true love. Before I give out any more details, let me tell you some are more shocking than others.

The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See
I put this one on hold at the library months before it’s release, but seemingly forgot why I put it on hold in the first place. It sat on my shelf for weeks and I started reading it the day before it was due and my goodness, it did not disappoint. The Island of Sea Women follows two women Mi-ja and Young-sook. Both women come from very different backgrounds, but are brought together working in the sea in their village’s all-female diving collective. Throughout the years, they develop a close bond, but their differences could not be ignored. This literary historical novel introduces you to the fierce world of female divers of Jeju Island.

The Last Resort by Marissa Stapley
Before a couple calls it quits, there is always that one last-ditch effort to salvage to fix what’s broken. That’s what guests at Harmony Resort are trying to do with the help of marriage counsellors Miles and Grace Markell. Although they may look as like a power couple, it’s not all of what it seems. When a powerful hurricane strikes the coast and traps the hosts and their guests, not one single person will come out the same.