Today is Labor Day. September is here and, while I love a long weekend as much as anyone, this one always feels a little bittersweet. It's hard to say good-bye to summer... even though I really love fall! And this has been one great summer. We attended family weddings, a bridal shower, graduation parties, traveled to NYC twice, three times to central NY, once to both Pittsburg and Philadelphia, plus we had an amazing week in Santa Fe.
A side effect of all that travel (in addition to Covid!) was a summer of scarce reading time. I've only finished ten books since Memorial Day... BUT the quality of those books has, for the most part, been outstanding! The other notable aspect of my summer reading was that I made a "priority tbr list" in May and actually read 7 of the 10 books on it. I'm sure that's a record! It seems like I usually only manage a few.
To recap, here is my SUMMER 2024 PRIORITY TBR LIST:
✅ Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin - nonfiction, summer project read, 5/5 stars
✅ Horse by Geraldine Brooks - 4.5/ 5 stars
✅ Olga Dies Dreaming by Xóchitl González - 4.5/ 5 stars
✅ The Annotated Persuasion by Jane Austen, David M. Shapard -classic, 5/5 stars
Long Island by Colm Tóibín
✅ How to Read a Book by Monica Wood - new release, 4/5 stars
✅ September by Rosamunde Pilcher - buddy read, 4.5/ 5 stars
✅ The Bodyguard by Katherine Center - romance, 3/5 stars
Dust Child by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai
Fresh Water for Flowers by Valérie Perrin
I still want to read the three books I didn't get to over the summer. Maybe this fall.
ADDITIONAL SUMMER READS
Sandwich by Catherine Newman - a new release, 4/5 stars
Elena Knows by Claudia Piñeiro - for Women in Translation Month - 5/5
Dayswork by Christopher Bachelder, Jennifer Habel - book club selection - 3/5
MY SUMMER FAVORITES
How was your summer reading season? What were your favorite books?
Looks like you read some great books. A few of those I want to read. I hope you have a good month in September. Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteYvonne - I was surprised to have so many 5-star reads this summer. Happy September!
DeleteYou did a marvelous job on your summer reading! I managed ten books but some I couldn't get my hands on. On to fall reading lists. Hope you are feeling better. You sure did travel quite a bit this summer :-) Fun times getting to see family and visit.
ReplyDeleteVery happy to have read September with you and look forward to more buddy reads .
Tina - I had all ten books on my original list available, but then got sidetracked by a few others instead. That's okay, because I ended up enjoying them. Haven't made a fall list yet. I want to read more of the books I own, but there are several new releases that I'm looking forward to, too! September was a perfect book to finish out the summer... so glad to read it with you!
DeleteI sent you an email so if you didn't get it, let me know. I can be such a dimwit when trying to reply and it looks like I have it as a draft. ugh. It's always fun reading with you!
DeleteTina - I got it... just sent a reply :)
DeleteI’m happy you were able to travel so much over the summer JoAnn. The books will also be waiting for when you aren’t! Have a great September.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jodie, it really has been an amazing summer. Even though I didn't read a lot, the books were mostly great.
DeleteYou had a full summer and still managed to read quite a lot considering, even if it may not feel like it. I was hoping maybe the temperatures would cool off here, but I know that was just wishful thinking. Triple digits all this week are forecasted. I hope you have a wonderful September and get in lots of reading this fall season, JoAnn!
ReplyDeleteWendy - Ugh, sorry you still have that ridiculous heat! It's finally starting to feel like fall in CT with cool mornings and daytime highs in the 70s. I love this time of year. Happy September and I hope you get some fall weather soon.
DeleteLow key summer here in Netherlands...no traveling just enjoyed my backyard, books and coffee!! I did see Oxford Connecticut on our news (I grew up near there...) and almost fell out of my chair. Oxford? Just awful flooding, even in CT! Congrats on accomplishing the priotity TBR. I have a pile of books 15 books next to me within hand reach next to the laptop and am trying to read them before Xmas! Doris Kearns Goodwin...such a treasure. I ordered her memoir (2024). Can't wait to read it. I saw you liked my short review of "Trees". It was a fantastic book. You can read it in 2 long sittings....just laugh, laugh. laugh! Sorry, for the double comment.
ReplyDeleteNancy - I just deleted the first comment, but I knew it was you! The scenes out of Oxford were horrifying... we lived in nearby Shelton/ Huntington in the mid 1980s, but are now in a coastal town 2/3 of the way to Rhode Island. I'm working on a list of books to read before the end of the year now. I know I won't get to the new DKG until 2025, but would like read Trees. Your review reminded me to include it, so thank you!
DeleteJoAnn, you guys have certainly had a busy summer. Lots of travelling, etc. The reading numbers - well, we all have times when our reading drops off for whatever reason. I'm happy to say that I am reading much more number-wise than in the last couple of years. And that's a good thing. We enjoyed our August trip to Colorado and I'm about ready to start posting again on my blog after my summer break. I got to visit 5 bookstores on that trip and had a fun time doing that. September will be a busy month for us with some family events and other things, but it looks like our area has gotten over the hump of the mega-hot weather for another year. Yay! Hope you have a good week!
ReplyDeleteKay - Wow, five bookstores! I remember two indies we visited on our last trip to CO, one in Boulder and one in Steamboat Springs, but for the life of me can't come up with their names, lol. Glad you had a great trip, and happy to hear you are reading more. Sounds like your September will be full. We only have one event, but it's a big one - our oldest daughter is getting married 9/14. Glad your area is finally inching toward fall. I look forward to reading your blog posts!
DeleteWhat a wonderful summer you had, a bout of Covid notwithstanding. And an excellent reading summer to boot. So glad September delivered--if only we had more Pilchers to enjoy.
ReplyDeleteJaneGS - Wouldn't an unending supply of Pilcher novels be wonderful? I think I've read all of her major novels now, so will start working on some of her lesser-known novels. Hope they are not too hard to find!
DeleteIt seems like you really liked the books you read and gave them high ratings. I think you picked the books well to begin with ... which always helps. I can't even believe Labor Day has come and gone already. Things have been busy. You had a great summer with your family ... with the wedding especially.
ReplyDeleteSusan - I think the book choices were especially good this summer, thanks mostly to book clubs, buddy reads, buddy reads, and Women in Translation month. Hard to believe the summer is over, but there are hints of the leaves changing so fall is on the way. Our daughter's wedding is coming up in a week from Saturday, so that will be our final BIG event. Happy September!
DeleteI can't believe summer is almost over! It is difficult to read a bunch when you have a bunch of trips. I usually am not a fan of summer, but it felt short (if brutal) this year. I love fall and the changing colors, though.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed The Bodyguard more than you did and I hope to get to Sandwich at some point. Have a wonderful week!
Rachel - I don't read a lot of romance, but did enjoy The Bodyguard enough to try some of the author's other novels. Sandwich was a great summer read!
DeleteMaking a priority list is an excellent idea. Sometimes I read whatever arrives for me at the library, and I miss out on reading great books like Team of Rival and Elena Knows, both of which I am now adding to my TBR list.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you had a lovely summer. If reading sometimes has to take a back seat, it's great that it is for a good reason---traveling and socializing.
Deb - That priority list worked well, so I'm thinking about doing another one for books I'd like to read by the end of the year. The library does have a way of rearranging my reading list, too, lol! Happy September... fall is on the way!
DeleteI am nearly done with Sandwich now. I love it! So much happier than Same as it Ever Was but nearly identical in content. I was looking at my shelf the other day and noticed no less than 8 hardbacks that I purchased to support local indies and they still sit untouched. Ugh. I need to move them up but review copies and my awesome Libby app keep pulling me away.
ReplyDeleteTi - I thought Sandwich was pretty much a perfect summer read! I'd still like to read Same as It Ever Was, too, but not sure I'll get to it before the end of the year. I took a quick trip to a nearby indie today for pick up a copy of the sequel to The Road to Dalton, which was released yesterday, but they didn't have it yet! Looks like I'll be making another trip within the next few days...
DeleteShort comment...I've tried posting comments but they keep clearing themselves before I finish. This is kind of a test.
ReplyDeleteSam - Sorry you're having trouble commenting... blogger can be so difficult sometimes! Glad this one made it through.
DeleteIt's so great to see high ratings on most of your books. I haven't read a 5 star book in a very long time. Maybe it's me, maybe it's the books, maybe it's the two together.
ReplyDeleteHelen - I'm pretty happy with the string of 5-star books this summer. Fingers crossed my fall picks turn out to be good ones. Hope you find that elusive 5-star read soon!
DeleteYou’ve been busy. Glad you’ve enjoyed for the most part. May fall be ever better.
ReplyDeletewww.rsrue.blogspot.com
Thank you!
DeleteIt looks like you prioritized some fantastic books! And you really did have a busy summer! I like fall but dislike that it leads to winter so it's a mixed bag for me. I hope your fall reading list is just as good!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jen. There were some real treasures in my summer reading this year. I've always loved fall, but find that I enjoy it even more if I know I'll be able to enjoy a winter in FL!
DeleteI'm glad you had a good summer! Elena Knows is one I want to read. I don't think I've seen a bad review of it yet.
ReplyDeleteAj - Elena Knows is a great read. Hope you get a chance to try it.
DeleteAnd now it's almost the middle of September! I'm always sad to see the end of summer, but on the plus side, it usually means we're on one of our epic road trips. You certainly had a fun-filled summer with lots of travel. I need to draft my Summer Reading Challenge summary, but I always go until the 21st. :) You did very well with your list. Lots of winners in the bunch! Like you, I got sidetracked by several new & shiny books from the library. At this point, I'd probably say that Sandwich (Catherine Newman) was my favorite read of the summer. However, I'm in the middle of Billy Summers (Stephen King) and can't put it down!
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful time tomorrow at your daughter's wedding!
Les - Finally getting to respond to your comment! We've been home for several days now and finally getting caught up... and you are well into your travel adventures by now. I'm almost ready to hit publish on my fall reading list and look forward to reading all the blog posts I've missed. The wedding was absolutely magical. I hope it won't be much longer before I get some photos to share.
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