A Labor Day Weekend Update

Hello, friends. Happy Labor Day weekend! We finally have some cooler weather along the CT shoreline and it feels like fall is on the way! The windows are open and I'm loving the early morning and late evening temperatures in the 60s, and even the occasional dip into the 50s. Can my first pumpkin spice latte of the season be far behind?

As much as I love fall, I'm savoring these last few days of summer. We took a picnic dinner to the beach the other night, my brother and SIL from PA stopped to have lunch with us at the lobster shack yesterday on their way to Providence, and tonight we plan to attend the final Concert on the Green of the season. Most schools in the area started last week. That seems early to me since it was always after Labor Day in New York.

Recent reading//

The House on Fripp Island by Rebecca Kauffman

Now this is my idea of a summer read! Two families vacation in a lavish South Carolina beach house. The wives are childhood besties from West Virginia whose paths have drastically diverged, the husbands barely tolerate one another, and the kids (preteens and teens, with angst) are along for the ride. The novel deals with family dynamics, dysfunction, and class issues, plus a there's a drowning. I've enjoyed several of Kauffman's previous novels, especially The Gunners and Chorus, and this was another hit. The goodreads ratings are shockingly low - Too many characters?  Too much dysfunction? - but it was a 5-star read of me. If you're not a fan of a messy family dramas, it's probably best to run in the opposite direction. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Annotated Mansfield Park by Jane Austen, David Shapard

I've been a Jane Austen fan for decades, but Mansfield Park was the only one of her novels I'd never gotten around to rereading. It's Jane's longest novel and for years I've considered it my least favorite. As part of an annual Austen in August tradition, a small group at Modern Mrs. Darcy decided to tackle The Annotated Mansfield Park. Last summer we read The Annotated Persuasion and I enjoyed both that particular edition and the leisurely reading and discussion schedule, so I was happy to participate again.

I managed to stick to the schedule until Volume 3, but then lost all restraint and raced through the last few chapters. I still don't care for how it wraps up so quickly and mostly off stage, but it's always a pleasure to read Jan Austen... especially with this group!

⭐⭐⭐⭐

These Summer Storms by Sara MacLean

Family drama in a beach house seems to be my summer reading sweet spot right now. This one is an over-the-top 'rich people behaving badly' story set on a private island in Rhode Island's Narragansett Bay. Franklin Storm, the recently deceased patriarch suggestive of tech mogul Steve Jobs, remains controlling and manipulative even in death. He has set up a surprise win-your-inheritance challenge that takes family dysfunction to the next level. There is also an enjoyable, but unexpectedly steamy, romantic storyline. This was a fun, frothy page-turning summer read.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Current reading//

The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion: Vol. 1 by Beth Brower

This series seems seems to be developing a cult-like following. Very enjoyable so far!

Good Morning Comrades by Ondjaki, translated by Stephen Henighan

This is the next selection for my World Lit book club.

Dracula Daily by Bram Stoker

The real-time readalong continues...

The week ahead//

We don't have a lot planned for the week, other than a day trip to a coastal wildlife refuge in Rhode Island. I also hope to get a painter in for an estimate. My goal is to get the living room, dining area, hall and stairway painted before we head south. Last week we replaced dining room chandelier and that's already made a big difference!

How was your week? What have you been reading?