Beach Reads
At the time I wrote this, Mother’s Day was just about here. Having spent all of my time at home lately with my three children, I often find myself saying things my mom would say. My kids even like to call me out on it: “You sound just like MeMom!” If I were to write a letter to my mother to thank her for everything she has done for me and my family, one of the biggest things I would thank her for is encouraging me to be a reader and instilling the love of reading in me. When things get tough, there is nothing like getting lost in a good book to escape. Now that I’m an adult, I love the conversations I have with my mom about the latest book we have read and sharing books back and forth with each other and with friends. Although these last few months distancing ourselves from the world has been tough, I’m lucky to always have a book on hand to escape to. If you are looking for recommendations, these are some of my quarantine favorites.
“The Book of Lost Friends” by Lisa Wingate
“The Book of Lost Friends” is set in two different centuries. In Louisiana, 1875, the Civil War is over. Three women all have an interest in the same family land and they set off together to find the one man who can set things right. Hannie, a former slave, worked her whole life on the plantation that she knew would be partly hers someday. Lavinia, the white, spoiled brat, is expecting to inherit that same plantation. And Juneau Jane, Lavinia’s illegitimate free-born creole half-sister, is set to inherit that same father’s land in a different state. Sadly, their father hasn’t been seen or heard from, and without him or his signed papers, they have nothing. They set out to find him and along the way meet former slaves who had lost their families just like Hannie did when she was little. Hannie makes it her mission to reunite as many as she can. Same state but more than a century later, Benedetta Silva just moved to town and took a job teaching at the local school. The kids, who she was warned were impossible, learn to see her as a friend and a lifeline. When Benedetta gains access to a private library, she stumbles upon the century-old history of the house, the plantation, three women, and a book that changes everything.
“We Were the Lucky Ones” by Georgia Hunter
When World War II begins to take over Europe, Jews in their hometown of Radom, Poland find themselves fearing for their lives. The Kurc family is separated, each one trying to find their own way to safety. One sibling is forced into exile, another tried to flee, and the others are working themselves to death while hiding in plain sight, posing as gentiles. The only thing the members of the Kurc family have is the hope that they will survive and find their way back to each other. But it’s going to take resiliency, intelligence and strength they never knew they had to survive. “We Were the Lucky Ones” is a reminder that it is in the darkest hours when people find a way to shine.
“The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek” by Kim Michele Richardson
Life in Troublesome Creek isn’t easy. Residents find themselves having to scrap for everything. Well, everything except books. Cussy Mary Carter is Troublesome’s very own traveling librarian. Cussy is said to be the last of her kind with a shade of skin that is almost blue and a deep love of books. There are people in town who don’t like Cussy or the book project she is a part of. Her kind is always blamed when trouble arises. Throughout her efforts to brings books to people in the area, Cussy is faced with prejudice and suspicion. It’s going to take a strong woman to continue her mission. “The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek” is inspired by FDR’s Kentucky Pack Horse Library Project of the 1930s.
“Something in the Water” by Catherine Steadman
Erin, a documentary filmmaker, and her husband Mark, an investment banker, head off on their honeymoon to romantic Bora Bora, where they spend the days lying in the sun and just enjoying one another. One day they go scuba diving in the gorgeous, clear, aqua sea and find something in the water. The couple is faced with a tough decision. Do they say something or keep their secret? The decision they make sets off a chain of events that nightmares are made of. “Something in the Water” will give you chills and keep you on the edge of your set until the very last page.
“Freefall” by Jessica Barry
What if you were told your daughter was dead but somewhere deep inside of you, you knew they were wrong? What if you haven’t seen your daughter in years because of a betrayal – your betrayal that she couldn’t forgive you for? When her fiance’s plane crashes in Colorado, Allison Carpenter is presumed dead. After all, her name was on the flight log and what was left of the plane after it exploded wasn’t much. Maggie, Allison’s mother, knows otherwise. It might have been a few years since they have spoken, but she knows her daughter. She knows her strength, her will to live, and her moral values. As Allison hikes through the Rockies to get away from the people after her, Maggie searches for the truth. Will Maggie uncover what really happened before it’s too late to save Allison?
“The Night Olivia Fell” by Christina McDonald
Anyone who has been a teenager’s parent can admit it isn’t easy. Just when they are ready to find a life of their own, you want to pull them back and keep them safe from this crazy world we live in. Abi Knight is awakened in the middle of the night with the news that her teenage daughter, Olivia, has fallen off of a bridge. Olivia is in the hospital, brain dead and pregnant, and has to stay on life support to keep the baby alive. It is a lot to take in at once and Abi is overcome with emotion, filled with grief and regret. The police rule the fall an accident, but Abi knows that can’t be true. What was she doing out that night? Who was she meeting? Why does she have bruises on her wrists? Abi sets out to find out what really happened that night, which could prove dangerous for everyone involved.
