Welcome, dear readers, to AY’s inaugural book selection reviews and recommendations! This week, we’re going to take a look at a couple of perfect summer books for you and yours.
I am excited to lead you on a journey of learning, wanderlust, and all the fabulous benefits that diving into a great book can provide. One of my favorite childhood television shows was (and is to this day) Reading Rainbow with host Levar Burton. During the summer months, I would watch the program from beginning to end daily, practice being one of the kiddos making the day’s book presentations, and would then beg my mother to take me to our local public library to check out the book so that I could take the kid’s word for it! And she did — joyfully placing me on a path to lifelong reading.
The power of words is quite amazing. They can transport you to worlds far away around the globe, create calm and relaxing spaces for self-care and relaxation, channel your inner creative spirit, and even ratchet up your IQ a few notches; the possibilities are too numerous to list, but you get my drift! As you begin to travel out again or if you choose to stay closer to your home base on the patio, local library or coffee shop, I hope these recommendations will accompany you for hours of joyous summer reading. Send me a note and let me know what you think and what you are reading; I’ll be waiting to hear from you!
Malibu Rising
by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Summer packaged in book form, anyone? Family and friends. Check. Water. Check. Festive atmosphere. Check. Intrigue. Check. This one has it all. The Hollywood famous Riva family is known for hosting the soiree of the summer — each sibling contributes his or her own mark creating THE event to be remembered. Remembered it will be indeed this summer set in 1983. Among the cast of characters whose lives are told in mini subplots are: Nina, a surfing supermodel who is married to an equally accomplished tennis player who has an obvious change of heart; Jay, a broken-hearted surfer who is making a new way in life after having been dumped by his girlfriend; Hud, Jay’s twin, who just so happens to be in love with Jay’s former lover; and finally, Kit, the youngest sister who is absorbing the ebbs and flows of life and sorting out just who she wants to become in lieu of the madness surrounding her. Fiery mysteries begin to unfold unveiling secrets that will link this family of high-achievers and elusive characters together for summers to come. Each of the siblings’ intriguing lives weaves together not always perfectly to create the essence of this fun, fast-paced read that has the book blogs talking.
World Travel: An Irreverent Guide
by Anthony Bourdain and Laurie Woolever
This carefully curated, full-sensory collection of travel adventures by the late travel expert, celebrity chef and world-traveler, Anthony Bourdain, will easily create strong feelings of wanderlust and remembrance to the beloved Bourdain. A few locales include Finland, Nigeria, Peru, Miami, and 39 other trots across tropic lands and clear, breezy ocean waters. To be clear, this one is not a travel guide to be used in the way Bourdain fans fancied to inform their personal travel experiences, but instead, this is a collection of the sights, flavors and often exotic atmospheres that the travel aficionado enjoyed immensely. After reading, I felt more connected to Bourdain as his voice rang clear created a deeper understanding in a way that helped me better understand the personal, emotional challenges he faced. I also gained an even deeper appreciation for global culture as the details and accounts of very real people accompanied his meal, drink and interviews with cultured natives. Bringing the book to life are impressionist sketches that brought this dreamy and delicious book into focus. For those who are staying close to home this summer, let this pick magically place you in villages across the globe.
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