Ok friends, so it’s been awhile.
Life continued to go full speed ahead this summer and I just couldn’t find the time to write.
Now if you follow me on Instagram at hey.its.sooz or on my Facebook page you will notice I was largely present because it seems those fast snippets of life were just easier to share.
Social media is so easy isn’t? It’s such a quick fix.
But yes, blogging. I’m back! And I’m going to start off nice and easy with some book recommendations. Last week I posted a picture of my new writing desk and it had a stack of books on it. Funny enough many of you could have cared less about the desk and zoomed in to see what I was reading. So I thought Susie’s Bi-annual book club shall come to order. Why bi-annual? Oh C’mon…you guys saw how fast I fell off the blogging bandwagon so I feel this is an attainable commitment.
What type of reading am I into? I like nice, easy breezy, light summer reading year round. Nothing too heavy. I’m not into suspense or crime. I pretty much stick with the rom-com book world. Sometimes I sprinkle it with a little more drama. And I love a good biography. These picks are all fiction books I’ve actually read in the last 8 months or so. I’m a slow, nighttime reader who likes to fall asleep with a book so I’m all about an easy read.
OK, enough yammering on. Without further ado, here are Susie’s Bi-Annual Book Club picks (clickable book and title will take you to Amazon):
Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter: I don’t always go for NY Time’s Bestsellers but I was in a rush to pick up kids and this cover caught my eye. “Beautiful Ruins is the story of an almost-love affair that begins on the Italian coast in 1962…and is rekindled in Hollywood fifty years later.” And pretty much that one line sold me. It was a great read. I loved it. It transported me to the Amalfi coast and I could literally hear the Italian accents and taste the wine as I read this.
Three Wishes by Liane Moriarty: Apparently I’m a little behind on my reading. I found this book at my local used book store. It came out in 2009 and was Liane Moriarty’s first book. And then I find out that Ms. Moriarty is the writer who is now famous for Big Little Lies. I’m usually so up on my pop culture. Apparently I missed the boat on this one. “In this wise, witty, and hilarious novel, we follow the Kettle sisters through their tumultuous thirty-third year as they deal with sibling rivalry and secrets, revelations and relationships, unfaithful husbands and unthinkable decisions, and the fabulous, frustrating life of forever being part of a trio.” This was a really fun read. Having wildly different sisters I enjoyed the sister aspect to this story.
Shanghai Girls by Lisa See: Being Asian American, I’m a sucker for any stories that take place in any Asian countries. This one was a little heavier than I thought it would be. Lisa See really did her homework on this time in history and she paints a pretty graphic and heartbreaking picture of how the war changed everything in China and how awful immigrants were treated when coming to the Land of the Free.“In 1937, Shanghai is the Paris of Asia, a city of great wealth and glamour, the home of millionaires and beggars, gangsters and gamblers, patriots and revolutionaries, artists and warlords. This book explores the bonds of sisterhood while powerfully evoking the often nightmarish American immigrant experience.” It was a beautifully written book and I loved it start to finish.
Dreams of Joy by Lisa See: This is the sequel to Shanghai Girls and I had read it immediately. It was laced with the same eye opening honesty of what was really happening in Communist China during Mao’s reign. The story was beautiful and again a little painful. Her writing is in the vein of the Joy Luck Club which I love.“Lisa See returns to the story of sisters Pearl and May from Shanghai Girls, and Pearl’s strong-willed nineteen-year-old daughter, Joy. This is a heartwarming story of heroic love between a mother and daughter.”
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman: I heard of this book because I follow Reese Witherspoon, the actress, on Instagram. She has a book club and recommended this one. This was a very quirky book about a quirky individual and I loved the lead characters so much. “Beautifully written and incredibly funny, Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine is about the importance of friendship and human connection. I fell in love with Eleanor, an eccentric and regimented loner whose life beautifully unfolds after a chance encounter with a stranger; I think you will fall in love, too!” -Reese Witherspoon
Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons by Lorna Landvik: Through Amazons algorithm magic this gem popped up when I was trying to find similar books. This book was all about friendship. You know that group of friends that literally stands by you and get’s you through the tough times in life. The other great thing is that the Angry Housewives started a book club so each chapter is a book that one of the ladies picked. Clever. “A lively story as delectable as a five-pound box of chocolates . . . a thoroughly engaging chronicle of friendship and the substantive place it holds in women’s lives.”
The Secret to Hummingbird Cake by Celeste Fisher McHale: This was another friendship book. I loved the strong lead character in this book. She was so spunky. And the friendships reminded me of my best high school pals in the little town I lived in for a short spell. There was some sadness to this book but it was one of those beautiful easy breezy summer reads that I was speaking of. “In the South you always say “yes, ma’am” and “no, ma’am.” You know everybody’s business. Football is a lifestyle not a pastime. Food—especially dessert— is almost a religious experience. And you protect your friends as fiercely as you protect your family— even if the threat is something you cannot see.”
See you in 6 months for my next book club meeting. A-J bring Apps. K-Z bring Desert. 😉
xoxo, Sooz
