Although summer is still a month away, I have to admit that I’ve been engaging in an anticipatory activity as I await it’s arrival. I just can’t help myself. Yes, I know my goal each month this year is to practice mindfulness, to be present, to be in the moment but in this case, I had to give myself a break. The reason? The pastime I’m preparing for makes me so happy and is good for me in all ways possible. It’s one that stimulates my brain, improves my memory, and relaxes me. It stretches my imagination, gives me a respite from my daily To-Dos, and enriches my life.
Another reason I can’t wait is that in this last month I’ve been teased, tantalized, and tempted by the promise of these treasures to come. Notifications have been popping up on websites, blurbs have been reaching me on pages in magazines, and if I dare step foot into a bibliopolium, I’m a goner. Displays there reveal their availability and if published, I walk out with an armful and if not, their release dates are noted on at least three devices so I am ready.
From my journal: April 3, 2026, in Paso Robles, California
“…went to ‘Spare Time’ only bought three, may keep the L.S. Strong one for summer…”
You may have guessed that what I am currently doing is curating my Summer Reading List. And in reference to the book I mentioned above, purchased in April while out of town, the one I thought I might keep until the seasons changed, well, it’s been in my “Read and Loved” pile for over a month. Now before I share my future picks, I’d like to tell you about that book and another that are my two latest faves.
Flight by Lynn Steger Strong has been described as “suspenseful, dazzling, and moving”. It’s a story about three adult siblings and their families who gather for the first Christmas after their beloved mother dies to carry on holiday traditions while trying to decide what to do about their mother’s house, their sole inheritance. Over the course of three days, tensions run high, resentments surface, and instabilities arise, as they come together to support each other when a local mother and daughter need help. Reading it, I felt like I was right there in the mix experiencing the chaos, the conflicts, and ultimately the love that binds them all.
I’m a huge fan of Pulitzer Prize winner Elizabeth Strout, perhaps you are, too. Her most recent offering is The Things We Never Say. I read it in two nights. Character-driven like her other novels, this one tells the story of Artie Dam, a beloved high school teacher who is leading a double life. By all appearances he is enjoying his work, family, and social life, yet he is questioning how little we know about each other, especially those closest to us. It’s described as “a poignant meditation on loneliness, friendship, parenthood, and the importance of truth in a capsizing world.” Growing up in a close-knit New England community, I can relate to Strout’s books so well. This one was no exception.
Now for my 10 picks to savor in the long leisurely lazy days and nights ahead!
Leave Your Mess At Home by Tolani Akinola
“A poignant, hilarious, and multi-perspective novel about four Nigerian-American siblings who reunite in Chicago for Thanksgiving, forcing them to confront buried secrets, past traumas, and deep-rooted family expectations.” Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Villa Coco by Andrew Sean Greer
“A directionless young American takes an archivist job in Tuscany for an eccentric 92-year-old Baronessa, finding himself swept into a sunny, farcical, and life-changing Mediterranean sojourn.” Genre: Literary Fiction * Available June 9th
London Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe
“A gripping investigative nonfiction book that chronicles a teenager’s mysterious death and his grieving parents’ relentless search for the truth, which ultimately exposes a dark double life woven through modern London’s criminal and billionaire underworlds.” Genre: Investigative Journalism
The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State by Jill Lepore
“A sweeping non-fiction history exploring how corporate algorithms, artificial intelligence, and digital infrastructure have eroded democracy to reduce citizen engagement to a highly manipulated, corporate-owned communications network.” Genre: Non-Fiction / History * Available August 25th
Whistler by Ann Patchett
“A story about two adults looking back over the choices they made, and the choices that were made for them. It’s a story about bravery, memory, the often small yet consequential moments that define our lives, and the endless stream of loss that in time comes for us all.” Genre: Literary Fiction *Available June 2nd
Small Town Girls by Jayne Anne Phillips
“In her memoir, Phillips explores her roots in rural West Virginia through a series of linked, autobiographical essays that celebrate the often underestimated bonds of Appalachian women while reflecting on the place and people who shaped her life.” Genre: Personal Memoir
A World Appears by Michael Pollan
“(This book explores) the unmapped continent that is consciousness, bringing radically different perspectives—scientific, philosophical, literary, spiritual and psychedelic—to see what each can teach us about this central fact of life .” Genre: Non-Fiction / Science / Psychology
Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt by Ben Reeves
“A timeless story about appreciating life, accepting its end, and finding our place in the universe—especially when it feels most impossible—that will resonate with anyone who has ever loved and lost or worried at time’s passing.” Genre: Contemporary Fiction / Magical Realism * Available July 7th
Go Gentle by Maria Semple
“A witty, life-affirming novel about Adora Hazzard, a New York City Stoic philosopher whose joyfully curated single life is upended by romance, art intrigue, and her past.” Genre: Contemporary Fiction / Mystery / Literary Romance
John of John by Douglas Stuart
“A vivid, moving, and beautifully crafted novel following a young man returning to his Hebridean island home, a portrait of a close-knit community and a fraying family, of a father’s expectations and a son’s desires.” Genre: Literary Fiction
As I write this, I have four books on my nightstand. Summer is still a month out, so I have plenty of time to revel in each one. Then, I’ll be ready to officially move on to my Summer Reading List. With all of these diverse, enthralling, and intriguing titles, I can hardly wait!
A Journal Journey 