You light the spark in my bonfire heart
Best of summer 2023
I think summer 2023 should be known as The Summer That Never Was. It went much too quickly to feel like I even had a moment to enjoy it. With three trips to Vermont, a hop across the pond to see Springsteen perform in Hyde Park, jam-packed weekends with friends, and a work project that consumed my life for a month and a half, I feel like I haven’t been in one place for more than a couple of days. Truthfully, I can’t remember the last time I was this busy. It’s exhausting.
With such a crazy schedule, you might wonder how much reading I was able to accomplish. The answer: not much. Or, at least, not much for me. I’ve only just surpassed 100 books this year, which for many people is probably a lot, but compared to where I was this time a year ago, I am really dragging. Especially when compared to my bestie who is well past 150 already. I keep saying I am in desperate need of a long bout of insomnia to let me catch up to her.
Although I haven’t read nearly as many books as I would have liked to over the last few months, what I have read has been fantastic. With that in mind, plus the fact that I am technically 3 months behind on recommendations (or 4 months, if you’d like to include September), a round-up of the best books I read this summer felt appropriate. So let’s just get right into it: here’s everything I’ve read and loved lately.
That’s it for now. I hope at least one of the books on this list, if not all of them, has piqued your interest and you’ll go out right now to purchase a copy from your local bookseller.
As a gentle reminder: my preference will always be to support independent bookstores first and foremost, so please remember to shop locally at your neighborhood indie store. All of this month’s selections are hyperlinked to Main Point Books where I shop regularly - just click the image of the book’s cover to be taken to the website. If you want to find an independent bookstore in your area, IndieBound.org has a very helpful store finder. Or, if you’d like to support local stores on a broader scale, you can order through Bookshop.org. For anything else, consult Google. And until next time,
Happy reading,
Sam