Summer Booklist

 We've rounded up some of our family's recent favorite reads.

Take one along on vacation,

 out by the pool,

or cozy up at home.

After the Civil War in the south there is a new kind of life. Everyone has to deal with the reconstruction of Southern cities, plantations and lives.  Three unlikely companions from the same plantation, set out on a journey to find a lost inheritance and lost family. They encounter dangers, family secrets, prejudices and changed in their relationships with each other. 

If you want some self-improvement over the summer,

this book helps with more effective communication, relationship dynamics, the art of listening and not being that person who has to "solve everyone else's problems".

 

You will love this series! It takes a minute to get used to the format of Victorian era thinking and it is written as just Emma M. Lion's journal entries-which you will come to enjoy. You'll quickly be captivated by Emma, her little town of St. Crispin and her friends, while loathing her uncle and aunt. Whitty, fun and binge worthy (books 1-7)-can't wait until the next book comes out!

We do love a good Austen inspired book! Mary heads to England with her childhood friend to a Regency inspired retreat at a manor. Complete with costumes, time period activities and the guests playing he part of Austen novel characters. Her friend Isabel has a break down and really believes she is in that time period. Truths come out about their shared pasts and a shared acquaintance in Nathan. Mary has unexpected opportunity for love. Will she take it?

WWII-Yonne is living in a loveless marriage when their flat is bombed out. She takes this opportunity to disappear and remake herself into a spy for the Allies. She is recruited as Britain's first female agent. Dropped over enemy lines in France, she becomes the leader of the Resistance moment, specializing in sabotage. Who can she trust? Will the Nazis discover her true identity?  Based on the true story of the woman who became one of infamous and feared espionage agents for Britain.

For years Marietta has held an infatuation for Frederick and has poured out her feelings in personal letters no one was supposed to see. When one of these letters is mistakenly dropped off at Frederick's house, she must at all costs, retrieve it. Meanwhile, Gerard is in financial straits and is trying to save his family estate. When visiting his cousin Frederick, he happens upon the letter. Gerard and Marietta strike a bargain to help each other woo their intended partners but soon things get complicated and romantic feelings change. 

Isadora is quirky and socially awkward. She is much more comfortable with her regulated life and academic research. When turning 30, she happens upon a magazine article endorsing 31 steps to become happy. She decides to disprove it and turns it into her own personal research project. She meets new, unexpected people, who accept and believe in her. Could she be feeling happiness?

 Whitty and will make you laugh out loud.  

Book 2 but can be a stand-alone novel. Maddie is the maid of honor for her friend Lauren who wants to reenact how she met her fiancé with a cross-country road trip. However, Maddie needs a plus one and a way to financially go on the trip. Simon has been her best friend and has been secretly in love with Maddie for 10 years. He's organized, a brain, a little OCD and has never been socially adept. Maddie is chaos, afraid to follow her dreams and social to the extreme. But they balance each other out and have always been each other's biggest cheer leaders. Things might just change on this road trip as Simon loosens up and Maddie starts seeing her best friend for who he really is. 

Based on the true story of Eliza Lucas living in 1739-1744 South Carolina. Her father leaves her in charge of the home, family and two plantations at the age of 16 while he goes to peruse military assignments. In a time when women were not given this responsibility, she must manage finances, the slaves, plantation overseers, crop failures and try to save the family from financial ruin.  She believes growing indigo is the solution but is thwarted at every turn. She deals with the intricacies of growing indigo, not being taken seriously, forbidden friendships, romance, intrigue and other threats. She eventually succeeds and becomes the "indigo girl", catapulting South Carolina into being the number one indigo exporter during that time period and helping to create the wealth for Southern families in that area which has lasted until this day. An interesting and unknown story to me. What a girl Eliza must have been!

Based on the true story during WWII of two women and their network in Belgium to relocate as many Jewish children as possible before they are taken with their families to Nazi camps. The intricacies of keeping track of the children's true names, false identities, homes they are placed along with producing false identification and travel is amazing. The Nazis and Fat Jacques (a Jew turned Nazi informant) are constantly tracking them down. What will become of Andree and Ida and all the children they try to save?

Happy reading!

If you have any book suggestions, we'd love them in the comments!