Ponder: Two Summer Books

In my previous post (12/19//19), I wrote a glowing review about an excellent book I had just finished, The Giver of Stars. It felt rewarding to write that blog post and refreshing to do it so soon after completing the book. That is not the situation in this post. I read these two books months ago in the spring/summer, but then life has a way of getting away from you and I never completed the draft reviews I had started. Since I want to take credit on the count in my Books Read in 2019 list I will give a token opinion on each. Both were rated 4.5 stars on Amazon but I think they fall short of that rating, although I do not regret having spent time reading them.

The Summer List ©2018 by Amy Mason Doan is a tale about two very close friends who have a falling out. "Why" is the glaring question. Curiosity draws the reader willingly along a path to learn "what happened". Laura is being raised by very religious parents and Casey lives with her single parent mom. They live on a California lake near each other, reachable by a brief row boat ride. They are inseparable during their summers together. Casey's mom is the "cool" mom and often creates scavenger hunts to interest and engage the local high school students. The scavenger hunt premise is what initially drew me to explore this book. I loved the majority of the novel, although I do remember struggling with some flashbacks in which the same character could be referenced by a name or a nickname depending on where on the timeline the action is occurring. That confusion could be a brain retention lapse of mine, though. The character development was great and I loved the interaction and mutual caring of the girls for each other before their divisive event.

The final lines of Amazon's description reads – accurately in my opinion –

Mesmerizing and unforgettable, Amy Mason Doan’s The Summer List is about losing and recapturing the person who understands you best—and the unbreakable bonds of girlhood.

The ending was a shocker, not necessarily because the pieces of the puzzle did not fit together, but rather because the situation seemed was so improbable. I would rate this book 3.5 stars but, since my system does not accommodate partial stars, I will round to 3 stars. Amy Mason Doan does have another book out, Summer Hours ©2019, that was published straight to paperback, no hard bound version, which may be a clue to its "literary value". But I like this author's style and characters sufficiently that I may pursue her second novel for some light reading.

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Lost and Found Sisters ©2017 by Jill Shavis, is another novel purported as a beach read and seemingly verified by the cover image. I view a beach read as a novel light enough in scope and plot that is does not require deep mental concentration to absorb while basking on a beach. I am not a beach person. Although I enjoy strolling along the water's edge maybe in the cool of the morning or late evening, no way do I want to lie on a lumpy towel or a tipsy lawn chair on a sandy shore, sweating in the sun, getting a burn on my skin, a friction rash in my bottom, and grit in my mouth from the white granular stuff blowing all around. Give me my comfy soft blue leather chair-and-a -half in my nice air-conditioned home and I will curl up and read contently any book that is light fare. That is exactly where I perched myself to read this book one evening and a bit the following morning.

I will describe the plot by deferring to Amazon's synopsis and by picking some choice phrases.

After losing her sister in a devastating car accident, chef Quinn Weller is finally getting her life back on track. She appears to have it all: a loving family, a dream job in one of L.A.'s hottest eateries, and a gorgeous boyfriend. Then when a lawyer tracks down Quinn and reveals a bombshell secret and a mysterious inheritance that only she can claim, the shocking revelation washes over her like a tidal wave. Quinn gives up her job, home, and boyfriend and heads up the coast. As Quinn settles in, she discovers the inheritance isn’t a house or money, but rather something earth-shattering.

Reading this book is like watching a Hallmark movie, which believe me, I have done lot of this holiday season. I find it relaxing and satisfying and can be assured there will be a happily ever after ending. I had fun reading this book. There was an unexpected twist at the end that made it worthwhile. Consider it a Hallmark Christmas with a beach setting. I rate it 3 stars.