It’s been too long since we’ve talked good books!
We went to the beach over spring break a few weeks ago and for our family, that means we read. A lot. We also play on the beach, ride bikes and eat good food, but there’s a whole lot of reading done as well.
This list of my latest good reads contains books from that vacation as well as just the usual reading I do at home. I always try to have a book on my nightstand that I’m reading. Having a book to escape to after dinner and before bed really helps to keep me from constantly going through all the things in my mind that need to be done. It makes me less stressed and more calm – for the most part, anyway. 😉
Let’s begin! If you’re new around here, I’ll also include links at the end of this post to previous posts containing more of my favorite books.
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Latest Good Reads No. 3
That Summer by Lauren Willig
After I read The Forgotten Room that was authored by Karen White, Lauren Willig and Beatriz Williams, I knew I wanted to read more of Willig and Williams’ work. I was already an avid Karen White fan. Well, this book by Lauren Willig, That Summer, did not disappoint. It is set in England and goes back and forth between present day and the 1850s. The main character, Julia, has just inherited a house from an aunt and it was all a complete surprise to her. She stumbles onto a painting hidden behind a false panel in an armoire, which makes her dive deeper into the history of the house and the family she barely knows. I love books that take you back and forth between past and present, connecting the dots over time and that’s exactly what this one did – great read! You can find That Summer here.
The Family Plot by Cherie Priest
Oh man, do I love Cherie Priest! As you guys know, I love a good ghost story. That’s exactly what The Family Plot is and it was great. I first discovered Cherie Priest when a friend suggested I read her Eden Moore series (which is amazing!). She has other books as well, but they didn’t intrigue me as much as the Eden Moore series had. When I found out she had written a new book that was about an old house, ghosts, family secrets AND that it was set right here in Chattanooga – I couldn’t get my hands on it fast enough! I read through this baby in just a little over a day. It was that good. If you love old houses, are an architectural salvage junkie and aren’t scared by a good ghost story, get this book now! She also leaves the ending somewhat open for a sequel – fingers crossed!
Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen by Susan Gregg Gilmore
Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen
This is one of those good southern books about a girl who is just trying to find her place in the world. When I got this book, I didn’t realize it but the author actually wrote for the local Chattanooga newspaper. Apparently, I have a thing for local books and authors. Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen is set in a small north Georgia town in the 1970s and centers around Catherine Grace Cline, a preacher’s daughter who has one thing in mind and that’s getting away from that small town. However, she ends up realizing sometimes what you think you want isn’t actually that at all. If you like Fannie Flagg books, then you’ll probably like this one too!
Sea Change by Karen White
Of course, there has to be a Karen White book on this list. 🙂 I think I’m thisclose to having read every single book of hers. This one though, it quickly made its way to one of my favorites of hers. Sea Change is another book that goes back and forth between past and present, but in the same location. It’s set on Saint Simons Island in Georgia during both the present day and the early 1800s. Ava and Matthew have just gotten married and moved to his family’s home on the island that has been there for centuries. What Ava doesn’t realize though is that she has been on the island before – both in her current life and a past one. This one is so so so good, guys!! If you haven’t already, add it to your list!!
The Whole Town’s Talking by Fannie Flagg
This book totally has an unexpected ending. In fact, I don’t know that the ending was like anything I had ever read before and I’m convinced its something that only Fannie Flagg could come up with. The Whole Town’s Talking follows the birth of a small town in Missouri from it’s creation to its end. And much of the book is set in the town’s cemetery. It’s not a ghost story though, it’s about lives and people and how we all effect each other and grow and change alongside each other. It’s a really good feel good book. You can find it here.
The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen
This is the second book by Sarah Addison Allen that I’ve read and it was another good read. The Peach Keeper takes place in a small town in North Carolina. When an old house is restored, a skeleton is discovered and sets in motion a chain of events that will lead Willa, one of the main characters, to discover that her family has some secrets and that she must also face her own issues she’s been putting aside. Find this book here.
That’s it for this round!
If you’ve got any book suggestions, please leave them in the comments. That’s how I’ve found so many of some of my favorite books!
If you want more book suggestions, then you can click the links below:
Latest Good Reads No. 1
Latest Good Reads No. 2
The Best Ghosts, Witches and Such Books
The Best Southern Books
More Favorite Southern Books
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