Jennifer Reads {June 2021}

Is there anything better than good books and summertime?

I kicked off my summer reading with some great beach reads this month – too bad I wasn’t actually on the beach!

Jackson and I also finished reading two books together and I included those, too!

Here’s what I read this month…

Under the Southern Sky by Kristy Woodson Harvey

This was my first official read of summer and it was perfect! I finished in two days!

When journalist Amelia Saxton discovers that frozen embryos belonging to her childhood friend Parker, and his late wife, have been deemed abandoned, she must decide whether to tell Parker, who is still grieving three years after his wife’s death.

When Amelia tells Parker about her discovery, he finds a glimmer of hope – he can stay connected to Greer by bringing their children into the world – he just needs to find a surrogate.

Amelia, dealing with her own losses, decides she should carry Parker’s babies. The childhood friends set off on a journey of healing only to discover maybe their future is meant to include each other.

Growing Slow by Jennifer Dukes Lee

Over the last few years, God has been teaching me that a slow, simple, life is a blessing. He’s helped me realize my worth isn’t found in my accomplishments. Lee’s book is about living an unhurried life, letting go of the pressure the world places on us and embracing the gifts that are often found in the most mundane moments.

She writes: it’s okay to grow slow, because when you grow slow, you grow deep…but your focus is no longer on the pace of your growth. Instead, it’s on the depth of your roots.

This book spoke to me on a personal level. As the mother of a child with unique needs and developmental delays, it was a great reminder that it’s okay to grow slow. It’s okay to go at your own pace. It’s okay to let go of expectations and embrace reality.

She writes: Sometimes the fruit of growing slow comes in the harvest of your public fields, but sometimes it is grown in the privacy of your own heart.

Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White

Jackson and I read this childhood classic together. It had been a long time since I read the book, but we both enjoyed the sweet story of the unexpected friendship between a pig and a spider. After we finished the book, we watched the movie.

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Four famous siblings throw their epic end of summer bash in Malibu, not knowing their lives will change forever by the end of the night. Nina, the supermodel, would rather be anywhere than her own party. She never wanted to be the center of attention. Jay, the championship surfer, has a secret that could end his career. His brother, Hud, has his own secret and it could destroy his relationship with his brother. And then there’s Kit – she has a couple secrets of her own – including a guest she’s invited to the party that nobody will be excited to see.

This book was a great summer read! It’s set in Malibu in 1983, over the course of 24 hours, but flashes back to the earlier years of the Rivas family.

The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave

When Owen Michaels disappears, he leaves his new wife a note with one desperate plea: protect her. Hannah knows he’s talking about his daughter, Bailey, but she has no idea what she’s supposed to protect her from. Especially when the 16-year-old wants nothing to do with her new stepmother.

When her calls to Owen go unanswered and the FBI arrests Owen’s boss, Hannah and Bailey decide to take matters into their own hands. They travel to Austin, Texas searching for answers, only to discover they have no idea who Owen really is.

I wanted to love this book because I had heard such great things about it. But I just didn’t. I kept thinking surely something big is about to happen and it just never did. I found the plot pretty boring.

The Bookstore on the Beach by Brenda Novak

Autumn returns home to Sable Beach for the summer with her teenage children. After spending 18 months searching for her missing husband, she’s determined to leave the past behind and start over. Autumn finds comfort in the small beach town she grew up in, as well as, the bookstore her mother and aunt own.

As she leaves the past behind, she finds her future full of shocking surprises – the secrets her mother has hidden from her, the life changes her daughter faces and the old high school flame that still has her heart.

This was my first time reading one of Novak’s books. It was a great summer read, but I was a little disappointed in the ending. It was such a long book (more than 400 pages) and it ended really abruptly. I had a lot of unanswered questions. Maybe this book will be the first in a series?

Because of the Rabbit by Cynthia Lord

Jackson got a rabbit earlier this month and a friend told me we should read this book!

Emma and her dad rescue a rabbit the night before she starts public school for the first time. Up until now, she’s been homeschooled and she’s worried about making friends and fitting in. Her new rabbit, Lapin, is just the friend she needs as she adjusts to public school. On the first day of school Emma is paired with a boy named Jack – who doesn’t quite fit in – but loves animals as much as she does. Emma struggles with fitting in and worries that being friends with Jack will make her different, too.

This was such a great book about friendship; which led to some great discussions on what it means to be a good friend. Jackson and I also talked about how true friends love you as you are – quirks and all.

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