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Heartwarming & Austen-esque Beach Reads
Jane L. Rosen, Kevin Kwan, Alison Bechdel, June books, and more ...
BookBrowse Highlights
Hello Readers!
This week, we bring you some beach reads substantial enough for your book club.
Our First Impressions reviewers comment on Jane L. Rosen’s Songs of Summer, a light and heartwarming story about a music lover’s journey to meet her birth mother.
Members discuss Kevin Kwan’s Lies and Weddings, an Austen-esque tale of decadence and family drama.
In Editor’s Choice, we review cartoonist Alison Bechdel’s latest graphic novel Spent, which combines the author’s previous work with an altered version of her life.
You can also see what June books we’re excited for and check out upcoming Ask the Author sessions in our community forum!
Thanks for reading,
The BookBrowse Team
First Impressions
Each month, we share books with BookBrowse members to read and review. Here are their opinions on one recently released title.
Songs of Summer by Jane L. Rosen
“Songs of Summer centers on Maggie's journey to meet her birth mother after her parents pass away…At a crossroads with her new fiancé (but long-time best friend) Jason, Maggie also realizes that what brought her comfort in the past may not make her happy in the future. This was a heartwarming and fun read, and I loved exploring Fire Island through the eyes of the book's characters. Maggie is the owner of her parents' old record store, and music is a big part of her life. As such, I enjoyed how song titles were woven into the story and tied to each big part of Maggie's journey toward self-discovery.” —Alex M. (Woodland, CA) |  |
"It's a coming-into-your-own beach book and could be fun for a book group wanting something lighter.” —Jean F. (Cary, NC)
“A refreshing read about discovering family and self…Songs of Summer is a joyful homage to days past…which could easily have been a rom-com musical!” —Marcia K. (Willoughby, OH)
Book Club Discussions
Discussions are open to all! If you’d like to participate, you can do so by creating an account here. Please note that discussions can contain spoilers.
Lies and Weddings by Kevin Kwan
From the Jacket Rufus Leung Gresham, future Earl of Greshambury and son of a former Hong Kong supermodel has a problem: the legendary Gresham Trust has been depleted by decades of profligate spending, and behind all the magazine covers and Instagram stories, manors and yachts, lies nothing more than a gargantuan mountain of debt. The only solution, put forth by Rufus's scheming mother, is for Rufus to attend his sister's wedding at a luxury eco-resort, a veritable who's-who of sultans, barons, and oligarchs, and seduce a woman with money. |  |
From the Discussion
“I’m a sucker for anything Jane Austen-adjacent and this was precisely that.” —Ann_Beman
“I really loved this book. The decadence is over the top, yet at times very funny. It will make a great movie, can’t wait. I’ll definitely recommend it to all my friends and book clubs.” —Melissa_Chaitin
“Lies and Weddings was an entertaining and easy read filled with ample amounts of family drama, conspicuous consumption, and cultural satire.” —Gabi_J
For Members
This issue of The BookBrowse Review contains reviews and "beyond the book" articles for 14 titles, including The Names by Florence Knapp, This Is Your Mother by Erika J. Simpson, and The Afterlife of Malcolm X by Mark Whitaker. We also bring you our list of Book Clubs' All-Time Favorite Books, previews of upcoming books, book club recommendations, and more. Not Yet a Member? Do you love to spend your reading hours immersed in captivating storytelling and intriguing ideas? |  |
Then a BookBrowse membership is for you! What you see on BookBrowse for free and in this newsletter is just a small part of what is available to members — for just $5.00/month! Join Today!
Editor’s Choice
They say every author puts a little of themselves into their work, but the brilliant Alison Bechdel has taken the expression to a new level in Spent, a rollicking, metafictional graphic novel. Bechdel has inserted herself and her real-life partner Holly into a somewhat heightened reality in which she confronts aging, attempts to maintain artistic integrity in the age of the viral video, and spends some time with old friends from her literary past. This is a hilarious and utterly charming graphic novel that has all the self-deprecating wit and wisdom readers have come to expect from Bechdel. … continued Review by Sara Fiore |  |
June Books We’re Excited About
Got your towels and sunscreen ready? How about your summer reading? Here are some books to start the season right: a reflective memoir about relationships and selfhood, a fantasy imagining a world where doors lead to unpredictable fates, an ambitious story of identity in America, and a darkly funny novel set in modern Ukraine. Follow along with upcoming coverage in our digital magazine. … continued |  |
Ask the Author Interviews
Did you know BookBrowse is now hosting Ask the Author sessions in our community forum? Stop by to post your own questions and follow along. Recent authors we’ve interviewed include Renée Rosen and Chris Bohjalian. In June, we feature Q&As with Siphiwe Gloria Ndlovu, Stephanie Dray, and Allegra Goodman. We hope to see you there! |  |
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