With plenty of time to enjoy leisure activities, part of the enjoyment of independent living in Jacksonville is the ability to grab a good book and enjoy it without interruption or responsibilities. Here are some excellent reads you should put on your list this summer:
The Hotel Nantucket
New York Magazine calls Elin Hilderbrand, author of The Hotel Nantucket, the “queen of beach reads.” If you’re a fan of fast-paced stories full of drama between gossipy characters, this book is for you.
The Hotel Nantucket is written from the perspective of the ghost of a teenage chambermaid who died in a suspicious hotel fire in 1922. The book is as intriguing as it sounds, and the reviews are glowing.
City of Orange
Author David Yoon might be more familiar to young-adult readers, but he’s transitioned into an excellent writer of adult stories.
City of Orange takes place in a postapocalyptic setting and centers on a man coming to grips with how to survive in this newly destroyed world. If you like your stories a bit darker, the LA Times raves about this novel of “humor and dread.”
Counterfeit
Perhaps you want to get away from darker subjects and instead delve into an exciting caper.
Kirstin Chen’s Counterfeit focuses on a Chinese-American lawyer who accidentally gets embroiled in a scheme importing counterfeit handbags. It’s a fun story that works to buck stereotypes and builds up to a compelling twist ending. Make sure you only check out reviews that won’t spoil the end for you.
Normal People
If you’ve heard about the BBC/Hulu adaptation, read Normal People before you watch it! This novel by Sally Rooney is all about the relationship between two teenagers in Ireland during the 2008 economic downturn. As they grow up, their relationship dynamic changes, matures, and intensifies.
One incredible quality of this book is that it seems to grip readers of every age. Yes, even if you’re retired and enjoying independent living in Jacksonville, Florida!
Remarkably Bright Creatures
If you enjoy stories told from the perspective of animals, Shelby Van Pelt’s Remarkably Bright Creatures may be up your alley. The book centers on Marcellus McSquiddles, an octopus who escapes his aquarium captivity and becomes, to quote the Washington Post, “the town’s secret matchmaker.” It’s funny, engaging, and touching.
