As a mother-daughter book club we have months where we meet together without having read a book. For September, to allow the girls to settle into a school routine, we simply gathered on a warm autumn night to play games, make s’mores, and share book recommendations from summer reading.
We are passing on their recommendations, along with any commentary they offered along with the book choice. And, FYI, our girls are all in the 13-14 age range — we identify them with a letter for their privacy. They may be the same age, but they are diverse in interests and personalities. They also vary in the amount they actually enjoy reading on their own — some love it, some tolerate it and some don’t like it all that much. They ALL love book club ;-).
Recommended by E — Christopher Paolini’s Inheritance Cycle // She warned us that the books were long but totally worth the investment. If you like books about dragons, get started with Eragon, the first book in the series.
Recommended by B — The Gallagher Girls by Ally Carter // This series is about a female boarding school that trains its students to be spies and there are mysteries aplenty to be solved. Her and her mom’s caveat: While these books are clean, there is some kissing and quite a few “hot boys” references.
Recommended by L — A Dog’s Way Home by W. Bruce Cameron // A good animal story is always a winner, and she enjoyed reading this one very much. There is a movie made from this novel, but we can assume that the book is always better.
Recommended by C — Once Upon a Prince by Rachel Hauck // Our girls are at the age now where they are starting to read a mix of JF, YA, and adult fiction. She LOVED book one in The Royal Wedding series (adult fiction). This is a charming, clean romance with a little hint of magic thrown in.
Recommended by S — The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson // She was working her way through summer reading lists for school and really (surprisingly) enjoyed this classic. Perfect on a rainy, autumn day.
Recommended by R & S — A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd. Most people were out of town during our June book club, but several girls read this lovely book on their own and gave it their stamp of approval. Anyone looking for a lighthearted but lovely read should check this one out.
And, last but not least, we added our recommendations for the girls (and you all!) from our own summer reading:
Stephanie recommends the Mercy Medallion Trilogy by Michael Landon Jr. and Cindy Kelly. First, there are only two books in the series, so ignore the “trilogy” part, BUT, the second book does not end on a cliffhanger and this duo is FANTASTIC Civil War historical fiction for teens and adults. Traces of Mercy (1) & Finding Mercy (2) are two of the best she’s ever read.
Tina recommends two Young Adult novels: Hattie Big Sky and Hattie Ever After by Kirby Larson are historical fiction reads set in Montana during World War I. She couldn’t put them down.
So, you can see we have a wide range of reading tastes. One of the best things about being part of a literature-infused community is being exposed to books and genres we might not pick up on our own. It’s always a delight to discover new stories, characters and visit new places in the company of good friends!
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