2 question pop quiz:
1. What are my two favorite things?
2. What comes out today?
Answers:
1. Books and summer.
I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy of this, and it is killer. This has pretty much everything I look for in a novel. Great writing, beautiful setting, snappy dialogue, and unforgettable characters. Just thinking about Topper and Hattie is putting a smile on my face right now. I always love it when historical fiction bounces back and forth between a modern day storyline, and when both stories are equally compelling, I just gobble it up. I don’t know if writers are supposed to be like parents and pretend not to have a favorite, but Michelle has said this one is her favorite, and while I’ve loved all three of her books, if I had to choose one, I’d pick this one too. But you should probably read all three just so you can decide for yourself.
It’s been a thrill to witness Michelle’s writing career take off, as I’ve “known” her through the interwebs for ages, and she is totally deserving of her hard earned success. A while back, we made the jump from Internet friends to real life friends when we met up in San Diego, and I can vouch that she’s just as sunny and charming in person as you’d expect.
Ok, that picture actually isn’t real, but we did have lunch together. I just didn’t think to get a picture, which is one of my biggest regrets, right up there with That Time I Didn’t Talk To Beyoncé. I hope to get another chance someday, and until then I’ll just occupy myself with her stellar work and her always impeccable recommendations. (She’s the one who told me to read The Arrangement, so I know I can’t go wrong with Michelle.) I’m always excited for summer, but this year it’s doubly exciting because I know I’m going to be seeing people reading The Book of Summer at beaches everywhere…so many of my favorite things combined. Happy Book of Summer Day everyone!
