The Greengage Summer
Rumer Godden
Children left mostly to themselves at a French hotel one hazy summer, right on the edge of growing up. Gorgeous and a little dangerous.
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★ 5Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant
Anne Tyler
The Tull family, wounded and prickly, told through the meals that never quite go right. One of Tyler's most bittersweet.
The Secret History
Donna Tartt
The Secret History by Donna Tartt is one of the books I’m jealous of other people for getting to read for the first time. In the opening sentence, you learn that a boy has been murdered, and the narrator, Richard, has helped murder him — the mystery, of course, is why. We go back in time, following Richard as he transfers to an elite New England college and becomes fascinated with a tight-knit, charismatic group of friends. The first time I read this book, I was completely carried away by the plot. The second (and third and fourth) times, I’ve been able to appreciate its exploration of beauty, morality, and the allure of belonging.
Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day
Winifred Watson
A prim, down-on-her-luck governess stumbles into one glamorous, madcap day. Pure delight — I finished it grinning.