Hello friends,
Well it’s been well over a month since our last newsletter. And a lot has happened in that time. June flew by in a flurry of fun and busy days. We’ve been enjoying connecting with so many local families around the Summer Reading Challenge with Neighborhood Scoops. The summer reading challenge continues through August, so there is plenty of time to fill out a log and receive a free (Children - YA) Book and a free ice cream from our favorite sweet spot.
We love Neighborhood Scoop so much…probably a little too much! Last night we realized that we had been to Neighborhood Scoop three times this week alone…but ya know once was for Boba for the preteens, then ice cream after the beach and then of course we had to bring visiting family to our family ice cream shop too!
June was busy with meet me at the bookshop and craft days, kids book club, story times, pride celebration and an incredibly fun Late Night at the Bookshop!
Throughout June - in celebration of Pride month - we were able to collect so many sponsored books for our Free Banned Book Library! You all have blown us away yet again with your support and kindness. We are planning to continue the sponsorship program on a regular basis to keep free books available to our community. We can’t wait to get the little free banned book library up and running on our front porch!
Though our Fern & Fable Bookclubs are on pause during the summer, there is a great opportunity to join our favorite bookstagrammer, Natalie for a bookclub on July 17th. All the free copies of the books have been claimed but we do have Loneliness & Company available for purchase!
While adult bookclub is on a break we've been really enjoying our kids book club. In June we read Manatee Summer by Evan Griffith and we raised $100 for Save The Manatee! (Thank you to everyone who purchased a manatee plush or art print!) We loved learning about these gentle giants and discussing conservation efforts with the kids.
Our next kids bookclub is coming up! Grab your copy of The Big Sting to read before we meet on July 27th
Another fun event happening on July 27th is Christmas in July in Historic Ormond Beach! It will be such a fun day to enjoy the many businesses along our beautiful Main Street!
Don’t forget about story time every Saturday at 1130 am! Bring the kids to beat the heat and chill with us while I read silly stories!
July isn’t quite as full as June was around the shop, but there is still quite a bit of fun stuff going on. And nothing beats a trip to a nice cold bookshop on a hot hot day! We’re stocked up on lots of great summer reads! If you need some inspiration here are a few of my favorite books recently:
Real Americans by Rachel Khong
This one got me out of a reading slump! It quickly captured my attention I love a family drama! And this one had some very interesting unexpected elements that brought up interesting questions with real life implications.
Another family drama I absolutely adored - Same as it Ever Was by Claire Lombardo
This book begins with the main character awkwardly running into someone from her past at the grocery story and it felt so relatable. Claire Lombardo’s writing immerses you into her characters so deeply I was left wanting more, which says a lot for a 500+ page book.
Wouldn’t be summer if I didn’t mention Funny Story by Emily Henry
Emily Henry needs no introduction, but this was a fun escape from my usual intense lit fic. The character relationships had enough depth to keep me engaged (which I honestly can’t say for all of Henry’s books) yet it also felt just like drinking a cocktail by the pool with no stress.
Another book that needs little introduction but is SO GOOD. Percival Everett is incredible and I loved this retelling of Huck Finn’s adventures from James perspective. Necessary and beautiful work.
A fun summer read… imagine a novelization of Britney Spears memoir. If you grew up in the 90s - 00s you’ll enjoy this one. (I mean that cover is what drew me in!) You’ll find yourself saying “That’s totally Christina Aguilera, Oh is that Jessica Simpson!” It captured that time in all its glory (and struggle) well!
You know that meme of those houses in Santa Monica, well this is essentially me reading Honey and then Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
…
I picked up my first Leigh Bardugo on a whim. Anything she writes flies off the shelves. So I started with Ninth House, magical, mystical dark academia based on the secret societies at Yale. (I love fiction that sends me on a good google search!) My only knowledge of anything Ivy League is Rory Gilmore related, so I did kind of picture Rory and Logan fighting ghosts and demons…(I mean…In Omnia Paratus was our YOLO in 2004…) Regardless of my gilmore girls view I really enjoyed the wild and creepy adventures of Alex Stern and her friends and I’ve already started the 2nd book - Hellbent. But before I continued on the Bardugo train - I read The God of the Woods by Liz Moore…
THIS BOOK WAS SO GOOD. It just sucked me right in from the first pages. I’m not a huge reader of thrillers, (sometimes I’m a bit of a baby when the scary stuff feels too real.) but this had the depth and drama along with the edge of your seat mystery was such a great combo. The 1970s summer camp setting was perfection. I wish I was sitting in a cabin by a lake the whole time I read this. The character development was so interesting and fulfilling. Yet the whole time I was unsure of where the mysteries were leading. This was the first book by Liz Moore I’ve read, but you better believe Long Bright River is in my TBR!
Like I said I’m currently reading Hell Bent
along with Pearce Oysters by Jocelyn Takacs
Yes, another family drama…my absolute favorite kind of fiction
I’m listening to In The Lives of Puppets while I eagerly await the release of TJ Klune’s new book - Somewhere Beyond the Sea - in September!
I got my hands on an advanced copy of Louise Erdrich’s new book, The Mighty Red that comes out in October! She is one of my very favorite writers and I cannot wait to read this one!
Thanks for all your support this summer, I hope to see you in the shop sometime soon!
- Rayna
*All links are to titles on https://bookshop.org/shop/fernandfablebooks which allows for online direct to home shipping. Books are available at Fern & Fable and audio available at https://libro.fm/fernandfablebooks