The weather is warming up (maybe too much—pump the brakes, Virginia!) which always makes me crave more outdoors time, and, relatedly, more reading time. Those who know me best know that 1) being outside in nature and 2) reading—indoors or out, actually—are two of my all-time favorite ways to pass an hour or seven. Perhaps not coincidentally, then, books that center around happenings in nature almost always rise to the top of my favorites list. Today I’ll be talking about three quite different books of this genre (if it can be considered a genre), all of which I thoroughly enjoyed.
The first and by far most lighthearted of the three is David Nicholls’ You Are Here. Imagine a classic rom-com but instead of a meet-cute in a bustling coffee shop or trendy nightclub, the protagonists find themselves on a multi-day trek across the English countryside. Aside from the vivid descriptions of moors and crags, what I love most about this book is how humorous and relatable it is. Things do not go perfectly for the two main characters, and the story is all the better for it. Speaking of things not going perfectly….
If you are an avid reader (which I imagine you are, if you found this tiny corner of the internet), it’s almost certain you have read, or at least heard of, Liz Moore’s masterpiece The God of the Woods. The story centers around a summer camp in the Adirondacks and the well-to-do, troubled family who owns it. Set in the 1960s and 70s, a pair of mysterious disappearances turns the town, camp, and family on their heads. I myself read it back in February, which I consider the perfect time of year for such a dark thriller. That being said, between the summer setting, enigmatic wealthy family, and devourable quality of Moore’s writing, don’t let me stop you from grabbing this as your next beach read. And speaking of beach reads….
…this book is not one, but the queen of the beach read, Elin Hilderbrand herself, “blurbed” Heartwood right there on the cover, which is what led me to pick it up in my local bookseller. I would describe this novel as a mash-up of the two discussed above. Like God of the Woods, it centers around a disappearance…..in the woods, believe it or not (this time on the Appalachian Trail), but, like You Are Here, the author employs humor and touches on some romantic themes, resulting in a still-gripping yet bit more uplifting read.
If you’re going outside today, don’t get lost; if you’re exploring nature through the pages of a book, then, by all means, do.
LOVED God of the Woods and now I need to read the rest of these! My TBR pile is growing thanks to Nat’s Nook!