This is the time of year when my reading ratchets up. I am approaching a dozen books and have settled into a routine of reading on the porch in the evenings a few nights a week before heading to bed to read some more. With my Beach Week approaching, I could easily be up to 18 by the end of July. My wish list has lots of good books on it so I am excited.

I really enjoyed the ones listed below and would recommend any of them. Some have caveats in my review, but I hope you give at least one of them a try.

The Storyteller by Dave Grohl: This is making a beeline to the top of my “Favorite Reads of 2022” list. (This list does not exist, but I may have to start it.) I always found Grohl fascinating, but realize after reading this book that I only knew about 25 percent of what made him such an interesting dude. He has had a ridiculous career, tells the best stories and manages to realize how fortunate he is to have lived the life he has lived. I highly recommend this, if only for the one chapter that basically catalogs some of the random ways he has run into people he admires.

What I’m Looking For by Karen Grey: If you have followed my reading exploits, you know I am a sucker for a rom-com. This one is set in the 1980s so it basically was written for me. Idealistic teenage Brian would have idolized these characters as they navigated the pitfalls of romance, family and career in Boston. The first in a series of novels set in the city during the 80s, I thoroughly enjoyed the characters and situations, even when I wanted to throttle them for being so stupid. Happily ever after, of course, and I will probably read more from the series.

The Switch by Beth O’Leary: Another box of mine to tick in the rom-com category is a British setting. This one featured a young woman in London suffering from work burnout who trades places with her 70-something grandmother who wants to escape her small country village for a romp in the city. I didn’t enjoy this as much as O’Leary’s The Flatshare, but I found the different ways the women learned about themselves and their family very engaging. She writes fascinating characters, and some of the secondary ones have great opportunities to drive the action. Her writing may have a formula, but I don’t mind it.

How to be Perfect by Mike Schur: If you go into this knowing you may pick up a few ideas about moral philosophy and how difficult it can be to navigate the current landscape, you will be fine. Don’t think you need to commit everything to memory and make massive changes in your life just because Mike Schur seems to have done that. His writing works for me – others may find him a little too referential – and I appreciate the thorough research and explanations. I’m a sucker for his work so enjoying this was a no-brainer, although I did stop every once in a while to rest my brain.

Shelter: A Black Tale from Homeland, Baltimore by Lawrence Jackson: I went to high school and wrestled with the author. I have not seen him in decades even though he returned to the same institution where I work several years ago, a change that spurred this memoir/history. But I can hear his voice in every word. Like his literal voice, the cadence and tone I remember from all those years ago. The way he merges the story of Baltimore (and not just the good parts) with his life had me completely hooked. Like Schur’s book, there is a lot of info, and you might struggle to retain it all, so just go along for the ride. He does go into incredible detail on even the smallest things, but that is part of what makes this so impressive. Larry doesn’t miss much so as he outlines the role of race and class in Baltimore over the centuries in incredible detail, he will also tell you how he maintains his yard in the same detail because Baltimore’s lives are intertwined with how the city has treated its citizens.