Tips for Tuesday - Books: Gone & The Summer of You and Me; Movie: H20 The Intelligence of Water

We may have been given complimentary copies and/or access for review purposes to any books, products, and/or any other visual or audio media mentioned below. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own.

Books: Gone and The Summer of You and Me

Today, we recommend Gone by Dreda Say Mitchell and Ryan Carter. When her young son, Sam, allegedly drowned on the beach while under her brother's watch, Alison's world fell apart. She always suspected there was more to the story than what she was told, and now, ten years later, her ex-husband is trying to have Sam declared legally dead, but she is determined to find out what really happened. 

This is an exciting, fast-paced mystery. Although some twists and turns of the plot may become evident to most readers before they are revealed in the story, there are still enough surprises to keep things interesting. At its heart, this is a family story. It is about both the alarmingly dysfunctional kind of family and the warm, loving kind.  It is about learning to let go of the former and hold tight to the latter. 

Gone is publishing today. 

Today, we recommend The Summer of You and Me by Denise Hunter. Several years after the military-related death of her husband, Maggie Reynolds is finally ready to move on. Spending the summer with her husband's family, she finds herself drawn to her husband's brother, who unbeknownst to her has always had a crush on her. Then, at a carnival, she spots a man who is the spitting image of her late husband, and becomes determined to find out who he is. 

Although the idea of a woman having a relationship with her late husband's brother could be cringeworthy, it is handled in a delicate, sensitive manner that makes it palatable here. The fact that there aren't any flashbacks so you never get to see Maggie and her late husband together, but you do see Maggie and her brother-in-law, Josh, together, helps. They are sweet together and seem well-suited. Josh's relationship with Maggie's young daughter is really touching as well. 

The story has just the right mix of predictability and unpredictability. While the plotline about the man who looks like Maggie's late husband seems like it could slide into soap operish territory, it never does. The answer to the mystery is surprising but both plausible and satisfying. 

The book is permeated with numerous warm, loving, caring characters that personify what a family should be. Only Maggie's mother, a character who sees Maggie as a reflection of herself, who, therefore, should live up to what she expects of her daughter, and one other character don't fit in with the overwhelmingly pleasant feelings that reading this book generates.

The Summer of You and Me will be published on 4/22.

Movie: H20 The Intelligence of Water

Today we recommend the documentary, H20: The Intelligence of Water. It predictably reminds us of the importance of water. However, it also makes us look at water in surprising and sometimes unbelievable ways. With a running time of just over an hour, it's also very quick to watch, and stays fairly interesting throughout the short duration.

H20: The Intelligence of Water is available for purchase or rental digitally now.

And that's our view. Tune in tomorrow for Where-To-Go Wednesday.

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