The Summer of Songbirds is pure perfection. And I'm not even a little surprised because Kristy Woodson Harvey continues to bring her readers stories that stay with them and make them feel. I loved this one! I can't wait to have a physical copy for my shelves.

The Summer of Songbirds is a beautiful book about four women and their interconnected lives, and what happens as secrets come to light. I loved their backstory and the subsequent settings (three of them met at camp as six year olds, and one was the camp owner who grew to be a trusted friend), I loved how their lives had progressed, I loved everything about their storylines and this book overall. It’s the way that Kristy Woodson Harvey writes…it sucks you in, keeps you enthralled, and spits you out with a massive book hangover.

As you can probably tell, I loved this one, and would recommend it to any Kristy Woodson Harvey, Mary Kay Andrews, or Elin Hilderbrand fans. Or, if you’re looking for a beautiful story about female friendship, this one is also for you.

The Summer of Songbirds was such a wonderful read about lifelong friends who met each other when they were 6 years old at summer camp. I loved the relationship between the 3 friends and how they each did the hard things for each other and how they were there for each other no matter what.

This book is about found friends, loyalty, love, and what we do for those we love. Kristy Woodson Harvey has quickly become a favorite author and this is a must read for fans of KWH's writing.

I found myself wishing I'd gone to camp at 6 and got to meet lifelong friends. I loved how they came together to support each other when one or the other were having issues and all the stories of camp life.

I'd definitely recommend this for readers who enjoy women's fiction or those who have enjoyed previous KWH novels. Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and publisher for an ARC at my request. My thoughts are my own.

I’ve ignored my family for the last 48 hours because I absolutely could not put Summer of Songbirds down. Kristy Woodson Harvey at her finest. I was so lucky to get this advanced copy and I’ll be singing its praises until it comes out on July 11th. Summer of Songbirds is the story of three best friends that meet the summer they are 6 years old at summer camp. As adults they discover that their beloved Camp Holly Springs is in danger of closing. Daphne, Lanier and Mary Stuart must dig deep in order to come up with the funds to keep Holly Springs open. Oh course all three girls are not without their own drama and heartbreak along the way. This story made me feel like I was back at summer camp myself. It perfectly captures the magic of summer camp. I could not recommend this book more. I’m excited for July 11th on y’all’s behalf!!

I was unsure if I was in the right headspace to read this book because I felt like I had just read several books in the same genre.

However, the preconceived notions that I had about this book were totally wrong! This book is about so much more than just the friendship between three women. It is about the nostalgia of summer, camp, memories from childhood, and the magic of first loves.

I really enjoyed this one, it’s a delightful read!

Thank you to #netgalley for this ARC of #thesummerofsongbirds

What a sweet, heartwarming, big hug from your besties feeling book.

The Summer of Songbirds shares the stories of three best friends who have been through it all together, heading back to the summer camp that brought them together and gave them the best years of their lives, to save it from going bankrupt.

This book gave me all the warm cozy best friend feels of a Babysitter’s Club book, with the added touch of long lost romance and swoon worthy rekindled love ❤️

I absolutely adored this book. It was the perfect pick me up read and I cannot recommend it enough.

This was my first Kristy Woodson Harvey read but now I can’t wait to read more of her books!

Thanks so much for the advance copy UpLitReads, Kristy, and NetGalley!

This book comes out July 11th and it will be the 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵 summer romance read!

I want to go to summer camp! I want to have best friends like Lanier and Mary Stuart! What a good book. I read a lot and it is seldom that I find really good books. There are a lot about war, infidelity and sex. But few really good ones. The characters are very well developed ~ I can only wish I had a friend like Daphne, who is the main heroine of the book. The storyline is very interesting and captivating. It is not just a love story but one about friendships, complex family dynamics and relationships. I will definitely be recommending this book to anyone who is interested. I will be looking for other books from this author. It is really a good book. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy for my honest review.

This book has major summer vibes! It follows three women from childhood to adulthood - Daphne, Lanier, and Mary Stuart. These women meet as "Songbirds" at Camp Holly Springs as six-year-old little girls. From then on, they are inseparable - through the ups and downs of life, from boyfriends, to children, through drug addiction, and more! Not only are their lives in turmoil but they are in danger of losing the beloved camp. Can they join together, despite their differences, to keep Camp Holly Springs around for generations to come?

My thoughts:
To me, this book and plotline is more for a niche reader - someone who truly loved going to summer camp as a child. I didn't find it as appealing as some of her other books and storylines.

This book is such a pleasant read for summer. I always love a summer camp setting! Loved the found family theme and the romance. Everything was tied up nicely in the end.

I first learned of The Summer of Songbirds, by Kristy Woodson Harvey, several months ago. Being a child of the 70s who attended summer camp each summer with eager anticipation, the synopsis of the book sounded absolutely perfect to me. And, let me tell you, it did not disappoint! The nostalgia came rushing back, from the canteen treats and cabin smells to the campfire singalongs and dances with the boys in the camp next door, Ms. Woodson Harvey captured it all. The characters are not only convincing, but funny and loveable, and the story flows beautifully from beginning to end. I found myself wondering what would happen in each chapter, and thankfully all of my questions were answered a few pages later. I enjoyed the way most chapters began with a camp or childhood memory and traveled effortlessly to present day, all within the same chapter. I really loved everything about this book and will recommend it to everyone. And as a side note, my camp friends and I have already signed up to head to camp this fall for alumnae weekend. Thank you to NetGalley, Kristy Woodson Harvey and Gallery Books for this advanced copy.

The Summer of the Songbirds filled me with nostalgia and I wanted to grab new and old friends and run off to camp! I grew up going to Camp Sherman and I remember every year meeting my new summer best friends, and then becoming pen pals once camp was over. Your bunk mates were your instant BFF's and I have nothing but amazing memories of those summers. Author Kristy Woodson Harvey writes the best books about female friendships, sisters, mother daughter stories. There's always some sort of drama but when I finish her books I'm wishing I had a sister to call or a childhood friend I could share a cocktail with. I love Kristy's books but this might just be my favorite!
Daphne grew up going to Camp Holly Springs from a very young age as an escape from her home life and a mother who was simply unfit. Her aunt June acted as the mother figure she needed and the coziness of the camp made her feel at home. Daphne's very first summer she gets paired up with two girls would would become her very best friends for life.
Daphne, Mary Stuart, and Lanier depend on each other and share in each others daily lives. The girls decide to head back to Camp Holly Springs for Lanier's bridal shower and a little trip down memory lane. The problem is Lanier's fiancé is hiding a huge secret that might threaten the wedding, and Lanier is still holding onto a longtime crush with someone she went to camp with. Daphne has been in love with Lanier's brother Huff since she met him at camp but Daphne's addiction tore them apart and threatened her relationship with Lanier. Mary Stuart is the voice of reason and the glue that holds the group together but even she will have a hard time finding out how to save Camp Holly Springs.
June shares with the girls that the camp has struggled for years but missing a summer due to Covid has devastated the camp. June has run this camp forever and can't imagine her life without it. What started as a weekend bridal shower turns into weeks of fundraising, scholarships, and lemonade stand campaigns to save the camp. The girls must make hard decisions about how they will move forward in their lives and who they will do that with. When the Songbirds work together anything is possible!

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Gallery Books for my ARC copy in exchange for my honest opinion of the book. By the time I got the end and revelations were revealed, I have to say I was a bit disappointed. Upon my reflections, I have come to the conclusion that I do not believe I like Lanier as a character. I found her to be a bit selfish to keep her BFF from the love of her life bc she was jealous. And shame on both Huff and Daphne for simply accepting her word or rather her "white lie" and not once in 7 years drunk dialing the other which would lead to confession. I also did not understand that if Paula and John "adopted" Daphne, how come there was no mention of Huff being in the household and growing up with her and Lanier? It always seemed like he was off in medical school but I believe he was only 2 years older so he would have grown up with Daphne. And I wanted to hear more about Daphne's dad and other family. Since everything else was tied up with a cute bow at the end, I expected a reunion scene at one of Henry's soccer games. Going to back to Lanier, I am not sure she deserves Rich at the end. After her selfish ways, I feel like she needed to redeem herself more. I am not sure she learned her lesson at all. Seems like others in her life, always take steps to forgive her first. Moving on to what I liked about the book, I love the idea of having "hard things" that you pass on to your BFFS and they will complete your tasks for you. I do love the idea of childhood friends growing up and having a lifetime of memories. I would give Summer of Songbirds a B- but I will be inline next summer for KWH's next book.

I know whenever I ready a book by Kristy Woodson Harvey, that I am going to love it. She is one of my top favorite authors! I started reading this the day I got it, and honestly didn’t want to put it down. I ended up finishing it in just two sittings!

I loved the theme of summer camp in this book. I never went away to summer camp, but I always thought it would be so fun! When reading this book, you’ll feel the magic of going to summer camp and meeting lifelong friends. I loved all the characters in this book, they were so real and flawed, and it made it such a better book. I loved the friendships these women formed in this book. There is also some romance in this book too! It honestly has a little bit of everything in it. If you’re looking for a good beach read this summer, I highly recommend checking this one out!

Thank you Netgalley and Uplit Reads for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I couldn't hit request quick enough when I saw that the latest by Kristy Woodson Harvey was available. She is one of my all time favorite authors, and also a favorite follow on Instagram. This one is a home run. The story of 3 girls who meet at a summer camp when they are 6 travels through the years as we find out more about their stories and lives the storylines get more complex and richer. I loved, loved, loved this book and KWH is one of the authors that I recommend whenever someone asks. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Summer of Songbirds
By Kristy Woodson Harvey
Gallery
Pub date July 11, 2023
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
I have read all the books written by this author with this being my favorite by far.
I have enjoyed getting to know the author through the Friends & Fiction podcasts.
This book celebrates the power of friendship and family. The heartbreak of loving and losing someone. I cried along with Huff, and other characters as life happened. I highly recommend this book!
5 stars

I love books about summer camps and this one started off so intriguing and mysterious but the writing style was really hard to push through. Overall, I had to Dnf which makes me sad because I love this author but it felt like it was written by a child :(

Three six year old girls develop a lasting friendship in their first “songbird” year at Holly Springs camp. Daphne is the niece of June, the camp owner, and is delighting in a much needed summer getaway from her addict mother. Lanier and Mary Stuart are her new best friends who will all learn self-confidence, independence and skills during their many camp summers. Fast forward to today. June is in danger of losing the camp and its future as lakeside housing is all but assured. Daphne is a lawyer and single mother who is just reconnecting with Huff, the love of her life. Huff is Lanier’s brother and Lanier is about to marry the wrong man. At Mary Stuart’s wedding, Daphne and Mary Stuart plan a bachelorette camp weekend where they hope to convince Lanier she’s making a mistake. There’s so much more involved including saving the camp, discovering the things that matter most and finding love.

Kristy Woodson Harvey has distilled the essence of friendship into a novel. It’s a beach read, of course, but it is more than that. These women face life changing problems and solve them together. And as always in the novels by this talented author, they find happiness. Isn’t that what we all want? 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Gallery Books and Kristy Woodson Harvey for this ARC.

Thanks to Gallery Books for my digital ARC of The Summer of Songbirds! I knew from the first few pages that this was going to be a book for me because I loved going to camp every summer as a teenager. It was where I forged some of my closest friendships and created memories that will stay with me for the rest of my life.

Daphne, Lanier, and Mary Stuart are used to doing "hard things" for one another ever since they they first met at Holly Springs Sleepaway Camp when they were 6 years old. But the road to adulthood is paved with mistakes and heartache. When Daphne's Aunt June comes perilously close to losing the camp, the friends join forces to help her salvage the place that brought them together all those years ago. As they save their beloved camp, they discover that their friendship with one another is the thing that has saved each of them time and time again.

If you've ever been to sleep away camp, this book will bring you right back to your old bunk bed! This title will release in July which is fitting as it will make for a perfect summer read!

The Summer of Songbirds, by Kristy Woodson Harvey, is a great summer read. The songbirds meet on their first day at summer camp and remain close friends for life. Fun characters, entwined in interesting life events, keep the reader engaged. This is a feel-good kind of read that takes hardships and somehow turns them positive. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC ebook in exchange for my honest review.

This was an excellent book. I highly recommend reading it. The description of the summer camp and the characters pulls you into the story.