There is so much to love about summer. More hours of sunlight. Pool days. Cookouts. Vacations.
One of my very favorite parts of summer, though, is summer reading. Digging into a good book (or 10) is a hobby to enjoy year-round. But there’s just something about settling into a lounge chair as the pages of book tickle your fingertips.
Combining new works by authors I already love with recommendations from trusted bloggers I follow and highly rated books on topics I want to know more about, I’m sharing my list of summer reads. You’ll see it’s a good mix of personal growth, beach reads and suspense!
Beach Reads
One True Loves – Taylor Jenkins Reid: Imagine your first husband dies tragically, after a time of healing you move on and are fortunate enough to find someone else you love. Then suddenly your presumed-dead husband returns. That’s just what happens in One True Loves! Who says there’s just one perfect love for you?
The Identicals – Elin Hilderbrand: If you’ve read any of my other good reads blogs, you know Elin Hilderbrand is one of my very favorite articles. This book is her newest release about, you guessed it, identical twin sisters and their one unforgettable summer switching lives and islands, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket.
Crazy Rich Asians – Kevin Kwan: Full disclosure, this is not typically the type of book I would pick up. However, I am a huge fan of blogger Shay Shull and she and I share similar tastes in food, style and books. When she recommended this title in her April book review, I was intrigued. Since then I’ve heard other rave reviews about this book, so I’m reading out of my comfort zone on this one.
Page Turners:
The Kept Woman – Karin Slaughter: I am fascinated by crime stories in all of their forms, podcasts, TV and books. Slaughter has two great series I follow with overlapping characters I wish I could grab coffee or do a ride-along with. The Kept Woman fits nicely in her series work, making you compassionate for characters you actually don’t like and keeping you guessing from the get-go.
Stillhouse Lake – Rachel Caine: The first in a new series, Stillhouse Lake tells the story of a woman whose rather normal day gets railroaded by discovering she is married to a serial killer. The plot follows her and her two children as they strive to leave their marked past behind, only to find a determined past can plow through covered tracks. As a sidetone, I may never go in the woods again.
Behind Closed Doors – B.A. Paris: I love all things British and when I the British-authored book I’m listening to on Audible is read by a Brit, my heart and mind are immediately engaged. This book is leading the pack for my favorite book of 2017. Grace and Millie are endearing characters who manage to make me laugh in spite of their harrowing circumstances. The only downside to this book is I will never think of George Clooney the same again.
Personal Growth:
Doing Busy Better – Glynnis Whitwer: A Glynnis so eloquently puts it, women are often overwhelmed trying to balance the “endless cycle of overwork and exhaustion.” Glynnis shares her insight and words to help women examine their hearts and lives in order to work toward a healthy and holy balance of work and rest. I love that she wants us to realize busy isn’t always bad, as long as we’re doing busy God’s way. I can’t wait to dive into this book before summer ends.
What titles are on your summer list that I should add to mine? Have you read any of these and have input to share? Let’s share what pages we’re turning. Who knows…your suggestion could be the book of the year for a fellow reader!