Summer Reading
If you are anything like me, you are always on the search for new books to read, especially during the summer. Below I am sharing some of the standouts that I have read recently that would make a great read while sitting by the ocean or pool.
If you want some more recommendations you can check out this post from a couple years ago where I shared some of my all time favorite books. And please share anything good you have read recently!
Rules of Civility, Amor Towles. One of Towles other books, A Gentleman in Moscow, is one of my favorite books of all time and this one is also a great read. It tells the story of a young woman who is living in New York City after the Depression. You will love the descriptions of 1930s New York high society and fall in love with the characters.
Circe and The Song of Achilles, Madeline Miller. I read both of these back to back but they are each standalone novels that can be read on their own. They each trace the story of two important characters from Homer’s epics (the Iliad and the Odyssey). I am a huge fan of Greek mythology, but I think even if you are not, you will enjoy these great characters and storytelling.
Hello Beautiful, Ann Napolitano. I really enjoyed this author’s other book (Dear Edward) so I was excited to read this one. I ended up finishing it in a weekend. It is the moving story of a family of four sisters and what is possible when we love someone for who they actually are. Be warned - you will probably cry.
Daisy Jones & the Six, Taylor Jenkins Reid. Finally got around to reading this book (and watching the television series), which is loosely based on Fleetwood Mac. It is a very enjoyable and easy read written as an oral history of one of the biggest bands of the seventies. Also all of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s books make great beach reads if you have not read them alreadyI
Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI, David Grann. What I am currently reading. This was recommended to me multiple times in the span of a week and it is about to become a movie so read it now to get ahead! The haunting story of one of the worst crimes in American history.
Lessons in Chemistry, Bonnie Garmus. I loved this one and have been recommending it to everyone who has not read it already. A charming story about a quirky female scientist in the 1960s who refuses to follow the status quo.
The Light We Carry, Michelle Obama. Michelle Obama’s second book and it is once again filled with her personal stories and wisdom, with a focus on how to adapt to change and overcome obstacles. This is also a great one to listen to the audiobook as she narrates it.
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, Sangu Mandanna. This was just a really enjoyable and fun book. It tells the story of a witch in modern day Britain who receives an unexpected message and begins to rethink her life of solitude. A perfect uplifting read for a day at the beach.
I’m Glad My Mom Died, Jennette McCurdy. A heartbreaking and surprisingly hilarious memoir from a former child star. She candidly shares the details of her life as a child actor and her relationship with her abusive mother. While you will be horrified by some of the details. You will also laugh and ultimately be inspired by her story.
