I figured I better make an effort to put together a reading list for myself for the summer or else I would look up and it would be August and the road to illiteracy is paved with good intentions. And so I have come up with a list of twenty books – which I realize is WAY ambitious for the summer but can always carry me into fall – that I want to read at some point in the next two or eight months.
To make this list I used a complicated formula comprised of the books mentioned in the comments on this post I wrote a few weeks ago asking for recommendations and books I’ve heard mentioned other places that sound like something I may like. I cannot guarantee how good or bad or life-changing the books on my list will be but that’s because a book list is like a box of chocolates…you never know what you’re going to get.
And if you want a totally different list, you can always check out this list I made last summer or go back to this post and look through the comments for other suggestions. Please don’t be offended if I didn’t choose a book you recommended. It’s important to remember I am a girl who spent the better of part of the 1980’s reading every Sweet Valley High book I could get my hands on so my literary taste is suspect at best.
(I’m not going to link to all these books, but you can find them all on Amazon, Barnes & Noble or at your favorite bookstore.)
1. All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
I actually just finished this last week so putting it on my list is the equivalent of writing something on a to-do list that you’ve already done just so you can cross it off. But I will tell you this is a beautifully written book with characters that will make you think about them long after you’ve finished. Or at least a week after you’ve finished.
Before I read this, I’d read Life After Life by Kate Atkinson which, honestly, wasn’t my favorite. And so when I finished All The Light We Cannot See, I desperately needed to read something light and funny that had nothing to do with World War II.
Which lead to the next book on my list.
2. I Regret Nothing by Jen Lancaster
I downloaded this on my Kindle app a few days ago even though I normally don’t like reading on a device, but I was desperate and just wanted something fun. This totally fits the bill. I loved Jen Lancaster’s first three books and this one is a return to her memoir style that has made me laugh out loud more than once or twice.
3. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
Um. Everyone is reading this so I will too.
4. The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery
This is sitting on my coffee table right now and will be my next book. So many people mentioned it to me and described it as an “adult fairy tale”. Sign me up.
5. Go Set A Watchman by Harper Lee
I realize this isn’t out yet, but let’s not pretend I won’t read it immediately.
6. Wife 22 by Melanie Gideon
7. We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
8. Secrets of A Charmed Life by Susan Meissner
9. Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan
10. Unwritten by Charles Martin
11. Calling Me Home by Julie Kibler
12. The Lost Wife by Allyson Richman
13. The Accidental Empress by Allison Pataki
14. The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman
15. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
16. In the Unlikely Event by Judy Blume
17. Big Little Lies by Lianne Moriarty
18. Driving the Saudis by Jayne Amelia Larson
19. Me Before You by JoJo Moyes
20. A Land More Kind than Home by Wiley Cash
And so there you have it. This list will also be the reason I may not blog every day this summer because reading is good and I need to read other people’s words because they never fail to make me think more, write better, and feel like I’ve just had a mini-vacation to a new world.
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On another book related note, I feel like you need to know that my first two books, Sparkly Green Earrings and The Antelope in the Living Room are both currently on sale on Amazon for like $8.40. And Nobody’s Cuter Than You is on sale for $12.95.
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i just finished we were liars. cross it off your list. not worth a day of your summer. me before you- excellent.
Agree, or at the very least move it to the bottom. If anything I now know that I can stay out of the YA aisle at the library. I need to read All the Light, gearing myself up for the emotional investment. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the Liane Moriarty books, especially Big Little Lies. I too did my social duty and read Girl on the Train. I felt like the characters were more palatable than Gone Girl, but I’m a love-to-love-my-characters kinda girl 🙂
Love your reading list posts!!
I would have to agree that it’s not worth your time. I listened to the audiobook and it just wasn’t great at all.
Agree with everyone above regarding Girl on the Train.
I so agree about We Were Liars. Such a depressing book! I don’t know why so many loved it. cross it off now. unless you like depressing books
Ummmm… There’s nothing wrong with writing things in a to-do list that you’ve already done, just to have something to cross off… Is there? I do it all the time!
I’d never heard of that LM Montgomery book! Sounds good, especially since I love the Anne books!
Ha! Me too – especially at work. My boss is a big “To Do” list person so when he sees all that I’ve done, he’s impressed.
The Blue Castle is seriously so amazing. It’s the only book that L.M. Montgomery wrote specifically for adults. It always shocks me that more people haven’t heard of it because to me it is undeniably her best book. Read it! Everyone read it and you won’t regret it.
Seeing The Blue Castle on that list made my day! I think I’ve read all of L.M. Montgomery’s books, and I’m huge Anne fan, but that is my favorite of her books and possibly the book I’ve read most in my life. I bet I’ve read that book over 20 times since I was about 14. (It was written for adults??) Anyway, enjoy. 🙂
You will love The Light between Oceans. Beautifully written and really makes you think. I read it quite a while ago but can’t forget the story.
Hmmm….I may have to give this one another try! My book club was reading it and NONE of us were enjoying it so we decided to call it quits! LOL!
You need to move Me Before You straight up the list. It’s definitely a read sooner than later book.
I was just going to say the exact same thing. Oh my word. What a book. Eager to hear what you think of it, Melanie.
I just finished All the Light We Cannot See last evening, a beautiful book indeed. Go straight to the Nightingale, it is wonderful!
I just read Blue Castle. Loved it! You will enjoy it.
I just finished The Nightingale and loved it! It seems that there are a lot of new books set in the WWII era and this one will make you think about things. Anything by Liane Moriarty is great and Big Little Lies is worth a read. The Blue Castle is old fashioned and sweet. Thank you so much for putting together a summer reading list, I’ve got to get my Amazon order set up!
Hi! Another great book to add to your list is Word for Word. It’s a fabulous memoir about a Russian lady whose life spanned most of the Twentieth century, and many countries. It also has one of the most touching and beautiful accounts of a loving marriage that I’ve ever read. A FABUOUS read. 🙂
YESSS You will love A Land More Kind Than Home. Please update us as you finish the books. I would love your reviews!
I tried to read The Girl on the Train, but ~50 pages into it, I hadn’t yet met a character I liked, so I stopped. Blue Castle sounds lovely, so I’m adding it to my list. I loved The Light Between Oceans, and I think it is being made into a movie. Have you heard that?
The Nightingale is good, but so sad. Seriously. I love all of Liane Moriarty’s books, and I thought Big Little Lies is her best yet. It’s deliciously clever….
Happy Reading!!!
Thanks for sharing this list! I can’t wait to get reading but I must tell you, You Before Me by Jojo Moyes is the best book! I read it about a year ago and I loved it so much! It is a wonderful heartbreaking novel you won’t be able to put down!
The Blue Castle has been my favorite book for almost 20 years. I read it every year after Christmas to get over the blues. It’s so beautiful but it can also be hilarious which people never mention. LMM had a great sense of humor.
And if you need a #21 because you are a speed reader (or want to start your fall reading list) I just read “The Canterbury Sisters” this last week on vacation and loved the heck out of it. Travel, literature, friendship, faith, the importance of story – just so good 🙂
I just finished In The Unlikely Event and enjoyed it a lot, though you may need to create a character list to be able to keep up. Whew! There are a lot. But I enjoyed Judy Blume as a girl and was excited for a new one, especially since it was loosely based on actual events in her hometown.
I am counting down until Harper Lee’s book comes out and into my little hands. My daughter’s middle name is Scout because of TKAM, which is my favorite book. I don’t want to have unrealistic expectations, but I do hope it’s not disappointing!
I’m happy to see The Blue Castle on your list. I have read it at least once a year since I was 10. It is my go-to book when I am wanting some light fun or inspiration to break out of a rut. You’ll love it. Caroline might like it too. Hey, even my husband and my dad read it. 🙂
Loved The Nightingale and Calling me home! Two of the best books I have read. I didn’t like we were liars at all. I had it figured out long before the book was over. Not worth your time.
Cross We Were Liars off your list, as mentioned above. Totally not worth your time (really, cannot stress enough), and you have SO many other great books mentioned!!! Also, I read Light Between Oceans and The Nightengale back to back. Bad choice. Both are similar and both are so good. I wish I had taken the time to appreciate and read them seperately. So I would wait on The Nightengale until at least August 🙂
Also, once you read Me Before You, Jojo Moyes other books are also wonderful. I liked One Plus One even better than Me Before You! The Girl you Left Behind probably wasn’t as good as the two above but it was great in it’s own right if not being compared. She’s a wonderful author!!
I’m usually a slower reader but finished Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty. She’s such a fabulous writer. I’ve since downloaded all her books!
Love lists like this! Currently reading All the Light We Cannot See – The Nightingale is on my nightstand waiting and The Girl on the Train is on hold for me at the library. Just finished The Royal We – what a fun romp! If I add any more books this month, I will have to quit my job to finish before summer is over. Not a bad idea, now that I think about it….
Calling Me Home is wonderful! Fair warning… i was an absolute puddle at the end. But it’s SO good.
I’m reading Sparkly Green Earrings right now and my husband has forbidden me to read it in bed at night anymore. Last night I was laughing so hard that the whole bed was shaking. I can’t wait to read the other 2 books!
You must not read The Antelope in the Living Room in bed, cause it will have you laughing even harder than Sparkly Green! Especially when Perry reads Scripture at a wedding. Just sayin’ 🙂
This was hands-down my favorite part of Antelope! I cried from laughing so hard!
You must move Me Before You up near the top, such a great book!
Thanks for the reading list. I love adding books to my wish list that I may not have picked up otherwise.
little biased in my suggestion here, but this is a great book on parenting. Even great for those without children, or kids out of the house, as it’s about just defining your biblical worldview. And it’s funny.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/s/ref=is_s_ss_i_1_11?k=how+to+ruin+your+child+in+7+easy+steps&sprefix=how+to+ruin
I love The Blue Castle! I never see it mentioned anywhere. Time to dig out my copy and re-read it.
This isn’t on your list, but The Royal We is such a perfect summer read-by-the-pool book. It’s a super fun fictionalized tale that is not *exactly* Will and Kate, but close!
She already read it! I think she mentioned it on the podcast. It was such a great read. I made me laugh out loud in some parts!
At least five of these books are on my mental list or my Amazon wish list! I just finished Gone Girl last month, so I’m a bit behind. Reading the latest Theodore Boone sequel from John Grisham now and Gray Mountain is next because I still read EVERYTHING by him!
Love, love, love Calling Me Home and Big Little Lies. Enjoy!
I loved the Lost Wife, but I wish I would have read it before going to Prague and not after. Love Your Summer Reading list! I’m starting the Maise Dobbs mystery’s this Summer and studying for my medical boards.
I loved Girl on the Train! I liked it more than Gone Girl. You will love Big Little Lies. All of Liane Moriarty’s books are great especially The Husband’s Secret, and What Alice Forgot.
I was waiting for this list. I just finished Somerset from last year’s list.
When you read Me Before You, make sure you have some alone time. It’s a book that deserves a lot of special attention- I read a lot and that book has stayed with me for a long time (well over a year). It’s always my top recommendation to friends even though Jojo Moyes isn’t my favourite author.
I am excited to check out some of the books you have on your list. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your three books right now! I finished the first two and now reading Nobody’s Cuter Than You. You will LOVE Kristin Hannah’s The Nightingale. She has one of my favorite authors and all her books are amazing! The Nighingale was an amazing book! I hope you fall in love with it too.
I’m reading Crazy Rich Asians currently. It’s long & I feel like I have been reading it forever. But it’s fun with lots of characters. The wealth is mind blowing.
Loved Big Little Lies and Me Before You! Both were excellent! Are you on Goodreads? It is such a great place to keep up with your reading lists and goals and get recommendations from friends too.
Yes, Mel is on Goodreads!
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6593171.Melanie_Shankle
I wanted to comment on the peach cobbler recipe from your great newsletter. That’s the recipe my late grandmother always used, minus the almond extract, forever. I’ve never seen it printed anywhere before! She used to prep the fruit and freeze it in baggies then make cobblers all winter long. She said any fruit could be used and I remember plum. It’s really a lot of fun getting your newsletter. The last fiction book I read was Ruth Reichl’s book “Delicious!” which was really good but my favorite book of her’s was “Garlic and Sapphires”.
I love to read other reading lists! I am always hungry for a great book. I have read many on your list, but I am not familiar with others. Loved: All the Light you cannot See, The Nightingale, Me Before You~ Didn’t love: Life after Life (confusing) The Girl on the Train (Main character is a knucklehead and annoying) Everyone is reading it, so it is good to know what they are talking about. Best book I have read in a long time: Rules of Civility by Amor Towles. I am so glad to have found you and other readers! I will be back.
So glad to see L.M. Montgomery on your list! I’ve read all her books and loved every single one of them. A Tangled Web is another one of her books that is aimed toward a more adult audience and is excellent. I also like The Doctor’s Wife which is a collection of short stories. Now I’m off to my county library’s website to put some requests in for bunch of books!
Wiley Cash’s books are the greatest! Read them both this summer. I loved his style of writing. I want to read Harper Lee’s new book also>
great list my friend! have a few of those myself! now i just need to turn my phone off at night and OPEN one of them!
I LOVE Charles Martin’s books! I would def. recommend that you read ALL of his books, but some of my faves were A Life Intercepted, Thunder and Rain, and The Dead Don’t Dance. I’m from Jax and I love that he weaves local landmarks into his writing.
Oh, you are so lucky to be able to read TheBlue Castle for the first time! I’ve read it at least 20 times!
its nice when the universe just rocks up and answers your question straight up in under 18 hours!
last night I thought ‘please, can someone just give me a list. I need to read but I’m too tired to look for what to read.’
Thank you universe
Thank you Big Mama!
Your blog post came in an email from bloglovin’, and came at a most perfect time. I’m a crafter mostly in my “free” time and listen to audio books. But for summer, I join the summer library program with my kids. The adult goal is a minimum of five books – thanks for your list and for all the comments!!!