I am always in need of a good book. You should see my to-read list, it’s endless. I thought I would share what’s on my summer reading list in case you are in need of a good book too. Hopefully, you have some time this summer scheduled for rest and relaxation. You deserve it, mama! Find a sandy beach, spread out that towel, and crack open a book you can get lost in.
Here are some popular summer book recommendations for moms;
1. Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Genre: Historical Fiction
I LOVED THIS BOOK!! It is the perfect beach read – simple to follow, yet you’re invested in the characters and their outcomes.
The story takes you from the start of a band through its rise to fame and ends with a wrap-up of where each member is now. The book is written as an interview. Each member tells his/her viewpoint on major events that occurred during the band’s time together.
I really hope this gets made into a movie – drugs, love, and rock ‘n roll.
2. Necessary People by Anna Pitoniak
Genre: Thriller
Two friends are polar opposites. One grew up with wealth and privilege (Stella), the other with nothing except a determination to get out of her backward town (Violet).
After college, Stella travels through Europe aimlessly living the party lifestyle while Violet is working hard climbing the ladder in the cable news business. Suddenly, Stella returns and is encroaching on Violet’s life. Why does Stella always get everything? Will these two remain best friends or will their ambitions drive them apart?
3. Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
Genre: Romantic Comedy
The son of the POTUS has problems with the UK’s Prince Henry and it is affecting the relationship between the two countries.
A plan to fake niceties to fool the public turns into the men developing strong feelings towards one another – romantic feelings. But will the two have to keep their relationship secret for the sake of their countries and parents? Is love worth it?
4. On The Come Up by Angie Thomas
Genre: Young Adult
Bri is a sixteen-year-old girl who is facing hard times. Her dream to make it big as a rapper now seems like the only option to save her family. Luckily, rapping is in her genes.
It’s time to win her first rap battle but she finds herself center stage in a controversy that has people making flawed judgments about her. The odds are against her, will Bri be able to reach her dream or go down fighting?
5. From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home by Tembi Locke
Genre: Memoir
This book made me hungry. Hungry for Italian food and for travel. The author flips back and forth between the past when she met her husband (an Italian chef) studying abroad in Italy to her more recent summers in Sicily mourning the loss of her spouse.
Being widowed at a young age comes with its own set of demons especially when trying to care for a daughter. Surprisingly, her mother-in-law may be what helps pull her through her grief. A mother-in-law who refused to attend her son’s wedding!
Although a bit sad, this book focuses on the meaning of family and how your life’s plan can change with time.
6. Stay Sexy & Don’t Get Murdered: The Definitive How-To Guide by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
Genre: Humorous Memoir/Self-Help
The authors are from the popular podcast My Favorite Murder! In this book, the two share their personal stories including topics such as depression, eating disorders, and addiction. The women discuss both their failures and successes in life.
Intertwined are the true crime stories they are famous for. A large focus of the book is giving advice on how to self-advocate. Plus, stressing the importance of a woman’s personal safety over being “nice” or “helpful”.
7. City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert
Genre: Historical Fiction
From the author of Eat, Pray, Love, is a fictional story about a woman reminiscing about her glory days during the 1940’s.
After being kicked out of college, Vivian goes to live with her aunt in New York City. She is thrown into the theater scene and soon a personal mistake becomes a professional scandal.
This novel has sex and adventure with a young woman realizing that the world is a much bigger place (with important World events happening) compared to the small circle of wealth in which she was raised.
8. Normal People by Sally Rooney
Genre: Fiction
The jock and the nerd, it’s a classic tale. But the roles reverse at college and suddenly the quiet girl has found her place and the popular boy is just a small fish in a big pond. The two keep being drawn back to one another. The book explores themes of first love, class, and self-destruction.
9. The Bride Test by Helen Hoang
Genre: Romance
Khai Diep’s mother has taken it upon herself to find her son a wife, back in Vietnam no less. Esme is the girl who agrees to be Khai’s future bride but is finding it hard to convince Khai that she is the girl for him. Khai’s autism might be the main factor in keeping this relationship from working out.
10. Miracle Creek by Angie Kim
Genre: Mystery
When two people are killed in an explosion a dramatic murder trial descends upon on a small community. The explosion is from a medical device but what is unknown is who or what caused the explosion. Secrets from the night of the explosion poor out causing rivalries and alliances. The town may never be the same again.
11. The Last Year of the War by Susan Meissner
Genre: Historical Fiction
A fourteen-year-old girl is sent with her family to an internment camp during WWII when her father is suspected of being a Nazi sympathizer. The only positive thing about being rounded up like cattle is making a new friend with a Japanese-American teen. This story is a rare take on an important part of American history we tend to forget.
12. Mrs. Everything by Jennifer Weiner
Genre: Fiction
This book brings into question how the role of women changes over time. Two sisters grew up in a very stereotypical household of the 1950’s. But the ‘60’s and ‘70’s lead one sister to become a hippie and the other a homemaker, roles neither imagined being. Currently, unsatisfied with their lives is it too late to make changes?
13. The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren
Genre: Romance
Identical twins couldn’t be more opposite in terms of luck. Olive seems to be unlucky in everything; her career, relationships, etc. Ami is getting married and is forcing her sister to spend time with the best man, her sworn enemy.
It might turn out that Olive’s luck is changing when she is only one of two people to not get food poisoning. Plus, someone should get some use out of the honeymoon tickets. Guess who the other person is who didn’t get food poisoning?
14. Summer of ‘69 by Elin Hilderbrand
Genre: Fiction
A classic summer beach book. Every summer the children of a family come to Nantucket to spend the season with their grandmother. This year the three oldest siblings cannot make the trip due to other life events occurring.
The youngest child feels alone visiting her grandmother but what she doesn’t know is that a lot is going to be happening that fateful summer. Jessie is just beginning her teen years and experiencing all that that entails. Important historical events will take place during the summer of ‘69 and family secrets may be leaked to the youngest member.
15. The Guest Book by Sarah Blake
Genre: Historical Fiction
I just started this one and I get annoyed when my family interrupts my reading (How dare they!). I’m already that invested in the story.
In this novel, three generations of a powerful American family’s stories are told flipping back and forth between time periods. With the first generation, a tragedy strikes eventually leading to the purchase of an island in Maine. The family spends every summer on the island but the third generation is having a hard time affording the upkeep and may have to sell. In this process, family secrets are discovered that are quite unsettling.
What’s on your summer reading list? Let us know in the comment section!
If you ever need more book recommendations I review four books every month on my personal blog. Please check it out if you are a book lover like me!
