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It’s been awhile since I posted about my reading challenge, but I didn’t give up. Well, I did. Kinda. For the second time ever, I stopped a book in the middle. Sorry Fates and Furies… I tried to give you a chance. I really DO hope to finish it one day, but I found myself making excuses for why I didn’t want to read… when in reality I just didn’t want to read that book! There are so many good books coming out right now, so instead of doing my what I am reading this month post, I figured I would lump it into a summer reading list!
Luckiest Girl Alive: I just started this one and so far, so good. Reviewers say if you liked Gone Girl or Girl on a Train that you would also enjoy this book. Summary from Amazon: Ani FaNelli has a glamorous job, expensive wardrobe, and handsome blue blood fiancé. She’s this close to living the perfect life she’s worked so hard to achieve. But Ani has a secret. There’s something else buried in her past that still haunts her, something private and painful that threatens to bubble to the surface and destroy everything.
Modern Lovers: This is making all the summer book lists and I love the storyline of childhood friends dealing with real “grown up” life together. Summary from Amazon: From the New York Times‒bestselling author of The Vacationers, a smart, highly entertaining novel about a tight-knit group of friends from college- and what it means to finally grow up, well after adulthood has set in.
The Girls in the Garden: Drama in a so-called “safe” and “friendly” gated community… sign me up! Summary from Amazon: Imagine that you live on a picturesque communal garden square, an oasis in urban London where your children run free, in and out of other people’s houses. You’ve known your neighbors for years and you trust them. Implicitly. You think your children are safe. But are they really?
The Nest: I have been waiting for this book ever since last year, when I read a Wall Street Journal article about the author of this book, Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney. She had always dreamed of becoming a writer and finally got around to pursuing it in her early 50’s. Once her debut novel was finished, she was given an unheard of 1 million dollar advance by HarperCollins. (sounds like a great book in itself, right?) Is the book worth the hype? I need to find out! Summary from Amazon: A warm, funny and acutely perceptive debut novel about four adult siblings and the fate of the shared inheritance that has shaped their choices and their lives.
I Almost Forgot About You: I haven’t read any of Terry McMillan’s books, but she was on The View explaining her latest novel and I just loved everything abut her. It made me want to read the book, which sounds like a good one! Summary from Amazon: Dr. Georgia Young’s wonderful life–great friends, family, and successful career–aren’t enough to keep her from feeling stuck and restless. When she decides to make some major changes in her life, including quitting her job as an optometrist and moving house, she finds herself on a wild journey that may or may not include a second chance at love.
The Nightingale: I know this book is not new, but with more than 24-thousand stellar reviews on Amazon, I really want to read it! The library ebook wait list is finally at a reasonable number, so I may to try and tackle this one over the summer. Summary from Amazon: With courage, grace and powerful insight, bestselling author Kristin Hannah captures the epic panorama of WWII and illuminates an intimate part of history seldom seen: the women’s war. The Nightingale tells the stories of two sisters, separated by years and experience, by ideals, passion and circumstance, each embarking on her own dangerous path toward survival, love, and freedom in German-occupied, war-torn France.
The Fringe Hours: I declared that my mantra for this year would be #MoreMein2016 and while I have been doing a better job carving out time for myself, I have fallen off the ‘Me’ wagon the past month or so. It is just really hard to find that extra time, which is why I am dying to dive into this book. Summary from Amazon: Every woman has had this experience: you get to the end of the day and realize you did nothing for you. In this practical and liberating book, Jessica Turner empowers women to take back pockets of time they already have in their day in order to practice self-care and do the things they love
You are a Badass: I love a good motivating book, and so many people have told me they liked this one. Summary from Amazon: By the end of You Are a Badass, you’ll understand why you are how you are, how to love what you can’t change, how to change what you don’t love, and how to use The Force to kick some serious ass.
Brain Maker: I recently read Grain Brain and this is by the same author. It is about the importance of gut bacteria to overall health. I am obsessed with books about food and health right now. Summary from Amazon: Debilitating brain disorders are on the rise-from children diagnosed with autism and ADHD to adults developing dementia at younger ages than ever before. But a medical revolution is underway that can solve this problem: Astonishing new research is revealing that the health of your brain is, to an extraordinary degree, dictated by the state of your microbiome.
I have also been listening to audiobooks in the car lately on my drive to and from work. I listened to Yes, Please by Amy Poehler (AMAZING and HILARIOUS! Listen to this) and Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert (YAWN. Don’t listen to this). Not sure I am going to read ALL these book over the summer, but it will be fun to try! You can follow along with me on Goodreads, I am always looking for friends on there. Have you read any good books lately?
I really like You Are a Badass, definitely very motivating. I just requested Luckiest Girl Alive from my local library, the plot line sounds very intriguing. Right now I’m realy The One & Only by Emily Giffin. It took me a couple chapter to get into it but now I don’t want to stop reading it!.
Ooooo loving your list!!!! I just made my reading list last night. Hopefully I actually read them This year lol
I want to read You are a Badass! Love your reading list:)
I’m adding In the Garden and The Nest to my summer reading list, they sound good.
I’ve heard such good things about The Nightingale! That’s next on my list. But tanks for sharing, I’ll have to add some of these to my list as well.
Just picked up The Nest can’t wait to start reading
Great list! I’m hoping that I can get some reading done this summer now that my youngest is a little more self sufficiently. These all sound good but I definitely want to try The Nest!
I am reading the Nightingale right now and wow, what a book! I will definitely have to try out some of the others!
I loved the Nightengale. This is a great list. If you want to add a thriller to the list, Harlen Coben’s Six Years is impossible to put down once you start reading.
I just finished the 50 Shades Trilogy I”m so going to check these out.
Ohhh love this!! I am a big reader (or maybe “was” before i had a kid) but was just thinking today i needed some new books for the upcoming holidays (a mom can dream right??!), don´t know any of the titles of your list so will definitely use this for my bookshopping :)!
I haven’t heard of ANY of these! I’m so behind…looking up the badass book now!
I just reread my all time favorite, Pride & Prejudice and it made me realize that I haven’t been reading as much as I used to. I love opening a good book and cozying up in the sun. Really interested in reading Luckiest Girl Alive and The Fringe Hours!
Yay for great summer reads! These are wonderful selections! The Nest and The Girls in the Garden are currently on my radar. I love, love, love a great book. 🙂
I LOVE using Goodreads to keep track of what I’m reading/want to read.
.This is a great list. The girls in the garden sounds great!
The Luckiest Girl Alive was a great read. Going to check out the rest of the ones on your list.
xoxo, Jenny
Love this list. I’m always looking for a good new book to read. I’ve been waiting 3 months for a copy of The Nightengale!
This is an amazing list! I’m in need of some new books so I this is definitely something I need to bookmark. The Girls in the Garden intrigued me the most. I love me some mystery!
What a great list! I’ve heard of a lot of these, but haven’t began to tackle any of them. I’m currently working on Me Before You, but Modern Lovers, Luckiest Girl Alive and The Girls in the Garden all sound really good! I’m definitely going to have to put these on my reading list.
Thank you for this! I miss time for leisure reading
I read luckiest girl alive! Such a great book! Still think about it!
I need to add some of these to my reading list, thanks for sharing!
These are great ones, I’d love to read The Girls in the Graden!
This is exactly what I need! Thanks for sharing at Merry Monday!
I couldn’t get through Luckiest Girl Alive. I so want to read that bad ass book ha!
Funny story on the You are a Badass book. I’m really trying to check books out instead of buy anymore since I have SO many. So, I saw this one a few months ago/really wanted to read it, put it on hold at the library a couple months later and was in the 50s on the waiting list. Fast forward a couple more months to end of June–I randomly remember to check my place on the wait list and am finally down to sixth! As 4th of July chaos takes over, I completely forget, (and if you don’t come to get your book within 48 hours while it’s your turn, you’re basically booted). So, I check it last week remembering and of course, I missed my time slot and had to get back on the hold list at 36th! UGH! I am so ready to read that book though!
It was SO SO SO good, I just finished it this week. I got the book on tape through the library app so I listened to and from work, I loved it on tape since she is the one reading it. It is the best book I’ve read in a long time!
and I can totally relate to missing your spot… the app gives you 5 days to checkout! ha!