What's On My (End Of) Summer Reading List

Psst... some of these have been on my bookshelf for YEARS!

Reading Hashtag Authentic by Sara Tasker

I am slowly re-entering my reading era and it feels so good.

If you find yourself in a reading rut, I highly recommend investing in a Kindle. I bought one a few years ago and literally sped through so many books right after getting it. It was also amazing postpartum as I could use it while baby was napping or during the many hours of nursing/pumping.

Now, I like to switch between my Kindle and physical copies depending on what I’m reading. For the ACOTAR series, I had both and I ended up reading it mostly on my Kindle because it was so easy, especially at night while everyone else was sleeping. But for quicker reads, I love a good physical copy.

In terms of what genres I like to read, for non-fiction, it’s a lot of slow living, spiritually and parenting and then fiction is historical, thriller, or fantasy-romance.

I have big hopes for these next few months of summer in terms of reading, and I have so many books currently downloaded or sitting on my bookshelf that I want to dive into, so I thought I’d share them here with you for inspiration, or if you want to tell me you liked/disliked any. And I’d love to hear what’s on your reading list! Okay, let’s dive in.

• Tomorrow, And Tomorrow, And Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

  I feel like everyone had good things to say about this book. I saw it floating around on BookTok for awhile with rave reviews. It’s not a book I would typically reach for with the whole gaming elements, but I do love a good love story so that’s why it’s on my list.

• Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane

  I just finished this book and I absolutely loved it. I read it in like two days which is quick for a mom to a two-year-old. It definitely had it’s slow moments, but I was mostly just so enthralled by the writing and how Mary Beth can write such realistic voices of each of the characters and a relatable storyline that also isn’t relatable at all (IYKYK). It wasn’t something I would typically read but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved it and how it’s stuck with me.

• The Women by Kristin Hannah

  One of my favorite books of all time is The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. It broke me to my core and stuck with me for MONTHS after finishing it. I’ve never been interested in the back covers of her other books but this one caught my eye and I bought it right after it came out. I might read it next.

• A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas

  The Queen herself. I first read ACOTAR in 2020 but didn’t finish the final two books, so I re-read it earlier this year after finishing Fourth Wing and am finally getting around to ACOSF. I have to admit, ACOTAR in general is not my favorite series. I could never get fully immersed in it and while there are some moments I absolutely love, it didn’t engross me like some other series have (ahem, Fourth Wing & Iron Flame). I’ve dragged my feet over this book but am determined to finish it by the end of summer.

• Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

  People are obsessed with Sarah’s work, and so I really want to give another one of her series a go. My friend, who is a massive fan, suggested I start at the beginning with Throne of Glass, so I’m going to give it a try once I (if I ever) finish Silver Flames.

• You Shouldn’t Have Come Here by Jeneva Rose

  Someone left this book on a random shelf in Target and the cover caught my eye, so I picked it up and really liked how the blurb was laid out. I haven’t read a thriller in a while so this seems like a good one to dive into.

• Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne

  I’m taking a bit of a break from non-fiction writing lately (unless it’s on Substack, of course) just because I tend to compare myself a bit too hard when I read these kinds of books, and then will just go on a negative self-talk spiral. But I really liked how this book seemed approachable with parenting and follows similar veins of what I like with slow living, so I’m excited to read more.

• The Way of the Fearless Writer by Beth Kempton

  My husband got me this book late last year and I’ve been absolutely loving just picking it up when I need it and doing some of the suggested writing exercises. I’ve been really gentle with myself reading it and it’s been such a fun journey for me and my own creative writing.

• Weyward by Emilia Hart

  You guys know I love anything witch-related, so I’ve had this book on my reading list for a long time but just bought the physical copy last week. I’m not typically a fan of jumping times and characters, but I’m hoping this one will make it worth it.

• Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah

  Another Kristin Hannah book, I know, but when I saw that this one was about sisters I couldn’t help myself and had to get it. I remember calling my sister sobbing after reading The Nightingale and going on a tangent about how much I love her and how much she means to me (I tear up just thinking about how amazing she is), so for some reason, I’ve decided to set myself up for another good teary sister read with Winter Garden.

• The Light We Lost by Jill Santopolo

  I started this book right after finished Ask Again, Yes and I’m about 1/3 of the way through and just not loving it so far. I feel like I want more to happen, more excitement, and right now it’s just depressing me a little bit. I haven’t decided if I’m going to just not finish it or keep powering through. If you’ve read it please tell me if it’s worth it. I’m very much a mood reader so I have to be in the right space to read a book like this, and I don’t think I’m in that headspace right now.

And there we have it! It feels like a lot having them all written out, but some of these books I’ve had on my TBR list for YEARS so it feels like a good time to power through and get it done.

I have a GoodReads if you want to follow along with me. Disclaimer: I really need to update it because it’s a bit outdated, but it’s connected to my Kindle so that helps with sharing things.

Have you read any of these books? What’s on your reading list currently?