(End Of) Summer Reading ☀️
Books of 2023 so far
Summer started off with a bang—a family vacation to Hawaii and several fun weeks of kiddo summer camps. I thought for sure I’d breeze through my lengthy “summer projects” list. Well, friends, I drafted this post back in June, and as school started today for my bigs, it’s unofficially fall now.
Between this season’s endless cycle of cooking and cleaning (so. much. cleaning) and my own personal graveyard of uncompleted projects, my existential crisis takes the form of why am I never finished??? I am the hamster on the wheel, the protagonist in a time loop movie, a productivity consultant’s worst nightmare. “If I go missing,” I told a friend recently, “Look for me under one of the never-ending laundry piles in my house.”
One thing saving my life right now? Books. Specifically, audio books.
I can listen on my phone while getting ready in the morning, while doing dishes, while folding laundry or nursing the baby. I can pop in my airpods at the trampoline park while baby girl is sleeping and the bigs are bouncing. I often turn on an audio book before bed with the sleep timer set to twenty minutes.
The best part? I can finish an entire book, sometimes in mere hours, all while engaged in an entirely different, continuous-loop task. Like magic.
I know that reading/listening to books is consuming (as opposed to making), but I’m choosing to believe that exposure to ideas and other worlds and great writing will pay off creatively down the road. Not to mention the joy it adds to my life right now.
So far this year, I’ve read (and by read, I mean mostly, listened to), 57 books (my goal is 65 by year-end). I’ve found the psychological thrillers to be fastest finishes and most compelling page-turners, so there are quite a few of those on this list. But I also love a good non-fiction read and feel-good rom-com as much as the next girl. A note: I’ve linked the books I recommend (in the mode I read them in, e.g. kindle, audible, or hardcover). Libby is a great resource, especially the “skip the line” setting.
You’ll find more notes on my Goodreads page, but if you need a quick reference for books to add to your cart/Libby/library stack, I’ve bolded the books I recommend.
The Neighbor’s Secret by L. Alison Heller
Kurashi at Home: How to Organize Your Space and Achieve Your Ideal Life by Marie Kondo
The Perfect Mother by Aimee Molloy
Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid—Taylor can do no wrong.
Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister—I loved this one with all the perfectly unfolding plot twists.
The First Mistake by Sandie Jones
Good for a Girl: A Woman Running in a Man’s World by Lauren Fleshman
The Stories We Tell: Every Piece of Your Story Matters by Joanna Gaines
Finish: Give Yourself the Gift of Done by Jon Acuff—easy reading for when you need a pep talk
The Cloisters by Katy Hays
One More Try: What to Do When Your Marriage is Falling Apart by Gary Chapman—I don’t think your marriage has to be “falling apart” to glean wisdom from this book. I linked his newest book below.
Spare by Prince Harry—Listen to this one; it’s perfect on audio.
Signal Fires by Dani Shapiro—Beautifully written, like everything Dani Shapiro writes.
Recursion by Blake Crouch
All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham
Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak—This was a quirky, enjoyable read.
The Measure by Nikki Erlick—Such a smartly written book, I loved it.
Upgrade by Blake Crouch
How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix—This was weird, but I liked it.
In Love: A Memoir of Love and Loss by Amy Bloom
When We Were Bright and Beautiful by Jillian Medoff
Work, Parent, Thrive: 12 Science-Backed Strategies to Ditch Guilt, Manage Overwhelm, and Grow Connection by Yael Schonbrun—a bit repetitive but still a helpful read
Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan—This book gets a 5/5. It’s a perfectly written rom-com, and I would absolutely read this one again.
The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz—I’m not even going to link this one; I was not a fan.
Create Anyway: The Joy of Pursuing Creativity in the Margins of Motherhood by
—I had the privilege of getting to read early chapters, and I know this is a book I’m going to be coming back to.Tell Me Everything: The Story of a Private Investigation by Erika Krouse—This was a fascinating read, and I flew through it.
The Nanny by Gilly Macmillan
Just the Nicest Couple by Mary Kubica
Present Over Perfect: Leaving Behind Frantic for a Simpler, More Soulful Way of Living by Shauna Niequist—I listened to this book this time (my second read), and it spoke to me in an entirely new way.
The Matchmaker’s Gift by Lynda Cohen Loigman—This came up as a “skip the line” audio book on Libby, and I very much enjoyed it.
I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai
The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth
Stone Cold Fox by Rachel Koller Croft—the ultimate anti-hero read; I enjoyed it.
Parenting: Getting it Right by Andy Stanley
Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner—a hard but beautifully-written. I listened to this one and hearing the author’s voice
Enchantment: Awakening Wonder in an Anxious Age by Katherine May—this book got great reviews, so I’m an outlier here, but reading this one actually made me feel more anxious than exhausted.
How to Keep House While Drowning: A Gentle Approach to Cleaning and Organizing by K.C. Davis—I felt so much better about my life after reading this one, like therapy and an organizational guide rolled into one.
Right Where You Belong: How to Identify and Fully Occupy Your God-Given Space by Heather MacFadyen—a book about faithfulness and making the most of where you are.
Finlay Donovan is Killing It (Finlay Donovan #1) by Elle Cosimano—listened to this while doing the chores.
The Perfectionist’s Guide to Losing Control: A Path to Peace and Power by Katherine Morgan Schafler—absolutely listen to this one; it’s read by the author, and she has the most soothing voice I’ve ever heard.
The Life Council: 10 Friends Every Woman Needs by Laura Tremaine—so many takeaways. This book inspired me to be more intentional about my friendships. Even though it’s non-fiction, it was an easy poolside read.
Make Your Art No Matter What: Moving Beyond Creative Hurdles by Beth Pickens
Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead by Elle Cosimano—another low-key but enjoyable mystery that’s great to listen to at night while cleaning the kitchen
Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld—I’ll read anything that CS writes
I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy—I appreciated the author’s clear voice and story, but I probably wouldn’t revisit this book
Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World by David Epstein—I joke that I’m a jack of all trades, master of none, but this book made me realize that my ability to think analogously is actually a strength. His newsletter
is a must-read as well.You Could Make This Place Beautiful: A Memoir by Maggie Smith—Gorgeous writing from a poet. Her newsletter
is well worth the paid subscription.Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
The Senator’s Wife by Liv Constantine
Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero
The Villa by Rachel Hawkins
The Whispers by Ashley Audrain—all the trigger warnings with this book, but totally addicting (by the author of The Push).
This Must Be the Place: Following the Breadcrumbs of Your Past to Discover Your Purpose Today by Jami Nato—I adored this book. Jami Nato is the real deal. I have the hardcover version, which makes a great reference, since there are some really good journal prompts after each chapter, but I bet the audiobook version read by Jami would be fantastic as well.
All Who Are Weary: Finding True Rest By Letting Go of the Burdens You Were Never Meant to Carry by Sarah Hauser—so much biblical wisdom in this one.
Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano—a modern take on Little Women
Swipe Up More More!: Inside the Unfiltered Lives of Influencers by Stephanie McNeal — I have so much respect for women who make their livelihood off social media with content creation (while also very confidently acknowledging that is not for me), and this was such a fascinating behind-the-scenes glimpse.
Happy Place by
—I agree with Rebecca’s review on Goodreads, but still, no one does romance like EH
On my nightstand (i.e. currently reading): 5 Traits of a Healthy Family; Cutting Teeth; The Hard Thing About Hard Things; Same Time Next Summer; and It. Goes. So. Fast.
Tell Me More…
What’s on your nightstand?
What book did you unexpectedly love?
What book did you secretly hate?
What’s adding joy to your life right now?
I struggle big time with audiobooks but just put four of these on my Libby holds 😜 THANK YOU
Oh thanks for sharing this Ruth! Adding so many to my list! 🎉