If you have been a reader of my blog for a while now then you probably know that I love reading. I’m often sharing my current book that I’m reading and books I enjoy over on my Instagram. I think that it is a great way to unwind and destress and something that everyone should try to make a little bit of time to do in their lives. I thought I should share some books you are going to love reading.
There are so many great books out there and the shame is that it would be impossible to read them all. That’s why I am always looking for good books to read and when I have read a lot and have some good ones to share I like to put together a post for my readers. So that if you are looking for a new read you have some good ideas. I find books to read on Goodreads, Brit and Co does lists of great books and I have found some great books that way. I’m a huge fan of the fact that Reese Witherspoon shares books on her Instagram. You can check it out here. I’ve gotten so many great recommendations from Reese’s new book club. Also, Modern Mrs. Darcy is a great resource for new books. She creates a yearly Summer reading guide which is fantastic.
Related post: Why you should make the time to read
So here are some of the books I’ve recently read and love as well as some books that are on my to be read list this summer. I’m behind on my goal to read 75 books this year so I plan to do a lot of reading this summer. I think these are 30 books you are going to love reading.
1 Verity by Colleen Hover
This is the story of Lowen a struggling writer who is asked to complete the remaining books in a bestselling series after the author Verity is injured in a car accident. As Lowen is going through Verity’s notes she finds something that Verity wrote that no one was ever supposed to find. Pages of bone-chilling admissions by Verity including details of the day her daughter died.
Lowen struggles whether to tell Verity’s husband Jermey. Who she is becoming more and more emotionally connected too. This was a fantastic suspenseful thriller.
Goodreads rating:4.44/5
2. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
This book was everywhere on Instagram this spring so I finally gave it a read and am glad that I did. Although not my normal type of book that I choose I was happy I gave it a shot because it was really interesting and a fantastic read. This is the story of a young woman in the wilds of North Carolina and the events that shaped her life as well as the men who changed her.
Goodreads rating:4.53/5
3. The Familiars by Stacy Halls
This book is about a young noblewoman in 1612. She is pregnant after suffering miscarriages. She is told another pregnancy may kill her and she seeks out the help of a young midwife who promises to help her deliver a healthy baby safely. Then her midwife is charged with witchcraft. So she must figure out how to save her midwife so that both of them will be able to live.
This book is out of my normal type of reads but it was really enjoyable and super interesting. I’m glad I gave it a try and tried something new.
Goodreads rating:3.94/5
4. Girl Stop Apologizing by Rachel Hollis
I got so much out of this book. I loved her first book Girl Wash your Face and in my opinion, this book was better. There is so much great advice and a lot of inspiration from this book. I am a big fan of Rachel and follow her on social media and find her to be very uplifting and honest.
Goodreads rating:4.16/5
5. A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult
On a day that starts off just like any other at the Center—a women’s reproductive health services clinic—its staff offering care to anyone who passes through its doors. Then, in late morning, a desperate and distraught gunman bursts in and opens fire, taking all inside hostage.
Hugh McElroy, a police hostage negotiator, sets up a perimeter and begins making a plan to communicate with the gunman. As his phone vibrates with incoming text messages he glances at it and, to his horror, finds out that his fifteen-year-old daughter, Wren, is inside the clinic.
But Wren is not alone. She will share the next few hours of her young life with a cast of unforgettable characters: A nurse who calms her own panic in order to save the life of a wounded woman. A doctor who does his work not in spite of his faith but because of it, and who will find that faith tested as never before. A pro-life protester, disguised as a patient, who now stands in the crosshairs of the same rage she herself has felt. A young woman who has come to terminate her pregnancy. And the disturbed individual himself, vowing to be heard.
Told in a daring and enthralling narrative structure that counts backward through the hours of the standoff, this is a story that traces it’s way back to what brought each of these very different individuals to the same place on this fateful day
Goodreads rating:3.67/5
6. Still Lives by Maria Hummel
Kim Lord is a provocative artist about to display her latest collection in the LA Gallery of the Rocque Museum. Only she doesn’t show up to her own Gala. Days pass and fear mounts as Kim remains missing. Suspicion falls on her boyfriend, the ex of the museum editor, Maggie. So Maggie starts doing some investigating of her own.
“A suspenseful, splashy story about fame, sex, and how our culture views women’s bodies . . . I also loved that it tackled the sticky subject of how women are portrayed in art, culture, and the media—and the consequences of those portrayals. This is a thrilling book and a much-needed one. Read it and you’ll see what I mean.” —Book of the Month
Goodreads rating:3.33/5
7. Girls with Sharp Sticks by Suzanne Young
This story is set in the near future at an all-girls private high school that is way more than it appears to be. This thrilling young adult book has been described as Westworld meets the Handmaid’s Tale. It will be continued in later books in the series and I can’t wait. It has been one of my favorite books this year so far.
Goodreads rating:4.01/5
8. The Au Pair by Emma Rous
Seraphina and her twin brother were born one summer at their family’s estate within hours their mother had thrown herself off the nearby cliffs and the nanny fled leaving their town to gossip and spread rumors. Now after the death of their father Seraphina goes looking for answers. Especially after seeing a photo of her parents and older brother on the day their mother died with only one baby when there should have been two. Who is the baby in the photo and what really happened that day?
Goodreads rating:3.69/5
9. The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena
Anne and Marco seemed to have it all a loving relationship, a wonderful home, and their beautiful new baby, Cora. But one night, when they are at a dinner party next door, a terrible crime is committed. Suspicion immediately lands on the parents. But the truth is a much more complicated story. Baby Cora goes missing and it turns out that everyone, including their neighbors, has lots of secrets. Can the truth get discovered in time?
Goodreads rating:3.77/5
10. The Lost Man by Jane Harper
Another fantastic novel from Jane Harper. Brothers Nathan and Bub Bright meet for the first time in months at the remote fence line separating their cattle ranches in the lonely outback. Their third brother, Cameron, lies dead at their feet.
In an isolated belt of Australia, their homes a three-hour drive apart, the brothers were one another’s nearest neighbors. Cameron was the middle child, the one who ran the family homestead. But something made him head out alone under the unrelenting sun.
While they grieve their family’s loss, suspicion starts to take hold, and Nathan is forced to examine secrets the family would rather leave in the past. Because if someone forced Cameron to his death, the isolation of where they live only leaves a few suspects.
Goodreads rating:4.26/5
11.The Other Woman by Sandie Jones
This book will keep you guessing. It is one of my favorite thrillers that I’ve read. A story about a man, his girlfriend and his mother who won’t seem to let him go. If you like suspenseful books then you will enjoy this book. I read it so quickly because I just couldn’t put it down.
Goodreads rating:3.79/5
12. An Anonymus Girl by Greer Hendricks
Seeking women ages 18–32 to participate in a study on ethics and morality. Generous compensation. Anonymity guaranteed.
When Jessica Farris signs up for a psychology study conducted by the mysterious Dr. Shields, she thinks all she’ll have to do is answer a few questions, collect her money, and leave. But as the questions grow more and more intense and invasive and the sessions become outings where Jess is told what to wear and how to act, she begins to feel as though Dr. Shields may know what she’s thinking…and what she’s hiding. As Jess’s paranoia grows, it becomes clear that she can no longer trust what in her life is real, and what is one of Dr. Shields’ manipulative experiments. Caught in a web of deceit and jealousy, Jess quickly learns that some obsessions can be deadly.
While I didn’t enjoy this book as much as their first book the Wife Between Us it was still a great read and very gripping from start to end.
Goodreads rating:3.90/5
13.Broken Things by Lauren Oliver
It’s been five years since Summer Marks was brutally murdered in the woods.
Everyone thinks Mia and Brynn killed their best friend. That driven by their obsession with a novel called The Way into Lovelorn the three girls had imagined themselves into the magical world where their fantasies became twisted, even deadly.
The only thing is: they didn’t do it.
On the anniversary of Summer’s death, a seemingly insignificant discovery resurrects the mystery and pulls Mia and Brynn back together once again. But as the lines begin to blur between past and present and fiction and reality, the girls must confront what really happened in the woods all those years ago—no matter how monstrous.
Goodreads rating:3.60/5
14-16.The Shadow and bone Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo
I hadn’t planned to read the whole trilogy in one stretch of time but once I started I couldn’t stop myself from continuing this series. This is a Young Adult Fantasy series. Which is one of my personal favorite genres. This series, as well as her two other books in the same universe, is going to be a series on Netflix coming soon.
Goodreads rating:4.04, 4.06, 4.16/5
17. Beartown by Frederick Backman
People say Beartown is finished. A tiny community nestled deep in the forest, it is slowly losing ground to the ever-encroaching trees. But down by the lake stands an old ice rink, built generations ago by the working men who founded this town. And in that ice rink is the reason people in Beartown believe tomorrow will be better than today. Their junior ice hockey team is about to compete in the national semi-finals, and they actually have a shot at winning. All the hopes and dreams of this place now rest on the shoulders of a handful of teenage boys.
Being responsible for the hopes of an entire town is a heavy burden, and the semi-final match is the catalyst for a violent act that will leave a young girl traumatized and a town in turmoil. Accusations are made and, like ripples on a pond, they travel through all of Beartown, leaving no resident unaffected.
Beartown explores the hopes that bring a small community together, the secrets that tear it apart, and the courage it takes for an individual to go against the grain.
Goodreads rating:4.28/5
18.Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman
This was one of Reese Witherspoon’s book club picks and so far I’ve enjoyed any book that she’s recommended. I haven’t read them all yet but I’ve read a lot of them and she picks great books. This was no exception. It was fantastic. A really twisted and exciting thriller that grips you from the very beginning.
If you could make one simple choice that would change your life forever, would you?
Erin is a documentary filmmaker on the brink of a professional breakthrough, Mark a handsome investment banker with big plans. Passionately in love, they embark on a dream honeymoon to the tropical island of Bora Bora, where they enjoy the sun, the sand, and each other. Then, while scuba diving in the crystal blue sea, they find something in the water. . . .
Could the life of your dreams be the stuff of nightmares?
Suddenly the newlyweds must make a dangerous choice: to speak out or to protect their secret. After all, if no one else knows, who would be hurt? Their decision will trigger a devastating chain of events. . . .
Have you ever wondered how long it takes to dig a grave?
Wonder no longer. Catherine Steadman’s enthralling voice shines throughout this spellbinding debut novel. With piercing insight and fascinating twists, Something in the Water challenges the reader to confront the hopes we desperately cling to, the ideals we’re tempted to abandon, and the perfect lies we tell ourselves.
Goodreads rating:3.64/5
19-21.The Crazy Rich Asians Trilogy by Kevin Kwan
After seeing the preview for the movie based on the first of these books. I wanted to give them a read before the movie came out. I devoured the trilogy because they were so fun and enjoyable. I loved the relationship between Rachel and Nick as well as getting to know their families and friends.
Goodreads rating:3.83, 3.82, 3.95/5
22. Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty
After reading her previous books Big Little Lies, currently, a show on HBO, What Alice Forgot and The Husband’s Secret. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on her latest book. It was another great one and a real page-turner.
Could ten days at a health resort really change you forever? In Liane Moriarty’s latest page-turner, nine perfect strangers are about to find out…
Nine people gather at a remote health resort. Some are here to lose weight, some are here to get a reboot on life, some are here for reasons they can’t even admit to themselves. Amidst all of the luxury and pampering, the mindfulness and meditation, they know these ten days might involve some real work. But none of them could imagine just how challenging the next ten days are going to be.
Frances Welty, the formerly best-selling romantic novelist, arrives at Tranquillum House nursing a bad back, a broken heart, and an exquisitely painful paper cut. She’s immediately intrigued by her fellow guests. Most of them don’t look to be in need of a health resort at all. But the person that intrigues her most is the strange and charismatic owner/director of Tranquillum House. Could this person really have the answers Frances didn’t even know she was seeking? Should Frances put aside her doubts and immerse herself in everything Tranquillum House has to offer – or should she run while she still can?
It’s not long before every guest at Tranquillum House is asking exactly the same question.
Goodreads rating:3.52/5
23. The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory
This is a perfect easy summer read. Nik goes to a baseball game with her boyfriend when out of the blue he decides to propose on the jumbo screen. After she rejects him publicly for good reason. They had only been together for 5 months and he didn’t even spell her name right. She doesn’t know how to get out of the stadium with the camera crew approaching.
Carlos and his sister watched the whole thing from nearby seats and come to Nik’s rescue and get her out of there. They end up wanting a rebound relationship but will it turn in to more? This book is charming and a fun read about love, friendship and beginning to believe in yourself.
Goodreads rating:3.44/5
24. Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen McManus
Echo Ridge is small-town America. Ellery’s never been there, but she’s heard all about it. Her aunt went missing there at age seventeen. And only five years ago, a homecoming queen put the town on the map when she was killed. Now Ellery has to move there to live with a grandmother she barely knows.
The town is picture-perfect, but it’s hiding secrets. And before school even begins for Ellery, someone has declared open season on homecoming, promising to make it as dangerous as it was five years ago. Then, almost as if to prove it, another girl goes missing.
Ellery knows all about secrets. Her mother has them; her grandmother does too. And the longer she’s in Echo Ridge, the clearer it becomes that everyone there is hiding something. The thing is, secrets are dangerous–and most people aren’t good at keeping them. Which is why in Echo Ridge, it’s safest to keep your secrets to yourself.
Goodreads rating:4.00/5
Books I want to Read this Summer
25. I know who You Are by Alice Feeney
26. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
27. The Mother In Law by Sally Hepworth
28. The Water Cure by Sophie Mackintosh
29. Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum ( This book was recommended by Anne From Modern Mrs. Darcy and the Kindle version is currently on sale so I just got it. Can’t wait to give it a read)
30. The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
