School years are so busy that I never get as much time to read as I want to. By the time summer rolls around, my "to be read" pile grows high, and I love tackling it during these less hectic weeks! Here are 5 of the books I've been loving so far this summer, and I think you will love too!
Reminders Of Him
I just finished this one, and completely loved it. It is a typical CoHo book - complete with a sweet romantic story and plenty of twists and turns and lots of "wow that's messed up" thoughts from me. Here is what Goodreads says:
"A troubled young mother yearns for a shot at redemption in this heartbreaking yet hopeful story from #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover. After serving five years in prison for a tragic mistake, Kenna Rowan returns to the town where it all went wrong, hoping to reunite with her four-year-old daughter. But the bridges Kenna burned are proving impossible to rebuild. Everyone in her daughter’s life is determined to shut Kenna out, no matter how hard she works to prove herself. The only person who hasn’t closed the door on her completely is Ledger Ward, a local bar owner and one of the few remaining links to Kenna’s daughter. But if anyone were to discover how Ledger is slowly becoming an important part of Kenna’s life, both would risk losing the trust of everyone important to them. The two form a connection despite the pressure surrounding them, but as their romance grows, so does the risk. Kenna must find a way to absolve the mistakes of her past in order to build a future out of hope and healing."
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Made me laugh, cry, and want to be friends with Kenna. Would have given it the full 5 if I didn't see the ending coming. While there were SOME twists, I didn't feel like it had that giant Colleen twist at the end!
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The Happiest Man on Earth
If reading was strictly about the best bang for your buck, this book would take the cake. It is short and sweet, but gives you so much perspective and is a great practice in gratitude. In short, I am a better person for having read this 208 page biography. Eddie is an Auschwitz survivor with an incredible view on life - and he will become your new best friend. A must read for sure!
From Goodreads:
"Life can be beautiful if you make it beautiful. It is up to you.
Eddie Jaku always considered himself a German first, a Jew second. He was proud of his country. But all of that changed in November 1938, when he was beaten, arrested and taken to a concentration camp.
Over the next seven years, Eddie faced unimaginable horrors every day, first in Buchenwald, then in Auschwitz, then on a Nazi death march. He lost family, friends, his country.
Because he survived, Eddie made the vow to smile every day. He pays tribute to those who were lost by telling his story, sharing his wisdom and living his best possible life. He now believes he is the 'happiest man on earth'.
Published as Eddie turns 100, this is a powerful, heartbreaking and ultimately hopeful memoir of how happiness can be found even in the darkest of times."
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I'm a sucker for a good life lesson that I can apply to my own life. Took away one star simply because I wanted it to be longer!
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Project Hail Mary
I need to start by saying this book is not for everyone. And - when I first read the synopsis - I definitely didn't think it was for me. But I grabbed it on a whim because I love the author (same author that wrote The Martian).If you enjoy science fiction even remotely, you have to try this book. It's so moving.
From Goodreads:
"Ryland Grace is the sole survivor on a desperate, last-chance mission—and if he fails, humanity and the earth itself will perish.
Except that right now, he doesn’t know that. He can’t even remember his own name, let alone the nature of his assignment or how to complete it.
All he knows is that he’s been asleep for a very, very long time. And he’s just been awakened to find himself millions of miles from home, with nothing but two corpses for company.
His crewmates dead, his memories fuzzily returning, Ryland realizes that an impossible task now confronts him. Hurtling through space on this tiny ship, it’s up to him to puzzle out an impossible scientific mystery—and conquer an extinction-level threat to our species.
And with the clock ticking down and the nearest human being light-years away, he’s got to do it all alone.
Or does he?"
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I loved everything about this book: the details in the plot (if you've ever read The Martian, you know what I mean), the characters, and the ending. Perfection.
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The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
I know I'm a little late on the Evelyn Hugo train, and you've probably already had it recommended, but I'm here to say it is worth it! I was so curious about Evelyn's life and I loved all the details about her husbands/why she was with them.
From Goodreads:
"Aging and reclusive Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. But when she chooses unknown magazine reporter Monique Grant for the job, no one is more astounded than Monique herself. Why her? Why now?
Monique is not exactly on top of the world. Her husband has left her, and her professional life is going nowhere. Regardless of why Evelyn has selected her to write her biography, Monique is determined to use this opportunity to jumpstart her career.
Summoned to Evelyn’s luxurious apartment, Monique listens in fascination as the actress tells her story. From making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the ‘80s, and, of course, the seven husbands along the way, Evelyn unspools a tale of ruthless ambition, unexpected friendship, and a great forbidden love. Monique begins to feel a very real connection to the legendary star, but as Evelyn’s story nears its conclusion, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique’s own in tragic and irreversible ways."
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐
I did enjoy this book and I think it makes a great beach read. However, I found myself taking a longer time to read it than most books, and I couldn't figure out why. That's why I gave it a lower rating than the others! However, once I got halfway through, I flew!
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The Grace Year
This book kept me on the edge of my seat the whole way through. I think it is technically a YA novel, but it read to me as a cross between The Handmaids Tale and The Hunger Games. If you liked either of those books, you've got to give this one a try!
From Goodreads:
"No one speaks of the grace year. It’s forbidden.
In Garner County, girls are told they have the power to lure grown men from their beds, to drive women mad with jealousy. They believe their very skin emits a powerful aphrodisiac, the potent essence of youth, of a girl on the edge of womanhood. That’s why they’re banished for their sixteenth year, to release their magic into the wild so they can return purified and ready for marriage. But not all of them will make it home alive.
Sixteen-year-old Tierney James dreams of a better life—a society that doesn’t pit friend against friend or woman against woman, but as her own grace year draws near, she quickly realizes that it’s not just the brutal elements they must fear. It’s not even the poachers in the woods, men who are waiting for a chance to grab one of the girls in order to make a fortune on the black market. Their greatest threat may very well be each other.
With sharp prose and gritty realism, The Grace Year examines the complex and sometimes twisted relationships between girls, the women they eventually become, and the difficult decisions they make in-between."
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A cross between The Hunger Games and Handmaid's Tale? Need I say more???
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See a book you love? Try to get it from a local bookstore you love (we suggest Books and Sundry!) OR make the environmentally friendly choice and check it out at your local library!
Now that I've recommended some of my favorites - tell me yours! Send me a message on Instagram and I will add your recommendation to my TBR pile!
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