Summer TBR

Well, the sun has officially made its grand debut here in the Pacific Northwest, meaning my seasonal depression is gone without a trace and I'm ready for summer! I don't know how many of you live and/or have visited somewhere in the Pacific Northwest in the winter, but it's GLOOMY. While you can take all the vitamin D supplements you want to try and ward off seasonal depression, nothing beats the sunshine. I have put together an awesome summer readlist that I hope can inspire some of you to get into the summery spirit.

In no particular order -

#1 The Quarry Girls - Jess Lourey

Am I still getting through books I've been dying to read for a year and a half now? Absolutely. The Quarry Girls is one of them. I usually don't read books set in anything other than the present day and don't read books where the main characters are teens. The Quarry Girls has both of those elements, but regardless the synopsis just hooks me. I can't wait to dive into this 70's mystery thriller.

#2 Swan Light - Phoebe Rowe

Swan Light is a historical fiction book with dual timelines. As you can tell by my last blurb, historical fiction is not my cup of tea. However, forcing yourself out of your book preferences is a great way to find some hidden gems. The killer reviews are the main thing that made me add this book to the list, but the mystery element makes it seem like a compromise genre-wise.

#3 Beach Read - Emily Henry

I read People We Meet on Vacation as a buddy read last summer and it earned a 3-star review from both I and my buddies. While I was not impressed by the plotline in People We Meet on Vacation I fell in love with Emily Henry's writing style.

The synopsis in Beach Read seems like a total 180 from People We Meet on Vacation so I'm hoping it will be a higher rating for me. You can smell the enemies-to-lovers trope from a thousand miles away and I'm so excited for it. As a bonus, the random throw-in of "backwoods death cult" is really just the cherry on top.

#4 You Can Trust Me - Wendy Heard

I am reading You Can Trust Me based on only two things:

Summer's "tricked out" Land Cruiser
White-collar crime girlies

#5 Summer Sisters - Judy Blume

This is the only book on the readlist that has an assigned spot in the reading order and that is first. It is first because I borrowed this book from my partner's aunt coming up on 6-months ago and need to return it. Oops.

Summer Sisters has been on my radar for a while now and when I saw it in my partner's aunt's book stacks I knew it was a sign from the book gods. There is just something so poetic about chick-lit in the summer. Even more poetic is childhood besties who grew apart as so many of us do and then have a reunion at one of their weddings. Freakin textbook summer read.

#6 Seven Days in June - Tia Williams

I am scared to read Seven Days in June because if it does not live up to the feelings I feel just reading the synopsis I will cry and maybe, just maybe, never read a book ever again. Now that the dramatics are over, let me tell you why I feel so strongly about Seven Days in June.

TWO PEOPLE THAT HAVE A WEEKLONG FLING AND THEN FOLLOW TO SECRETLY WRITE TO EACH OTHER IN A BOOK FOR YEARS. If you don't feel absolutely hyped-the-f*ck-up about that, I just don't know if we can be friends.

I am ready to have this book rip my heart out, I am ready to cry a moat around myself as I read, and I AM READY to throw, curse, and hug this book. What I am not ready for is for it to not be good. If this book sucks I am suing.

and scene

#7 Reckless Girl - Rachel Hawkins

Reckless Girl is by far the lowest-rated book on this list. Reckless Girl is also sitting on my book shelf collecting dust and needs to be read so therefore it is on this list. A bunch of semi-sketchy people on a beautiful semi-deserted island with a terrible history - what could go wrong?!

Two people on my Goodreads have read this book and both gave it 4 stars and a lot of the reviews (not just ratings) were 4 stars as well. Therefore I still feel confident going into this one, even if the overall rating of Reckless Girl may be a little low.

#8 This Summer Will Be Different - Carley Fortune

Carley Fortune wrote my favorite book of the summer last year, Meet Me at the Lake. I have heard from approximately fifty-thousand people that her other book, Every Summer After, is pretty terrible and is literally just a rip-off of a Christina Lauren book. So, I didn't even come close to cracking that one open. Suffice it to say, I am in Carley Fortune withdrawals and am STOKED to This Summer Will Be Different.

If there is one thing I am a sl*t for, it is romance books that span years before the characters get together. The main characters, Lucy and Felix, have an instant attraction, but given the situation cannot have an actual relationship. Years pass by as they try to avoid their feelings for each other every summer. It's giving messy and frustrating and I'm so excited about it.

P.S.

This book does not come out until May. The want-to-read "reviews" are so overdramatic and entertaining if you're into that.

#9 Troubles in Paradise (Paradise #3) - Elin Hilderbrand

Troubles in Paradise is the ending of the Paradise trilogy. I read Winter in Paradise right before Christmas and it was an easy 5-star read.

The books revolve around Irene and her two sons, Cash and Baker. On New Year's Day Irene gets a call that states her husband is dead. He was killed in a helicopter crash in the Caribbean and his property in Saint John needs to be taken care of. Irene did not know her husband was in the Caribbean and certainly did not know he owned property there.

I then read What Happens in Paradise in February and while it was a step down from the first book, for me, it was still great. The second book left off on a big ole cliffhanger, I can't wait to finish out the series this summer.

You can find my reviews for the first two books further down on the blog!

#10 Home Again - Kristin Hannah

My entire family are Kristin Hannah fans so while paroozing Half Price books I saw Home Again for a great price and had to have it. Home Again is the definition of chick lit. A stressed mother-daughter dynamic and the absent father who is the total opposite of his sibling.

The reviews on this book are a mixed bag, so we will see if this is a 4-star or 1-star read for me.

Honorary Mentions

While I fancy being one of the girlies who can knock out a thousand books without blinking an eye, I am not. Trying to get through all ten books alone within the summer will be challenging. However, I am not me if I am not striving for greatness. If I outdo myself and get through all ten books I will move on to one of these.

Same Time Next Summer - Annabel Monaghan

Engaged woman + first love who broke her heart + her fiance + the beach = the toughest choice

One Night on the Island - Josie Silver

A 30-year-old woman who is in an existential life crisis + a man trying to escape Boston + an oopsie by Expedia + only one bedroom = absolutely them not falling in love, right?

The Unhoneymooners - Christina Lauren

The unlucky twin + the lucky twin + a wedding + arch nemesis + food disaster + honeymoon up for grabs + forced proximity + temporary truce + playing newlyweds = definitely not complicated

She Started It - Sian Gilbert

4 estranged childhood friends + 1 additional estranged childhood friend who is getting married + a destination Bachelorette party + deep dark secrets = smooth sailing

I am absolutely stoked about these books. Bring on the sunshine!