My summer months are full of library holds, navigating due dates and a long list of book suggestions as this is one of the only seasons I have time or energy to read. I love reading alongside our kiddos to model what reading for enjoyment can look like. One of my favorite activities we did this summer was called “bedtime reading marathon” where my little wonders (13 and 7 y.o.) got to stay up as late as they wanted but ONLY IF they read the whole time alongside me. It was a fun way to connect and show the calming effects of reading before bed or anytime it may be needed for an escape.
Here are a few reviews of the books I read this summer (click on books for links):
Me Before You by JoJo Moyes
I saw this book all over blog book reviews and instagram so I thought I would make it my first summer read. It was a great quick read with captivating characters. I loved the give and take of the two main characters but the plot was a bit predictable. Overall, a good summer/beach read.
We Are Called to Rise by Laura McBride
LOOOOOVVEEDDD this book. Many different characters and their twisty, complicated stories coming together after a tramautic event. I saw this at the suggestions table at our library and snatched it up quickly. The psychologist in me really enjoyed “diagnosing” the characters or dreaming about what they needed to heal but the way that the author wove everything together was magic
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
This book took me a while to get into. Set in the future after a huge flu wipes out the human population USUALLY isn’t my cup of tea. I kept chugging through and then just wanted to finish but I still wasn’t pleased with the ending. It was hard for me to see the connections between all the characters and decades of relationships. Interesting concept but missed the mark with me.
Less by Mark Lesser (ironic author’s name yes?)
I had heard about this book from The Lively Show podcast (one of my favorites) about simplifying our time, being more intentional about what we do, and saying no. These principles seem so basic yet in practice, are so hard. As I head into a new school year where I plan/hope on creating a more mindful school environment with our students and our staff, I got a lot of excellent nuggets of knowledge from this book that I had to write down in my planner. I wanted to write them down to look back at, think on, and let “marinate” in my mind to put into practice. I highly recommend this book to any stressed out, overworked mamas or anyone looking to shift their mindset from the glorified “too busy” to an “intentional” schedule. I could devote many blog posts to this (and probably will) so I will leave my review at this – READ IT!
The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan
I am in the middle of this very LONG book and will say that I am somewhat engaged in the story. The Royal family does intrigue me but I am not obsessed enough to see the comparisons in this story. I do enjoy the romantic plot line and learning about English culture so that piece is fun for me and I will read this one to end my summer as a light and enjoyable book. I enjoy that it takes place in real time and that the co-authors title the sections of the book by year (heading into the current 2015 year). This episode of the The Lively Show sparked my interest as the two authors spoke about their writing process, which I found interesting enough to check out the book from my local library.
My “on-deck” books include Anchored, Big Magic, and Rising Strong. I sense a theme of inspiration and empowerment in those three titles – perhaps a subconscious message of what I may be needing here in the next couple of months as our foster to adopt journey coasts/creeks along.
What are you reading this summer? What should I add to my requests at the library?