Back in May, I outlined my summer reading list: 10 fiction books for myself and 4 chapter books to read with my kids.
Summer, for me, is all about light, breezy reads—the rom-coms, the murder mysteries, the “turn your brain off” novels. Fall and winter are when I dig into heavier nonfiction, but summer? Loosey-goosey, popcorn reading.
So—here’s how it went. Some hits, some duds, and a few surprises.
The Silent Woods by Kimmy Cunningham Grant
Started strong… then dragged. About 80% of the book felt slow and boring, though the ending redeemed it a little.
⭐️ Final take: Meh. Not for me, despite its good online reviews.
The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks Dalton
Still on the library waitlist (since May!) and missed my download window. No review yet—still on my TBR.
The Grace Year by Kim Leggett
I really wanted to like this… but nope. It just wasn’t good for me. Goodreads loves it (4.14 stars, 226k reviews!), but I’m an outlier here.
⭐️ Final take: Pass.
Ask for Andrea by Noelle Wehe
A chilling but fascinating premise—ghostly victims narrating their killer’s story. I was hooked, finding excuses to pop my AirPods back in.
⭐️ Final take: Highly recommend!
The Wedding People by Alison Espach
Loved, loved, loved. So much that I did a whole episode on it ([Episode 179]). Probably my favorite book of the summer—and maybe my top 5 of the year.
⭐️ Final take: Run, don’t walk.
The Drowning Woman by Robin Harding
Intriguing start, but quickly became far-fetched and nonsensical. I finished it asking, How did this get published?
⭐️ Final take: Hard pass.
The Quiet Tenant by Clémence Michalin
Absolutely terrible. The premise was unbelievable, the plot a mess, and I felt angry for wasting my time.
⭐️ Final take: Do not recommend.
ong Bright River by Liz Moore
Heavy, heartbreaking, and beautifully written. A family saga about sisters, addiction, and survival. Not easy to read, but worth it.
⭐️ Final take: Excellent, but prepare for tough themes.
A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab
Got halfway through… then lost all interest. Didn’t care about the characters or world. A letdown compared to The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue.
⭐️ Final take: DNF.
Don’t Forget to Write by Sarah Goodman Confino
Despised the characters, rolled my eyes through the twists, and was relieved when it ended. Yet somehow couldn’t put it down, so it gets a begrudging 3 stars.
⭐️ Final take: Not for me (but boomers might love it).
Kids Chapter Books
I picked these thinking they’d be great for ages 4–7… and I was wrong. Some landed beautifully, others were way too heavy.
🕷 Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
A classic we’ll never tire of. We’ve listened to it three times as an audiobook, narrated by White himself, which makes it extra special. Pure magic.
🤖 The Wild Robot by Peter Brown
We listened to this on audiobook and… oof, the narrator grated on us. But the story itself? Charming. The picture-book adaptation was a big hit with my boys.
⭐️ Final take: Skip the audiobook, read it aloud yourself.
🐰 The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo
Oh, my heart. A touching story of love, loss, and redemption told through the journey of a porcelain rabbit. I ugly-cried reading it to my daughter. Now I’m re-reading it with my boys.
⭐️ Final take: Beautiful, moving, highly recommend.
🦊 Pax by Sara Pennypacker
Gorgeous concept, gorgeous cover… but way too heavy for young kids. War, amputation, grief—it just didn’t land. The alternating POVs (fox + boy) was enjoyable, but the ending made me mad.
⭐️ Final take: Not for kids under 12.
✨ Bonus Reads: What Else I Picked Up
I strayed from my original 10 and grabbed a few extras this summer:
- Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McNotty → Boring, but could make a great TV miniseries. ⭐️⭐️
- The Man Made of Smoke by Alex North → Dark, gripping page-turner. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- The Bright Years by Sarah Damnoff → Loved it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Broken Country by Leslie Claire Hall → Heartbreaking but solid. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Is She Really Going Out With Him? by Sophie Cousens → Cute rom-com, perfect for the beach. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid → Space + love + friendship = ugly crying, 5 stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Good Inside by Dr. Becky Kennedy → Parenting wisdom gold. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- 4,000 Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman → Philosophical, grounding, memorable. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️