The 2015 Summer Reading Guide is here. The guide contains 7 categories of 5 books each, but just for fun (and just like last year) I’m narrowing the choices down to 5 total. (Minimalists and decision haters, rejoice!)
These 5 titles are hugely entertaining, have broad appeal, and are perfect for the beach, pool, or backyard. (That prevented me from choosing The Royal We, a new release that I think many—but by no means all—of you are going to love, and A God in Ruins, which is the most challenging book in the guide, but is also the best book I’ve read in a while.)
My top 5 picks for your summer reading list:
Rules of Civility
The Real Thing: Lessons on Love and Life from a Wedding Reporter’s Notebook
What really makes relationships work? Washington Post weddings reporter McCarthy weighs in with this wise, warm, and relatable collection of essays, based on her interviews with more than 200 couples who’ve walked down the aisle. McCarthy dishes on what she’s learned on the beat, and shares her own insights on love and marriage (and breakups, including the one she endured her first day on the job), in essays bearing titles such as “Screw Meeting Cute,” Don’t Look for Lightning,” and “Top Ten Reasons to Call It Off.” Smart, funny, hugely enjoyable—though her sociologist’s approach will make some of you crazy.
More info →
Love Walked In
Cornelia is a hopeless romantic, obsessed with the epic love stories portrayed in classic films, but floundering in her own life. Everything changes the day a Cary Grant look-alike walks through the door of the coffee shop she manages. Of course she falls for him, and strikes up an unlikely friendship with his 11-year-old daughter. You can’t help but cheer for these characters as they navigate the tricky waters of friendship, heartbreak, and love. De los Santos is a poet by training, and it shows in her prose. If you love this, good news: there’s a sequel.
More info →
Still Life (Chief Inspector Gamache Mysteries, No. 1)
In the idyllic small town of Three Pines, Quebec, where people don’t even lock their doors, a beloved local woman is found in the woods with an arrow shot through her heart. The locals believe it must be a hunting accident, but the police inspector senses something is off. The story is constructed as a classic whodunit but it feels like anything but, with its deliberate pacing, dry wit, and lyrical writing. A stunningly good first novel. Still Life is the first in a series that keeps getting better. Great on audio.
More info →
Americanah
This is Nigerian novelist Adichie’s third novel, but the first I've read. The story centers around a smart, strong-willed Nigerian woman named Ifemelu. After university, she travels to America for postgraduate work, where she endures several years of near-destitution, and a horrific event that upends her world. She finds her way, winning a fellowship at Princeton, and gaining acclaim for her blog, called “Raceteenth or Various Observations About American Blacks (Those Formerly Known as Negroes) by a Non-American Black." A highlight: Adichie seamlessly weaves blog posts—about race, national identity, class, poverty, and hair—into the narrative. The novel grapples with difficult issues without becoming overwrought. I would not have read this based on the flap copy, but I was hooked from page one. Haunting, moving, incredibly well done. Terrific on audio.
More info →What books are at the top of YOUR summer reading list?
P.S. View the whole guide, and last year’s 5-book summer reading guide.
Well, I’ll put my name in the hat. I’ve been diligently working in my free time this week to whittle down my summer reading list to something a little more realistic that the stack of 40+ I would *like* to read. 🙂 Included on my pile is The Story of Science by Susan Wise Bauer, Run With the Horsemen by Ferrol Sams, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harod Fry by Rachel Joyce and The Secret History by Donna Tartt.
No Elin Hilderbrand? I’m surprised
I can’t wait until Summer! The Rules of Civility has been on my list for a long time.
I haven’t read any of those! Thanks for the fun!
I have recently found your blog, but I am super excited to try your summer reading list! I may even branch out from the 5 – list! Would love to be put in for these books.
Thanks!
Americanah sounds amazing. I’ll look for it. Thanks!
I’m currently reading The Royal We and I’m finding it perfect summer reading!
I’d love to win!
I can’t wait to read Charles Martins newest, “Water from My Heart” and I believe Kate Morton also has a new one due this year.
Yes she does and I can’t wait! October 20. 🙂
Love your reading list! Can’t wait!
I have not read any of these and would love to add them to my TBR pile.
The Real Thing sounds intriguing. Can’t wait to read it! 🙂
I’ve read, and loved, Love Walked In, and would be excited to win and read the others! Thanks!
These sound so interesting! Can’t wait to get to the library.
The highly sensitive person in love
Ohhh good one. 🙂
Started “The Royal We” last night. I blame you for no sleep!
You’re welcome/I’m sorry. 😉
It is so, so fun. Pure escapism. Having lived in Oxford for a year after college, I can picture everything in my head clearly and completely lost track of time. Halfway through it already! Love the list!
Would LOVE to read these!
Basically everything on your list is now on my wish list for summer reading. The Royal We, Rules of Civility, and the Martian were all ones that sounded interesting!
My book club just picked Americanah as our June pick! Can’t wait to get into it. I love Marisa de los Santos books as well, so I have high hopes for all the books on your list!
Americaneh is a GREAT book club pick. So much to discuss!
Love your blog and would love to win!
These books sound wonderful.
It may make it tough to read, but my fingers, toes, legs, arms, and eyeballs are all crossed in hopes of winning!
The Story of Science just topped my list thanks to a serendipitous library trip.
I just started Station Eleven and after that will read The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry. All of these look great too!!
Those are great ones!
I would LOVE to win but I am just so in love with these guides…thank you!! Fingers crossed 🙂
Thank you for your work in putting this list together! I love having an intentional reading plan for the summer!
Thank you for the summer reading guides each year. I love them! Looking forward to these and the others you recommended.
I read Ready Player One this weekend and I just started Everything I Never Told You. I’m adding Americanah to the list next now!
Thanks for putting these guides together & thanks for the chance to win!
Looking forward to summer reading!
Can summer be six months long? Because I think I’m going to need at least that long to get through all the books I want to! These five look great!
I’m with you on that. 🙂
I definitely will be reading The Royal We this summer — I love following the royal family! I’m intrigued by Love Walked In and Americanah. I’m also planning to read A Glass of Blessings by Barbara Pym. I love her novel Excellent Women, and I want to read more of her work (often compared to Jane Austen).
I still haven’t read Barbara Pym but I know I need to. 🙂
Looks like a great little group of books. I think I put about 15 of the whole reading guide on my to read list. I will be busy this summer:)
Thank you for so many good book recommendations! I have liked every book that I’ve selected from your reading suggestions. I’d love to read these books. Thanks!
Thank you so much for the guide Anne 🙂 My lists are always too long, but now I had to make a May/June collection on the kindle. Most books: “why haven’t I finished this one yet?” I think you wrote about the kindle vs. hardcopy and out-of-sight-out-of-mind at some point? Anyway: I promise (myself) to finish To Kill a Mockingbird before the end of June.
Ready Player One, Girl On a Train, Violets of March, and of course I think I’m going to re-read To Kill a Mockingbird. Would live to win these five, they look interesting too!!
Absolutely loved Violets of March!
I would love to read “The Real Thing.” My library doesn’t have it, so I may have to buy it.
great giveaway!
Thanks for the wonderful opportunity! Your blog is one of the first I check each day–and I’ve enjoyed your summer reading guides each year. You know how to pick ’em! 🙂
Have a blessed day!
I love your summer reading guides! Pretty sure I have dozens of books from your past guides on my to read list that I haven’t even gotten to yet. Right now I’m on the wait list for The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. My husband and I are desperate to purge our clutter (except for the books!) but we need a little motivation to get there.
I think it will deliver the motivation you’re looking for. 🙂
Yes, thanks for narrowing it down for us decision-haters. I want to read ALL of the books on the reading guide and was having a hard time trying to decide what would be first!
I have loved your summer reading guide in the past and have been eagerly anticipating its release this year. It was one of my first conscious thoughts on Friday morning, “Today is the day of the MMD reading guide release!” Anyway, I would love to win this giveaway to get me jump started and to be able to share with my friend whose daughter has major surgery next week. Thanks for all sharing your passion with us!
I have read only 1 of those, and would love to add the rest to my large stack of to reads. I am looking forward to a summer of reading!
Yes, thanks so much for the giveaway offer! I always love your book recommendations and am a devoted library fan, but would love to be able to read these books this summer and then pass them on to my book club!
Rules of Civility has been recommended to me a few times so this might be the year. My summer reading is still taking shape. I think Marie Kondo’s book will definitely be front and center for non fiction.
I haven’t read any of these – they would be the perfect kickoff to summer reading! Americanah has been on my list since last summer when I saw Chimamanda’s Ted talk on the danger of a single story. Thanks for the giveaway!
The inspiration I’ve needed to hold a book in my hand again! Thank you!
I’m so looking forward to a summer of great reading! I just bought my husband a hammock for the back patio. I think we know who’s going to be using it most–doesn’t a book and a hammock (and maybe some chocolate) sound divine?
And thank you for the entire reading guide as a printable! I’m going to work my way through the whole list.
Love this guide!! And the full summer reading guide, can’t wait to get lost in some great reads!!!
What a great give away! I would love to win!
Happiness for Beginners is on my summer reading list, and so is Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day (another rec from your blog that I’ve been meaning to read for a while). Thanks for the 5-book list and the chance to win!
I have so enjoyed your recommendations! We have similar tastes in books, so I always look forward to picking up one of your favorites!! Blessings….and pick me : )
I would love to read any of these this summer. Here’s hoping I can carve out some time.
Riveting reads – just what the doctor ordered for bad morning sickness. 🙂 I’m looking forward to checking these out!
Oh no! Feel better soon. 🙂
I live for summer reading. I keep adding books to my list, but at the top right now are– the Language of Flowers, re-reading To Kill a Mockingbird, and Life after Life.
I have already started reserving some of the books from your summer reading list at my local library. I can’t wait to get started! This giveaway would make my summer reading even better.
I usually get my books from other people’s reading lists!
This is an especially good summer reading list this year! My TBR is much longer now. I’m not sure which books I’ll read this summer. A God in Ruins, Americanih, and The Geography of You and Me will most likely be on my list.
I love giveaways! As much as I go flying to the library, check my Oyster app, and buy on Amazon when I see your recommendations, surprisingly, I have not read any of these books yet. Rules of Civility has been sitting in my wish list since you did a review on it. You never disappoint! Thanks for all your hard work you put into this space.
A few I want to get through this summer are Red Queen (Victoria Aveyard), At the Water’s Edge (Sara Gruen), Inferno (Dan Brown, before the movie comes out) and Wearing God (Lauren F. Winner).
I read Garden SPells over the weekend from your full guide, choosing it mainly because it was the first book off your list that my library had on the shelf on Friday. I’d never heard of it, but I enjoyed it so much. I can’t wait to start tackling the rest of the list!
So glad to hear it!
I have Case Histories by Kate Atkinson on my Kindle but I am finishing my second book of short stories by Jean Thompson on Oyster. They are so good! I will be reading more of her this summer as well. I haven’t read any of the above books but I read all but one on last years 5 book list. I haven’t been too sure about Kate Morton, I think it is the covers that throw me.
I just have to say that I really really appreciate all of the work you put into the summer reading guide. Great stuff!!!! I am excited to read so many books this summer (Royal We is one of them) I loved The Bullet, and Tell No One!! Great suspense books.
Yours is my favorite blog. I wouldn’t leave home without it……..and I’d love to win these books to take me through the summer!
Aw, thank you!
i am still narrowing down. Starting a new job this summer after 5 yrs of being a stay at home mom. I think my early summer reading will need to be light and eat reads. Here’s hoping these can make my list 🙂
Outlander!
I haven’t read any of your top five, but three of them are on my tbr list! Thanks for the giveaway.
I have a looooong list of books “to read” on my Goodreads that I am trying to whittle through. I should probably quit adding to it 😀
I just recently starting following MMDarcy and have totally been enjoying picking books to read. Would love to have these five in my library or on my kindle. I want to read them all!
This list is so exciting. I am so overwhelmed at work that trying to pick books is a bit much right now.
ooo, I see the audio version of that Louise Penny book is available at my library – maybe I’ll sneak out at lunchtime and snag it. These books all sound great – thanks for the inspiration!
The audio versions of the series are really good.
Love, love, love the summer reading guide! Given that Love Walked In is one of my favorites, I know all of the recommendations must be great.
These are! I’m especially excited to read Still Life, since murder mystery is my preferred genre.
I’m so behind! I’m still wanting to read Eleanor and Park. And I have a stack of business books to read including The Barefoot Executive and Go Pro.
This is my first year finding your summer recommendations. I’m currently 75% of the way through Rules of Civility and love it! I read Love Walked In a few months ago and really enjoyed it. I’m looking forward to working through your recommendations!
I would love to win these books! Counting the days until summer break so I can dive into your reading list!
Your reading guide looks great. I can’t wait to work my way through it! My top pick for summer is All the Light We Cannot See. I’ve had it on hold for just about forever. My turn should come soon!
It’s such a good one! Worth waiting for. 🙂
Hi Anne,
Thank you for the Summer Reading Guide! They all sound fantastic!
I just bought a ridiculous haul of books from my online retailer….does anyone else get super excited when ordering books??
I just read Fanny Flagg’s newest novel The All-Girl Filling Station’s Last Reunion – it was amazing, I couldn’t put it down!
Next on my list is Home is Where my People Are by Sophie Hudson. I loved her first book…..among a few others ?
Love your minimalist list too! I haven’t read any of the 5 but have read “Belong to Me” by Marisa de los Santos!
Pick me, pick me, to win!
Well, I already ordered Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore and The Little Beach Street Bakery, and I’m hoping they will be here in time for my vacation! I’m currently reading The Rosie Effect which was on my list for the summer, and have First Impressions by Lovett to read next, and heading to the used bookstore with my list in hand (most of which came from books you’ve recommended) to get some reads for vacation! Kate Atkinson’s is definitely on my to-read-soon list – I loved Life After Life.
Hi Anne! I’m the reader that requested the “BEGINNING A BOOK CLUB” advice. I’m also the reader who would LOVE to have these books to show my bookclub for choices of summer reading selections! BTW, our bookclub has made a difference in our neighborhood for so many women that have participated. I appreciate you and your blog immensely!
I’m so glad to hear it! Thanks for telling me.
Would love to win these! I think I’m going to suggest Still Life to my “book club.” It’s just me, my Mom, and my sister. It’s also mostly an excuse to plan a fun themed evening that the guys want no part of. The challenge is finding books my Mom is ok with reading (no racy romance, no magic, no salty language). She reads mostly Christian fiction and most of that I don’t. My sister reads anything and everything. I’ve found mysteries/detective stories to be a good choice for all of us. We all really liked The Beekeeper’s Apprentice.
Love this mix of genres! Americanah, The Goldfinch, The Invention of Wings, All The Light We Cannot See and Crazy Rich Asians are on the top of my list…and hopefully I can also get to some of the books you mentioned in your guide. Thanks for all of the wonderful recommendations!
I can’t WAIT to be on the beach next week. My favorite part of a vacation is reading on the plane/beach. Packing Where’d You Go, Bernadette and The Zookeeper’s Wife.
So many good books so little time. I can’t wait to read some of these.
Oh, it would be fantastic to win! I added Love Walked In and Rules of Civility to my summer reading list. The Blue Bistro looked like a good one too. I also just ordered Promise of Stardust and am anxiously awaiting that to get here. I have a couple classics on my summer reading list as well. My “To Read” list grows everyday. 🙂
With so many books to read and so little time, I appreciate this pared down list! I haven’t read any of these yet, but they all sounds intriguing!
I waver on remebering Rules as either something I really liked, or something I barely made it through. Oddly, both are true, whatever that means!
Would love to win these books!
I’m ready for summer and reading by the pool!!
Rules of civility was wonderful! I can’t wait to read the rest of these!! Thank you for your blog, I have so many books on my to-read list! We’ll see how many I can squeeze in between a full time job and two precious children!!!
Oo! Fun! These five (well, four… I read and LOVED Rules of Civility already) give me a place to start. Soo many went on my list, but I’m going to start with these!
I look forward to reading some of your recommendations this summer. So many good books and so little time.
These look great. I really enjoyed Rules of Civility and have read about one book from each section this year. Can’t wait to read the rest!
The Largest Man On Earth
The Last Four Days of Paddy Buckley
At The Water’s Edge
A God In Ruins
H is for Hawk
And MANY from your list!
*I meant, The World’s Largest Man, by Harrison Scott Key* 🙂
Your blog has reignited my love of reading. THANK YOU! I would be thrilled to win the books they all sound fabulous!
The Royal We and Love Walked In are next on my list. When your summer reading guide came out, I got my husband A Walk in the Woods that day at the library. He has been laughing out loud and enjoys the descriptions of the trail by Bryson.
I love A Walk in the Woods
The Real Thing sounds so good! I’d love to win!
Several of those are on my short list! I’m looking forward to getting started on my (your) summer list!
My daughter, along with her entire freshman class at Duke University, read Americanah last summer, and she loved it. My 76 year old mother read it, also, and loved it. So that one is definitely on my summer TBR list. Actually, all of your recommendations look amazing. So many books, so little free time….
P.S. I love your blog! I was practically giddy last Friday knowing that the summer reading list was going to be posted.
Ooh, these look great!! Thanks for doing all the research. I’m so looking forward to summer reading time!
It is literally a dream of mine to win a big stack of books. First on my list for summer is We Are Called to Rise. I just finished Where They Found Her by Kimberly McCreight and it is an excellent summer read if you are a fan of suspense. I say a summer read because it is compulsively read-able and a quick read (although not a light subject matter).
Top two but def going to be checking out the titles above:
A Fall of Marigolds
Unstoppable
I’m engrossed in I am Pilgrim right now—a fantastic thriller! Just this month, finished The Royal We, Station Eleven, The Road to Character, and Creativity, Inc. Great books, all. Thanks so much for your summer recommendations!
I thought about including I Am Pilgrim for the guide. I didn’t, for a variety of reasons, but it sure was a page turner.
This list is great for the decision impaired. Thanks!
Anne, have you read The Last Bookaneer? My hubs is a Matthew Pearl fan and this one looks perfect for book lovers. We picked it up last weekend and I can’t wait to start after I finish The Girl on the Train–which should be soon since it reads so quickly.
No, I haven’t, but I’ll add it my list. 🙂
As do many others, I have a list/pile/stack a mile long. Near the top are: The Underground Girls of Kabul, Go Set a Watchman (and also a re-read of To Kill a Mockingbird, I’m sure!), and Ready Player One, which has been sitting on my Kindle for a while now. I’ve also got a long list of kid fiction to tackle with my daughter. We’re reading through the Little House series, we’ll probably read Anne of Green Gables this summer, the Green Ember, and I just read a rave review of The One and Only Ivan. I’m a new follower of your blog, and I have you to thank for a burgeoning Amazon budget. Thank you for writing such informative, helpful, and insightful posts. You’ve quickly become one of my few daily reads!
I’m on the library waiting list for The Royal We, and I finished A God in Ruins last week. I have a huge stack of TBR books and can’t wait for a sunny day to just read. I’m also looking forward to Judy Blume’s new book and of course, Harper Lee’s book.
I’ve got your journal downloaded and printed off and I’d love to win these books!
I would also like to ask if you listened to any of your picks on Audible. I “read” half of my books on Audible and some books translate better than others, as you know!
Yes! I added Audible buttons for the books I listened to on audio (well, at least if the audio was good 🙂 ) and specifically mentioned it in the book description. Throughout the whole guide, not just in this 5-book version.
These are excellent suggestions and I enjoyed Love Walked In. This summer, I’m planning to binge-read the first four books of the Outlander series. I received them as a gift for Mother’s Day.
Gotta love less decisions! I haven’t heard of any of these books, but “The Real Thing” sounds the most up my alley at the moment.
I’m dying to read “Americanah,” but don’t need anymore books to add to the TBR stack in the living room…
HAHAHAHAHA!!! (Sorry, had a hard time keeping a straight face while typing the second part of that sentence.)
This is a very generous giveaway, and, methinks, a good start to filling in the MMD reading journal. 😉
Haha!
I’m going to start with Alexander McCall Smith’s adaptation of Emma. Thanks for the giveaway! I enjoy your blog.
I plan to read these even if I don’t win! It will be hard to choose which to read first! Thank you!
I’ve got my vacation book crate packed with your picks!
Are you like me? I always pack a milk crate to take books to the beach for our family of 6. 🙂
I teach Children’s Literature and shared your blog with all of my very talented students this past semester. You should have a whole new group of fans! Thanks for the fun and engaging way you share books. Lots of inspiration! I read lots of YA novels because of my work and plan to read The Selection series by Kiera Cass this month…but then, the minimalist 5 are on my list!
Those all look wonderful! I’d love to read them by the pool!
This would be a great way to Kickstart the 32 books of the Summer Reading Guide that I have yet to read! 🙂
On my summer list is “Searching for Sunday” by Rachel Held Evans. I should add a few more 🙂
I love stacks of new books! These look fantastic – I haven’t read any of them!
Woohoo! Thanks for narrowing it down for me! None of these were ones that stood out to me from the big Reading Guide, but now I’ll be giving them a second glance. Thanks for the giveaway!
I’d love to have these to add to my summer reading stack. Also in mine is The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro.
What a great give away! I’m starting my summer reading at the beach next week—I’ve keyed up Station 11, The Last Anniversary (the only Moriarty I have left!), and now I’m debating between the Royal We and A God in Ruins (maybe both, they seem amazing, and totally different).
Yay! I can’t wait to really dig through your list for some new suggestions!!
I have a pile of books, virtual and otherwise, that I’d love to work through. The Fringe Hours, Emma: A Modern Retelling, How to be An American Housewife, a few Brene Brown books, Overwhelmed: Work, Love, and Play When No One Has the Time, and The Life Intended are all on my list. Luckily (or not), I have some travel for work so I can binge read.
I’ve not given a lot of thought about summer reading…until now. I will finish up A Man Called Peter. Then the newest book by Jan Karon. I must check out a couple of the ones you posted about. If I win them, they will certainly be on the list. Thanks.
Would love to read these over the summer!
Looks like a manageable reading list… Especially for this teacher awaiting summer vacation and the imminent walking of her 9 month old!! (Help!)
This giveaway is an awesome start to summer reading, great job! Also on my summer list is a classic Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner, Euphoria by Lilly King and Michael Chabon’s The Wonder Boys. Thanks for the generous giveaway.
Pick me! ?
I would LOVE to win these books! I added almost every book from the Summer Reading guide to my TBR list and even already bought a few! So many amazing books! I can’t wait to get started.
Just recently found your blog. Thank you for the guide. I am looking forward to a summer of reading.
I just started What Alice Forgot and am enjoying it. Also on my list: All the Light We Cannot See, The Emily Starr series, The Rise and Fall of Mount Majestic, and The Highly Sensitive Person, among others. I love your summer reading guide and am planning to read some of those books, too. (I’m also excited to record my summer reads in my new Modern Mrs. Darcy Reading Journal!)
I cannot wait until I start reading these books! I love your site. Really helps with picking books to read for a book club also! Thank you so much!!
These books sound fabulous! Thank you for the list!
I’m planning on The Circle, Wolf Hall, and Lizzy and Jane, and I also want to revisit some old favorites– most likely Harriet the Spy and Anne of Avonlea.
I’d love to read all of these while relaxing on the beach during my honeymoon this summer!
lots of new books I haven’t heard of! can’t wait to dive into some of them this summer! will be heading to the bookstore this week to look for love walked in!
Ooooh, that would be so fun! I have been meaning to try some Louise Penny, and Americanah is also on my TBR list. I have almost 600 books on my TBR list on Goodreads, so I really appreciate the closer guidance.
What an awesome giveaway. I’m currently reading Better than Before. I like it, but I’m anxious to start reading my next fiction book. Thanks so much for the printable list!
Americanah, Rules of Civility and A God in Ruins will be on my list – thanks for the recommendations! I read Louise Penny’s Inspector Gamache novels every summer when she comes out with a new one. Still Life is the start of a great series, and I look forward to the next one this year.
awesone giveaway! I’m adding all these titles to my Goodreads summer list!
Haven’t read these, but looking forward to reading them. And thanks for the reading journal too!
I’m currently reading A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (can’t believe I’ve never read it!), and used my vacation time last week to devour The Rosie Project and The Storied Life of AJ Fikry. Both were SO GOOD. I’ve got Garden Spells, The Sea of Tranquility, I Capture the Castle, and Daring Greatly on my holds list at the library. I hope they don’t all come available at once! 🙂
I want The Royal Wee and Still Life is on my reading list too. I have also marked The Girl on the Train and Kristin Hannah’s The Nightingale.
Great giveaway!
I love your whole reading guide and this list of 5!
Loved Americanah so much! Definitely lived up to the hype. One book on my summer reading list is Oh! You Pretty Things by Shanna Mahin.
It would do my summer a world of good to win these books! 🙂
love having a smaller list to choose from!
thanks for pulling the highlights
I would love to read all 5 of these! But I am especially looking forward to “Love Walked In”
After I’m finished with a big move, I want to print out your pretty and practical notebook and get started with these books. Thanks so much for the list!
Just finished a really good read, William Boyd’s “Any Human Heart” and on the lookout for some great summer reads. All on the list look good – the one that really caught my eye is “Rules of Civility.” Thanks for the suggestions 🙂
These all look good. I would love to win.
These look like great picks! I’m excited to add them to my list. Right now I’m finishing up the Tenant of Wildfell Hall (I’m reading all the Brontes this year) and then I think it’s on to Peace Like A River. I’m planning on reading some Kate Atkinson this summer — I haven’t tried her yet.
Thanks for narrowing this down to 5! These all sound terrific. I just bought The Hurricane Sisters (thanks for the tip on the Kindle sale) and can’t wait to dive into that one too.
All of these sound really good and Im hoping my small town library has at least one of them in…. and since you asked, I don’t have any “must read” books, I just go to the young adult section of my library and am working my way through the shelves… 🙂
These would be fun! But, I’m still making my summer list based on the full guide. Thank you!
I’m so excited about your summer reading list! A few weeks ago I devoured the Lunar Chronicles books – totally loved them. I’ve been in a slump since then! My to read list is miles long but nothing gets me excited like those books did. So I’m definitely going to pick some books from your list to spark my reading again. Thanks for all the work you put into this blog!
This is a great mix! I’m definitely entering. Also, thanks for the summer reading guide–I love it!
Your summer reading guide is here. Summer can now begin!
I really want to get back into reading. Thank you for the list, its a great start!
“Me Before You,” “All the Light We Cannot See,” and “Leaving Berlin.”
I’m looking for a big, lost-in-book-after-book sort of summer. I’m thinking a good chunk of your list, with some Harry Potter re-reads mixed in, a couple of book club books, maybe some pre-reads for the next school year. It’s probably the reading equivalent of my eyes being bigger than my stomach.
Oh – and the very next book up is Ready Player One. I’ve got my son’s copy out and it just came in through the library for my Kindle. Because I’m lazy, you know.
I listened to the audio version of Rules of Civility two years ago. If I had a Top 5 list of best books read in my lifetime, then it would be on it. I think I’ll need to read the book this summer!
Ooh great 5!! LOVED Rules of Civility! We included it in our Book Flight for our book club retreat this fall! (NY theme, with When You Reach Me and The Great Bridge)
With two kids, a new baby and full time school I’ve struggled to fit in new reads. I’ve mostly stuck with authors I already know and love. If I am taking time from all of my other responsibilities it has to be for a sure thing. You given me some great suggestions. I am most interested in Americanah, which I would not likely have picked up myself. Thank you for all of your effort!
Homeschool Mom of 6, buried under a load non-fiction…*gasp** looking for a delightful read….(glug, glug!), before I sink into the waves of monotonous summer chaos!!
Just recently discovered you at a recommendation by a friend. I read a couple of the other books you talked about and enjoyed them. I would live to win the books.
Yay for not making decisions… thank you! I’m not an avid reader (but I want to be! any tips for us wanna be’s who are trying to get hooked as busy adults?) so just finishing the last Harry Potter book is on my list right now.
These are my tips: https://modernmrsdarcy.com/2013/09/how-i-find-time-to-read/
So much to read, so little time… And you keep adding to my stack! 😉
So thankful I work right across from a library. Going to go during lunch today and get one of these to read. Can’t wait! Thank you for your recommendations.
I’ve been previewing a lot of possible read aloud books for my kids but I am really excited about Go Set a Watchman. I will definitely be preordering that one.
Yay!!! I look forward to this guide all year!
I would love to read all of these- but Love Walked In looks especially good. The new Harper Lee book is at the top of my summer reading list.
Mine too!
bring on summer. these look so fun
I feel like Summer has arrived as soon as you release your reading list! Can’t wait to get my hands on a few 🙂
Well, I would have these to look forward to if I ever finish Anna Karenina! 😉
WOW! This is a great list, some of them are on my list.
I have been just been reading through my long list of books to read!!!
These sound great! 🙂
I haven’t read any on your list and plan to check a few out. Otherwise, I plan on finally tackling Anatham by Neal Stephenson, which I’ve been meaning to read FOREVER!
I’m currently sitting next to my computer with the list of books from your guide checking to see how many are at my public library. Then I’ll decide which ones to buy =)
I’d love to win! These books sound great!
I am eagerly awaiting Elin Hilderbrand’s next book, The Rumor, and A God in Ruins is also at the top of my list for the summer. I am also hoping to read other novels and story collections by Kate Atkinson and Anthony Doerr.
Oh, so many books, so little time. I am hoping to get to read The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins, & S. by J.J. Abrams & Doug Dorst. Maybe a little Outlander. And hopefully these books if I win!
Oh, I’ve been meaning to read Love Walked In and Rules of Civility!!! Next up for me, Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand, right after I finish up a few stragglers.
put me in the running (even though I have reserved these books at my library) 😉
They all sound really compelling, I am going to put them on my library list. Except “rules of civility”, I’ve already read it. I am also interested in the “royal we”.
I am pretty new to your blog and love it! You have pushed me to read books that I might not ever have read and I find that I love them. Going to work on the short list for summer reads. It is more realistic for this working grandma of 8:)
These all look like wonderful reads!
These all look like amazing choices! My list of books to read is incredibly lengthy already, but it looks like I will have to add some more! : ) Thanks for taking the time to curate these lists for us, Anne!
Out of this top five I have been wanting to read Americanah. I think that I am most excited to read Ready Player One from the whole list. I ordered it on the Kindle and my husband told me that he has that book on audible, which he enjoyed very much.
I would love to read all five of these! With three kids 7 and under here for the summer, that would actually be quite a feat!! Thanks for pre-reading so I don’t waste any time!!!
These sound great! I was debating reading something new or spending the summer with Tolkein. JRR might have to wait for fall…
I would love to win those books!
I read “Rules of Civility” last summer based on your recommendation. I loved it, and wished I could find more books just like it. I’m looking forward to reading the others on this list. I’m also looking forward to introducing Anne of GG to my 8 year old daughter.
I’m looking forward to A God in Ruins by Kate Atkinson and Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng. Although, now I think I need to be cross-checking the top five listed above to my lengthy TBD list to make sure they made it!
I’ve been wavering on Americanah for a while. Now it’s definitely on the must read list!
Thanks! My to-read list and library hold list always expand when your guide comes out 🙂 I’d love to win.
I’m excited to read Astonish Me! I bought it on the Kindle sale a week or two ago, and that’s the next on my list! I also have the fourth Outlander book to read plus about a million more. Love the summer reading guide this year (as always)!
Anne, I love your reading guides! You have never steered me wrong yet! I have been meaning to read all of these soon and would love to win this 🙂
I have Stone Field,True Arrow by Kyoko Mori, The Daughter of Mars by Keneally (of Schindler’s List fame), and ZigZag by Nicholas Booth on the docket. I love this minimalist list since we’re getting son #1 ready to head to college at WPI in August (gulp!).
Awesome site for this bibliophile. Just read The Real Thing at your suggestion – great read. Thank you for such a fabulous site and book recommendations!
I always enjoy your recommendations! I tend to read more non-fiction, so I love the idea of expanding and reading more fiction during the summer. Rules of Civility is first on my list!
I have read Love Walked In and loved it. The others sound really good and different from what I might have chosen on my own. We have to move out of our comfort zone at times don’t we!
I am looking forward to Stephanie Kallos new book, Language Arts ( June 9), . Her first 2 were wonderful. She is an overlooked writer. Also Go Set A Watchman of course. I will reread TKAM first. Also The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. Have had many people tell me it is the best book they have read in a long time. Going to reread Ursula Under. I am re-reading Little Women for the ???th time right now. Just finished Wonder by RJ Palacio . Everyone should read that. It was so good. It was sad and funny and uplifting . I read it in one sitting. I may reread it soon. I am also planning to read Don Quixote which does not sound like summer reading but I will have more time for it now.
I would love to read any of these books! I’m so excited to read the books on your reading guide. 🙂
Please add my name to the drawing for the stack of books! Thanks!
Everyone in my book club is loving the summer reading guide! Thank you for putting it together!
What a great list! I’ve had Rules of Civility on my list for a while now. I think this is a sign to read it this summer:)
So many books and so little time! One book I’m excited to read this summer is Outlander. It has been on my to-read list for ages!
I finished Astonish Me a few days ago, started A Tale of Two Cities (I don’t know how I managed to never read it before!), and heading to the library today to see what I can find to read next.
Oooohh, thanks for this! I read through the full guide and picked my favorites, but I skimmed over these since they don’t fit my “usual” for a book. Might need to expand my reading horizons here and would of course love to win new reading material! Thanks for all your reviews and wisdom.
These all look great! Would love to win!
I’d say that 80% of the books I’ve read in the last year have come from suggestions from Modern Mrs. Darcy. At the moment, I have nothing new to recommend, but I have certainly enjoyed your suggestions.
I have not read any of these. Thanks for the short list! 🙂
Please oh please let it be me!
Thank you for a great booklist! I’m looking forward to reading all of these!
LOVE “Love Walked In” and de los Santos’ work! I look forward to checking out some of these others! Thanks for all you prereading for us!
Just found you and your blog. Thanks for some great recommendations, and I’d love to win this set of books! Tops on my list this summer are: The Rosie Project, The Summer’s End, Flash the Homeless Donkey, and All The Single Ladies.
Getting back into Terry Pratchett (starting with his Slip of the Keyboard) and more of the Laurie King Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes series are on my list. That said, I always appreciate a push to spread my attention to new books.
Thank you so much for a shorter guide! I am going to start with this list and make my way through your full list as time permits. These look fantastic.
I would love to win. I am just finishing up The Magician’s Assistant and need some new books to read. I just put all of these on hold ( the ones that are available) at the library. Thanks you!
I’m trying to read more fiction this summer – the fluffy kind. My reading list is soooo long haha. It’s going to be a challenge to whittle it down. Thanks for the suggestions!
I would love to read all of these! I’m picking up The Goldfinch from my library today, and I can’t wait to read Better Than Before–I love Gretchen Rubin’s books!
I am pretty sure that I was introduced to Liane Moriarty by Modern Mrs. Darcy; specifically, What Alice Forgot. This summer I hope to read a couple more of hers. Next up, The Last Anniversary or The Husband’s Secret. Thanks for your reading guide!
I appreciate your book lists and insights to day to day living so much. My husband knows you as “My friend, Anne.” Thanks for the sweet give-away!
Station Eleven, Mr. Pemberly, haven’t read Kate Atkinson yet so any of her books and anything on the summer reading list!
Rules of Civility is on my list, as well as a few from the full summer reading guide, like Happiness for Beginners and All the Light We Cannot See. I also like to sneak some juvenile classics/newberry winners in between adult novels, which help my book reading momentum.
Those all sound so good! Time to start putting in some requests at my local library!
Thank you for always finding something new and interesting for your readers.
Just what I’ve always wanted…books, and more books! Planning on rereading some childhood favorites this summer but would love some new additions.
Sadly, I don’t have a “top picks to read list”. My plan for summer is to have a baby. I could probably squeeze some of these fun books in while doing that 🙂
Sounds like you have a good summer plan. 🙂
Thank you for mentioning Still Life. I love the Maisie Dobbs series (thanks to you for alerting me to her existence!) so I’m looking forward to reading this one too!
I read Rules of Civility when it was first released and it remains one of my favorite summer reads. I was so bummed to learn it was a debut novel – I thought I had stumbled across a new author to binge-read!
This summer, The Martian and Lewis’ Out of the Silent Planet are first, although I wouldn’t mind some British crime fiction too!
That’s a great pared down list! Three of the five have already been added to my TBR list and the other two looked awesome too!
I just finished three books – Gone with the Wind, Mary Poppins and Lady Chatterley’s Lover. Currently, I am reading The Distant Hours by Kate Morton (LOVE everything I have read from her so it is finally time to devote myself to this book!) and I’m listening to Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade by Diana Gabaldon on audible (not as much of a fan of these as the Outlander books, but I do like Lord John and it is interesting to gain more insight into what happened during the middle years – this book takes place while Jamie was at Hellwater. Geneva Dunsaney just died).
I’m hoping to finish The Distant Hours soon because I just ordered myself a copy of The Sea of Tranquility (sadly my library doesn’t have it). Am looking forward to reading that one!
I loved The Sea of Tranquility. That *almost* made this year’s guide.
Amazing! I’ve actually read one of these! “Still Life” :-))))
Tessa
What a great list! I’d love to win this giveaway. Love Walked In sounds fantastic.
How ever am I supposed to pick just one book?! 🙂 That said, I am drawn to your non fiction books. Better Than Before is high on my list. The Royal We is high up there, too. I had never heard of it before your reading guide, which is saying something. Thank you for making my to read list so long that I will never finish it! (And I mean that in a very good way.)
The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion, It Was Me All Along by Andie Mitchell, and Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed are currently at the top of my summer reading list! This list looks amazing to – I’ve read Americanah, and it definitely deserves its place here. Fingers crossed for the giveaway!
Thanks for putting this together! I would love to win this set!
“The Turner House” is my first summer read this year.
Goldfinch, Cinder, The Nightingale, Girl on a Train
Oh my goodness! I bet it was so hard to narrow it down to 5! But I for one have a hard time making decisions, so I love it when things are narrowed down *for* me. 🙂
Thank you for the reading list and journal. I have already printed one for me and my best friend…. even had it spiral bound like you suggested.
I,too, hope to move several of my Like to reads to have read column.
I look forward to Maria de los Santos newest book and plus, I have already purchased Sarah Addison Allen’s First Frost.
I will also be working on my Book Clubs selection.
Your lists are always inspiring! Love these latest picks!
My summer list (so far) includes:
Station Eleven
We Were Not Ourselves
Kitchen Confidential
I Am The Messenger (a reread for me)
These all sounds d like winners! I need some great books to read this summer. Thanks for the recommendations!
I was so happy to receive the 2015 summer reading list AND the reading journal!!! Now this list is icing on the cake. I am currently working my way through my own library of books which is my goal for this year since I am a book hoarder. 🙂 I’m not helping matters by buying more books at the second hand store or taking them out of the public library though lol. I just can’t get enough and I know you all understand!!
I am adding One plus One to my list.
Love the summer reading guide! Can’t wait to get reading some of them. Thanks.
I just got my copy of Astonish Me (been on my list for a year…) and I’m working very hard to save it for my flight to visit home in a few weeks!
I just finished a grad class last night, and I have twin four year olds, so I made myself take last month off from leisure reading which was painful! My list has grown & grown during this time, and just got longer. I can’t wait to go through the comments and add more. For now, my list includes:
The Heir by Kiera Cass!!!
Before I Go by Colleen Oakley
The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
All of Sarah Addison Allen’s books
Richelle Mead’s most recent 3
And about 22 more…..
These all look wonderful!!! I love your reading guides! 🙂
Excited to read these!!
This sounds like a great list! I’m currently reading Life of Pi, which is great but I wish I hadn’t watched the movie first. I’m moving to a beach town this summer and will definitely need some good laying on the beach reads! Thanks for all of the great book info you give us! I always enjoy 🙂
My list for summer is so long! I’ve added all 5 of these plus several others from your list to my want-to-read list on Goodreads!
These all look so good to read! Headed to the beach on Saturday and will have to maybe select at least of these to go with me. 🙂
I’ve always read a pretty short list of different genres and authors. I was recently talking to my daughter about a new book I just got and she called me out on this. She asked how many female authors I’ve read…. Stumbling for any answer I finally proclaimed proudly “Harper Lee!” She looks at me, rolls her eyes and said the thing I feared most that she would say….”who else?” I completely folded. So she challenged me to start reading more female authors. Well, the next time I talked to her I proudly listed the authors I’d read, expecting the praise and accolades I deserved for stepping so far outside of my comfort zone! Yea ME!!
But instead of ticker-tape and high-fives she looks at me with the same look as before and says, “so if they write in that very narrow genre you hide in, you’ll read them? Way to spread your wings, emu.” I was crushed, deservedly so, but crushed nonetheless.
So here I am. I’ve been reading a lot different blogs and this has been my favorite. I saw this summer reading list in my inbox this morning and I figure there’s no better place to start learning how to fly (in my daughter’s eyes).
Funny thing, the first book I was drawn to from the title and cover and blurb was Rules of Civility. I never realized how bad the problem was.
New gender AND new genre at the same time. I think I just moved half a world away from my comfort zone. But it sounds like there are a number of great suggestions throughout this thread so I’ll just dive in head-first. I’m a little scared. 🙂 Wish me luck.
I’m confident you can find some great books for the summer. Good luck!
We just picked Americanah for our June book club pick!
This looks like a great reading list, and since my summer vacation starts in two days, I’m ready to jump in!
I would love to win/read these books. I love getting suggestions for books I might not normally read otherwise!
I’m excited to enter the giveaway!
I’m currently reading The Martian by Andy Weir, which has been passed around my extended family. A Mars mission goes wrong, with one crew member dead and the rest evacuating–but he turns out to be alive and has to figure out how to stay that way. It’s very sciencey but also very readable, in a blog-like chatty style.
Am looking forward to Americanah
Love your blog and so appreciate all the effort that went into creating the Summer Reading Guide. The paired down list is great for those of us who get overwhelmed! I’ll start with these five. Thanks for the chance to win!
The Real Thing just moved to the top of my reading list, thanks!
I love your recommendations!!! I want to read all of these and would love to win!
Looking forward to checking these out. First I have to finish “up tunket road” and read that minimal organizing book.
I was browsing thru the Summer Reading Guide and got a little overwhelmed with where to start. I think these would be a good starting point, problem solved!
I randomly saw Rules of Civility on the library shelf last year and it immediately came home with me. It was great, of course. I’d love to win the bunch–they will look great on my new bookshelves! Thanks for the giveaway.
I would absolutely love to win because I really have nothing to read. (That was sarcastic. The “to read” list is never ending…I love it!)
Would love to read all of these!
Several of your recommendations are on my “to read” list (which is now at about 200 books). I am starting with The Royal We. Thank you so much for creating this list. I know it is a lot of work, but it puts me in contact with books I probably would never find on my own.
Already went through the good and downloaded or got on the waiting list! Can’t wait to read while my kids swim this summer !
I’d love to win these!
Waiting on my turn for Bring Up the Bodies from the library 🙂 Thanks for the giveaway opportunity!
Ooh! I definitely need this. All the books I want to read I am on the wait list for at the library. I feel like I am in limbo waiting.
I’m very excited to start on my summer reading list!
Lately, I am struggling to find books that draw me in, but all of these sound engaging!
Love your list and want to read all of these. I also hear good things about The Royal We.
Great list! A few of these are on my to read list also 🙂
My list is so long! But at the top is Happiness for Beginners and The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Herald Fry.
I’m working my way through the Anne books for the first time and am loving them. I’ve also discovered the audiobooks from my library’s digital library and I’m listening to them with my oldest kids (6&4)while we drive around. They keep asking for more and that’s fine with me!
I’d love to read “Fringe Hours” and “All the Light We Cannot See”
I love your blog! Before I read something, I always check your review on Goodreads. I am looking forward to these summer books! Woo hoo!
My summer reading list (just like my year-round reading list) is quite long! I’m hoping to read Americanah actually! Also Station Eleven, All The Light We Cannot See, Better Than Before, and hopefully a couple beachy reads in there too. 🙂
Your reading list looks amazing. I’m reading The All The Light We Cannot See right now. Loving it!
I need to mix up my reading rut and I’m so glad you exist in the world!
I JUST finished The Royal We Sunday night and am now working on What Remains by Carole Radziwell. Two very different books! My book challenge for the year was to read long books and I haven’t started on that, so that is what I’ll be working on hopefully. Gone With The Wind and Lonesome Dove are on the top of that list.
Thanks for the recommendations! Would love to add these to my collection for this summer. So far on my list are several Lisa Scottoline, Elin Hildebrand and Jodi Picoult books I picked up at the library sale along with The Wedding by Nicholas Sparks and Like Dandelion Dust by Karen Kingsbury.
Love having this summer reading list. I just read Rules of Civility this spring and loved it. Glad to see it on your list!
I moved to North Carolina last year and the ‘beachy’ reads sound like a great way to kick off my first summer here.
Thanks for the minimalist list!!!
I just realized that my daughter has gotten so good at reading that I won’t have to spend all of our summer reading time reading to the kids. I haven’t even thought about what I want to read. I suppose if I win this, I won’t have to.
I really appreciate the shorter list! I think I can work with this 😉
I’m looking forward to The Rules of Civility.
I always love your reading lists! I need to pick up The Real Thing.
One of my coworkers just told me about Americanah, it sounds like such an interesting read. Thank you for the other suggestions, too. This is going to be a great summer!
These books have been on my TBR list for awhile. Would love to win. Thanks for always having great recommendations!
So many books, so little time!!!
Because of you, I’ve dived into the Outlander series…but I’ve also reserved all of your listings at the library and can’t wait to relax at the beach!
Thank you for narrowing it down.
these sound great, I am adding them to my summer list even if I don’t win! but I hope I do! 🙂
I am always looking for new fun reads. The list may just get me to finally read Louise Penny. I keep meaning to and get sidetracked with something else!
Thanks for all the reviews!
I picked up a book at our local Book Festival and am waiting for a long weekend to sit, relax and read cover to cover. It is called My Dream of You by Noala O’Faolain. (I’m thinking a hammock would be nice!)
So many books, so little time! Thank you!
Still Alice!
My TBR list is a million miles long, so trying to choose what would be just right for summer is tough. But here comes your summer reading guide to save the day, thank you Anne! Books that have made the cut so far: The Highly Sensitive Person, The Whole-Brain Child, The Story of Science, First Impressions, Mr. Penumbra’s 24 Hour Bookstore, Rules of Civility, and Americanah. What a treat it would be to snag these 5 books in your giveaway as well! ?
Very excited to start on your summer reading list!!
I am new reading your blog. Very excited about trying books on your lists, particularly this one!
I’m looking forward to reading the last book and a half I have left in Larry McMurtry’s Houston series, then maybe back to finishing Le Carre’s Smiley books? And a pile of borrowed books that need to go back to my grandma.
I love your reading lists! I am looking forward to taking your list to the library and my favorite books store to compile my own summer reading list. Some other books I’m looking forward to reading are Better Than Before, by Gretchen Rubin, Water From My Heart, by Charles Martin, and an old one The Prize Winner of Defiance, OH, by Terry Ryan.
Oh! Also The House We Grew Up In, by Lisa Jewell.
That one’s on my list, too!
Americanah, Big Little Lies and Better than Before! Ready for summer reading!
I have yet to read a book on your reccommendation that I have not absolutely LOVED! Thank you so much for the time and effort you put into the summer reading list….I feel like a little kid on Christmas morning the day it comes out 🙂
I love your list! Thank you so much for sharing this–what a gift! I just read an amazing book called Our Endless Numbered Days by Claire Fuller. I believe it is a YA book–but will have a lot of adult appeal.
Americanah sounds amazing. I’ll definitely be checking that one out first.
Thank you so much for your sweet blog. It is a perfect mix of things that I love, from books right down to ROYGBIV Fiestware! Many of your recommendations have been spot on so I am excited to work through this summer’s list. Thanks for all your hard work!
Would love to win these books and I know these books are ones my mother-in-law will love, too. Just finished A God in Ruins Last night and it did start off a little slow (though with beautiful writing so it was ok), but it picked up and was great. Looking forward to reading everything else on the list.
Awesome giveaway! Some great new titles to add to my list for the summer :). I don’t have a “to-read” list for the immediate future. My book choices tend to be more random than that – whatever strikes my fancy (and is readily available at the library!) on my Good Reads list at the time. Perhaps I should aim for more organization.
So excited for summer! And reading! Love trusting your judgement on recommendations, you havent failed me once! Would love to read all five of these!
Thanks for the generous giveaway. I am reading “Killing Patton” by Bill O’Reilly. It is quite an eye opener.
Marilyn
I am reading Abram’s Daughters. It is a 5 book series by Beverly Lewis. Thank you for this great giveaway.
Joan
What a great give away–A gift of reading! I have been enamored with your website and Pinterest posts. And since, my TBR list has skyrocketed! I started a book club 10 years ago this August and would love a recommendation to commemorate a group of woman that have been there through deaths, loves, layoffs, and celebrations. I’m currently reading All the light we cannot see and The Rosie Project ( using your suggestion of multiple books at one time). Happy summer-Happy reading!
I have lots of Newbery winners on my list this summer, since I am ramping up to start homeschooling my 5th and 2nd graders. Also, “The Road to Character” by David Brooks!
I just finished “The Katy Lambright Series by Kim Vogel Sawyer. Also finished “Hell OR Richmond” by retired Lt. Colonel Ralph Peters. Have started the “Jesus of Nazareth” series by Pope Benedict xv1
Marion
I have become addicted to audio books! Will have to listen to these!
These all sound great! If love to win a set for my upcoming birthday and beach vacation!! Thank you!!
I would love to start the nicholas sparks collection. I’m a chronological reader so I want to read them in the order which he wrote them. I’d also love to find a sappy, steamy romance to read as well if anyone has any suggested. Hope everyone has a great summer and happy reading!
I have read all of Louise Penny’s Inspector Gamache series and have loved every single one. Many of your Summer reading list are on my list. In addition, I’ve just discovered Tana French and The Likeness is next on my reading list.
That’s a great summer read! The Likeness was in last year’s guide (unless it was 2013’s?)
I just read Still Life for the library book club! Really, really liked it!!!
My oldest is graduating next month, and as a homeschooling mom, now I’ll only have to prep-read literature for one student instead of two! Maybe I can actually read some stuff *I* want this summer! 🙂
The minimalist list (minima-list? :)) is a great idea! Thanks for the time you put in!
Heh. Very clever. 🙂
Anne, I NEED to win this giveaway. I cannot justify buying more books. I cannot. But Rules of Civility and The Real Thing just went to the top of the list.
I love a good reading list! These would be wonderful!
Love your Summer Reading Guide…I headed over the library yesterday to see what they had. I’m starting with Astonish Me. Now I’m waiting for beach weather! Thanks, Anne, for all your recommendations!
Thanks for the opportunity!
I always look forward to your Summer Reading Guide. I went to the library yesterday and checked out Astonish Me. Now I’m looking forward to some beach weather! Thanks for all of your recommendations, Anne.
Well of course I’m going to comment to win the chance to read these books ?. They all sound like I would love them… Even if I don’t “win” them, I will add them to my list of “to read” books.
My son-in-law recommended “Gilead” and “The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry”. So glad my daughter married a book lover! We have the best talks about books!
Those are both great. A.J. Fikry was in last year’s guide. 🙂
My mo-in-law encouraged me to read a Kate Morton novel…haven’t as yet but will review your site for recommendations by this author.
I love Kate Morton. The Secret Keeper was in last year’s guide as a gripping novel: https://modernmrsdarcy.com/2014-summer-reading-guide-gripping-novels/
I’m a big Louise Penny fan:)
Every June, my husband and I camp with friends for a week at the family cabin in Wisconsin. There’s no internet and little cell coverage, so I almost always use it to catch up on my reading. Last year was Dracula; this year I’m going to bring Red Queen and Without You There is No Us. So excited!!! 🙂
I have All the Light We Cannot See to read next. I also hope to read the rewrites of Jane Austen’s books (from the Austen Project) this summer. And the one with the cupcake on the cover!
This is a great list! I still need to check out your full summer reading list too. Americanah, All The Light We Cannot See, Happier at Home, and Better Than Before are on my list so far. Thanks for making these guides!!
I love your summer reading lists! I can’t wait to read Happiness for Beginners and The Royal We!
I love this idea, since I get overwhelmed by my list sometimes.
I am excited to get started on the nomination list for the Iowa High School Book Awards for 2016-17 this summer. It’s exciting to be part of the selection process for a set of books to recommend and hold up to students as the best books for them to read that year.
That sounds like an amazing experience.
Thanks for such a great list! I love your recommendations!
I just discovered your website and your 2015 reading challenge, so I think I am going to focus on that this summer, along with whittling down my Goodreads list a bit. Thanks for the chance to win 🙂
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (my book club June “assignment”); Bread & Wine by Shauna Niequist; The Precious One by Marisa de los Santos; My Name is Mary Sutter by Robin Oliveira… and whatever else catches my hungry eye!
I’m dying to read Jasper Fforde’s new novel ‘Early Riser’. But I’ve just discovered it isn’t being released in the US until January, boo! (If you haven’t read his work I highly recommend it. Any book lover would enjoy his ‘Thursday Next’ series. However my personal favorite is ‘Shades of Grey’)Alas, since I am not in the UK to get his book next month I think I may finally tackle ‘The Elegance of the Hedgehog’ by Muriel Barbery
Horray for an easy win! I have wondered what I would be reading this summer — thank you for this quick-and-easy list.
I’m off to the library with list in hand:) Thanks
Always on the hunt for new books. Thanks!!
I always use your list as my list. Can’t wait to get started.
Just found your blog and love it! Hope I win these books!
Thanks for the fun giveaway! 🙂 My list right now includes Called to be Amish, The Hiding Place (yes, I can’t believe I’ve never read it before, either!), and Still Alice.
Oooooh, what wonderful choices you’ve narrowed down for us! Thanks for the chance to win them, in addition to the amazing summer guide! From your guide, I added every one of the Wanderlust selections, though I’m most excited about A Walk in the Woods. I’m also planning to take Ready Player One, Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour, and Still Life to the beach with me. I can’t wait to read A God in Ruins and Americanah, as well as the new Harper Lee. Then I have the last of Kate Morton’s books to read (I’ve been savoring them, and with one on the horizon, I think I can go ahead and read it now), the newest Neal Stephenson, and more of the Outlander series (I’m trying to slow those down as well, so I’ve only read four). Oh, and I believe A Spool of Blue Thread finally came through from the library for me, so I should add that, too. Thanks so, so much!
As someone who really struggles with decision fatigue, I am ridiculously grateful for this minimalist summer reading guide! Many thanks.
These books sound great, I’m adding them to my to-read list. 🙂 A few books on my summer hope-to-read booklist: “Reservations for Two” by Hillary Manton Lodge (I enjoyed the 1st book, “A Table by the Window”),
“Little Beach Street Bakery” by Jenny Colgan (from your Summer list), “Daring Greatly” by Brene Brown, and “Bread & Wine” by Shauna Niequist. And oh, I haven’t finished “Brown Eggs and Jam Jars” yet by Aimée Wimbush-Bourque, but hope to because it’s fabulous!
You have brought me back to the joy of reading fabulous novels. Rules so Civilty is one of my favorite discoveries this year. I think it would make a glorious classic style Hollywood movie. Do you?
I would watch that in a heartbeat!
I can’t wait to tackle the books on your summer reading list! I’m currently trying to finish book 4 of Outlander – love the series but it’s starting to drag a little bit… ready for some faster reads.
I felt that way about Book #4. It was my least favorite.
Reading your post was a delight, because I love summertime and summer reading! In fact, we are going to the beach next week, so I will definitely look for a couple of these books at my library before we go. Thank you so much!
Thanks for the chance to enter! Love your website.
These all sound great! Thanks for the chance to win!
I love your blog and enjoy your insights on new books!
I’ve just discovered your blog and LOVE it. After spending years reading mostly Christian non-fiction, this old English major is getting back to reading for “fun” again, and I’d love to enter your giveaway. Thank you!
Book giveaways are the best giveaways! I’m really excited to read Still Life and A God in Ruins. I actually just downloaded Still Life on audio before opening this post–did you happen to listen to it? Curious if it is better read or listened to.
I read the paperback of Still Life, but I listened to book #2. It was great on audio! I’ve heard the whole series is.
I’m interested in reading All the Light We Cannot See but I’m like #113 on the library wait list. The Poisonwood Bible is also on my list.
My reading list – summer or otherwise – are mostly nonfiction books I need to read for the ministry, which happens to be my job. Haha. So thank you for your summer reading list because I need a good dose of summer books! I do have “A.D. 30” by Ted Dekker standing by.
Might as well try! Looks like a good list!
Well this would make for the best summer ever!! ?
Currently have My Notorious Life by Kate Manning, but haven’t been able to really get into it yet. Thanks so much for the awesome book lists and the Reading Journal. The day it came, I had just resolved to finally start keeping a list with notes!
This teacher has just 19 more days until summer break and serious reading. I would love to win!
Pick me! Pick me! Please! Please!
Patiently waiting for beach weather to arrive… I am hoping to start The Boston Girl soon. I am currently listening to The Engagements.
I love your blog & have told several friends about it! I have really wanted to read The Rules of Civility for a while, after seeing you mention it. I also want to read All the Light we Cannot See.
I would love to win these. Thank for the giveaway and the reviews.
The summer reading guide is a great way to kick off my summer reading! thank you!
Love Little Beach Street Bakery! Perfect read for relaxing on the Destin FL beaches! ?
Hey, we go to *almost* that area! Have a great trip. 🙂
Thank you for this list! I am new to your blog, and am so glad to have been tipped off! These will now make my summer list…its a summer full of business and changes, so having a plan will help not push me over the edge!
I would love to win the books! On my summer reading list at this point is “Still Aie,” “The Nightengale,” “Dark Places,” and “Looking for Alaska.” (Actually, those are the books that are waiting to be read right now, but the last two weeks of school reading for fun just doesn’t happen, so they will still be there when summer begins!
I have The Secret Keeper on my list after I finish Big Little Lies. I LOVED The Husband’s Secret… I was surprised not to see that on this list! Love your picks… always!
I was debating between those two! What Alice Forgot is my favorite by her, but it was in last year’s guide. No repeats. 🙂
I don’t have a summer reading list, but I want one!
School is almost out…let the summer reading begin! I can’t wait to try out your list!
I just absolutely love your summer reading list! They are such a great mix of older and newer books, and I love your categories. I actually added them all to my “to read” list, so I better get started now! Thanks so much for the giveaway!
Love these! Currently I’m reading Mr. Penumbra’s 24 Hour Bookstore which is fantastic! I have Ready Player One checked out of the library so that’s next and then I have the third in the Shadow and Bone Series. Ha. Working my way through the guide!
The summer reading guide looks good! The Girl on the Train is on my summer list and I would love to read some on your list as well.
All of these books sound amazing! Can’t wait to settle down with a good book and a cup of coffee.
Wish I had more time for reading, but the one book I read from last year’s list was the language of flowers, which I loved and recommended to others. I just checked out love walked in And the blue bistro from my library and can’t wait to read them on my upcoming road trip. thanks for what you do!!
Thanks to your summer reading guide my amazon wishlist is bursting with books! I think i might dive into the Royal We fist.
Haven’t read any of those yet. Would love to win!
While my husband’s been deployed, people have kindly been giving me books to keep me occupied. I just finished “Happier At Home” and then re-read The Rosie Project (love that one!). I’ve also been researching Orthodoxy Christianity, so I have several books on orthodoxy queued up. I’d love to add these to my To Read list though!
Three young children = minimal reading time for Mom!
Minimalist Guide = Perfect!! Thank you.
I just finished All the Light We Cannot See, as recommended by you. Loved it! What a beautifully written and moving book. And once your guide came out, I decided to try something very different for me and I downloaded the audio for Ready Player One. So far I am really enjoying it and glad that I chose to go with something different.
oooooh!!! I would love to win this. I have not read much this year because of school, and I haven’t had time to see what books on the summer reading list are available in my state’s library system. This would be a great way to kickstart all the reading I want to do this summer.
I’d love to add these to the stack on my nightstand! Reading Boys in the Boat now. Harold Fry is up next.
I’m in the middle of _The Lady at Willowgrave Hall_ and am enjoying it. I have to confess, I haven’t read a romance in years–well, unless you count my attempt to read _Tess of the D’Ubervilles_ (still unfinished on my nightstand. Blasphemy, I know.). If fortunate enough to win these, I’ll read them and then send them home with my voracious reader friend who lives in Tanzania and will be visiting this summer!
I’m excited to start! I may have to put aside some I have waiting to try these. 😉
I thoroughly enjoy your blog and look forward to reading your posts every day! You’ve encouraged me to read titles that I wouldn’t normally choose and so far I haven’t been disappointed 🙂
My book club is going to read Pillars of the Earth this summer! I am looking forward to it, but I’m a little afraid I won’t have time for anything else.
Summer? I’m just going to start reading now! These picks look fantastic!
I would love to win! I love to read, and I am steadily making my way through The Outlander series. It’s so deliciously good.
I can’t imagine how you pared your list down to just 5, but they look wonderful! Thanks for the recommendations!
After finishing (and enjoying!)Emma and Northanger Abbey, I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the Austen Project novels.
All of these sound really good! I have such a long TBR list, it is ridiculous. But I’m at a very busy stage of life- 2 small kids, working nights, pastor’s wife- so any spare moment I have is generally taken up by dishes, laundry, etc. I think reading one new book this summer is a possibility, and it will probably be The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up. I’ve seen so many good reviews, and I definitely need to do some decluttering. Thank you for the giveaway!
Rules of Civility and Saint Mazie. Love your blog!
I love seeing the top five picks as much as the whole list! It must have been hard to pick.
Just finished All the Light We Cannot See, now halfway through A God in Ruins. Also planning for To Set a Watchman, and I’ve never read the Maisie Dobbs series.
Love these! Your blog has single-handedly revolutionized my TBR list and gotten me back into reading regularly after getting out of a busy, stressful season of life! Thanks, Anne. 🙂
I’ve enjoyed following your recommendations for some time now on Facebook and Pinterest. I enjoy “hearing” your thoughts on books to consider reading. Would love to add some new reads you recommend by winning a few. Thanks for the opportunity to try.
Love recommendations! I needed some books to add to my current list so this is great!!
my summer/restofmylife TBR list is out of control – cannot begin to narrow it down to a top 5 lol. These books look great though – adding them to the virtual pile 🙂
Thank you for your lovely suggestions and blog. I do hope I win! My birthday is on Thursday – just putting that out there!!! 🙂
Pick me! Pick me! I love your blog and admire how efficient you are as a wife and mother of 4 kids!
I love finding people out there who love books. I’m currently reading A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Some notables have been: What Remains, Still Alice, Gone Girl, The Alchemist, and Sun Stand Still.
I love your reading guides, and these books look especially enticing.
I love these guides! I am on a book diet now – am supposed to read through the bookshelf before I buy more, but if I were to win them….well, that would be a different story, right?
Of course it would. 😉
I can’t wait to read these books! I have promised myself I will make more time to read this summer.
My friend is going to let me borrow “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”, I’ve never read it and I’m super excited!
I’m adding a few of these to my list.
I haven’t read any of these books. I look forward to a great summer of reading!
Thank you so much for all of the great recommendations. I have such a hard time picking books to read, especially outside of genres that are my typical go-tos.
We live overseas and getting my hands on real life and especially newer books is such a treat. I would love to be the winner and thank you for the countless hours you spend helping point us to the good stuff 🙂
Americanah is breathtakingly beautiful! I recommend it to everyone I meet. Looking forward to checking out the rest of the books on your list…thanks!
Rules of Civility was already on my list! Along with Bread and Wine, Emma, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, and Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day
All of these sound great. I’m still working on the reading list you posted at the start of the year, too.
These books look great! I’m looking forward to a relaxing summer with some of these suggestions. Thank you!
Starting the summer with Lacy Eye (courtesy of BOTM beta). I’d then like to read The Rosie Project; it has been on my “to-read” list for too long!
Ooooh, these all look so great!
Thanks for putting this list together. My to read list just keeps growing!
I love the book lists, as well as all the writing about books and the love of reading…
Thank you for all the hours you put into this site!
Please place my name in the hat!
I really love children’s books. I think this summer I will read the Mysterious Benedict Society books, The Penderwicks, and our lessons for next year’s school with The Brave Writer.
I’ve read Rules of Civility, and have Love Walked In on hold at the library (plus 4 more from the SRG). Discovered the guide last year and have re kindled my love of reading. I’m currently reading The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, The Betsy-Tacy Treasury, and just finished Neil Patrick Harris Choose Your Own Autobiography(but does one ever really finish a Choose Your Own…book?)
I just finished your list of perfect books to read during spring and enjoyed several immensely. As soon as I chew through Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell (I find that due to slowish pace I enjoy max 45 minutes of this, then I want a break so it is taking longer than usual) I’ll start with summer reads 🙂
My summer reading list is heavy with WWII non-fiction! No ordinary time, is heavy! It may pull me all through summer! I may need some of your lighter suggestions to ease the burden! I tend to read Several books at once!
Oooh I’d love to win this set. Interesting top 5!
Great selection! I couldn’t find Still Life at my local library, so I would love to win this giveaway! Thanks for all of your recommendations!
While searching for Still Life on my libraries website I noticed that I had just borrowed the movie version. I thought it sounded familiar. Loved it. Would love to read it as well as the other books on your list. B-)
Whether or not I win, I’m heading to the library’s website next to request them all. Thank you for your lists!
Wow – the comments here are almost as inspiring as the original post! It’s hardly original, but I’d like to get through some classics, actually. I’m eying off “The Scarlet Letter” and “Moby Dick”.
What a great short list of summer reads! I am looking forward to reading them all this summer, just finished All The Light We Cannot See, what a fantastic book! Waiting for Americanah from the library…. Thank you for such an awesome giveaway and a truly great long list, keeping it in my purse for those trips to the library!
I’m jumping at the chance to win the 5 books above, so currently I’m planning to read the Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov.
Love your recommendations!
My daughter & I were both surprised with bookstore gift cards for our birthdays. I know how I’m spending mine now!
Oh, summer. How I’m longing for you now more than ever….
I love lists, I have entered my name in the field. I hope to win.
debbie
Looks like a great list! Thank you! Looking forward to reading.
Thank you for this condensed list! It gives me a place to start. I was having trouble deciding which book to read first. I did pick up The Life Intended at the library so looks like I might start there! This is so fun. Thank you again!
This is my first summer reading list w/ MMD! I just finished grad school with a degree in English lit, so I’m pretty excited to read a novel NOT written in the 18th century. Planning on adding all of these to my reading wish list.
Thank you for your reading recommendations! I keep them with me whenever I go to the library, where I always feel so GREEDY! I couldn’t believe there was only one book on your Summer Reading Guide that I had already read, so lots to choose from for me! I will probably start with the Breezy Reads section since I have been reading some heavy books lately and will be going on vacation in a couple of weeks! I can’t wait to discover some new worlds in your recommendations! Thanks again!
I have NOT been able to widdle down my selections from your Summer Reading Guide yet (I’m in denial, hoping I can get through all of them), so I appreciate the short list. I’m really intrigued by the McCarthy essays. Sounds like perfect summer reading to me! 🙂
I think all of these are going to be added to my summer reading list! Along with a few non-fiction books including Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In and Ruby Payne’s Framework for Understanding Poverty.
Those are great nonfiction picks!
I’m a diehard book-lover and have been needing some new fun titles. Thank you for this list!!
OK, I’ve found my first dislike of the new website. I just had to scroll past 400+ comments to add my own. Please tell me I missed something!
But thanks for the giveaway and the one page guide!
I love your guide! Can’t wait to read all of the 5.
I recently picked up Americanah for my Goodreads book club, but haven’t started yet. It’s so good to see it on your list, because that means I’ll probably love it! The other books sound great too, but I’m anxious to try your fantasy reading list!
Thank you for the time and effort you put in to give this wonderful list to us! Very much appreciated, as is your entire blog. I would like to be entered into the book giveaway. So many precious, worthy books, so little time….
I w3ant to read every book you have!
Pick me! Pick me!
Rules of Civility has been on my list for a while,and I’m planning on reading it this summer. All 5 of these look great though.
I keep hearing great things about Ready Player One. Picking it up at the library to get started 🙂
I desperately need to read number one! It looks so good! For my summer reading I started off with Austen. So far I have read Emma, Sense and Sensibility and Persuasion. Now I am not sure what’s next.
Sounds like you’re off to a great start. 🙂
I just discovered your blog a couple of weeks ago when I was looking for some good book suggestions. Now I can’t wait to read your next post every morning. I’m really looking forward to tackling some of your reading lists. Thank you!
I intentionally left space in my summer reading list for your suggestions. I just picked up Little Beach Street Bakery and am also going to read Love Walked In. Can’t wait to read those two!
Guided reading with high school students fills nine months of the year so I blissfully look forward to my own novels in the summer time…….
Oooh gosh, there are so many! I’m adding practically everything you recommend to my Amazon Wish List and plan on purchasing or finding them at my library as I make my way through them. Next is Brideshead Revisited!
I can’t wait to read these. My list is getting longer by the day. Must read faster! Or maybe must read more often!
I’m working on my summer reading list this week – and waiting for my Books on The Nightstand BINGO card before I commit. The only two I know for sure are Jurassic Park and Harper Lee’s new one.
Thank you for the list! Looking forward to reading these! 🙂
Always LOVE the summer reading guide! You never disappoint!
Love the summer guide.. got some really good recommendations.
I am especially excited by the “Still Life” recommendation. I have loved the Flavia De Luce series by Alan Bradley and the Charles Lennox mysteries by Charles Finch in recent years and have been looking for another mystery series and this one looks like a winner!
I have a lot that I want to get to, but higher on the list are…
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
The Art of Losing Yourself by Katie Ganshert
The Bookman’s Tale by Charlie Lovett
The Wood’s Edge by Lori Benton
I loved Rules of Civility last year – definitely a great read!
Beth
Oh, and I can’t forget Go Set a Watchman! It’s already pre-ordered!
Beth
I love how we all love books! Thank you so much for doing all the good work you do. Pick me! I’d love to win. I am giving myself the freedom to really enjoy this summer with my kids. These books would sure add to the delight.
Hey there! I just found your blog and I love it! How do I enter the giveaway? I subscribed to your blog, but I didn’t know if I had to comment as well.
You’re entered! A comment on this post is all you need.
This summer I’m looking forward to getting back to the things I love. One of those things is my love for reading. Life has a way of redirecting us from the things that are important and this Spring I’m redirecting my energy back to what is most important. My love for God, my family, and myself. The road will not be easy but I’m up for the challenge. Winning the books would put me on track to renew my love for summer reading as I read along side my children.
I have such a HUGE list of books to be read…. I am finally working on “Goldfinch,” after a detour with whatever Sarah Addison Allen books I could find at our little library. LOVE your reading guides and have shared them with our online book club!
I would love some new books!!!
would love love some books
Your recommendations are always great! Thank you!
Your blog has helped me fall back in love with reading. When we claim life is “too busy” and that includes for reading, WELL, it’s time for something to change. SO each day I take time for reading for pleasure – sigh. Life is better, balanced and I’m “meeting” many interesting new people and “traveling” to interesting places 🙂
I loved The Rules of Civility! And Americanah has been on my list for a couple of months. Thanks for the great suggestions!!
I am looking forward to reading the last installment of Heather Vogel Frederick’s Mother Daughter Book Club! My sister and I have been reading them since the second book. I also hope to read Manzoni’s The Betrothed and Sigrid Undset’s Master of Hestviken series.
ME TOO! My girls and I are impatiently waiting for #7.
Thank you for the recommendations – I’m looking forward to diving in! 🙂
so glad to see that the Rules of Civility made your top 5! I loved that book, and plan to read Eve in Hollywood this summer.
I would love new books to read!
Ohhh! Americanah was just recommended to me by a friend! Thanks for a short and sweet list. I’d love to win these 5 titles 🙂
Thanks for making a great blog. I really enjoy reading your new posts (and catching up on ones I have missed).
Just got AllThe Light We Cannot See. Making some adjustments in my TBR pile with these new suggestions! Thanks!
I’m currently in the middle of The Goldfinch (finally!), but I’m looking forward to trying some of your suggestions this summer! I would love to win this starter pack 🙂
I am so looking forward to summer so that I can read Rules of Civility and the follow-up novella! As always, thanks for posting your list!!!
I always look forward to your booklists! I don’t have anything lined up yet for summer reading other than Mr. Popper’s Penguins for the kids. I’d love to win some books for myself!
My 5yo and I are reading Mr Popper together right now!
You have no idea how many books from your suggested summer reading list I have added to my own. I am most excited to read the book Americanah, which I tried to order through my library but looks like it is checked out indefinitely.
I love your site! I will be finishing Mary Alice Monroe’s Lowcountry Summer trilogy with The Summer’s End. One of my favorite authors- Her Beach House trilogy is awesome, as well as The Butterfly’s Daughter,,, well all of her books are grand!!!
I love the Summer Reading List. All of these book look really good.
I love your book list, and all your recommendations throughout the year! As a busy mom of 6, the minimalist guide is much appreciated!
Ooooh, I have not read ANY of those books!!!!! Thanks Anne. You are the best!
I had already put all of these titles on my Goodreads to-read list so this would be great!
These look great! I’ll add them to my library list if I don’t win 🙂
I would love to win this. Still Life in particular sounds right up my alley.
I’m looking forward to reading some of these this summer! As a former wedding photographer, I’m curious about “The Real Thing”!
I’ve got Love Walked In but I haven’t read it yet! I’ll have to add it to my June list! I also really want to read the Pulitzer Prize winner, I hear they have it on Oyster and I think I’ve got a free trial month of that lying around somewhere. I might have to give it a shot!
I’ll have to see if Oyster has any of the others on this list as well. 🙂
I just started Circling the Sun, Paula Mclain’s latest. A friend lent me her advance copy (book due out in late July) so I feel very hip and in the know 😉
Oh, I’m curious about that one.
These all look like great reads and unique. I love the sound of Rules of Civility and a When Love Walked In.
The books at the top of my summer reading list are… anything you recommend! I just started Brene Brown’s Daring Greatly
I can’t wait to get started on these! (I’d love to win!)
Thank you for all of your amazing hard work putting this together! Can’t wait to start reading!
I cannot wait for our July beach trip! 7 days in the sand with these books to keep me company!!
Top of my list is to finish Jeannette Li: The autobiography of a Chinese Christian. Once that is done, it’s on to All the Light We Cannot See .
I can’t wait to get started reading these! Many thanks!
I am ready for school to be out so I can start reading for fun again.
I just went through the Guide, and those are excellent choices! And I would heartily agree, “A God in Ruins” was wonderful – I was on the top of the list at the library when it was released, and was eager to jump back into Atkinson’s vivid world. Thanks for the giveaway!
I’ve been a daily reader for a few months now. Your blog has become a nice reminder to take a breath, and not get so caught up in wearing my many hats that I forget my hair looks pretty great on its own. Anyway, thank you for writing, and I would love a chance to win! 🙂
Looks like a great summer lineup!
All of these look great!
One book I am looking forward to reading this summer is Harper Lee’s new release “Go Set a Watchman”
I would love to be considered to win those 5 books. They sound wonderful!
Really wanting to read “All The Light We Cannot See” and “Big Little Lies”
Thank you for the summer list. I would love the 5 books you have chosen
I would love to see library’s stats after you publish this guide! I live in Mozambique so these will go on my Fall Reading Guide for when I visit the US! Thanks for offering a giveaway. And thanks for taking time to compile this guide to begin with!
Well now The Royal Me is on my list! Need to finish Out of my Mind for book club and I have a midwife series by Patricia Harman in my library pile. Love summer reading!
We recently found out that one of our sons has some learning challenges, so my summer reading list is full of books about how to help him! I’d love to have some leisurely reading though! Thanks.
These all sound so good!
Well, that does it. I’m getting the gang back together for another season of Book Club! How can they resist with a list like this…no research needed. First meeting is at my house.
Thanks for making it easy. I can’t wait to dig in.
Love Walked In is one of my favorite books, so I know you have good taste… or at least, something similar to mine. Americanah has popped up on my radar a few times this week. Perhaps I need to take that as a sign to read it.
Hmmm. Maybe. 😉
oh my gosh! I just don’t know where to begin. I want to read more than 5, but this is a good place to start!
Landfall by Ellen Urbani – not released until August, but looking forward to it!
I really want to read through your Wanderlust list. I’m hoping it inspires me to jump headfirst into planning my vacation next year!
Thank you so much for this post…and all of your posts!
My reading has slowed because of vision problems, so I truly appreciate lists of recommended books from you and your readers. I can pick and feel good about my choices!
Love this guide – especially b/c I’ve not heard of almost all of these books! (Except Rules of Civility – think I should finally break down and read that one). I always love your Summer Reading Guides – they’re just the best, and when they arrive, I know its soon enough to look forward to the best parts of summer. (Usually meaning being by a body of water with a book) :). And love your new website re-design Anne! My fingers are crossed for this giveaway!
Great list! Thanks for sharing. Your blog is beautiful.
I would love to win these. I spend two weeks visiting family at the beach each summer and really stink at choosing appropriate beach reading.
I would love a chance to win these books. Good taste 🙂
These all look really captivating. Perfect to put some substance and depth into summer, my least favorite season.
I would love to read several from this list for Summer and thank you for all the work and recommendations you have offered! After reading Americanah, because of your description, I will be recommending it to my book club for September. We have read and discussed several of the Louise Penny books, including Still Life.
I am in love with Adichie. I did a small study of her last year. The other four would be like Christmas!!!
I’m looking forward to reading “All the Light we Cannot See” for my book club and also “The Secret Keeper”. It’s one of two books I didn’t read off of your 5-book summer reading guide last year.
My Life in France, Julia Child. If may not be able to vacation in France, but I can read about it! Rules of Civility also sounds wonderful.
I loved that one! (It was a previous summer reading guide pick. 🙂 )
Such a generous giveaway! Must say I absolutely love your summer reading guides, and thank you so much for putting them together!
These are all new to me!
Hm. I’ve never heard of these 5. But they look interesting enough to check out.
Your book lists sounds awesome. I’m an elementary school teacher. My summer vacation starts in 13 days and I’m always looking for good books to read and recharge with. Thanks!!
Love the extra time summer brings for more reading. Haven’t read any of these and they all look wonderful.
The Inspector Gamache mysteries are fantastic! Thanks so much for the other recommendations. I’m looking forward to reading all of them!
I’ve got quite a few in the basket next to my bed, but I’m most looking forward to Women of the Word (Jen Wilkin), The Nightingale (Kristin Hannah) & not-yet-released The Girl in the Torch (Robert Sharenow)!
I so wish I was still in school and had the summer off to read! Great list this year. Thank you.
This list is superb. I’ve been looking for something like this for quite some time now and I didn’t even know it.
I may be a little behind the times, but Gone Girl is top on my list.
Love summer reading lists. Remind me of a time when all I had to do for summer was decide what and how many books I wanted to read during summer break. Thanks and I would love to win these great reads.
Would love to read all of these with my adult daughter. Sharing summer memories.
Ooooh, these books sound great!
LOVE WALKED IN sounds like a unique storyline. Of course, the Cary Grant look-a-like has a daughter!
STILL LIFE would be good because I haven’t sat down and read a mystery in ages.
RULES OF CIVILITY: I love stories from different eras.
THE REAL THING just sounds so catchy. Is that a weird way to describe a book? I enjoy all things magazine and newspapers, which is another reason this catches my attention.
AMERICANAH, at its core, sounds like an inspirational story, and I have a soft spot for those.
Thanks for providing my To-Read shelf with more titles 🙂
Looks like my odds of winning are quite slim, but I sure would enjoy these books! 🙂 I’ve been rereading lately, which I tend to do when I’m stressed, but I’m looking forward to reading new books this summer!
What an intriguing selection of books–most of which I naturally wouldn’t have run across on my own (since I’m on a classics kick myself at the moment). I would love to win all five!
I have 4 Liane Moriarty books sitting on my Kindle. Big Little Lies, The Husband’s Secret, The Last Anniversary & Three Wishes. I want to read them soon!
These 5 will be at the top of my summer reading list. Thank you for distilling your comprehensive list down. My own ever-growing reading list overwhelms me and sometimes I just don’t have what it takes to decide. Looking forward to everyone of these!
Please enter me
I’d like to enter for the book drawing. On my to-read stack- Rhinestone Jesus by Kristin Welch, Searching for Sunday by Rachel Held Evans, and Magic Hour by Kristin Hannah. Also planning to reread A Swiftly Tilting Planet by Madeleine L’Engle and the Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson.
I would love to win this pile of books. I have been working on a summer reading list (it’s my first summer as a teacher, so the first summer I am not working! yes!). This would be a great start!
Great list! ThanKS for the chance to win!
Happy Summer!
Karen U
Love Walked In was terrific. I’m looking forward to trying the others on the list. I wish there were more books from Marisa de los Santos. I keep hoping..
She just had a new one out in March, have you read it yet? The Precious One.
After 3 years of living in Europe, I am really looking forward to checking out loads and loads of books out of the library this summer! Thanks for the minimalist list because with books (as with food) sometimes my eyes are a little bigger than my stomach. Already picked Rules of Civility as my book club pick for next month!
I’m starting At the Water’s Edge by Sara Gruen (Water for Elephants) at the must read recommendation of a friend. Just found your blog and loving it already.
Sounds like a good list…and will be good for me because I AM horrible at decisions!
Love the summer reading guide! My goal this summer is to work through those books I had to have but haven’t yet had the time to read!! Would love to add these to the stash. Thanks!
Can’t wait to get started!
I just found your blog and cannot wait to read these suggestions this summer!
At your suggestion, and because of the kindle deals, I’m in the midst of reading the Outlander series (just finished Drums of Autumn). I live your recommendations, and would love to won!
Woohoo…a book giveaway! I printed out your full Summer Reading List this week and will head to the library tomorrow. I’m just finishing up Jane Eyre (more than a little embarrassed to admit I had never read it) and recently read The Penderwicks with my daughter. She loved every book on her EBOB list this year!
What a wonderful giveaway! Rules of Civility is jumping out to me.
Tell the wolf I’m home and the Orphan Train are on the top of my list. I just listened to All the light We cannot see 2 times in row as I was so sad it had ended. Loved it.
Great list! I’m going to have to squeeze some of these in. I’m finally tackling the Harry Potter series this summer. My kids have been telling me to read them for ages and my 18 year-old son is going to read them with me even though he has read through them 3 times already. Fun thing to do before he heads to college! 🙁 Also, reading them in memory of my sister-in-law who loved them and was always after me to read them!
My husband is finally reading Harry Potter this season, too. 🙂
Very excited about the summer reading guide. Starting with Rules of Civility.
I happened upon the title “The Royal We” just the other day, and it sparked my interest. I plan to read that one this summer. I am currently reading “The Conscious Parent.”
These all sound amazing!! That’s for creating this list! Would love to win!!
I’m always looking for a good read!! Can’t wait to try these!
I just put half of these on hold at my library. Thanks for the great lists.
I’m so excited to have found your blog and to have years’ worth of book recommendations all at once!
I’m hoping to read Better than Before this summer and The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up if I can get my hands on it (I’m #820 on the NYPL’s wait list!)
My reading list this summer includes Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl and Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela. I could use some lighter recommendations to add to my list 🙂
Ooh, all of these look great!
I just want summer to be long enough to read all the books on the list. May there be sand between all the pages by September.
I just discovered your website and I’m so happy to add your recommended books to my list. I just got Love Walked In from the library. I’ve also got Where’d You Go, Bernadette? and The 100-year-old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared on my list to read this summer. Thanks for the book ideas!
I look forward to your blog each day!
On my list:
Finish Anna Karenina
The Prodigal God
Finish The Invisible Man
With my kids:
Finish Charlotte’s Web
Read These Happy Golden Years
Thank you for the giveaway!
I would love to read Still Life. Love book lists.
these look like some interesting reads!
I’ve gone through your list and picked quite a few that I would like to read. Most of them are available at my library which makes me happy. I’m planning on reading a lot of nonfiction to help with the high school history classes I teach.
Thank you for the reading guide! I’ve been meaning to read Susan Cain’s book Quiet for the longest time, and I hope to get around to it this summer.
This looks like a great list! Would love to be in the drawing. Thanks!
Four of these are new to me….as is your blog! Looking forward to sharing books with you!
Looks like I found your wonderful blog just in time-I just learned about it today! So hopefully I still have a chance to enter this great bookworm giveaway, the best kind of giveaway I might add! I was fortunate enough to meet Marisa de los Santos at a book festival last week and not only hear her speak, but also get a copy of her latest book, ‘The Precious One’ signed!! Needless to say, she was so genuine, honest, and hilarious! So I’m super excited to see one of her books on your great list! To answer your question as to what is currently at the top of my summer reading list, here are a few of them that I’ve reserved and am anxiously awaiting for from my public library:
– Luckiest Girl Alive (Knoll)
-Orhan’s Inheritance (Ohanesian)
– The Bookseller (Swanson)
– Girl at War (Novic)
– I Take You (Kennedy)
– The Night Sister (McMahon)
– The Book of Aron (Shepard)
Just to name a few…lol 😉
Would love to read these! Thanks for the giveaway!
Summer goal is to find the joy in reading again. This would be a great start!
Thanks for the latest list to add to my ever growing list of “books to read!” They sound great!
I’m trying to start reading again. I used to read all the time, would love to get started again!
That looks like a great combination of books! I’d love to have them on my bookshelves. Now to keep my 4 Littles busy long enough to finish a chapter or two….
These sound great! I would love to read them!! Is there one in particular you would choose for a book club? With so much to read, I have to prioritize! 🙂
I think Americanah is the best classic book club pick, but ALL these books are discussable. I wouldn’t prioritize Love Walked In for book club, though.
I enjoy your reading lists. Look forward to reading some of the suggestions.
I just finished Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson yesterday. It was one of the best books I’ve read this year. So far my summer reading plans include finishing reading Blavk Beauty with my daughter and reading Americanah, Ready Player One, and Outlander. But I’m easily distracted with books, so only time will tell!! 🙂
My reading pile is getting low!
I’m waiting to see what my book club picks next to determine my next book. I just finished the one for this month – The Rook. It was great!
These look fantastic!
There are several methods I use to celebrate the arrival of summer before school is officially out: excessive use of colorful straws, dining al fresco, fun toenail polish, and perusing the MMD summer reading list.
I would love to win these books. I really enjoy your blog!
Thanks for the giveaway! I like the shorter list – I’m definitely one of those people who struggles with decision fatigue.
I just finished Outlander so I’d love to read the second book in the series. Life is so busy for me that one book would be fabulous!
I haven’t read any of those or heard of them. Adding them to my very long TBR list. Top on my list this summer are Confess by Colleen Hoover, Gone by Michael Grant, Cinder, City of Bones, and many many more.
I’m a bit behind but I plan to read The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins, Cibola Burn and Nemesis Games by James S A Corey, and The Golem and the Jinn by Helene Wicker. Then, I might try out your minimalist list. I have read Louise Penny and love Inspector Gamache!
Sounds like a wonderful reading list! I am planning to read the Anne of Green Gables books once again, because I get to go on my dream trip to PEI!
Just discovered your blog and truly enjoying it! Taking your top 5 list to the library to see what they have available – I did read Americanah this past spring and really enjoyed it. A good read for anyone!
Thanks to this reading list I’ve become a huge fan of Chief Inspector Gamache and just love making my way through the series – THANK YOU!!
Glad to hear it. Those have become favorites of mine.
I haven’t read anything by Marisa de lots Santos yet so I’ll probably try that book but the Louise Penny book is definitely towards the top of my to-read list based on how much you recommend them! Thanks for tripling my to-read list!
They all look great! Pick me!! These will all go on my library hold list!!
Great post! I picked 5 books to tackle from your larger summer reading list! I may have to add one or two of these. Thank you for another great list.
There are so many good books to read right now that I’m positively crippled with indecision about where to start. The library usually helps since I’ll pick up whatever books I’ve made to th top of the wait list! I’m gambling on Rules of Civility, I think I’m second on the list. ? I do know that this will be a summer of more reading and less social media!!
I look forward to your list every summer! Now to decide which one to start with!
Thanks! Summer always deserves a great read.
I’m hoping to read Bad Blood by Dana Stabenow and The Girls of Atomic City.