Summer Reading, Had Me a Blast

Please don’t ask what I’m doing for summer because I’m going to be doing the thing I love most….sleeping. After that, I will be doing the NEXT thing I love: reading. If you are a teacher, then you know.

I love a list so here are some suggested summer reading:

Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine, and the Murder of a President by Candice Millard 

“Wait a minute, Laura. Are you giving me homework this summer?!” No, dear reader, but I am giving you DRAMAAAA. This is the story of the assassination of James Garfield. He is a president I do not know a lot about, and honestly, I didn’t remember he was assassinated. Millard brings Garfield to life and makes him seem human, but a good human. She also ties in the significant medical thoughts of the day (and you will cringe haaaard) and the assassin's background. You will come away learning a little bit (JUST A LITTLE) but not be able to put this one down. 

Murder by Cheesecake: A Golden Girls Cozy Mystery by Rachel Ekstrom Courage

“Thank you for being a friend!" I love watching a Golden Girls marathon on a Saturday morning while I’m eating breakfast or doing chores around the house. This is the first in the Golden Girls Comfy Mystery series. Rose’s cousin is getting married in Miami, and Rose is determined that all of the St. Olaf wedding traditions will be done for her wedding. But everything goes awry when the girls find a dead body right on top of Rose’s cheesecakes in the hotel refrigerator. And what’s worse, the man who died was on a date with Dorothy the day before. Courage does such a good job of finding each character in the book. Dorothy is the straight (wo)man, Blanche is the minx, Sophia is the sarcastic one, and Rose is obsessed with St. Olaf. It’s a fun mystery that you can read by the beach or pool. 

Tilt by Emma Pattee

So I have not read this yet, but have heard about it from all the podcasts and bookstagram people whom I follow. It’s about a pregnant woman looking for last-minute baby items at Ikea when a huge earthquake hits Portland, destroying most of the city. It tells the story of her journey to find her husband among the rubble. I’m going to read this during the many summer rainstorms.   

Love of My Afterlife by Kristy Greenwood

This is a fun romp through the afterlife. When Delphie dies from a microwave hamburger, she is given a chance to go back to her life to try and meet the cute guy she hit it off with in heaven. But, of course, drama ensues, and she can’t find him. Throw this in your lake bag and go. 

                      The Love Haters by Katherine Center It’s a Love Story by Annabel Monaghan

I also have not read these, but Katherine Center and Annabel Monaghan are auto reads for me, so I will be! Center’s The Rom-Commers and Monaghan’s Summer Romance were two of my favorites from last year. I highly recommend both for your summer reading for you romance lovers out there, and you can read these next. 

The Wedding People by Alison Espach

If you read the synopsis of The Wedding People, you would think this would be a depressing tale of a woman at the end of her rope; however, this was a romp. It’s very funny with found family and later-in-life romance. You will love the characters and love this book. 

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

This was everywhere last year, so if this is still on your TBR, take this as a sign to read it now! This is one of those books you want to wait until summer is officially here to read, though. Don’t make the same mistake I did and start it on a weekend, and then you have to go to work on Monday. Not only is it a chonker, but you will not want to put this down!! A camper at a bougie New York camp goes missing AND she is the owner’s daughter. AND her brother went missing years before her. It’s the mystery and thriller you need for the summer. 

Sweet summer time. I can’t wait for you! What are you reading this summer?

My name is Laura. I am an elementary librarian, and I love to talk about books. You can come talk to me on Instagram @bamareads.