My absolute favorite thing to do when I have any downtime at all is READ. I have been a book nerd my whole life, and now that audiobooks are a thing, I’ve been able to fit in a lot more “reading” than ever before in my adult life (especially since becoming a parent!).
This summer, I’ve made a conscious effort to read more for fun, and I’m pretty proud of the number of books I’ve added to my list so far. In case you are looking for some good reads, here are my favorites so far this summer.
City of Girls (Elizabeth Gilbert) – I didn’t think I would like this book as much as I did! When it comes to fiction, I tend to gravitate towards either beach reads or thrillers, and this is neither. But I absolutely love the author and have read most of her others books, so I went for it. The story was entertaining without being too heavy, and a fun departure in subject matter.
Here’s to Us (Elin Hilderbrand) – The fact that I read this while vacationing in Hawaii might be part of the reason I enjoyed it so much ;) I have read many of Elin Hilderbrand’s books (including The Rumor just last week) and I love them all — they are perfect for reading at the beach or poolside.
What Alice Forgot (Liane Moriarty) – This is by the same author who wrote Big Little Lies, the book on which the HBO series is based. I haven’t read that book but watched both seasons, which is why I picked this one up. I found the plot — a woman hitting her head and forgetting the last 10 years of her life — fascinating, and the story kept me guessing all the way through.
Maybe You Should Talk to Someone (Lori Gottlieb) – I couldn’t stop listening to this book on Audible. It tells the story of a therapist who goes to see a therapist, and the reader gets insight into her experiences both as a practitioner and a patient. There were some incredibly raw and honest situations throughout; it was a good reminder of the importance of empathy, and that everyone is only human.
The Enneagram Made Easy (Elizabeth Wagele) – I’m really into personality tests (which you already know if you’ve taken my Introvert’s Guide CMTE course!) and the Enneagram is my favorite. I am a hardcore type 3, and I wanted to take a deeper dive into not only my own type, but all the others, too. This book made it fun and simple, and I’m pretty sure I’ll be lending it out quite a bit to turn my family and friends on to the amazingness of the Enneagram.
This is the only book out of the ones pictured above that I have already finished; the others are either in progress or on my list to read next:
- The Joy Diet (Martha Beck) – rereading after many years! Martha Beck is one of my favorite authors.
- This is Your Brain on Music (Daniel Levitin) – finally…I’ve had it on my shelf for an embarrassingly long time.
- The Road Back To You (Cron & Stabile) – a more in-depth guide to the Enneagram types.
- I Will Teach You To Be Rich (Ramit Sethi) – I read the original version a decade ago, and now am coming back to his second edition.
What are you reading this summer? And what is your favorite medium for doing so? If you’re anything like me, your library is probably spread across Audible, Kindle, and hard copy. Let me know what your recent favorites have been!