Bibliothèque Brett

I can’t believe it’s already summer! Time sure flies when you are having fun? Or something like that… Usually, my goal for the summer is to read as many books as possible (nanny jobs will do that to you). But my goal this summer is a little different….

I think it’s time for me to get really excited about reading again. Over the past couple months, I feel like I’ve been in a book slump. I haven’t read anything amazing, anything that really stuck with me for a long time. I’m hoping that this summer changes that. Below are ten books on my summer reading list. Here’s hoping that I can finally get REALLY EXCITED about reading again!

1. Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed: E.L. James:
Hopefully you read my review of Fifty Shades of Grey. As I’m sure you know, that was only the first book in the trilogy. I started the second book this morning (not sure how I feel about it so far) and plan on reading the third book in the series after that. The Fifty Shades trilogy is literally the perfect summer read- nothing too serious or live changing here.

2. The Newlyweds: Nell Freudenberger:
This book is about Amina who moves from Bangladesh to New York for love. This is supposed to be a sort of new-age mail order bride situation. I’m not exactly sure where this is going to go, but I’m intrigued. This is a new author for me so I’m excited to try someone new!

3. Divergent: Veronica Roth:
This is supposedly the new “Hunger Games.” I think the coolest thing about this book is that it is set in a dystopian Chicago (the author actually went to Northwestern). Society in this world is divided into five factions and at the age of sixteen, all individuals have to decide which faction to dedicate their lives to. I loved Hunger Games, so I think this is another series I might enjoy.

4. The Heroine’s Bookshelf: Life Lessons, from Jane Austen to Laura Ingalls Wilder: Erin Blakemore:
If you keep up with my blog, you are probably tired of hearing me complain about the lack of strong role models for women in literature. From Bella (Twilight) to Ana (Fifty Shades of Grey), I have recently been very disappointed with the female leads in books. This novel by Blakemore dives into some great female role models in books. Hopefully reading this book will serve to remind me that there ARE great heroines out there- you just have to look for them sometimes.

5. The Chaperone: Laura Moriarty:
This novel was USA Today’s “#1 Hot Fiction Pick” for the summer so I knew I had to add this to my list as well. This book is set in New York City in the 1920s so I’m pretty sure I’m going to love it just from that. The Chaperone follows fifteen year old Louise on her journey from Kansas to New York. To her dismay, she is accompanied by a thirty six year old chaperone. I’m very excited to read this book- I think it’s going to be pretty amazing.

6. The Innocents: Francesca Segal:
This book centers on a group of people in a small Jewish suburb of London. The main character, Adam, struggles with his decision to marry long time girlfriend Rachel.  It is supposed to be an updated version of Edith Wharton’s The Age of Innocence. I put this book on my list because just from reading reviews, I am already very interested in the characters.  

7. Something Borrowed: Emily Griffin:
Ok this is not a new book haha. But I’ve been meaning to start reading some of Griffin’s material. I’ve only heard good things about this book and it seems like something I would really enjoy. The book centers on a young lawyer in New York who finds herself in bed with her best friend’s fiancé. Chaos ensues.

8. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter: Seth Grahame-Smith:
Yes, I do want to read this book. And I want to see the movie. I love Honest Abe. JUDGE ME.

9. Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake: Anna Quindlen:
Quindlen is a New York Times best-selling author and Pulitzer Prize winner. In this novel, Anna is sixty and is looking back on life. I’ve read a couple reviews on this book and everyone seems to think that every person can take something different away from this novel. I’m always looking for something to inspire me, and this might be it.

10. The Fall of Anne Boleyn: A Countdown: Claire Ridgway:
I LOVE reading books about Henry the VIII, his wives, Queen Elizabeth I and II (yayyyy Jubilee!). Sometimes I think that I live in the wrong country. I love love love reading about British royalty (I am the girl who hosted a party at 4am for the Royal Wedding… shout out to my friends who dragged themselves out of bed and wore ties to the event), and the story of Anne Boleyn is really one of my favorites. Not sure how great this one is going to be, but I hope it does Anne justice.

On that note… HAPPY SUMMER EVERYONE!