What a way to kick off Memorial Day weekend!

2018 summer reading list I howsweeteats.com #summer #reading #list #2018

I kind of can’t stop singing “it’s the most wonderful time of the year” in my brain because there is NOTHING better than reading all summer! Sharing my summer reading list is one of my favorite things to do. If you even knew how much time went into crafting this list of things I want to read? Um, an embarrassing amount of time. 

And it’s just books I personally want to read. It’s not books I think everyone should read or anything – it’s all the books I am truly interested in reading. Woohoo!

For many years – and I mean MANY years – my favorite thing to do was head to Barnes and Noble in May and just stand in front of the fiction & lit aisle and look at the new releases, or the books displayed to see what I wanted to read for summer. Back then, I read the inside flap to decide if I really want to read it, but the color and cover are what largely determined my choice. Now with reviews? It’s so easy! I’ve been compiling this list for months and am so excited because last year’s summer reading list was everything. I still go back and reference it, along with the comments!

If you’re new around here, you should know that I’m a crazy unapologetic fan of most types of women’s fiction (and yes of course chick-lit!). Light, fun, beachy reads are my fave. I read to escape, to get lost in the story, to feel like the characters are my friends. And I actually love the day after I finish a great book and can’t even stand to start a new one because I’m mourning my new (character) friends. I know some of you get me!

I don’t want to read super sad or scary or depressing books, no matter how great they are. Occasionally there is an exception or two, and when there is I have to read about 45 happy books after it to counteract the one. Some thrillers are okay, just depends on my mood.

So, these are what I’ve picked down below! We’re actually going to take the summer reading list a little further this year, but stay tuned until next week for that.

I can’t WAIT to hear your recommendations in the comments, what you’re reading now and what’s on your list!

1. The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah. I started this (twice!) but admittedly just didn’t get to finish it with the book tour these last two months. Dying to really get into it and enjoy. My mom loved it and can’t stop talking about it.

2. The Perfect Couple by Elin Hilderbrand. As the biggest Elin fan ever, I obviously can’t wait for this! And if you haven’t read it yet, go read the book of hers that I developed recipes for!

3. All We Ever Wanted by Emily Giffin. I’m also a huge fan of Emily Giffin and now that she goes two years between novels, I’m always so excited the year a new one releases. 

4. The Female Persuasion by Meg Wolitzer. It always takes me a few chapters to get into Meg Wolitzer’s books but I usually end up loving them. Super excited about this one.

5. An American Marriage by Tayari Jones. Three words: Oprah’s book club. I have to read it. 

6. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid. I love this author’s writing and can’t WAIT to start this one.

7. All Your Perfects by Colleen Hoover. This is a later summer release and I can’t wait. I love everything Colleen Hoover does! 

8. The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn. I love a book that I can’t put down, so this one definitely seems to fit that.

9. The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin. This sounds SO interesting to me! Also a little scary. But I’m into it. 

10. A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman. This is one of the “older” (as in, not released this year) books on my list, but last year after Bear Town, so many of you told me to read this. I never did, then my mom read it for her book club and just loved it. So I’m in! Doing it. 

11. Sisters First by Jenna and Barbara Bush. You guys know I am obsessed with presidential history, so whenever there is a book like this, I’m all over it.

12. The Summer I Met Jack by Michelle Gable. Ooooh my gosh. An imagined affair with JFK. 

13. The Neighbors by Hannah Mary McKinnon. Reviews on this one sound amazing!

14. Educated by Tara Westover. This is a memoir and just sounds completely fascinating to me. 

15. Wish You Were Here by Renee Carlino. I absolutely love all the books by this author. Can’t wait to start this.

16. Beautiful Exiles by Meg Waite Clayton. Very fascinated by this story about Ernest Hemingway! It won’t be released until August. 

17. Another Side of Paradise by Sally Koslow. Ooooh I am so interested in this – a book about F. Scott Fitzgerald’s love with a gossip columnist. Kind of like the above book!

18. Mrs. by Caitlin Macy. This comes as a recommendation from Elin Hilderbrand, so it made my list for sure!

19. The Family Next Door by Sally Hepworth. I feel like this book is a play on the popular Girl-On-The-Train-esque stories at the moment, but the reviews are amazing! 

20. The Queen of Hearts by Kimmery Martin. The reviews of this book are great and it sounds like a book that will really pull me in. My favorite thing! 

21. A Nantucket Wedding by Nancy Thayer. I love Nancy’s books and am obsessed with all things Nantucket, so this is a natural read. 

22. When Life Gives You Lululemons by Lauren Weisberger. As if I could pass this one by! 

23. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng. I’ve heard so many mixed reviews on this (my mom loved it though, my cousin thought it was slow to start, etc) but I think I have to bite the bullet and read it.

Edited to add – here are a few books that I’ve added since initially posting:

The Ever After by Sarah Pekkanen

Us Against You by Fredrick Backman

2018 summer reading list I howsweeteats.com #summer #reading #list #2018

I can’t wait to hear your list! And be sure to check out last year’s list for a list of my favorite authors and more books. xo