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Top 10 Favorite Summer Reads

May 30 // 6 Comments // 5 Minute Read

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This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy here.

Summer is finally here, and it's the perfect time to squeeze a few more books into your schedule! These top 10 favorite Summer reads make for an afternoon of fun and relaxation, whether you're lounging by the pool, sunning on the beach, or cozied up in a big chair right at home!

Ahhh……Summer is finally here!

Even though many us still have to work (unless of course you’re a teacher!), I hope you’re able to squeeze in some vacation time, even if it’s just a weekend away, or hanging around town using some of these cheap and FREE activity ideas.

Either way, it’s the perfect time to try and squeeze in more reads, and in the honor of my favorite season, I thought it would be fun to dig out some of my old favorites for fun summer reading.

I’ve been keeping track of all the books I’ve read since about 4 years ago (although I’ve been an avid reader for much longer than that!), and these fiction and non-fiction reads landed as my top 5-star picks. Grab a copy from the library, then settle in for an afternoon of fun and relaxation!

1. Baxter Family Series by Karen Kingsbury

Anyone I’ve talked to about Karen Kingsbury either over-the-top loves her or doesn’t really like her books at all. I fall into the former category (at least for her original titles — now that she’s moved to a different publishing company, I haven’t been as thrilled).

The Redemption Series by Karen Kingsbury

However, the Baxter Family Series is my all-time favorite and actually extends over 20 books. You should plan to start with Redemption, and then see if you can get through all the rest of the books before summer ends!

You will be in love with this family as much as I am by the end of it. Those characters are real, I tell you!

2. Glenbrooke Series by Robin Jones Gunn

Another one of my favorite series is a set of 8 books surrounding the sweet small town of Glenbrooke, starting with Secrets. Robin Jones Gunn outdoes herself with making this town SO real, you want to move there too!

These books are a really easy read and shouldn’t take you long at all to get through. And if you have a tween or teen girl at home, you can even pick up a book of hers for them too. The Christy Miller Series is very wholesome and just plain good!

Secrets by Robin Jones Gunn

3. You Don’t Know Me by Susan May Warren

I guess I have this thing for small towns, because You Don’t Know Me is set in the quaint harbor town of Deep Haven, Minnesota. It’s also very well-written! Even though this is technically Book #6 in the Deep Haven series, it’s still very much a stand-alone novel, and in my opinion, the best one yet of Susan May Warren’s.

While this book is most definitely a love story, it also has its fair share of suspense and intrigue too. The main character is part of the Witness Protection Program……but her husband and children don’t know that yet.You Don't Know Me by Susan May Warren

4. A Passion Most Pure by Julie Lessman

Last year, I was in a bit of reading rut. Every fiction book I picked up felt like the same old story, and I needed a new author to give me something new and exciting. Julie Lessman was the key!

I had never read a book of hers before, and have since been voraciously reading the rest of this series, starting with A Passion Most Pure. I became so involved with the characters (they are both strong and deep!) and I could NOT predict the ending at all! There’s also a prequel that came out after the series, but you can read it before or after.

Warning: Even though this is a Christian book, it does get a little spicy…

A Passion Most Pure by Julie Lessman

5. The House that Love Built by Beth Wiseman

Beth Wiseman is a brilliant storyteller (I really enjoyed her Amish Fiction series!). But I was super impressed by a more modern setting in The House that Love Built.

This story follows a young widow who falls in love with a man who moves to town and buys an old mansion that needs fixing up — and also holds a few secrets! The thing that I loved most about this book is the 3 different story-lines all woven together so seamlessly. It made for a really interesting and fun read!The House that Love Built by Beth Wiseman

6. Restoration Series by Terri Blackstock

I don’t enjoy mystery and suspense as much as I do historical fiction, but the Restoration series from Terri Blackstock is a notable exception. I flew through this series in less than a week!

Starting with Last Light, a family tries to survive after an EMP hits earth knocking out all the power; everyone is left in a pre-technology era. It’s very apocalyptic in nature (I didn’t realize how much I loved that genre), like Dystopian fiction for adults. You will be on the edge of your seat for this one!

Restoration Series by Terri Blackstock

7. The Wedding by Nicholas Sparks

Almost everyone I know has either read The Notebook or heard of it, but have you read his follow up book, The Wedding? I honestly think this one is better than the first!

Despite the main character’s shining example of his in-laws, his wife is falling out of love with him, and he is desperate to win her back. It’s so romantic and sweet, and despite some of the unexpected endings of most Nicholas Spark books (spoiler alert) this one has a happy one.

The Wedding by Nicholas Sparks

8. The Antelope in the Living Room by Melanie Shankle

Even though summer would still be loads of fun with all these fiction reads, I thought it would be fun to throw in a few non-fiction titles, too!

Let me tell you, The Antelope in the Living Room was a literal LOL book. Every time I started giggling, Joseph would look over at me and ask me if I was reading that marriage book again and what was so darn funny. Of course, I had to read some of the stories aloud and we then couldn’t help but laugh together.

I had never read a memoir before and Melanie Shankle has some serious storytelling talent. I saw myself and my husband in so many of these marriage situations, and it was refreshing to know that we are not alone!

The Antelope in the Living Room | Summer Reads

9. The Fit Bottomed Girls Anti-Diet by Jennipher Walters and Erin Whitehead

If you need motivation for weight loss this Summer (aka bathing suit season!), The Fit Bottomed Girls Anti-Diet: 10 Minute Fixes to Get the Body You Want and a Life You’ll Love is probably the best book you can read on this topic.

The authors run FitBottomedGirls.com, and do not beat you over the head with do’s and don’ts. Instead, they gently guide you into a different kind of thinking so you can be conscious of what you eat and find a vigorous activity you’ll actually love. They even focus on overall well-being, such as emotional health and how to be happy too!

The Fit Bottomed Girls Anti-Diet | Summer Reads | Creative Savings

10. Unglued by Lysa Terkeurst

Unglued: Making Wise Choices in the Midst of Raw Emotions was my first book by Lysa TerKeurst and definitely won’t be my last. In fact, I was so grateful to actually meet Lysa and tell her how much her words meant to me at a conference last year!

I usually finish books fairly quickly, but this is one to savor and I found myself rereading certain sentences and paragraphs to make sure I didn’t miss a thing – there were so many truths to be found in this little gem!

Unglued by Lysa Terkeurst | Summer Reads

Now it’s time to tell me in the comments what books have made the biggest impact on you, or what you’re picking out to read this summer! I’m going with Home of Our Hearts, which is an extension of the Christy Miller series I mentioned above. For non-fiction, I’ve already started reading Surviving When Modern Medicine Fails. It’s actually really interesting!

Here’s to a happy summer, full of good books!

What books do you plan to read this Summer?

Disclosure: Some of the links in the post above are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. Read my full disclosure policy here.

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Comments

  1. Julie @ Logger's Wife says

    June 10 at 9:33 am

    I love Terri Blackstock! I read that series years ago. So good.

    I have A Passion Most Pure on my Kindle from when it was one one of the free books. I haven’t read it yet though.

    I love Melissa Tagg and Becky Wade. They write Christian romance set in the here and now. I read a lot of different genres from historical to mystery. But Tagg and Wade are just my absolute favorite writers.

    Reply
    • Kalyn Brooke says

      June 16 at 2:05 pm

      That’s when I grabbed A Passion Most Pure as well — you can’t beat free! I haven’t read Becky Wade yet, but have heard her recommended before. Will need to remedy that soon!

      Reply
  2. Dorothy Mantonya says

    June 13 at 9:25 am

    I have read a couple of the ones listed and enjoyed them. I added some to my reading list that I am keeping. I am now almost finished with The Shack which sure is thought provoking.

    Reply
    • Kalyn Brooke says

      June 16 at 2:08 pm

      I have heard that one is intriguing! Haven’t picked it up yet.

      Reply
  3. Cindy Mendenhall says

    June 22 at 12:58 pm

    I love your site. You and I think much alike! Our tastes in books are spot on. Love your to read your blog. You are awesome!

    Reply
    • Kalyn Brooke says

      June 25 at 9:16 am

      Thank you so much for your kind words, Cindy!

      Reply

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Hi, I’m Kalyn—a recovering perfectionist who nerds out about organizing systems, personal productivity, and helping you prioritize what matters over the pressure to do it all. I have a feeling we’re about to become the best of friends! Learn more >>

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Kalyn Brooke
I used to feel guilty for reading fiction novels. I used to feel guilty for reading fiction novels. 😔⁣
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Once in high school, someone told me that I needed to expand my world through real stories and information instead of reading all that fluff. 🥴⁣
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I understand the point they were trying to make. If you want to learn how to do something or get to know historical figures or grow personally in a positive way, non-fiction will help you get there. ⁣
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But fiction matters too... for so many reasons! Here are my three: 📚⁣
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1. Fiction helps me practice empathy. I see the world with new eyes because of the way the author invites me to step into the shoes of a beloved character. 🥰⁣
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2. With fiction, you can live thousands of lives. George R.R. Martin said, “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.” Fiction allows me to enter a world I don’t get to experience in real life. 💗⁣
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3. Fiction helps me write better non-fiction. When we hear a well-told story, our brain reacts as if we are experiencing the story ourselves. So when I read a particularly captivating passage, it gives me ideas on how to weave storytelling into my writing too. 💪⁣
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I’d love to hear why you think fiction matters. Comment below and tell me one of your favorite things about reading fiction!⁣
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And if you love books just as much as I do, I invite you to follow my new bookstagram account @theunclutteredbookshelf where we can talk about books ALL the time. 🤩
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On the blog this week, I’ve listed 7 essential steps to help you clear out the cobwebs. Don’t be intimidated—I promise it will be fun! And once you have these systems in place, you’ll enjoy less stress during the rest of the year. ⁣
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Drop any cleaning emoji in the comments below and I’ll send you the link to get started. 🧹🧽 🧼
⚡NEWSFLASH:⚡ While there’s so much you could ⚡NEWSFLASH:⚡ While there’s so much you could be doing, there’s only a handful of things you can do at one time. 💪⁣
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The authors of the book The One Thing get this. ⁣
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If you’ve not yet read this book, here’s the main premise: 📣⁣
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Not everything can matter equally. If everything is important, then nothing is. And extraordinary results are directly determined by how you narrow your focus. ⁣
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In other words? Balance is nothing more than an illusion. 🔮⁣
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On the surface, balance sounds like an ideal destination, where every part of our life will magically fall into place and we’ll finally experience the peace and contentment we long for.⁣
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But balance prevents you from “going all in” on anything. Balance chains you to the middle so you can avoid the extremes of the right and left, never committing a significant amount of time to any one area of your life. If you approach anything with balance, each task will tug at you, claiming just as much importance as the next. ⚠⁣
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And equal approaches almost never result in equal outcomes. 🙅⁣
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So embrace being out of balance. Go “all in” on the things that are important to you and let the rest go. 👋⁣
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One of my favorite quotes from The One Thing is, “The key to success isn’t in all the things we do, but in the handful of things we do well.” 🥳⁣
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Think about what you want to do well and then leave what you can behind. And of course, grab the book if you’re able and add it to your reading stack. I have a feeling you’ll love it like I did! 💞⁣
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Have you read this book yet?
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1️⃣ Rearrange pages however you wish and whenever you wish 💪⁣
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And here’s my main takeaway:⁣
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Suicidal thoughts. 💭⁣
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Yep, we’re going there today. ⁣
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When someone says they “didn’t want to be alive,” don’t ignore their pleas or pass them off as attention-seekers or say they can’t get help because it would look bad on the royal family (all things that were told to Meghan). 🤯⁣
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Nope. When someone says that, believe them. ⁣
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Their brain is already at war. We don’t need to ruin their chances of winning. 🏆⁣
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So regardless of your opinion about Meghan or the royal family, I hope you hear my heart in this. 💞⁣
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We need to stop believing people only when it’s too late. We need to believe them now… and make sure they know they have our full support. Someone close to you right now could be struggling with their own thoughts and you don’t even know it. 🤔⁣
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So be careful what you say. ⁣
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Meghan probably won’t hear or read your opinion, but your friend will.
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