One of my FAVOURITE parts of prepping for summer trips is picking out new books, especially for poolside reading. I’ve loved reading since I was a little girl — hence why I got into journalism and blogging! — and only wish I had more time to delve into some fictional (and non-fictional) worlds. Fortunately, doing so while laying under the summer sun is the best time to do it!

I just got back from a beautiful getaway to Maui, Hawaii, which I will have *so* much more to share from soon. But first, I wanted to share some of the incredible books I started — and sped through — that will make perfect adds to your summer reading list.

For words of inspiration to kickstart your vacation

I’ve had Michelle Obama’s Becoming on my book shelf since Christmas, and finally had the chance to start and finish it on a 10+ hour travel day. From cover to cover, it’s total female boss vibes! I will admit the opening section on Michelle’s childhood and upbringing definitely dragged on in some parts, but once she writes about meeting Barack you get a lot of interesting behind the scenes secrets and stories that make the wait worthwhile. I ended up bookmarking a few passages that particularly resonated with me, including:

• “Beneath my laid-back college demeanor, I lived like a half-closeted CEO, quietly but unswervingly focused on achievement, bent on checking every box. My to-do list lived in my head and went with me everywhere. I assessed my goals, analyzed my outcomes, counted my wins. If there was a challenge to vault, I’d vault it. One proving ground only opened onto the next. Such is the life of a girl who can’t stop wondering, Am I good enough? and is still trying to show herself the answer.” (Becoming Me)
• “New York always awakened a sense of awe in me, big and busy enough to dwarf anyone’s ego.” (Becoming More) (It’s true, New York is a such a remarkable and special place and I look forward to spending more time there!)
• “The important parts of my story, I was realizing, lay less in the surface value of my accomplishments and more in what undergirded them—the many small ways I’d been buttressed over the years, and the people who’d helped build my confidence over time.” (Becoming More)
• “My early successes in life were, I knew, a product of the consistent love and high expectations with which I was surrounded as a child, both at home and at school. … I’d been lucky to have parents, teachers, and mentors who’d fed me with a consistent, simple message: You matter. As an adult, I wanted to pass those words to a new generation. … I wanted to be the opposite of the guidance counselor I’d had in high school, who’d blithely told me that I wasn’t Princeton material.” (Becoming More) (To quote Beyonce, “best revenge is your paperrrrr…”)
• “…I am still in progress, and I hope that I always will be. For me, becoming isn’t about arriving somewhere or achieving a certain aim. I see it instead as forward motion, a means of evolving, a way to reach continuously toward a better self. The journey doesn’t end. … It’s all a process, steps along a path. Becoming requires equal parts patience and rigor. Becoming is never giving up on the idea that there’s more growing to be done.” (Epilogue) (AMEN!!!)

For a fun fiction that mixes love, chance, fate and choice

I found Star-Crossed by Minnie Darke by chance — ironic, considering the book’s subject matter — while scrolling through Indigo‘s website (yes, I still swear by hard copies!). I was instantly intrigued by the book’s cover (don’t judge), but I was also thrilled to see that the book’s starlet, Justine Carmichael, was a fellow journalist. This book had the perfect recipe for a fun, light summer read. Surely enough, it ended up achieving every expectation I had in mind!

As the story goes, Justine and her childhood BFF Nick reconnect as adults after a chance encounter. What’s less of a “chance” circumstance is the way Justine aims to show Nick that, just maybe, she’s the girl of his dreams after all. Mission-set, she begins altering the horoscope section of their local Alexandria Park Star — a page that she knows the horoscope-driven Nick will never miss — in hopes he’ll follow his “destiny” and fall in love with her. Of course, just about everything that could go wrong, goes wrong (as if anyone needed a reminder not to mess with fate).

What I actually enjoyed most with this book was the supplemental side stories of characters who read Justine’s edited horoscopes and, like Nick, based life-altering decisions around them. Though they at first seemed random and disconnected, they quickly became interconnected, and some actually developed into significant plot points. Without spoiling anything, I’ll say pay attention to the story of Brown Houdini-Malarkey, an instantly “aww”-inspiring pup. And no, you don’t need to know anything about astrology to get as attached to this story as I did!

For joining (or catching up on) a pop culture phenomenon

You can’t check social media these days without seeing chatter over the latest episode of Big Little Lies — and for good reason. While I’m still waiting to begin binging the show (it’s next on my list!), I’ve now read the book by Liane Moriarty twice and I am obsessed. It’s the perfect mix of romance, drama, thrilling action and suspense, revolving around “the little lies that can turn lethal” (as per the book’s summary). Once you finish BLL, check out Moriarty’s other bestselling reads, including the early release What Alice Forgot. As for the show, Big Little Lies‘ second season just wrapped up July 21, so there’s no better time to start or catch up on the show’s 21 episodes.

For a reflective read on humanity and refreshed outlook on life

I bought The Humans by Matt Haig on a whim after hearing the lovely Claudia Sulewski talk about it in a YouTube video. It was obvious that this book told a unique story, and I was really in the mood to read something different from the standard summer romance and movie-ready thriller novels (as much as I love those too!). At the core of this story is an exploration of what it means to be human, to love and live and discover yourself and find meaning in every moment. I can’t tell you how many times I stopped to reflect on my own approach to life and was inspired to stop thinking so much, live and create more. This is a great nighttime read because the chapters are bite-sized, though that also means it’s very easy to get sucked in — but trust me, this one’s deserving of a delayed bedtime!

Next on my list…

Erin Hilderbrand’s summer-ready read Summer of ’69 has come recommended from so many different sites and friends, and it was one of the hottest poolside books in Maui. The historical novel follows four siblings on what is supposed to be their annual, relaxing summer getaway to Nantucket — but like the era, things are changing, emotions are high and what’s next is unpredictable. I had to place an order for this when I got back and I’m looking forward to seeing if it’s worth the hype! I’m sure it will bring out some nostalgia in me, even if I wasn’t enjoying summers until ’97. ☺

What titles are at the top of your summer 2019 reading list? Let me know in the comments. Let’s make this our own little book club!

Happy reading + summer-ing xx