Reading Update: What I Read This Summer + My September TBR
Hi, friends.
It’s been a hot minute since I updated the blog on what I’ve been reading. I started writing “What I Read This Month” blog posts in May, but then completely dropped the ball in June! In July, I just thought—why not make an ultimate round-up of all the books I read in summer?! So, here it is! It’s almost August (what?!), so I’m rounding out the books I read this summer (June-August).
And if you’re not already, go ahead and give my #bookstagram a follow! It’s been such a joy posting again on this side of the ‘gram and tbh, a nice refresher from “real Instagram.”
Let me know if you’ve read any of these, or any books you read over the summer! I’m in need of some good book recs. I have some awesome books arriving at my doorstep soon, and I’m suuuuper excited to read them.
BOOKS I READ THIS SUMMER:
“The Proposal” by Jasmine Guillory
I loved this book. It’s possible to say that I fell in love with this book?! I absolutely adore Jasmine Guillory’s writing; I am a sucker for romance novels. And after I read this one, I found out it’s a part of a series! (See my review below of “The Wedding Date”.) The first thing that attracted me to this book was the cover—when I saw there was a baseball on the cover, I knew I had to have it. But the story centers on Nikole Patterson, a freelance writer who just ran away from her 6-month boyfriend who just proposed on air at a baseball game. Carlos, Drew’s (Drew from The Wedding Date) best friend, swoops in and rescues her. The two start their adventure of a casual fling, but can it turn more into that? I loved not only the witty banter and deepening romance between Nikole and Carlos, but also Nikole’s friends are hilarious! Dana and Courtney are seriously the best friends ever. I want Jasmine Guillory to write a sequel on their lives. All in all, it’s no shock that I give this book a 5/5!!
Rating: 5/5
“This Will Only Hurt a Little” by Busy Philipps
I don’t typically read non-fiction in a short time, but this one I just couldn’t put down. I’m not even the biggest Busy Philipps fan, but after reading her book, I quickly became one. Throughout the book, she talks about body positivity and what it meant to be a “size larger” in Hollywood. She also talked about her struggles of becoming a famous actress and landing her dream roles. She talked about her friendship with Michelle Williams on the set of Dawson’s Creek, spilled secrets from her writing days, and of course, dished all about her relationships—including the funny story on her wedding day to Marc Silverstein! Busy Philipps is one of the funniest, wittiest celebrities out there and I hope to see her in more projects.
Rating: 4/5
“One to Watch” by Kate Stayman-London
I don’t even know if I have the capacity to write this review in one paragraph or less. Let me first start off about this book: everyone. needs. to. read. this. book. And by everyone, I mean the Bachelor producers. Seriously, why haven’t we cast a plus-size Bachelorette already? (Shout-out to Bach nation for calling out the producers for casting the first Black Bachelor!) But this book was refreshing and validated everything that I’ve been feeling as someone who never grew up with a “flat stomach.” For all my life, I grew up watching actresses and reality TV stars go on dates and get their happily ever afters (or not so happily ever afters) with their dream man and they all had one thing in common: they had a flat stomach, a thigh gap, long legs, perfect hair, etc. But this book came along, along with actresses that resembled more like my body type, and I felt comfortable in my skin. I could relax knowing that others with my body type could become confident without trying the Flat Tummy Tea and actually have a shot at finding love.
So this book? Plus-size fashion blogger Bea loves pop culture and fashion. She has a devoted family, amazing friends, tons of Instagram followers—and a broken heart. Oh, and she also has an obsession with “Main Squeeze” (the fictional version of The Bachelor). One night, after a few glasses of wine, she writes a blog entry that she never intended to publish, exposing the show and its lack of body diversity. The blog post gets published, and Bea is mortified. But then, while nursing a broken heart, she gets an interesting call from Main Squeeze, asking her to be the next Main Squeeze! Now, she has a dozen men competing for her heart. Will she find “real-life love” or is this just another TV show that creates love for drama? Bea is one of those characters that you just relate to throughout the book and are rooting for her no matter what happens. This character is a breath of fresh air and I found myself crying just a little at the amount of relatability this book brought. Bea finds herself deciding whether or not she trusts these men that are “competing” for her heart—are they in it for the fame or are they really here for “the right reasons”? Definitely, definitely buy this book because I promise you—it will be worth it.
Read if: you love body positivity and the Bachelorette!
Rating: 5/5
“The Royal We” by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan
I was never one to invest so much time into the Royal Family. Did I read a biographical fiction novel of William and Kate’s love story? Yes. Did I watch the Royal Wedding (Will & Kate)? No. Did I watch highlights? Yes. I’m not “obsessed” with the Royals. That’s why I was pleasantly shocked when I very much enjoyed “The Royal We.” Funny story, I picked it up a long time ago and just couldn’t get into it. But I picked it up this summer and finished it in one week. Just the right mood, I guess. American Rebecca Porter studies abroad at Oxford University in London, England and the first person she runs into outside of her new home? Prince Nicholas, Great Britain’s future king. Rebecca, or “Bex” for short, falls into sort of a fling with Nick, but—like the real Will & Kate love story—the two encounter all sorts of problems because ya know, royalty and the pressures of being a celebrity. American Bex falls into the spotlight, with nasty paparazzi and the royal family antics and gossip at every turn. But can these two lovebirds make it through all of that?
Read if: you love the royal family!
Rating: 4/5
“The Unhoneymooners” by Christina Lauren
This was my first Christina Lauren book, and I was very much into it. For two sworn enemies on the Hawaiian trip of a lifetime, anything can happen—maybe even love! As a classic rom-com, if you are a sucker for a good enemies-to-lovers story, this is the book for you. I loved the main character, Olive, and not just because we have the same name. LOL. I could relate to her so much (except the twin thing). Overall, this book did not disappoint.
Read if: you love rom-coms and an enemies-to-lovers romance!
RATING: 4/5
“LIVE” by Sadie Robertson
Sadie is a speaker, preacher, author, entrepreneur/founder of “Live Original,” and podcast host of “Whoa That’s Good” podcast. She points young women back to the feet of Jesus—not to gain Instagram followers or likes, or to gain profit from her personal brand. So, I was actually ecstatic that she had released another book because I loved her other book, “Live Fearless.” I was ready to highlight and underline all over her new book. This book covered everything I was and am struggling with—confidence issues, envy, worrying about the future, comparison, etc. You don’t hear of Christian books covering those kind of topics, especially topics that everyday young people struggle with. I realized that I needed to address these issues I was struggling with. I needed to read someone else’s experiences with these struggles to address my own. “LIVE” incorporates Scripture and applies it to the same everyday struggles that I (and many others) am facing: comparison, confidence issues, self-esteem, envy, speaking up, and yes, depression.
“Comparison is a tool of the enemy; it’s not of God. So the next time you feel tempted to compare yourself to someone else, tell yourself that both of you are valued, needed, and special.” (Page 147) If you’re struggling with your faith or even new to your faith, I first encourage you to turn to God’s Word. And then pick up Sadie’s book because this one is truly amazing.
Read if: you want to dive deeper in your faith and are struggling with comparison and confidence.
Rating: 5/5
“You Are The Girl For The Job” by Jess Connolly
I am not the type to finish non-fiction in one sitting. Usually, I start it and then pick it back up six months later. That’s exactly what I did with “You Are The Girl For the Job” by Jess Connolly. Do you feel stuck in your gifts or talents? Are you in a period where you just feel “stuck” and don’t know how to get out of a rut? This is the book for you. Jess Connolly coaches the everyday girl reading this book towards not just any purpose, but their God-given purpose. “You don’t have to hide, hold back, or wait for permission when God calls you forward.”
Read if: you are struggling with your God-given purpose.
Rating: 4/5
“The Wedding Date” by Jasmine Guillory
I read this one after reading “The Proposal,” another book in this series and by Jasmine Guillory. But honestly, it doesn’t matter what order you read it in—you’ll get slightly confused on the names, but she does a good job in explaining who’s who. “The Wedding Date” focuses on Alexa and Drew, two ordinary people who meet in an elevator. Drew invites Alexa to his ex’s wedding. Alexa—who is not spontaneous at all—says yes. Their fake relationship soon blossoms into a fling (a recurring theme in Jasmine Guillory’s novels) and so these high-powered professionals must decide if they want to take their fling to the next step. Oh, and they’re also in a long distance relationship. Jasmine Guillory also ties in social justice and inclusion and diversity in the plot—which we need more of in the book publishing world.
Read if: you’re looking for a quick romance read! I’m currently waiting on my copy of “Party of Two” to arrive at my doorstep! If you love romance, this is for you!
Rating: 4.5/5
“Stealing Home”: A Sweet Magnolias Story by Sherryl Woods
If you watched “Sweet Magnolias” on Netflix in one sitting and were shocked and upset at the season finale, you need to pick up this book! But first, the series is not laid out like the book is; the first book in the book series focuses on one character (Maddie Townsend) and the outcome of her marriage falling apart and her budding romance with the new baseball coach, Cal, who happens to be her son’s baseball coach. The book starts out with Bill leaving Maddie and the kids for his 24-year-old mistress (Noreen) who is pregnant. Each book in the series focuses on 1-2 characters’ POVs. For this book (book 1), the author focuses on Maddie, Cal, and Maddie’s ex-husband Bill Townsend. In these storylines comes Maddie and Bill’s three kids (Tyler, Kyle, and Katie) and how the fallout of their marriage as well as their parents’ relationships affects them as well. I highly, highly recommend getting at least this book. I wouldn’t classify this as YA romance; if you’re looking for a book that features older adults in romance novels, then Sherryl Woods’s books are for you!
Read if: you loved “Sweet Magnolias” on Netflix!
Rating: 4/5
“The Heir Affair” by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan
I am truly ecstatic to include this in my summer reading roundup, because I have finished this as of August 31. For fans of “The Royal We,” we were left with a massive cliffhanger, and the authors definitely wrapped up some things that were left off in the first book. Overall, the story focuses back on Bex and Nick, along with Nick’s brother (the “spare”), Freddie. Side note: I thought this entire book was going to be a spinoff on Freddie’s POV, but it’s not. It picks right we left off at the end of “The Royal We” and every page has something new on it. A page-turner itself, you will not be able to put this down and will have you thinking about the intricate character development, twist-and-turn storylines, and the many different plot points that all lead up to the main climax and resolution.
A quick synopsis: Bex Porter and Prince Nicholas have just tied the knot—but not without a little scandal, or a big scandal if I must emphasize. Instead of facing it head-on, Nick and Bex run off to Scotland, leaving everything and everyone—including Freddie, left with a big ole mess to make.
Long story short, “The Heir Affair” will have you turning every page excitedly and wanting for more. This was a perfect book to set me up for reading “Majesty!”
Read if: you loved The Crown, The Royal We, William and Kate’s love story.
Rating: 4.5/5