Top 5 Summer Reads | Top 5 Tuesdays

Hello again! It’s Tuesday, and of course that means it’s time for a Top 5 post. Top 5 Tuesdays and their topics are brought to you by Shanah @ the Bionic Bookworm. Check out her blog, she’s awesome, and this page for the list of topics for May!

Before I wrote this post, I went back to my post from last year of Top 5 Summer Reads because I didn’t want to repeat myself and also, I’ve read more books since then and maybe I have some new favorites!

| Related Post: Top 5 Summer Reads (2019) |

Anyway, I’ve got a mixed bunch here because I tend to read eclectically and I’m not always in the mood for the same genre. So, that said, here is my new list of Top 5 Summer Reads!

1. Where’d You Go, Bernadette? – Maria Semple

I always like a little humor in my books and Semple’s book really fulfilled that need. This book is so harebrained and crazy fun!

It’s partly a mystery and partly an adventure story, all about a woman’s disappearance and the events leading up to it and her family’s search for her. I love all the wacky characters and that I had absolutely no idea where this book would end up. Truly a fun read and definitely a great pick for summer!

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2. Ready Player One – Earnest Cline

Adventure is always a great genre for summer, I think, because I associate summer with vacation and doing activities that are far from my normal routine. Cline’s gamer-saturated story of a technologically advanced future is full of adventure and puzzle-solving.

This book, despite being full of references to games I have never played nor am familiar with, is so much fun and I loved following Wade on his quest to be the first player to solve all the puzzles and win the game. I listened to the audiobook of this one, read by Wil Wheaton, and it was excellent! I highly recommend it.

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3. The Moth Presents All These Wonders: True Stories About Facing the Unknown – Edited by Catherine Burns

I tend to like reading non-fiction in the summer, too, and this particular book really stand out to me among the non-fiction books I’ve read.

If you’ve ever listened to NPR’s program, The Moth Radio, than you’ll know it presents oral essays from people from all walks of life centered around a particular theme. This book contains some oral essays that were on the program, and a few new ones written specifically for the book. There’s also a forward by Niel Gaiman, which is great! I highly recommend it because it’s full of short, sweet stories that will make you experience a whole host of emotions. I love this book.

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4. Big Little Lies – Liane Moriarty

Mystery is a big draw for me during the summer, as well, and when I looked over the many mystery books I’ve read, Big Little Lies stood out to me as one I think would be enjoyed during the summer. I don’t know why – maybe because it takes place in Australia and I think of Australia as being summery?

Anyway, this mystery/family drama involving a murder really strings you along in the best of ways! You don’t even know who’s dead until well into the book and the changing perspectives keeps you on your toes. It’s great and I also really enjoyed the miniseries as well!

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5. The Woman in the Lake – Nicola Cornick

I would feel remiss if I didn’t include a romance book in this list of summer reads. Summer is a perfect time to dig into a good romance!

This particular romance is also partly a mystery story. It plays out between the past and the present, all centering on a particular gown that appears to have magical powers…There is some magical realism in the story, but it’s pretty minor. I love the characters and the back and forth from the 1700s to the present is really cool!

Thoughts & Thanks!

Well, that’s the list! What do you think of the summer reads I’ve chosen? Perhaps some of them have made it onto your list. Let’s chat about it in the comments! I’d love to know what you think about them.

Thank you for reading this post. And, as always, happy reading!