Mother Road Reads – Summer Reading List

It’s summer and I’ve got a LONG list of holds at the library. I love a good book, so I’m constantly reading and I love hearing about what other people are enjoying too! Many of the books I’ve enjoyed most have come as recommendations, so I’m sharing my plans for summer reading in case you’d like some recommendations too!

But first, an update on the books I mentioned in the Spring 2021 edition of Mother Road Reads! I did start 168 Hours by Laura Vanderkam… and I really didn’t like it. I was hoping to learn something from it (isn’t every parent looking to squeeze a few more minutes out of every day?), but it was a lot of build up with no real help. Just a lot of “look at how these highly successful people use their time!” The other two books I mentioned (Memory Making Mom and Ladies of Liberty) are both still on my list but I haven’t been inspired to read them yet.

Summer Reading Plan

I’ve got a lot of books on my list for this summer! Here are the ones I’m making a priority to get through first.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

I’ve started listening to this book and so far I love it! It’s just so charming. It’s set in Guernsey just after WWII and is written as a series of letters. The writing is beautiful and I’m already sad I’ll have to finish it.

*UPDATE*: This turned out to be one of my favorite books I’ve read in a long time. I’ve recommended it to a ton of friends and family and everyone I know who has read it has loved it too. Definitely give this one a shot!

Finlay Donovan is Killing It

The premise of this book (mom-turned-hit-man) isn’t normally something I would choose and it sounds a bit odd… just odd enough that I’m intrigued.

*UPDATE*: I didn’t finish this one… I gave it about 4 chapters and just couldn’t get into the story. It was a little too predictable and there wasn’t enough of a story. I know people who loved it, but it wasn’t for me.

When Everything Changed

I’m a sucker for a good history book (there’s a reason I became a high school history teacher!) and this one sounds super interesting!

*UPDATE*: This one was good! It’s a really in depth women’s history book focused on the period between about 1960 and 2000. I enjoyed the stories, but my one knock on it is that it was kind of all over the place. There was a ton of great information though, so I would recommend it if you like reading history.

Funny in Farsi: A Memoir of Growing Up Iranian in America

This book was recommended by Janssen at Everyday Reading and we have consistently similar taste, so I’m excited to read it!

My Lady Jane

My sister recommended this one. It sounds funny and a bit wacky and sounds like a fun addition to the summer reading lineup!

What a Difference a Mom Makes

I’ve had a hard copy of this book for a while and have been meaning to read it. As my boys start to get older, it feels like a good time to make it happen!

*UPDATE*: Y’all… I was so disappointed in this book. It sounds like a sweet read about a mother’s love for her sons. It turned out to be a book full of gender stereotypes and outdated beliefs. “Boys will be boys” was a term used several times in the first couple of chapters, the author assumes every mother wants her children to be girls, and at one point he even wrote that “no mother wants a sissy for a son.” It was bad. I’m not exaggerating. Do not recommend this one.

What’s on your summer reading list? Have you read any of the books I mentioned? I’d love to know more! Leave me a comment below!

Note: There are affiliate links in this post. Purchasing through these links does not increase your purchase price, but it allows me to make a small commission that will help keep Mom On The Mother Road up and running. Thank you for your support!