My Summer 2022 TBR // Exploring New Genres and Revisiting Old Favorites

Hi, blogging world. Long time no see?

It would be an understatement to say that I’m excited to be writing this post. After a really long absence from blogging (technically a year, but more like two years), I’m hopping back on here to talk about all the books I’m excited about reading this summer.

Just because it’s been so long I feel the need to first say that I’ve dearly missed this space and the people in it. Abandoning my blog was never intentional, but rather a byproduct of my life becoming so busy. However, one of my goals for this summer for myself is to start putting energy back into my passions, so here I am, blogging again and relearning how to be creative and share my love for books. :’)

Lately I’ve been compiling a little list of books that I either want to read for the first time or reread this summer while I have some free time for reading, and I’m really psyched to share it! Without further rambling on my part, onto the books.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, by Taylor Jenkins Reid

I feel like it shows how long I haven’t been book blogging that I still feel like this book is one of the most hyped books in the blogging community. I still remember the anticipation I felt when I finally read this book in June 2019. Nearly three years later, I remember that I enjoyed it a lot, but I don’t really remember the plot or what exactly happened.

One of my best friends recently read this book for the first time, and I realized while hearing her talk about it that I was more than overdue for a revisit to Evelyn Hugo. So, I’m making it a goal of mine to reread it this summer! I’m very interested to see whether or not I’ll like it as much this time around- I hope so.

Where the Crawdads Sing, by Delia Owens

In case you were curious, Taylor Swift is still my main personality trait. One might ask me the question- Olivia, are you reading this book because the movie adaptation of it is being released in July and Taylor Swift has a new song as part of the movie soundtrack? To which I would answer, yes, absolutely I am.

Taylor aside, this book has actually been on my radar for a while because my mom read it and enjoyed it a few years ago. But the reason I’m so eager to read it this summer is definitely because I will be seeing the movie (and therefore must read the book first).

Normal People, by Sally Rooney

I’m already sensing a trend in the books I want to read because I was heavily ~influenced~ by tiktok to want to read this book. I keep seeing edits of the TV series recently? I don’t know why my social media randomly decided I would be interested, but hey they got me, because I am.

I’ve also wanted to read this book for quite some time because of the positive things I have heard about it, not just from other people in the blogging community but from the world in general. I think if a book can elicit such an emotional response from so many people, it must be worth reading.

Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott

It would be quite the understatement to say that Little Women (2019) has my whole heart and then some. It is my all time favorite movie and I could in fact go on about it for hours (please talk about it with me). :’) However, it’s been a while since I read Little Women the book!

I’m so excited for this reread because I feel like since I loved the movie so much, I’ve spent a lot of time with these characters over the past few years. Now I’m eager to go back to the story and get to know them even better with the details provided with the book. Also, the mental image of Laurie as Timotheé Chalamet now definitely isn’t going to hurt.

Mother-Daughter Book Camp, by Heather Vogel Frederick

I don’t talk about it enough, but hands-down my favorite middle grade series is The Mother-Daughter Book Club. Reading Heather Vogel Frederick’s blog is actually what made me start blogging and on top of that emotional connection, all the characters have just the most special place in my heart. I think it’s more than time for a reread, and while I may not get around to the whole series, this one is perfect because it’s ultimate summer energy.

I am so excited to go to camp with my favorite fictional girls and relive the comfort and joy this series brings me every time. Wiping away a tear as we speak.

Crimson Letters: Voices From Death Row, by Tessie Castillo

This year I took a speech class (yay gen eds) and did a speech on solitary confinement. I really hadn’t spent that much time researching anything related to solitary confinement or death row or the prison system before, but after I did a lot of research for my speech, I wanted to know more, specifically wanted to read firsthand accounts.

This was one of the books that I came across, and I really want to read it this summer. I think this is one of those topics that while I already know it will be more than difficult to read about, is necessary and important to learn more about.

Notes From the Tilt-A-Whirl: Wide-Eyed Wonder in God’s Spoken World, by N.D. Wilson

I’m a theology minor, and one of my favorite classes this past semester was my Christian Doctrine class. I learned so much, and my professor was amazing and constantly gave us theology book recommendations. I used to write down the titles of books he would say at the top of my notes, and then at the end of the semester I went through and added them all to my Goodreads. One of the books he recommended was this one, so here I am adding it to this list!

I have no clue what to expect, but I’m eager to dive in. This is the definition of me embracing new knowledge, and isn’t that just the most fun?

The Summer I Turned Pretty, by Jenny Han

Taking a true 180, I think I’m finally going to give this book a true chance. Is that because they’re releasing a TV series about it this summer? Yes, it is.

I read the first book in this trilogy a long time ago and then one of my friends explained the entire plot of the trilogy to me over one very memorable lunch period sophomore year and yet somehow I still know literally nothing about the series besides: love triangle, brothers, and her name is Belly. Will I learn more about it this summer by actually reading it and/or watching the show? I don’t exactly know the answer to this, but I hope it is yes.

Love and Other Words, by Christina Lauren

A development in my book taste since I stopped blogging is that I’ve been really into adult romance novels. Therefore, here I am, wanting to read this book.

I’ve had multiple friends love it and I’ve heard really great things about Christina Lauren’s writing, all of which point towards me absolutely needing to read this this summer. I mean, the blurb alone sounds like it has all the ingredients for A Book That Olivia Loves: childhood friends to lovers, bookish boys, multiple POVs…yes, I need to read this as soon as possible.

The Empathy Exams, by Leslie Jamison

So, fun fact about me, I am a theology minor but I am also a psychology major! I feel like that should explain a lot about why this book has piqued my interest so much. I randomly saw it in a record/bookstore (actually, the one with this Taylor Swift mural, which was definitely the reason I was there), read the book of it, took a picture of the cover, and it was instantly added to Goodreads.

It’s one of my goals to keep reading more psychology books because books are the best way I know to learn more about a topic, so I am hoping this can open more doors to me reading even more psychology in the future.

The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak

Lately I have really been craving a reread of The Book Thief. Does that ever happen to you- where you just out of nowhere feel the need to return to a certain book you loved? At the risk of sounding incredibly basic, The Book Thief is one of my very favorite novels. I have read it many times and have loved it just as much with every reread.

It’s been a while since I last read it (not since 2020), so I think it’s time for me to come back to it. There will always be a piece of my heart reserved for Liesel and her books, Max and his basement, and Rudy and his yellow hair.

This list of books is by no means comprehensive- I’m sure I won’t get around to all of these, and there will be plenty I read that doesn’t appear in this post. But I feel like writing it down is not only fun for me, but helps keep me accountable for at least ~attempting~ to stick with a TBR.

I’m really so thrilled to be back and I have a few ideas for some posts I want to do in the coming weeks! I have no idea how consistent I’ll be because it’s been a while since I did this, but I’m determined to actually return this time. Maybe I’ll do a little life update, if that would be something anyone is interested in? Or a post about how my reading tastes have changed since the last time I was active on here? Or perhaps all of the above.

Thank you so very much for reading this! I would love to hear what you’re reading this summer, or what your favorite recent read has been. I’m always looking for more recommendations! I appreciate you and love you. :’)