My latest post for the Knoxville Moms is all about the best books of summer. New and old, from beach reads to spine-tingling suspense, the following list has it all (or, well, most of it all; I still can’t read horror because #nightmares).

Enjoy the preview below, and read the full post HERE.

Ah, summer. Days full of sunshine, the ground warm under your feet, fireflies dancing at night and the time of year when list after list of the best books to read during these beautiful days comes out.

I love these lists. My Want to Read list grows with each one I read. But often the books are given out of context, or they’re all so new that I know the library list will be a mile long and I may well be reading this year’s top beach read in December against a backdrop of snow.

This conundrum has led me to create a new kind of summer reading recommendation list, one that includes older books, newer books, and context so you’ll know if searching out the title and reading descriptions and reviews is worth it. These are all titles I’ve personally read and recommend. Happy reading!

If you liked: Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

• The Sinful Lives of Trophy Wives by Kristin Miller (new release July 20, 2021)
• Never Have I Ever by Joshilyn Jackson
• Commonality: Female friendships and the secrets within them

If you liked: Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

• The Scent Keeper by Erica Bauermeister
• Where the Forest Meets the Stars by Glendy Vanderah
• Commonality: Young women forging their own path amidst a mystery

If you liked: The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

• The Dream Daughter by Diane Chamberlain
• How to Stop Time by Matt Haig
• Commonality: time travel and its effect on love

If you liked The Hunger Games:

• Flawed and Perfect, a two part series by Cecelia Ahern
• Vivian Apple at the End of the World by Katie Coyle
• The Power by Naomi Alderman
• Commonality: Dystopian novels with a strong female lead

If you liked To All the Boy’s I’ve Loved Before:

• Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon
• Paper Towns by John Green
• Something In Between by Melissa De La Cruz
• Coming of age stories with great voice and high stakes

The full post has recommendations by genre and reliable authors. Be sure to check it out on the Knoxville Moms site!