My Summer Reading Round-Up 2021
Happy July, my friends, and welcome to my first official brand-new blog post here at StephanieMack.com! What a pretty place to sit down and let the creativity flow, thanks to my designer-turned-dear-friend, the lovely Natalie Lauren Design. This fresh, gorgeous site is everything I could have dreamed up and more. Plus, what a perfect way to kick off the new blog portion, with my top summer reads for this year!
I did this for the first time in 2020, smack in the middle of pandemic mania. I loved it, and it seems you did, too! I still hear from readers who end up adoring picks from that list. I stand by those recommendations, so in these two posts alone, you have a whole bunch of gems to stash in your beach bag or take to the pool!
As with last year’s list—and my reading taste in general—there’s a little something in here for everyone. Some historical fiction, some romance, plenty of thrillers (naturally), and weirdly, a few magical, mystical novels that surprised me and melted my heart. Please also know that if my debut novel (I wrote a book! Weird! I, like, never talk about it! LOL!) is on your radar even a little, you can read the first chapter right here, for free!
In this year of releasing that book baby, When We Blinked, my book recommendations have slowed down, for real. While I wish I had all the time in the world to keep up on #everylastthing, let me be one honest voice to tell you that releasing a debut is no joke! The experience remains nothing short of incredible, but also invites a whole new host of items constantly vying for my attention. It’s my dream job, but a full-time one! There have been many weeks in the last 12 months when I simply couldn’t read, let alone write thoughtful reviews.
So let this be a big catch-up! I’ve been reading my little heart out the last couple months, and I’m so excited to share these with you!
From my book-loving heart to yours!
THE MIDNIGHT LIBRARY
I already posted about this treasure on my Instagram, but it bears repeating that it is nothing short of dazzling. The plot is bold, the main character oh-so lovable, the writing both tight and lyrical. When despondent, broke, down-on-her-luck Nora loses her beloved cat, she can’t take it anymore. She chooses to end her life. But then! “Between life and death there is a library, and within that library, the shelves go on forever. Every book provides a chance to try another life you could have lived. To see how things would be if you had made other choices . . . Would you have done anything different, if you had the chance to undo your regrets?”
If you love classic, creative, “what-if,” alternate-universe stories like It’s a Wonderful Life and Sliding Doors, this book is for you! I couldn’t get enough of Nora and all of the different lives she had the chance to experience. The ending left me smiling with my whole face and hopeful with my whole heart. I devoured it on the beach in Hawaii within a couple of days!
PEOPLE WE MEET ON VACATION
So this book is so very hyped on #Bookstagram that the opinions seem to be coming out swinging. For whatever it’s worth, here’s mine! I loved it! Author Emily Henry has said this book is her homage to When Harry Met Sally, an all-time favorite of mine. So I had to read it! Plus, Beach Read was one of my favorite beach reads last summer. While this best-friends-will-they-or-won’t-they, close-proximity romance had a slower start than Beach Read for me, I ended up swooning. For a bit there, I was like, “I just don’t know,” before finally falling in love about halfway through. Then the ending really made it for me! Plus, adorable Alex, Poppy’s longtime friend and annual trip companion before everything came crashing down in Croatia. What exactly happened in Croatia?! The question kept me turning the pages. I really enjoyed the tension-build, with Alex’s quiet wit and undying loyalty. I was emotional by the end and audibly cheering! It’s a perfect read for your vacay!
THE SOULMATE EQUATION
I adore writer-duo Christina Lauren. Enter here my new favorite of theirs! After writing my own dating app novel, I loved this one extra much and so admired how brilliantly they tackled their concept. GeneticAlly is a DNA-based matchmaking company that is poised to change the dating game dramatically and forever. To her shock, single mom and data expert Jess finds herself with an exceedingly rare 98% love match to—gasp—dreamy GeneticAlly founder, River. In the throwback feel of a good-old rom-com, the company makes an offer Jess can’t refuse: Date River and we’ll pay you the big bucks! The whole setup is just so much fun. I miss dating-bet movies like How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days and She’s All That! If you like sassy and sexy with a splash of science, grab this fun romance right now!
YELLOW WIFE
Read this book. Of all the books in this list, I repeat, Read this book! If you’ve read my reviews in the past, you know historical fiction novels are not my go-to. But every once in a while, I encounter one that impacts me so purely and deeply that I can’t get it out of my head. So far Yellow Wife is this historical fiction book of the year for me. Wow—just wow. I can’t recommend it enough. Inspired by a true story, this novel follows light-skinned Black slave Pheby as she is forced from her home and her true love into a harrowing prison so evil it’s called Devil’s Half Acre. Pheby then lands in the darkly complex position of white jailer’s wife, loving mother, and fierce warrior to her bone.
We read Yellow Wife for my book club and our very high praise was unanimous. It was a conversation that I will remember. Parts of the story were extremely heavy and hard to read, but the narrative is astonishing. It will break your heart, open your eyes, and stay with you for months to come. It got under my skin as much as Unbroken and Where the Crawdads Sing. Again: Read it! And do not forget the Author’s Note at the end!
THE GOOD SISTER
Speaking of superb mystery writing, Sally Hepworth’s The Mother-in-Law was a total winner for me. So scooping up this newest of hers was a no-brainer! I love any book that gives the perspective of a neurodiverse character who sees the world through her own gripping lens. Enter Fern, who suffers from a severe sensory processing disorder, and alpha, often-controlling Rose. These fraternal twins are intrinsically linked but terribly different. This exploration of their twisty bond and dramatic decisions, of sisterhood, secrets, shocks, and suspense will keep you up with your flashlight! I loved it. It’s for readers who love a brilliant mystery that never gets overly dark.
THE LAST THING HE TOLD ME
Hype Train, Party of Everyone… Ha! Here’s another hot new release that sizzled onto the scene with its highly anticipated May 4 release. At this writing, the book is #1 on Amazon with more than 15,000 reviews and seven weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. Wowza!!! So, is it worthy of all the fanfare? All I can give is my opinion and I say yes! I couldn’t put it down. I thought it was fresh, fast paced, and endlessly readable.
Upon her husband Owen’s odd disappearance, Hannah is left with a simple note: Protect her. She knows he’s referring to his sixteen-year-old daughter, Bailey, whose mother died when she was young. Together Hannah and Bailey set out to find Owen and the cold-blooded truth, whatever it might reveal. I loved the surprisingly touching stepmother-and-daughter storyline of this book, as well as the page-turning plot. A fabulous choice for your next afternoon in the sun!
MOTHER MAY I
I bought this book for one reason alone: author Tarryn Fisher (LOVE HER) wrote in her Instagram stories that it’s the best book she’s read in 2021. How could I resist that endorsement? And oh, I am so glad I didn’t! How have I never read Joshilyn Jackson?! This book is insane. Wife and mom Bree enjoys an enviable life of suburban beauty and privilege until the night a scary lady (a witch?) shows up at her window. Chills assault Bree with the realization that she’s definitely being watched. Soon after, her infant son disappears—and sure enough, the creepy woman makes contact. Fierce and feisty Bree sees no option but to obey her demands, and you’re going to want to come along for the ride, friends!
Ugh, this book was so good. If you loved The Wives by Tarryn Fisher, let’s just say you’ll love this. Haunting, addicting, and unpredictable—a must-read for psychological thriller lovers! Caution: it goes dark, and it lingers there. May or may not come with nightmares.
LOCAL WOMAN MISSING
Oh, hey now, Mary Kubica! I can’t wait to dive into your backlist and read every book you have written! Local Woman Missing elevates the bar for fast-paced, deeply POV-ed, mystery-thriller excellence. So many dark twists and turns! I gulped down this book while nestled in the woods of Idyllwild and it’s hard to imagine a better atmospheric reading experience. This masterpiece, however, is only for my darkies. Kidnapping, violence, and other OMG moments make this book what it is, which is to say, not for the faint of heart! But if you’re brave enough to go in blind to this tale of three females kidnapped, on the hunt for how they might be connected, I doubt you’ll be disappointed! Compelling, raw, and intense. If you enjoy Lisa Jewell, you’ll love this one!
WHERE THE GRASS IS GREEN AND THE GIRLS ARE PRETTY
Lauren Weisberger is one of our modern-day gifts. The Devil Wears Prada (her book titles though!) is her best-known masterpiece, but all of her works have been met to wide acclaim and awaiting fans. This one is no exception! The Morning Show meets the college admissions scandal in this frothy summer delight. Yet again, Weisberger tackles tough, timely topics and imperfect characters with her signature humor and explorative tenderness. Based in New York City, the book follows famous morning show anchor Peyton, her free-spirited sister, Skye, and her hip-and-angsty teen daughter, Max, through a series of bad decisions and long-held dreams. I loved the novel’s exploration of parenthood, privilege, accountability, friendship, and more. Treat yourself to this breezy, well-written, scandalous summer escape!
GOLDEN GIRL
Where Elin Hildebrand goes, I will follow—even if she decides to go all-the-way-out on a limb and write us a ghost story. That’s right: a ghost story! A spirit story. Whatevs. After loving The Midnight Library so much, I was actually ecstatic to get my hands on this novel that dares to get all fantastical about the beyond. That said, plenty of Elin Hildebrand fans were not so enthused with their beachy queen veering so far out of her norm! Not everyone’s loving this one, but I truly did! Like, loved! The book centers around famous Nantucket beach-read author, Vivian Howe, who gets hit by a car before finding herself in heaven. Here she meets Martha, donned with plenty of sass and always an Hermes scarf. From here, Vivian has the chance to watch her three grown children from above during one final summer—and receives three “nudges” in which she can intervene.
I found this story so satisfying, sweet, and unique. The characters felt real and so did the feelings, the food, and the picturesque scenes. Golden Girl a is a golden summer read to its core—that is, if you’re up for some make-believe. Hildebrand’s quintessential Nantucket never lets me down… apparently even when she gets a little wacky with it. This one has my applause! Have you read it? What did you think?
FINLAY DONAVAN IS KILLING IT
Finlay Donavan is Killing It is unlike anything I’ve ever read! For this reason alone, I keep thinking about it. Think Dead to Me on Netflix in terms of the tone, plot, and main characters. The novel is a super-fun, contemporary, cat-and-mouse murder-mystery chase with laugh-out-loud humor and poignant moments throughout. Single mom Finlay Donavan is stressed out, strapped, and struggling as a novelist. During a lunch with her agent, a woman eavesdrops on their conversation only to mistake Finlay for a contract killer. Desperate for cash, Finlay is suddenly smack-dab in the center of a real-life murder investigation, where she finds the fuel for a new novel. I gobbled up this fresh take on a mystery with endearingly flawed Finlay at center stage. I am always here for creative (and/or cautionary) tales of authors behaving badly! This one’s a blast!
MALIBU RISING
Taylor Jenkins Reid officially won me (and the rest of the world) over with Daisy Jones and the Six in 2019. Since then, millions of us have been waiting to see what on earth she’d put out next! Malibu Rising was well worth the wait. The plot isn’t unusually wild, but the four famous siblings that drive it are! Now superstars in their own right, Nina, Hud, Jay, and Kit are the beautiful, tortured offspring of Frank Sinatra-level-famous singer, Mick Riva. The story centers on the 24 hours leading up to their widely anticipated Riva party of the year. Their loose ends and engrossing backstories culminate in the night of the party—where secrets are revealed, hearts are crushed, forgiveness is sought, and do second chances exist?
I became wholly invested in the four siblings. Malibu Rising is a timeless story of family, gorgeously told against its California backdrop of wildfires and broken dreams. Definitely note, though, that this is a book about a flawed (okay, totally messed-up) family making all kinds of mistakes. I live for family sagas like this, but just a warning that sex, drugs, and swearing abound. If those things make you cringe, I’m gonna say skip this one! Rated-R for sure.
HAPPY SUMMER READING!
Just a few final things! Will everyone love every book in this list? Of course not! This is the beauty of books and the personal experience they give through their pages. I hope something speaks to you here, but it’s totally okay if you couldn’t stand a book in this pile!
Additionally, I always like to give a note for my sensitive readers. These are all mainstream titles, and many include some language, steamy scenes, and adult themes. If you have specific questions about a book’s PG/PG-13/R-rating or possible triggers, DM me anytime! I did my best to note them, but I’m happy to give more specifics!
Bottom line, I really loved these books, for a million different reasons, and I sure hope you do, too!
So plop on your cute straw hat, grab yourself a summery beverage, and open that Amazon cart!
Happy summer from me to you!
Based in Orange County, California, Stephanie Mack is a longtime writer, wife to one, and mom of three little girls. She has been blogging at MOMentary Insanity® since 2014. Her work has also been featured on Scary Mommy, Faithit, Coffee + Crumbs, and more. She holds a Master of Professional Writing degree from USC. When We Blinked is her debut novel.
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In 2024, one specific piece of writing advice has persisted in reaching my ears. Through the Booked Solid podcast, landing my dream agent, and my ever-trustworthy author friends, the message echoes: Get out of the slush pile.