I can’t believe that summer is upon us! I am so excited to take a break from school. For me, that means more time to READ!!

I made a summer book list of some of the best books I have read. I read pretty widely, so this list is just an assortment of some of the great books I’ve read. Any of these are a great pick to take with you on vacation, to the beach for a day, or to the backyard while you watch the kids swim.

Fiction

1. The Beyonders Series by Brandon Mull. Brandon Mull is hands-down one of my most favorite authors. I love this series. If you like Harry Potter, give these books a try. They won’t disappoint.
2. The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart. I recently read the first book in this series and am looking forward to reading the rest of the series. It tells the story of four gifted children who go undercover on a dangerous mission.
3. Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt. I only recently read this children’s classic book. It’s thought-provoking and a little sad. It’s a good read.
   
4. The Secret School by Avi. This book is a quick read and enjoyable. It tells the story of a young group of students who have to take matters into their own hands when their teacher suddenly leaves for the rest of the school term.
5. The Mark of the Thief by Jennifer Nielsen. I wasn’t too sure about this book but was quickly sucked in. Jennifer Nielson is quickly becoming a favorite author of mine.
6. The False Prince by Jennifer Nielsen. Another book by Jennifer Nielsen, The False Prince is the first book in The Ascendance Trilogy. I really enjoyed this book. I didn’t see the twist at the end of the book coming. Book two is just as good or even better than the first one!
7. Five Kingdoms: Sky Raiders by Brandon Mull. Another series by a favorite of mine, Brandon Mull. His books pull you in quickly and keep you on the edge of your seat. I have read the first two books in this series and can’t wait to finish the rest of them.
8. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. I have never read this classic before. Shameful, I know. Anyway, it’s been on my list of classics that I want to read. It took focus and attention to get through it. It’s not a book I could read quickly like I do other books, but I enjoyed it.
9. The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place by Maryrose Wood. I read this to the kids this year in school. We started it right at the end of the year and read most of it but still need to finish it. I figured I would still add it to the list. The Incorrigible children were raised by wolves and now have to be trained to fit into society.
10. The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis. Another classic well-worth the read, this book is the second book in the Chronicles of Narnia series. I hadn’t read it before, but the kids and I listened to it in school this year. It’s really good. It’s worth the read just to hear Aslan’s explanation of his involvement in the main character’s life. So good!
11. Poppy by Avi. This quick read tells the story of a field mouse trying to outwit an owl. It’s an enjoyable read, and my kids loved it. This is book one in a series. The series is worth reading simply to meet Ereth. He is the funniest character I have encountered in children’s literature so far. He’s hilarious.
12. The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell by Chris Colfer. This series of books brings the fairy-tale characters we grew up with to life and continues their stories. The introduction alone will pull you right in.
13. A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park. This book was such a good read for my kids and I. It tells the story of a young homeless boy in ancient Korea. It’s raw and incredibly sad, but it was a really good reading experience for us.

Christian

1. Falling Free by Shannan Martin. I have so many favorite books, but this is another of them. Shannan Martin tells how she left her dream life on a farm in the country to move to the inner city and minister there. It’s a beautiful story of God’s grace.
2. The Power of a Woman’s Words by Sharon Jaynes. This book is a great resource for women who do public speaking. It’s full of great stories and illustrations. It’s an inspiring book that reminds women how much influence our words have and how we can use them for good in this world.
3. Nothing to Prove by Jennie Allen. The book is such a good read and an amazing reminder that we don’t have to strive to please others. For those of us who are people-pleasers and never feel like we measure up, this book is a must-read.
4. The Magnolia Story by Chip and Joanna Gaines. For anybody who loves HGTV and loves the Gaines from Fixer Upper, this book is for you. It surprised me that it was not only a great story but also inspirational. I really enjoyed it.
5. Wild and Free by Jess Connolly and Hayley Morgan. This book reminds us that we can live our lives free from others’ expectations and give ourselves permission to be wild and free.
6. Church of the Small Things by Melanie Shankle. This book is surprisingly hilarious. It’s a really fun read about life, relationships, God, and how it all works together to create a beautiful story.
7. Unglued by Lysa TerKeurst. Lysa TerKeurst is one of my favorite Christian authors. The cover pretty much says it all for this book. It’s a great read and teaches us how to deal with our emotions.
8. Daring to Hope by Katie Davis Majors. Such a great book, this is the sequel to Katie Davis’ immensely popular Kisses from Katie. It’s raw and emotional and tells of Katie’s persevering faith in God in the midst of life’s hardships.
9. Present Over Perfect by Shauna Niequist. Shauna is another of my favorite authors. In this book, she encourages us to focus on what’s really important in life and leave everything else behind.
10. The Super Mom Myth by Becky Kopitzke. I really enjoyed this book. Becky encourages moms that we don’t have to be perfect or raise perfect kids to fulfill the role God wants us to be to our children, but she also encourages us to become the kind of mom God wants us to be.
11. Unstuffed: Decluttering Your Home, Mind, and Soul by Ruth Soukup. This book is for any person who feels their home or life is chaotic and out of control. It’s inspirational and practical at the same time, which I love.
12. Life-Giving Leadership by Julia Mateer. This book is a must-read for any woman in leadership. She gives such great insight and practical advice for leaders.
13. So Close to Amazing by KariAnne Wood. This book is a combination of stories and DIY projects. It’s a fun, quick read that will inspire you both in your faith and in your creating abilities.
14. Breaking Busy by Alli Worthington. This book is an encouragement to focus on God’s purpose for our lives and not to get distracted by everything else around us. 

Business

1. Money Making Mom by Crystal Paine. I love Crystal Paine’s blog moneysavingmom.com and her other two books, so I was super excited to read this one. It’s a great book for any mom trying to decide what to do to help bring in extra income.
2. Soar! by T.D. Jakes. This book is both a practical hands-on book as well as inspirational to help anybody get a business off the ground.
3. Business Boutique by Christy Wright. This book is a guide for women who are interested in starting a business. It’s a nice step-by-step approach.
4. Called to Create by Jordan Raynor. I really enjoyed this book. It’s a reminder that we are most like our Creator when we create. It’s a fascinating book filled with the stories of the companies we know and love like Chick-Fil-A, In-N-Out Burger, TOMS shoes, and many more. 
5. The Fringe Hours by Jessica Turner. I love this book. Jessica helps women to find time in their schedules to do the things they love.

Homeschool

1. The Well-Trained Mind by Susan Wise Bauer and Jessica Wise. For those of us are interested in classical education, this is the flagship book. The book is over 800 pages, so it’s quite a task to read. It reads quickly, though and has lots of book suggestions.
2. The Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller. This book motivates any parent or teacher to get children to read more books using the philosophy recommended in her book. It’s a good read and has great book suggestions.
3. The Read-Aloud Family by Sarah MacKenzie. I absolutely love Sarah MacKenzie and her Read Aloud Revival Podcast. Her much-anticipated book just came out this year and is chock full of amazing book lists for every age!

Best Books I’ve Read (these I always recommend)

1.  Imagine Heaven by John Burke. This amazing book will challenge the way you think about Heaven and Jesus and the future awaiting us.
2. The Hardest Peace by Kara Tippetts. This beautiful story of God’s grace in a young mom in the midst of her hardest trial will touch you deeply. Keep the tissues handy; you will need them!
3. The Harry Potter Series by J. K. Rowling. Obviously, this series is incredibly successful and popular and rightly so. The books are amazing works of fiction. I picked them up last summer and couldn’t put them down. I read the entire series in just a few weeks.
4. Uninvited by Lysa TerKeurst. Another favorite of mine, I give this book away all the time as gifts. It’s an encouragement for any woman in any stage of life who feels lonely and needs to be reminded of God’s unfailing love.
5. Kisses from Katie by Katie Davis. This book will touch your heart as you follow Katie’s story of leaving behind her life in America to love on children in Uganda and the incredible impact she has there.

Happy Summer and Happy Reading!