Is there anything better to do in summer than relax outdoors with a good book? As I continue my road to 1000 books, one of my summer goals was to take a break from non-fiction and read more fiction. In today’s post, find out what I’ve been reading and discover my top recommendations from my summer reads.  

Michelle’s Top 5 Summer Reads

As I’m reading more, I find my quarterly reading updates are getting quite long. So, starting with this edition, I’ll choose my top 5 books of he quarter. Here are the top 5 picks from my summer reads.

Hello Beautiful – Ann Napolitano

William is a young basketball player who leaves behind a troubled life in Boston to attend college in Chicago. In his first year of college, he meets the beautiful Julia Padavano and is welcomed into her family by her parents and three sisters. They marry and welcome a daughter, but William’s inner demons drive him away from those who love him.

This is a touching story of the impact of mental health on our loved ones. It’s a tale of strong women, sisterly love, and family bonds that rise above pain and distance. It’s beautifully written and will tug at your heartstrings.

The Summer Guests – Tess Gerritsen

A teenager vanishes in a sleepy Maine town, and retired spy Maggie Bird’s neighbour becomes a prime suspect. Determined to prove her neighbour’s innocence, Maggie joins the investigation. Then, police discover a corpse in a nearby pond and the investigation takes a sinister turn—revealing long-buried secrets and elaborate cover-ups.

This book caught my eye on the shelf at the public library and I’m glad it did. I couldn’t put it down and will look for more from this author.

Here One Moment – Liane Moriarty

If you knew the cause and age of your death, would it change how you live your life? That’s a question passengers on a short domestic flight were faced with after a strange passenger made such a prediction for each of them. When three of the passengers die as she predicted in the months following the flight, other passengers are faced with life-changing decisions. Can they cheat fate? Or were the three deaths purely coincidental?

Moriarty is a terrific storyteller and I loved this book. It definitely inspired some thought. 

Hope – Pope Francis

Released just a few weeks before his death, this is Pope Francis’ autobiography.

Reading it confirmed what I always knew about the late Pope. He is a wise and humble man. In addition to his life story, the book shares his thoughts on war, compassion for migrants, AI, the future of the church, and more. It’s an inspiring read. See my book review for more information.

The Serviceberry – Robin Wall Kimmerer

This is a little book—just 100 pages—but it is packed full of wisdom on every page.

The book dives into the Indigenous principle of reciprocity, and contrasts the market economy driven by greed and scarcity with the gift economy fuelled by gratitude and reciprocity. It gave me so much to think about.

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Summer reading update – Fiction

Nighttime is My Time – Mary Higgins Clark

I’m a big fan of Mary Higgins Clark and I’ve read most of her books. When this one popped up in a Kindle promotional email, I decided to put it on my iPad to read on our vacation.

Higgins Clark is a master of suspense and this book did not disappoint. Jean Sheridan returns to her hometown to be honoured at her school reunion, but something sinister is going on. Five of her six high school friends have died suddenly under mysterious circumstances, and soon after the reunion, the sixth goes missing. Who is responsible and would Jean be next?

Final Scream – Lisa Jackson

The Buchanans are a wealthy family in the small town of Prosperity. Angie and Cassidy, their two teenage daughters, find themselves competing for the attention of farmhand Brig McKenzie. When a mysterious fire takes Angie’s life, Brig disappears under a cloud of suspicion and the rest of the family puts the pieces of their lives together

Seventeen years later, Cassidy is married to Brig’s brother Chase. Another mysterious fire leaves Chase near death and takes the life of an unknown stranger. As Cassidy tries to put the pieces of the puzzle together, she learns the shocking truth.  

Jackson is a new author to me and this was the type of chilling suspense novel I always enjoy.

The Housemaid is Watching – Freida McFadden

The third book in the Housemaid series picks up about 12 years after book two. Millie and Enzo are married and parents to 11-year-old Ada and 9-year-old Nico. The family has just moved to a house in Long Island where, of course, something feels just a little bit off.

Between the almost-too-perfect neighbours Suzette and Jonathon, and the odd woman who lives across the street, Millie feels like their family will never fit in. When Suzette takes more than a passing interest in Enzo, Millie suspects something is going on. But she has no idea what’s really happening in the house next door.

I’m not sure if McFadden will continue the series, but I have thoroughly enjoyed the first three books.

Illusionist – Laurie Buchanan

The fifth book in the Sean McPherson series sees a new crop of writers descend on Pines & Quill. Threatening to kill one of the writers’ daughters if he doesn’t comply, crime boss Gambino forces him to kill another guest and frame McPherson for the murder. Once again, Mick, Joe, and Rafferty join together, with the help of a guest who is a famous illusionist, in a race against the clock to save an innocent college student.

Like the other books in the series, this one kept me on the edge of my seat right to the end. I can’t wait for book 6.

Wish You Were Here – Jodi Picoult

This story begins in the early days of the COVID pandemic when New York art specialist Diana O’Toole finds herself alone in the Galapagos islands after her surgical resident boyfriend, Finn, was unable to make the trip due to his hospital obligations. The book provides insight into pandemic losses, struggles, and survivorship from the perspective of front-line workers and patients.

Picoult’s books are always thought provoking as they tackle current issues. While I didn’t enjoy this as much as some of her other books, it was still a good read.

Listen to Me – Tess Gerritsen

This is the 13^th book in the Rizzoli and Isles series, but it’s the first one I’ve read. As Boston homicide detective Jane Rizzoli and medical examiner Maura Isles investigate the senseless murder of a local nurse, Jane’s mother Angela is caught up in a mystery of her own as she follows mysterious happenings on her street.

At first this book felt a little disjointed as there were too many seemingly disconnected stories happening. As I read more, the stories did weave together.

The Boyfriend – Freida McFadden

I enjoyed McFadden’s Housemaid series so much that I decided to read one of her other books. I wasn’t disappointed.

This is the story of Sydney Shaw, a New York accountant searching for Mr. Right. When she meets a handsome doctor, she thinks she hit the jackpot. But something feels off, and her dream guy turns into her worst nightmare.

I think McFadden could be my new favourite author. I’ll definitely be reading more of her books!

Summer reading update – Non-fiction

The Power of Purpose – Richard J. Leider and David A. Shapiro

I bought this book after hearing Leider speak at the Retirement Coaches Association Spring Symposium. Leider and Shapiro have written many books on the topic of purpose. The version I read is the 4^th Edition and has been fully revised and updated from previous editions.

The thing I love about this book is its simplicity. People often think purpose is a big, complicated thing that’s for people who are in a position to change the world. Leider and Shapiro bring it down to a very simple definition, “To grow and to give for life.” and the book provides stories and ideas on ways to do that. 

The Anxious Generation – Jonathan Haidt

It’s no secret that there has been an explosion of mental health issues among Gen Z. This book explores the two main reasons for this increase. The first reason is obvious—the widespread adoption of smartphones and social media. The second may surprise you. It relates to the lack of unstructured free play time for our kids and the disturbing trend of helicopter parenting.

The book offers solutions on how we can turn things around. It’s a must-read for every parent of a child under 18. I wish it had been written before my daughters got their first smart phones.  

Whealthspan – Scott B. Fulton

This is an important book for anyone interested in healthy aging and making the most of the gift of the extra years thanks to increased longevity. Part one lays the foundation and looks at the science, economics and challenges associated with aging. In part two, Fulton dives into practical tips for the five components of his MEDAC framework for healthy aging: Mind, Environment, Diet, Activity, and Community.

Canada is Awesome – Neil Pasricha

After Neil spoke at an Employee Town Hall in February 2020, I was inspired to read The Book of Awesome. It’s an inspiring book about celebrating the simple things in life. Canada is Awesome was a terrific Canada Day read—celebrating everything that is awesome about Canada. 

The road to 1000 books

So, in this three-month period I read 10 fiction and 6 non-fiction books for a total of 16. That’s exactly the same number I read in the three months covered by my last update. Since I started my quest to read 1000 books at the beginning of June 2024, I’ve read a total of 62 books. That’s an average pace of close to 5 books a month.

Summer is winding down but there’s still time to sneak in a few more good reads. is Here are some of the books on my late-summer and fall reading list:

• The Inmate by Freida McFadden
• Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano
• Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney
• The Testaments by Margaret Atwood
• The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins

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What’s on your reading list? Have you read any of the books on my summer reading list? Drop me a comment below to let me know. I’d love to hear your book recommendations.