11 Fun Summer Reads for Moms

Summer is just a few weeks away, which means you need something to fill in all your suddenly empty hours, right? Brenda Priddy has compiled a list of 11 fun summer reads for moms that you’ll want to check out!

I love summer for many reasons, but one of the main reasons is because I have more time to read. We homeschool, which means most of my day during the school year is filled with educational pursuits in addition to other home and work duties, leaving little time for recreational reading.

Of course, being honest, few mothers have time for many “heavy” reads during the summer, which is why all the books on this list are easy and manageable! I’ve divided my recommendations into genres so everyone can select their favorite.

Contemporary Fiction

All of these contemporary novels offer something a little different for the reader, but none of them are too heavy for a summer read.

What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty

This book focuses on the amnesia of the main character. It takes a look at what could happen if you forget a period of your life—for Alice, the 10 years between age 28 and age 38. This story is clean, fun, and ends happily, which is what I like in a summer read.

Shopaholic Series by Sophie Kinsella

When I read this series, I devoured it from first book to last. Each book could be read in under 4 hours. The main character, Becky, is cute and fun, and has a shopping problem. I liked how she still was smart and fun even while being a little careless and selfish.

The Deepest Secret by Carla Buckley

This is a little darker than the other two books, and doesn’t end very happily, but I liked the progression of events in the story. The story focuses on a family who has a son who cannot be exposed to any UV rays. As the story unfolds, we get to see how an illness (even though this one is mainly fictional) can affect an entire family in surprising ways.

Romance

I’m not a huge romance reader, but there are some that I really love. My favorite romance reads are light-hearted, fun, and non-explicit.

The Bride Wore Chocolate by Shirley Jump

This book is about a woman who is about to get married, when she suddenly runs into a mysterious stranger who turns her world upside down. My favorite part of this book was the relationship between the main character and her grandmother- and the recipes at the start of every chapter.

Baehrly Breathing by Elizabeth A Reeves

I’m not quite sure how to classify this book, since it contains elements of fantasy, romance, and mystery, but the overall feeling the book has is one of romance, which is why I’m putting it here. This story is fun because the characters are mythical (Goldie has a menagerie of mythical creatures and is herself a sort of witch-were hybrid) and it reminds me a lot of the Artemis Fowl series for children. But there is plenty of romance in there to keep any romance-lover happy, and the entire tone is fun and light. There are an entire series of Goldie books, which is fun.

Young Adult

Sometimes, YA books are the best to read because they are fast-paced and can have action, but they may not focus on depressing adult topics as much. I am a fan of YA books as a form of escapism from bills and housecleaning. However, all of these YA books are a little more on the emotional side—just for fair warning.

The Woodlands Series by Lauren Nicolle Taylor

This series of dystopian YA books starts out much like Divergent, but I like where it goes much better. This is one of my favorite YA dystopian series to date and it covers an emotional reality that I think other YA books often gloss over.

Torn Away by Jennifer Brown

What happens when a tornado kills your mom and sister and you are left alone? Torn Away gives you an up close and personal look at what might happen. Although the book is emotional and covers heavy topics, it still manages to offer some hope and even humor in spots.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Another massive tearjerker; if you haven’t read The Fault in Our Stars yet, do yourself a favor and read it before the movie comes out in June. This book has become one of my favorite YA books of all time.

Classic/Historical

Sometimes it is fun to read old books during the summer as well. None of these books are too heavy, which makes them perfect for reading in short spurts as you have time.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

Jane Eyre is one of my all-time favorite books because Jane is a strong, independent, and funny woman. I love how she doesn’t allow Mr. Rochester to take advantage of her and always sticks to what she believes in even when it means she literally is thrown out onto the streets.

The Spymistress by Jennifer Chiaverini

This book is fun and historical all at the same time. The Spymistress focuses on Elizabeth Van Lew, a real woman from the Civil War who was a spy for the Union while living in the South. While embellished, the story is inspiring and pretty historically accurate.

Parnasus on Wheels by Christopher Morley

I just uncovered this gem recently in my Book Riot Quarterly box, and I was extremely happy I read it. It is a cute novella about a woman who goes on an adventure with a traveling bookseller. You can read this book in as little as one day.

These are just a few books that would be fun summer reads for moms. Just make sure to invest in a good bookmark because you will be interrupted while you read! My daughters take any time I am reading as an open invitation to ask for food, hugs, and other favors. 🙂

Brenda is a mom of two girls (aged 8 and 1), a writer, and a confirmed bookworm. She blogs at Daily Mayo about books, writing, and fun. Want to keep up with Brenda? Follow her on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, or sign up for the Daily Mayo e-mail list! If you like reading, check out Brenda’s ideas for hosting a book-themed birthday party.

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