Required Summer Reading for 2022

I have been an avid reader for some time (here are some of my favorites last year!), and while the end of 2021 was not a big time for books in my life, I have started back up again in full force this year. I dove in deep, mostly with fiction, but with nonfiction thrown in as well, adding in some authors I have been hearing about for years but whose books I never picked up.

We’re in the middle of summer already, but there’s still time left to grab a great book and head outside (or stay inside when it’s too hot!), so to that end, here are the books I think are must-reads for the summer of 2022.

1) Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
So far, this is my favorite book of the year…and one of my all-time favorites, which is a very short list! As you’ll see below, Taylor Reid Jenkins has become one of my favorite authors, and her writing style in this novel is compelling. It’s set interview style, which is not normally my cup of tea, but I was hooked after a few pages. The story was so gripping that I didn’t realize it was fiction until about 2/3 of the way through when I went to look up the actual band and couldn’t find them! It’s a story about love, heartbreak, and unmet wishes, and it’s both beautiful and tragic from beginning to end.

2) They Ask, You Answer by Marcus Sheridan
If you are running a business or in marketing, this is a must-read - and it’s the only nonfiction book to make this list. It’s an easily digestible but incredibly helpful business book that goes over basic concepts in compelling ways. You’ll walk away with a whole lot of knowledge, new ideas, and evidence to back up your strategies.

3) The Mountain Story by Lori Lansens
I love a book with a good twist, and this one has several! There were a few I saw coming and one that I definitely did not predict. I would never guess the ending by the way the book starts, and I found myself wanting to read just one more chapter every time I picked it up. It’s a fun read that involves some real-life tragedy, and I loved it.

4) Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Another Taylor Jenkins Reid classic, this story is both fun and serious, and the character development is phenomenal. I found myself rooting harder for the main character than I have in a long time, while still seeing some of her most major flaws. The end is satisfying but realistic, happy but not fairytale, and it’s one I may read again in the future.

Those are my top four of 2022, and I’m in the middle of another great one right now! Tell me: what should I read before the end of the year?