This summer was full of reading! The books I read were honestly all over the place but each one was so good in their own way! I explain what all of them were about below and I think that they are great summer reading books but also perfect for any time of the year! I’m not one to read certain books during specific times of the year so feel free to read any of these at any point throughout the year! This is my summer book review of 2023!
Summer Book Review: 2023
Slammed
By: Colleen Hoover
To kick off my summer book review, I’ll start with Slammed by Colleen Hoover. My mom and I have been on a huge Colleen Hoover kick this year which you will discover throughout this blog post. She recommended this book and said that it is one of her most underrated stories. I hesitantly read it considering it was the first book she ever published. It’s safe to say that it was one of my favorite books of hers to read this summer.
Slammed is a story about a young girl, Layken, who moves across the country with her mom and brother after the unexpected death of her father. When she arrives at her new home, she and her brother immediately connect with their neighbors across the street and a love interest begins between her and the older brother, Will. As they begin their relationship there are many hurdles that come between them and their relationship. It is only through poetry that they are able to share their true feelings in and out of their relationship.
This book took a minute to get into, however, once the first twist happened I was hooked. I read this book in 18 hours once I really got into it. The main aspect that I loved was the constant pivots the story takes. The plot twists and shocking revelations really pull you in and keep your attention very well. It’s a story about love, family, forgiveness and growth. It will teach you and probably move you with the underlying message that it holds.
Summer book review: Slammed | 8/10
The Latte Factor
By: David Bach
I’ve read the Latte Factor before but decided to read it again this summer. This book is perfect if you are in a stage of life where finances aren’t exactly great or if you are trying to change your spending habits. This is a very easy book to read about changing your mindset around being able to afford the life that you want.
This is a fictional story about a girl who wants to travel to Europe but is struggling to save money. She complains frequently about not having enough money for the traveling she wants to do in her life. However, once someone changes her perspective on how she is spending her money and that she can actually afford the things she’s wanting, she is able to adjust her approach to her finances.
This is a book that I think everyone should read. If I had read this book before college, I think I would have handled my little finances very differently. I read this for the first time as a young married adult and am so grateful that I did. I no longer say “we can’t afford that” or “that’s just not possible”. Since my husband has gone back to school to study law, I decided to reread this to help me gain perspective as we adjust our lives financially. No matter what season of life you are in, I highly suggest reading this book and also reading his other best seller Smart Women Finish Rich.
Summer book review: The Latte Factor | 7/10
November 9th
By: Colleen Hoover
I have heard so many people talk about November 9th by Colleen Hoover for the last year and a half. So, I decided to finally read it this summer! Let me tell you, it was a beautiful story. There is humor, excitement, sadness, heartbreak and happiness throughout the story.
This is a story about a girl named Fallon who survived a traumatic house fire that altered her acting career and her life. One morning she meets Ben and instantly connects with him. The issue is that the same day she meets Ben is the same day she is moving across the country. Instead of dating long distance, they choose to meet on the same day every year for the next five years. Each year something happens that causes them to question their feelings for the other person. However, they always find themselves showing up.
This was a cute and unique storyline and the writing has you captivated to know what happens next. The revelations made throughout the story are unique and different from any story I’ve read. I will say that Colleen Hoover is very talented at creating plot twists and changes in the scenario that changes your predictions of the story line.
Summer Book Review: November 9th | 7/10
Ugly Love
By: Colleen Hoover
Ugly Love is probably one of my top 3 Colleen Hoover books that I have read. This story was beautiful from beginning to end. From the hilarious first encounter to the beautiful love story that they try not to write. This is a story of two people who are trying to find themselves and trying their hardest not to fall for each other.
Tate is moving in with her brother while she finishes her nursing school program. When she moves in, she meets Miles, her brother’s neighbor. With an interesting and funny first encounter, they begin to develop a friendship and eventually feelings for one another. Miles doesn’t want a relationship and no one knows why. Throughout the story, he slowly begins to evolve but you don’t know if he will ever be able to commit.
Without giving away too many details, this is a love story that is also about forgiveness. The heartbreak that this story holds is heavy and will have you feeling heavy emotions that make you have to finish the book to know what happens. However, it is a beautifully written story.
Summer Book Review: Ugly Love | 9/10
The Nightingale
By: Kristin Hannah
The final book on my summer book review list is my favorite, The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. It took a little bit of time for me to get through at first, I will admit. However, once I finally got interested in the stories, I was hooked. This is a long story but every detail holds power in what happens next which will hold your attention.
This story follows two sisters, Vianne and Isabelle, in France during World War II. As both of their lives are uprooted when Germany invades France during WW ll. The women are left behind to keep themselves and their family alive as the world begins to fall apart. Each of them embark on their own story of survival while helping in the war however they can. It is a beautiful story about resilience and the bravery of women during this time in history.
Kristin Hannah writes an incredibly riveting story that will break your heart and fill you with so much passion and determination. You will feel like your issues are so small compared to what the characters experience. This book will move you and make you feel so many different emotions as you experience everything alongside the characters. I highly recommend this book!
Summer Book Review: The Nightingale rating | 10/10
Summer Book Review Conclusion
Each of these books were wonderful in their own unique way! Whether you are looking for a self development book, a love story or a riveting fictional novel, I would honestly recommend any of these books! My summer book review had a great group of 5 books on it and I thoroughly enjoyed each one of them!
If you haven’t read any of Colleen Hoover’s books and are interested in whether she is worth all the hype that everyone is making, I have a separate blog post that explains my honest thoughts. All three authors that were featured this summer are incredibly talented at what they write about.
I have a full list that I’m already reading through for the fall and I will tell you now that it’s going to be a great round up! You can see what I recommended last fall or what I read last summer and last fall. As always, if you have any recommendations, please send me your favorite books!