13 Comments
User's avatar
Katy O.'s avatar

Michelle, it always amazes me how similar our reading tastes are, but I still always end up finding new recommendations in your newsletters - thank you! Also, I adore every title in your Seaside Settings category - they are all just delectable ♡

Expand full comment
Michelle Martin's avatar

Oh, I'm so happy to hear the seaside reads are Katy approved! That makes me even more excited for them. I'm looking forward to hearing what you read this summer, too ◡̈

Expand full comment
Alexandra Kelebay's avatar

Love this Michelle! Such a great tip to borrow concepts from self-help books to apply to our reading lives. Also, everything on your list is on mine 😂 minus the ones I’ve read (Good Americans and The God of the Woods—you’re in for a treat!). As a perpetual grad student I love having a framework for everything so I’m going to give this a try too!

Expand full comment
Michelle Martin's avatar

Hahaha, perhaps it was all my years of working in higher education that gave me a love for framework too 😂

Expand full comment
Alexandra Kelebay's avatar

Oops and obviously I meant Real Americans!

Expand full comment
Olivia's avatar

The “literary beach read”!!!! The term I have been searching for! I just read J. Courtney Sullivan’s Maine (per your rec, I believe!) & LOVED it so I will definitely be adding some of these to my summertime tbr! Thank you!

Expand full comment
Michelle Martin's avatar

It's my favorite genre that I'm always on the hunt for more of!

Expand full comment
Alexandra Kelebay's avatar

MAINE was so good!!! One of my all time faves and also started my obsession with this sub-genre 🥰

Expand full comment
Natalie McGlocklin's avatar

I wrote a post declaring my summer TBR and promptly changed it the next week. I love making stacks and piles and then forgetting it all for whatever strikes my mood. I just added The God of the Woods and Birnam Wood to my summer TBR too!

Expand full comment
Michelle Martin's avatar

Natalie, yes, inevitably I will edit & delete this list numerous times before the summer comes to an end 😂 bookworm problems...

Expand full comment
Jessica Grosman's avatar

Great advice! I already created my summer TBR list after getting so overwhelmed with so many recommendations, but I also can allow some flexibility. Currently on vacation in Sweden & Norway; I read Housemates, then Swift River. I just started All Fours, which I’ll likely finish by the time I get home to a stack of books waiting for me!

Expand full comment
Michelle Martin's avatar

What good vacation reading, enjoy it!!

Expand full comment
Abra McAndrew's avatar

I love the three word method! My aspirational fashion words are Smart/Timeless, Desert, Fun. I never thought of trying to apply it to my reading style. How creative and also how similar mine might be to my fashion words, just sub dry-witted for Desert… hmmm.

Expand full comment