What’s On My Summer 2022 Reading List? Here Are Some Book Recs
Welcome to Summer 2022. We aren’t even halfway through this year and it’s already been a pretty crazy one. Whether we’re preparing for even more excitement or if we’re manifesting some rest this summer, perhaps you can find a book, or a few that you’d like to read from this list. A few interests and intentions have driven my summer reading list this year, including recent hurdles in the women’s rights movement, environmental crisis, and my own personal challenges as well. Feel free to read along with me this summer, as I embark on the following readings over the next few months.
‘Difficult Women’ by Roxane Gay
I have been so intrigued by a genre that’s been getting a lot of headway lately: Female rage. A step up from feminist text, texts of female rage are guided by anger and emotions. They uncover injustices, expose wrongs, and reveal the ugly and horrific results of patriarchal systems. I have read Roxane Gay’s memoir ‘Hunger,’ which exceeded my expectations and gave me new perspectives on body image, and the female body’s place in society. I look forward to reading ‘Difficult Women,’ because from the title, I’m expecting to read about women who have broken rules and challenged structures that have been set up to oppress them. I loved her honest and relatable voice in ‘Hunger’ so I’m sure this book will also be just as engaging.
‘The Woman Destroyed’ by Simone de Beauvoir
In three fictional stories, Simone de Beauvoir’s ‘The Woman Destroyed’ is supposed to shine light on the hardships three different women have faced in their adulthood, causing a fall out of passion. While it seems like it would be sad to read about the struggles of these women, I hope that there is a twinge of revenge, empowerment, or some other light on the other side of these stories. If not, perhaps I could expect a call-to-action or an invitation to investigate systemic problems further. Either way, I look forward to this read, as I’ve heard great things about the book before.
‘SweetBitter’ by Stephanie Danler
This coming-of-age novel is one that I’m pretty excited to read this summer because I feel as though I’m in a similar place to the protagonist, judging from the book’s description. ‘Sweetbitter‘ follows a young woman moving to New York, the protagonist has to navigate knowing no one in a big city, and seeing how dreams and reality don’t always line up perfectly.
‘Mean Baby’ by Selma Blair
I took an English course focused on Memoirs not too long ago, and it’s really opened my eyes to a genre I didn’t give much thought to beforehand. After falling in love with listening to the stories people had to tell about their lives, I am excited to pursue reading more and more memoirs including ‘Mean Baby’ by Selma Blair. A coming-of-age slash girls growing up book is one that I can pretty much guarantee I’ll love. Meanwhile, the description of ‘Mean Baby’ seems quite similar to another memoir I love, ‘Hypocrite in a Pouffy White Dress’ by Susan Gilman. I look forward to some spunk in this summer read.
‘F*ck Like a Goddess’, Multiple Authors
Is this TMI? Nah. I have been seeing this book all over social media and I’m obsessed with the theme it communicates about women reclaiming their bodies, their sexuality and their feminine power. Feeling both strong and feminine simultaneously is an invigorating feeling and one society tends to repress. I love the air of celebration around this book, so I’m excited to give it a read this summer.
‘Good Girl Complex’ by Elle Kennedy
It’s not often that I let myself dip my toes into a guilty pleasure romance book, but it’s usually the summertime that I find myself coming around and turning the pages quickly on a sweet and sexy romance novel. So, naturally, I had to throw myself a bone this year and I’m excited to give Elle Kennedy’s stories a go. This book follows a people pleaser who does everything for everyone else, and with those qualities sometimes in myself, I hope this read will inspire more passion behind action.
‘Exciting Times’ by Naoise Dolan
Because I’m in that chapter of my own life, I’ve been really enjoying the coming-of-age, thrust into the real-world trope in stories. Navigating uncertainty always makes for a great story, but in ‘Exciting Times,’ I look forward to seeing how even what seems like the most mundane and unexciting of times can turn exciting rather quickly. From this book’s reviews, I look forward to the fun and fast-paced enjoyment this book has to offer.
What books are on your summer 2022 reading list? Let us know in the comments!
These all sound awesome!! Hard to pick one to start with 😱
We feel the same way!! Thanks for reading 🙂