Starr Struck Summer Reading List

It's the second week in June, so you know what that means...SUMMER READING LIST TIME! Plus, since I'm fresh off of my recent vacay, one in which I read almost the entire trip, good books are on my mind ;)

As I hope you know by now, there are few things in life that I enjoy as much as a delving into a well-written book, so I'm excited to share what's on my list for this summer and a few of my recent reads/recommendations (for your summer reading list, perhaps...). 

What's on your must-read list? Have any good recommendations for me? I'm always looking for them...

My Summer Reading List

• And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini: I'm currently reading this book, and it's amazing. From the author of The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns, Hosseini's books are a total must-read.  

• The House at Tyneford by Natasha Solomons: Recommended by a friend, so I'm reading it. Know nothing about it, but that won't stop me!

• The Silver Star by Jeanette Walls: The author of one of my top 5 books, The Glass Castle. Cannot wait to read her newest book (I also recommend Half Broke Horses, her other fabulous novel). 
• The Secret-Keeper by Kate Morton: Recommended by a friend who has impeccable literary taste, this one sounds juicy. I also loved another one of Morton's books, The House at Riverton. 
• Mrs. Bridge by Evan S. Connell: Not sure how I've never read this one, but I haven't! Thus, it will happen this summer. 
• The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald: I've read this book twice in my life, but it's been a long time and I think I should read it again. Maybe before seeing the movie (that's how I usually like to do things).
• Creative, Inc.: The Ultimate Guide to Running a Successful Freelance Business by  Joy Cho and Meg Mateo Ilasco: I LOVED Blog, Inc. (see below), so this one is coming up next. I've heard great things!

Your Summer Reading List

• Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls by David Sedaris: Please don't tell me that you aren't a David Sedaris fan. If you're not, I don't think we can be friends. This is his newest and it's just as fabulous as his others. Snarky, self-deprecating, and totally human. I heart DS. 
• Blog, Inc. by Joy Cho: A great read for bloggers--whether you're seasoned or just starting out, I definitely recommend it! I wish I'd read it when I started Starr Struck a few years ago...would have saved me TONS of time!
• The Burgess Boys: A Novel by Elizabeth Strout: I'm a recent Strout convert, and although I think her work can be difficult to get into at times, I definitely recommend The Burgess Boys. I also recently read Olive Kitteridge by Strout, but I enjoyed this work a bit more. She's a VERY talented writer, that's for sure!

• Breaking Night by Liz Murray: Um, wow. This memoir chronicles Murray's crazy difficult childhood in a home of two drug-addicted parents, and then out onto the streets as a homeless teenager, and eventually, to Harvard. It's amazing, and although heart-breaking at times, I couldn't recommend it more. 
• All 3 novels by Gillian Flynn--Gone Girl, Sharp Objects, and Dark Places: If you're looking to be freaked out a little bit, but also want to read a book that you can't put down (simply because it's so twisted and creepy!), I recommend Flynn's books. Again, don't judge me for recommending them, as they really are pretty messed up, but I thought they were entertaining reads. [Don't say I didn't warn you!]
• Middlesex: A Novel by Jeffrey Eugenides: I'd been meaning to read this for years, and finally did a few months ago. I'm a big fan of Eugenides and thought this was a very eye-opening read. At times it was somewhat upsetting and/or graphic, but again, I think it's worth it. 
• The Smart One by Jennifer Close: Oh, Jennifer Close, the author of Girls in White Dresses, a novel that I feel I  would have written if I could write as well as she can and decided to write a book about a group of girls my age. I love Jennifer Close, simply because I feel like I'm friends with all of her characters, and I think this is a really good beach or pool-side read. It's not too intense (emotionally), but I couldn't put it down. 

I hope this is enough to get you started! 

*Please note that I intentionally didn't put any yoga teaching or yoga-related books on this list, as I like summer reading books that don't feel like studying or deeper, spiritual reading (which most of my yoga-related recommendations can be). I hope this doesn't make you think I'm a bad yogi ;)

Happy reading, everyone!