Check out this list of books to read so you can sit down, relax, and enjoy a good story.

Everybody loves to read in the summer. The pace of life slows down a little bit, and you finally have time to lounge around for days on end. It’s finally the time to invest in what you personally want to do, instead of being bogged down by exams and meetings. You can definetily get to a point where you are craving for a list of books to read for this sleepy time.

One of the top questions I get is: What the heck should I read? Do you have any book suggestions?

And let me tell you, I friggin love to read. Some people binge-watch Friends to get their energy back up, and I read. I need information in an IV, if I could. It’s kind of weird, but hey, we all work differently.

So without further ado, here is a list of books to read for this summer.

1. The Road Back To You

You guys, this book changed my life. This is all about the Enneagram, which is a personality test to find out the WHY behind what you do. I sometimes am skeptical of personality tests, but this one has completely helped me understand myself on a whole ‘nother level. For one, it’s really hard to figure out your type. It will take a lot of soul searching. But once you do, you can start to understand yourself better and give yourself grace for your pitfalls. You can also understand your friends and family better, and love them when you know that they are steeping into what’s comfortable for them. I also want to do a separate post on the Enneagram just because I find it to be so, so important.

Quote I love:

How, as John Calvin put it, “without knowledge of self there is no knowledge of God.” – Ian Cron, The Road Back To You

2. Uninvited

I have found that in the summer, it’s easy to feel a bit lonely. You are away from most of your best friends, and it’s more of a quieter time of self-reflection. You’ll probably spend more time by yourself, if we are being honest. I know that’s how it is with me. So with this season, it’s good to be reminded of even if we feel lonely, we are never truly alone. Lysa Terkeurst is one of my favorite authors, and this book can help remind yourself of where your worth is found. And how even if you feel a bit rejected, you are enough.

Quote I love:

“The mind feasts on what it focuses on. What consumes my thinking will be the making or the breaking of my identity.” – Lysa Terkeurst, Uninvited.

3. Unbroken

Louie Zamperini is my hero, flat out. This book is all about his life, the Olympian who was stranded in the middle of the Pacific Ocean for close to 40 days, and then was captured by the Japanese and was tortured in a POW (Prisoners of War) camp. And he lived to be 97 years old. If that’s not hope, I don’t know what is.

The great thing about Zamperini’s story is how much you can see God working. I see God alongside him through all the pain and suffering: giving him hope, and helping him survive. It’s a beautiful story, and though it’s hard to take in, Zamperini’s strength is incredibly inspiring.

Quote I love:

“When he thought of his history, what resonated with him now was not all that he had suffered but the divine love that he believed had intervened to save him.” – Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

4. Everybody, Always

Bob Goff is such a joyful soul. The concept of “Love Everybody Always” was started by Willow Creek Church in one of my best friend’s hometown of Barrington, a suburb of Chicago. Goff took this concept and made a book about it- how you can devote your entire life to loving people. Even people who creep you out. His adventurous attitude and zeal for life is contagious, and this book is definitely worth the read.

“When joy is a habit, love is a reflex.” – Everybody, Always by Bob Goff

5. For the Love

I will forever be a fan of Jen Hatmaker. I am not kidding, I almost cry laughing when reading this book. She is hilarious. If you want to laugh, but also learn about God and cooking – I’d highly recommend this book. Jen truly helps me become more joyful, and a little bit more self-deprecating.

“Instead of waiting for community, provide it, and you’ll end up with it anyway.” – For the Love by Jen Hatmaker

So I hope by now you are feeling pretty darn excited to get your nose in a book and enjoy some quality time with helpful words. We all need soul-food, and the summer is the perfect time to invest in what will help you become the best person you can be.

In the meantime, Imma grab a coffee, plop down on the couch, and open a book. Writing about it is getting me in one heck of a mood.