Mrs. LazySpoon’s 2022 Summer Reading Challenge & Booklist

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I’m so excited to share with you my 4^th Annual Summer Reading Challenge and Booklist!

Reading is probably my favourite hobby; however, it’s one of those practices that seem to fall to the wayside once life gets really busy and my reading is consumed with professional development and personal growth literature.

So, every summer for the past three years I have challenged myself to bypass the binge-watching of Netflix series (another hobby I enjoy with The Farmer over the winter) and read a book every day.  It doesn’t have to be the whole book but it is possible depending on the day.

To set myself up for success for the summer reading challenge, I curate the “To Be Read” list ahead of time and share it with you here. My goal is to read 10 titles between May long weekend and the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend in October.

Reading has proven to have MANY health benefits like stress reduction, improved cognitive function, increased empathy for others and, reading is an excellent practice to have as part of your evening routine to help with sleep readiness. Basically, reading is exercise for your brain!

Since I shared my first challenge in 2019, I’ve created a Facebook Bookclub where other wonderful readers follow along with me or share other books that they’re reading. If you haven’t already joined the book club, you can do that here. I love that we’ve built a reading community where we share book recommendations and talk about what we loved (or hated) about the books we’re reading throughout the summer. I think it’s awesome when friends recommend a book and this space has become a great little group of book lovers sharing what they’re reading and what they think about the books we’ve read. There are often giveaways too!

I’ve already gathered many of this year’s titles during my trips to the city where I dreamily wandered the aisles of Chapters sipping a steaming London Fog with Oatmilk. Seriously, is there anything better than brand new books? Well no BUT, I know many of you borrow books from the public library which is amazing so this is your cue to place holds on these titles ASAP.

Here it is my friends! My 2022 Summer Reading List for this year’s summer reading challenge. Just click on the book title to order your copy!

How many books do you plan to read this summer?

Mrs. LazySpoon’s 2022 Summer Reading List

Looking for Jane by Heather Marshall

“A masterful debut novel about three women whose lives are bound together by a long-lost letter, a mother’s love, and a secret network of women fighting for the right to choose—inspired by true stories.

Weaving together the lives of three women, Looking for Jane is an unforgettable debut about the devastating consequences that come from a lack of choice—and the enduring power of a mother’s love.“~!ndigo

Trigger warning: abortion, miscarriage, infertility

The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller

“A story of summer, secrets, love, and lies: in the course of a singular day on Cape Cod, one woman must make a life-changing decision that has been brewing for decades. Tender yet devastating, The Paper Palace considers the tensions between desire and dignity, the legacies of abuse, and the crimes and misdemeanours of families.” ~!ndigo

Trigger warning: sexual abuse

One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle

“A powerful novel about the transformational love between mothers and daughters set on the breathtaking Amalfi Coast.”

Serle has crafted a transcendent novel about how we move on after loss, and how the people we love never truly leave us.~!ndigo

The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley

“From the New York Times bestselling author of The Guest List comes a new locked room mystery, set in a Paris apartment building in which every resident has something to hide…The socialite – The nice guy – The alcoholic – The girl on the verge – The conciergeEveryone”s a neighbour. Everyone’s a suspect. And everyone knows something they’re not telling.” ~!ndigo

The Maid by Nita Prose

“A dead body is one mess she can’t clean up on her own.

Both a Clue-like, locked-room mystery and a heartwarming journey of the spirit, The Maid explores what it means to be the same as everyone else and yet entirely different—and reveals that all mysteries can be solved through connection to the human heart.” ~!ndigo

Code Name Hélène by Ariel Lawhon

“Based on the thrilling real-life story of a socialite spy and astonishing woman who killed a Nazi with her bare hands and went on to become one of the most decorated women in WWII.

Told in interweaving timelines organized around the four code names Nancy used during the war, Code Name Hélène is a spellbinding and moving story of enduring love, remarkable sacrifice and unfaltering resolve that chronicles the true exploits of a woman who deserves to be a household name.“~!ndigo

*Full disclosure, I actually swapped this title in at the last minute to replace Between Two Kingdoms a.) because I didn’t have a realistic fiction novel set during WWII which is my FAVOURITE genre and b.) it seemed like a book that would totally bum me out and I didn’t want that kind of energy in my life over the summer.

True Biz by Sara Nović

“This is a story of sign language and lip-reading, disability and civil rights, isolation and injustice, first love and loss, and, above all, great persistence, daring, and joy. Absorbing and assured, idiosyncratic and relatable, this is an unforgettable journey into the Deaf community and a universal celebration of human connection.” ~!ndigo

The Four Wind by Kristen Hannah

“The Four Winds is a rich, sweeping novel that stunningly brings to life the Great Depression and the people who lived through it—the harsh realities that divided us as a nation and the enduring battle between the haves and the have-nots. A testament to hope, resilience, and the strength of the human spirit to survive adversity, The Four Winds is an indelible portrait of America and the American dream, as seen through the eyes of one indomitable woman whose courage and sacrifice will come to define a generation.” ~!ndigo

The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams

“Set during the height of the women’s suffrage movement and with the Great War looming, The Dictionary of Lost Words reveals a lost narrative, hidden between the lines of a history written by men. Inspired by actual events, author Pip Williams has delved into the archives of the Oxford English Dictionary to tell this highly original story. The Dictionary of Lost Words is a delightful, lyrical, and deeply thought-provoking celebration of words and the power of language to shape the world.” ~!ndigo

Book Lovers by Emily Henry

“One summer. Two rivals. A plot twist they didn’t see coming…

If Nora knows she’s not an ideal heroine, Charlie knows he’s nobody’s hero, but as they are thrown together again and again—in a series of coincidences no editor worth their salt would allow—what they discover might just unravel the carefully crafted stories they’ve written about themselves.” ~!ndigo

Reading to Grow

I’m almost always listening to an audiobook or podcast during my commute to work or on my drives into the city. These titles are often personal growth or biographies that leave me feeling inspired and motivated to continue living my best life. Here are the three I have on my playlist for this summer.

Smarter, Faster Better by Charles Duhigg

“From the bestselling author of The Power of Habit comes a fascinating new book exploring the science of productivity, and why, in today’s world, managing how you think–rather than what you think about–can transform your life.” ~!ndigo

The Body Keeps The Score by Bessel van der Kolk, M.D.

“In The Body Keeps the Score, Dr. Bessel van der Kolk uses recent scientific advances to show how trauma literally reshapes both body and brain, compromising sufferers’ capacities for pleasure, engagement, self-control, and trust. He explores innovative treatments—from neurofeedback and meditation to sports, drama, and yoga—that offer new paths to recovery by activating the brain’s natural neuroplasticity.” ~!ndigo