Whoops! This post is coming to you late, mostly because I’m ashamed at how little I’ve been reading! There’s a weird combination of settling into a new work routine (although it’s been two months, so I probably can’t use that excuse much longer), and having the hardest time getting into anything. I’m not sure I’ll be able to hit my goal of 52 books this year, but who knows! All the more reason to be glad I hit my travel goal, to be honest. The reading has picked up a bit lately, but for now, here are the books I finished earlier this summer…

The Nightingale, Kristin Hannah

This is literally the only book I read in June. To the surprise of nobody, it’s World War II historical fiction set in France – aka my favorite very specific genre (I read All the Light We Cannot See while lying on a beach in the Bahamas in March). I was thrilled that The Nightingale focused on the women “left behind” while their husbands were at war, and shed light on everything women did for their families and their countries. I highly recommend it. Four stars

Eleanor & Park, Rainbow Rowell

My best friend suggested I read some Rainbow Rowell when I said I was struggling to find anything, and I remembered reading and loving Attachments several years ago, so I got Eleanor & Park on audiobook and listened to it. It’s young adult, sure, but a great, realistic story. And it was SUCH a nice change to read a book with an ambiguous ending – and no promise of a sequel. Sometimes things should be left up to the imagination! But if that would bother you – this isn’t your book. Three stars

Under the Banner of Heaven, Jon Krakauer

After so many novels in a row I went on a non-fiction kick, specifically non-fiction written by journalists. There’s a bit of controversy over how accurately Under the Banner of Heaven portrays modern-day Mormons, but I found at least the historical pieces to be extremely educational. This book is part history, part crime thriller, and 100% journalistic. Three stars

The End of the Perfect 10, Dvora Meyers

This book came out in the lead-up to the Olympics and I bought it right away. I’m a huge gymnastics fan (and not just every four years!) so it was fascinating to get an in-depth look at how scoring and the sport have changed over time. Even though I already knew the basics of the changes, I loved reading exclusive interviews and getting different perspectives. Highly recommend if you’re a sports fan in general, and if you loved watching Team USA dominate in Rio! Four stars, due to an overabundance of unnecessary pop-culture references

So, that’s where I’m at! Including August so far, I’ve read 27 books this year (52% of my way to 52!) I’m clearly in desperate need of suggestions, so fire away in the comments, and follow me on Goodreads here.