Just because summer is officially over (although it doesn’t feel like it here in Waco!), that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t still carve out a little time in your schedule for a good vacation-type read. Over the past few months, I’ve done my fair share of diving into fiction, non-fiction, and business books alike. And today, I’m sharing the best of what I read so you can start assembling quite the book-heavy Amazon wishlist. Whether you’re looking for an intriguing mystery or a heartwarming tale of finding yourself, I’ve got you covered with my full reading list from Q3! ????

Building a StoryBrand

Between the re-launch of the Brand Strategy School, my branding client load, and life in general, I didn’t feel like spending too much time with my head in a business book over the summer. Which meant I found myself diving into quite the long list of fiction! And, I have to say, I’m not mad about that. But, I did make time to dive into the one business book it seems like everyone is talking about–Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller.

This book 100% lived up to the hype, and reinforced some messaging strategies I’d learned years ago! I really appreciated the practical layout of this book, as it’s designed to not just be a passive read. Instead, Miller carved out plenty of space in the book itself to guide the reader through prompts that will help them nail down their own brand story. As a business owner, it shared content that I can apply to my own business. But also as an educator in the industry, it’s provided some great nuggets of wisdom that I can pass along to my mentoring or branding clients.

It’s a fairly quick read and it gets my full stamp of approval!

Less: A Novel

This is a whimsical story about a not-so-successful author who finds himself going to extraordinary lengths to avoid his ex-boyfriend’s wedding. In fact, you travel with him literally across the globe so he has legitimate excuse after legitimate excuse to not attend! And along the way, he learns more about himself, how to find joy as an aging adult, and the importance of reflecting on relationships past. I personally loved the quirky protagonist, eccentric premise, and whimsical writing style. I told my husband, A, that I felt it read like a Wes Anderson films looks.

I didn’t expect to cry happy tears at the end, and I certainly didn’t think I’d grow so fond of the protagonist, Arthur, along the way. But this is such a sweet read (and a Pulitzer Prize winner!), and I’d definitely suggest grabbing a copy the next chance you get.

The Immortalists

When I read the description of this book online, I felt like it would be such an interesting read! It’s about four siblings who learn at a very young age the exact date of their deaths. The book follows them all individually over the course of their adult lives up until the day they die. Along the way, you learn about their triumphs, their struggles, and how their relationships to each other have changed along the way.

Sounds really interesting, right? In reality, I felt like this book was too bittersweet for me. The consistent downward spiral that these siblings navigate as the years go by hardly balances out with the few moments of joy along the way. Personally, it felt like this book started out on a high note and then slowly drifted downward as each chapter went by.

If that doesn’t deter you, then I’d still recommend it! It’s well written, the characters are interesting, and the premise is still undeniably intriguing. But if you’re looking for a feel-good novel to keep you warm during the winter months, this isn’t the book for you.

Refuge: A Novel

Earlier this year, I decided to purposefully seek out books that fell outside the realm of my everyday experiences. This book follows the story of an Iranian father and his daughter, and how their relationship shifts over the years. After immigrating to the States as a child with her brother and mother, the daughter in this story goes on to become a talented student at Ivy League institutions, eventually graduating to pursue her dream career in the Netherlands alongside her charming French husband. But on the other side of this story is her father who has remained in Iran all these years.

The book centers around their relationship as defined by the precious few visits they have with each other. From childhood into adulthood, you see how this daughter’s relationship with her father changes every time. And, as the reader, you can both empathize and relate to her experiences along the way.

This book calls attention to all sorts of experiences that deserve more attention: the duality of growing up as the child on an immigrant in a new country, the sacrifice that goes into uprooting your entire life in search of something better, and the struggle so many people experience when they attempt to start a new life in a new place. As many of y’all know, my husband is half Persian and so much of this story resonated with his family’s own experiences as they moved to the States decades ago. I loved reading this book, and I felt like it gave me a deeper understanding into some truly important topics.

Since We Fell

It’s possible that I am the last person on earth to read this book! But if you, like me, missed the boat when this book rose to popularity a few years ago, then there’s hope yet. I honestly wondered if this book would live up to the hype, and I went into things with a healthy dose of skepticism. It’s about a once-successful journalist who essentially becomes an agoraphobe after a series of traumatic experiences. Then, one day she sees something that changes her life as she knows it.

That premise sounded like it had all the potential to be decently “meh,” if you ask me! But, as I started diving into this book, I found myself anxiously turning the page to see what happened next. The ending completely caught me by surprise, too!

I finished reading this book late one night when A was at work, and I texted him once about every five minutes as I discovered a new twist. Books don’t usually get that kind of reaction out of me, so you know I was totally pulled into the storyline and the characters! ????

Not That I Could Tell

I love a good psychological thriller or a book with a solid mystery, so I thought I’d give Not That I Could Tell a try. Although I wouldn’t say this was the most thrilling book I’ve ever read, it did have well developed characters, and a story with a few twists that I didn’t quite expect.

This book immediately dives into a seemingly idyllic community right after one of their very own goes missing. The night before this beloved suburban mom and her kids disappear, she’s seen hanging out and drinking wine alongside her closest neighbors over a backyard fire pit. Then, the next morning, poof! She and her kids are gone.

Their disappearance throws the entire community into turmoil. And, to make matters worse, her neighbors can’t remember a thing about the night they last saw her.

This book delivered the kind of resolution at the end that I honestly didn’t expect to receive, and I found myself constantly questioning who was responsible for the disappearance of this family all along. If you like these kinds of stories, you will enjoy this one, too!

The Word is Murder

The last of my psychological suspense/mystery reads of the summer, this one also did not disappoint. It’s a more modern take on a Sherlock novel, positioning two Sherlock and Holmes-type characters are the protagonists. The story kicks off with a woman walking into a South London funeral parlor, planning her funeral, and then returning home. Hours later, she’s found dead in her posh apartment.

What starts out as a true puzzler leads to more murders, more questions, and more of these two unlikely protagonists running around London in search of the true. I will say that the detective in charge of this story fits the bill for a reluctant main character. He’s gruff, deeply flawed, and maybe a little bit sketchy. But the writer who’s tasked with following him around and documenting his story along the way keeps you reading along.

This is a slower type of mystery that eventually builds to the big uncovering of the truth at the end. But if you stick with it, you’ll be glad you did.

What books have you been reading lately, friend? I’d love to hear what novels, non-fiction, or business books have been making your list of favorites lately in the comments below!