What I Read in May & June
Your next read is most likely here!
Midweek Musings is a cozy mix of book recs, library lists, and reading reflections. Thoughtful updates I’d share at a playdate or while browsing the shelves with a friend.
I always think I’m going to read more in summer, longer days, slower pace, the fantasy of lounging with a book while the kids run barefoot in the yard. And sometimes that happens. But more often, I’m sneaking in chapters during swim lessons, reading a few pages before bed with heavy eyes, or listening to an audiobook while folding laundry for the hundredth time.
Still, I managed to finish a solid stack in May and June, some slow and thoughtful, some fast and twisty, and at least one that made me emotional while sitting in a parking lot (looking at you, Atmosphere).
Here’s everything I read, what I thought, and a few favorites that deserve a permanent spot on your TBR!
My highly scientific star rating system. Okay, not really, but here’s how I sort it in my brain...
☆☆☆☆☆ — No notes. I’m emotionally attached. Might force you to read it.
☆☆☆☆ — Loved it! Would recommend, maybe even re-read, but didn’t rearrange my life for it.
☆☆☆ — It was fine! Not mad I read it, but probably won’t revisit or push it on my friends.
☆☆ — Meh. We didn’t click. I skimmed.
☆ — I finished it out of spite. Or DNF, didn’t finish at all.
Margin: Restoring Emotional, Physical, Financial, and Time Reserves to Overloaded Lives by Richard A. Swenson
☆☆☆☆ — A gentle but direct nudge to examine the pace of your life. This book was both practical and faith-rooted, offering a framework for reclaiming white space in a world that prizes busyness. It’s not about productivity hacks, it’s about boundaries and soul-level margin.
Similar vibes: The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry | Essentialism
Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid
☆☆☆☆☆ — Quietly stunning. A story about ambition, loss, and womanhood told through the lens of the first female scientist in the Space Shuttle program. TJR’s signature emotional depth is here, but the tone feels more introspective, slow burn, high reward. I felt haunted by this one in the best way.
Similar vibes: The Paper Palace | Lessons in Chemistry
Summers at the Saint by Mary Kay Andrews
☆☆☆ — A breezy beach read with a side of mystery. Think: a glamorous island resort, buried secrets, and family drama. It’s light enough to pack in your pool bag, but there’s enough plot to keep you turning pages long after the sun sets.
Similar vibes: Same Time Next Summer
Tilt by Emma Pattee
☆☆☆☆☆ — A deeply human novel about a woman navigating an unexpected MS diagnosis while unraveling her identity as a wife, mother, and daughter. Heartbreaking and fierce. This one felt so honest and well-paced, I was underlining passages like journal entries.
Similar vibes: What We Both Know | Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance
Can you do me a favor? If you like this, will you hit the heart ❤️ on the bottom of your email? I promise it helps!
One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune
☆☆☆☆ — Romance, regret, and second chances. Fortune knows how to spin a summer love story that makes your chest ache a little. This had all the Carley signatures: nostalgia, heat, emotional tension. Not my favorite of hers, but still a solid vacation companion.
Similar vibes: Every Summer After | Meet Me at the Lake
Set Piece by Kate Wills
☆☆☆☆ — This one surprised me in the best way. A second-chance romance between a now-famous actor and a grounded, quick-witted production designer (who also happens to be a single mom), Set Piece balances celebrity drama with real-life tenderness. The dialogue is sharp, the chemistry is undeniable, and the emotional stakes hit just right. It’s swoony but thoughtful, with just enough grit to keep it grounded.
Similar vibes: Funny You Should Ask | The Seven Year Slip
Don’t Let Him In by Lisa Jewell
☆☆☆ — Classic Lisa Jewell: compulsively readable, subtly sinister, and impossible to put down. Told in dual timelines, it’s part psychological thriller, part cautionary tale about trust and obsession. Fast-paced with just the right amount of dread, I flew through it.
Similar vibes: The Housemaid | Then She Was Gone
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Top 3 Picks from May & June
If you're looking to add a few standouts to your TBR, these are the ones I keep thinking about:
✨ Margin — I read this slowly over a few early mornings with coffee, and it genuinely shifted how I think about time and space in my day. Gentle, grounding, and exactly what I needed in this season.
✨ Atmosphere — I read this in quiet pockets, gymnastics class and late at night. It’s introspective and beautifully written, one of those stories that feels like a slow exhale. It stayed with me long after I finished.
✨ One Golden Summer — I devoured this one by the pool while the kids swam, and it was chef’s kiss summer escapism. Second chances, steamy tension, and just the right amount of heartache.
Different vibes, all memorable in their own way.
Currently Reading…
Physical book: The Art of Vanishing by Morgan Pager of The Book Girl
Audiobook: Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood
Want to shop my shelves? I keep my Pango Bookshop stocked with gently loved reads from my shelves to yours. Take a peek here!
The Second Act is an entirely reader-supported publication written and created by Danielle Wraith. Click here to subscribe or gift a friend a subscription here (if a friend sent you this —tell them thanks!). Anything you want covered? Questions? Reply with a comment below! You can also find me on Instagram. Please come say hi!
Great picks! You had a good couple of months. My reading slows down in the summer too. We're just so busy!
I loved Atmosphere, 5 stars. I didn't love Carrie Sotto or Malibu Rising, so I went in with no expectations. I loved Daisy Jones and Evelyn Hugo and hoped to feel those feels again. I did.