the books i read this summer

I'm not a voracious reader, but I'm usually into one book or another at any given time. Sometimes it takes me weeks to get through one; sometimes I can knock out one pretty quickly.

Summers tend to be heavier reading months for me, though, and my Kindle has been getting some good use at the gym of late. Here are the reads that have kept me engaged for the past few months:

the light between oceans // Admittedly, it took me a couple of starts to finally become immersed, but once I did, there was no going back. It's a unique story of one couple's unexpected journey to parenthood, and their decisions along the way that are gut-wrenching and raw. I loved these imperfect characters, and the story is so well crafted. A beautiful novel.

gone girl // I could have done without the foul language, but this was a fantastic psychological thriller for my beach vacation reading. A complex mystery narrated by a missing wife and the golden-boy husband, it is a brilliant reminder that there are always two sides to every story.

the engagements // My sister in law got me hooked on J. Courtney Sullivan, who I find particularly talented at character development. Presented as an overlay to the history of diamonds and the De Beers marketing campaign that we all know and love, the lives and marriages of these characters weave together in surprising ways over the course of nearly a century.

love does // Bob Goff is this book's author, and he is in essence my polar opposite. He is a risk-taker, a dreamer, and unabashed in elaborate expressions of love for other people. His stories of showing people the love of Jesus challenged me to the point of discomfort. Give this one a chance, though -- he's wild.

beyond ordinary // I've done a lot of reading and meditating over the past year or so on marriage; I don't know why. This book is the memoir of a couple whose marriage went through the wringer, in a hard, hard way. It was a heart-breaking story, but glory to God, redemption is possible and this couple is on a mission to break down unhealthy marital misconceptions.

bread & wine // I'm not finished with this one; its pace is relaxed and easy, to the point where I quite enjoy reading a few essays and recipes at a time, when the mood strikes. This is a perfect read for folks like me who love food, family, friendships and the magic that happens when you put all of those things together around a dinner table.

the secret thoughts of an unlikely convert // This is another one I've not yet completed, but it's a fascinating memoir of an English professor's path from atheism to salvation in Jesus. I love that she describes her conversion as more like a train wreck -- wild, traumatic and jolting -- rather than the neat and tidy "sinner's prayer" that today's church advertises. Her candor is refreshing and honest.

sweet water// My last "in-progress" read, this novel follows a struggling artist from New York back to Sweet Water, Tennessee, when she inherits land from her deceased grandfather. A mystery has yet to unfold, so I'll report back when this one's a wrap.

What books has your nose been in this summer? Let's hear them!