My Mid-Year Reading Recap

8 books in 6 months isn't my best record, but it's not my worst!

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: I am a writer who reads, not the other way around.

For the record, this simply means that I dedicate more time to writing than I do to reading. Not that I can really attest my lack of reading to an abundance of writing over these past six months.

My reading slump has mostly boiled down to the fact that 2024 has been a wild ride for me thus far. I lost one of the most near and dear people to me, and I’m experiencing my first pregnancy. And, yes, I’m also writing a multiple-POV novel. In the next few months, I will be moving to a new area and giving birth.

When a lot is going on in life, a lot of change, I find myself leaning into television and movies more than writing and reading. Why? Who’s to say? That’s just what happens.

As a result, I’ve only completed 8 books so far this year. Still, I wanted to share the stories I’ve consumed in hopes that you, too, might enjoy these titles.

So, without further ado…

Here are the books I’ve finished in 2024 thus far.

**A friendly reminder that Beyond My Byline is reader-supported! When you buy through Amazon links in this post, I may earn an affiliate commission.**

Youthjuice by E.K. Sathue

from $14.99, amazon.com

A horror novel about the beauty industry? Sign. Me. Up.

To summarize, Sophia Bannion is newly employed at HEBE, a luxury beauty and skincare company based in - where else? - New York City. She’s chosen to test the brand’s latest product - youthjuice - but when she finds out the gruesome secret ingredient at the heart of the innovative moisturizer, she has to decide how far she’ll go for her job and to be (and stay) beautiful.

I really enjoyed this read. E.K. Sathue was my first editor at my first real job as a beauty writer for Bustle.com in 2015. As someone with ties to the beauty industry, who better than to write about its dark side than Sathue? Fellow beauty writers and editors - you’ll get a kick out of this.

The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentil

from $8.49, amazon.com

I thoroughly enjoyed this mind-bending who-done-it mystery.

To summarize, four strangers are sitting at the same table at the Boston Public Library when they hear a woman’s guttural scream. They later find out a woman has been murdered. Later still they’d find out one of them was involved in the killing.

Mark picked this title for me. We went on a little trip to Barnes and Noble one Saturday afternoon to pick out books for our daughter’s library, and he asked if I wanted a book, too. I’d been in a bit of a reading rut (not that I wasn’t enjoying the books I was reading, but I was reading everything at a glacial pace) so, I asked him to choose something for me. It was an excellent choice!

Smart Women by Judy Blume

from $12.99, amazon.com

Who knew Judy Blume could bring some steam!? I mean, I should have.

To summarize, two divorced women, Margo and BB, live in Colorado, navigating life with their respective teenage children. But when BB’s ex-husband moves in next door to Margo, things heat up between the divorcees, and BB is none too pleased. Turns out, these smart women still have a lot to learn…

When Mark and I vacationed in Key West in 2023, we popped into Judy’s bookstore and I picked up her adult novel. Judy wasn’t there, but I left my copy so she could sign it and send it to me. It’s one of my most prized possessions.

I love how Margo and BB aren’t best friends, nor do they become best friends either. They don’t need to; that’s not always realistic. What I didn’t love was how Judy wrote these women’s teenagers. They’re awful. So rude. I know teens get a bad rap for being, well, moody teens, but I don’t know… Margo’s children, in particular, put me off.

One-Star Romance by Laura Hankin

from $12.99, amazon.com

If you need a good laugh and crave a storyline reminiscent of early aughts rom-coms, pick up Laura Hankin’s latest ASAP.

To summarize, a struggling writer’s debut novel is inspired by her best friend Gabby’s fiance, Angus, whom Natalie can only take in small doses. But although Natalie’s story is a work of fiction, Angus’s hot-and-nerdy best friend, Rob catches on and gives the book a one-star review on a public forum. Naturally, Natalie is reeling with insult, and Rob is put off by Natalie’s interpretation of his best friend. They play nice for their best friends’ wedding but hope never to see one another again. Of course, they do.

I loved this book and I love Laura. You can read our most recent conversation here.

The Girls in the Garden by Lisa Jewell

from $13.99, amazon.com

My first thriller of the year was Girls in the Garden by Lisa Jewell. It was another who-done-it, in which the writing was beautiful, I thought the characters were written very well, but I wasn’t satisfied with the ending.

To summarize, a mother and her two girls move to a garden community after the woman’s husband and father of her children has a psychotic episode and nearly burns down their house. While the father is in rehab, the mother tries to put her family and life back together, but she forgets that looks can be deceiving; the picturesque community she’s moved into is full of deep dark secrets, ones that eventually catch up to her family.

Seven Summer Weekends by Jane L. Rosen

from $12.99, amazon.com

I read Seven Summer Weekends in the dead of winter and it turned out to be the mental vacation I desperately needed.

To summarize, Addison, recently unemployed, finds out she’s been left her late Aunt Gicky’s shore house on Fire Island. She escapes to the island to check out the property and weigh the pros and cons of selling. In seven summer weekends, Addison uncovers the truth about the big falling out between her aunt and father, meets some new friends, and grows even closer to her best. She also falls in love - not just with her smoking hot neighbor, but with herself, too.

I adored On Fire Island, so it was no surprise that Seven Summer Weekends stole my heart, too. You can read my conversation with the lovely Jane L. Rosen on her latest release here.

Trust and Safety by Laura Blackett

from $14.99, amazon.com

Satire is outside my comfort zone but I tried Trust and Safety regardless.

To summarize, newlywed Rosie is over the hustle and bustle of Manhattan and wants to pursue a rural lifestyle upstate. Her husband, Jordan, is less than enthused but wants to do whatever will make his wife happy. They buy a fixer-upper in Hudson Valley, but when Jordan loses his job, the couple rents out part of the property to a queer couple and Rosie’s fascination with her new neighbors (not to mention the crush she has on one of them) grows.

The story is described as “Whip-smart and wickedly funny…examining questions of authenticity, betrayal, belonging, and entitlement while poking fun at contemporary fear of the ‘gay agenda.’”

There were parts I liked and parts I didn’t. I also loathed most of the characters, but I think that was kind of Blackett and Gleichman’s point. The personas were meant to be exaggerated. Again, satire is way out of my comfort zone, but give this one a read if you dig it!

Lovelight Farms by B.K. Borison

from $10.99, amazon.com

I picked up Lovelight Farms towards the end of 2023 and finished it in early 2024. I heard rumblings that the author was a Gilmore Girls fan and that her book series gave readers Stars Hollow vibes, and if you know anything about me, it’s probably that I am a Gilmore girlie, so, naturally, I had to read it.

To summarize, the book is a cute friends-to-lovers Christmas story set in a town where everyone knows everyone. I didn’t exactly get “Stars Hollow,” but, rather, “Lifetime” or “Hallmark” movie. It’s cozy with a bit of steam. I would recommend it for around the holidays!