Spellbinding Summer Reading List

Nothing says 'summer vacation' to Spellbound Style like a body of water and a good book, and as we settle into the dog days of July, we thought we'd share our favorite reads that had us totally enchanted. 

1. THE NIGHT CIRCUS BY ERIN MORGENSTERN

The circus arrives without warning. The Night Circus is the tale of a magical competition that pits a beautiful illusionist against a mysterious enchanter in a high stakes game of life, love, and death. Written by Erin Morgenstern, this is a book I come back to time and again because there are always new corners of the circus to discover. Celia and Marco's fateful story makes me fall in love each time, and the vivid descriptions have me smelling popcorn and caramel. In a world where magic is real if you choose to see it, this book is a great read for grown-up fans of Harry Potter who are looking for a magical escape. And for any of you audiobook fans, TNC is also narrated by Jim Dale, the narrator of all 7 Harry titles. 

2. FITNESS JUNKIE BY LUCY SYKES & JO PIAZZA

This book is brain candy for the spandex lover in all of us! Janey, a successful CEO of a wedding dress company, is given the shocking ultimatum by her partner and BFF: lose the weight, or you're fired. Follow Janey as she crashes every crash diet and fights with her Fitbit to regain control of her life and her company. I loved this speedy read that finds humor in every terrible fitness trend I've ever tried and reminds me that at the end of the day, the most important thing is how I feel in my skin and NOT what someone else thinks of me. When you finish this one, check out The Knockoff by the same author for a modern Devil Wears Prada tale.

3. SO CLOSE TO BEING THE SH*T Y'ALL DON'T EVEN KNOW BY RETTA

TREAT YO 'SELF to the debut memoir by all-around funny lady Retta. I'm a huge fan of Parks and Rec, where we first met Retta in her most famous character, Donna Meagle, so when she shared her collection of essays, I jumped at the chance to return to Pawnee and a character I loved. So Close delivers on belly laughs, but what I found in her memoir surprised me: Retta's road to fame was filled with self-doubt and stumbling blocks, not dissimilar to my own story. As she's grown as a performer, she has found her voice and silenced the fear that threatens to derail us. I couldn't help but admire her and be inspired by her story.

4. EROTIC STORIES FOR PUNJABI WIDOWS BY BALLI KAUR JASWAL

Don't let the title of the book scare you away! Erotic Stories is so much more than spicy tales (though there's plenty of that too!). Nikki is a young bartender trying to find her place between two worlds: the modern London of her friends and the traditional Punjabi culture of her family. A mission to find a love connection for her older sister sets Nikki on a path to self-discovery with the help of a wild band of widows who are ready to cast off their outcast status. I laughed and smiled my way though the book, and I look forward to more from this author. If you enjoyed Calendar Girls, you'll love Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows.

What are you reading this summer? Help us add to our list by sharing your reads in the comments below!