This month, Military Families Magazine is hosting a summer reading challenge! To be eligible to win the Kindle Paperwhite you’ll need to read a book from our previous recommendations, a book recommended by your spouse, a book set in your duty station, and a book written by a military spouse.
Share your books on Instagram with our summer reading challenge template (you’ll find it in our Instagram highlights) and use the hashtag #MFMsummerreadingchallenge. Try these recommendations to get you started!
A book set in your duty station
South Korea – Pachinko, Min Jin Lee @lee_minjin
This blockbuster bestseller (and now TV show!) follows multiple generations of a Korean family, in a saga that closely traces Korea’s history on the world stage.
Texas – More Than You’ll Ever Know, Katie Gutierrez @katiegutierrezwriter
A true crime writer unravels a decades-old mystery and uncovers long-buried secrets – even her own in this thrilling Good Morning America pick.
Hawaii – Shark Dialogues, Kiana Davenport
An epic novel, written by the daughter of an Indigenous Hawaiian and a sailor stationed at Pearl Harbor, Shark Dialogues traces more than a century of Hawaiian history and interweaves magic and legend into its beautifully evocative pages.
Florida – Milk Blood Heat, Dantiel W. Moniz @deezybotpress
This short story collection explores the dark side of girlhood and growing up in Florida, in a series of tales connected by their depth, emotion, and willingness to question the nature of all we think we know.
Germany – All the Light We Cannot See, Anthony Doerr @anthonydoerrwriter
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, this novel (and upcoming Netflix series) weaves together the lives of a German soldier and a young, blind French girl during World War II.
Stationed in Japan? Try these recommendations!
A book by a military spouse
The Diamond Eye, Kate Quinn: Navy Spouse @katequinn5975
New York Times bestselling author Kate Quinn is also a Navy spouse! Her latest historical fiction, The Diamond Eye, is set in WWII-era Kiev and based upon the true story of one quiet librarian mother who became one of the deadliest snipers in history.
You Know When The Men Are Gone, Siobhan Fallon: Army Spouse @siobhanfallonwriter
In this award-winning story collection, author Siobhan Fallon writes about the strengths and struggles of military spouses. The novel was honored with the PEN/USA Literary Award and her latest novel is The Confusion of Languages.
The Longest Night, Andria Williams: Army Spouse
Set on an Army base, author Andria Williams’ debut novel about the challenges a young Army couple faces in their marriage earned rave reviews from InStyle, Entertainment Weekly, and the Los Angeles Review of Books.
Dinner With The Smileys, Sarah Smiley: Navy Spouse
Faced with the year-long deployment of her husband, Navy wife Sarah Smiley chose to look at the daunting event as an opportunity for her family. She began inviting a weekly dinner guest to share a meal with her and her young sons, filling the empty seat at the table and teaching far more than a year’s worth of lessons. This book is a must-read for military spouses and a sweet reminder to search for silver linings.
Taste, Jehanne Dubrow: Navy Spouse
Acclaimed poet Jehanne Dubrow is a prolific writer whose work has appeared in POETRY, the New York Times, and Ploughshares. Her latest, Taste, explores the myriad ways one of our underappreciated senses shape our world.
BONUS:
- Check out Military Families Magazine favorite Beneath The Seams, written by our own Peyton H. Roberts! We spoke to Navy spouse Roberts about her debut and more here.
