It’s summertime, which makes it the ideal time to indulge in a stack of books. Sometimes I read in the morning instead of plunging into the news, sometimes before dinner with a glass of wine and my puppy on my lap, and always before bed (even if it’s just a few pages before I konk out). 

I’m not one of those people who has to read a book cover to cover before starting a new one. Nope. I pick a book based on my mood. So, I have a few books going at any given time: typically a novel, a book on business or self-help, historical fiction, or a memoir. 

Some books I read with my eyes and some books I read with my ears. I still enjoy holding a hardback, lounging on a sofa with my legs propped on the coffee table, turning paper pages and dog-earing the corners. I love the sound. The smell. The tangible experience. I also love walking for hours listening to a great narrator tell me the story – bonus points if it’s the author themselves. 

So what am I reading right now?

Well, I’d be hiding under a rock if I hadn’t yet devoured Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke. This was a delightfully juicy one. I know, I know – there’s so much social media angst about this book, and rightfully so. Some hate it. Some love it. Some admit to a little of both. Not me. I flat-out loved it. It might be the smartest book I’ve read all year — not because it has one clever idea, but because it has many. Politics. Religion. Career. Marriage. Friendship. Family. It’s all about the choices we make and then living with the consequences. Burke somehow weaves it all into one wild, unhinged story about a trad wife influencer who wakes up in 1855. She highlights how online career advice and curated lifestyles clash with the day-to-day reality of life. 

I won’t spoil it for you, and I urge you not to learn too much about it before you give it a go. 

After reading that, I started searching for other books with cultural buzz. I landed on The Fine Art of Lying by Alexandra Andrews – the May 2026 selection from Reese Witherspoon’s book club. Funny thing. I have NEVER picked a book from her list, and as much as I admire her as an actress, businesswoman, and gender-equality advocate, I’m not sure I’ll read another one of her picks. This one was meh. Boring. Zzzzz.

I forced myself to listen longer than I might have, after seeing a comment that it took another reader half the book to get interested. That was an accurate statement. It was chapter 27 before I felt truly committed to finishing it. There were a few twists and turns. A couple steamy sex scenes and infidelity. A murder. A bitchy mother-in-law. But not enough character depth or story intrigue to make me care. 

Surprisingly, the book has been picked up for a TV series adaptation by Universal Studio Group (USG), so who knows? Scarlett Johansson is the executive producer, so maybe she can flesh out the characters, fix the pacing, or elevate the tension for a more gripping story.

Call me a freak. Or an egomaniac. Or a perpetual student. (Or all of the above). But I also finished my own book, UP!: The Playbook for Every Woman on the Rise, written with my sister, Katy Mooney. Yep. I spent three decades learning the lessons and three years thinking about this book. One year writing it. And nearly one year getting it into the world. Then, as podcasts, media interviews, speaking engagements, and book events started to pile up, I had to refamiliarize myself with all the content. 

It might surprise some people that as an author, it’s easy to forget what’s actually IN the book they write. There are so many rounds of edits, so many discussions about what to keep in, what to remove, what to relocate; it can be hard to remember. 

With fresh eyes, I enjoyed re-reading it. And while my original intention was to target the content to women in their 20s and 30s, it turns out this book doesn’t have age parameters. I’ve heard from women ages 15-72 who have read it and sent me kudos like these:

• “Holy sh*t. You and your sister wrote UP! for me!  How timely!” – Jill, 52

• “This book has really made me think!” – Izzy, 28

• “UP! has me pausing quite a bit to redefine my values and really get clear on that instead of just moving through the day with my responsibilities, etc. What a true treasure, and gift to have.” – Ali, 38
  
• “I purchased UP!  last week for my three nieces who are entering the workforce now. I read it first as I wanted to be able to speak to it when I gave it to them. I found myself relating to situations in the book far more than I anticipated. I jotted down all my notes and reminders in the margins. This stuff is REAL.  And also, it is so much more than just what is going on in the office….it’s all aspects of your life. – Allison, 47

And while it was written for women, it turns out that men are reading it and finding value, too! That was an unexpected outcome. These are a few of my favorite comments from men:

• “Kelly and Katy Mooney write with the kind of honesty that only comes from having genuinely struggled. The pace is brisk, and the chapters are short enough to read in one sitting, which makes the whole book feel immediately usable rather than theoretical.  – Mansoor A.
  
• “There is so much sage guidance and wisdom in this book that I wish I had it when I started my career.”- Scott K.
  
• “I originally bought five copies to give to women in my life. They loved it so much, so I bought five more copies. – Chris M.

An Equipt Women Alumni texted me this pic of her husband reading UP! on their beach vacation!

Okay, enough about my own book. Here’s what’s next in my queue: The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett and then No Song for the Dead by Jussi-Adler-Olsen, the creator of the Department Q series–one of my favorites!

What are you reading? Any favorites you can suggest that are more intriguing than Reese’s pick? 👀📚

You are equipt with a few good summer reads!