Tuesday, May 17, 2022

I have said this before, but I am a fair weather reader. I love to read outside! I do read in the winter, but not nearly as much. I guess that also has to do with my job of high school teacher. Summer has always been the time of year that I can easily go through 20 books. Now, we aren’t talking War and Peace; I prefer a fun, chick lit book in the summer. I do sometimes go deep, though. I read American Dirt last summer (or the summer before? Covid time warp) and I read The Nightingale one summer. I went through a heavy WWII historical fiction stage.

Here are the books that I have been snapping photos of or taking screenshots of. Some come from Target shelves, some from Instagram, some from blogs. Thank you if you have given me some of these ideas!

I request almost all of my books from my library and read actual physical books now. I had a Kindle, but when it died – after maybe 10 long years of faithful service – I didn’t replace it. I have already requested many of the books below! There is nothing like a stack of library books in the summer!

Also, I do like to read a bit of non-fiction. I usually tend toward self-improvement and time management type books. I also like personal finance from time to time. I like going into the library and seeing what is on their new releases shelf, too! I go to the library 1-2 times a week in the summer. It was always an important ritual with my kids. Mamas, if you aren’t taking advantage of all that your library has to offer, why not? We went to two-three different libraries and did story times, crafts, summer reading programs, and checked out books, music, and movies.

I recently gave myself a gift of two Target paperback books. I had not bought a novel for myself in probably 3 years? Thank you, wonderful public library! I am not going to read the books again and don’t want the clutter, either, but I didn’t have any library books I was excited to read, so it was all good!

I already finished this and it would be a delightful warm weather read! This was about a girl who needs a place to live and a new start in life and ends up moving in with a recluse man who is grieving the deaths of his parents. They both benefit from this unconventional living arrangement.

By the way, I say I like chick lit, but it has to be well-written and with some depth to it.

I am now onto this! Yes, I do judge a book by its cover. I love the colors. This book is about a girl who takes a chance on a new start in Arizona with her friends.

Thank you Bourbon, Lipstick, and Stilletos! I did not know that Emily Henry had a new book and Beach Read is one of my favorites as of late. I have already requested Book Lovers.

I have already requested The Roughest Draft, too!

I have been hearing a lot about this book, but I have never read a Sally Hepworth book. I plan to request this, too.

This looked interesting – especially because I am a Spanish teacher!

I like books like this…I will have to buy this, I think. I can’t find it on my library website.

Things I Bought and Liked is a fun IG follow. This book sounds interesting!

I can’t remember who recommended this, but it sounds intriguing to me. I have already requested it. I like to have a fiction and a non-fiction going at once.

If you haven’t read Bread and Wine, I urge you to get on that. It is seriously one of the best non-fiction books I have ever read. My friend Kara agrees. We would also say The Happiness Project is up there, too. So, I was super excited to hear that Shauna Niequist had a new book out!

I plan to read Lessons in Chemistry on the rec of Mom Advice blog. My library already had 30 requests for this!

I love Matthew and have already requested Greenlights. I have heard good things! I would love to hear his voice, but I’m not really an audio book person. But, hey – maybe I could be for him?

I really need to stop saying “I’m not a ____ person”, by the way. I think this is really limiting self-talk. I didn’t think I was a bath person before I had a new bath tub. Guess what…I am very much a bath person. If I said, “I’m not a private jet and champagne person”, I might not get the chance to be, you know?

This looks good! Follow LaLaLife on IG for lots of book recs!

This is blurry, but it looks good!

I read the first two books by K.A. Tucker, so I am excited to read this one as recommended by Mix and Match Mama blog.

This looks like the perfect summer read!

And this!

And, this! I am drawn to this because my niece is named Nora!

And, finally this looked good!

Sorry some of them are so blurry – these are all old phone pictures.

So, when do you find time to read? For me, I have lots more time to read if I stay off my beep phone! I am seriously going to work on not even having my phone next to me this summer while I’m reading. It’s all too easy to scroll IG or Facebook again and again and I’m not missing anything! It’s the same people posting the same things, right? No offense! I don’t post much myself, but for some reason I feel obligated to make sure I’m not missing anyones’ news.

I sometimes like to start my day with reading a bit of my book, but my main time is during those lovely afternoon hours of summer before I start dinner. I am not a big evening reader because I tend to fall asleep. I try to always take a book with me if I think I could be waiting somewhere for any amount of time, too.

Are you a summer reader? Any recs for me?

Amy