I’ve been wading through dead leaves and pumpkins to yell this.

HAPPY SUMMER!

Welcome swimming pools, lemonade (thank you Beyonce), fireflies, crickets, sunburn, swimsuits, chargrilled meat, flip flops, fresh cut grass.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year.

Is it true we all want to read a little more in the summer? I think so. We have a little space to breath. We can give some hours to a good book.

There are TONS of summer reading guides floating around out there. In fact, here are a few of my favorites:

NY Times

Can I add to the conversation? Below are a few of my recent favorites and a few I haven’t read but are planning on tackling this summer.

Read and Recommended:

Americanah – It is hard not to fall in love with the characters in Americanah. The story is so engaging and the characters are so normal, but not at all. It’s a little bit of a longer read, but well worth it. The ending was a bit complicated and not what I wanted or expected, but this book is my favorite of the year so far.

Brown Girl Dreaming – Neck and neck with Americanah for the best book I’ve read in a while. Set in both Greenville, SC and New York City, this is a genre bending book in a million ways. It is a YA memoir written in free verse. Sounds crazy, I know. But please, please put this one on your list. It is really, really, really that good.

Jacqueline Woodson has a new book coming out this summer. I will for sure, for sure, be reading this one.

Eligible – This modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice is schmaltzy, predictable and candy sweet, but I could not put it down. It is the exact picture of a beach read.

When Breath Becomes Air – Don’t let the description of this book scare you. It’s not long and not sad. It is quite hopeful and extremely well written. The epilogue is possibly the most moving chapter I’ve read in a while.

A Moveable Feast – For those who want to tackle a classic this summer. This book was published after Hemingway’s death and can read a little pieced together. Still, it is a beautiful picture of his ex-pat life in Paris. He says so much with so little words. It’s a marvel, really.

On My List:

My Brilliant Friend, The Story of a New Name, Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay, The Story of the Lost Child – I’ve seen these books on so many lists! I really want to make it through this series over the summer.

The Lake House – Kate Morton is known for her plot twists. She always has something unexpected in each book. I’m not incredibly familiar with her work but I’m ready to get into this one in the next few months.

Essentialism – There are books we all NEED to read and this is one for me.

The Things They Carried – I’ve owned a copy of this book for a while. It has become a classic in a million ways. I’m a daughter of a Vietnam veteran and this book has been hard for me to pick up, but I want to take a deep breath, crack the book and go.

A quick note for friends with e-readers. Most local libraries have a program that allows you to check out books on your device. Instead of making a trip to the library, you can check out books through your computer straight to your Kindle or other device. LIFE CHANGING.

So, Happy Summer, my friends. Happy Reading!