Can there be just one epic summer read?

For me absolutely not. My earliest memory of reading comes from around age 6 or so. My parents are not readers, but my mother knew how important reading was to a developing child. I remember sitting over a heating grate in our kitchen reading the latest copy of Dr. Suess that came in the mail. To this day several Dr. Suess books are listed amongst my favorites. More about those in a future post.

Then on to later elementary school. I eagerly looked forward to the Scholastic book orders. There is nothing like the smell or feel of a new book. I would take them home, run to my bedroom, sit on my Hoppity Hop and read for hours.

My mom bought me books regularly, so I only made one visit that I remember during my early childhood to a library, and I remember the book that I checked out. That book was Mitch and Amy by Beverly Cleary. I quickly became a fan and have read most of her books. My toddler sons were forced (ha, ha) to listen to countless readings of Ralph S. Mouse and The Mouse and the Motorcycle, two of Ms. Cleary’s famous titles.

Fast forward to young motherhood and having children afoot. My reading waned a lot. There were too many sleepless nights, too much kid stuff, too much running around, etc. etc. Yep, I get it. But I also didn’t take the time or make time to immerse myself in a good book. I watched a lot of TV in those days when I could have been reading.

So how did I pick up the habit again? I joined a book club. It sounded fun and because I wanted to interject intelligent comments to the group, I read the books. The book for my first month was A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. It is an amazing book and definitely can be considered a 1 eipc summer read kind of book. This book catapulted me from never thinking about reading to reading between 50 and 60 books each year.

I am now a self-proclaimed book nerd (and I have the black library card to prove it). And I love reading challenges and I am doing a couple concurrently. I love keeping track and crossing books that I have read off my list. I have apps and lists on my phone and a physical list hanging on the side of my refrigerator. I do this partly to inspire others whom I live with to also pick up the reading bug.

But what if you don’t consider yourself a reader, is there hope for you?

YES, I maintain that you just have not found your first epic read.

If you don’t consider yourself a reader, a reading challenge just might seem like too much work, or it can be overwhelming. So, let’s just start with one.

How to Pick Your First or Your Next Epic Summer Read

1) Decide what genre you like (for me Its thrillers, mysteries, and non-fiction)

2) Peruse the best seller or best book lists (New York Times, Amazon, Goodreads) Here are 10 of my favorites from these lists:

• American Dirt – Jeanine Cummins
• The Midnight Library – Matt Haig
• The Vanishing Half – Brit Bennett
• Apples Never Fall – Liane Moriarty
• Where the Forest Meets the Stars – Glendy Vanderah
• The Guest List – Lucy Foley
• Educated – Tara Westover
• The Couple Next Door – Shari Lapena
• The Silent Patient – Alex Michaelides
• The Last thing He Told Me – Laura Dave

3) Write down a few that look interesting

4) Do a Google, Good Reads, or Amazon search and read the synopsis and reviews

5) Make your selection

6) Either purchase or get it from the library (there will be a future post on the benefits of a library card, be sure and stay tuned)

After you have decided, let me know in the comments if you followed this method and what book you chose to be your 1 epic summer read this year.

How to Choose Your 1 Epic Summer Read if You Are a Reader

If you are a reader, use the following suggestions to find this year’s 1 epic summer read.

• You can visit your local public library and browse the shelves or ask an employee to give you suggestions. The library in the city where I live has a form that you fill out on their website, and they send you back recommendations. This is a fantastic way to expose yourself to new books that you might not have found on your own.

• You can download the Goodreads app. This is not only a terrific way to find books, but you can also keep track of what you are reading and what you have read in the past. It also lets you invite friends, and you can see what your friends are reading. If you and your friend have similar interests, this is also another way to get book suggestions. There is also an area where you can set up a reading challenge for yourself for the year and at the end of the year Goodreads will tabulate your results.

• You can talk to your reader friends and see what they recommend. This a clever way to spark interesting conversations.

• You can join an in person or an online book club. Here is my favorite online book club website: Peanut Blossom. Tiffany talks about more than just books but her posts really inspire me.
• You can read a blog on everything books. Here is a link to my favorite book blog The Literary Lifestyle. I love this blog so much that I have it bookmarked on my desktop. Jules talks about all things books and her blog is extensive.

• You can check out my post on 12 of my favorite books here.

As you start or continue your reading journey you will want to keep track of all the books that you have read. Here are my favorite ways to do that:

• Notebook
• Book journal
• Goodreads (website and app)

That’s it, there’s nothing quite like curling up with a good book in the summer sun (or shade). Whether you’re looking for an epic adventure, romance, mystery, or comedy, I’ve got you covered. So, what are you waiting for? Start your reading journey today. Find that 1 epic summer read and let me know what you think. I promise it will be worth your time!