It’s Summer, Let’s Read | May Recap
A summer reading take that’s better than the Chicago Sun-Times because it actually exists.
Summer reading guide season is officially upon us. I love to browse everyone’s seasonal takes, adding picks to my TBR. I actually thought about making one for my readers.
I was immediately overwhelmed and decided not to take on such a daunting project. Maybe in the fall. Or maybe never.
Apparently it was also an overwhelming idea for a writer of the Chicago Sun-Times, who used AI to create their summer reading guide, and ended up publishing a list with books that don’t actually exist. Oof. I loved this article by The Present Age that explained what happened, while also acknowledging human error is a real thing we are not immune to, especially with unreasonable workloads professional writers often face. You can read the full article here.
So anyway, here is a summer guide that is 100% human-written, and actually contains no lists or guides of any kind.
Summer reading:
Arguably not as good as winter reading, in my opinion. Curling up with a blanket, candle, and something steaming while reading a fresh, cozy book is infinitely more satisfying to me than when I try to make something iced and sit outside to read, only to be eaten by mosquitoes and scorched by the one sliver of sun that is always on my deck.
But the summer does have charming moments.
May I recommend some beach reading? If I have an umbrella set up, I can stay out there all day, ignoring any friends I may have been traveling with and locking onto reading on the same screen I stare at at home instead of enjoying my surroundings and watching the waves. Oh good, I got sand in my iPad charger port. And now I’m starting to feel dehydrated and unable to stand up because I’ve been green-housing under this umbrella for too long.
Okay maybe that was deglamorized a little.
The pool!! Reading poolside is the summer dream. Shade, no sand, just peaceful turquoise water waiting for me to take a quick dive in. Yeah I can lock into a good summer read by the pool. I mean….. as long as I’m alone. The minute someone else shows up I immediately need to chat with them and gossip and speculate and oh yeah was I supposed to be reading? Well my friend is here now, and I can’t just ignore them.
Oh, I know where I do my best summer reading. My husband has some friends who own a lake house. When he goes there to play volleyball with his boys and generally bro-out, I can walk down the street to their dock and enjoy some lakeside reading. No distractions, no sand, no friends telling me about their addictive life drama.
That’s what I recommend. Reading on the dock. I can get in a good 20 minutes there before….. I feel a little isolated. It is a public dock. What if someone comes by and asks what I’m doing there? What if one of those passing boats blasting party music pulls up and things get weird? Are those mosquitoes on me again?
Okay maybe outdoor reading just isn’t for me. I love the outdoors, but I seem to be much too distracted by it.
Inside. Inside on my couch with the AC humming, a cold drink in my hand, and my sweatpants and blanket on because the aforementioned AC and drink have now made me cold. Yeah, that’s my summer reading spot. No distractions, and safe to completely lose myself in whatever story I’m consuming.
But I wish the best for your 2025 summer reading. I hope you read the perfect thriller on a white sand beach surrounded by your favorite people. I hope that summer romance hits in all the ways it should while someone brings you a poolside drink. And if you find yourself lost in a historical fiction while sitting lakeside, just know I’m probably one dock down from you, debating if it’s too soon to go back inside again.
Now here’s 10 novels you should read…. Just kidding. Better readers than I have made some killer lists for summer reads, you should probably just check out theirs. In the meantime, tell me where you’re reading this summer, and if you prefer the fresh air or are an AC warrior like me.
Before you go, time for a May Recap!
Here is everything that happened at Read Whatever this month. Check out book recommendations or bookstore visits you may have missed, or revisit any bonus articles that dropped.
Book Review and Bookstore Visit:
Friday Bonus Articles:
As always, thanks for joining me in May! Every read, comment, and like means so much to me, and I’m so grateful we are on this journey together. See you in June, and hope we all discover some great new books together.