When I asked Kailana if she could help a girl out with a guest post while I’m away at the beach, boy, she came through in spades. Thanks Kailana, and everyone, enjoy this very special guest post!
When Heather asked me to guest blog for her while she was away, I was very excited! There is nothing I like better lately than avoiding writing reviews. Well, if you read my blog, it sure seems that way, anyways. With the summer coming, I thought I would talk about summer reading.
I have seen a lot of posts on the subject. There have been lists, goals, piles, etc posted about on various blogs. I do no such thing. I can’t follow reading requirements during the winter, so the
change in climate is not going to make it any easier for me. When I was a kid, though, I was all about setting ‘big’ goals for myself. One summer I read all eight of the Anne of Green Gables series by Lucy Maud Montgomery. Another year, I tackled The Lord of the Rings trilogy. I didn’t keep track of what I read back then, but it was a lot. Summer vacation meant playing outside and having more time for reading than I did when I was in school. Now, summer just means that the nice weather is here. (We hope, anyway.)
This summer, I just want to have fun. I want to try and keep reading the numbers that I have been reading so far this year, though. That’s my main goal. I also really want to stop using the library as much as I have been and concentrate on reading my own books. I have a lot of ARCs and other review copies that I really want to read and haven’t had a chance to yet. One thing I started this year that I want to keep up is buddy reading and reviews. I have done it before, of course, but this year has been all about the reading together. Actually, by the time you read this post, there should have been a buddy review of a book that I read with Heather. None of my real life friends read as much as I do, and if they do, they live at least an hour away, so it is nice to read with other people in whatever way that is available. It’s also fun and different, so I strongly recommend it if you are looking for a new feature for your blog.
Do I have books that I really want to read this summer? Of course I do! But, if I list them than I am less likely to read them. Does this happen to other people? So, what are your summer reading goals? Do you have any? Do you have any plans for your children and their reading habits? I see that many libraries have programs for children during the summer. Let me know what your plans are and happy summer!
Hi Kilana
I don't have any specific reading plan for the summer. I have trouble enough as it is when I'm putting up books that I'm looking forward to read in my Monday posts. I think Breaking Dawn has been on that list for a month but I keep choosing other books to read instead.
I think I have books enough in my bookshelf to last many weeks into the summer. My soon to be four year old son and I will be taking some trips to the library during the summer to find books for him. I might sound a little cruel saying this, but it is kind of nice to have to return books. I often grow a little tired of a book when I'm reading the same one ten nights in a row
We can always borrow the most popular books again but it is good to take a break from them, at least for his mum and dad. My son also has a bookshelf of his own, but it is nice to use the library for some variation and best of all it's free.
Hi Kailana – Good to see you here too
I think the reason I'm doing so poorly with my challenges is because I have made a list of books! haha… No big summer reading plans for me aside from reading more from my stacks as opposed to ARCs or library books.
Great guest post! I used to use summer for series reading too, Stephen Kings Dark Tower was a few summers ago. But this year I'm just taking it one day at a time.
Good luck with the library cut-back – I've been trying but then a hold comes in that I'm dying to read and I come home with 15 extras that were begging to be read
I've signed my family up for our library's summer reading club. I write summaries of the three books I read and receive a free book? I'm definitely in! =)
Great post.
I've been thinking the same thing about library books… I need to stop bringing new ones home with me, and catch up on the ones that I already have!
About a year ago, I went through my bookshelves and made a pile of all the books I own, but haven't actually read for some reason or another. (It was a surprisingly big stack.) I've gotten through most of them, and found some great books, but I have about 9 that have been gathering dust and taking up valuable desk space for six months. So, I hope to actually attempt to read them this summer. If I like them, lucky me, and if I don't, I will find the will power to sell them to a second-hand bookstore without feeling guilty.
Just having fun sounds like the perfect plan to me! Rebelling against pre-made lists definitely happens to me as well. I enjoy making lists a lot, but sticking to them is another story. So I think I'll do the same and just go where my reading whims take me this summer.