Hellobee

Hey, wait…summer isn’t over yet! There is still plenty of sunshine and watermelon left to enjoy. Not to mention, isn’t August a popular month for vacationing? Maybe you’re going to the beach or have a long flight ahead of you. Or, like me, maybe you’re just looking for something light-hearted to read while you nurse your baby or help you relax before going to bed. Whatever your situation, grabbing a book and getting taken away to another world is always a good idea.

One of my favorite things to do, and it doesn’t happen very often, is to flop down on the couch with a good book in the late summer afternoon. Just picture the sun’s rays filling the room with light, the door open with a slight breeze, and finding yourself absorbed in a good story. Ahhh, summer reading.

Have I convinced you enough to have a summer read? Great! Then, here are a few suggestions to get you started:

The Night Circus – This book was so spellbinding. It’s really hard to describe — maybe a mix of Harry Potter with a drop of Hunger Games and a sprinkling of The Prestige. Or, maybe just more of an adult version of Harry Potter. It was exquisite! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and I got swept into it. I read it pre-baby, and I recall staying up far too late when I neared the end of the story.

Storied Life of A.J. Fiery – I picked this book because it looked light-hearted and heart-warming. I didn’t want to get into anything too deep or heavy since I planned on reading while nursing. It made me think of You’ve Got Mail and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. It did fulfill these expectations, but it wasn’t as completely light-hearted as I thought going into it. It actually made me a bit tearful, but that’s because you get so connected with the characters. I enjoyed reading this and would recommend it.

Echo – This came highly recommended to me from my mom. I was a bit doubtful at first since she said it was a young adult book, but I trust my mom’s opinion and know we like similar books so I went for it. I’m so glad I did, too. It’s so well written and you really get drawn into the story. If you saw the movie The Red Violin, then you’ll enjoy this book as well. It basically follows a harmonica through the hands of three children. There is history (WWII) woven into the story, too. I totally didn’t think I was reading young adult, although a young adult could definitely read it.

The Art of Racing in the Rain – This is a classic feel-good type of book. You might recall seeing it in Starbucks stores a few years ago. It’s a Seattle book for the win, so I enjoyed this aspect of the book. Just beware, I did cry while reading this one. Over the years I’ve become a real sap. At least I’m not crying at Hallmark commercials like my mom (sorry mom). If you love golden retrievers or just dogs in general, this is a must read along the Marley and Me lines. A man and his dog. Awww.

The Outlander Series – This is the closest I get to reading romantic, sappy novels. Claire is just devious and delightful. Jamie is hot and sexy. And it’s in Scotland, which we find alluring with people who have accents. Are you with me? But it’s historical too, and I hear the series has made its way to Starz as a TV series. I can tell you I always have a smile when I read these books. However, I do want to warn you that the books are long and there are quite a few of them in the series, so it’s somewhat of an investment if you start reading this one.

Where’d You Go Bernadette – If I were a beach reader, this would be as close as I get to a beach read – just totally fun. It’s super light and you might even find yourself laughing. For me, I found it particularly funny as it takes place in Seattle so I can totally relate to the crazy intersections and blackberry bushes. The main character is quirky and hilarious. I generally don’t find myself reading light reads such as this, but I’m so glad I did.

The Martian – I just finished this book and I actually enjoyed it much more than I thought I would. I read it mainly at the prodding of my husband. I had seen the movie in the theaters (pre-baby!) so I had a general idea of the story, but that didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the book. However, it did have me picturing Matt Damon as Mark Watney, which is not a bad thing. In fact, they did a fabulous job casting Matt as Mark. It was like he was meant to be the character. I digress…the story is fun and the dialogue entertaining. Of course, the book goes into much more detail than the movie. The only thing I’d say I wasn’t a huge fan of was all the mathematic type details, but I just sorta skimmed those parts as I got the general idea. All in all, it’s a quick and good read.

I could have this list go on and on, but I think these are some great end of summer reads you can escape with for just a little while. So put up your feet, grab a book, and enjoy!