I always feel like I’m going to have tonnes of time over summer to chill and do the things I’ve been putting off all year.Like New Years Resolutions or exercise & diets. For some reason though, it never seems to happen, I never seem to tackle these tasks.

OH WELL.

Something I DO like to do though, and something that always makes me feel like a kid again on a proper 6 week summer hoiday from school, is reading.

The conscious effort it takes to slow down and enjoy the simple things is such a summery activity, I don’t know why it’s never on those what-to-do-over-summer lists.

My list would consist of:

• Reading
• Eating
• Getting too warm
• Eating

What I really, REALLY, want to do this summer is to tackle my ever-growing TBR pile.

I can confidently say, I haven’t read 70% of my books. EMBARRASSED I AM YES.

I impress myself.

However, this summer, I want to change this around. I want to proudly say I have read all these mofo books. That I am the fountain of knowledge when it comes to fiction. I want to be able to turn round and say, “Yes, I not only met, but beat, my Goodreads Reading challenge target.” What. A. Boast.

Impossible? Maybe.

But there’s no harm in trying, is there?

Imagine, long summer days in the garden. Blanket on the grass, cold pimms in hand, the gentle sound of bees making their sweet-ass honey. A good book half read by your side and your sexy significant other making delicious food in the kitchen.

THAT IS THE DREAM.

Yeah, sure, it can’t be like true summer again, because hey, you’re an adult now and have to go to work. HOWEVER, think of the evenings. Throw caution, and the to-do list, to the wind. As soon as you get home, it can be the summer holidays all over again, if you let it.

ALL THE BOOKS

Below are some books I specifically want to read this summer. They’ve been cooing at me from the corner and I’m going to fulfil their bookish wishes and actually READ them.

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

This caught my eye way back in February. Just look at the cover. Look at the chunkiness. It’s just lovely-looking. But also, the story sounds like something that will really captivate and keep me reading through those long summer nights.

The White Book by Han Kang

Han Kang is my one and only when it comes to my bookshelve. There have been a few before her (Shout-out to Stephen King and Haruki Murakami) but at this point in my life, Han Kang is who I LIVE for. Brad bought me this book when it came out last November, and I have been dying to read it ever since. The only thing is, it’s a pure white cover. HOW CAN I READ THIS ON MY COMMUTE? I’m so terrified of it getting dirty, I just can’t face shoving it into my bag. Who knows what I have in there? Also, I want it to be perfect when I read it. Do you guys do that? If I really want to enjoy a book, I have to read it when everything else is perfect, too. Over this summer though, I’m going to read this beauty.

the girls by Lisa Jewell

I needed a light read amongst this list of heavy pieces. I also needed a book that I could take with me to work and not care if I damaged the cover. I have no idea what to expect from this, but I’m excited to see.

Wind Pinball by Haruki Murakami

I also have a fascination about reading books set in Japan. Call me crazy, but it might have something to do with my year abroad (all those years ago now…) and as I said previously, Murakami is a little (A LOT) bit of an obsession from me. The way he writes, how he’s not afraid to use the words he wants to use, how his narratives walk the tight-rope between real and fantasy. It brings magic to the everyday life. It’s also the second book in the ‘Trilogy of the Rat’ series, which I LOVE.

Atonement by Ian McEwan

I loved the film and I LOVED The Nutshell by Ian McEwan, too. So much so, that I even wrote a review on it here. I remeber picking up Atonement waaaaaay back in my second year of university, and read the first couple of pages. I then put it down and thought, “I’ll definitely come back to that”. Four years later and I will finish it.

Six Four by Hideo Yokoyama

Look at those PAGE EDGES. When I bought this, it took me ages to pick one that had perfect pink edges, without any scratches or tears. This caught my eye because, once again, Japan, but also detective fiction. I’m really into detective fiction at the moment, after reading Dashiell Hammet’s The Thin Man. But also, I’m super excited to start The Staircase on Netflix this week.

Slaughterhouse 5 by Kurt Vonnegut

I thought this list needed a classic sort of piece, and this has been on my mental tbr list since the moment I bought it. I have no clue what it’s about, but during sixth form/university I had a major interest in dystopian novels (The Handmaid’s Tale, 1984, etc.) so I really want to get back into those reads. Also, small & light, therefore easy to carry to and from work. WIN.

The Shining by Stephen King

Lastly, a summer tbr list couldn’t be complete without a piece of Stephen King. And shockingly, I haven’t read The Shining yet. HOW CAN I CAN MYSELF A FAN?! I remember starting to read it, but like others, it got put down and never picked-up again. I’m looking forward to reading this in a dark room late one night. I CANNOT WAIT.

So that’s my list and I cannot WAIT to get started. I think I’m going to go now and read some. Actually, I’ll be on a train when this goes up going to work, so I WILL be reading, YAY. I think I’m going to start with Atonement, then read the other smaller, shorter ones first, then save the chunkier ones for my two week break down in Cornwall in August.

What’s on you’re summer tbr list?

BYE.