Summer Reading: Make a List or Just Wing it?

Let's face it: every season is a good time to read. I must confess, I read lighter, "happy" reads during the summer. Fall brings out the darker, creepier reads for me, followed by Christmas, when I like to read holiday stories. Spring, so far, has been a catch-all. Three book groups have upped my must-read book list each month. 

 It's finally warming up in Iowa--65 today! and everyone is busy running around outside trying to get in the yard work we usually accomplish in late March. Now I've got to figure out just how I can work in the yard, run, and still have time to relax and read on the back deck. It's my first year with a lovely deck to sit and chill, and I can't wait to sit outside in the early summer mornings, read and relax. When the sun moves around, and it gets too hot, I'll move myself to my front porch. I'm pretty lucky to have both.  

As always, I'm faced with a pile of books that I've accumulated over the months, and haven't read, and I'm struggling with the idea of making a list for the summer, or just diving in and grabbing what sounds good at any given moment.  I'm leaning towards making a list, if only so I may tick them off as the summer progresses.  I've got a few ambitious titles to read:  Leonardo Da Vinci's biography by Walter Isaacson, a Kurt Vonnegut novel (I've never read anything of his), Prairie Fires (a 2018 Pulitzer Prize winner), and a few favorite authors that I've neglected: Kevin Hearne, Sandra Dallas, Paula Brackston, and many more.  It may be time to break out the Excel spreadsheet!

Do you read longer books during the summer, or lighter, quick reads?  What do you take on vacation? Do you have a book you absolutely must read this summer? 

I'll be posting my May reads list this week; I consider May the start of summer reading, so I'll be curious to see what books I've chosen from my bookshelves at home, library, and the bookstore. Lots to choose from, and three book group selections to include in that mix. 

Cheers and happy reading!

Sue

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Summer Reading: Make a List or Just Wing it?

The Rest of the Year: A Challenging Reading Goal and Learning Excel So I Keep My Sanity

Learning Excel is one of my goals in the next few months.  I realize it is an excellent tool to use for most anything; especially trying to organize my books in some kind of order.  I think I'll be asking my sister for some quick lessons on Excel...

Going back to school is no doubt going to cut into my reading time.  I like to be organized, but will only take it so far.  I try and plan my reading, but then something shiny and pretty comes along and bumps the rest of the books back a few spaces in my "to be read" mental file.  And then they disappear into the stacks on my shelves and on the floor. I figure the discipline of school will push me into being a bit more organized and working from a plan for reading, reviewing, and blogging about my books.

So....I'm still going to read what I want to read.  I've gone through the stacks on my floor and listed all the books on Excel.  That's as far as I've gotten in that process, since I am clueless on spreadsheets.  But not for long!  And when that happens, I am going to go down my list, one by one, and read what I've got, post reviews, and either keep the book, give it away, or sell it.  I culled many titles earlier this year from my bookcases, but they've gotten away from me again.  Funny how books multiply, right?  And I rarely only buy one book at a time, so the stacks quickly pile up.  And when my boyfriend Bud comments on the books, I know I need to take action.  He's not a reader, and rarely says anything about my books--so a notice from him is a heads up to clean up my space.  

School, upcoming book talks at work, and my blog will certainly keep my world of books hopping.  I'm sticking with my goal of reading 100 books this year; I'll hit 80 by the end of August (fingers crossed!).  I'm glad I lowered my goal from last year; I simply won't be able to read as much as I want.  Retail Christmas usually means the whole month of December I stumble home from work and fall asleep on the couch at 5 PM.  I give myself through November to hit my yearly goal for this very reason.  Even though I so want to read, I just can't keep my eyes open in December.  

With that being said, I'm off to read before I head to my first day of classes this afternoon.  A review will be up by the end of the week!  

How do you keep your books organized?  Do you even try?

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The Rest of the Year: A Challenging Reading Goal and Learning Excel So I Keep My Sanity