Sun, sand, chase lounge….what’s missing? A good book! Many of us reserve the pleasure of reading for summer or vacation time and look forward to turning the pages while basking in the sun. Maximize your “me” time this year by making sure you pick the right book for your vacation read.
Packing the essentials for a trip is often overwhelming, how is anyone supposed to remember to bring a book? Many times we just plain forget about bringing along a vacation book and have to settle for whatever is available in the airport terminal or nearest drugstore. There have been times when I stopped at the library on my way to the airport and frantically searched through whatever they had on the new release shelf. I ended up spending my vacation with self-help from Dr. Phil, while insightful it was not exactly a page turner.
I recommend pre-planning what you’re going to read so it no longer exists as an item you’re bringing along but an experience you plan to have on your vacation. Here are a few suggestions to help you find good reads for your downtime:
Gnooks.com: This website is a great way to see what authors are writing and what others are reading. One of my favorite features of this website is the Gnod’s suggestion feature. It lets you enter in authors or books that you have liked in the past and will suggest others that are similar.
Your Local Library: Libraries are of course a great way to find books. Check for a librarian or patron’s favorite section where they may present books others have loved. Card catalogs are not what they used to be, while the dewy decimal system still lives and breaths card catalogs are online now and many times offers synopsis, reviews and helpful pictures of the book to make selections even easier. Libraries may also host book clubs or summer reading programs that give you feedback and ideas of books to try.
Goodreads.com: I was recently invited to this site by a friend and I love it. It lets you share what your reading with your friends and they can share and review books they have read as well. Their home page also hosts a list of “most read” and “best/worst book ever” list to help you narrow your search. This is a great site to help out or start up a book club.
Spend a few minutes finding a good reading match for your summer plans. Get excited about where the story will take you and hopefully you will find yourself sun-soaked, toes in the sand, and blissfully engrossed in a good book!
