Ahh, my favorite time of year. When I get to decide how many books does it logically make sense to pack in my bag for a week at the beach. One per day? Or maybe just the one I’ll actually get to? Neither. My process is simple: 1 fun book, 1 serious book, and 1 to learn something new. And sure maybe I’ll only get to one but it’s all about variety!
No matter what I grab, I want it to be good. I scour the top lists and text my in-the-know reader friends to get the 411. Also, I was raised in the era of Glamour magazine quizzes so I love a fictional test to determine an important quality in my life.
Take the quiz below to see if you are more of a Romance Rosie, Mystery Marla, or Learning Lena. And if you are like me and like a bit of everything, head straight to the bottom for our top book recommendations this Summer.
The Ultimate (Extremely Scientific) Summer 2024 Reading Quiz
1. You open your eyes first thing on Saturday morning. What do you do?
A. Grab my phone and check my favorite social media apps. B. Get up slowly, make some coffee, and ease into my day. C. Out the door, protein shake in hand, for a run or workout class.
2. Your significant other tells you they’ve planned the perfect date just for you. What’s on the agenda?
A. Candlelight dinner. Bottle of vino. Is that a live cellist I hear? B. Escape room. Board game night. Trivia competition. We are geeking out. C. They got me tickets to the latest play, art show, or museum opening, I just know it.
3. It’s been a horrible day at work. You just want to kick your feet up on the couch and turn on your comfort show. What is playing?
A. New Girl. No, Friends. Ok maybe, Parks and Rec. B. Hmm, it’s tough to pick between The Sopranos, Breaking Bad, or Law & Order: SVU. C. Have you seen Alone? That show is addicting! Or maybe Our Planet. But there is also Shark Tank.
4. Oops, you accidentally committed a crime. Allegedly! Who are you calling first?
A. My significant other. They always have my back. B. My BFF. We’ve actually already talked about this scenario. C. The police, duh! Who do I think I am?
And Now To The Books!
You Answered Mostly As…
Surprise, surprise (but probably not a surprise). You love a love story. Luckily there are some great romance books out this year that will make your heart flutter while you get some vacation reading in.
Forget the mushy, you want some meat on your books. Whether it’s historical fiction, murder mystery, or straight-up horror, just because you’re on the beach does not mean you want a beach read! Fling yourself back in time and join the Army Nurse Corps during the Vietnam War in The Women by Kristin Hannah. Described as “Agatha Christie for the Instagram age,” The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley is the locked-door murder mystery of your dreams. Home Is Where the Bodies Are by Jeneva Rose asks the question: what do you do when watching old family VHS tapes and discover your parents are maybe murderers? And lastly, get to know nice, Southern girl Evie Porter in First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston. The problem? Evie Porter doesn’t exist.
You Answered Mostly Cs…
You are someone who wants to pick up a book and learn something! If this is true, you probably already have a to-read pile ready to tip over in your house, but here are 4 more books you might enjoy. Sing Like Fish: How Sound Rules Life Under Water by Amorina Kingdon is a captivating exploration of how underwater animals tap into sound to survive. Travel back to mid-century New York and meet the women who revolutionized department stores in When Women Ran Fifth Avenue by Julie Satow. In Albert Read’s new book, The Imagination Muscle, he argues, well, that imagination itself is a muscle that needs to be trained and used regularly, and that doing so can result in a fuller, more creative life. And speaking of creativity, finding the upsides of your ADHD brain could also lead to a fuller, more creative life! Learn all about it in our book, ADHD Is Awesome.
