Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer, which means it’s time to make your Summer Reading List. What? You don’t have a summer reading list?! Then it’s a really good thing that I am here to tell you what to do.
Here’s my list, broken up in EZ to read categories.
1. The book that everyone will be talking about this summer and you will feel totally left out if you haven’t read it, which in turn, will force you to drink many glasses of wine to make you feel less awkward and will lead to alcoholism or possibly a meth addiction, god forbid. It’s probably easier just to read the book. Just saying.
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Eyre and Seth Grahame-Smith. If you haven’t heard about this book, it is the text of Pride and Prejudice, set in zombie-rich England. It’s very well done and so far I’m enjoying it.
2. The book that I got because it has an awesome cover and then raced home to look it up on Amazon.com and was thrilled to see that it got a starred review because that means that I am really good at judging books by their covers!
The Ballad of West 10th Street by Marjorie Kernan
3. The beach read. If I need to explain this category, you really need to read more. I recommend working your way through my archives to build up your reading skillz. Basically, it’s a book that doesn’t strain too many brain cells and yet, it’s not porn, so that you can hold it up proudly at the beach, but not care if sand or ice cream gets on the pages.
Four Wives by Wendy Walker.
Full disclosure: a lovely publicist sent me a copy of this book. But for fuller disclosure yet, I’ve been offered copies of several books that I’ve turned down because the Amazon.com blurb sounded boring. This one sounded good to me. Take a look at the cover and tell me if the first three lipsticks aren’t exactly the same color. And then the fourth one is pink. Despite this obvious mystery, the novel is a peek beyond the perfectly manicured lawns of four wives. (No, not Big Love style, four wives of different men).
4. “Every year I like to read _______.”
This is a life tip that I am imparting on you free of charge. If you have a favorite author, and mention at a party that “I like to read one Hawthorne novel every year”, people will be super impressed. Sure, some of them will think that you’re a snob, but a few well placed crude jokes will dispel that image. As an extra tip, it will help if the author that you choose is not Danielle Steele.
For me, it’s Edith Wharton. Is there anyone who doesn’t love Edith Wharton? Gossip? check. Snark? check. Romance, glamour and NYC? Check and checkmate. It’s like the National Enquirer, but with attractive people and well written.
If you have a favorite Edith Wharton novel, please let me know.
Ok, it’s your turn.
What’s on your summer reading list? And did I miss any important categories?