This Summer, I’m planning to find a little more balance between work, blogging, and play, and one of the ways to do that will be catching up on my reading. Reading for pleasure is a chance for escapism, a way to use your imagination to paint a mental picture with someone else’s words, and I really miss doing that. I miss being so engrossed in a novel that I tune everyone out and completely lose track of time. I fell in love with reading as soon as I learned how to (age 4). At the time, it was the little golden books (you know the ones with the gold spine!) and as a preteen I was mildly obsessed with The Baby-Sitters Club + Sweet Valley High series (where you a Jessica or Elizabeth??), so I’ve always loved reading for pleasure, but I kinda shifted away from it a few years ago. I stopped picking up fiction books and went more for any and everything related to business/marketing, sociology and psychology, with the random lifestyle/decor book here and there. I’ll still be picking those up, but I need a little break from all of the seriousness! Plus, there’s nothing quite like a relaxing read in the sun, so after a few recommendations from other reading lists and friends (thanks Kelly!), I’ve finally made a list of books I want to read this Summer. Some are new, some are old, but they all seem pretty interesting: Clever Girl by Tess Hadley Set in 1960s Bristol, follows the story of Stella from childhood to middle age. Deals with relationship, drama, missed chances in life, etc. The Girl on the Train Paula Hawkins Every day Rachel sees a suburban couple breakfasting on their deck during her commute to work. She starts to feel like she knows them, and one day in less than a minute, she witnesses something, goes to the police, and becomes entwined with everyone involved. Primates of Avenue Wednesday Martin A funny, almost anthropological look at Wednesday’s assimilation into life on the Upper East Side. Where’d You Go, Bernadette Maria Semple As a family plans a trip to Antarctica, the notorious Bernadette Fox (voluntarily, it seems) disappears. Crazy Rich Asians Kevin Kwan New Yorker Rachel Chu decides to spend the summer abroad in Singapore with her boyfriend, who failed to mention that he comes from an extremely wealthy family and is considered one of the country’s most eligible bachelors. Eek! Yes Please Amy Poehler Not quite a memoir, but filled with essays, poems, pictures, and anectodates from Amy. Amy is hilarious to me, and no matter what role she plays, she will always be Regina George’s mom (Mean Girls). People I Want to Punch in the Throat: Competitive Crafters, Drop-Off Despots and Other Suburban Scourges Jen Mann A collection of essays based on Mann’s blog by the same name, I want to read this purely based on the title, lol. The Woman I Wanted to Be Diane von Furstenberg Diane tells the story of how she became the woman she is today, both in business and in her personal life. The Vacationers Emma Straub A two week vacation on the Balearic island of Mallorca with friends and extended family to celebrate the Post’s 35th wedding anniversary turns into a trip filled with drama, secrets, and lies. Luckiest Girl Alive Jessica Knoll The story of Ani, a woman who reinvented herself after a humiliating experience in high-school, but who’s past is now back to haunt her. Will revealing her secret cause her to lose it all (glam job, killer wardrobe, rich fiance’)? All the Lights We Cannot See Anthony Doerr I saw my friend Kelly reading this, and then literally saw it on 3 different must read lists within the same week. From Amazon: the story of a blind French girl and a German boy whose paths collide in occupied France as both try to survive the devastation of World War II. My Paris Dreams: An Education in Style, Slang and Seduction in the Great City on the Seine Kate Belts Coming of age story of a fashion journalist set in 1980s Paris. Funny Girl Nick Hornsby Story of ingenue Sophie Straw set in the swinging 60s in London. How to Be Parisian Wherever You Are: Love, Style, and Bad Habits Anne Berest, Audrey Diwan, Caroline de Maigret, and Sophie Mas Varying views on Parisian lifestyle from 4 different women. As a fashion blogger, I feel that I need to have this if for no other reason but to add to the 1,000 of IG posts featuring it in some way, shape, or form, lol. Leave Your Mark: Land Your Dream Job, Kill It In Your Career. Rock Social Media. Aliza Licht Know as @DKNYPRGirl, this is one part advice guide, one part bts insight on working in the fashion industry. If you follow Aliza on Twitter, you know she’s an ace at both professional and personal branding. Most of these have pretty interesting covers (that’s typically what first draws me in), so I hope that they’re good. The first book I’m reading is Clever Girl, and then I’ll pick the others up from there. What are you reading this Summer? How do you pick out your books? Quotes to Keep You Going Beauty Buy | L'Oréal Paris Mega Volume Miss Manga Mascara