Summer Reads 2011

The idea of a summer or beach read is a complete fallacy, at least for me. It's something undoubtedly created by publishers and marketers to move books, create news items and hype. Can you tell I didn't sleep last night? Cranky, I know.

My problem with the summer read is that I won't sit down on a beach to read anytime soon. I won't tuck a book into my cute straw beach bag while I sit on the Hamptons Jitney and I won't while away a Sunday afternoon drinking a pint of Blue Moon and reading the summer book-blockbuster down my local, either.

Because I can only read when my kids are asleep. Like I said, makes me cranky. My biggest hobby before kids used to be reading. I would read two, three books a week. I joined Roof Beam Reader's TBR book challenge in January and I'm still on book three, when I should be on book six. Sigh.

So, when I see the Summer Reads piece in the LA Times, I grump some more, thinking, when the hell will I get to finish the books I already have, never mind new ones?

Then, this happens: I start to drool. I see book covers and I feel like I'm staring at the penny candy bins at the sweet shop. All these yummy books to devour, all these worlds to get lost in. I need new books! I need to read these! THIS SUMMER!

Here are the ones I'm itching to read:

As impractical as buying more books (or even getting them out of the library as I often do) is, I can't help myself. Booksellers, publishers, et al, I am your target demographic. Books are everything to me.

Kids are finally asleep. Going to go read me some Marbury Lens. That will make me feel less grumpy.

What books are you excited to get your book-loving mitts on this summer?