My Summer Bookish Bucket List

 I feel Summer is a time of year when my TBR pile inexplicably quadruples. My 'To be read' e-shelf on Goodreads will remain consistently quasi-manageable with limited book envy from fellow Goodreads friends and bookstagrammers  and yet, come summer it will explode in the same way Violet Beauregarde likely did in Charlie and The Chocolate Factory after chewing the gum before it is ready for consumer consumption. My theory is; this is a direct result of the summer readers, the ones who are in hibernation throughout the entirety of the year minus one or two overhyped books gifted to them over the Christmas period who, follow the routine of falling back in love with reading come the summer months. This wave of readers bring with them an inspiring reignition of our own passion for books which consequently, allows our goodreads goals to soar through the roof and our bank accounts to deplete from frequent trips to secure new titles and bottles of Pimm's because whats a summer read without a Pimm's in the park? 

Being early June, with light jacket season slowly creeping its way into the background, I sense the wave of summer readers heading rapidly to shore on the island of misfit bookaholics and so, I thought now might be a good time to share the books I've personally seen a lot of hype around that I think will be picked up A LOT over the summer. The following are the books think fit this category and, I am eager to read before the season of sun, sangria and slow afternoons disappears for another year. 

Here's the line up: 

No one Is Talking About This 

A women's prize shortlister you've most likely seen litter your Instagram feed this past month or so. 

Every year I make it my personal business to pick up at least a few of the Women's prize long and shortlisters simply because I love women and want to celebrate them. It's my favourite literary prize and one I have complete in to introduce me to new authors such as Raven Leilani and Kamila Shamsie, whose books I enjoyed immensely. 

The reason this is at the top of my list, ahead of the other 2021 shortlisters is because this is a book about the internet, by what Leena Norms had declared as an author, who seems to actually use and understand the internet. Our relationship with the internet is a trope which really intrigues me especially, given our dependence on it over the course of the global pandemic. It frightening, irreversible and a laughably non-symbiotic relationship we are in for likely the rest of our lives. 

I'm inclined to believe, from touching all these books over and over in a desperate attempt to manifest money to be able to purchase them, that is the shortest book on this bucket list of you're in the market for a small, quick summer read. 

Lonely In The Castle Mirror 

Besides the cover being the single most gorgeous thing I've ever seen in my life with the exception of Audrey Hepburn, this sounds like such a fun cutesey and magical narrative with deep meanings. 

I have seen it mentioned that this book tackles anxiety in Japan and whilst I don't know about the experience of anxiety relative to Japan I do know an unfortunate bucket load of dealing with anxiety in England and haven't read anything tackling this challenging topic in a long time so, whilst I am in a good place i'd be delighted to read more about the anxiety experience from an alternative perspective to my own. 

PSA: It also has french flaps which, as a publishing student I low-key die over so I'm a huge fan and need this title in my life asap. 

Detransition Baby 

In a shocking turn of events, another Women's prize shortlister has made the list. 

it is filled with observations of the trans community as well as navigating relationships in our volatile, contemporary society and the complexity that is motherhood. It follows three main characters, a format which is not my favourite but I always make sure to pick up at least one of two titles a year which don't follow the standard third or first person protagonist format. It seems to me it it will be an insightful and powerful read, all the makings of an unforgettable book just not for the current season but for the rest of my reading life. 

This novel all about taboos, womanhood and the LGBT community is a debut i'd be honoured to get my hands on. 

The Lamplighters 

I've had my eye on this ever since a completely wonderful guest lecture on my MA Publishing course called Georgina Moore, who works as the Deputy MD at Midas PR, raved about it. She spoke about publicity in the industry which is a place I'd love to be in career wise one day, alongside sharing her thoughts on the book. Both of these factors combined made me feel really inspired to carry on with writing cover letters which seem to get nowhere as well as picking up the book, which I believe to be set in some sort of creepy, isolated lighthouse. 

The author of the book is Emma Stonex, an author I haven't read before, giving me even more incentive to throw my limited money at this book next time I'm in my favourite branch of Blackwell's (hire me?) and, is based on the true story of the eerie disappearance of three lighthouse keepers in the 1970s Cornish coast- again, radiating big summer vibes. 

The only downside is, The Lamplighters is a hardback and I seem to have some sort of personal vendetta against hardbacks but considering most of my books are paperback, we can work with that and make an exception. 

The Name of The Wind 

For me at least, Summertime screams fantasy reads and i'm unsure why-does anyone else understand this? 

I have heard from a few friends who have already had the privilege of picking this baby up, that it can be a little tough to follow and is a slow burner but, I am more than ready for a lengthy fantasy bad boy which makes me really work for the narrative. How does one get in the mood for such a book? you ask, To be honest, I am really missing The Lord of the Rings which to me, is also a chunky, somewhat slow at times-makes you work it book/trilogy and as I don't have my copies with me at my current flat, its the book worlds way of telling me to expand my fantasy horizons. 

The Priory of the Orange Tree 

This book is one of those ones I feel everyone, their mum and their kitchen sinks own a copy of by this point and I am no exception. My copy was purchased for me by my lovely flatmate as a late birthday present after I dragged her on a coffee run and stroll around the University parks. 

The cover is EPIC to say the least, i'm always down to add a yellow book to shelves because for some reason this appears to be a rarity. What's up with that publishing industry? Less blue covers, more yellow covers please? I'm looking at you, Penguin. 

Apart from extreme FOMO, all I really know and want to know about this one is that is about a queendom without an heir and that an ancient, likely all-powerful enemy has recently awakened leaving the queendom vulnerable. I imagine a quest, female power, political tensions will an ensue and form some massive bildungsroman type of book and that is a vibe I could really do with right now so I may have to make it my next read. 

It is currently a stand-alone novel but the author has apparently expressed some interest in potentially expanding the book into a series and I for one want to be ready and here for it should that happen so I've definitely got to check this one off my list over the summer. 

Middlemarch 

It's one of those classics that's currently a major gap in my repertoire that I'm kind of ashamed I haven't read yet, especially as a ride or die feminist. To make matters worse, I've owned a copy for a little over a year now and have still failed to find the time for this, what I feel comfortable claiming is, an extremely insightful read. I officially promise to myself to make this a priority to read as soon as I can because my dissertation for my Master's degree has a strong feminist focus so I can only benefit from ticking off George Eliot on my bookish bucket list.     Again, This is a fairly chunky book so it'll keep me company on a quaint trip to one of the parks in Oxford. Plus, this novel was praised by the queen of literature herself, Virginia Woolf so what do I have to lose? 

Honourable mentions: 

Driver Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead

Death in her Hands 

The Vegetarian 

The Dangers of Smoking in Bed

If you have any suggestions please don't hesitate to comment or to DM me on Instagram, my handle is @theverseofvenus