Books I Want to Read This Summer (Based on Vibes)

Hey hi hello friends, and welcome back to my blog!

It's no secret that I'm not the biggest fan of summer. I live in Phoenix, Arizona, which is one of the hottest cities in the US. From May to September (and sometimes even into October and November) the temperature can get up to 120 degrees Fahrenheit--that's over 45 degrees Celsius, every single day. It's actually horrible. 

However, this year I really want to keep my seasonal depression to a minimum, and the way I do that is through books! I thought I would look at my physical TBR and pick out the books that most feel like summer reads to me. This doesn't necessarily mean that they take place in summer, but it could be just the vibes I get from reading the synopses.

I have five books that I want to read this summer, so let's get into it!

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Jaws by Peter Benchley

Of all of these books, I know for a fact that this one takes place in the summertime. You may have heard of the award-winning movie of the same name (in fact, this year is the movie's 50th anniversary), but a lot of people didn't realize that it was based on a book! Jaws follows an east-coast beach town that is plagued by a killer shark, and the people who vow to get rid of it. I specifically want to read this in the beginning of July, since I know that the 4th of July is a big moment in the story. This book honestly feels like such a quintessential summer read. I can't wait to experience it for the first time! And no doubt I'll be watching the movie, too.

Paradise Lost by John Milton

Now we get into the "vibes" that I was talking about earlier. For some reason, the garden of Eden just feels like a summer setting to me. Something about the visuals, I suppose. In case you've never heard of it before, Paradise Lost is John Milton's epic poem about the fall of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden. It also describes the fall of Satan from Heaven, and his role in the corruption of man. It is, essentially, bible fanfiction. And don't give me that look, lots of people describe it that way!  

Infinity in the Palm of Her Hand by Giaconda Belli

Speaking of bible fanfiction, Infinity in the Palm of her Hand is another retelling of Adam and Eve, though much more modern than Milton's poem. Belli primarily focuses on Eve--the primordial woman--as a wife and a mother, but the book spans the beginning of time to the first murder as told in the bible. I am particularly excited to read this after I read Paradise Lost, and compare the two of them, both to each other and to the biblical book of Genesis. Since I read Cain by Jose Saramago earlier in the year, I've been particularly interested in biblical retellings. If you know of any others, please leave a comment below!

One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

I don't really have a definitive answer as to why this feels like a summer book to me, other than I just get the oppressive, sticky heat vibes. This book feels warm, and heavy, and humid to me. I could be totally wrong, this could be a winter book for all I know, but right now, this is what it makes me think of. One Hundred Years of Solitude is Gabriel Garcia Marquez's magnum opus, a multi-generational tale following the Buendia family and the mythical town of Macondo. I'm prepared for this to be a difficult read. I've read a couple of Garcia Marquez's shorter novels, but something tells me I can't really decide if I like his writing or not until I read One Hundred Years of Solitude. 

Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes

Lastly we have a bit of a lighter option with Don Quixote. Despite it's size, I've heard that this book is rather easy to fly through, as it's satire and meant to be a play on the epic adventures of old. It is often recognized as the first modern novel, despite having been written over 400 years ago. We follow our titular character, Don Quixote, who has fully rotted his brain with chivalric romances that he is determined to become a knight-errant himself. Accompanied by his squire, Sancho, Don Quixote roams the world looking for adventure.

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Alright, that's all I have for today! I'd love to know what books you associate with summertime, whether they are on your TBR or books that you've already read. Let me know in the comments below, or DM me on Instagram (link in sidebar under the heading "More Media"). 

Until next time, friends!