Can you believe it? We’re smack in the middle of summer, and there are still 66 glorious days left to soak up the sun, chase sunsets, sip something icy—and yes, finally read those books you’ve been meaning to get to!
Maybe you started the season with a big stack and ambitious plans… and then life got busy. Or maybe you’ve been meaning to pick up just one book but haven’t found the time or the right story yet. Either way, this is your friendly reminder that summer is far from over—and it’s the perfect time to turn a few pages (or a few hundred).
Why Summer is the Best Time to Read:
- Longer days = more natural reading light
- Slower pace = perfect for lazy afternoons on the porch or beach
- Fewer obligations = more time to escape into fictional worlds or inspiring memoirs
- That summer feeling = books somehow just feel better with sunshine
Need a Little Inspiration?
Here are a few ways to reignite your reading flame:
📚 Make a 66-Day Reading Challenge: Pick 3-5 books and aim to finish them before summer ends.
📚 Join a Book Club (or start one!): Whether in person or online, discussing books can keep you motivated and make it more fun.
📚 Pair Books with Places: Take that mystery to the pool. Bring your romance novel to the park. Tuck a sci-fi thriller in your carry-on. Let your environment elevate the experience.
📚 Revisit a Childhood Favorite: There’s nothing more nostalgic than summer reading—and sometimes the books we loved as kids still hold magic for us as adults.
Don’t Know Where to Start?
Whether you love swoony summer romances, twisty thrillers, self-help motivation, or deep historical fiction, here are some great new books waiting to be read!
Rainforest to Rainbow: Will a Parrot Unlock the Secret? by Barry & Darlene Greenawald. How far would you go to save the one you love? In “Rainforest to Rainbow: Will a Parrot Unlock the Secret?” embark on a gripping journey with Deirdre, a fiercely devoted aunt shattered by the imminent loss of her beloved eight-year-old niece. After exhausting every medical avenue, Deirdre stumbles upon an ancient legend that whispers of a miraculous gift of healing hidden deep within the Amazon rainforest. Could this myth hold the key to saving her niece’s life? Driven by love and desperation, Deirdre sets off on a daring adventure, guided by the enigmatic lineage of an Amazon parrot rumored to possess the insights needed to unlock the ancient secret. As she navigates the dangers of the rainforest, Deirdre confronts not only the beauty of nature but also the greed of a relentless faith healer determined to eliminate any competition, forcing her into life-and-death decisions.
The Sun Still Rises: My Secrets for Survival by Gail Gray Dove. Discover Gail’s inspiring journey, a remarkable woman whose life story transcends mere survival. From her humble beginnings in the picturesque landscapes of Maine to the vibrant shores of Florida, Gail’s narrative is one of unwavering strength and resilience against life’s toughest challenges. Throughout her life, Gail faced a myriad of health obstacles that threatened to define her. Rather than succumb to despair, she harnessed her faith and determination, transforming her pain into profound power. Through heartfelt storytelling, she shares the invaluable lessons she learned along the way—lessons that serve as a beacon of hope for those facing their own struggles.
The Man From Rock Bottom by Stephen Eric Johnson now available in audiobook! Humanity has pushed itself to the brink of extinction. After a deadly series of internal wars, most of Earth is now an uninhabitable, monster-infested wasteland. All hope seemed lost until an alien society, the Pan-Galactic Republic, came to the rescue, building Sunflower City as a safe haven. This is humanity’s last chance for survival. However, not everyone accepts this new inter-species relationship, and a dangerous movement is rising up to compromise humanity’s survival yet again. In the midst of this terrifying conflict, an unexpected individual ends up as the only hope for stopping the carnage to come: the Man from Rock Bottom. But will this accidental hero be enough to save Earth itself from planet-wide murder-suicide?
Striking Eight Bells: A Vietnam Memoir by George Trowbridge. Now available in audiobook! In Striking Eight Bells, George Trowbridge recounts his journey from the Midwest to a warship in the Gulf of Tonkin during the closing months of the Vietnam War. Choosing to enlist in the Navy at 19, versus being drafted into the military, Trowbridge left a wife and newborn son in the States as he traversed the oceans of the globe to fight in America’s most unpopular war. George shares the details of the living conditions on board a naval destroyer during this era, what it was like going through training, the grind for his ship’s crew in supporting ground forces with naval gunfire, as well as the strike attacks his ship made on enemy coastal defenses, and finally coming home at the end of the war. This emotional story is not only historically focused, but it also is informative about life in the military, all filtered through the personal lens of a firsthand perspective.
So as the days slowly count down, remember this: there’s still time. Time to read something that makes you laugh, think, cry, or dream. Time to finish that novel you put down in May. Time to start something brand new.
66 days. Endless possibilities. Let’s get reading.
Richter Publishing 