As soon as the weather starts warming up, something strange happens to my reading habits.
It’s not that I suddenly stop enjoying the genres I usually love. I still reach for historical fiction, fantasy, romance and the occasional thriller. But somehow, the books I’m in the mood for start to change.
Does anyone else do this?
Summer Feels Different
There’s something about reading outside with a cup of tea, sitting in the garden after work, or taking a book on holiday that changes the whole experience.
Even if the British weather doesn’t always cooperate, summer just feels like a season that encourages reading.
Longer evenings mean I often squeeze in an extra chapter before bed. Weekends become opportunities to sit outside with a book instead of staying indoors. And holidays? They’re practically an excuse to pack far more books than I’ll ever have time to read.
My Reading Habits Definitely Change
During autumn and winter, I’m much more likely to pick up a chunky historical novel or lose myself in an epic fantasy series.
When summer arrives, I find myself looking for books that feel a little lighter. Not necessarily in subject matter, but in pace.
I want stories that pull me in quickly, keep the pages turning and are easy to pick up while sitting in the garden for half an hour after work.
That’s not to say every summer read has to be a romance set on the beach. Some of my favourite warm-weather reads have been gripping thrillers, historical adventures and fantasy novels that I’ve devoured in just a few days.
For me, it’s less about the genre and more about the feeling a book gives me.
Summer Reading Doesn’t Mean Beach Reads
The phrase beach read gets thrown around a lot, but I’ve never really believed it only applies to romance or light-hearted fiction.
A great beach read is simply a book you don’t want to put down.
Whether that’s a Tudor court full of secrets, a Viking saga, a twisty murder mystery or a fantasy world filled with dragons, it doesn’t really matter.
If you’re happily reading it with sunglasses on and an ice cream nearby, I’d call that a successful summer read.
Holidays and Impossible TBRs
Every year I convince myself that this will be the holiday where I finally get through six or seven books.
Then reality sets in.
Somehow I still come home with half of them unread, despite carefully choosing exactly which ones to pack.
Apparently, relaxing by the pool and reading all day isn’t quite as realistic as it sounds!
Maybe It’s the Season… or Maybe It’s Just More Time
I’ve often wondered whether I genuinely read more books in summer or whether it just feels that way.
Longer daylight hours, time off work and weekends spent outdoors all seem to create more opportunities to pick up a book.
Even if I don’t finish more books, I definitely find myself enjoying the experience of reading in a different way.
What About You?
Do your reading habits change with the seasons?
Do you save certain genres for summer? Read more on holiday? Finally tackle those bigger books you’ve been putting off? Or do you read exactly the same kinds of books all year round?
I’d love to know. Let me know in the comments, because I’m always curious to see how other readers’ habits compare to my own.
The Curvy Bookworm 