Finding Time for Reading

by Donna Huber

Summer is here in the Northern Hemisphere and after the long, cold winter, the sun is beckoning us to frolick in its warmth. Well, maybe not frolick. Instead, it probably means a topsy turvy schedule and your reading time is finding itself diminished. Yesterday on the radio they were talking about the ways Moms find time away from their children. One of the top ways is hiding in the bathroom. There are a few ways to work reading into your busy summer schedule without resorting to the bathroom hideout.

Re-read Your Favorites

Do you have a series that you have wanted to go back to the beginning? Or maybe it is a stand alone. I use to read A Tale of Two Cities every summer during college. I didn't always read the whole thing, just my favorite parts. There were a few chapters in the beginning that I found boring and since I was familiar with it I just dove into the story.

You might be thinking, but I've already done reviews for those books. Have you ever felt differently about a story after reading it a second time? Or perhaps there were things you missed in the rush to find out what happened at the end. I know there are things I missed the first time I read A Discovery of Witches and Shadow of Night because I got so caught up in the story. So maybe there is a new angle you can take for the review. What books are worth a second (or third) read?

A good thing about re-read your favorites is that you might not have to pay as close attention (keeping one eye on the kids that you now have to entertain an extra 8 hours a day).

Read Short Stories and Novellas

If you are really wanting new books for reviews, then I suggest short stories and novellas. I think just about all authors are turning to short stories and novellas. Definitely the indie author is because they need inexpensive reads to attract new readers to their works, plus they are trying to build a backlist of titles quickly. Maybe there is a series that looks interesting, but aren't sure if you want to devote yourself to it. See if their is a short story or novella associate with it. One of my favorite authors has a couple of short stories as part of her Hitwoman series. I highly recommend Hitwoman Gets Lucky and The Mutt and The Matchmaker by JB Lynn. They are hilarious, making them a great vacation read.

Another author I enjoy reading has recently started releasing short stories based on his Immortal series. Check out the Immortal Chronicles by Gene Doucette. There are also stand alone short stories as well as a number of anthologies out there. I liked The Ivory Tower by Kirstin Pulioff.

These shorter works are great when you don't have a lot of time. You can read one while waiting for swimming lessons to finish up or the few minutes of quiet you have before the household awakes.

Other Options

Make reading a family affair. Set aside 30 minutes to an hour for reading each day. Parents who model good reading habits for their children help make them life long readers. Also there's educational benefits to reading during the summer. Depending on the kids' ages, you might try starting a family book club. Either you can all read the same book and then come together to discuss it. Or read the book together with each family member taking a turn reading out loud.

Squeeze every minute out of the day. I have been known to pull out my Nook while waiting in line at the grocery store. If you don't have an ereader, be sure to keep a paperback in your car or bag.

How else do you find time for reading during the summer months?

Related articles

• Review: The Hitwoman Hunts a Ghost by @JB_Lynn_author (girl-who-reads.com)
• Review: The Hitwoman and the Family Jewels (girl-who-reads.com)
• Congratulations to our own Kirstin Pulioff for winning the "Reader's Choice Award" on 'Shut Up and Read' - middle grade division...way to go, Kirstin! (thomasrydder.wordpress.com)
• Review: Napoleon, A Pierced Series Novella By J.C. Mells (soireadthisbooktoday.com)