Summer is fast approaching, and things are heating up. Temps will be in the eighties and nineties where I live next week, and we aren't even into June yet. Soon the kids will be out of school and I'm sure you're planning all the activities you will do and what days you will hit the pool. Speaking of the pool, have you decided what you're going to read this summer? Here are some suggestions to add to your to-be-read pile in the months ahead while your family has fun in the sun.
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/Imgorthand
Not only is reading a fun and relaxing activity, it has many benefits for our physical and mental health. One, reading can literally change your mind. MRI scans have confirmed that the circuits and signals in your brain grow stronger and more sophisticated as your reading ability grows. This is a great incentive to both read with your young children and encourage your older children to read more.
A second benefit is that it helps your ability to empathize. Reading stories about people's struggles and their inner lives heightens our ability to understand the feelings of others.
Reading also builds our vocabulary by introducing us to different and more sophisticated words. A large vocabulary can help in various areas of life, from writing a college essay to applying for a job.
Another reason to read is that it helps prevent age-related cognitive decline. Reading keeps your mind engaged, which is an important thing as you grow older. Although there is no proven evidence that reading prevents diseases like Alzheimer's, reading every day helps improve cognitive functioning.
Another significant reason to read is that it reduces stress. Studies have shown that only thirty minutes of reading can help lower blood pressure, heart rate, and feelings of mental stress. In addition, reading also helps promote a good night's rest when you use it in your regular sleep routine. The only caveat is that you may want to choose print over e-book because of blue light, which can disrupt your sleep cycle.
Reading can even help ease depression. Those with depression suffer from isolation, and books help to combat that. When we escape into a book and immerse ourselves in the characters and their adventures, it becomes easy for us to forget about our troubles for a few hours. Nonfiction self-help books can also be helpful by showing people how to manage their symptoms better.
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/LukaTDB
Even though books are an enjoyable pastime, they can get pricey. Still, there are many ways to get books for free or at a low cost. Your local library is a great place to get new books. If you like to read e-books, there are several sites you can subscribe to that offer free and low-cost books. You can get emails either once a week or daily. Sites to get free and low-cost e-books include The Fussy Librarian, BookDoggy, and Faithbooks, to name a few. If you like print books, I suggest Thriftbooks and Book Outlet to find some great, low-cost reads.
Now, let's move on to my picks for some great reads this summer.
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/LeManna
I love a good, clean, Christian contemporary romance. Most of the time if the plot catches my interest, I'm in. However, there have been so many times that I have picked up romances that sound great but are full of profanity and graphic sex. No, thank you. This is not the material that the Lord wants us to read, plus it can mess with our minds, convincing us that sin like swearing and casual sex is okay.
If you're looking to be swept off your feet with all the feels, these books will do the trick.
This box set contains four books with a marriage of convenience trope. These romances offer a standalone reading experience and are filled with love and family.
According to Smith Long's aunt's will, he has to get married before he can inherit the property she's promised him. However, he's not marrying just any woman, he has to marry Abrielle Adams, the woman squatting on his ranch! Jessie Gussman is one of my new favorite authors and I highly recommend her work.
All country music star Grantland Steele wants is to take some time off after a personal tragedy. Celebrity chef McRae Torrinson is reeling from her own personal tragedy. Struggling to make ends meet, she's hired by a local family to cook for them during the week. To her shock, the person who hires her is Grantland Steele, her college crush. When Grantland tries to stage a comeback, tragedy strikes again, bringing them even closer. Can they heal each other's hearts and finally find love?
Merrick Taylor is a broken man. All he has heard all his life is that he is a failure. Living with a narcissistic mom, an absent dad, and a mental illness isn't easy. After a big fight with his mom, he heads to sunny California but soon finds himself alone again. Hollyn Steele is a survivor of narcissistic abuse at the hands of her biological father. She meets Merrick in an online support group for survivors of narcissistic abuse and they soon become close. Then, one day, Merrick disappears, and Hollyn does not know what happened. Until one day, she gets a call that changes everything.
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/AleksandarGeorgiev
For those who love a good mystery, these will keep you guessing whodunnit.
This was not how Houston FBI agent Heather Lawrence's vacation was supposed to go. After a few hours into her transatlantic flight, people show signs of an unknown illness. The virus quickly spreads as more people fall ill, Heather wonders if she's witnessing a deliberately released airborne infection. While in quarantine with other survivors, she and her colleagues work to track down the person who did this. The prime suspect is her husband, but as time runs out to hunt the killer down, they realize he may be closer than they anticipated.
When three friends attend a concert, only one survives. The police stopped Dustin Webb, a former member of the military and owner of his own security company, with a warrant to search his truck. He's shocked when they find explosives, and he does not know how they got there. His best friend growing up was Jamie Powell, who is now a criminal attorney. She agrees to take his case even though she is defending an accused terrorist. Someone is framing Dustin for these horrible acts of violence, and she has to figure out why.
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/kate_sept2004
It's always a good time to read books to grow and enhance our prayer life and learn how to be a better Christian. These books will help you get clarity and grow closer to the Lord.
If worry has become your constant companion, this book will help you break through. This 8-week Bible study will help you identify different kinds of worry, learn why worry has such a strong hold on you, why worry doesn't work and why we believe it, how we do it without realizing it, and how to turn every worry into a powerful prayer to release your worries over to the Lord.
Negative thoughts can hold us captive, making us believe lies like we will never measure up or can't accomplish our dreams. God has given us a way out of these thoughts by giving us the power to fight the war in our minds and win. This book will inspire readers to take control of their thoughts and change their lives.
Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/priscilladupreez
If your kids are getting bored, check out these titles to keep them entertained this hot, steamy summer.
This adorable book is about a young girl who goes on a road trip with her family, intending to look for God's creation and see how it all confirms that Jesus loves us.
Creeper the sweeper loves cleaning his family's home, but he doesn't like that it scares their baby, Miles. Miles cries and cries, which makes Creeper feel sad. Then, one day, something changes. Miles comes closer to Creeper, and soon, they are best friends. Then, one day, Creeper gets sick. Will their friendship survive?
Summer can be fun and full of learning for both adults and kids that read books. Encouraging kids to read over summer will also help them overcome the learning slump that sometimes happens during the months they are not in school. So check out the titles above and get ready to have a fun, relaxing summer.
Photo credit: Unsplash/Josh Applegate