Poolside Reading And Other Various Fourth of July Things

That's right, I just posted a photo of apple pie/crisp/whatever you want to label it! At any rate, Happy 4th of July to all of you American bloggers, friends, and readers out there. Is there anything better than a three day weekend? Maybe a four or five or not having to go to work at all, but I'll take what I can get. It's pretty much a trademark in our household to celebrate this weekend with fireworks, sitting by the pool/lake/beach, bbq-ing, and aweosme outdoorsy things, even if we (or maybe just me) aren't very outdoorsy.

Since I plan on spending my weekend by the pool reading, I thought I'd share some of my favorite poolside books with you guys. Here we go!

Before we dive into our weekend of fun in the sun, let's not forget what today stands for. It's Independence Day, and far too many soldiers have lost their lives fighting for our great nation. For those who make it back, the majority struggle with PTSD or with the everyday lifestyles that we've all grown accustomed, if not spoiled, to. SOMETHING LIKE NORMAL helps remind us to pray for not only our brave soldiers but also their family, friends, and loved ones. Really, it's the perfect 4th of July read.

Ahh, is there anything better than small vacation towns? How about summer romance? I cannot tell you guys enough how much I simply adored WHAT I THOUGHT WAS TRUE. It truly is the perfect beach read.

Whenever I read the title of SINCE YOU BEEN GONE, I can't help but start singing the Kelly Clarkson song in my head. At any rate, this is such a great summer read or really a fabulous book in general. It's about friendship- the good, the bad, and the ugly. It's fun, complex, sometimes difficult, but overall perfect. Read it, yo!

In my world, Sarah Dessen is a staple as far as summer poolside reading goes. I cannot tell you how much I love this book or really count how many times I've reread it. ALONG FOR THE RIDE is one of my favorite SD novels, tied with THIS LULLABY.

For you campers out there, THINGS I CAN'T FORGET is the book for you. For you noncampers out there, this book is still for you. Right now, I'm stuck between whether this one or Miranda's upcoming novel (BREATHE, ANNIE, BREATHE) is my favorite. Anywho, it's easy to devour this book by the pool/lake/beach and accidentally get sunburnt because you lost track of time. I know this all too well.




Now, let's talk about treats. While apple pie seems to be an American signature dessert, I can't help but declare and fangirl over my love for macarons. I've been on this CRAZY macarons kick lately and simply cannot get enough of these delectable treats. In fact, I even took a macarons baking class. Low and behold, for I have created heaven in bite:

Needless to say, these are easily becoming my favorite poolside treat. Well, this and a pitcher of margarita...because I'm an adult and can do what I want! I have three awesome macaron recipes: Chocolate with a salted caramel filling, lemon with a raspberry buttercream filling, and earl grey with a chocolate filling. Honestly, you can mix and match any of the fillings, and they all taste great. If you're interested, email me at addicted2novels(at)gmail(dot)com. I'd love to share these recipes with you!




Regardless of what you guys do this weekend, please remember to be safe, enjoy a book and have fun. Till next time, this is Lena signing out.