Can you believe this is our last post for Sweet Summertime Reads? Thanks so much for following along with us since May! It’s been the best thing ever to bring you original and fun posts, and get you excited about summer, vacation, warm weather, and most importantly, summer reading!
Today we are so happy to have the pioneer of this series, Ginger, on our blog! I’m sure you know Ginger from GReads! Pretty girl, sometimes wears glasses? She’s passionate about her budding teaching career and a die-hard music fan? She devours, reviews, and loves young adult and romance novels?
See? We knew you loved her too!
Today she is stopping in to chat all about her summer highlights! Take it away, G….
favorite summer buys
♥ Nautical-inspired dress from Old Navy. This dress has been a staple in my summer wardrobe. I added a thin red belt & usually pair it with my gold sandals. It’s fun, flirty, and oh-so comfy!
♥ Guess aviator sunglasses. I am always wearing shades during the summer. I love these because they’re durable + stylish.
♥ Zebra-printed Toms. My first pair! They’re super comfy and I adore the fun print.
movie I can’t stop thinking about
I’ve always enjoyed watching documentaries, usually of the music variety, but this summer I got into some documentaries I found on Netflix. One in particular I really enjoyed and found myself still thinking about long after I watched it was Craigslist Joe.
It’s about a young man who uses craigslist.com to survive day-to-day. He ventures out into Los Angeles with just the clothes on his back, along with his laptop and cell phone. He logs onto craigslist and peruses the ads, in search of a place to stay for the night, to catch a ride to another city or state, or just an outlet to meet people that could lead to other possibilities of adventure.
The purpose of his mission is to find out if the world we live in still has a sense of community. In this day we’re all consumed by technology, never really knowing our neighbor. So he’s using technology as a means to meet those neighbors and find out if community still exists among strangers.
The places he traveled to and the people he met were all inspiring and I was a little scared for him at times. I was amazed by how many strangers were willing to open their homes to him, but humbled by the generous hearts who did. He successfully survived off of craigslist for a month, traveled from California to New York, and back home again. His adventure was very interesting to watch and I highly recommend this documentary to others.
favorite summer memory
For my last hurrah of the summer, I took a day trip to the beach with my sisters & nephews. The weather was perfect & the beach was, well as good as it gets for the Texas Gulf Coast. I have a close relationship with my sisters, so it’s nice when the four of us can get together. There are always tons of laughs & plenty to talk about. As I’m growing older, I’m realizing how valuable my time with them is. These are the kinds of memories I want to hold on to forever.
places i vacationed this summer
♥ Lake LBJ with my family. We spent an extended weekend on the lake, cruising in my dad’s boat, grilling on the patio, and enjoying the sunshine. Definitely want to go back!
♥ Chicago to see my friends Tara & Anna. I love this city and I love these girls so much! We had a great time hanging around their neighborhoods, book shopping, seeing the sites in the city, spending a day at the beach, and of course tons of yummy food & drinks.
favorite pic you took this summer
I have a knack for taking pics of sunrises and sunsets. There’s something about the way the sky looks that always catches my eye. This photo is one I took in Chicago, just as my plane had landed.
summertime link picks
♥ Rather Be Reading’s Morgan Matson’s Summer Essentials: I feel like it’s not summer until you have the essentials & I completely agreed with all of Morgan’s picks. I loved this post because it captured the essence of what summertime brings — the beach, mountains, books + a great summer playlist! Morgan Matson is a favorite author of mine and this woman definitely knows how to create both swoony & dramatic moments in her summery YA books.
♥ Fiction Folio’s My Dream Road Trip I love the possibility of new adventures during the summertime & what better way to escape reality for a bit than take a road trip! Tara’s places she chose were perfect because for one, it starts in the Pacific Northwest — a favorite of mine — and of course ends in the beautiful city of Chicago. I would love to hit the road with all of these ladies for new adventures some day!
Thanks for everything, Ginger!
And a surprise end of summer giveaway!
This summer we’ve been so lucky to read so many amazing books. We’ve each put together some of our favorites from our own bookshelves to gift to TWO lucky winners. All you have to do is enter using the Rafflecopter form below. Please note: you must be 13 years of age to enter and live in the U.S. or Canada. Tell us which prize pack you’re interested in winning in the comments section below!
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Be sure to head over to Tara’s blog for a little bit of us & Ginger‘s for a little bit of Tara!
(Are you confused yet?!) Thanks again for following us this summer!!
Tell us what you think! We love blog comments and hearing from you!
Sweet Summertime Reads Wrap-Up: Ginger Reflects on Rather Be Reading
Check out more book reviews and posts by Estelle + Magan.
