Hello everyone, I hope all is well with you. I’m back today and I’m talking about my summer bucket list. The last day of school was Friday and the kids and I are ecstatic. I don’t know why, but this school year has been a long one.
The last month of the year has been filled with field trips and parties for both my kids. My oldest graduated fifth grade and there were ceremonies to attend and pictures to take. So, I’m finally able to take a breath and decide what I want to do this summer.
The number one thing I want to do is finish the writing projects I’ve started. I’ve got four of them. Three are WIPs and one is finished and out to the third beta reader. So far, she likes it.
I also want to read this summer. My last post was about the author I’m binge reading. Click here for details. But when I’m done with those books, I’ve got some YA books I want to read. The first one is “The Beginning of Everything” by Robin Schneider. The cover and blurb are below.
Robyn Schneider’s The Beginning of Everything is a witty and heart-wrenching teen novel that will appeal to fans of books by John Green and Ned Vizzini, novels such as The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and classics like The Great Gatsby and The Catcher in the Rye.
Varsity tennis captain, Ezra Faulkner, was supposed to be homecoming king, but that was before—before his girlfriend cheated on him, before a car accident shattered his leg, and before he fell in love with unpredictable new girl Cassidy Thorpe.
As Kirkus Reviews said in a starred review, “Schneider takes familiar stereotypes and infuses them with plenty of depth. Here are teens who could easily trade barbs and double entendres with the characters that fill John Green’s novels.”
Funny, smart, and including everything from flash mobs to blanket forts to a poodle who just might be the reincarnation of Jay Gatsby, The Beginning of Everything is a refreshing contemporary twist on the classic coming-of-age novel—a heart-wrenching story about how difficult it is to play the part that people expect, and how new beginnings can stem from abrupt and tragic endings.
I’m going to spend a lot of time with my kids this summer, too. We go up north quite a bit and I’m envisioning campfires, s’mores, card games, and lots of laughter. And sunsets too! I’m thinking of steamy summer nights listening to the waves lap against the shore as I drift off to sleep. I’m so looking forward to these moments.
The next thing on my bucket list is I want to go to Lake Superior and kayak around the Pictured Rocks National Lake Shore. I believe that would be an awesome trip for us to take as a family. We could also hike and camp there. I’m creating memories for my boys and that would be an awesome one.
Since we’re talking about the Upper Peninsula, I’d also love to check out Tahquamenon Falls. Rumor has it, the area is just gorgeous and I can’t wait to see it.
I’d love to take a trip to Chicago and check out Shedd’s Aquarium. Although, I’ve heard there are other aquariums that are just as spectacular, like the one in Cincinnati. So, we’ll see which one we go to.
How about you? What’s on your summer bucket list? Leave a comment! I’d love to hear from you!