Sometimes I think it’s weird that there are so many “summer reading” articles every year, because I read year ’round. Year ’ROUND. But I get it. I read a lot in the summer, and there’s something about the hot, sticky weather that lets you say, You know what? I’m allowed to read whatever my lakeshore-sitting butt wants to read.

(I don’t feel bad about what I read all year long. I used to make excuses for reading fun books, but I won’t anymore. I like to have fun. And my idea of fun is the only one that matters when I’m picking out books for myself. Your mileage may vary.)

Wait til you see the stack of books I’m taking on vacation this year.

31. Morality for Beautiful Girls– Alexander McCall Smith
Re-read. If you don’t know how I feel about these books, you are a SKIMMER.

32. Hit Lit: Cracking the Code of the Twentieth Century’s Biggest Bestsellers– James W. Hall
After reading this, I’m pretty sure I’ll never write one of the Twenty-first Century’s Biggest Bestsellers. Book was interesting, somewhat instructive, and a little bit like reading a very long Lit Crit paper.

33. A Fearsome Doubt– Charles Todd
These Todd books do start to run together after a while, but I LOVE THEM. I’m afraid I might embarrass myself if the two people who write as Charles Todd show up at Bouchercon this fall.

34. The Calling– Inger Ash Wolfe
Re-read. I really like the protagonist of this series. She’s a 62-year-old small-town Canadian police detective, creaky, cranky, and kick-ass.

35. A Drunkard’s Path– Clare O’Donohue
Craft cozy with attitude written by a friend of mine. If you read “craft cozy” and shrink away, shut your face. These are good.

36. Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Coast Trail– Cheryl Strayed
The book that convinced Oprah to restart her book club. Yes, it’s that good.

37. Turn of Mind– Alice LaPlante
Why are there so many books where the protagonist can’t remember anything? Never mind. This is one of the good ones. Interesting best friend relationship between two characters.

38. A Cold Day in Paradise– Steve Hamilton
First in a Michigan-set private eye series. Liked it. I recommend Hamilton’s standalone The Lock Artist.

39. A Cold Treachery– Charles Todd
Another Todd book. I will finish this series and then cry.

40. The Double Cross– Clare O’Donohue
41. The Devil’s Puzzle– Clare O’Donohue
The last of this series until Clare writes more. Write more, Clare.

42. The Next Best Thing– Jennifer Weiner
The first Jennifer Weiner I’ve read in a while. Really liked it and blasted through it in a day. Sexy stuff, if you are fifty shades out of stuff to read.