It's officially summer! That means it's time to relax, recharge, and read.  In about 2 weeks I will be completely done with my Master's degree, which means I too can finally get back to reading just for fun.  I can't even tell you how excited I am!

To kick off my summer of reading, this evening I attended a book signing event at a local Barnes & Noble.  It was such a fun experience! The author whom I was able to meet was Elin Hilderbrand. She is a New York Times bestselling author of numerous summer beach reads and the mom of 3.  

Elin was super nice and down to earth. She read an excerpt from her new book and answered numerous audience questions.  I had no idea that she used to teach in Queens, NY. I had the littles in tow and she was so very kind and sweet to me and them. She has a great sense of humor too. 

The coolest part was being able to have her sign my copy of The Identicals, her latest novel. I can't wait to dive into this book. If the excerpt Elin read is any indicator, it's going to be a great read!

Did you know that Barnes & Noble has events all year round where you can meet your favorite authors and celebrities? Just this month, there were opportunities to meet John Grisham, Don Winslow, and Kevin Hart. Chris Colfer from Glee, and Bill Nye the Science Guy are coming to Union Square next month. Wesley Snipes will be at the Tribeca location next month and Chris Jericho is coming in August. 

Don't worry, if you are not in NYC, there are tons of events throughout the country that you can check out on the Barnes & Noble website.  

If you are not into the celebrities, then you can also check out story time at your local Barnes & Noble. This is perfect for those brutal summer days when playing outside is not an option, but you want to get the littles out of the house. Just pack up the kiddos and head on over to story time for a nice change of scenery and entertainment for the kids. 

Here are the books we picked up during this evening's outing. 

Summer Reading List

And now on to my summer reading list. Now of course I haven't read these books yet so I can't vouch for how good they are, but they are definitely books that I can't wait to start! Here goes the list:

1. The Identicals by Elin Hilderbrand

2. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling

3. Truly Madly Guilty, by Liane Moriarty

4. The Girls, by Emma Cline

5. Bossypants by Tina Fey

6. The Magnolia Story, by Chip and Joanna Gaines

7. Let’s Pretend This Never Happened: (A Mostly True Memoir) by Jenny Lawson

All of these books can be found at Barnes & Noble of course. 

Giveaway

In order to help you pick up your summer reads, I am giving away one $20 Barnes & Noble Gift Card to one lucky reader.  All you have to do is check out the Store and Event Locator on the Barnes & Noble website and tell me which of the events you would love to go to, regardless of location.  Entries can be made on this post as well as on the giveaway posts on my social media channels. 

Good luck and Happy Reading!

Cheers,

Emily

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