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Best summer reads 2015 - win £500 of books!

(905 Posts)
CariGransnet (GNHQ) Wed 17-Jun-15 09:59:12

It's that time of year again when our thoughts turn to holidays, sunshine <looks hopeful> and brilliant new books.

And what a line up we have...whether for reading in the garden, on the beach, on planes, trains or automobiles, we bring you some of the best summer reads for 2015. What's more, we are offering one lucky gransnetter the chance to win the lot - worth over £500!

Details of the books and everything else HERE So now all you need to do is tell us your favourite thing about summer - and it can be anything at all - and you will automatically be entered into the draw.

hanarees Sat 20-Jun-15 21:59:04

Spending time in the countryside - today I went for a lovely long walk along the Norfolk Broads. And the best thing - it's free!!

nickit1987 Sat 20-Jun-15 22:28:22

I love the longer evenings in the summer and the opportunity to get out more in nature.

caro8500 Sat 20-Jun-15 22:28:28

I love a nice walk in the countryside and a picnic with the family.

Trenna Sat 20-Jun-15 22:53:07

Getting up really early and going for a walk before anyone else is up and about.

dannipowell20 Sat 20-Jun-15 22:56:34

I love relaxing in the garden, the smell of freshly cut grass and spending lots of quality time with family. Summer definitely brings everyone together.

fatfairy Sat 20-Jun-15 23:15:36

The best summer's day starts with breakfast under the grape vine (coming along nicely, I notice ... lots of grapes in Autumn). An extended breakfast, fruit and cereal, with a newspaper or good book. Then a potter around the garden to see what's out and what needs doing (another day, maybe), before heading into the studio to look at my latest project and consider my next moves. It helps to let the unconscious mind rummage around a problem, I find.
A cuppa in the garden, perhaps some knitting - Lunchtime already!
After lunch it's too hot to stay outdoors, so into the studio for some serious work. Hours later I emerge, creative itch well and truly scratched, to whatever I can find for dinner (yup, forgotten to get anything out of the freezer again), hopefully eaten outside. More reading - summer is a good time to really get into a meaty novel - before bed with the windows wide open and the duvet thrown off, as like as not.
Perfect Summer's day!

gardenoma Sat 20-Jun-15 23:33:02

Looking out over my garden.
Working in my garden and seeing plants grow.
Just pottering in the garden and doing some deadheading.
Smelling all the intoxicating and the subtle flower smells alike.
Smell of soil after rain on parched earth.
Sitting in the garden with a book and a glass of red, or beer, I am not fussy.
The enormously long hours of daylight, even getting up in the night (usually 4 or 5 times lol) I can see my garden as it never seems to get dark.
Dawn chorus.
I do get out of the garden, honest, but I dont want to fill another 5 pages with all the other summer joys out there.

queentwixy Sun 21-Jun-15 00:45:31

The sun.. The brightness and the warmth it brings.

galadrial Sun 21-Jun-15 00:54:36

The warmer weather, light nights, sweet juicy strawberries and raspberries.

BGB31 Sun 21-Jun-15 06:39:47

My favourite thing about summer is what I'm doing at this very moment- spending time with my family, by the sea.
The year flies past with our busy lives and a week at the coast allows us a chance to reconnect and rejuvenate.

gohlass Sun 21-Jun-15 12:31:38

my favourite thing is sitting in the garden with my family reading a good book

NANNALINDA Sun 21-Jun-15 16:32:38

Nothing more relaxing than sitting in my deckchair with the sun beating down on me, with a nice cold glass of wine enjoying a good book.

Miriam Sun 21-Jun-15 16:33:00

Not needing to wear so many layers of clothes, just go out as you are and feel the warmth on my skin.

kazz123 Sun 21-Jun-15 17:49:26

Great collection of books -and fab prize! I love Summer ,and I always enjoy taking the family to the seaside ! Donkey rides ,fish and chips ,fairground rides ,paddling in the sea -bliss! As long as it doesn't rain !

Lunchtimelady1 Sun 21-Jun-15 18:02:27

Everyone is so much more relaxed: stopping to chat to people we meet in the street, eating and drinking at street cafés, enjoying not being swaddled in layers of clothing. Roll on the holidays...

sue119 Sun 21-Jun-15 18:50:58

I love just being outside during the summer, my favourite thing is sitting in a deckchair on a sandy beach with a good book...perfect!

Madwuman Sun 21-Jun-15 19:37:27

My favorite thing about summer is being able to take my Grand-Children to the beach for picnics and fun :D

nannyann5 Sun 21-Jun-15 19:46:28

I love being outside in the summer - going for lovely long walks, sitting in the garden reading my book, drying the washing on the line. I also seem to have more energy when the sun is shining, and tackle all the jobs I have been putting off during the winter.

chrisbishop55 Sun 21-Jun-15 20:27:42

My favourite thing about the summer is the longer days, lighter nights, the sun shining (hopefully), picking my crop of strawberries, home grown rhubarb and gooseberries and watching my veggie patch bloom.

annodomini Mon 22-Jun-15 00:00:09

The dawn chorus.

Lynne810 Mon 22-Jun-15 10:30:22

Long summer days with my grandsons during the school holidays

DevonJennie53 Mon 22-Jun-15 11:06:53

Living by the sea makes the summer very special. I'm 'Sea-side Nannie' and I love taking my grandchildren to the beach where we can play for hours outside in the sunshine. Summer days are longer which gives me more time to do all the things I love doing like reading in the garden with a coffee after lunch then a spot of weeding and back to my book as the sun sets over the trees.

coxie Mon 22-Jun-15 14:19:51

My favourite thing about summer is the long days - once supper's all out of the way, it's like having an extra afternoon for reading/cycling/walking or whatever you fancy!

vegasmags Mon 22-Jun-15 15:57:48

Sitting in the pub garden with friends enjoying a drink or two. My eldest DGC coming to stay for a week. Leaving off my thermal underwear (hopefully).

janywoo Mon 22-Jun-15 20:38:49

Staying indoors and reading, of course . It's 105 in Arizona, a trade for the wonderful winters,here . We can bake ccookies in our cars!!!!!