#64// things to do and read in summer 2025

half the year is...gone?

Jul 15, 2025

Summer reading lists are everywhere, which is great for a bookaholic like me. But as someone who loves those lists but doesn’t like the idea of summer, I thought I must share some ways to make summer nicer; in case there are more of you who are not fans of the season. Love an early cool summer day and cloudy weekends, but spare me hot days and throbbing headaches, please. Here’s what I have been doing.

1. Try summery salads

Nothing as refreshing as a good summer salad. A salad I enjoyed eating a couple of times this year is a watermelon feta salad with mint and lime. Very refreshing! It is the best thing for a hot day. For more ideas, here’s a summer salad list that I have bookmarked.

2. Some things are better in summer

Everyone has preferences on what makes them feel good on a hot day. I love a high drama fast-paced book (I’ve been reading One Perfect Couple by Ruth Ware which is like a Love Island reality show with something like Agatha Christie’s And Then There were None. It was ok; I expected more from that description and also because Ruth Ware writes great mysteries) or a cozy mystery to calm me down (I inhabit both high drama and low drama in my summer soul. Recently enjoyed Marble Hall Murders by Anthony Horowitz in cozy murder). Thrillers and romance are perfect for this time of the year, whether on screen or on the page. Or maybe a big book that takes months to complete?

Anyway, I’ve got you covered for the book list. Sorry if this list arrives too late—Here are 10 books to check out this summer, from crime scene cleaners in horror novels, cozy mysteries, rom-com on a hotline and wedding scenes at a Newport inn.

3. Take care of a plant

I am assuming that on hopeless days I will feel nicer looking at my new succulent whom I have named Emery. (You are right. I bought succulents because there is lesser chance of killing them. I am not going to be the plant killer this year). I’ve kept Emery near my desk so that I can look at it (it?) every time I take a break.

4. Juice it up

Lemonade to the win. Add mint leaves for a refreshing touch. I soak basil seeds in water and keep in the refrigerator to generously add to my cold glass of lemonade. Amp up the taste with lemon zest. Or make a syrup of ginger-lime and use it for hot evenings (I have not done this but my mother used to make batches and keep it in glass bottles for us). Another favorite this year have been pinacoladas; there’s something about pineapples and coconut cream that just hits the spot.

5. Think about scents you enjoy

I love citrusy scents this time of year. Put out a bowl of lemons; you’ll be tempted to smell one when you pass by, giving you an instant dose of freshness. I’ve been using a peppermint body wash and it makes me feel very refreshed after a sweaty day.

6. Enjoy Sunday brunches

This is a tricky area because I know there’s just so much to do on weekends (cue: house chores). But try, really try, if you can have some uninterrupted time for a long brunch. It can be anything from an egg on toast and some coffee in a nice mug, at home. Or why not quickly pop into the neighborhood café, if you have the time to spare. Distract yourself with something like sketching on a napkin or finally read that article you bookmarked five months ago.