Admittedly, my “to read” list is WAY too long for my own good. I add to it faster than my current book consumption speed allows for. If I had a week off to spend luxuriating in an outdoor chaise lounge with a big glass of blackberry iced tea these are the five books I would marathon through.

Well-Read Women: Portrait’s of Fictions Most Beloved Heroines by Samantha Hahn

Using watercolor and words, Hahn creates portraits of 50 of the most well-read female characters of the literary world. Ethereal descriptions, hand-written quotations and beautiful artwork work together to breathe life into the likes of Daisy Buchanan and Anna Karenina once more, just as they were initially introduced to us.

The Promise: a Tragic Accident , a Paralyzed Bride, and the Power of Love Loyalty and Friendship by Rachelle Friedman

I first hear about Rachelle Friedman’s story from Chet when he told me how popular her AMA’s had been on Reddit. Friedman was paralyzed from the chest down after a friend jokingly pushed her into a pool on the night of her bachelorette party. Vowing to never reveal the identity of her friend, she has not only had to endure the tragedy of her injury but also a life-long secret. Yet, in the face of everything, Freidman got her fairy-tale wedding. A scroll through one of her AMA’s will also reveal what a positive and inspiring person she continues to be.

Can’t We Talk about Something More Pleasant: A Memoir by Roz Chast

I love, love, LOVE graphic-novel memoirs. They add such a level of personality and relatability to the author’s life story. This one tells the story of an only child’s aging parents. Covering the last few years of her parent’s lives, Chast utilizes her cartoons, family photos and old documents to paint a more holistic picture of her, at times hilarious and at times grippingly sad, narrative.

Pledged: The Secret Life of Sororities by Alexandra Robbins 

Robbins knocked it out of the park with “The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth” and I have a feeling this book is no different. Through undercover research, Robbins exposes the darkside of university greek life while also revealing the successful women within their hallowed halls, as well. This sneaky expose certainly speaks to my interest in sociological non-fiction.

This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper 

This New York Times Bestseller has been making the rounds on the blogosphere and everyone is raving about it. Plus, I want to read it before seeing the movie. Which also looks good.

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Alright, now it’s your turn! If you could spend the next week in your pj’s, on a beach, curled up on a porch swing or WHEREVER you best like to blazingly turn pages; what 5 books would be on your night stand, in your beach bag or stacked haphazardly on the edge of a flower pot?! SPILL! I can’t wait to read your answers!!! No doubt I’ll add most of them to my ever growing book scroll. Happy reading. ❤ 

(top photo via here.)