On My Summer Vacation, I’m Going To Pack My…?
Remember playing that game in school? Each kid would have to go around the circle and name one thing they would take with them on a summer vacation. Then you’d have to repeat what your classmates were “bringing” and add your own item to the end of the list. Kindergarten flashback aside, it is getting to be time for summer vacations, and we want to know what you’re planning to take with you. Specifically, what books you’re going to pack.
Contest Alert!
Add a comment with your summer reading suggestions below. We’ll be selecting our favorite responses to send to our 
members in our summer reading newsletter.
The finalists in our summer reading contest will receive a free upgrade for their next month of service.
Our grand prize winner receives a Simply Audiobooks Road Trip Gift Basket worth $200 including audiobooks and a gas card!
We’d like to thank everyone who participates in sharing their summer favorites. We’re really looking forward to reading about your picks. Please note that this contest ends July 7, 2008 – don’t forget to check back on the 8th to see who the winner is!
June 25th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
Gotta read the Harry Potter series every summer. And also, Stephen King’s The Stand. I might try to read the Spiderwick Chroniicles this year, as well. And my favorite summer reading… The Summer with the Barshinskys.
Thanks so much for the opportunity.
June 26th, 2008 at 9:57 am
I love anything by Stephen King. I’m planning on reading Duma Key. He also has a new book of short stories coming out.
June 26th, 2008 at 10:02 am
I’m currently making my way through all the James Patterson books. He has written so many, it will take me all summer to get through them, but I love the way he writes. Another, ‘new’ favorite, is Philip Margolin. As you can see, I’m a ‘who-dun-it’ fan.
Thanks for offering this contest, I’d love to be the winner!
June 26th, 2008 at 10:44 am
I’m going to pack A New Earth and I’m also going to pack The Secret.
I haven’t yet read these books so summer is a good time to take them on vacation where I’ll have time to reflect on them as well as read.
June 26th, 2008 at 11:45 am
I’ll be taking Fearless Fourteen, the new Janet Evanovich.
June 26th, 2008 at 11:49 am
I am currently working my way through the “No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency” audio books by Alexander McCall Smith. The narrator, Lisette Lecat, does a wonderful job with the various voices and accents. Really gives you a feel for Botswana! I’ll be terribly sad when I get to the end, but I guess I can always start over again!
June 26th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
I grab any of Danielle Steele’s books and off on vacation I go. The travel times goes by so quickly because you can stop listening.
June 26th, 2008 at 12:37 pm
I am going to pack the book I am trying to get time to read now. It is I Shall Not Want by Julia Spencer-Fleming. It is a well written mystery which I love. Please enter me in the contest.
June 26th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
Plan to read Fearless Fourteen, love those Stephanie Plum adventures, and try and stay current with the current James Patterson books.
June 26th, 2008 at 3:57 pm
I may be a little late but I’m making my way from A to Z with Sue Grafton…I love these books!
June 26th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
For me it will be the new Janet Evanovich book, Fearless Fourteen. Her books are perfect for vacations since they are light reading but always lots of fun!
June 26th, 2008 at 4:10 pm
THE SECRETS and THE NEW EARTH have been lingering on my list far too long…
June 26th, 2008 at 4:28 pm
we love James Patterson an the kids love Clifford an American Girl,we are moving at the end of July 1200 miles so yeah we sure could use this soooooooooo much,thanks
June 26th, 2008 at 4:28 pm
I hear there is a new James Bond book out. Devil something or other. Must read that.
June 26th, 2008 at 7:04 pm
I recommend reading all of Jodi Picoult’s novels and Stephanie Meyers as well.
June 26th, 2008 at 8:14 pm
Any James Patterson or Patricia Cornwell book, in fact more than one because I can’t stop reading
June 26th, 2008 at 8:33 pm
I find as I have gotten older I read less. Something about being busy most of everyday creates the problem that when I sit down to read, I fall asleep. But I absolutely love audiobooks! I am in the car a lot, a book makes me look forward to the next trip to town. I never read romances but find that I am enjoying any Janet Evanovich or Danielle Steele book I can find. And now I am listening to How To Network With Millionaires. Go figure…
June 26th, 2008 at 8:39 pm
I have a lot of JAMES Patterson books I havent read yet. Ive bought a few audio books and I just love them. They keep my hands free for other things. Thanks great giveaway.
June 26th, 2008 at 8:52 pm
I love Tony Hillerman books. He writes about Native American mysteries. There have even been a few books made into PBS shows. It would be great to listen this author.
June 26th, 2008 at 8:53 pm
If summer means you have time on your hands and you really want to take a bite out of the true meaning of Capitalism then by all means read Ayn Rand AMAZING. This book is filled with action and a strong female lead. I could barely put this book down. This of course made driving to work very difficult as I couldn’t do both. This is why Simply Audiobooks saved the day offering this book on CD.
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is not only worth the read, but it is well worth the gas to actually SEE Savannah. After I read the book, I was compelled to visit and actually met a couple of the characters and the Jim Williams sister. We also got to see Lady Chablis’s show. Savannah is such a beautiful city and you won’t be sorry that you went.
I love Ann Rule but I know she is not everyone’s cup of tea. She writes True Crime and you really have to be a fan of that genre to love her.
I also love EVERYTHING John McCullough. This is a truly talented author who weaves the tapestry of history into a living breathing tale.
Uplifting? The Secret and it’s predecessor Think and Grow Rich. These books will recharge your dreams and help you chart your path to achieving them. Sometimes summer’s siren call distracs us from our goals and I have found that these two books tell a powerful story. Think and Grow Rich was actually commissioned and was written as a “how to” be successful by looking at how others achieved greatness. The Secret let’s us know that the power is within us.
ENJOY summer only comes once each year and only lasts a few months.
June 26th, 2008 at 8:54 pm
I’m reading the latest Dresden Files novel, Small Favors, by Jim Butcher. And the audio version is waiting for my next road trip!
June 26th, 2008 at 9:48 pm
If you haven’t read any of Janet Evanovich’s novels, you need to start now! Start with any of her miscellaneous novels such as Full House or Full Tilt, but if you want to get into it seriously do the 13!
1) is One for the Money
all the way up to 13! these books are fantastic and you won’t want to put them down!
June 26th, 2008 at 10:04 pm
I recommend World Without End by Ken Follett, which is 36 discs long. It’s really good and you won’t need another book for the summer, since it’s so long.
June 27th, 2008 at 7:30 am
Water for Elephants is great to read during the summer as it brings back so many memories from childhood and the circus.
June 27th, 2008 at 8:26 am
Summer is for escapist reading, and for me that means Carl Hiaasen. Hiaasen never fails to deliver laugh out loud, snort iced-tea through your nose laughs. I’m even getting the kids in on the action – I’m going to read Hiassen’s “Hoot” to them this summer!
June 27th, 2008 at 2:03 pm
I would really say James Patterson’s Womans Murder Club series. There’s 7 books in the series so far so should pretty much fill up the summer with great reading.
June 27th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
I am really into non-fiction books and documentaries on tv. Call me a dork, I don’t care. lol I have been reading ghost stories ( non-fiction) since I was in grade school. I now read anything on the paranormal and occult. I really enjoy opening my mind up to ponder possibilities. Like the saying goes… “Minds are like parachutes, they only work when they are open.”
Anyways, this is a great contest. We are going to Colorado next month and this prize would be great to win. I will be packing my Silver Ravenwolf books as he head out.
June 27th, 2008 at 2:16 pm
David Baldacci’s The Whole Truth was fantastic!
June 27th, 2008 at 7:45 pm
I am reading the Highlander books-right now I am on There Can Be Only One. They are entertaining and not too long for a plane trip or day at the the beach.
June 28th, 2008 at 2:41 pm
I browse the ‘Books at the Library’ section of our Sunday paper and select a new book each week. No only do I get to read the my recent books, it provides me with comments for our monthly book gatherings. You never run out of words when you’re discussing books!!!
June 28th, 2008 at 7:04 pm
I love the new Dorthea Benton Frank book, Bulls Island
June 28th, 2008 at 11:17 pm
The Ladies No. 1 Detective Agency series by Alexander McCall Smith are such fun. This season’s release “The Miracle at Speedy Motors” was right up at the top! Such fun!
June 28th, 2008 at 11:41 pm
Audio books making “reading” so much more exciting!
June 29th, 2008 at 7:25 am
I think any book by David Sedaris is good for summer reading! He’s very funny. The Cat Who… books are a fun, easy and entertaining read.
June 29th, 2008 at 10:50 am
My kids read the Harry Potter Series and I haven’t yet…am planning to read them all…and share in their excitement. THANKS!
June 29th, 2008 at 12:36 pm
I have read all of the Harry Potter books and since I cannot get enough of them I’m listening to them on tape. They are the best!
June 29th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
Hope to read Harry Potter before the next movie comes out.
June 29th, 2008 at 2:22 pm
I love reading but listening with headphones while doing mundane jobs around the house is great! I like James Patterson and Michael Connelly.
June 29th, 2008 at 3:29 pm
I love to read when I travel and have the waits in-between getting there. Daniel Steel is tops in my book.
June 29th, 2008 at 7:27 pm
Barrack Obama’s, Audacity of Hope and his other book…I want to know more about him.
June 29th, 2008 at 9:18 pm
I am blind and Audio Books are my thing. Nora Roberts is my favorite. For summer time reading especially. She keeps you interested all of the time. From the beginning to the end.
June 29th, 2008 at 10:30 pm
I’m reading “Beyond the White House” by Jimmy Carter
June 30th, 2008 at 9:38 am
I will definitely be packing James Patterson’s books. I’m addicted!
June 30th, 2008 at 9:45 am
For my 2 week vacation I packed the newest books by Lisa Jackson, JD Robb (Nora Roberts), and Debbie Macomber. And I read them all!! What a restful vacation at the beach.
June 30th, 2008 at 10:07 am
I enjoy books by Vince Flynn and want to read next “Consent to Kill”.
June 30th, 2008 at 10:23 am
I’m going to bring my other Beverly Swerling books and probably Stephen King, even though I’m staying right at home. LOL
June 30th, 2008 at 11:59 am
Fearless Fourteen by Janet Evanovich heads the list. The latest adventures of Stephanie Plum always make good reading. I’ll re-read some of my favorite summer mysteries, the Asey Mayo series by Phoebe Atwood Taylor. They were written mostly during the 1930′s and 1940′s, are set on Cape Cod and are lots of fun. And there are some kids/YA books by great authors that I’m looking forward to reading – the latest in the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan, The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey by Trenton Lee Stewart, and Playing with Fire by Derek Landy. Can’t wait to get started on them!
June 30th, 2008 at 12:05 pm
I LOVE to do needlework and to read. Books on tape is a PERFECT way for me to read a book and stitch at the same time. I love killing two birds with one stone and getting two of my favorite hobbies accomplished together
June 30th, 2008 at 3:15 pm
Every summer I look forward to the new Janet Evanovich. So Fearless Fourteen is on my list!
June 30th, 2008 at 8:09 pm
Anne of Green Gables series of books, love them!
July 2nd, 2008 at 1:25 am
Love the books Love the books Thanks
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:58 pm
I am planning on catching up with the rest of the “world” and reading all the Harry Potter books! I have already read the first two and plan on going through the 7th one this summer if I can fit it in! They are so good and great summer reads — even for adults!
July 2nd, 2008 at 4:04 pm
I love The Godfather, and like to reread it every few years.
July 3rd, 2008 at 1:23 pm
“a year of living biblically”
July 3rd, 2008 at 1:39 pm
I am going back to Jane Austen. Through the years I have visited her novels and enjoyed them. But for some reason (maturity?) when I listened to Emma again recently it was like I had never read it before. So, I want to sit back and let Jane Austen reveal human nature to me–through words and stories that hold new discoveries. I’ll be having conversations with an old friend this summer.
July 3rd, 2008 at 6:15 pm
I am gonna try to read the Stephanie Meyers’ novel titled “The Host.” It looks like a good one!
July 4th, 2008 at 10:58 am
I like to read women’s fiction. I just finished Twenty Wishes by Debbie Macomber . Now reading Touching Stars by Emilie Richards who I just discovered.
July 4th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
I like the The Ladies No. 1 Detective Agency books. Very light and fun, but with such moral integrity and I love to hear about Botswana.
July 5th, 2008 at 10:51 pm
Happy Summer ! And I know I am repeating others’ suggestions–*but they are good ones!) : Janet Evanovich; Dean Koontz; Ann Rule.
July 6th, 2008 at 7:06 am
i re-re-re-re-reading of the Harry Potter series always does it for me, hahahah!
July 6th, 2008 at 8:43 am
The New Earth, I need to read this book. I love audio books I can listen while I do my work.
July 6th, 2008 at 11:34 am
anything by Gregory Maguire is great, like Wicked or Mirror, Mirror
July 6th, 2008 at 9:17 pm
I love having the summer off so I can catch up on my reading. I am currently reading Blade of Fortriu: Book Two of the Bridei Chronicles by Juliet Marillier.
July 6th, 2008 at 9:52 pm
Anything James Patterson! First is 7th Heaven, then Sail!
July 6th, 2008 at 10:48 pm
I am continuing my Sue Grafton and John Grisham series of books for my summer reading list this year!
July 7th, 2008 at 8:44 am
anything james patterson, reading sitting on the beach while my husband plays with the kids ( dream on)
July 7th, 2008 at 10:49 am
I am planning on reading the secret this summer. I will probably also read some trashy romance books on the beach as well.
July 7th, 2008 at 11:35 am
im currently reading a book called flower gardening..i just love to garden its my PASSION
July 7th, 2008 at 12:31 pm
If you like Dungeons and Dragons type fantasy stories, you will love anything by David and Leigh Eddings. All the marvelous stories about sorcerors and dragons and the like!
July 7th, 2008 at 1:31 pm
I Drive 65 miles to work and I listen to books all the way . I do the same thing on my way home. Listening to good stories is both entertaining and educational. Is makes the trip an easy and enjoyable ride. I find books by Stuart Wood, Barbara Taylor Bradford, Nero Wolfe, Agatha Christie and David Baldacci always great any time of the year. I Don’t drive any place without a book to listen to.
July 7th, 2008 at 9:28 pm
Anything by Stephen King. He’s my fav.
July 7th, 2008 at 10:54 pm
I love to read about travel and other countries.
July 8th, 2008 at 9:27 am
I love the Stephanie Plum books and I’ve recently introduced my husband to them via audiobooks. We are working our way through them this summer, but until now have only had the opportunity to listen to them on our way to and from the Metro station. We are so looking forward to longer car trips later this summer so that we can enjoy longer doses! For me, it brings back memories of when my grandmother used to read to us during the rest period after the noon meal when we were children. I think that’s when my love of reading (and being read to) was born. Audiobooks are the next best thing to hearing my grandmother’s voice (and they keep her alive in my memory).
July 9th, 2008 at 1:12 am
Some books I am reading this summer:
A Secret Word:, it is about three girls who are brought together by a tragedy.
The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger, I love this one so far and Meritocracy: A Love Story by Jeffrey Lewis