The sun is out and it is time to curate your reading list so that you can make the most of the long days to enrich and entertain your mind. There is no need to get your hands sweaty by trying to hold up a book while lying on the beach, you can just pop your earphones into your ear and be transported into a different world.
Here are 7 of our picks of what we think you should be reading/listening to this summer:
- Scarred - Joanne Macgregor
Sloane Munster, a 17-year-old has to restart her life at a new school after an accident which left her physically scarred and traumatised. She tries to navigate this new world while haunted by her past. You can buy it for R119.95 here and then read it on the free app, Audioshelf, which can be downloaded on the App Store or Google Play Store.
- A Promised Land - Barack Obama
The highly anticipated first volume of Barack Obama’s presential memoirs, A Promised Land explores his journey from being a student to a community leader to becoming the president of the United States. You can buy it here for $45.50 (about R700) or get it free on Audible Premium Plus which is $14.95 (about R230) per month. Download the Audible app from the App Store or Google Play Store.
- Girl, Woman, Other - Bernardine Evaristo
The winner of the Booker Prize 2019, Girl, Woman, Other takes the reader on a journey with twelve black women in the UK from the dawn of the twentieth century to a teenager in our current times. You can get it here for free on the Audiobooks.com membership which costs $14.95 (about R230) per month. Download the Audiobooks.com app from the App Store or Google Play Store.
- Think Like a Monk: The secret of how to harness the power of positivity and be happy now - Jay Shetty
Social media star and host of the popular podcast ‘On Purpose’, Jay Shetty draws upon his experience as a monk in the Vedic tradition in order to help others to be more positive despite roadblocks in their lives. You can buy it for R309.83 here and then read it on the free app, Kobo Books, which can be downloaded on the App Store or Google Play Store.
- The Queen’s Gambit - Walter Tevis
Originally published in 1983, the Netflix adaptation of the book has made it popular again. And it is interesting to listen to the full story of Beth Harmon, an orphan who becomes a chess prodigy while struggling with her demons. You can buy it for R309.00 here and then read it on the free app, Google Play Books, which can be downloaded on the App Store or Google Play Store.
- Midnight Sun - Stephenie Meyer
Who can forget the iconic meeting of Edward Cullen and Bella Swan in Twilight? It caused a pop culture phenomenon, which whether you loved or hated it, you could not avoid it. Now, author Stephenie Meyer has released the highly anticipated companion novel that tells Edward’s side of the story. You can buy it here for $32.71 (about R500) or get it free on Audible Premium Plus which is $14.95 (about R230) per month. Download the Audible app from the App Store or Google Play Store.
- The Alice Network - Kate Quinn
This historical fiction novel tells the story of two women in post-World War II Europe – a former spy and an American socialite who join together to solve a mystery in a tale of scandal, espionage, and redemption. Read it with an unlimited Scribd subscription for $8.99 (about R140) monthly and have access to over 30 000 titles. Download the Scribd app from the App Store or Google Play Store. You can pay for the app by adding it to your Vodacom bill.
Audio Book Masters
Did you know that there is a Youtube channel that uploads audio versions of South African books and short stories? Audio Book Masters was started by two friends, Bonolo Mavelu and Hahangwivhawe Liphadzi. If you want to enjoy some South African literature this holiday, subscribe to this channel. Some of the featured authors and poets include Credo Mutwa, Steve Biko, Keorapetse Kgositsile, and many more.
Stream Youtube with Video Ticket
Video Tickets make it more affordable for you to stream movies, series, and other video content on Video Play, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, VuClip Videos, DStv, and Showmax. Buy your video ticket here.