15 Accessories For Ultimate Summer Reading Joy

Welcome to the season of long, lazy days ignoring your screaming kids while they destroy your house so you can finally read ACOTAR. You’ve earned it! That means it’s time to get your reading situation in order. All the distractions and demands on your time mean that you want to make your setup as inviting as possible so you don’t get sidetracked scrolling on social media for the precious few hours you’ve got to yourself, when what you really want is to dive into the latest Kennedy Ryan.

And so here are a few accessories that I’ve found to make my reading experience extra comfy... and a few I’d really like to try. Plus some reader swag that’s just fun.

A Reading Lamp

I recently upgraded my bedside lamp to an absolute vintage monster purchased for $10 from Facebook Marketplace. And wow, suddenly I can actually see to read! Amazing what a difference that makes in terms of how much I read after my kid’s bedtime instead of losing an embarrassing amount of time watching cleaning hacks that I definitely will not use. Since I can’t recommend that exact product, I will direct you to the side table lamp I have next to my couch, which is also pretty good… plus it has built-in USB drives. Handy!

A Snazzy Kindle Cover

For the e-reader crew: I’m on my second Kindle KleverCase. I ran this beautiful green one straight into the ground over the course of a few years, because I am hard on my Kindle cases. (I take it everywhere, and I am not particularly precious about its care since I bought it to replace mass market paperbacks, and therefore, I feel strongly it should take the same level of beating). Now I’ve got a blue one designed to look like an antique copy of Pride and Prejudice. I like the feel of these, the functionality of the solid magnetic strip that allows you to open the front cover and stick it to the back cover, and perhaps most importantly, I love that it looks fancy.

Bookstore Tote Bag

I have numerous bags, basically all of which fit a book. (It is, in fact, a standard test I perform before buying any bag.) But I always return to my perfectly sized tote from the Harvard Book Store in Cambridge, Massachusetts. So when you’re at your local picking up the latest Ali Hazelwood, grab a book tote to rep the store, too. Just make sure it’s got the right drop on those handles — nothing worse than a comically short tote bag handle. I’ve got my eye on this exceedingly adorable book bag from The Ripped Bodice, which I deeply regret not buying the last time I was in the store.

A Cute Bookmark

At some point, during a recent office cleanout, I gathered up all the bookmarks I have lying around — which is a lot, because they’re a really great small souvenir — and I stuck them in one place, so I could always find one when I wanted one. And what a nice little treat for myself, every time I start a new book! Obviously, this requires Etsy. Whatever you want, they’ve got, whether it’s moody and Tarot-inspired, flowers in resin, or testimony to your favorite genre.

A PopSocket

OK, in full transparency, I do not live the PopSocket-on-the-back-of-the-Kindle life, because while I treat my Kindle like a very resilient brick, I can’t quite bring myself to throw it in my purse completely naked. But the Bookstagram girls have made me seriously consider it.

Kindle Stand & Remote Control

I don’t actually own one of these setups, either, and it’s definitely a few geniuses on TikTok who alerted me to the idea it was even possible to create a setup where you could read in bed while completely bundled up like a burrito — as long as you also purchase one of these remotes. Obviously this is really more suited to a wintertime reading setup, but honestly, there’s nothing better than wrapping yourself in a lightweight blanket after showering off a long day in the sun.

A Reading Journal

I’m going to keep it real with you guys: I am not this organized. But I wish I was! And maybe you are?

Appropriate Fashion

Why, yes, I am going to purchase myself this Netherfield Walking Club shirt. (I already own the “what excellent boiled potatoes” one — if you know, you know.)

A Splash-Proof Pouch

Last summer, I caught a sale and ordered a water-resistant pouch from Aloha. I was picturing it as somewhere to keep my phone and my car keys within my larger pool bag, or perhaps a place to stash wet swimsuits. What I actually use it for: to keep my books from getting ruined at the pool.

Sunscreen

Listen, I hate to mom you guys here, but it’s easy to get absorbed in your book and sit outside in a lawn chair for too long and then bam, sunburn. Don’t do it! Get a hat, too, while you’re at it.

Beverages

You know what’s delicious? Canned cocktails. They feel a little fancier than a beer or even a glass of wine, but they’re minimal effort. Personally, I like a nice, crisp G&T.

A Hammock

I can’t recommend a hammock highly enough. Fair warning, though, that your kids will likely treat it as a fun new toy just for them. But hey, I call that a benefit, and you can read outside in it once they go to bed. (Learn from my mistake, though, and get a rope hammock rather than a quilted one, which has nearly dumped me out on my butt multiple times because the fabric has less give.) Alternatively, if you don’t have the outdoor space for a full hammock (those big metal holders do work very well, by the way!), consider a hammock chair. And speaking of reading after bedtime...

A Book Light

If you like to read on paper still — same! — I recommend a book light. It’ll help you read in that hammock after dark. I own this specific one, and I love that you can adjust the warmth of the light.

Picnic Blanket

Maybe your yard is already at capacity with kiddie pools and other stuff for entertaining your kids. Or maybe you just want something you can fold up and stick in the garage. You won’t regret buying an outdoor blanket to toss down on the ground. I know it says “picnic blanket,” but you can do whatever you want with it!

Reading Glasses

I’m not saying you need them. I’m not saying I need them. I’m just flagging this as something to consider if your arms start getting a little short.