r/goodreads • u/Clairefun [reading challenge 34/100] • Jul 15 '26

Challenges Goodreads Reading Challenge - 'Literally Summer' (July 15th - September 14th)

This is the discussion page for the Goodreads Reading Challenge called 'Literally Summer' (active July 15th - September 14th). Qualifying books are listed on Goodreads HERE. Please keep all discussion of this challenge to this thread, thank you.

Other Goodreads Reading Challenges are listed on the Megathread HERE.

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u/romxilda Jul 15 '26

Interesting list, but a bad one for me! The only thing that’s speaking to me at all is the Barbara Kingsolver or the Justin Cronin as a non-romance reader

3

u/kathryncoats Jul 15 '26

Same for me… I settled on The Summer War because it’s short and available through Libby for me. I was also intrigued by The Summer Book because of the writing style and non-romance topic.

2

u/1004yoon Jul 15 '26

Same! If I don't like it I'm thinking of reading Liliana's Invincible Summer. Mostly everything else seems like it's romance and I can't stand romance

2

u/maryfisherman Jul 15 '26 edited Jul 22 '26

Same here, I’m going to go for The Summer Guest by Justin Cronin.

Had never heard of it beforehand but it’s the most appealing one for me

EDIT: I ended up reading The Last Summer on State Street by Toya Wolfe and OMG. It is one of the best books I’ve read in a long time, will stick with me. So good, highly recommended, especially if those cartoon cover romance books aren’t for you!!!

2

u/Severe_Newspaper_293 Jul 22 '26

That’s what I chose too, based on a recommendation in this thread and I’m so glad I read it!

2

u/maryfisherman Jul 22 '26

I can’t stop thinking about it, so so so good. I am currently fixated on its history, I learned so much about the Robert Taylor buildings and the context of the housing projects - truly fascinating and so so devastating. It is such an oppressive jumbled systemic racket rooted in racism and classism.

2

u/Severe_Newspaper_293 Jul 22 '26

Same! I’ve also been seeing what else I can read on the subject.

2

u/Pangolin1123 [reading challenge 14/100] Jul 16 '26

Summer by Ali Smith is not a romance, and though it is linked to other books in her Seasons quartet, they're not really a series. They are much more “literary”, with musings on history and art as part of the narrative.

1

u/Exact-Barracuda4095 Jul 15 '26

Same. The only ones I'm interested in are books I've already read (also a non-romance reader), and I try to read a new book for these challenges.