The 52 Book Club: 2025 Challenge discussion

7. Genre Two: Set in Summer

Prompts 6-9 are connected. For this prompt, pick a book set in summer but it must be a different genre than the books you choose for prompts 6, 8, and 9. (See the description under prompt 6 for more details.)

Summer definition from Britannica: “Summer, warmest season of the year, between spring and autumn. In the Northern Hemisphere, it is usually defined as the period between the summer solstice (year’s longest day), June 21 or 22, and the autumnal equinox (day and night equal in length), September 22 or 23; and in the Southern Hemisphere, as the period between December 22 or 23 and March 20 or 21. The temperature contrast between summer and the other seasons exists only in middle and high latitudes; temperatures in the equatorial regions generally vary little from month to month.”

The book that you choose should be set in Summer but that will look different depending on where the book is set. It may be fully set in summer or only partially. The seasonal setting may or may not impact the story-line. For books set in other worlds or that take place outside of Earth, you might choose a book set during the hottest part of the year.


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Thought I had the perfect books for prompts #6-9 untill I read that they had to be different genres. I'll still read the first book set in the summer here.

Slutet Pa Sommaren by Anders de la Motte - Crime fiction

I can fit book 2 & 3 & 4 with prompts 12 & 13 & 26.

The Summer of Songbirds by Kristy Woodson Harvey

One Italian Summer

Genre: magical realism

It feels like summer is the easiest season for my TBR:
Summer of '69
Blueberry Summer (would be a reread)
The Perfect Summer
Last Summer Boys

Books I've read and recommend:
The Last Summer of You and Me
Any of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants books
Last Summer

Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan
I really loved Nora Goes Off Script so high hopes for this one
If you need a “N” book I recommend Nora Goes Off Script

Beach Read by Emily Henry

The Great Gatsby

The genre: Mystery

The book: Lilja Sigurðardóttir – Cold as Hell. An ironic choice, because it's Nordic Noir (Iceland) and the title starts with 'cold; however, it ends with hell. That's why I think the author is being a bit punny with that title, even though this will not be a funny book.

Just For the Summer by Abby Jimenez.

I’m considering Alice in Wonderland. But trying to work out why critics are convinced it’s set in summer

Kim wrote: "Just For the Summer by Abby Jimenez."
This is a GREAT book!

I have three on my TBR shelf for this one.
I have decided on the genre of Contemporary Fiction
1) You have a Match
2) Look on the Bright Side
3) Happy Place

The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley is set around the summer solstice.

Seven Summers by Paige Toon is a sweet romance i read last year if anyone needs a book for summer. ☺️

Evenings and Weekends by Oisin McKenna

The Day of the Jackal by Frederick Forsyth.

Set in the summer of 1963.

Hot Dog Girl by Jennifer Dugan

Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco

Just finished Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson. I recommend it. Takes place over a summer.

Just For The Summer by Abby Jimenez

One Italian Summer is my pick!

For this one I read The Haunting of Hill House - horror

Summer Romance, Annabel Monaghan - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Summer House by James Patterson and Brendan DuBois.

The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren (romance/contemporary fiction)

Hidden Pictures

“The Last of the Moon Girls” by Barbara Davis is an amazing novel about resilience and love. Its setting is during a summer so it fits this prompt. It would also fit in the prompt of diary entries. It is so well written that you won’t be able to put it down until the end.

The Last Summer on State Street by Toya Wolfe was my pick!



Literary Fiction/Coming of Age

I read Jackpot Summer. It was a “fun” book about 4 siblings that win the Powerball. Lots of poor decisions, but still fun to imagine what it would be like to win even for those of us who have never played. Star Rating 3.5 stars.

I read Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan.

I read Evil Under the Sun by Agatha Christie

I read The Siege of Krishnapur by J.G. Farrell as it is set in the summer of 1857 at the time of the Indian Rebellion. (Read March 19th; 3* and classified as Historical Fiction)

I read Lilac Girls (audio book)

Seven Clues to Home - realistic fiction

I read Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan. Genre: Contemporary/"chick lit".

I read the summer i turned pretty.

I read The Odd Couple by Neil Simon ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I read Foster by Claire Keegan. Literary fiction.

I read A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare.
Not exactly sure what genre it falls under. Is play a genre? It doesn't really matter since it is so different from the other books I am reading.

Finished


Thriller/Suspense

(LOVED IT!)

Anna wrote: "I read A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare.
Not exactly sure what genre it falls under. Is play a genre? It doesn't really matter since it is so different from..."

GR says "play" is a genre. That's the genre I was going to use before I moved this book to the "magician" prompt

I read Bless your Heart by Lindy Ryan for this prompt.
Its a paranormal/horror mystery set in August.

Paranormal - The Mirror by Nora Roberts

I read Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera


This is one of those books that I think is way better as an audiobook than reading it.

Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez ☀️☀️☀️☀️ really enjoyed this one. Favorite one of the series

I read Somewhere Beyond the Sea by T.J. Klune, 5 Stars. Near the beginning it says, "even though it was summer... " and the Epilogue occurs in the fall.

Genres: Fiction, Fantasy, LGBTQIA+

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. 4.5 stars.
Genre: Dystopian

I read The Fire, the Water, and Maudie McGinn

I read "Bad Call: A Summer Job on a New York Ambulance" by Mike Scardino