May and my Wyrd & Wonder adventure has flown by. As this is the unofficial start of summer, I am thinking about summer reading challenges.

Since I’ve dived back into reading full force (thanks to Wyrd & Wonder), I decided I wanted to do a summer reading challenge. There are so many challenges to choose from. Most libraries host a reading challenge, bookish sites like Book Riot have one, and many indie bookshops have one.

This year, I decided to take up East City Bookshop‘s, one of my local indie bookstores, Summer Reading Challenge. They have both an adult reading challenge and a kid reading challenge.

The challenge starts today and goes through September 2, the unofficial end of summer. I like the symmetry. I like that there’s a nice variety of genres. I also like their Bonus Challenge.

I also decided that I will attempt to read all 23 categories. This seems reasonably doable in 14 weeks. It equates to 1.5 books per week, which is my average.

I also focused on books that I already own. Luckily, I have a few and 14 met the various prompts (2 not shown are audiobooks). And since it’s still Wyrd & Wonder month (until May 31), I have a couple books that cover both challenges. (Huzzah!)

My TBR is also all BIPOC authors. Not only to meet the Bonus Challenge but because I’m trying to make sure I read diverse voices.

Here is my complete list by prompt and whether I own the book, have the audio version, or will be checking it out from the library.

• NF Book written after 2020 – The House of Hidden Meanings by Ru Paul (own)
• Libro.fm audiobook – The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna (audio)
• short story collection – Night of the Living Rez by Morgan Talty (own)
• book in translation – Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi (own)
• essay collection – Wow, No Thank You by Samantha Irby (own)
• local DMV author – With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo (library)
• book about women’s sports – Spirit Run by Noé Álvarez (library)
• ECB staff pick – Babel by R. F. Kuang (own)
• queer lead/protagonist – Dawn by Octavia E. Butler (own)
• disabled lead/protagonist – Haben by Haben Girma (library)
• debut author – The Deep Sky by Yume Kitasei (own)
• ECB author event – A Little Kissing Between Friends by Chencia C. Higgins (ECB)
• banned or challenged book in 2024 – I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou (own)
• indigenous author – Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley (own)
• National Book Award Winner from last 5 years – King and the Dragonflies by Kacen Callender (library)
• PEN/Faulkner award winner – War Dances by Sherman Alexie (library)
• cozy mystery – Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto (audio)
• novella – Haunting of Tram Car 015 by P. Djèlí Clark (own)
• romantsy book – Skin of the Sea by Natasha Bowen (own)
• YA or middle grade graphic novel – Flamer by Mike Curato (library)
• indie press book – The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw (library)
• poetry collection – All Along You Were Blooming by Morgan Harper Nichols (own)
• library book – Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin (library)

I’ve created a new shelf on Bookshop.org where you can find all these books.

Have you read any of these books? What’s on your summer TBR? Share your summer reading plans in the comments below.

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