2025 Summer Reading Challenge: Discussion

[Jackie, Solstitial Mod]

Just in case you want to chat about the challenge and trade ideas for prompts. Have fun!

[NancyJ]

Where should we post our list for planning and updates? Can we start our own new topic thread in this folder, or will there be a single tracking thread for everyone?

[Jackie, Solstitial Mod]

You can start your own topic thread in the Seasonal Reading Challenge folder like we normally do. I know some people prefer to tack their seasonal challenges on to their main ATY thread and others like a separate thread for it. It's only the readathons we try to keep everybody condensed because those threads would get overwhelming in a hurry.

[NancyJ]

Great, thanks!

[NancyJ]

Question for Emily and others who read My Friends by Backman - Does this book fit multiple pov?

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

Yes! You see a few different points of view in it.

[LeahS]

I have a couple of questions:

1. I'm planning to read My Dear Kabul: A Year in the Life of an Afghan Women's Writing Group-it's a collection of WhatsApp messages within a writing group after the Taliban took over in Kabul, and they have been translated into English- would this count as a translated book?

2. Would you count a book with letters between two characters as a book with two point of view?

Thanks.

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

Yes to My Dear Kabul - but since it does not say a translator on the main page on Goodreads, you may want to make a note of this when you submit it so that we can remember you said this lol

Yes to the letters being two POVs.

[LeahS]

Thanks!

[NancyJ]

For the military prompt, would you count the medical personnel on base or near the battles? In some wars they were enlisted, but it might not always be mentioned, I’m planning to read The Women. The MC is an Army nurse and she is a Lieutenant (I think). The book also fits other prompts.

[Dubhease]

I have 2 questions.

1 - What is a challenging subject matter? (Is it totally subjective? Can the mods give me some examples?)

2- What is a child? Is it under 18? or 12 and under?

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

Definitely yes, NancyJ! That book absolutely counts.

Dubhease, I’ll let Jackie answer those questions as she wrote the prompts.

[Jackie, Solstitial Mod]

Dubhease wrote: "I have 2 questions.

1 - What is a challenging subject matter? (Is it totally subjective? Can the mods give me some examples?)

Up to you, could be challenging in a more figurative sense (like about war or injustice, etc) or maybe you want to read a book about astrophysics. I'm open to creative interpretations.

2- What is a child? Is it under 18? or 12 and under?"

Let's go with 12 and under - so not a teen. It's ok if the book doesn't actually list an age but clearly refers to and treats the character as a child.

[Jackie, Solstitial Mod]

NancyJ wrote: "For the military prompt, would you count the medical personnel on base or near the battles? In some wars they were enlisted, but it might not always be mentioned, I’m planning to read [book:The Wom..."

And definitely yes! This why I included the "adjacent" - sometimes people are clearly in a military role even if they aren't officially a military member (especially true historically).

[NancyJ]

Jackie wrote: "Dubhease wrote: "I have 2 questions.

1 - What is a challenging subject matter? (Is it totally subjective? Can the mods give me some examples?)

Up to you, could be challenging in a more figurative..."

Darn. Most of my options are 12-16. I have one that starts at birth, and follows her to adulthood. I could use that one, or the 12 year old. Legally a child is under 18, though no 16 year old wants to be called a child.

[Dubhease]

NancyJ wrote: "Darn. Most of my options are 12-16. I have one that starts at birth, and follows her to adulthood. I could use that one, or the 12 year old. Legally a child is under 18, though no 16 year old wants to be called a child ..."

I know. The UN considers combatants under 18 as child soldiers, even though no 17 year old wants to be a child. I was hoping to use Sunrise on the Reaping.

At least I have a shot at that challenging prompt.

[Joanna G]

Yeah, I think that can be part of the issue with defining it - is it how the individual sees themselves, which means 16 wouldn't be a child, or how others see them, where a 16 year old might well be considered a child! (Just talking generally, for the purposes of the challenge, I accept Jackie's age range!)

I got mislead by a few book titles that included "girl" or "boy", but then, on reading the description, found there was a romance angle (i.e. The Girl from Everywhere)

Does anyone know how old the kids are in The Secret Country? Seems like it might be possible, but the description says they've been spending summers together for 9 years.

[NancyJ]

Joanna G wrote: "Yeah, I think that can be part of the issue with defining it - is it how the individual sees themselves, which means 16 wouldn't be a child, or how others see them, where a 16 year old might well b..."

I’ve had good success using google AI with questions about book’s settings and ages of the characters. It often links the source, such as author interviews, blurbs or reader’s reviews.

Today, when I had the character names for my top options, the AI gave me their starting age or a range covered in the book. Nix in your first book is 16. The AI didn’t answer for the other book, but the description sounds like they started when they were under 10.

[Jennifer W]

Fun prompts! I just wanted to say that for some reason, "watermelon" being a book of over 500 pages made me laugh!

[Bea]

Jackie wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "For the military prompt, would you count the medical personnel on base or near the battles? In some wars they were enlisted, but it might not always be mentioned,..."

My question is similar to NancyJ's. I am only partially into Kate: The Journal of A Confederate Nurse, which by the title seems it would qualify. However, I am far enough into it (50+ pages) to realize that nurse is not what we think of today. These were often society women who volunteered to comfort and assist doctors in the care of wounded civil war soldiers. No nursing corps existed at that time and care was mostly holding hands, listening to the dying man and writing letters, feeding...anything that would provide comfort. Will this qualify? Kate moved from battlefield hospital to battlefield hospital and kept a journal of what she did and saw.

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

I think that would count, Bea! Women's roles in the wars, especially that far back, were not formalized as military operations but certainly served a purpose in the war.

[Bea]

Emily wrote: "I think that would count, Bea! Women's roles in the wars, especially that far back, were not formalized as military operations but certainly served a purpose in the war."

Thank you. It is a hard, slow read. Your response gives me reason to push through as it is interesting.

[Jackie, Solstitial Mod]

Bea wrote: "Jackie wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "For the military prompt, would you count the medical personnel on base or near the battles? In some wars they were enlisted, but it might not always be mentioned,..."
..."

Yes, agreed, that is definitely a military adjacent person!

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

Note: I added the summer reading challenge tab to the Community Spreadsheet, if anyone wants to track that way. This WILL NOT count as your completion submission, but it's a fun way to see what everyone is reading for the prompts.

[Erica]

Emily wrote: "Note: I added the summer reading challenge tab to the Community Spreadsheet, if anyone wants to track that way. This WILL NOT count as your completion submission, but it's a fun way to see what eve..."

Thanks for adding it to the spreadsheet, although I think you need to look at some of the formulas again.

[Lindsay]

What is meant by a sentimental book? (300 points) Would a book that’s described as heartwarming count? Or would it have to be a book that makes you cry?

[NancyJ]

Lindsay wrote: "What is meant by a sentimental book? (300 points) Would a book that’s described as heartwarming count? Or would it have to be a book that makes you cry?"

I think both make sense, especially together.. If a book triggers an emotional response, such as tenderness, or nostalgia, that would feels sentimental to me. I’m more likely to view a book as heartwarming if someone did something warm or healing for someone to heal or prevent sadness.
If there is too much manipulated emotion that’s an easy fit.

[Nancy]

NancyJ wrote: "Question for Emily and others who read My Friends by Backman - Does this book fit multiple pov? I know it’s NOT a translated book (unlike his older books)."

The English version of My Friends was published first. But it was originally written in Swedish, then translated. So IMO it counts as a translated book.

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

Oooo that's good to know ok! I had trouble figuring out if the chicken or the egg came first lol.

Erica, which formulas are you seeing as incorrect? I think they are all ok, but I don't want to miss anything!

[NancyJ]

Nancy wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "Question for Emily and others who read My Friends by Backman - Does this book fit multiple pov? I know it’s NOT a translated book (unlike his older books)."

The Eng..."

Sorry, when the GR page first came out it didn’t list the translator. I read it in an article and checked AI but both were wrong.

The good news is that we can all use My Friends for the translated books prompt.

[Jackie, Solstitial Mod]

Nancy wrote: "The English version of My Friends was published first. But it was originally written in Swedish, then translated. So IMO it counts as a translated book."

This would absolutely count, but is the kind of information that you should probably give me when submitting a raffle entry because I would not know that and if the goodreads page isn't making it obvious I would probably miss it.

[Erica]

Emily wrote: "Oooo that's good to know ok! I had trouble figuring out if the chicken or the egg came first lol.

Erica, which formulas are you seeing as incorrect? I think they are all ok, but I don't want to mi..."

I worked out what my problem was. You have # of prompts completed and it's points hence 930 is the total. I could not figure out how there could be 930 prompts when there only 25 prompts. Sorry about that.

[Deborah]

Do we get listopias for these prompts?

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

Ah good point! I've adjusted the wording there to reflect points.

No, we don't have any formal listopias made, but if anyone wants to create them, we don't mind sharing them out!

[Joy D]

Joanna G wrote: "I got mislead by a few book titles that included "girl" or "boy", but then, on reading the description, found there was a romance angle (i.e. The Girl from Everywhere)
..."

I read this book recently. The protagonist is a "girl" of 16. The romance is very innocuous and sweet (no graphic sexual content).

[Joy D]

One newly released book I read recently that had an eleven-year-old boy as a protagonist, and is a book I rated highly is:

Sing to Me

My Review

[Kathy]

Is someone going to post this challenge in Storygraph? It is just easier to see which books one has read on their app.

[Jackie, Solstitial Mod]

Kathy wrote: "Is someone going to post this challenge in Storygraph? It is just easier to see which books one has read on their app."

Go for it! I don't personally use storygraph but you are absolutely welcome to post it there!

[Laurii]

Does a coffee shop count for the "cafe, bakery, or restaurant as an important setting"?

[Robin P, Orbicular Mod]

Laurii wrote: "Does a coffee shop count for the "cafe, bakery, or restaurant as an important setting"?"

I would say a coffee shop is just another name for a cafe.

[Kathy]

It's done and searchable for anyone else who has been looking for it over on Storygraph.

[Brittany]

Kathy wrote: "It's done and searchable for anyone else who has been looking for it over on Storygraph."

Joined. Thank you Kathy! I love using Storygraph to track challenges.

[Sandra]

Would the books in the series starting with William Shakespeare's Star Wars: Verily, A New Hope count? Or are they considered poetry because they're mostly in blank verse?

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

Poetry could count for the challenge, if it is 200 pages or more. I think since these are specifically marketed as iambic pentameter, they would have to count as poetry.

[Sandra]

Emily wrote: "Poetry could count for the challenge, if it is 200 pages or more. I think since these are specifically marketed as iambic pentameter, they would have to count as poetry."

Okay, thank you.

[Lindsay]

For a book with a wedding would a book that’s wedding adjacent count? I was wanting to read Passions in death by JD Robb where the bride is killed on her hen (bachelorette) night. The wedding was planned but I assume it doesn’t go ahead.

I would normally count this for this prompt but I know there is a stricter interpretation of the prompts for this challenge.

Does this need to be a book where a wedding actually happens?

[Deborah]

Emily wrote: "Ah good point! I've adjusted the wording there to reflect points.

No, we don't have any formal listopias made, but if anyone wants to create them, we don't mind sharing them out!"

Thanks for answering, sorry I took so long to respond.

It's fine, I've realized I don't need the listopias, I think I was just panicking over challenging subject material and sentimental book.

5,000 seemed like a lot of points, but when I actually did the math, I saw that you only need to read 12 - 20 books and that sounds easier than 5,000 points.

Just thought I would mention this in case anyone else felt intimidated by the number 5,000.

[Jackie, Solstitial Mod]

Lindsay wrote: "For a book with a wedding would a book that’s wedding adjacent count? I was wanting to read Passions in death by JD Robb where the bride is killed on her hen (bachelorette) night. The wedding was p..."

I'm going to go with the wedding needs to actually happen in the book.

[Nancy]

I know I'm a couple of weeks past the My Friends discussion but I had to do some digging to find out that it was written in Swedish. I came across Backman's FB page where he stated this was the case. It's the first book of his published in English first, I don't know why no translator is listed in GR but I'm 95% sure that the end of the audio did state a translator.

The wedding prompt is an interesting one - I had a book that was set leading up to a wedding, and then it skipped right past the actual wedding! Fortunately the book ended up fitting another prompt worth more points, and then I did read a book with an actual wedding so the prompt is filled.

I have a question about Atmosphere, and if it counts for the military prompt. I know Space Force is part of the military now, but it wasn't in the early 80s, when the book is set. There are military characters but they're minor. I can put it under red on the cover if needed but I have something else that fits there.

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

In regards to Atmosphere, I personally don't think that the military characters in the story are present enough for me to count it as the military one. I used it for the author with 10+ books (TJR has 17 individual works listed on GR).