All about the 2023 Paperback Summer Reading Guide

Plus a fantastic middle grade fantasy and how bestseller lists really work

Hey, readers!

I am thrilled to announce that I’ll be publishing the 2023 Paperback Summer Reading Guide on Wednesday, May 24th—just in time for you to fill your beach bag (or Libby queue!) for Memorial Day Weekend!

The PSRG is one of my favorite projects to work on all year. It was born out of my absolute love for a good summer reading guide (I can’t wait to get my hands on all the wonderful lists out there!) combined with the realization that I had yet to find another reading guide that fully reflected what I enjoy reading in the summer.

As a teacher, summer stood out as the time of year when I had the freedom, focus, and brain space to dive into richer, longer, and more thought-provoking books. While I’m no longer in the classroom, I find those are still the reading experiences I crave in the summer months. I love devouring a big floppy tome poolside or throwing a strange little novella in my tote for a day at the beach. During the summer, I want books that completely absorb me with complex characters, emotional depth, and impressive writing. While I don’t crave feel-good books for summer reading—in fact, I enjoy being emotionally devastated on my vacations—I do try to avoid anything too harsh or bleak. Above all, summer is the time to give into reading whims and flights of fancy. A plan is great, but spontaneity and mood reading just feel like summer.

An eclectic list for adventurous mood readers:

With all of my own summer reading desires in mind, I created the Paperback Summer Reading Guide as an eclectic list for adventurous mood readers. The intention of the guide is to help you discover backlist titles perfect for your summer reading mood that are easily accessible from your library or found at a used bookstore. This year’s guide is made up of underrated gems, modern classics, deep backlist titles you may have missed, recent releases that flew under the radar, and buzzy books from pub years past that might still be languishing on your unread shelf.

For the first time this year, the full 2023 Paperback Summer Reading Guide—forty titles I have personally read and loved!!—will be available exclusively to paid newsletter subscribers and Patreon members. The Paperback Summer Shortlist—10 titles that correspond to 10 adventurous summer reading moods—will be free for all and sent directly to your email on May 24th.

I know there are many options for you when it comes to guides that help you plan your best bookish summer—some free and some not. Since this is a big change, I wanted to take a minute today to explain why I’ve decided to put my guide behind a paywall.

• The first and biggest reason for moving to a paid model is that creating the guide takes a lot—I mean a lot—of time. Reading books, revisiting previous reads, writing useful and meaningful reviews, organizing the books into thoughtful and appropriate reading moods…it all takes time. While this is work I do joyfully and gladly, it is an extensive amount of work. Adding a small cost to the PSRG will allow me to continue putting the guide together in years to come as well as to support the additional free resources I share all year long.

• Because the PSRG focuses exclusively on backlist titles, it functions differently from other reading guides and reading previews. Many guides are financially supported through readers making purchases through affiliate links or shop websites. The PSRG, however, is created with the budget-conscious reader in mind. While I very much appreciate purchases through my affiliate links, most of these books will be readily available at your library without long holds lists and you may even be able to track some down at your favorite used bookstores. For as little as $5, you can get the guide and do an entire season’s worth of reading without spending a penny more!

• Finally, I don’t want to add to anyone’s TBR overwhelm! There are so many fantastic summer reading guides out there—and this may or may not be the one for you. I want to put the PSRG into the hands of readers who will find it useful and valuable—I don’t want to add clutter, overwhelm, or FOMO to your reading life if this type of guide isn’t your thing. The PSRG is not the place to find out about buzzy titles or a resource for planning your summer preorders. However, this guide may be for you if you desire an off-the-beaten path reading season, love stretching your reading muscles in the summer, need something to shake up your rhythm between romances and thrillers, or just don’t want to wait for new release day to start your next great read!

How to get the 2023 Paperback Summer Reading Guide and what it includes:

Option 1: The 2023 Paperback Summer Shortlist: 10 Moods, 10 Books

• If your TBR is already bursting at the seams or you aren’t sure the full guide is right for you, the 2023 Paperback Summer Shortlist is right for you. As a newsletter subscriber, you will get the Summer Shortlist delivered to your inbox on Wednesday, May 24th.

• The Summer Shortlist includes 10 fantastic books—a favorite from each of the summer reading moods I’m highlighting this year—with a description and readalikes to help you know if a book is right for you.

• You’ll also get a one sheet PDF with the titles, moods, and covers that you can save to your files, paste in your reading journal, or take with you to your library.

• You can upgrade to the paid version of the newsletter and access the full guide at any time!

Option 2: The 2023 Paperback Summer Reading Guide for paid newsletter subscribers

• $5 per month or $40 per year with an annual subscription if you upgrade before May 31st.

• Get the full reading guide—40 backlist books corresponding to the 10 summer reading moods I’m highlighting this year. As a paid newsletter subscriber, you will get the PSRG delivered to your inbox as an attachment to the Summer Shortlist on Wednesday, May 24th.

• A beautiful PDF booklet with all 40 titles, thoughtful descriptions and readalikes to help you know if a book is right for you.

• Access to Summer Samplings—podcast drops throughout the summer offering suggestions for books from the PSRG to read together or with buzzy summer releases—as long as you subscribe.

• Access to all paywalled emails including Ranked Reading Recap podcasts while you’re subscribed.

• Access to the back catalogue of posts for paying newsletter subscribers as long as you’re subscribed.

Option 3: The 2023 Paperback Summer Reading Guide for Patreon members

• $10 per month or $108 per year with an annual subscription.

• Get the full reading guide—40 backlist books corresponding to the 10 summer reading moods I’m highlighting this year. As a Patreon supporter, the PSRG will be posted to Patreon and delivered to your inbox on Wednesday, May 24th.

• A beautiful PDF booklet with all 40 titles, thoughtful descriptions and readalikes to help you know if a book is right for you.

• Access to Summer Samplings—podcast drops throughout the summer offering suggestions for books from the PSRG to read together or with buzzy summer releases—as long as you subscribe.

• An invitation to the 2023 Paperback Summer Reading Guide Roundtable—a Zoom event hosted in early June where patrons can ask questions about books on the guide, learn about books I considered that didn’t make the cut, and share your own summer reading suggestions.

• Access to all FictionMatters events during the months you are subscribed including Biblio Brunch, Buzzy Book of the Month Club, and—of course—the FictionMatters Book Club.

• Access to the entire backlog of Patreon posts including over 30 Ranked Reading Recap podcast episodes and Book Club Kits for all 32 past Book Club Selections.

I am so excited for summer reading season, and regardless of which option you choose, I’m honored to be part of your reading life during this season and all year long. If you have questions about any changes or want help determining what’s right for you, please leave a comment or respond directly to this email. If accessing the full Paperback Summer Reading Guide is important to you, but becoming a paid subscriber is not an option for you at this time, please email me at fictionmattersbooks@gmail.com.

And if you know someone who might love the Paperback Summer Reading Guide, consider gifting them a newsletter subscription! This could make a wonderful Mother’s Day or graduation gift for the avid readers in your life.

This week in books.

This week I read…

• Inkheart by Cornelia Funke. This 2003 translation of a German middle grade story might just be my favorite fantasy book about books I have ever read. It’s simultaneously cozy and dark without being either saccharine or brooding. The story follows Meggie—the bookish daughter of a real-life book binder—as she discovers a family power that sounds wonderful, but poses real and terrifying dangers. Chelsey and I discuss this book on an upcoming episode of Novel Pairings, where we had fun considering all of the bookish symbolism and sharing our favorite book-about-books pairings. Amazon | Bookshop | Libro.fm

Now I’m reading…

• So Big for the May FictionMatters Book Club and (you guessed it) potential PSRG titles.

If you are an international reader or just prefer UK covers, you can also order books through my Blackwell’s affiliate page!

Links I love.

13 exciting books coming out this May.

Behind the scenes of how bestseller lists really work.

Books about royalty, monarchy, and coronations.

The first ever Carol Shields Prize for Fiction was announced last week!

End notes.

This week in views, listens, eats, and moments of joy.

• This miso-honey chicken was delicious.

• Louise’s Bubbe bought her this book and it’s her new favorite.

• The most recent episode of Succession was so good! I think this has been the best season yet and I really hope they stick the landing.

• We received our newest Lovevery box and I’m once again blown away by how perfect these toys are. Every time I open a box I find exactly the things Lou wants to play with but never would have been able to track down by myself. If you want to take the guesswork out of buying toys or are looking for a splurgey, generous gift for the new parents in your life, you can’t go wrong with Lovevery.

• We’ve had the most wonderful visit with Lou’s Bubbe and Grandpa this week and it makes us very excited about even more family time coming up this summer.

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Happy reading!

Sara