The countdown to the Paperback Summer Reading Guide starts now!

Everything you need to know to get your guide and embark on an epic literary adventure

On Friday, May 22nd I will be releasing the 6th annual Paperback Summer Reading Guide! Today I wanted to answer some FAQs and provide you with all the information you need to decide if this summer reading guide is for you!

Paperback Summer Reading Guide FAQs

What is the Paperback Summer Reading Guide?

The PSRG is a collection of backlist books read and curated by me that I think make for particularly great summer reads. I’ve been creating this guide for six years and I love seeing which books become hits in our reading community.

Why backlist?

As soon as I decided I wanted to create a summer reading guide of my own, I knew it was going to be filled with backlist books. First of all, there are already so many fantastic summer reading guides that feature new releases. But I also just love backlist reading. I love the feel of a paperback in my hand—especially for beach and pool reading. I love discovering new-to-me books that have stood the test of time. And I love using the summer to read books not everyone else is reading. Plus, backlist means you can get a lot of these from the library right away or inexpensively from Thriftbooks or your favorite used bookstore.

What types of books will I find in the guide?

When I was a teacher, I used my summer breaks to read the long, challenging, literary books I didn’t always have the capacity for during the school year. This inspired the first batch of PSRG books and it has remained my north star every since. This guide is made up primarily of literary fiction, because that’s what I like to read. Yet while I create this guide for readers who don’t necessarily want breezy books in the summer, I also keep in mind what sorts of reading experiences feel like quintessential summer reading to me by keeping in mind some guiding principals. This year, the terms I kept in mind were captivating, propulsive, transporting, and hopeful. Every book on the list fits at least one of these descriptors.

Are these books you’ve already reviewed?

No! I read specifically for this guide for the first five months of the year to spotlight books I’ve never shared before. Because they’re backlist, there might be a few that you have read before (in fact, I love when that happens!), but they’re all new to me.

How many books will be on the PSRG?

About 50. I know…I know…I’m not always sure that more is more, but this year we have a lot of books. Here’s why. When my dad passed away, I wasn’t sure how much I’d be able to or even want to read this season so I asked my frequent collaborators Maddie Stough and Liz Hein if they would contribute to the main guide this year. But then I did read…I read a ton. And so did Maddie and Liz! We actually cut more books that we ever have this year and still ended up with around 50 total. About 80% of the books are my selections with 20% coming from Maddie and Liz.

How many categories are in the main part of the guide?

There are nine categories and this year, I have organized the guide by…genre! Yes, this is still a summer reading guide for lit fic readers, but I wanted to try something a little different this year. I had so much fun diversifying my reading across genre while still looking for the stylish prose and deep themes I want in my books. In addition to genres, you’ll find the fan favorite categories “No Plot, All Vibes” and “Feels Like Summer.”

When does the PSRG release?

The guide will be be available on Substack on Friday, May 22nd at 8am MT / 10am ET.

How do I get the guide?

The guide is available to all paid Patreon and Substack subscribers. It will also be sold as a standalone for $10. If you are already a paying Patreon or Substack subscriber, you don’t need to do anything now. You will get the guide delivered to your email on Friday, May 22nd. If you aren’t currently a paid subscriber, you can upgrade your Substack or join Patreon now, or wait until the guide is released on Friday. Free subscribers will also receive a newsletter on Friday with instructions for upgrading or purchasing the standalone guide.

***If you want more information on the differences between Substack and Patreon memberships, please visit my website.

Will there be a Zoom roundtable this year?

Yes! Maddie, Liz and I will be hosting the Zoom roundtable on Friday, May 22rd at 1:30pm MT / 3:30pm ET. In this virtual gathering, we’ll chat about the process of curating this year’s guide, talk through each of the books, and answer questions you have about specific books. You’ll get the link on Friday, May 22nd in the same email newsletter as your PSRG. This is a webinar so you will not be on camera and we will record the event for those who can’t attend live.

How else are the books arranged this year?

Because this year’s guide is categorized by genre, you’ll find a “Take a Second Look” section in the guide that organizes the PSRG picks in a more mood reader friendly way. There will be a list for “Armchair Travel,” “Genuine Page-Turners,” and more. Like last year, you’ll also find badges to indicate which books are translated, long and leisurely, and particularly great on audio.

Is there anything else new this year?

We have one new section this year called “Should’ve Been a Summer Read.” Maddie, Liz, and I each chose five books we’ve already read and shared that would make perfect summer reads. Because the PSRG is made up of all new-to-me books, they didn’t qualify for the main guide, but we’re sneaking them in another way.

What else do I need to know?

• I always like to reiterate that this guide is particular to my taste and skews more literary and more challenging than what’s typical thought of as a beach read. Of course, I want everyone to grab my guide, but if that’s not your summer reading vibe, that’s okay! There’s definitely another guide out there for you!

• I will be going live on Substack with Traci Thomas on Friday, May 22nd at 10am PT / 1pm ET. Traci is dropping a Nonfiction Reading Guide on Friday so we’ll be chatting about our guides, our processes, and all things summer reading.

• This year, the money I make from the PSRG will be going to I AM ALS. I lost my dad to ALS earlier this year and have been wanting to contribute in his honor. It feels right to combine that with a project I love and make it more of a community effort. For all new subscriptions to FictionMatters in May and until June 4th, I will donate that $5 monthly subscription to I AM ALS, plus I will match it, meaning $10 donated for every new subscriber. I’ll also be donating and matching all of my earnings from standalone guide purchases.

• Plus, Traci Thomas is also donating $5 for every new person who subscribes to get her Nonfiction Reading Guide and I’m also matching those donations. That means you can spend 10 bucks, get two guides with dozens of book recommendations, and be contributing $20 to I AM ALS.

If you have any additional questions, please comment here, respond to this email, or email me directly at fictionmattersbooks@gmail.com. I can’t wait to get this year’s guide to you on Friday!

-Sara