How is it that time of year already? Admittedly, it did feel like summer until a week ago, and we have had wind and rain ever since… But it time for #20BooksofSummer2025
In a change, Cathy who used to host it, has stepped back and Anna of Annabookbel and Emma of Wordsandpeace have stepped up to take over.
I have been doing this for a few years now and try to pick a theme of sorts for each challenge. This year, my theme is science fiction (and the odd fantasy)
And here are the books:
Month 1
Annihilation – Jeff VanderMeer
Idlewild – Nick Sagan
The Warehouse – Rob Hart
Broken Stars: Contemporary Chinese Science Fiction in Translation – Ken Liu
Evolution – Stephen Baxter
Month 2
The Wall – John Lanchester
Red Moon – Kim Stanley Robinson
The Cruel Stars – John Birmingham
The Solar War – A.G. Riddle
Cage of Souls – Adrian Tchaikovsky
Month 3
Sunfall – Jim Al-Khalili
The Three Body Problem – Ci Xin Liu
Thin Air – Richard Morgan
Nemesis – Alex Lamb
Revenger – Alastair Reynolds
Month 4
The Bridge – Janine Ellen Young
Shadow Captain – Alastair Reynolds
A Second Chance at Eden – Peter F. Hamilton
Jade City – Fonda Lee
The Old Drift – Namwali Serpell
I know that the challenge is technically until August, but as the equinox isn’t until September, then I tend to do it over four months.
I have picked five books to read a month and tried to balance it so there is approximately the same number of pages per month.
As before, these are books that I won’t be keeping (bar one which is signed), so if there are any you’d like, let me know and I’ll post them on.
Exciting!! I’ve read Annihilation, The Three-Body Problem, and The Old Drift—all fascinating and thought-provoking in very different ways. I look forward to all your reviews!
Thank you, Elle
Glad you’re on board. I know technically summer is midsummer to the vernal equinox, but those dates are less memorable than the ‘meteorological’ summer ones. It still irritates me that the weathermen/women have shifted the seasons to fit the climate.
I’ve only read Annihilation from your picks which I loved. I tried the Three-Body Problem but couldn’t get into it, so put it aside. Looking forward to your reviews. Particularly the Kim Stanley Robinson – I enjoyed his Mars trilogy back in the day.
Thank you, Annabel
Awesome plans, great authors! I love Baxter, and Cixin Liu!
Have fun!
My list is here: https://wordsandpeace.com/2025/05/21/20-books-of-summer-2025/
Thank you!
Whoo hoo, someone with a 20 Books pile as big as mine (although fiction is faster to read than my mainly nonfiction …). I expect Matthew has read some of these, the authors sound familiar on a fair few! Have fun.
🙂
If Matthew wants any, let me know
Annihilation is very creepy. If you’re planning on reading the other two in the Southern Reach trilogy, whatever you do, don’t be tempted to watch the film before you finish, unless you’re the sort of person who enjoys spoilers. A book club friend of mine was very enthusiastic about The Three Body Problem, so that’s on my radar. I also have a Kim Stanley Robinson on my TBR, The Ministry for the Future. I’m thinking of reading sci-fi in September for the alliteration, but in all likelihood I’ll be joining you, continuing my 20 Books of Summer.
I enjoyed (probably not the right word!!!) Annihilation, but didn’t find it that creepy, more unsettling. I will probably read the other two. I know it had gone to screen, but wasn’t sure where.