Summer reading challenge

Summer of Stories Reading Challenge

/ Ev Bishop / Leave a comment

Hello and happy Summer Solstice dear readers!

It’s been a long time since I ran a summer reading challenge, so I was super excited when ideas for Summer of Stories jumped into my mind! I hope you’ll join in the fun.

You can take part completely on your own and email me your results at the end, or you can post your process on Facebook and tag me, or (my favourite option! 😁) consider joining The Cabin, my private reader group, and enjoy book lover chat, sharing the books you read for each prompt, and other fun things.

Summer of Stories will run June 21 – August 31, 2025.  I’ve even created a printable checklist for you to keep track of your reads.

Summer_of_Stories_Reading_TrackerDownload

Here are all the fun details!

🌞 Ev Bishop’s Summer of Stories Reading Challenge 🌻

Grab your favorite bevvy, curl up in your comfiest reading chair or outdoor reading space, and enjoy every leisurely, sun-warmed minute of summer reading!  

Add to the fun by chatting about progress at The Cabin or sharing about it on Facebook using #EvBishopSummerofStories

📚 How It Works

  • Choose books that match the prompts below.
  • Read in any order, at your own pace.
  • Optional: Share your progress at The Cabin or on Facebook using #EvBishopSummerofStories 

🍓 Reading Prompts (1–20)

  1. Visit River’s Sigh B & B
    Read or revisit any book in Ev Bishop’s River’s Sigh B & B series.
  1. Second Chances and Fresh Starts
    A story about starting over or returning home.
  1. Small-town Shenanigans
    Set in a cozy or quirky small town.
  1. It’s a mystery!
    But it’s not a mystery what this prompt is. Read a mystery! 
  1. Women Supporting Women
    Female friendships or multi-generational bonds shine.
  1. Heatwave Romance
    A steamy (or sweet!) romance that blooms in the summer.
  1. Family Ties and Tangled Truths
    A story with family drama, long-held secrets, or emotional healing.
  1. Ev’s Pick
    Read a stand-alone or novella by Ev Bishop that’s new to you.
  1. Bookstore, Bakery, or B&B Bonus
    A cozy business is central to the plot.
  1. Under the Stars
    Read a book entirely outdoors (all at one go or in sessions)
  1. Step into the Second Chance Shop
    Read any book Ev Bishop’s Second Chance Shop series—where preloved treasures lead to new beginnings. (If you’ve already read Something Old and Something New, record them. They count!) 
  1. Christmas in July
    Dive into a holiday-themed read—or revisit Silver Bells at River’s Sigh B & B for midyear festive magic.
  1. Loyal & True
    Read Loyal & True by Ev Bishop—a heartfelt story of healing and connection.
  1. Animal Lovers Unite! 
    A book where an animal of any kind plays a prominent role in the plot.
  1. First Love, Lasting Love
    A romance about rekindled or long-enduring love.
  1. Judge a book by its cover! 
    Pick the prettiest book you see at your favorite place to buy or borrow books and enjoy it cover to cover.
  1. Page-to-Plate
    A story that inspires you to cook or bake something delicious. 
  1. Heartbreak and Healing
    A book centered around grief, resilience, and emotional rebirth.
  1. Book You’ve Been Meaning to Read
    Finally crack open that one you’ve been putting off!
  1. Beach Buddy
    Read a book set near the lake or the ocean.

🎉 Bonus Fun

  • Create a summer-inspired bookmark or fridge magnet
  • Share your favorite quote from one of your reads
  • Make a recipe inspired by one of the books you read.
  • Post your reading nook or picnic reading spot

Achievement Tiers

Celebrate your reading with these fun rankings! 

🥉 Bronze Tier – Story Sampler

Complete 5 prompts
You’ve dipped your toes into summer reading and had some bookish adventures!

🥈 Silver Tier – Small-Town Explorer

Complete 10 prompts
You’re soaking in the stories and scenery now! Friendships, romance, and second chances are blooming all around you.

🥇 Gold Tier – Reading Hero

Complete 15 or more prompts (including at least 1 Ev Bishop book)
You’ve fully embraced the spirit of the challenge! Your heart’s been mended, your spirit recharged, and you’re practically a resident of River’s Sigh B & B.

🌟 Super Reader Bonus

Complete all 20 prompts + 2 bonus fun activities
You’re the ultimate summer story adventurer! You’ve laughed, cried, cooked, connected, and lived through every cozy chapter.

🎉 Prizes: E-mail your results, tier, and mailing address to Ev at evbishop@evbishop.com before September 5, 2025, to receive fun book lover participation prizes, plus a chance to win two signed books by Ev Bishop of your choice!

Email: evbishop@evbishop.com

Subject line: Summer of Stories Reading Challenge

I hope you’ll play and that you have a blast. Happy summer and HAPPY READING!

😊💕 Ev

Summer Reading Challenge!

/ Ev Bishop / Leave a comment
https://atthecabinwithevbishop.mn.co/

Hello and happy June, fellow readers and book lovers! I’m shocked to say that my little normally-shady-and-cool (aka COLD) corner of the world has a heat wave warning. Will wonders never cease?! Anyway, I decided that our long, lovely summer reading days (daze!) call for something special – and here it is: The Cabin’s first Summer Reading Challenge extraordinaire.

If you haven’t joined me at The Cabin yet, you’ll want to! (Or you’ll want to if you want a chance to enter to win prizes, that is. You could also print off the challenge and just do it for fun and personal bragging rights! (If you do the latter, drop me a line in comments to let me know you’re doing it. I hope you have a blast!)


Summer Reading Challenge starts June 21 and ends September 3, 2021.

Any format of book (eBook, paper, audio), including ARCs are fine, but all books for this Summer Challenge must be read between June 21 (our start day) and September 3. (So books read before June 21 don’t count.)


Complete one or all – in any order you want! 📚💕📚

1. A book with the ocean or a beach on its cover 

2. A book with a mostly blue cover

3. Something Old by Ev Bishop (If you’ve already read it, say so for one entry!) 

4. River’s Sigh B & B novels (One entry per book. If you’ve already read all eight – woohoo! Enter them all separately in the thread for one entry per book!) 

5. A book recommended by a friend

6. A book with a one word title

7. A non-fiction book

8. At least three poems by Mary Oliver

9. A thriller or suspense

10. A mystery

11. A romance 

12. Read outside (anywhere – your deck, the lake, a chair by your door! – for at least 30 minutes). 

13. Celebrate Christmas in July! Read a Christmas romance in  . . . you got it. July!

14. A book with a title that starts with the first letter of your name 

15. A book that takes place in a different country than where you live

16. A book you already own (in any format) but haven’t read yet

17. A book set in the summer

18. A novel about friends

19. A book featuring a mother and daughter(s)

20. A book with pets in it

THE PRIZES!!!!

The biggest reward is a summer full of reading fun, of course! 😀📚💕📚 That said, I have some other goodies in store that might make your little bookish hearts sing!

Every Friday in July and August, there will be a random draw for a $5.00 gift card (for Amazon or Barnes and Noble – winner’s choice). Anybody who has entered the challenge by the draw dates so far will be automatically entered for a chance to win. Their name will stay in for the subsequent draws.

At the end of the challenge (midnight PST September 3), you will be entered in the main draws as many times as you’ve completed a category.

For example, if Anna Reads completed three categories of the challenge, her name would be entered three times. If Paige Turner completed six categories, her name would be entered six times. 

Maximum entries per person: 27 (because there are 20 categories, but #4 has eight possible entries)

Grand prizes: 

5 lucky winners will receive  a signed Ev Bishop paperback of their choice, a book lover’s key chain, and other fun book swag. 

1 lucky winner will receive the FULL River’s Sigh B & B series (all eight books!) in paperback and signed,  a book lover’s key chain, and other fun book swag. 

 **Grand prize winners will be announced on or before Sept. 10, 2021. 


***To qualify for prizes, you must join The Cabin and enter each category you complete in the Summer Reading Challenge thread. You can also read all the official (and very easy!) rules there.

Wishing you a wonderful summer and super happy (challenging, LOL) reading!

😊 Ev