20 Books of Summer 2023

This is my second time participating in the 20 Books of Summer Reading Challenge, which is hosted by Cathy at 746 Books. This year, 20 Books of Summer starts June 1st and ends September 1st. When I participated two years ago, I completed 16 of 20 books.

This challenge is very flexible. You can aim for 15 Books of Summer or 10 Books of Summer if 20 is more than you want to commit to.

The Company of Heaven by Catherine Fox

Title: The Company of Heaven,
Author: Catherine Fox
Publication: Marylebone House/SPCK Publishing, paperback, 2023
Genre: Fiction/series
Setting: Present-day England

Description: In the fifth book about the fictional diocese of Lindchester, Fox returns to her beloved characters during the third year of Covid.

My March 2023 Reads

I returned to several old but trusted authors in March: Maeve Binchy, Elizabeth Cadell, Agatha Christie, John Grisham, and two Emilie Lorings, after reading her biography, Happy Landings. I was a little disappointed in Trespasses by Louise Kennedy, which was vivid and atmospheric but depressing. However, I enjoyed Jane Austen Cannot Marry, a time travel novel by May McGoldrick, a husband and wife team I have followed since their charming first historical novel, The Thistle and the Rose. That was the first book I bought as an editor at Penguin years ago.

The Grace of Wild Things by Heather Fawcett

Title: The Grace of Wild Things
Author: Heather Fawcett
Publication: Balzer + Bray/Harper Collins, hardcover, 2023
Genre: Juvenile Historical/Fantasy
Setting: Prince Edward Island

Description: Grace is a lonely orphan whose only talent is magic. Miserable at an orphanage, she runs away to the notorious witch in the woods and offers herself as an apprentice.

The Four Graces by D.E. Stevenson

Title: The Four Graces
Author: D.E. Stevenson
Publication: Collins, hardcover, 1947
Genre: Fiction
Setting: WWII Britain

Description: Mr. Grace is the vicar in Chevil Green, near Wandlebury, and the Four Graces are his lovely daughters: Elizabeth, Sal, Tilly, and Addie. Liz works on Archie Cobbe’s (last seen in The Two Mrs. Abbotts) farm and Addie is in the WAAF, based in London, while the middle sisters housekeep for their father and manage parish affairs.

My April 2023 Reads

April was a busy and varied month that I nearly forgot to share (I guess I did forget my March summary!). One book, in particular, stayed in my mind. I did not have a chance to review Wrong Place, Wrong Time, which I listened to while commuting and found somewhat compelling as the heroine finds herself reliving previous days in her life in a desperate attempt to change something that happened. My sister Clare read it about the same time (unplanned, as sometimes happens) but did not like it much. However, this is one that grew on me and I decided it was well done.

Spell the Month in Books – May

Spell the Month in Books is hosted by Reviews From the Stacks and occurs on the second Saturday of each month.  I chose three fairly recent reads this month:

The Loving Spirit by Daphne du Maurier #DDMreadingweek

Title: The Loving Spirit
Author: Daphne du Maurier
Publication: Sourcebooks, paperback, originally published in 1931
Genre: Historical Fiction
Setting: Cornwall, 1830-1930

Description: Janet Coombe is a fearless young woman whose passion for the sea and the hills where she lives is more real to her than the ordinary people in her town.

Lavender Road by Helen Carey

Title: Lavender Road
Author: Helen Carey
Publication: Orion, hardcover, 1995
Genre: Historical Fiction / Series
Setting: South London, 1939

Description: Lavender Road is a street in South London with a posh end where the Rutherfords, who own the local brewery and half a dozen pubs, live and the impoverished end where a man is likely to beat his wife when not behind bars.

Six Degrees of Separation - from Hydra to I'll Be Your Blue Sky

It’s time for #6degrees, inspired by Kate at Books Are My Favourite and Best. We all start at the same place, add six books, and see where we end up. This month’s starting point is Hydra by Adriane Howell, in which “Anja is a young, ambitious antiquarian, passionate for the clean and balanced lines of mid-century furniture” before things go wrong.  This sounds intriguing but it looks like it was only published in Australia.

Six-Dinner Sid by Inga Moore

Title: Six-Dinner Sid
Author/Illustrator: Inga Moore
Publication: Simon and Schuster, hardcover, 1991
Genre: Picture Book
Setting: Great Britain

Description: Sid is a black cat who lives on Aristotle Street. He lives at number one, two, three, four, five, and six Aristotle, cleverly moving from house to house just in time for a different dinner at each one.

The Wrong Good Deed by the author of The Face on the Milk Carton

Title: The Wrong Good Deed
Author: Caroline Cooney
Publication: Poisoned Pen Press, hardcover, 2023
Genre: Mystery/Series
Setting: South Carolina

Description: Clemmie, previously encountered in Before She Was Helen, is at church with her friend Muffin when Muffin sees someone from her past and, terrified, insists on leaving at once. Clemmie herself has dark secrets so she does not want to get involved in anyone else’s problems.