Monday, May 29, 2023

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. Books can be substituted along the way, which is why I have some extras. See this link for the rules.

My sister once said that if you own but do not read a book right away, maybe you never really wanted to read it. I disagree. Sometimes, I am saving a book as a special treat, such as the new Deborah Crombie below. Often I am in the middle of a library book about to be overdue. Here are my projected books:

Midwives by Chris Bohjalian. My review.

Perfect Escape by Jennifer Brown.  My review.

Half-Life of a Stolen Sister by Rachel Cantor

The Red Coat, A Novel of Boston by Dolley Carlson

Dancing with Death by Joan Coggin

They Do It With Mirrors by Agatha Christie.  My review.

A Killing of Innocents by Deborah Crombie.  My review.

Middlemarch by George Eliot.  My review.

The Children of Castle Rock by Natasha Farrant

The World of Elizabeth Goudge by Sylvia Gower

The Foundling by Stacey Halls

On the Corner of Hope and Main by Beverly Jenkins

Gale Force by Owen Laukkanen*

The Puritan Princess by Miranda Malins.  My review.

The Mulberry Bush by Charles McCarry.  My review.

One Fine Day by Mollie Panter-Downes. My review.

Murder on the Appian Way by Steven Saylor

Country Lovers by Rebecca Shaw.  My review.

The Lamplighters by Emma Stonex

A Chance Child by Jill Paton Walsh

Homecomings by Marcia Willett.  My review.

The Lizzie and Belle Mysteries by J.T. Williams.  My review.

The Last Waltz by Nancy Zaroulis
I chose 20 from books that were in my living room, plus three backups. The breakdown is six fiction, six historical fiction, six mystery/suspense, one nonfiction, one YA, and three juvenile.

Several of my blogging friends are participating in this challenge:

Chris at Calmgrove

Lory at Entering the Enchanted Castle

Tracy at Bitter Tea and Mystery

Helen at She Reads Novels

Kate at Books Are My Favourite and Best

Judith at Reader in the Wilderness


Liz at Adventures at Reading, Running, and Working From Home

Anyone else? What do you think of my list?

* Unread in 2021

12 comments:

Sue in Suffolk said...

Didn't know about the new Deborah Crombie - so thats now reserved for me from the library - thank you.
Hope you like the Mollie Panter Downes - I've loved her books

CLM said...

Given how many unread books there are in my house (probably thousands), I am stingy about purchasing books for myself but I bought that one the day it came out! I picked up the MPD at a book sale a year or so ago after hearing good things about her books.

Helen said...

That's a great list - and yes, like you, I often save books to look forward to later as a treat. I have read They Do It With Mirrors, The Foundling, Middlemarch and The Puritan Princess and enjoyed all of them. Good luck!

TracyK said...

Middlemarch sounds like a challenge. My husband has a copy and wants to read it. I will see what the thinks of it.

There are quite a few on your list that I am not familiar with so I am eager to see what you think of them.

I am still excited about all the books on my list.

JacquiWine said...

Lovely to see Mollie Panter-Downes' One Fine Day in your list! I adore that novel and envy any reader coming to it for the first time. Hopefully you'll enjoy it too. I've also read the Agatha Christie you've chosen, but it was so long ago (back in the days of my youth) that I could almost read it again fresh. Enjoy your summer books!

Davida Chazan (The Chocolate Lady) said...

Enjoy!

CLM said...

I've finished my first book! I picked it up to wonder if I should sub it, tried a chapter, and before I knew it, I was halfway through . . .

Helen, I bought both The Foundling and The Puritan Princess in London a year ago after reading your reviews! I exhausted myself carrying several dozen books home and there are quite a few that are still unread.

I think we will all have a busy summer reading, not to mention graduations and travel. I tested the hammock last weekend so I am ready for the reading and have trips to New York and DC planned for June as well.

LyzzyBee said...

I'm doing it, too! https://librofulltime.wordpress.com/2023/05/25/20-books-of-summer-2023/

I have read the Christie, Middlemarch and One Fine Day from your list and I hope you enjoy all of them. This is my ninth attempt but I haven't always managed it!

Judith said...

OH GOSH! I love your list. No! I envy your list of 20 books! I want to squirrel away some titles for future reading for sure. I'm absolutely fascinated. I'm so looking forward to what you will have to say about these. Thank you! I may have to steal a title or two for this summer--Inspiring List!
Happy reading,
Judith////////////////

Lory said...

I meant to read Midwives during my Reading New England year but I never got around to it. It would be a good one to add to my list - I'm doing so well on my 10 books of summer, I am thinking of adding 5 or 10 more.

Lory said...

Midwives is a book I meant to read during my Reading New England year but I never got around to it. I'd still like to read it sometime. The World of Elizabeth Goudge is one of the books I wish I hadn't left behind in the US--but I had to make some difficult choices. Middlemarch is a book I remember reading one summer...

Have fun with the list, and thanks for linking to my post too!

Mallika@ LiteraryPotpourri said...

I've read and reviewed 12/15 but though they've spilled over, I am still trying to finish the other 2 and a half!

Some great books on your pile! The Founding is also on my books of summer pile and I think I will get to it this weekend.