Cathy at Cathy 746 has a yearly challenge to read twenty books over the summer months starting on 1 June 2016 and running until 5 September 2016, and I’ve decided to join her. In preparation I had already decided not to read ARCs during June to get me off to a flying start.
As I’m competitive I’m signing up for the full twenty. My personal challenge is to read these twenty books from my bookshelf, physical books that I already own before today. Funnily enough I have plenty to choose from… a whole 95 in fact!
Because I know that facts in one book tend to lead me to seek out other books in my tangential reading style, I’ve decided to start with a spread of genres and authors for the first ten books – fat books, thin books and books inbetween! I will post the next ten when these are all finished hopefully mid-July, if I’m on schedule!
The links below will take you to the Goodreads description
The Testament of Youth by Vera Britten
The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters
The Poison Principle by Gail Bell
The Curious Habits of Doctor Adams by Jane Robins
Other People’s Secrets by Louise Candlish
You Should Have Known by Jean Hanff Korelitz
An Awfully Big Adventure by Beryl Bainbridge
Pictures of Perfection (Dalziel & Pascoe #13) by Reginald Hill
Buried Angels (Patrik Hedström #8) by Camilla Läckberg
The Shrimp and the Anemone by L.P. Hartley
I will be joining Cathy by tweeting my way through the challenge using the hashtag #20booksofsummer and I will provide (a yet to be decided logo) to demonstrate when one of my reads is part of this challenge!
Like last year there will be a master page linking the titles to my reviews as they are posted, and of course eventually listing the entire twenty books.
There’s still time to join in and Cathy has also provided a 10 Books of Summer image or even a 15 Books of Summer image for those of you who feel aiming for 20 is quite frankly ridiculous. Visit Cathy to get the full details here
So what do you think to my choices? Do you have any suggestions on where I should start or perhaps you think some of these need to be put back on the shelf and forgotten about? All comments welcomed!
Cleopatra Loves Books 
Testament of Youth is wonderful – enjoy.
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Oh thank you – I’ve wanted to read this one for ages – summer 2016 is its time!
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Yes, I was going to say the same. It’s excellent!
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This sounds a great idea Cleo and one I ought to think about myself. I might challenge myself to clear 20 off my review list without adding more. That would free up time to get to my own shelves. Good luck with your reading.
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Thank you Jill – I decided it was an opportunity to look at what I own and chose books I really want to read – I have some arcs for July onwards but June is for my books – plus I’m going on my hols so extra reading time 😊
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A nice selection, Cleo. I’ve just read An Awfully Big Adventure for Annabel’s Beryl Bainbridge week – it’s great, and I’m sure you’ll enjoy it too. Happy reading!
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Excellent news – I have another BB on my shelf which may make the second set 😊
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Good luck with your challenge, it’s a great idea. I would start with Sarah Waters just because I love her writing. X
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Thank you! The Sarah Waters book is the only re-read on the list and chosen because I’ve decided to read the entire series after recently (well relatively) reading The Paying Guests and The Night Watch, both of which I utterly adored.
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Nice balance of fat and thin there, not to mention genres. Good luck!
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🙂 I’ve wanted to read The Testament of Youth for such a long time but decided it needed balancing with some slimmer volumes!
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Hope you will enjoy The Testament of youth. I recently read South Riding by Holtby and greatly enjoyed the read. What kind of fiction does Sarah Waters write?
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Thank you – Sarah Waters writes historical fiction, but the type with a darker edge…
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Testament of Youth is terrific. Enjoy your summer reading, look forward to seeing what you think of your chosen books and which you enjoyed the most.
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I’ve wanted to read Testament of Youth for an age and now seemed to be an ideal opportunity. I will keep you updated!
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What a fantastic idea! I love Sarah Waters writing so that’s one I think you will also like! Enjoy! x
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I am a huge Sarah Waters fan and this one is a re-read because after recently reading The Paying Guests and The Night Watch I’m intending to re-read all of the rest.
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Oh that sounds perfect! Fingersmith is my favourite novel of hers and that’s one I could never bear to part with. I LOVED The Paying Guests which didn’t have such great reviews-i have no idea why, I thought it was wonderful!
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Wow, how humbling – I haven’t read any of these books! It’s a great challenge to read 20 books in the summer and I’m looking forward to your reviews and recommendations!
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I should manage the twenty books but keeping to reading books from my already purchased list rather than review copies is going to be more of a challenge.
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I really like the sound of that challenge, Cleo! It’s a nice way to focus on the TBR books (of which I’ve plenty, believe me!). And you’ve chosen some interesting-sounding books, too. I’ll be keen to know what you think of them.
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It is about time I got through some of the pile Margot and I’ve got such a lot of books that I really want to read – I’m aiming to lay off acquiring too many new books and really make a dent in the old TBR but we’ll see how we go!
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Interesting choices. I look forward to hearing what you think of them. Have a great weekend.
sherry @ fundinmental
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Many thanks Sherry 🙂
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What a wonderful plan! I have been itching to read The Little Stranger ever since I read (and loved) The Paying Guests.
I started reading You Should Have Known, and for some reason, I set it aside…just not engaged. But I’m sure I will try it again.
I also love the look of Other People’s Secrets.
Enjoy your 20 books, and these ten should start you off nicely. Thanks for sharing.
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I actually read Little Stranger years ago but want to read them all again.
I hope You Should Have Known works better for me.
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Good luck and enjoy. I have only heard of Little Stranger but I haven’t read any of your choice yet.
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Thank you – I’m looking forward to it
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Good luck!!
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Thank you 😊
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I was thinking about this but I rarely succeed in these challenges. It sounds like fun though. Of your list I’ve only read one – The Little Stranger, which I loved. Good Luck!
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I did read Little Stranger but years ago, but this is the only re-read
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What a great list and a fun challenge. I wish I had the time to do it! So many challenges out there, but so little time!
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Aw thank you – to be honest I had lots to chose from! You are right we can’t do everything but I’ve been planning for this one so fingers crossed for success.
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That’s a great list of books – my pick would be The Curious Habits of Doctor Adams, which I loved and I’m sure you will too.
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I’m fairly sure I will love that one too Jane. Thank you for stopping by and commenting.
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I’ll probably join in, can I ask – do these have to be YOUR books as opposed to ones sent to you by publishers? And do they have to be physical books, not books from the Kindle? If these are the rules, that would be great in helping me get rid of some of my books that have been hanging about for yonks!
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No Cathy has no rules I just decided to chose only my own physical books
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I’m in again this year too, Cleo. I was going to do like you and just choose ten books to begin since I had to change several part way through last summer. But then I saw I already had eighteen with just planned group reads, so . . . working on the last couple, lol.
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Great news I can’t wait to see your picks, when you chose the last two. I think I have the next ten pretty much sorted but I did want some wriggle room as I do tend to flit around areas of interest quite alarmingly and unexpectedly.
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I loved Testament of Youth, an Awfully Big Adventure and Pictures of Perfection – hope you enjoy them too.
I’m working on my list which I hope to post tomorrow!
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Oh excellent news – that sounds like three that will work for me too. I had another Reginald Hill that I was tempted to add (maybe in the second ten) but this one really appealed.
I’ve now seen your post which has some fab choices on it too!
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Best of luck! i think you can do it just fine! I like the challenge, especially since you are focusing on books you already own. I just need to focus on those books in general! lol
-Lauren
http://www.shootingstarsmag.blogspot.com
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The number of books should be straightforward it’s not staying away from the review books that will snarl this one up – this year I’ve prepared by refusing things for June but despite that a few have snuck in.
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Ooh, loads of goodies there! Loved The Shrimp and the Anemone, loved Dr Adams, loved The Little Stranger, and Pictures of Perfection is one of my favourites in the Dalziel and Pascoe series. Looking forward to seeing if you can tempt me with any of the others!
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Thank you – I do have some lovely books that in that very messy cupboard of mine! The ones you have mentioned are all high on the list – I’m hoping that this summer I’m going to really enjoy my reads and edge a little away from the endless crime (but of course I couldn’t leave it out)
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I have tons of crime I have to read over the summer but as it happens not so many of them fitted in with my alphabet so the fiction books will have to get priority…
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Never read either of those two… OK I’m in too, because if I don’t take part I’ll be the odd one out at this rate! I’ll put the nice heading in place and pick ten books – physical books, no ebooks. I shouldn’t include any ARCs but may have to as I’ve already agreed to do blog tours, but I will try to stick to my own physical books. It’ll also give me a chance to review books that are a wee bit different from the norm. Like Cleo, I’ll do a first ten, then see how I stand – hopefully ready for a second ten. (Ooh! Just remembered I’ll be in Glasgow and there’s a huge Waterstones – will have to lose Mr C though as he gets his moany hat on in bookshops, especially once I get beyond 4 or 5 books…. I’ll just tell him I’m buying shoes!)
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Have fun with this challenge. I’ve read the Bainbridge, it’s great.
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Excellent – this will be only my second of her books although I have a third on the TBR in readiness. I read Harriet Said earlier this year and loved it.
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I like Sarah Waters’ books, too. I have some more to read. Good idea to take a bit out of the books at home. I should do that, too. But I have a big birthday in July and already have a pile of books in the cart at Book Depository.
I haven’t heard of several books on your list, but I will read about them.
Ah, summer, wish I could read, drink iced tea and eat chocolate frozen yogurt all day. Good luck.
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Oh yes I have a birthday too but as everyone knows how many books I have that are unread I don’t get books anymore 😦
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I enjoyed the Little Stranger, and have also The Testament of Youth on my TBR shelf… Good choices, Cleopatra! I will be looking forward to your reviews. Happy Summer reading! 🙂
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Likewise – can’t wait to see everyone’s reviews of their lovely picks!
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Enjoy, I’d try them all as well.
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Thank you Diane 🙂
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Great idea. I adore Sarah Waters so would probably kick off with that one. Haven’t read that particular one yet so can’t wait to hear what you think of it.
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Little Stranger is a re-read (but from a long way back) for me – I adore her writing and aim to read the entire catalogue once more.
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It’s been a while since I have read a Sarah Water’s book. My re-visit for my 10 books of summer. Thanks for reminding me of a fantastic author!
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Testament of Youth will probably be the saddest book on your list, but so worth the effort.
There is also a Beryl Bainbridge reading week happening next week that you might like to read along with since have a BB on your list too – http://www.annabookbel.net/2016/03/28/bbrw2-beryl-is-back/
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I am participating in this challenge, too, and hope to get to a bunch of books on my every increasing TBR list. I haven’t heard of any of the books on your list, but I sure hope that some of them are fun and lighthearted reads for summer enjoyment. Here is my post about about it. My 20+Summer2016Challenge
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Thanks for adding your link – there are a couple which are lighter than others 😉
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