20 Books Of Summer 2023

It is almost June. It is scary just how fast this year is going. And whilst the bank holiday weather was remarkably sunny, as I type this there are big black clouds building outside my office window. , And being almost June must mean that it is time for 20 books of Summer again, the challenge dreamt up by Cathy at 746 Books.

It is a challenge for bloggers and anyone else who wants to and the aim is to try and read through 20 books that are on their TBR. I have tried for the past few years. In the first year, I read 18, in 2020 managed 12 in 2021 only 10 and in 2022 I almost finished with 19 books read! Even though I have never finished it, I  like the idea of it and It is good to support other bloggers in what they are doing to promote reading. l like to pick themes usually, I have had travel,  outstanding review books and I combined it with a natural history challenge last year. This year I am going for something really different, fiction!!!!!

For those at the back who have just fainted, let me explain. I buy a lot of books and with all that has been going on over the past year, I have stepped back on the amount of reviews I am writing. te plan for these is just to read and rate them and pass them on to others who may (or may not) want to read them. So here are the twenty books that I am aiming to read.

 

A Perfect Explanation Eleanor Anstruther
The Watchmaker of Filigree Street Natasha Pulley
The Bedlam Stacks Natasha Pulley
Himself Jess Kidd
Don’t Look Now Daphne du Maurier
Mayhem Sarah Pinborough
Exciting Times Naoise Dolan
Nightingale Marina Kemp
Acts of Desperation Megan Nolan
Open Water Nelson Caleb Azumah
Here Comes the Miracle Anna Beecher
The Testaments Margaret Atwood
Hot Milk Deborah Levy
The Mermaid of Black Conch Monique Roffey
From a Low and Quiet Sea Donal Ryan
Blood Storm Colin Forbes
Year of the Golden Ape Colin Forbes
One August Night Victoria Hislop
The Last Dance And Other Stories Victoria Hislop
The Acid Test Élmer Mendoza Tr. Mark Fried

I am happy to pass these on, so if there is anything that you want to read I can send it on. A couple are spoken for though

Follow the hashtag #20booksofsummer22 to follow those who are taking part this year.

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14 Comments

  1. Cathy746books

    Great list Paul! I enjoyed Exciting Times and Don’t Look Now is fantastic. Thanks again for taking part and best of luck!

    • Paul

      Thank you, Cathy

  2. Jackie Law

    An interesting stack. I’d be interested in Acts of Desperation or The Testaments. No worries if someone else has nabbed them. Enjoy your summer reading 🙂

    • Paul

      The Testaments is going to be passed to my niece, but will send the other on

  3. Liz Dexter

    I’ve read The Testaments and Open Water (and if you enjoy that or even if you don’t I recommend Small Worlds by him!). Good luck! Doing fiction, you might just do it …

    • Paul

      Let me know if there are any you’d like. I am happy to send them on. I can read fiction really quickly and I have already read one so far

      • Liz Dexter

        None I’m desperate for but I’ll shout if I see a review of something that piques my interest. I just had to shuffle my 20 books around, just the pile for this month, within the original pile, to fit things in for Pride Month!

        • Paul

          No worries. I tend not to move my list around too much as that takes up valuable reading time

  4. Grab the Lapels

    Did you read Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough? I listened to the audiobook and could. not. stop. I loved it, though I know it’s a book that divided folks. Plus, there is a really good version of it on Netflix. I haven’t read the one you listed, though. I’m also a big fan of du Maurier and have read several of her books, though not the one on your list. Good luck! I’ll be doing the challenge over here: https://grabthelapels.com/2023/06/13/20booksofsummer-2023/

    • Paul

      Hi Melanie, I read it a few years ago. I don’t read many thrillers, but i thought it was well crafted until the end, which I though was ridiculous! I haven’t read any du Maurier before and have no idea where it came from!

      • Grab the Lapels

        I enjoyed the ending because I was listening to the audiobook and the twist dawned on me about 15 seconds before it was revealed. I remember making a very LOUD noise, which is unfortunate because I was a chaperone on a bus full of drunk, passed out college students who had gone to a White Sox game for senior week.

        What’s funny is I don’t read thrillers often either, but I did read Behind Her Eyes because Irvine Welsh recommended it, and how can you not listen to the guy who wrote Trainspotting?

        • Paul

          I haven’t read Trainspotting!

          • Grab the Lapels

            It feels like a mess compared to Danny Boyle’s movie version, but that’s what you get with the early works of (especially grunge) writers.

          • Paul

            I wasn’t that keen on the film, so didn’t watch it all

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