
This year for the first time ever, I am taking part in the 20 Books of Summer challenge, hosted by Cathy over at 746 Books. My reading has taken a bit of a hit over the last few months as my life has changed quite dramatically and sometimes I struggle to carve time out to read. I feel like I am getting back on it in the last month or so and am hoping this challenge motivates me some more! It is also an annoyance of mine that I always reach for the shiny new books that appear on my doormat instead of the older neglected stories on my shelves!
The challenge starts on 1st June and runs to 1st September and ahead of that time, you need to choose 20 books you want to read (or 10 or 15). I have already committed to a few blog tours and have some proofs I want to read so I will include them in my total but I’m also going to include 4 paperbacks and 5 hardbacks off my TBR to make a dent in that backlist!
So without further ado, these are the books I have chosen:

Proofs / Blog Tour Copies
- √ Hostage by Clare Mackintosh (out 22 June)
- √ The Maidens by Alex Michaelides (out 10 June)
- √ The Couple by Helly Acton (out 27 May)
- √ The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller (Out 10th June)
- √ Cecily by Annie Garthwaite (Out 29th July)
- √ A Slow Fire Burning by Paula Hawkins (Out 31 August)
- √ Meet Me in Another Life by Catriona Silvey (Out 8th July)
- The Woodcock by Richard Smyth (Out 1 July)
- √ Mainstream by Various (Out 1 July)
- √ The Perfect Life by Nuala Ellwood (Out 5 August)
- √ In the Mirror, a Peacock Danced by Justine Bothwick (Out 24th July)
Hardbacks
- Just Like You by Nick Hornby (Had since February 2021)
- The Miseducation of Evie Epworth (Had since January 2021)
- The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue (Had since July 2020)
- The Foundling by Stacey Halls (Had since February 2020)
- The Lamplighters by Emma Stonex (Had since May 2021)
Paperbacks
- The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead (Had since July 2020)
- Reasons to be Cheerful by Nina Stibbe (Had since July 2020)
- The Thunder Girls by Melanie Blake (Had since June 2020)
- The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O’Farrell (Had since September 2020)
So there we have it – 20 books I want to read over the next 3 months. My choices from my backlist are just the ones I fancy today but I will try and stick to them. Wish me luck! Let me know in the comments if you are hoping to take part or if we have any books in common!
I’ve just finished Just like you last night, I liked it. The Nickel Boys is good too
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That’s good news!
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Lovely selection of books there. I’m cheating and choosing from a stack of 50. Which increased to 52 the day I posted my list!
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I’m hoping I can stick to these but in all likelihood, I probably won’t!
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Some great sounding books here.
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I reckon I’m in for a treat!
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Great selection Clair, I did this last year and it was fun. Not sure I am organised enough this year.
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Thanks Kerrie!
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Good luck Clair! I love this challenge especially the swapping of books! 😀
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I expect there will be a bit of that going on!
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Esme Lennox is wonderful – hope you enjoy. Thanks so much for taking part. Good luck and happy reading!
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Thank you Cathy! I love Maggie O’Farrell so am looking forward to that one
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Good luck with your challenge. I also have Cecily on my list and I enjoyed the foundling last year a lot 😃
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Thank you – are you taking part?
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Yes I do, here’s my list: https://inanotherera.wordpress.com/2021/05/18/20-books-of-summer-my-list/
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I really liked The Foundling, not quite as much as The Familiars but I do love a good witch trial story! I listened to The Pull of the Stars last year and was surprised by some of the similarities between now and then. I’m tempted by The Lamplights and The Couple so will be interested in hearing your thoughts. Good luck!
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Thank you! Interesting to hear your thoughts
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[…] The Couple was Book 1 off my 20 Books of Summer. […]
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[…] Hostage is my 2nd book from my 20 Books of Summer. […]
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[…] The Maidens is my 3rd book from my 20 Books of Summer. […]
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[…] In the Mirror, A Peacock Danced is my 4th book from my 20 Books of Summer. […]
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[…] Meet Me In Another Life is my 5th book from my 20 Books of Summer. […]
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