Tag: 20BooksofSummer

My 20 Books Of Summer 2021 #20booksofsummer21

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20-books-of-summerThis annual challenge is run by my namesake Cathy at 746 Books.  This year it takes place between 1st June and 1st September 2021.  I’ve participated for the past three years but only managed to complete it once – last year, in fact.

As (the other) Cathy explains, the rules are simple.  Take the Books of Summer image, pick your own 10, 15 or 20 books you’d like to read and add your link to Cathy’s master post here so she knows you’re taking part.

The rules are accommodating as well.  Want to swap a book? Go for it.  Fancy changing your list half way through? No problem.  Deciding to drop your goal from 20 to 15? She’s fine with that too.

I may be mad but I’ve decided to aim for the full 20 once again. In putting together my list, I’ve concentrated on blog tour commitments I have from June onwards, books on my NetGalley To Read shelf that publish in the next couple of months and books I’ve received as Readers First giveaways but still haven’t read. My thinking is the first category contains books I need to read soon anyway, the second category will help me maintain my 80% plus NetGalley feedback ratio and the third will assuage any guilt at my tardiness in posting the expected reviews.

You can find my list below.  Links from the titles will take you to the book description on Goodreads. I’ll update them with links to my reviews when – note, not if – I’ve read them.

This Is How We Are Human by Louise Beech (Orenda Books)
The Serpent King by Tim Hodkinson (Aries)
The Fort (City of Victory #1) by Adrian Goldsworthy (Head of Zeus)
Scandalous Alchemy by Katy Moran (Head of Zeus)
Everything Happens for a Reason by Katie Allen (Orenda Books)

One Last Time by Helga Flatland (Orenda Books)
Two Women In Rome by Elizabeth Buchan (Corvus)
Mrs England by Stacey Halls (Manilla Press)
A Line To Kill by Anthony Horowitz (Century)
Yours Cheerfully by A J Pearce (Picador)

A Corruption of Blood by Ambrose Parry (Canongate)
Gallowstree Lane (Collins & Griffiths #3) by Kate London (Corvus)
Three Little Truths by Eithne Shorthall (Corvus)
The Fair Botanists by Sara Sheridan (Hodder & Stoughton)
This Shining Life by Harriet Kline (Doubleday)

Those I Have Lost by Sharon Maas (Bookouture)
Cecily by Annie Garthwaite (Viking)
The Unfortunate Englishman (Joe Wilderness #2) by John Lawton (Atlantic)
This Lovely City by Louise Hare (Harper Collins)
Unsettled Ground by Claire Fuller (Fig Tree)

Wish me luck! If you’re taking part too, enjoy your summer of reading.

My 2020 Reading Challenges: How Did I Do?

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With the end of the year only hours away, it’s time to take a final look at how I did with the reading challenges I set myself in 2020, a year I don’t believe any of us will forget soon.

What's in a Name? 2020What’s In A Name? 2020

This challenge, hosted by Andrea at Carolina Book Nook, involves reading books with titles that match each of six categories. Thanks to a handy ampersand in a title and recently finishing a book whose title is an antonym, I completed this challenge with a few days to spare.  Andrea is hosting the challenge again in 2021 with six new categories – find all the details here.  I shall be signing up and I hope some of you will too.

The Classics ClubThe Classics Club

The challenge involves creating a list of 50 classic books you would like to read within five years and working your way through them (with the help of the occasional Classics Club Spin where a book from your list is selected for you) to earn yourself a place on the Wall of Honour. My deadline is December 2021 and so far I’ve read 43 of the books on my list so I’m heading for the home strait. However, it has to be said that some of the books I’ve read were also part of my Buchan of the Month reading project, of which more below.

Buchan of the Month Banner 2020.jpgBuchan of the Month Reading Project

Now in its third year, this personal challenge involved reading a different book by John Buchan – fiction or non-fiction – every month.

You can find my reading list for the year and links to my reviews here.

Goodreads Reading Challenge 2020

I set my target at 120 books this year and achieved that when I finished A Conspiracy of Silence by Anna Legat back in October. My current tally is 153.

when-are-you-reading-2020When Are You Reading? 2020 (hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words)

This challenge involves reading a book set in each of 12 different eras, starting with pre-1300 and ending with the future.  I managed to complete them all but I’ll admit a few were more difficult than others to find books to fit.  If you’d like to read more historical fiction or you’re a fan of the genre but want to challenge yourself to read books set in different time periods, you’ll be pleased to know Sam is planning to host it again in 2021.  Details coming soon!

20-books-of-summer-201920 Books of Summer 2020 (hosted by Cathy at 746Books)

Spend the summer reading books?  Sounds good to me! Taking place between 1st June and 1st September, the challenge involves picking your own 10, 15 or 20 books you’d like to read during the challenge period.  That’s it!  The rules are accommodating as well which is how I managed to complete the challenge for the first time this year.

Did you take part in any reading challenges in 2020? If so, how did you get on? Do you have new challenges in mind for 2021?