Reading Challenge

20 (?) Books of Summer 2023

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20 Comments on 20 (?) Books of Summer 2023

Hosted by Cathy at 746books, 20 Books of Summer is an annual challenge to read and review 20 books from your TBR. This year, the challenge runs from 1 June to 1 September.

I’ve been in two minds as to whether or not to take part in this challenge this year. It’s a challenge that I enjoy, but as regular readers will know, I’ve been more miss than hit with keeping on top of my reviews in recent months, and while reading 20 books in the three-month window isn’t an issue, the thought of reviewing them all currently fills me with dread. Cathy’s approach to the challenge is extremely relaxed, however, and it’s ultimately that attitude that convinced me to take part. If I don’t manage the full 20, reducing the target to 15 or 10 is perfectly acceptable.

Having said that, I used to be much better at posting regularly on my blog, and there’s a little spark of optimism that thinks that having a challenge to meet (I’m a little competitive at times!) will encourage me to try harder. So, here goes!

Unlike previous years, I’m not going to name a full 20 novels to read, even though swapping titles during the challenge isn’t an issue. Part of this is because I’ll be going to Hay Festival at the end of the month, and while I know the events that I’ll be going to, which books I’ll come back with is anyone’s guess (all of them, if previous years are anything to go by!) I will spend June reading books from the festival though, so I’ve included a few of the titles that I already own that I want to tackle while leaving space for some new purchases.

  1. Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney
  2. Daughters of Sparta by Claire Heywood
  3. The Rehearsal by Eleanor Catton
  4. The Book of the Most Precious Substance by Sara Gran
  1. Last One at the Party by Bethany Clift
  2. Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng
  3. Other Women by Emma Flint
  4. Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati
  1. The Whispering Muse by Laura Purcell
  2. Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter
  3. Wahala by Nikki May
  4. The Hod King by Josiah Bancroft

So that’s 12 of my 20 planned reads, with the remaining 8 to be decided at the time. Whether or not I’ll actually to stick to this list, I couldn’t possibly say… 😉

What do you think? Is there anything here that you’ve read, or that you want to read? Are you taking part in 20 Books of Summer? Let me know in the comments! 😎

20 comments

    1. I’m sure it’ll be great – I’m looking forward to it! I’m planning to take it on holiday with me in August, unless I get to it before then 🙂

  2. I haven’t read any of these but the Emma Flint book is on my list for the challenge too. My post is going out next week. Have fun at Hay!

  3. Good luck and happy reading! I’ve been having the same doubts as you: the reading part is easy enough, but the reviewing part fills me with dread as well. I decided to skip the challenge and just enjoy my reading this summer and not worry about reviewing.

    1. Thank you! That’s understandable – it could have gone either way for me! I’m pretty sure that I can do 15 if not the full 20, so might just knock it down a level depending how it goes. Happy reading, Kelly x

    1. Thank you, Cathy! I am going to see Eleanor Catton at Hay, talking about her latest novel, Birnam Wood, so there may be two books from this author on my list.

      Thanks, as always, for hosting the challenge, Cathy x

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    1. Thanks, Nicki! I’m feeling quite motivated about it now I’ve posted a partial list of books – let’s see how long that last for! 😂

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  10. Hope you enjoy Hay. I was hoping to go but couldn’t squeeze it in this year.

    I can empathise with your nervousness about the reviews for #20books – I am similarly struggling to get my review mojo back.

    1. Thank you – it was brilliant, and I’m sorry you couldn’t make it. I love the range of authors and subjects included, and this year was no exception.

      I don’t want to jinx it, but #20Books is actually proving to be quite motivational so far. It’s (very!) early days, but this might just be the kick up the arse that I needed to get back into reviewing regularly.

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