This is the last day of the 20 Books of Summer challenge hosted by Cathy at 746 Books. This has been the first year I’ve participated and although I haven’t been entirely successful with it, I’ve still enjoyed taking part. It’s a simple idea – to make a list of twenty books at the start of the summer and then read them between 1st June and 3rd September – but not that easy when you keep getting distracted by other books! I’ve read more than twenty books this summer, but only sixteen that were on my original list.
Here are the sixteen, with links to my reviews:
1. The Leopard by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa
2. To the Bright Edge of the World by Eowyn Ivey
3. Long Summer Day by RF Delderfield
4. The Mad Ship by Robin Hobb
5. Beneath a Burning Sky by Jenny Ashcroft
6. The Last Son’s Secret by Rafel Nadal Farreras
7. The Silk Merchant’s Daughter by Dinah Jefferies
8. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier (re-read)
9. A Desperate Fortune by Susanna Kearsley
10. Dead Woman Walking by Sharon Bolton
11. For the Winner by Emily Hauser
12. Shadow of the Moon by M.M. Kaye
13. Crimson and Bone by Marina Fiorato
14. The Wonder by Emma Donoghue
15. By Gaslight by Steven Price
16. The Light Years by Elizabeth Jane Howard (review coming soon)
And these are the four I didn’t manage to read in time:
17. The Fortune of War by Patrick O’Brian
18. The Reckoning by Sharon Penman
19. The Wicked Day by Mary Stewart
20. Heartstone by CJ Sansom
I’m still planning to read the remaining books (in fact I’m halfway through one of them now) but September seemed to arrive very quickly!
Did you take part in 20 Books of Summer too? How did you do?
She Reads Novels 
Congratulations- this was my third year and the first time I completed my list on time 😊
Thank you – and congratulations to you too. 🙂
Well done! Getting through any planned reading is brilliant in my opinion!
As soon as I make a list I usually find myself wanting to read something completely different, so I’m pleased to have managed sixteen of my twenty!
Sixteen books is still an impressive amount. Congratulations!
Thanks! I’m happy with sixteen.
I think I should try to read The Wicked Day and/or The Last Enchantment for the Arthurian theme of Witch Week this year. For some reason I stopped after the first two books, but I thoroughly enjoyed them.
I did not take part in 20 books of summer because from past experience I know that in the summer I am too easily distracted by books not on my list. But I love seeing other people’s lists!
As I didn’t have time to read The Wicked Day during the 20 Books of Summer, I think I’ll read it for your Witch Week instead. 🙂 The Last Enchantment is great – if you enjoyed the first two Merlin books I’m sure you’ll like that one too.
My third year but I only got 7 read this year. But I find that the making of the list is at least half of the fun.
Congrats on getting 16/20 👏🏽
Thank you! Making the list is definitely part of the fun. I’m looking forward to taking part again next year. 🙂
The idea of a challenge to me is the challenge, not the completing. Though it is always gratifying to complete one. You came close!
Yes, I still enjoyed taking part, even though I didn’t complete it. It wouldn’t be a challenge if it was too easy!
I nominated you for the blogger recognition award 🙂 https://wheretheresinktherespaper.wordpress.com/2017/09/08/blogger-recognition-award/
Thanks – it’s very much appreciated! 🙂
I think 16 books is a great amount, especially for your first year taking part. Well done 🙂
Thank you. I’m quite happy with 16 as when I originally made the list I didn’t really expect to get through them all anyway. 🙂
I took part and managed my 20 but not by the finish date, as I couldn’t manage to take the last one away with me on a trip. So I’m calling it for the win still!
I think that’s close enough to be classed as a win. 🙂 You did better than I did, anyway. I’m looking forward to having another attempt next year!