This is the last day of this year’s 20 Books of Summer challenge hosted by Cathy at 746 Books. It’s the second time I’ve participated and although I haven’t been completely 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 fifteen that were on my original list.
Here are the fifteen books in the order I read them, with links to my reviews:
1. For the Immortal by Emily Hauser
2. The Poison Bed by EC Fremantle
3. A Game of Hide and Seek by Elizabeth Taylor
4. Desperate Remedies by Thomas Hardy
5. The Story Keeper by Anna Mazzola
6. My Beautiful Imperial by Rhiannon Lewis
7. The King’s Witch by Tracy Borman
8. Don’t Look Now and Other Stories by Daphne du Maurier
9. Post of Honour by RF Delderfield
10. Fool’s Errand by Robin Hobb
11. Lamentation by CJ Sansom
12. The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker
13. The Way of All Flesh by Ambrose Parry
14. Marking Time by Elizabeth Jane Howard
15. Elizabeth and Her German Garden by Elizabeth von Arnim
I enjoyed all of these, especially Desperate Remedies, Post of Honour, Fool’s Errand, Lamentation and Marking Time.
And here are the books I didn’t have time for:
16. The Bull from the Sea by Mary Renault
17. Tapestry of War by Jane MacKenzie
18. Fortune’s Fool by David Blixt
19. The Wardrobe Mistress by Patrick McGrath
20. The Craftsman by Sharon Bolton
I’m still planning to read those books – in fact, I’m halfway through The Bull from the Sea now – but they will have to be autumn reads instead of summer ones.
Did you take part in 20 Books of Summer this year? How did you do?
She Reads Novels 
15/20 is pretty awesome! And technically, summer doesn’t end until Sept. 22, so you still have time. 🙂
Yes, I’m happy enough with 15, especially as I did read other books too. I might finish one or two more before September 22. 🙂
Not one of these on your list, though I fancy I read ‘The Bull from the Sea’ in my teens straight after ‘The King Must Die’, for which I must thank my mother who I know recommended them to me. But you’ll forgive me not being sure as this would have been half a century ago! 🙂
I think I can forgive you. 🙂 I’m enjoying The Bull from the Sea so far, but wish I’d read it straight after The King Must Die too as the details of the first book have already faded from my memory (and that’s only after five years).
That’s a good ratio – I gave up after the first 6 or so books. Too much else coming in to distract me…
I can understand that. As soon as I made my list I found myself wanting to read books that weren’t on it, so I’m quite surprised that I manged 15 in the end!
I did not take part but I had a great summer of reading. I was quite impressed by The Bull From the Sea. In fact Madeline Miller’s writing in Circe reminded me of Mary Renault’s writing in that book.
The Bull from the Sea is good so far. I never used to be very interested in Ancient Greece but the more I read authors like Mary Renault and Madeline Miller the more I’m starting to change my mind.
I find it too hard to stick to the list of books made in advance. I have succeeded in doing this once – I think, but it was close to the wire, I had to force myself not to read other things.
I love making lists, but I struggle to stick to them too. I’m happy enough to have read 15 of my 20 books though, especially as I really enjoyed most of them.
Well done! Fifteen is great. Somehow it seems almost impossible to stick to a list – too many other temptations. I didn’t do it this year because I never succeed, and it worries away at the back of my mind all summer… 😉
As soon as I post a list I find myself being drawn to books that aren’t on it! Maybe next year I should just choose the 15 book option.
Oh, congratulations on the 15! (The Wardrobe Mistress is a fantastically autumnal read, I’d say you’ve done well not to read it over the summer, actually.)
Oh, that’s good to know. In that case I’m pleased I haven’t had time for it yet!
15 out of 20 is great result – well done and thank you for taking part x
Thank you. I’m happy with 15 and looking forward to trying again next year. 🙂
this is an excellent number to finish with…..I have the Wardrobe Mistress lying around as well and want to get to it soon, but somehow many other books intrude.
I’m looking forward to The Wardrobe Mistress but I’m not sure when I will get to it either…there always seems to be something else that needs to be read first!
I commend you for (mostly) sticking to your list. 😉 Fifteen books out of 20 in a summer is great, especially since you fitted in more books than those.
Yes, I’m pleased that I read fifteen, especially as other books kept getting in the way.
Helen, I also took part but at the lower level of 10 books, of which I read 8. So I didn’t quite finish either. However I think 15 of your 20 books is pretty brilliant, especially as you did actually read over 20 books. 😀
I think 8 out of 10 is a good result. It’s not easy to make a list and then stick to it. I’m happy to have read 15 from my 20, especially as I enjoyed all of them.
You spurred me on to read Post of Honour too. I don’t know why I left it so long and will be going on to the next one soon. I think I’ll join in with the challenge next year.
I enjoy taking part in this challenge, even though I never quite succeed with it! I’m planning to read The Green Gauntlet soon too.