Saturday, June 1, 2024

My ten books of summer

Recently I was visiting Susan's blog The Cue Card and read about a book event hosted at 746 Books called The Twenty Books of Summer. Now that I have noticed this event, I am seeing it on other friends' blogs. How did I not realize this before (head in clouds) ⛅

You can link up at 746 Books  HERE.  Check it out if you are interested. I don't think I can accomplish twenty books but I will give it a whirl on ten books to start.


Starting the list was fun and here are twelve titles I am considering.  I added an extra two in case in have a few DNF books. Seems I have one DNF a month on average.  Life is too short to plow through a book you aren't loving.

** For what it's worth, I don't use audible and read the books rather than listening.  That works for some people and I have tried but...sometimes the audible reader has an inflection or emphasis on certain passages which are different than my own when reading.    Does that makes sense?  

Think of The Martian movie, if you've watched it. The character Mark Whatney says  "Are you kidding me?" with exasperation verses "Are you kidding me?"  as a point of interest. 

  Anyway............ my list is below 👇


  1. The Night of the Flood by Zoe Somerville 
  2. Ask gain, Yes by Mary Beth Keane
  3. A Time Remembered by Olga Gruhzit-Hoyt
  4. September by Rosamunde Pilcher 
  5. Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano
  6. An Astronomer in Love by Antoine Laurain
  7. Forgotten on Sunday by Valerie Perrin
  8. Long Island by Colm Toibin
  9. The Alternatives by Caoilinn Hughes
  10. Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand by Helen Simonson
  11. North Woods by Daniel Mason
  12. Before The Fall by Noah Hawley



I own the first four in hardcover and a few others in Kindle. The Valerie Perrin book is a birthday gift to myself, a Kindle preorder and will be auto delivered on publication date.  

Linking with Deb at Reader Buzz for Sunday Salon and Cathy at 746 Books



25 comments:

  1. I hope to read North Woods and Long Island both this summer. It's nice to have backups in case some of your titles don't work out.

    I first started doing this challenge when I was working. Summer was my best time to read. Now this challenge just encourages me to plan out my reading for the summer better, and I like that.

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    1. Deb, I usually have backups because something will initially sound good and then it doesn't do it for me. This is my first time participating and I'm excited to join the community reading!

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  2. Good luck on your challenge! It's one of my favorites. I have not read any on your list yet. North Woods is one I've been curious about. I love the premise. It reminds me of a couple of Alice Hoffman books that I enjoyed. Happy Summer Reading!

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    1. Thanks so much, I am looking forward to starting my first on the list today!

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  3. I've read that Major Pettigrew's Last Stand - weirdly can't remember a single thing about it. How odd. Off to google. #SundaySalon

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    1. Lydia, I thought that sounded like a good plot. This has motivated me to make the summer list, for once!

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  4. I think 10 books for the summer is a great goal and you've chosen some great sounding books! I've been really curious about The Night of the Flood and Dear Edward. I look forward to reading your thoughts on them when you get to them. Have a great week, Tina!

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    1. LT, I think I will start with Dear Edward. The Night of the Flood is based on a true story, that was a hard book for me to find. Good luck on your list as well :-)

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  5. I am planning to read An Astronomer in Love in the next couple of weeks.

    Enjoy your books!

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    1. Marg, I look forward to your review. That's been on my list for a while.

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  6. Yay great list! I'm curious to read quite a few of yours including September, Long Island, and The Alternatives. I have read Before the Fall, which has an incredible beginning but loses a bit of mojo along the way, and Major Pettigrew's which I really liked. I hope you enjoy all of them and so glad you joined up. It's just fun. I'm trying to get a good start, lol. Cheers.

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    1. Thank you, Susan! I am excited to join in this year. I think our library has ordered Whale Fall so that may make it on the list as well.

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  7. I can’t do audiobooks either, I’d rather read print.
    I think I will sign up for 20 Books of Summer, though it’s winter here.

    Wishing you a happy reading week

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    1. Shelleyrae, I wish I could come join you for winter there....I am already tired of the heat here. Glad you are joining in and I may need to think about the nonfiction challege with you again...now that I am back at blogging.

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  8. I can not do audiobooks for the same reason as you (in addition to other reasons). The narrators never say certain words or phrases the way I would read them in my head!!!

    I also agree with you about DNF-ing books.

    Enjoy the summer reading challenge!!!

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    1. Jinjer, thanks so much. It's fun to make the list and ow I have actual goals! We are definitely in the non -audio camp :-)

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  9. This is a great list, Tina! You've convinced me to make one of my own. I probably won't join the challenge, but it's good to have a plan, right? We'll definitely have some overlap - Long Island and September for sure, and North Woods will likely be an alternate for me. Of the books on your list, I enjoyed Major Pettigrew's Last Stand and loved Ask Again, Yes. As for audiobooks, I always try to get whatever book I'm reading on audio, too, but recognize they are not for everyone. I think that listening to them is an acquired taste/skill.

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    1. JoAnn, it is always good to have a plan! I am far down the list for North Woods so that will be later in summer. I am just finishing Dear edward and plan on Major Pettigrew next.

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  10. Thanks, Vicki! I may be adding books as I had some great ones arrive from the library today.

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  11. I really enjoyed Ask Again, Yes. Dear Edward and September are also very good. I have North Woods on my list, too. Before the Fall was just a so-so read for me. Interesting that you have two books about plane crashes in your list. I just finished one by T.J. Newman called Drowning, which is about a plane that crashes into the ocean. It was only a mediocre read. I liked the author's debut novel Falling better. Happy reading!!

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    1. Les, I didn't even think about the fact that two of the books had a plane crash in common. I couldn't get into Drowning and abandoned that one; I know some of my book friends liked it but it wasn't for me.
      Dear Edward was good but I loved Napolitano's book Hello, Beautiful so her writing style appeals to me. I am starting Major Pettigre next.

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  12. I enjoyed Before the Fall overall though I wasn't sure how i felt about it at first. I could definitely tell the author had tv writing experience. I really liked September - it was nice to see Noel a bit more grown up. I do agree audio can definitely change the reading experience. There are definitely some books that I have enjoyed more because they were in audio and the opposite. Good luck with your reading and I can't wait to see your thoughts on these.

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    1. Katherine, I am looking forward to these books and wouldn't you know it, more just arrived at the library from my holds list! It is so hot here now that I will be spending lots of time in reading.

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  13. One month in, and you've already read quite a few of these.

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    1. Deb, indeed this challenge has made me focus on some of the books I want to read and have, for whatever reason, put off when a new one arrives at the library.

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