I’m a little late getting signed up for 20 Books of Summer, hosted by Cathy of 746 Books. For the rest of the year I try not to make TBR lists or count what I read, but summer is my favorite reading time and I like the feeling of accomplishment of finishing books I’ve been meaning to read.
![](https://thebookstop.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/15-books-of-summer.webp)
![](https://thebookstop.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/ttt-new6.png)
I decided to pair my sign-up with today’s Top Ten Tuesday topic, which is “books I was excited to get but still haven’t read”, since that’s a good description of my list, which is made up of ARCs, book purchases I need to read, and library loans.
The 20 Books of Summer challenge is flexible, so I had to decide whether I should list 20 books and strive for 15, or go for 20 but list 5 alternates (Cathy says it’s perfectly fine to change our lists midway through the challenge though I try not to). And do I count books I’ve read and reviewed?
Being realistic, I’d like to read and review 15 books from this list. I know I’ll read more than that, but it’s always a challenge for me to review more of what I read. Plus I’m participating in the Ozathon so I want to make sure I count those. So I’m listing 25 books and will aim to read and review 15 of them by September 1.
Here’s what I want to read this summer:
![](https://thebookstop.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/passing.jpg)
![](https://thebookstop.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/congratulations.jpg)
![](https://thebookstop.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/harold-fry.jpg)
![](https://thebookstop.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/signal-fires.jpg)
![](https://thebookstop.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/distance-between-us.jpg)
![](https://thebookstop.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/henna-artist.jpg)
![](https://thebookstop.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/master-slave.jpg)
![](https://thebookstop.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/half-broke-horses.jpg)
- Congratulations, the Best is Over by R. Eric Thomas (print book on my shelf)
- The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce (print on my shelf)
- Passing by Nella Larsen (print on my shelf)
- Signal Fires by Dani Shapiro (print)
- The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi (print)
- The Distance Between Us by Reyna Grande (print)
- Tales of the City by Armistead Maupin (print/reread)
- The Patchwork Girl of Oz by L. Frank Baum (print book)
- Tik-Tok of Oz by L. Frank Baum (print book)
- The Scarecrow of Oz by L. Frank Baum (print book)
- All I Know by Holly LaBerbera (ARC)
- Repacking for Greece by Sally Jane Smith (ARC)
- The Cautious Traveller’s Guide by Sarah Brooks (ARC)
- In this Ravishing World by Nina Schuyler (ARC)
- Navola by Paolo Bacigalupi (ARC)
- Gravity Lost by L.M. Sagas (ARC)
- There are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak (ARC)
- Breasts and Eggs by Mieko Kawakami (ebook)
- Ordinary Human Failings by Megan Nolan (audio)
- Sisters of Belfast by Melanie Maure (audio)
- The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon (audio)
- Iris Kelly Doesn’t Date by Ashley Herring-Blake (audio)
- The Road to Roswell by Connie Willis (audio)
- Half-Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls (audio)
- Master Slave Husband Wife by Ilyan Woo (audio)
![](https://thebookstop.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/cautious-traveller.png)
![](https://thebookstop.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/iris-kelly.jpg)
![](https://thebookstop.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/frozen-river.jpg)
![](https://thebookstop.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/repacking.jpg)
![](https://thebookstop.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/all-i-know.jpg)
![](https://thebookstop.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/tales-of-the-city.jpg)
![](https://thebookstop.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/sisters-of-belfast.jpg)
![](https://thebookstop.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/rivers-in-the-sky.jpg)
I’m looking forward to a summer of great reading. What are you planning to read this summer?
What a cool summer tradition!
I tend to read a lot more when the weather isn’t pleasant for spending time outdoors. So if it’s raining, snowing, muggy, or really hot outside, I will be inside reading away. 🙂
I love summer heat so I can happily read outside. But I also listen to audio while walking and gardening, so between that and travelling I can usually get in a lot of reading time. Hope you have a great summer!
Oh, those classic Oz books! Have not read them since I was a kid but I remember especially enjoying Tik-Tok of Oz (I love Tik-Tok).
Please join us as we re-read these! Tik-Tok was a great story and character. Patchwork Girl is my favorite.
I thought I’d got rid of all my Oz books (as a stupid teenager argh), but actually I still have Scarecrow and Patchwork! So maybe I will – is there a blog post about it?
Yes! You can find more info here https://thebookstop.wordpress.com/ozathon-2024-reading-l-frank-baums-oz-series/ and https://enterenchanted.com/will-you-join-us-in-an-ozathon-ozathon24/
Great post, I tend to read more during the summer also because of vacation time. Master Slave Husband Wife looks interesting and I’d like to read the Oz books one day.
Thanks for taking part again! Tales of the City is such a treat – enjoy x
Whoa, that are a lot of books!
I really enjoyed The Henna Artist, you can find a review on my blog.
My TTT: https://laurieisreading.com/2024/05/28/top-ten-tuesday-books-i-was-super-excited-to-get-my-hands-on-but-still-havent-read/
I’m enjoying reading all these lists. Rarely is there a book on them that I’ve read and can recommend, but yours has a lot that interest me (unsurprisingly, as that’s usually the case with your reading). I want to read more Elif Shafak after enjoying The Island Without Trees, so I may go see if I can get that ARC as well. Happy summer!
I hadn’t heard of Ozathon, but I do remember reading The Wizard of Oz to my kids when they were pretty young, and being amazed at how weird it was (and sometimes a bit too scary!) That sounds like fun.
Personally I only count books I’ve read *and* reviewed, and reviewing is for sure the hard part!
Fab list! Sending you luck!
Great list! I really enjoyed The Henna Artist and I’m desperate to read The Frozen River but it’s not out here yet!
Passing and Harold Fry were both excellent. Half Broke Horses was good. Enjoy your summer reading.
That’s a lot of great variety in your list! I hope you enjoy the books you pick up!
Here’s my TTT this week: https://bookwyrmknits.com/2024/05/28/top-ten-tuesday-unread-fantasy-pre-orders/
I hope you get to Passing, Harold Fry, and Frozen River – all excellent books!
I love how flexible the rules are for the 20 Books of Summer. Makes it hard to resist joining in—so I didn’t! Good luck with the challenge.
Happy TTT (on a Wednesday)!
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
Good luck with your challenge! Signal Fires is one that I also purchased and haven’t started yet (and a good friend of mine just reminded me of it a couple of days ago — she loved it).
Nice list and you’ve got a few light reads in there which will help. I’m going for 20 but am a bit bogged down in my first one, unfortunately! Have fun!