Goodbye to 20 Books of Summer and hello to autumn reading plans!
Well, that’s it for another year – 20 Books of Summer ends tomorrow and what a blast it’s been.
Although I didn’t finish my challenge this year I am still counting it as a win.
I read 17 of my original 20 choices and swapped two books for others. The Anita Brookner I had chosen, Brief Lives, had the smallest type I have ever seen – or not been able to see in this case – so I swapped it for another Brookner, the very enjoyable Fraud.
I also swapped The Best of Everything by Rona Jaffe because of small print issues and instead read the slightly disappointing And Now You Can Go by Vendela Vida.
I didn’t manage to finish The Wedding by Dorothy West on time, but am about a third of the way through, although it’s not really grabbing my attention I’m afraid.
The reason I’m calling this year a win is because, on top of those 19 books, I read another 15 books over the course of the summer! I’ve quite surprised myself with the amount of reading I managed, so I’m not going to worry too much about that 20th book that didn’t get finished.
What’s the point in having slack challenge rules if you can’t apply them to yourself?!
It’s been heartening to see so many of you completing your challenge over the last week or so. Over 120 of you wonderful people took part and thank you all for making it a great summer.
So, how did you all do? No matter what the outcome, I hope you all enjoyed taking part. It’s a really important part of my reading year and helps me focus and knock some books off the 746, so, all being well, I’ll see you all again next year!
In the world of book blogging though, there is always more reading to be done and I am already making some autumn plans to take part in the odd challenge and get the 746 down into the 300s!
R.I.P(R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril) the traditional autumn reading challenge (started sixteen years ago by Carl V. Anderson) is starting on 9 September and I’ll be choosing a few spooky reads to work through over the next few months and will include a few that will also work for Calmgrove’s Witch Week over Hallowe’en.
I’m also looking forward to taking part in The 1976 Club in October hosted by Simon of Stuck in a Book and Kaggsy at Kaggsy’s Bookish Ramblings. I have two books lined up, The Boys from Brazil by Ira Levin and Lucinella by Lorne Segal.
Looking ahead to November, Rebecca and I will be returning with Novellas in November – our celebration of great, short books – watch out for a special announcement next week…
Do let me know how you all got on with your summer reading and what bookish plans you have lined up for the autumn!
20 Books of Summer Reading Challenge #20booksofsummer21 20 Books of Summer
Cathy746books View All →
I am a 40 something book buying addict trying to reduce the backlog one book at a time!
Definitely a win Cathy – congratulations! My reading is still so slack at them moment but I’m hoping to join in with the 1976 Club too.
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Thank you – I’m really looking forward to the 1976 Club.
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Thank you again for hosting such a great challenge. Good luck with the rest of your reading 😊
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Thank you! X
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You did really well Cathy. I read 13 out of 20, had (1) DNF that wasn’t working for me and (1) more that I’m half way through right now. Thank you for hosting this event now on to RIP XVI.
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I do love RIP, nicely relaxed and super creepy!
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It sounds like you’ve definitely completed it to me Cathy reading more than 20 books so congratulations! x
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Thanks Nicki!
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Well done you for not only completing most of your titles for your 20 Books of Summer but also including some others! I also interpreted your rules rather ‘slackly’ by not specifying all my titles and substituting some of those I did, and today finished my 23rd book, yay!
I too am looking forward to 1976 and to November, and I’ll be interested to see what you choose to read for Witch Week’s theme this year!
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Thanks Chris, I’m pretty pleased with how I got on this summer! I’m not sure how much my Witch Week books fit the plot and treason theme, I’ll have to see if I can make it work 😊
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Definitely a win, well done! I always enjoy taking part, and even though this year I did not read all twenty books from my list, I did read fifteen (or will have done by the end of the day, more accurately), plus five others – so I’m counting that as a win too! Thanks as always for hosting.
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That’s definitely a win too! Well done and thanks for taking part.
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Congratulations, Cathy, although I’m hoping this isn’t quite the end of the actual summer yet. I read The Wedding recently and was disappointed, too.
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I’m really struggling with it Susan. I might put it aside for now.
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Congratulations on your 20 Books of Summer reading – I’d definitely count it as a win!! Thanks again for getting me organised for another Summer of reading haha! I need you to organise me the rest of the year too haha! x
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My pleasure! Hope you enjoyed it.
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Thanks for reminding about the 1976 Club, and your kind words about the graphic! Every time I go digging for old images with permissions for reuse, and was particularly pleased with how 1970s bookish this one was.
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It’s fab Simon!
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Well done Cathy on your amazing total and thank you for hosting. You have definitely won. What will you do when you run out of the 746 books?
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I’m sure I’ll be able to find something to keep me going 🤣
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Well done on achieving success this Summer. Your Autumn reading plans sound great. I’m looking forward to reading how you get on.
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Thanks so much!
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You read a LOT this summer – more than a win, I’d say. I really enjoyed this challenge and thank you for putting it together again this year. I managed 18 of my original 20 books, but then read 3 others not on the list, so I’m counting mine as a win too. I didn’t think 7 books a month was realistic, but apparently it was! 🙂
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That’s definitely a win for sure!
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Congrats on running another successful year!
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Thank you Callum.
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Well done! I enjoyed it as always – I read 43 books in the period, but got 20 off my TBR and Piles, which is the aim of the exercise. I swapped out two heavy non-fic reads for two lighter novels and autobiographies as I went a bit all-out on the diversity in the first two months, but I did also enjoy highlighting a lot of interesting and worthwhile reads about people whose lives are different from mine in that first two months. Thanks for hosting again!
I’m doing Roots (eeps!) for the 1976 Club and busy putting books aside for Novellas in November – I’ll also be doing Non-Fiction November as usual and some of the former will be the latter!!!
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43?? THat’s amazing Liz, well done! Delighted that you will join in with Novellas in November – I’m hoping to read The Accidental Tourist for your Anne Tyler readathon before the end of the year,.
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Thank you for hosting! It was nice to join for the first time. I believe I finished 14 books and started my 15th book. Not bad at all. I still need to write my wrap-up. The summer is over way too soon!
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The summer just flies by, doesn’t it? Thanks so much for taking part x
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I didn’t quite make it. I’m nearly finished book #19 so will hopefully finish that tonight. But #20 will have to be read another time. Next year I won’t put quite so many long ones on my list. Read three 700 page epics this summer. Really enjoyed it though and read some fantastic books. Highlights included Pah by Orla Owen, The Night Always Comes by Willy Vlautin, Remains Of The Day by Kazuo Ishiguro, Blonde by Joyce Carol Oates, London Belongs To Me by Norman Collins and East Of Eden by John Steinbeck. Right, I’m off to peruse the shelves for an unread 1976 book.
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Given the size of some of the books on your pile Pete, I think you did really well!
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Yes, you are a winner! Same here, I didn’t read all my list of 20 books, BUT I ended up reading a total of 37 books, so I won too, lol
Here is my recap: https://wordsandpeace.com/2021/08/31/recap-on-my-20-books-of-summer-2021/
And thanks so much for hosting
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Aw thank you! So are you!
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Well done Cathy, and look forward to seeing what you read for 1976!
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Thanks Kaggsy, looking forward to it!
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Well done with the challenge. 17 books is a lot by any standards.
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Thanks Denise!
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My best year ever! I’ll finish book 18 tonight – I estimate it won’t be far off midnight when I turn the last page! Talk about eleventh hour…..I had to use some substitution of course but so do most of the other participants.
I’m in awe of your stamina, finishing one project and already planning for the next. I need a lie down with someone feeding my grapes before I can even think what;s next
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Well done Karen! Hope you find someone to feed you those grapes.
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You had some wonderful reads this summer and I’ve certainly enjoyed taking a look at how everyone went about the challenge. Thank you for hosting it, I was able to check a few TBR long-termers off and learned what works best for me as far as the blogging goes. Enjoy your autumn reading!
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And you Jule!
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I’m really impressed with the amount of books you’ve read this summer, Cathy! Thanks for hosting the challenge again!
My only plan for September is to try and read more of my own books – my bookshelves overflow!
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I really need to do that too Laila!
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I totally agree with you, Cathy, this was a win. To have read 19 off your list and then another 15, means you read 20 books in the summer to me. I completed mine a couple of weeks ago. I used a lot of audiobooks this year, which I think really helped me to finish. I will be posting my wrap up post tomorrow.
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Well done Carla, thanks again for taking part x
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I managed 20! Though only one of them was on the original selection pile. Still, I’m counting it as a win 🙂
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Absolutely Janet!
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Well done! You did better than me – I managed to read more than 20 books this summer but only 12 from my original list. I’m also planning to take part in R.I.P. and 1976 Club and will have to see if I have anything suitable for Witch Week and Novellas in November!
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Excellent Helen, as long as 20 are read I call it a win!
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I need to do my wrap up post – I know I didn’t read them all though but I’m trying not to feel bad!
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Never worry, I’ve had years when I only read about half!
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I signed up for 10, but my 20th review will go up on Monday… which I finished before the end of August so… I hope it still counts!
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Excellent! And of course it still counts 🙂
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Thanks for hosting this summer challenge! It really motivates me to get my reading in, and I love it!!
http://bookreviewsbycloudsgirl27.home.blog/2021/09/01/recap-20-books-of-summer-21-challenge/
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My pleasure, thanks so much for taking part x
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That’s definitely a win Cathy! I read my 10 but didn’t get them all reviewed, never mind. I’d like to join in with the 1976 club just to be able to use that graphic!
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Isn’t it the cutest? I love it!
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Thanks for hosting the 20 Books of Summer Challenge! I completed my list (with a bit of swapping). Posted about it at http://bibliographicmanifestations.blogspot.com/2021/08/20-books-of-summer-wrap-up.html
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Brilliant! Thanks for taking part Mary.
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Wow! You amaze me, Cathy. I thought I was on a reading binge, knocking out 6 books in August! That’s such an accomplishment. I like how you swapped out some books because of the small type. Sometimes you just have to do that. Now it’s on to the next season, right?
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I need new glasses Barbara, so that didn’t help! I do love the autumn, it’s my favourite season!
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Same here and finally it’s not brutally hot out today!
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I happily finished my 20 Books of Summer Challenge!
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Brilliant Deb, thanks for taking part!
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READING is a win. It doesn’t matter how many books. Just read! My wrap-up post went up this morning finally.
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Couldn’t agree more!
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Well done one reading 19 of your Summer books and another 15 books on top of that, that’s amazing numbers! 🤩I managed to read 9 of my Summer books and I am currently well over high way through my 10th book: the weighty tome The Count of Monte Cristo.
I hope you will enjoy all your atmospheric reading for R.I.P this year and The Boys From Brazil for the 1976 Club. I am also taking part in R.I.P and I am definitely considering joining in for Novellas in November, too! 😃
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Brilliant Jessica, hope you enjoyed your summer of reading.
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Thirty four books this summer. I am in awe.
I did read all 20 of my books, and I am happy about that but I did not review them all, and that was a disappointment.
However, I am planning on doing all three of the activities you discussed: R.I.P XVI for 2021 because I mostly read mysteries anyway and also the 1976 club and Novellas in November.
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I always trip up on the reviewing! If you read 20 books then I’d call that a win!
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Cathy, definitely a good year and right to count it as a win. Amazing to get so many joining in this year, congratulations! I didn’t manage 20 either but did 15 and am pretty satisfied with that as I had a bit of a reading slump in July/August! On a positive point I did actually not only read 15 but I also did all the reviews on time 😅. I did enjoy the books read and will still, eventually, get to the rest. I may join in 1976 club as that poster is great and I’m hoping there’s a book on my TBR that will fit. Thanks for organising and look forward to 2022!
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Keeping up with reviews is half the battle!
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Great work Cathy, that’s definitely a win! Thanks for hosting this, it’s been great to get a bunch of books off the TBR, including some that have been on there way too long. I read 19 and a half of my original list (I knew I should have started the very chunky A Fine Balance sooner) but also read another 24 in that period so I’m counting a win too!
I really enjoyed most of my list, the standouts being No Man in the House by Cecil Foster and the half of A Fine Balance that I read.
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That is definitely a win – well done!
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Well done, Cathy and thanks for hosting this Summer Challenge. I only managed 13 out of 20! I hope to do better next year! I’m looking for to Novellas in November.
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Thanks Margaret!
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Thank you for hosting 20 Books of Summer, it was my second participation and I loved it.
I’ll probably read The Girls From the Five Great Valleys by Elizabeth Savage for the 1976 Club.
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Thanks so much for taking part again Emma!
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