Well, in the blink of an eye that’s the first month of 20 Books of Summer finished! With June over we are now a third of the way through the challenge. How are we all doing?

I’m doing pretty well actually. I’ve reviewed 5 of my 15/20:

• Everything Ravaged, Everything Burned by Wells Tower
• The Hours by Michael Cunningham
• The Missing by Andrew O’Hagan
• In A Strange Room by Damon Galgut
• They by Kay Dick

I’ve also finished book 6 – Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day by Winifred Watson – which I loved, but haven’t reviewed yet and I am 200 pages into book 7, the very moreish American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld.

However, this is where my good progress will probably stall somewhat as I am off to Crete on holiday in a few days so I will be off-blog for almost three weeks!

I can’t wait to get away and am looking forward to lots of family time, reading, good food and swimming in the sea. The downside (if you could really call it that!) is that I won’t be able to review, so I’ll be way behind on that front when I get back.

I’ve been trying to plan what to bring with me to read, being mindful of luggage weight restrictions at the same time! Last time I went away for a week I took and read 4 books, however I’ll need more than that for a two-week holiday! Lonesome Dove is a must, I’ve been waiting for a big free block of time to get stuck in to that one and American Wife will come too as I doubt I’ll get to finish it before we jet off. I think I’ll balance those chunksters out with Case Study, as it was recently longlisted for my favourite literary prize The Gordon Burn Prize and Elena Knows and Party Monster for some non-fiction change of pace.

Holidays are also a good time to co-ordinate reading with my husband and I know he’s bringing The Night Always Comes by Willy Vlautin and Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe, so I’ll be able to steal those once he’s finished.

And if worst comes to worst, my e-reader will be on hand as well! How do you all plan your holiday reading? Do books take precedence over clothes and swim gear?

Good luck to everyone with the ongoing 20 Books challenge and I look forward to catching up again at the end of July!

20 Books of Summer The 746