This is my eleventh year of participating in the 20 Books of Summer reading challenge. The event was originally hosted by Cathy at 746Books. This year, Annabel from AnnaBookbel is hosting the event.
The challenge is very flexible. You don't have to aim for the full 20 books; instead, you can opt for 15 or 10.
Here are some of the rules...
- The #20BooksofSummer2026 challenge runs from Monday June 1st to Monday August 31st
- The first rule of 20 Books is that there are no real rules, other than signing up for 10, 15 or 20 books and trying to read from your TBR.
- You can pick your list in advance, or nominate a bookcase to read from, or pick at whim from your TBR.
For more information and the place to sign up, check out this post at AnnaBookBel. There is also a book bingo card if that appeals to you.
I love to make lists of books to read, so I would start with a list whether I plan to stick with it or not. However, I do plan to stick with my list, and here it is, in no particular order.
The True True Story of Raja the Gullible (and his Mother) by Rabih Alameddine. Won the National Book Award for Fiction (2025).
The Sentence is Death by Anthony Horowitz. Mystery. 2018. 2nd book in the Hawthorne and Horowitz series.
Mortmain Hall by Martin Edwards. Mystery. 2019. 2nd book in the Rachel Savernake series.
The Customer is Always Wrong by Mimi Pond. Graphic Novel. 2017.
Wednesday's Child by Yiyun Li. Short Stories. 2023.
Things in Nature Merely Grow by Yiyun Li. Won the Pulitzer Prize for Memoir or Autobiography 2025.
Count Them One by One: Black Mississippians Fighting for the Right to Vote by Gordon A. Martin, Jr. Nonfiction. 2010.
Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-reum, translated by Shanna Tan. Fiction. 2022.
Floating Hotel by Grace Curtis. Cozy Science Fiction novel, 2024. Read and recommended by my son.
Middlemarch by George Eliot. Classic novel. 1872.
Find a Victim by Ross Macdonald. Mystery. 1954. Book 5 in the Lew Archer series.
The Birds and the Beasts Were There by Margaret Millar. Nonfiction, Nature, Memoir. 1971.
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. Classic Novel. 1847.
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. Classic Novel. 1818.
Murder on the Yellow Brick Road by Stuart Kaminsky. Mystery. 1971. Book 2 in the Toby Peters series
Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Katherine Rooney. Historical Fiction. 2017.
The Sisters by Robert Littell. Spy Fiction. 1985.
A Graveyard for Lunatics by Ray Bradbury. Mystery. 1990. Book 2 in the Crumley Mysteries series.
Glass Houses by Louise Penny. Mystery. 2017. Book 13 in the Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series. Set in Canada.
Etta and Otto and Russell and James by Emma Hooper. Mystery. 2015. Set in Canada.
Bleeders by Bill Pronzini. Mystery. 2001. Book 27 in the Nameless series.
Trophies and Dead Things by Marcia Muller. Mystery. 1990. Book 10 in the Sharon McCone series.
The Cyclist by Tim Sullivan. Mystery. 2020. Book 2 in the DS George Cross series.
Thanks Tracy for reminding us of this wonderful summer challenge. Many of the authors on your list (Marcia Muller, Bill Pronzini, Stuart Kaminsky Margaret Millar) are writers I have not read yet but want to. From June 1 to Aug 31 I want to committ to 15 books. I would choose 20 but I am planning to read Lonesome Dove in June and its a door stopper.
ReplyDeleteKathy, those four writers you mentioned would be really good to read. I hope you can try their books.
DeleteI would like to read Lonesome Dove sometime too. But maybe I will start with a shorter novel to get a taste of the author's writing style.
An interesting list, Tracy, including a number of authors/titles I am not familiar with. I have read read six of the books, all from the "usual suspects"' I'd be interested in reading the Edwards, the Millar, the Pond, and the Sullivan, although I would not turn down any of the others had I the chance.
ReplyDeleteJerry, I am looking forward to getting back to reading some Pronzini. My husband has read all the books in that series, but I am behind. I haven't read that much by Muller, and Todd Mason suggested I could start the series again with the book by her on this list.
DeleteI am especially eager to try the The Birds and the Beasts Were There by Millar because it is set in and around Santa Barbara.
I forgot you had bought my father's book and am very pleased to see it on your list! You will see it is dedicated to me. I hope you enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteI am assembling my list now and will post it in a few days.
Constance, I am looking forward to reading your father's book. I had recently read the first few pages and I did notice that he had dedicated the book to you. And it is a very nice dedication.
DeleteI am eager to see your list for 20 Books of Summer and what you are planning to read.
You have some fine books here, Tracy. And as always, I like the variety in what you've chosen. I've been wanting to read more Anthony Horowitz, and your post reminded me that I should. And as far as I'm concerned, you can't go wrong with Martin Edwards. I hope you enjoy all your reads.
ReplyDeleteMargot, I was aiming for variety, but also trying to include some mystery series that I wanted catch up on. I will be glad to get back to the Anthony Horowitz series.
DeleteI've only read four of these, but I'm quite curious about a few of the others on your list. And like Margot said, it's a good variety. I look forward to your reviews!
ReplyDeleteKelly, I hope I am able to review as many of these as I can. I always get behind on reviews.
DeleteGood luck with your '20 books of summer' list, Tracy. I've not ever participated in it before, but have known several bloggers who have. I've only read a few of the books you listed. Jane Eyre, Frankenstein, and the Louise Penny book. Enjoy!!
ReplyDeleteKay, thanks for the encouragement. I am behind on reading the Louise Penny series. The last one I read was more serious and I waited I while to get back to her books. The two classic novels you mentioned will help me make a dent in my Classics List.
DeleteWhat a great list! Floating Hotel sounds very fun. And I really like Middlemarch. Happy reading all of these this summer. :D
ReplyDeleteLark, I am excited to have finally committed to Middlemarch. I am looking forward to all of the books, and I do expect Floating Hotel to be fun.
DeleteI am reading THE TRUE TRUE STORY right now.
ReplyDeletePatti, I hope you are enjoying The True True Story. That book is pretty much of an unknown to me at this point, so I hope I like it.
DeleteSusan, I like the mix of the books on my list, and I think they will all be good reads. I am going into my summer reading optimistically. Glen read Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop and he liked it, so I am confident that it will be a worthwhile choice. I sure hope I don't spend all summer on Middlemarch, but I do want to get a start on it in June.
ReplyDeleteI like your mix of books on your list, too. I'm especially curious about The True True Story of Raja the Gullible (and his Mother).
ReplyDeleteI am curious about it, too, Deb. I want to read it because it won the National Book Award, but it does sound like it would be good. And I think I will learn more about Lebanon.
DeleteGlad to have you join in. What an interesting set of books you've picked. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Annabel. It was fun putting my list together and I am looking forward to June 1 to begin read my first book.
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