The only TBR list I follow every year is for the 20 Books of Summer reading challenge (#20BOS26), hosted this year by AnnaBookBel. I already put enough pressure on myself to finish my ARCs, to post reviews, to complete challenges — so a TBR list can be just one more box to check. What I enjoy about 20 Books of Summer is that halfway through the year is a good time to review what I’ve read and what I had hoped to read by now. It’s a good time to recommit to challenges.
Also, summer has always been a special reading time for me. As a kid, it meant days off school, sitting outside reading in the sun. As an adult, it meant time to travel, to read on planes or in hotels, or just sitting outside on my deck. Now, as a teacher, summer has a new meaning for me. I’ll have two months off work, and I’m counting the days.
I aim for a mix of long and short, challenging and fun. I know I won’t get to every book on my original list, so I try to build in a little flexibility. I also know I won’t review every book I read. So my goal is to read 20 from my list and review 15 (or, if I’m being more realistic, to read 15 from the list and review 10).
What goes on my 20 Books of Summer list? First, the ARCs I’ve signed up to read.
- Mother Tongue by Sara Novic
- Villa Coco by Andrew Sean Greer
- Destination Funeral by Paige Harbison
- City of Widows by Nadia Hashimi
- The Story of Your Life by Kathryn Jezer-Morton
- Under the Falls by Richard Russo
- The Sleeping Sisters by Jennifer Givhan
- Daggerbound by T. Kingfisher
Next, 4-5 books sitting on my shelf I’ve been wanting to read.
- Kissing Kosher by Jean Meltzer
- The Book of Alchemy by Suleika Jaquad
- The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Dare
- The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty
- An Anthropologist on Mars by Oliver Sacks
Here are 4-5 books on my library holds list.
- Funny Story by Emily Henry
- Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy
- The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
- Station Eternity by Mur Lafferty
Two books for my local bookstore book club:
- Good People by Patmeena Sabit
- They All Fall in Love at the End by Haili Blassingame
Finally, books for challenges I need an extra push to get to.
- Jewish reads: Starring Sally J. Freedman as Herself, Always Carry Salt, Kissing Kosher
- Nonfiction: All Consuming (food), An Anthropologist on Mars (science), Ice Ghosts (lost/found)
So here’s my 20 Books of Summer reading list. I’ve got 23 books which gives me three alternates.
- Mother Tongue by Sara Novic (ARC)
- Villa Coco by Andrew Sean Greer (ARC)
- Destination Funeral by Paige Harbison (ARC)
- City of Widows by Nadia Hashimi (ARC)
- The Story of Your Life by Kathryn Jezer-Morton (ARC)
- Under the Falls by Richard Russo (ARC)
- The Sleeping Sisters by Jennifer Givhan (ARC)
- Daggerbound by T. Kingfisher (ARC)
- Kissing Kosher by Jean Meltzer
- The Book of Alchemy by Suleika Jaquad
- The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Dare
- The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty
- An Anthropologist on Mars by Oliver Sacks
- Good People by Patmeena Sabit
- They All Fall in Love at the End by Haili Blassingame
- Funny Story by Emily Henry
- Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy
- The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
- Station Eternity by Mur Lafferty
- Starring Sally J. Freedman as Herself by Judy Blume
- All Consuming: Why We Eat the Way We Eat Now by Ruby Tandoh
- Always Carry Salt by Samantha Ellis
- Ice Ghosts: The Epic Hunt for the Lost Franklin Expedition by Paul Watson
Have you read any of these? Will you be participating in 20 Books of Summer?
