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20 Books of Summer Reading Challenge #20booksofsummer23

20 Books of Summer is a reading challenge hosted by Cathy @ 746 Books. The challenge runs from June 1st through September 1st, with the goal being to read and review 10, 15, or 20 books during this time period. Thanks for hosting, Cathy!

Below are my 20 summer hopefuls, but I may change things up if another book or two (or more) catch my eye. In alphabetical order:

THE LONG WAY BACK by Nicole Baart
THE GIRLS OF SUMMER by Katie Bishop
THE CASTAWAYS by Lucy Clarke
THE GUEST by Emma Cline
A LIKEABLE WOMAN by May Cobb

THICKER THAN WATER by Megan Collins
CICADAS SING OF SUMMER GRAVES by Quinn Connor
THE COUPLE IN THE PHOTO by Helen Cooper
THE BLOCK PARTY by Jamie Day
THE LAST ONE by Will Dean

SHE STARTED IT by Sian Gilbert
THE VANISHING HOUR by Seraphina Nova Glass
THE VILLA by Rachel Hawkins
YOU CAN TRUST ME by Wendy Heard
THE STRANGER UPSTAIRS by Lisa Matlin

STRANGE SALLY DIAMOND by Liz Nugent
ONE LAST SECRET by Adele Parks
GONE TONIGHT by Sarah Pekkanen
DEATH BY A THOUSAND SIPS by Gretchen Rue
THE DISAPPEARING ACT by Catherine Steadman

Use hashtag #20booksofsummer23 to share your progress and to follow other participants. Are you joining this year?

Happy summer reading! — 𝓓𝓲𝓪𝓷𝓪

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READERS IMBIBING PERIL Reading Challenge #RIPXVII @PerilReaders

  • Grab your spooky books, because it’s the best time of year again!
  • To join the R.I.P. Challenge, just read as many mystery, suspense, thriller, horror, dark fantasy, supernatural, or Gothic books as you’d like September 1st – October 31st, and post/discuss them on your blog, Instagram, or Twitter. The group is also on Discord!
  • Use #RIPXVII to connect with other challenge participants.
  • Check out this link for all of the challenge details: https://linktr.ee/perilreaders

I’ll be keeping track of books completed for this challenge here:

  1. THESE FLEETING SHADOWS by Kate Alice Marshall
  2. BECAUSE I COULD NOT STOP FOR DEATH by Amanda Flower
  3. BEATRICE LIKES THE DARK by April Genevieve Tucholke
  4. THE PLOT AND THE PENDULUM by Jenn McKinlay
  5. THE GHOST OF DROWNED MEADOW by Kelley Skovron
  6. THE GUEST HOUSE by Robin Morgan-Bentley

Happy R.I.P. Reading! — 𝓓𝓲𝓪𝓷𝓪

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Wrap-Up Post: 20 Books of Summer Reading Challenge #20booksofsummer22

The 20 Books of Summer reading challenge has come to an end, and I’m thrilled to say that I managed to read 20 books and reviewed most of them. Did I stick to my original list? Nope. Not at all. But I read 20 books! Thanks so much to Cathy @ 746 Books for hosting.

Here are the books that I read for this challenge. Ones with an asterisk were favorites/standouts. Click title to see my review:

1) EVERY SUMMER AFTER by Carley Fortune (June 4)
2) SMILE BEACH MURDER by Alicia Bessette (June 9) *
3) DAISY JONES & THE SIX by Taylor Jenkins Reid (June 14)
4) THE GIRL IN THE MIRROR by Rose Carlyle (June 17) *
5) THE FAVOR by Nora Murphy (June 20) *

6) THE ANATOMY OF DESIRE by L.R. Dorn (June 23) *
7) THE DEAD ROMANTICS by Ashley Poston (June 26)
8) 142 OSTRICHES by April Davila (June 30) *
9) IN ANOTHER LIGHT by A.J. Banner (June 30) *
10) THE HOUSE ACROSS THE LAKE by Riley Sager (July 4)

11) SUMMER’S EDGE by Dana Mele (July 8)
12) SUN DAMAGE by Sabine Durrant (July 14) *
13) THE SAFE PLACE by Anna Downes (July 15)
14) THE LAST TO VANISH by Megan Miranda (July 20)
15) A SUMMER TO REMEMBER by Erika Montgomery (July 31)

16) SUMMER FEVER by Kate Riordan (August 2)
17) STAY AWAKE by Megan Goldin (August 14)
18) STEEPED TO DEATH by Gretchen Rue (August 27) *
19) MEET CLAUDIE by Brit Bennett (August 27)
20) AT SUMMER’S END by Courtney Ellis (August 31)

Did you participate in this challenge? How did you do? — 𝓓𝓲𝓪𝓷𝓪

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20 Books of Summer Reading Challenge #20booksofsummer22

20 Books of Summer is a reading challenge hosted by Cathy @ 746 Books. The challenge runs from June 1st through September 1st, with the goal being to read and review 10, 15, or 20 books during this time period.

I’m pretty sure I can read at least 10-15 books, though reviewing them too might be the challenging part. I’ll give it a go. I’ve got a long “summer hopefuls” list, a mixture of books I own, library books on hold, and NetGalley/Edelweiss titles. I’ve become a mood reader lately, so this list is subject to change. The top contenders are pictured below:

Here are the books I’ve completed for this challenge:
  1. EVERY SUMMER AFTER by Carley Fortune (June 4)
  2. SMILE BEACH MURDER by Alicia Bessette (June 9)
  3. DAISY JONES & THE SIX by Taylor Jenkins Reid (June 14)
  4. THE GIRL IN THE MIRROR by Rose Carlyle (June 17)
  5. THE FAVOR by Nora Murphy (June 20)
  6. THE ANATOMY OF DESIRE by L.R. Dorn (June 23)
  7. THE DEAD ROMANTICS by Ashley Poston (June 26)
  8. 142 OSTRICHES by April Davila (June 30)
  9. IN ANOTHER LIGHT by A.J. Banner (June 30)
  10. THE HOUSE ACROSS THE LAKE by Riley Sager (July 4)
  11. SUMMER’S EDGE by Dana Mele (July 8)
  12. SUN DAMAGE by Sabine Durrant (July 14)
  13. THE SAFE PLACE by Anna Downes (July 15)
  14. THE LAST TO VANISH by Megan Miranda (July 20)
  15. A SUMMER TO REMEMBER by Erika Montgomery (July 31)
  16. SUMMER FEVER by Kate Riordan (August 2)
  17. STAY AWAKE by Megan Goldin (August 14)
  18. STEEPED TO DEATH by Gretchen Rue (August 27)
  19. MEET CLAUDIE by Brit Bennett (August 28)
  20. AT SUMMER’S END by Courtney Ellis (August 31)

Happy summer reading! — 𝓓𝓲𝓪𝓷𝓪

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★ Cozy Mystery Feature ★ DEATH IN CASTLE DARK by Veronica Bond | DEADLY SUMMER NIGHTS by Vicki Delany

Cozy mystery feature! Here are two “firsts” in a new series from Berkley. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing digital ARCs. My reviews will be posted soon, but until then, check out the blurbs —


★ DEATH IN CASTLE DARK ★
by Veronica Bond
(Berkley)

Actor Nora Blake finds her dream job when she is cast in a murder-mystery troupe that performs in an imposing but captivating old castle. When she stumbles upon a real murder, things take a nightmarish turn in this first book in an exciting new series.

Maybe it was too good to be true, but when Nora Blake accepted the job from Derek Corby, proprietor of Castle Dark, she could not see any downsides. She would sink her acting chops into the troupe’s intricately staged murder-mystery shows, earn free room and board in the fairy tale–like castle, and make friends with her new roommates, which include some seriously adorable kittens.

But something sinister lurks behind the walls of Castle Dark. During Nora’s second performance, one of her castmates plays the part of the victim a little too well. So well, in fact, that no one can revive him. He has been murdered. Not ready to give up her dream gig—or to be the next victim—Nora sets out to see which one of her fellow actors has taken the role of a murderous real-life villain.


★ DEADLY SUMMER NIGHTS ★
by Vicki Delany
(Berkley)

A summer of fun at a Catskills resort comes to an abrupt end when a guest is found murdered, in this new 1950s set mystery series.

It’s the summer of 1953, and Elizabeth Grady is settling into Haggerman’s Catskills Resort. As a vacation getaway, Haggerman’s is ideal, and although Elizabeth’s ostentatious but well-meaning mother is new to running the resort, Elizabeth is eager to help her organize the guests and the entertainment acts. But Elizabeth will have to resort to untested abilities if she wants to save her mother’s business.

When a reclusive guest is found dead in a lake on the grounds, and a copy of The Communist Manifesto is found in his cabin, the local police chief is convinced that the man was a Russian spy. But Elizabeth isn’t so sure, and with the fate of the resort hanging in the balance, she’ll need to dodge red herrings, withstand the Red Scare, and catch a killer red-handed.

Click on the titles above for the link to Goodreads. Happy reading! — 𝓓𝓲𝓪𝓷𝓪