Hello bookish pals and welcome to damppebbles.

It’s time for Cathy’s #20BooksofSummer challenge again (check out Cathy’s BRILLIANT blog at 746 Books) which runs this year from Thursday 1st June to Friday 1st September. This is my fifth year of taking part with varying degrees of success. I’ve only managed to complete the challenge once in all that time and that was during lockdown in 2020! Last year I narrowly missed my target of 20 books despite reading a grand total of 25 books during the challenge window (honestly, I don’t know either but THIS may explain it 🤷🏻‍♀️🤣).

I’m not expecting to complete the challenge this year. Cards on the table, expectations clearly outlined from the outset. There. I’ve said it. The time period we’re talking about covers a whole six weeks where two young children (my children) will expect me to entertain them during their waking hours. I also now have a rather fabulous job in my local library, which I didn’t have this time last year. So with this in mind and using a pinch of common sense I should, in theory, drop the target from twenty books to say, perhaps, fifteen? That would be sensible, right? I laugh in your face ‘sensible’. I’m going for the big TWO OH again this year. Ooooh I’m going to regret this, for sure 🤣

Our lovely host as always is the fabulous Cathy. If you would like to take part yourself then you’re very welcome to join in – the more, the merrier. More information about #20BooksofSummer can be found HERE where you can also sign up yourself if you fancy it. Cathy is very relaxed about the rules, which is lucky for me. I think I may need a spot of leniency this year 😰 (I think I say this EVERY year!). You can choose to read 10, 15 or 20 books during the challenge. Want to change your choices part way through? That’s fine. Want to drop from 20 to 10 books. Also fine. Check out Cathy’s sign up post for all the information you need.

I always find selecting my 20 books tough. This year was no different. This year eight of the books on my list are review copies, either NetGalley books or physical ARCs sent to me by publishers. They’re all due to be reviewed within the challenge window which is why they’re on the list. I’ve also included the four books I didn’t manage to read from last year’s 20 Books of Summer challenge (because they deserve a second shot, right?). The others are books from my TBR and are predominately books I have purchased myself.

For transparency’s sake I need to let you know that the links below are all affiliate links which means if you purchase one or more of these books via the link (or links), I receive a small percentage of the purchase price at no extra cost to you. We all win!

The Housekeepers by Alex Hay
A Game of Lies by Clare Mackintosh
The Dive by Sarah Ochs
The Contest by Karen Hamilton
Mister Magic by Kiersten White

Just Another Missing Person by Gillian McAllister
The Only One Left by Riley Sager
The Good Daughter by Laure Van Rensburg
Strange Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent
The Jigsaw Man by Nadine Matheson

Damage by Caitlin Wahrer
Then She Vanishes by Claire Douglas
Tall Oaks by Chris Whitaker
The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz
Death of a Bookseller by Alice Slater

The Devil Takes You Home by Gabino Iglesias
Clown in a Cornfield 2: Freddo Lives by Adam Cesare
The Fields by Erin Young
It Ends at Midnight by Harriet Tyce
Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix
Atalanta by Jennifer Saint

Twenty one books you say? Surely not! 😉

What a good looking bunch they are, even if I do say so myself! Have you read any of them? Any you’re really looking forward to reading? Are you taking part in the challenge this year? I’d love to see your books so please feel free to leave a link to your challenge post in the comments!

If you would like to join in then there’s still time. Go on, give it a try. How hard can it be, right…? 😉