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Friday, May 19, 2023

10 Books of Summer (but not really summer) 2023



Since a few years ago I've been longing to participate in an annual event: 20 Books of Summer hosted by Cathy @ 746 Books. But I know I would never be able to read twenty books in three months. We don't have summer here in Indonesia - only dry and wet (monsoon) seasons - and therefore, no holiday for me during June to August; life goes on as usual. June and July are always my favorite months of year, in term of weather. They are usually the coolest months of the year; while August is the windy one. However, holiday or not, I think 20 books in 3 months is more than I can chew. But this year is different, Cathy is very generous to slack down the bar to 15 or even 10 books, yay! And so, here's my first: 

10 Books of Summer (not really summer) 2023




Summer by Edith Wharton
I've read somewhere that this was Wharton's favorite, and it seems a perfect title to kick off this challenge, ain't it?

The Last Tycoon by F. Scott Fitzgetald
This is the only Fitzgerald's novel I haven't read, and also his last and unfinished novel (published posthumously in 1941). Hollywood, here I come!

The Hummingbirds' Gift: Wonder, Beauty, and Renewal on Wings by Sy Montgomery
I'm a bird-lover, and have been longing to read books about birds. I found an audiobook of this book the other day, and can't wait to listen to Sy Montgomery herself narrating her own story!




Mallika @ Literary Potpourri is hosting a cat-themed reading week on 12 - 18 June 2023, and after some serious pondering, I've decided to read:




The Cat Saw Murder by Dolores Hitchens
A murder mystery after few classics is always welcomed. I have never read Hitchens too, so I'm pretty exciting!

Aunts Aren't Gentlemen by P.G. Wodehouse
Recently I seem to need a Wodehouse every now and then. How about a Wodehouse with a cat, then? Perfercto! 👌🏼


Alternative:
Art Heists and Hairballs by Bailey Booth
A cozy mystery, of which I've just found a free e-book at Google Playbooks. It's a novella, so I believe I'd be able to squeeze it in for the week!



Paris in July?

I've been crossing my fingers for Paris in July to return this year! As a Francophile, there's the joy of reading anything French. My pick this year are two books by French authors (alternately I will pick books about France by foreigners the next year):




The Elegance of Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery
So excited to get to listen to the audiobook!

Letters from My Windmill by Alphonse Daudet
I was impressed by my first encounter with Daudet in this Christmas anthology, and happened to find this e-book for free the other day. It seems interesting!


Alternative:
The President's Hat by Antoine Laurain
If I still have time, I would love to read this humorous book!





Evil Under the Sun by Agatha Christie
Can't wait to listen to David Suchet's narrating a Christie's!

Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto
Do you remember how I was raving about a cozy mystery by Jesse Q. Sutanto few weeks ago? Before that book, which has been creating quite a buzz, she wrote a hilarious romcom-murder-mystery mashup that I can't wait to read!


My last of the ten books is still uncertain. I'd see which book would suit my mood then. It rather depends also on whether or not #AustenInAugust would return. That event would encourage me to plunge into Austen universe, but if not... I don't know. Let's just see!




The Girl, the Dog, and the Writer in Lucerne by Katrina Nannestad

OR

Mansfield Park by Jane Austen



Will you also participate in this event? What books do you plan to read?

 

16 comments:

  1. Thanks so much for taking part - love your list! Good luck and happy reading!

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    1. And thanks to you, Cathy, for hosting it and making it more flexible! :)

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  2. Great list with so many appealing titles. I see two new-to-me cat books so am looking forward to your reviews of whichever of these you choose to read. And lovely to see Evil Under the Sun in your list--I reread it last year I think and enjoyed it as much as the previous times. Hope you enjoy all these!

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    1. Great news, I think I might read all three of the cat-books after all, and have a lot of fun! ;)
      I haven't read Christie's for some months, now I'm craving for it!

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  3. Letters from My Windmill was so much fun to read....very funny!
    Lovely mix on your list, classics, cats and crime fiction! Enjoy!

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    1. Lovely, Nancy! Just what I need these months - funny and fun reads!
      Well, a good mix is always important for moody reader like me... :P

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  4. Wharton's Summer is a great one to kick off this challenge with. Happy reading all of these! :D

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    1. I think so too, though I'm a little worried because Wharton's heroines are often trapped into their own blunders. Well, let's see!

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  5. I'm so glad you'll be joining, no matter what season it is! You've got a nice list going. And I vote for Mansfield Park. :)

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    1. I'm glad too to have finally joined it!
      And I hope I'll get to read Mansfield Park too.. :)

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  6. I've read Elegance of the Hedgehog, and Mansfield Park, both of which I liked.

    You've definitely caught my eye with the Sutanto books.

    I should make up a list!

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    1. I can't wait to read (or listen to) Elegance of the Hedgehog. July can't arrive soon enough!
      Sutanto turns out to be quite prolific, she's written half a dozen books with different genres: crime, comedy, YA, fantasy (maybe testing the water, which one sells best?)

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  7. That's a nice selection of books and I hope you enjoy them. I had fun choosing the theme for my 20 (I am not sure I'll get a summer holiday in as we went away in March and have a holiday booked for November (I'll have to take a sheaf of Novellas In November on that one, or maybe books for Nonfiction November instead!)).

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    1. Thanks, Liz!
      Enjoy your coming journey/holiday, and hopefully you'll get to read many nice books/novellas!

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  8. Great list Fanda and so glad you can join in this year.

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    1. Thank you, Brona. I might even read more than 10... :))

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