A little late, but the last week and a half was hectic! I’ve finally put the summer edition of our school magazine to bed. I had to use Canva for it for the first time, having always used Adobe InDesign before, and found Canva’s AI-driven ‘I-know-better-than-you-what-you-want’ tendencies frustrating, whereas InDesign is totally under your control. Read More
Category: 20 Books of Summer 2026
Three for #ParisinJuly2026 – Duras, Vigan & Balle
Today I have short reviews of two novellas set in unspecified French locations by Parisian authors, and one set partly in Paris by a Danish author for Paris in July, hosted by Emma at Words and Peace. These three novellas are also books #9-11 of my 20 Books of Summer. The Garden Square by Marguerite Duras Read More
Twenty Books of Summer – midway check in #20BOS26
Well, I promised you a midway check in. How are you getting on with your Books of Summer, however many you aim to read? I’ve read 9 and with several of them to review. Now school has broken up, I’ll have more reading time, so hope to get cracking on reading and reviewing the rest Read More
Fair Play by Louise Hegarty – Book Group Report & No 5 of #20BOS26
This was our July book for discussion at Book Group – and yes, it generated a good discussion – but that doesn’t mean that readers enjoyed it! Only 2 out of 7 were largely positive, including me, with one more on the fence, the rest found it irritating and repetitive – it all gets very Read More
Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke – #20BOS26 No 7
Well – I’m rather relieved that is over! Yesteryear is this year’s most hyped novel. As this novel is our #20BOS26 Buddy read, there will be a discussion post in early August where spoilers will be encouraged so we can discuss it freely. Natalie Heller Mills has millions of followers on social media. A mega-influencer, Read More
2 ‘Extraordinary’ Books – by Dennison Smith & Oscar de Muriel
Extraordinary Books are a newish UK indie publisher (part of the Indie Press Network). They describe themselves as “a not-for-profit company bringing a radical new approach to publishing. We were founded with a sense of outrage at the ever-growing monopoly exerted by the big publishers, a desire to subvert the current state of the industry.” Read More
20 Books of Summer – #20BOS – 2nd Month!
Dear all, welcome to the home page for July in the 20 Books of Summer challenge 2026. I can’t believe we’re into July already! Thank you to all who have joined in so far – I’ve been enjoying all your posts. July is the month of our buddy read – Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke. Read More
The Portrait Artist by Dani Heywood-Lonsdale – #20BOS26 No 4
Full disclosure: I don’t personally know the author, but Dr Heywood-Lonsdale teaches English at the school I work for – although we’re on different sites, so I was aware of her and that she’d had a novel published, and has been promoted as a local author. When I saw that her novel was an historical Read More
The Cauliflower® by Nicola Barker, #20BOS26, No 3
As previously stated, one of the aims in my 20 Books of Summer this year was to incorporate a few books by Nicola Barker, a contemporary UK author I very much enjoy into my reading. So much so, I’m adding her to my Projects page where I can keep a track on what I read Read More
The Expansion Project by Ben Pester – #20BOS26 No 2
My second review of books read for 20 Books of Summer will probably, like the building described within, evolve when I revise it for Shiny New Books, as I will see the author next week, in conversation with M John Harrison at Blackwell’s for the latter’s new novel, The End of Everything. Tom Crowley works Read More
Adrift: The Curious Tale of the Lego Lost at Sea by Tracey Williams #20BOS26 No 1
I was about to put this book into a pile to sell/dispose of, thinking I didn’t want to read it, but something made me open it up and I started reading – and basically didn’t put it down until I’d finished it (OK – I fell asleep with my thumb in the spine, but finished Read More
20 Books of Summer #20BOS26 – 1st Month
Dear all, welcome to the home page for the first month of the 20 Books of Summer challenge 2026. I been overwhelmed by the number of you joining in – thank you! I’ve tried to get around all of your posts, but forgive me if I’ve missed yours. If you still need to pick up Read More
Twenty Books of Summer 2026, #20BOS26 – My planning post!
Today, I’m sharing my plans for my #20BOS26. I shall go for the full 20 books. (Find the details and sign up for the challenge HERE) As always, I refuse to pick a pile of twenty books in advance – I know some of you do do that, and anyone who can (mostly) stick to Read More
Announcing 20 Books of Summer – #20BOS26
Having got the May day weekend out of the way, it’s time to announce this year’s 20 Books of Summer challenge. Yes, it’s back! I’ll be going it alone this year, but many thanks to Emma for co-hosting last year and letting me re-use her material, and of course, Cathy for starting it all off. Read More
