Today, I’m sharing my plans for my #20BOS26. I shall go for the full 20 books.
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 their piles deserves a medal! However, I find it impossible to do that – I get distracted, and don’t enjoy reading to order for pleasure.
Instead, I shall as always just pick books from my TBR. Previously, I’ve said they should be ones I’ve owned before the start of this year, but I’m going to bring that forward to any books I’ve acquired before the end of May so I can accommodate some more recent purchases. The only exception to this will be book group picks which will count. Blog tours and new review copies won’t. That said, I do want to build two authors into my 20 books.
I love Nicola Barker’s novels, (reviews here, here, and here), and the picture shows the ones I still have on my shelves to read (there are a couple more still to acquire). I hope to read at least two of them… They’re stacked in publication order, earliest to latest, top to bottom. Five Miles from Outer Hope is short stories. (Not pictured, Behindlings which would have come between Darkmans and The Yips if I’d found it in time!)
But which to pick first? I’m drawn to The Cauliflower. Any recommendations? I guess Darkmans, which was Booker shortlisted in 2012, ought to be one, but it’s very long indeed at nearly 850 pages! But when better to read it than the long summer hols eh? And maybe one of the early ones.
I have also invested in the first three books in the On the Calculation of Volume series by Solvej Balle, translated from the Danish by Barbara J Haveland, which will be seven books once all are published (IV is just out), pictured here with Harry looking on slightly puzzledly.
The whole series is predicated on a Groundhog Day basis, but the author had the idea before the film came out. I can’t wait to get stuck into these, I’m told each volume ends on a cliffhanger!
BUY at Waterstones via my affiliate links: Nicola Barker books, Solvej Balle books.
Love Nicola Barker and want to read more of her work.