Emma @ Words and Peace  and Annabookbel   have once again hosted this year’s 20 Books of Summer challenge. As always, there’s a fun questionnaire to look back on our reading adventures. This August, I read 12 books , and in total, I managed 30 books over the summer ! Did you manage to finish all 10/15/20 books? If not, what kept you from completing the challenge? Yes, I reached the 20-book goal —and even went beyond with 30. Not all were from my original list, but I managed 8 from it. Since I was traveling and couldn’t carry all the books with me, I turned to e-books and audiobooks. I still have five books from my list with me, which I’ll finish on my long train journeys home (6 + 11 hours—plenty of reading time!). Of all the books you read this summer, which one was your favourite and why? Without a doubt, Tunnel 29 by Helena Merriman. It tells the thrilling true story of the group who dug a tunnel under the Berlin Wall to help people escape. Reality here was more gripping than fiction. Did you DNF any? Why? Yes— The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy. It’s a beloved book for many, but I just couldn’t connect with the story. Which book surprised you the most? The Scottish Prisoner by Diana Gabaldon. I’ve read and loved most of her Outlander series and expected this to focus on Jamie’s time in prison. It wasn’t, but it reminded me of how excellent Gabaldon’s writing is and how skillfully she blends history with fiction. Did you notice any patterns in the genres you read? As usual in summer, I leaned toward lighter reads—especially crime fiction. In total, I read 13 detective stories . Which one had the best cover? The Night Travellers by Armando Lucas Correa. Stunning. Longest and shortest reads? Longest: A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab (512 pages) Shortest: One Boat by Jonathan Buckley (168 pages) Format mix (print, ebook, audio)? A real mix this summer: Print: 13 Ebook: 10 Audio: 7 (quite a lot for me!) AND NOW FOR SOMETHING MORE CREATIVE: 8. Imagine you’re hosting a “20 Books of Summer” wrap party. Which book would you nominate as guest of honor? I think I’d invite Voltaire, after reading Voltaire in Love by Nancy Mitford earlier this year. He would certainly keep the conversation lively—though probably quarrelsome! It might not be the most peaceful evening, but it would definitely be memorable. 9. Which character would you want as a summer buddy for a weekend getaway? I read two books by V.E. Schwab ( A Darker Shade of Magic and A Gathering of Shadows ) and would happily spend a weekend with her characters. Imagine a party with Prince Rhy, his brother Kell, and the bold Lila—perhaps with Holland crashing uninvited. The most intriguing guest would be Alucard Emery, the charming, elusive pirate who always keeps you guessing. Yes, it would definitely turn into a surprise party! 10. Any other comments? I love imagining a literary gathering. There are so many characters I’d like to meet, maybe even to get clarifications from their stories. If I could meet a real historical figure, I’d choose Count Axel von Fersen. He lived through dramatic times, moving between the French and Swedish courts, and his life ended violently in Stockholm during political turmoil. I’d love to hear his side of the story—especially his relationship with Marie Antoinette. As for fictional characters, I’d choose Scarlett O’Hara and Rhett Butler, or Catherine and Heathcliff—characters who provoke strong feelings and make you think about love, power, and survival. But that’s a post for another day!

I finally got around to reading something by Ann Patchett. I’ve heard so many good things about her books, especially this one, and I can only agree—it’s a wonderful story. I loved it. Probably the best book I’ve read so far this year. “Do you think it’s possible to ever see the past as it actually was?” I asked my sister. We were sitting in her car, parked in front of the Dutch House, in the broad daylight of early summer. This is a place where the siblings, Danny and Maeve, spend much of their time once the Dutch House is out of their reach. The house holds a kind of magic over them, shaping their lives in ways they don’t always recognize. It’s difficult to talk about the plot without giving too much away, so here’s a short passage from the book’s description: “The story is told by Cyril’s son, Danny, as he and his older sister, the brilliantly acerbic and self-assured Maeve, are exiled by their stepmother from the house where they grew up. The two wealthy siblings are thrown back into the poverty their parents had escaped from and find that all they have to count on is each other. It is this unshakeable bond that both saves their lives and thwarts their futures.” The novel spans five decades and reads almost like a dark fairy tale about a house that leaves no one untouched—whether you love it or hate it. Danny and Maeve are deeply marked by their mother’s sudden disappearance when they are still young. Their father raises them, but he is cold and emotionally distant. When he remarries, life goes from bad to worse. Told through Danny’s eyes, the story follows the siblings from childhood through their education and into adulthood. While on the surface they seem to cope, there are undercurrents of grief and longing that shape their choices. Maeve, as the older sister, is fiercely protective. Danny, outwardly successful, is nonetheless tied to his sister’s well-being, which complicates his own family life. The two of them only truly seem at ease in each other’s company, their bond forged early on. And through it all, the Dutch House remains a haunting presence—the one constant in their lives. This is, at its heart, a family saga about a lost childhood paradise—a paradise broken by absence, betrayal, and silence. It’s about how we endure sorrow, how we build new lives, and how, in the end, we must face our ghosts and make peace with the past if we want to be whole. I’ve always been fascinated by houses: old mansions, castles, and places that seem to hold their own stories. The Dutch House is one of those—the kind of house, and the kind of novel, that leaves you changed. Following Maeve and Danny in their fight for survival and belonging, you carry them with you long after finishing the book. And of course, with such a powerful story, you wonder how it will end. Will it disappoint? Will it satisfy? For me, the ending was beautiful. It made me cry, but it left me happy.

It’s that time of year again—the leaves are turning colour and slowly drifting to the ground. Autumn has arrived. Here in southern Sweden, we’ve been fortunate with the weather so far, enjoying bright, crisp days filled with sunshine and soft clouds. Absolutely beautiful. November, however, is often considered an “in-between” month, not usually the most exciting. But in the blogging world, it brings a burst of energy, discoveries, and reflections on nonfiction. It’s one of my favourite challenges of the year, and here are the hosts along with the weekly itinerary. But first, let’s admire the wonderful image created for this year’s event. The Hosts Liz is an ex-librarian, a freelance editor and transcriber, a runner and a volunteer. She blogs about everything from social justice and geology nonfiction to YA romance and literary fiction at Adventures in reading, running and working from home . Frances Spurrier is a poet, essayist and reviewer. Her novel The Winchester Codex was published in 2024. She lives in London with her husband and Suki the Golden Doodle. Her blog can be found at Volatile Rune . It covers books she happens to be reading – both fiction, non-fiction and poetry. She especially enjoys biographies of writers and artists. Heather is a veterinarian living in Ohio who blogs at Based on a True Story . She reads all genres but really loves nonfiction and fantasy. Rebekah is a designer, crafter, and cat parent living in Pittsburgh, where she writes book reviews and other leftist musings at She Seeks Nonfiction . Deb is a Texas librarian-for-life who loves to read nonfiction-that-reads-like-fiction, literary fiction, classics, and children’s picture books. Deb plays guitar, swims, draws, writes, thinks about happiness, and blogs at Readerbuzz . The Rules Each Monday, our weekly host will post our topic prompt and include a linkup where you can link your posts, connect with other bloggers, and dive deeper by reading and sharing nonfiction book reviews. Feel free to use our official Nonfiction November graphics, too! The weekly prompts Week 1 (10/27-11/2) Your Year in Nonfiction: Celebrate your year of nonfiction. What books have you read? What were your favorites? Have you had a favorite topic? Is there a topic you want to read about more? What are you hoping to get out of participating in Nonfiction November? ( Heather ) Week 2 (11/3-11/9) Choosing Nonfiction: There are many topics to choose from when looking for a nonfiction book. For example: Biography, Autobiography, Memoire, Travel, Health, Politics, History, Religion and Spirituality, Science, Art, Medicine, Gardening, Food, Business, Education, Music. Maybe use this week to challenge yourself to pick a genre you wouldn’t normally read? Or stick to what you usually like is also fine. If you are a nonfiction genre newbie, did your choice encourage you to read more? ( Frances ) Week 3 (11/10-11/16) Book Pairings: This week, pair up a nonfiction book with a fiction title. Maybe it's a historical novel and the real history in a nonfiction version, or a memoir and a novel, or a fiction book you’ve read and you would like recommendations for background reading. Or maybe it’s just two books you feel have a link, whatever they might be. You can be as creative as you like! ( Liz ) Week 4 (11/17-11/23) Mind Openers: Nonfiction books are one of the best tools for seeing the world through someone else’s eyes. They allow us to get an idea of the experiences of people of all different ages, races, genders, abilities, religions, socioeconomic backgrounds, or even just people with different opinions than ours. Is there a book you read this year from a diverse author, or a book that opened your eyes to a perspective that you hadn’t considered? How did it challenge you to think differently? ( Rebekah ) Week 5 (11/24-11/30) New To My TBR: It's been a month full of amazing nonfiction books! Which ones have made it onto your TBR? Be sure to link back to the original blogger who posted about that book! ( Deb ) And there you have it—a presentation of our wonderful hosts and their creative weekly prompts. I would be happy to see you join us, whether or not you usually read nonfiction. Who knows? A whole new world may open up to you. The participants are knowledgeable, eager to share recommendations across a wide range of themes, and always ready to answer your questions.

I first saw a post about this challenge on Readerbuzz , hosted by Sue Jackson on Book by Book . Below the details, but head back to Sue's website for more goodies on this challenge. The Details: Hey, it's summer, so we'll keep this low-key and easy! Anything 400 pages or more qualifies as a big book. The challenge runs from the Friday of Memorial Day weekend (May 23 this year) through Labor Day (September 1 this year). Choose one or two or however many big books you want as your goal. Wait, did you get that? You only need to read 1 book with 400+ pages this summer to participate! (though you are welcome to read more, if you want). No sign-ups are necessary! All readers are welcome to participate. If you are a blogger or YouTuber and want to share your Big Book Summer plans, book reviews, or wrap-ups, you can add your link(s) to the links list below so others can find you. If you post a YouTube video for Big Book Summer, please tag Melinda and I. Join the 2025 Big Book Summer Goodreads group to enjoy Big Book discussions all summer long! We always have a lively group with lots of fun book chat. Or if you prefer, join the Big Book Summer Storygraph group. For chatting on other social media platforms, use #BigBookSummer My participation I also join this challenge since I noticed that nine out of my 20 books of summer are books over 400 pages! However, did I choose so badly? Well, now the list is there ( 20 Books of Summer ) although I did make one change. A Thousand Miles Up the Nile by Amelia B. Edwards I bought while living in Egypt. I never got around to read it, but it should be interesting. Amelia writes about the trip she did at the end of the 19th century. Should be very interesting. However, since I am going to Egypt over Christmas and New Year, and will go up the Nile, I thought it would be more useful to read the book in connection to the trip. I therefore changed this book into Carlos Ruiz Zafón's Marina (and it is not over 400 pages long, I did learn something). My list of books I chose the now eight books from my summer read with more than 400 pages. They are: The Children's Book by A.S. Byatt (615 pages) Freedom by Jonathan Franzen (562 pages) The Scottish Prisoner by Diana Galbadon (507 pages) Facing the Light by Adèle Geras (403 pages) Tychonium - Experimentet by Jan Johannesson (448 pages) Now Face to Face by Karleen Koen (586 pages) Shakespeare and the Countess by Chris Laoutaris (416 pages) Blondie by Joyce Carol Oates (862 pages)

I managed to read 14 books in May, of which nine of them had some kind of connection to Paris. I will not review them here, but will wait until Paris in July. This year I will have a lot of posts covering Paris, since I spent 12 days there in the beginning of May. I don't have to say I had a great time. Read in May ​Drawing Conclusions by Donna Leon  I Will Find You by Harlan Coben The Most Beautiful Walk in the World, a Pedestrian in Paris by John Baxter (NF) A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway (NF) Talk to the Snail, Ten Commandments for Understanding the French by Stephen Clarke (NF) Voltaire in Love by Nancy Mitford (NF) Before Wisdom: The Early Poems by Paul Verlaine Le Bal/Snow in Autumn by Irène Némirovsky Otroliga Historier, Ur vår danska historia by Birgitta Petrén (NF) The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas by Gertrude Stein (NF) Ludvig XIV (Louis XIV) by Andreas Marklund (NF) Scott Fitzgerald by Andrew Turnbull (NF) Tid för Lisbeth by Annelie Sylvan Kvinnan i Paris (A Pregnant Courtesan for the Rake) by Diane Gaston (May) Apart from the books connected to Paris/France, I read rather easygoing books. It is this time of the year. I managed to get hold of one Donna Leon and one Harlan Corban, always exciting reads. Although this one by Leon was not as good as they usually are. I read one nonfiction book about the history of the Danish time here in the south of Sweden. Tid för Lisbeth (Time for Lisbeth) was recommended by a book club member, and I though I had to read a book with my name in the title. A modern story of a woman in her sixties whose husband leaves her for a younger woman. It was an easy read, although I was a little bit irritated on Lisbeth from time to time. All in all, it was an exciting reading month, considering the books I read about Paris. Apart from Hemingway they were all new authors to me. I even managed to put in a poetry book by Paul Verlaine. More about these books in July. If you are interesting in following me around Paris, I post articles on my visit here - The Content Reader Newsletter .

Zweig never disappoints and it is amazing how he can make a rather thrilling story out of simple actions. " The suave Baron, bored on his holiday in an Austrian mountain resort, begins a flirtation with a beautiful woman. When his advances are rejected, he seeks a new way to her heart - by befriending her twelve-year-old son. To the Baron all this is a game, but he cannot begin to imagine the effect he is having on the boy's life... " A holiday flirtation that turns out to have a dramatic and traumatic impact on a young, lonely boy, who is proud to get the attention of the older man. After having got the boy's attention, and getting closer to the mother, the Baron sees the boy only as a hindrance in the affair. The boy who, all of a sudden, is somewhat alienated both from his mother and the Baron, decides to take matters in his own hands. It is always a pleasure to read Stefan Zweig. His way of describing the environment is fantastic. Just look at this first paragraph of the novella. " The train, with a shrill whistle, pulled into Summering. For a moment the black coaches stood still in the silvery light of the uplands to eject a few vivid human figures and to swallow up others. Exacerbated voices called back and forth; then, with a puffing and a chugging and another shrill shriek, the dark train clattered into the opening of the tunnel, and once more the landscape stretched before the view unnbroken in all its wide expanse, the background sept clean by the moist wind. " ... and a description of the Baron. " Although not without inner resources, he was a thoroughly social being, his sociability being the very quality for which his friends liked him and for which he was welcomed in all circles. He was quite conscious of his inability to stay by himself and had no inclination to meet himself, as it were, but rather avoided his own company, feeling not the least urge to become intimatelyacquainted whit his own soul. ... Alone he was like a match in a box, frosty and useless. " ... and the boy. " A deep furrow cut itself between the child's brows. He looked almost old as he sat in the carriage painfully cogitating this great mystery and never casting a single glance at the landscapre, which was shading into all the delicate colors of the spring, the mountains in the freshened green of their pines, the valleys in the mistier greens of budding trees, shrubbery and young grass. All he had eyes for werre the man and the woman on the seat opposite him, as though, with his hot gaze, as with an angling hook, he could snatch the secret from the shimmering depths of their eyes. " I also found a movie from 1988, based on the novella; with Faye Dunaway, Klaus Maria Brandauer and David Eberts as the son. Available on Youtube.

We are already on the 3rd of July when I write this wrap-up of my reading during June. I am on the road with our van and as usual it is difficult to find the time and energy to write, after a busy day. However, now we have parked our car in a beautiful spot by a lake in Tiveden National Park and this inspired me to unpack the computer. I only read six books during June. The start was very slow, and although I thought I was reading a lot, I never seemed to finish a book. Probably because I read several books at the same time. Here a short summary of the books. The Heron Legacy by Leona Francome A friend from Brussels who already wrote two books that I have read and loved. She sent me her new book which is now out. Another wonderful historical fiction with dual time lines, and an unexpected ending. As usual her son has designed the beautiful cover. My review under the link above. Det är inte jag, det är du, Att göra slut med Gud av Rosi Hageberg A novella by a lady I met recently for a meditative walk. Her book "It is not me, it is you" (my translation) is about her growing up in a religious surrounding of "free churches". She came to a point when she could no longer live the way her community lived and left the religious circle. It is a very interesting book, and she approach it in a very nice way, not accusing anyone, but explaining how she came to her conclusion. How to be a Stoic - Epictetus/Seneca/Marcus Aurelius Some more stoic wisdom from the experts. Signatures in Stone by Linda Lappin A very interesting and mysterious novel by Linda Lappin about a woman in her middle ages who encounters mysterious happenings in an old Italian walled garden. I have earlier read Loving Modigliani: The Afterlife of Jeanne Hébuterne and Katherine's Wish two historical fiction biographies by her which I loved. This is a different kind of story and a review will come soon. Blood from a Stone by Donna Leon Another book by Donna Leon about Inspector Brunetti. She never disappoints and here we are in for another good story from Venice. Report from the Interior by Paul Auster I recently bought this book from Charlie Byrne's second hand bookshop in Cork, Ireland. Paul Auster is always good, and this time he takes back to his own childhood and how it affected him. He also remembers a couple of films he'd seen which really made an impact on his life. The Shrinking Man a science fiction novel by American writer Richard Matheson which was made into a motion picture in 1957. The other, I am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang from 1932. Auster's telling of the stories of these two films, his thoughts about them, and how they affected his life is brilliant. The latter part is based on letters he wrote to his then girlfriend while he was in Paris and she in London. Since Auster is an excellent story teller, even his life as a student become interesting. That was all I managed to do. Now I will be focusing on Paris in July, hosted by Emma at Word and Peace. I have started The Paris Novel by Ruth Reichl. And, of course, it wouldn't be me if I did not start a second book at the same time, and it is Guillaume Musso's La vie secrete des ecrivains. I am not sure it has been translated into English, but a free translation should be 'The Secret Life of Writers'. Please correct me if I am wrong Emma. The Swedish title is "The Secret of the Island". Let's see if it also makes sense. Hope to see you in Paris in July, 2024.

The Classics Club have had another spin. This time the wheel stayed on #8. The number eight on my list is House of Mirth by Edith Wharton. Since I will be travelling in May, and I have it on my ipad, I might be able to read the choosen book this time. Let's hope.

I am popping in to wish you all a Merry Christmas on this Christmas morning. We are in Lisbon for a week, enjoying the old city and its small alleys and cobbled streets, beautiful squares and historical monuments. On Boxing day we rent a car and continue north towards Porto for another two weeks of exciting scenery and history. Thank you all for a wonderful blogging year, with exciting challenges and new blogging contacts. Via the challenges I have discovered several new blog sites with great content. I will probably not post too much on this blog until I am back in Sweden mid January. I have a few literary encounters connected to Lisbon to tell you about. If you, in the meantime, are curious and want read more about it you can register for my newsletter - The Content Reader Newsletter - which comes out every Friday at 10 a.m. (CET Europe). It is free and you can unscubscribe at any time. Next Friday, 30 December, there will be a piece about how I stumbled on not only one, but two famous Portuguese authors. If you don’t know what to cook for New Year’s dinner you might be inspired by the last newsletter. A Merry Christmas to all of you.

I can't believe it is this time of the year again. It hit me as I read Rennie's latest post @ What's Nonfiction. It is time for one of my favourite challenges, or memes, of the year, Nonfiction November. Exciting as ever and Rennie has teamed up with Katie, Christopher, Rebekah and Jamie to make this a wonderful month, guiding us with different themes each week. Head over to their blogs for full information. Nonfiction November themes Week 1: (Oct 31-Nov 4) – Your Year in Nonfiction: Take a look back at your year of nonfiction and reflect on the following questions – What was your favourite nonfiction read of the year? Do you have a particular topic you’ve been attracted to more this year? What nonfiction book have you recommended the most? What are you hoping to get out of participating in Nonfiction November? (Katie @ Doing Dewey) Week 2: (November 7-11) – Book Pairing: This week, pair up a nonfiction book with a fiction title (or another nonfiction!). It can be a “If you loved this book, read this!” or just two titles that you think would go well together. Maybe it’s a historical novel and you’d like to get the real history by reading a nonfiction version of the story. Or pair a book with a podcast, film or documentary, TV show, etc. on the same topic or stories that pair together. (here with me, Rennie @ What’s Nonfiction) Week 3: (November 14-18) – Stranger Than Fiction: This week we’re focusing on all the great nonfiction books that almost don’t seem real. A sports biography involving overcoming massive obstacles, a profile on a bizarre scam, a look into the natural wonders in our world—basically, if it makes your jaw drop, you can highlight it for this week’s topic. (Christopher @ Plucked from the Stacks) Week 4: (November 21-25) – Worldview Changers: One of the greatest things about reading nonfiction is learning all kinds of things about our world which you never would have known without it. There’s the intriguing, the beautiful, the appalling, and the profound. What nonfiction book or books has impacted the way you see the world in a powerful way? Do you think there is one book that everyone needs to read for a better understanding of the world we live in? (Rebekah @ She Seeks Nonfiction) Week 5: (November 28-Dec 2) – New to My TBR: It’s been a month full of amazing nonfiction books! Which ones have made it onto your TBR? Be sure to link back to the original blogger who posted about that book! Pro tip: Start this draft post at the beginning of the month and add to it as your TBR multiplies. (Jaymi @ The OC Bookgirl) Happy to see the beautiful logo for this year's challenge. N.B. One thing I must remember this year: I must note which bloggers make recommendations I am interested in. Earlier years I have only noted title and author, and totally forgot who recommended the book. Coming to the end of the month ... yes, stuck with no information.