Summer reading challenges 2024

In Reading
7 months ago
S

Adult summer reading programs are getting going (at least up here in the United States…) As I’ve done twice before, here’s a list of my books that fit into specific categories. If you’ve got another category, let me know! Sometimes it’s a lot easier for me to pull a list than it is for readers to figure out all the books that might fit quickly.

For example, I recently added a list of characters by age to my wiki. Easy for me to pull together, involves more math for everyone else!

You can find previous related posts at Up for a 2024 reading challenge? and Summer (any time) reading for lists from 2023. Jump down to specific kinds of bingo squares with the links here.

Author | Type of book | Colours on the cover | Title | Characters | Setting | Other

If you’re looking for a challenge, I’m drawing from items on the following lists:

Upon A Summer's Day displayed on a tablet in a sunset scene looking out across water to fields beyond, all of it glowing golden and sparkling with magic. The cover of Upon A Summer's Day shows a man in a suit silhouetted over a map of northern Wales in a muted green. He is gesturing, holding his cane in one hand, a cap on his head. Behind him is an astrological chart, with Jupiter and Saturn highlighted in the sign of Taurus.

About the author

If you’re looking for an author from New England (Massachusetts, specifically), or an author who is disabled or neurodivergent, or a female author, all my books count.

Type of book

A historical book

All my books are historical fantasy. You can browse books by when they’re set in this handy list. Books are chronological by when they begin within each section. If you click through to the book’s page, the field that says “begins” in the section with tags and other metadata tells you when that is in more specific detail.

A novella / under 200 pages

Showing books 1-5 of 5

Period: Edwardian

Romance: F/F, Late in life romance, Closed door, Lesbian

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Complementary. Two women in Edwardian dress in silhouette stand talking with each other. One is taller and calmer, the other is shorter, gesturing. They are on a green background, with an artist's palette in the bottom right.
Complementary

Period: 1920s

Romance: Not a romance

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Ancient Trust: A man with a monocle picked out in gold stands by a table stacked with books. An owl is inset in the top left.
Ancient Trust

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/M/F, Bisexual, Polyamorous

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Winter's Charms, a seasonal novella collection. Three figures are silhouetted on a blue background with snowflakes, in front of a roaring fireplace decorated with a red and green garland. One man is sitting in a chair, gesturing, a woman stands wearing a translucent shawl, and another man leans his hand on the mantlepiece. Oranges and cinnamon sticks are inset in the top left.
Casting Nasturtiums

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/F, Established relationship, Closed door

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Winter's Charms, a seasonal novella collection. Three figures are silhouetted on a blue background with snowflakes, in front of a roaring fireplace decorated with a red and green garland. One man is sitting in a chair, gesturing, a woman stands wearing a translucent shawl, and another man leans his hand on the mantlepiece. Oranges and cinnamon sticks are inset in the top left.
Country Manners

Period: Information not available

Romance: M/F, Established relationship, Closed door

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Winter's Charms, a seasonal novella collection. Three figures are silhouetted on a blue background with snowflakes, in front of a roaring fireplace decorated with a red and green garland. One man is sitting in a chair, gesturing, a woman stands wearing a transluscent shawl, and another man leans his hand on the mantlepiece. Oranges and cinnamon sticks are inset in the top left.
Chasing Legends

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A mystery

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Period: Victorian

Romance: M/F

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Forged in Combat. A man and a woman in silhouette on a teal green background. She is wearing a Victorian bustle dress, his clothing fits with military uniform of the time. A bright red hibiscus highlights the top corner of the cover.
Forged in Combat

Period: Victorian

Romance: M/F, First relationship, Closed door

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Enchanted Net: A silhouetted man and woman in Victorian dress stand with their backs to the viewer. She is holding a glass of wine as they look toward each other. The background is a purple damask, crossed by pipes and gears and a streak of lightning, with a book inset in the top left corner.
Enchanted Net

Period: Victorian

Romance: M/F, First relationship

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Silent Circuit: A silhouetted man and woman in Victorian dress face each other. He is holding a book open for her, as her hand moves to turn a page. They’re on a background of green damask with green pipes, a streak of lightning behind them. A bee is inset on top of a gear in the top left.
Silent Circuit

Period: Victorian

Romance: M/F, First relationship

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Elemental Truth: A silhouetted man and woman in Victorian dress waltz hand in hand on a golden damask background bordered by pipes and gears with a streak of lightning behind them. A jewelled ring is set in the top left.
Elemental Truth

Period: Edwardian

Romance: F/F, Late in life romance, Closed door, Lesbian

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Complementary. Two women in Edwardian dress in silhouette stand talking with each other. One is taller and calmer, the other is shorter, gesturing. They are on a green background, with an artist's palette in the bottom right.
Complementary

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/F, Established relationship, Closed door

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Winter's Charms, a seasonal novella collection. Three figures are silhouetted on a blue background with snowflakes, in front of a roaring fireplace decorated with a red and green garland. One man is sitting in a chair, gesturing, a woman stands wearing a translucent shawl, and another man leans his hand on the mantlepiece. Oranges and cinnamon sticks are inset in the top left.
Country Manners

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/F, First relationship

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Perfect Accord: Two silhouetted figures in 1920s casual clothing. The man is handing the woman a perfume bottle, and she is testing it on the inside of her wrist. The right upper corner has a perfume bottle inset.
Perfect Accord

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/F, Bisexual

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Goblin Fruit. A man and woman in 1920s dress are silhouetted on a glowing red and golden yellow background. She turns toward him and he holds her hand. A bottle of golden liquid is inset in the top right corner.
Goblin Fruit

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/F, First relationship

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of In The Cards. A man and woman in 1920s dress silhouetted on a pale purple and blue cover. She turns away from him, and they are looking at something to the right of the image. A set of divination cards are inset in the top right.
In The Cards

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/F

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Magician's Hoard. A man and woman in 1920s dress silhouetted on a teal background shading to sandy brown. A hedgehog is inset in the top right.
Magician's Hoard

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/F, Closed door

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Mistress of Birds. A man and woman in 1920s clothing silhouetted on a purple and deep blue-grey background. He holds a walking stick as tall as he is and wears a cap, she wears a hat and long sweater. Apples are inset in the top left.
Mistress of Birds

Period: Second World War

Romance: Not a romance

Content notes: Click here to reveal

The cover of Three Graces has three women in silhouette, two standing and one sitting, her hand resting on a cane. All three are wearing clothes from during the Second World War, against a deep brown cover with a map. An astrology chart to the back left has the Moon and Venus picked out in brighter gold.
Three Graces

Period: Post-war (late 1940s)

Romance: Not a romance

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of The Magic of Four: Four students in silhouette on a blue background of a map off the west coast of Wales. Three stand around a table, the fourth is perched on the near corner, leaning forward and gesturing.
The Magic of Four

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Colours on the cover

(Yellow wasn’t actually on any of the lists I was looking at, but the other four colours here were, and why not make a rainbow…)

A book with a red cover

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A book with a yellow cover

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A book with a green cover

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A book with a blue cover

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A book with a purple cover

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Words in the title

Listed in the order in which they take place, for chronological tidiness.

A book with a number in the title

Four Walls and a Heart, Seven Sisters, Three Graces, and The Magic of Four.

An animal in the title

The Hare and the Oak, Mistress of Birds, and Illusion of a Boar.

One word title

Pastiche, Complementary, Outcrossing, and Eclipse.

Title starts with B

Bound for Perdition and Best Foot Forward.

Characters

Main character over 60

Character who is a musician

It’s not as obvious as in some other places Geoffrey appears, but Best Foot Forward is full of musical references, and Geoffrey plays piano and harpsichord.

Character who is a detective

It depends a little how we’re defining detective here, but Goblin Fruit, and any of the books dealing with the Guard or Penelopes listed below.

Showing books 1-8 of 8

Period: Victorian

Romance: M/M, Gay

Content notes: Click here to reveal

The cover of Four Walls and a Heart has a bright red background with a blue door. Two men are silhouetted against the background, one of slighter build in a Victorian wheelchair, missing his lower left leg, the other standing and talking, one hand at his side. Both are wearing hats, and they are intently focused on each other.
Four Walls and a Heart

Period: Edwardian

Romance: M/F, First relationship

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Pastiche. A man and woman in Edwardian dress silhouetted against a bright teal background, with a stained glass window in golden yellow and muted purple behind them.
Pastiche

Period: Edwardian

Romance: F/F, Late in life romance, Closed door, Lesbian

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Complementary. Two women in Edwardian dress in silhouette stand talking with each other. One is taller and calmer, the other is shorter, gesturing. They are on a green background, with an artist's palette in the bottom right.
Complementary

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/F

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Wards of the Roses. A man and woman in 1920s clothing silhouetted on a red background that shades to vivid orange-peach at the bottom. A rose is inset in the top right.
Wards of the Roses

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/F, Established relationship, Closed door

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Winter's Charms, a seasonal novella collection. Three figures are silhouetted on a blue background with snowflakes, in front of a roaring fireplace decorated with a red and green garland. One man is sitting in a chair, gesturing, a woman stands wearing a translucent shawl, and another man leans his hand on the mantlepiece. Oranges and cinnamon sticks are inset in the top left.
Country Manners

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/F, First relationship, Demisexual, Bisexual

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of The Fossil Door. A man and woman in 1920s dress stand silhouetted on a bright burgundy and glowing orange background. An illuminated book is inset in the top left corner.
The Fossil Door

Period: Second World War

Romance: M/F, Established relationship

Content notes: Click here to reveal

The cover of Old As The Hills has a man with a cane and a woman silhouetted on a green ground with a map. She holds out her hand, he is putting something into it, forming a doorway between them. An astrological chart behind them shows the symbols for Venus, the Sun, Jupiter, and Saturn highlighted behind a splash of glowing stars.
Old As The Hills

Period: Second World War

Romance: M/F, M/M/F, Established relationship

Content notes: Click here to reveal

The cover of Upon A Summer's Day shows a man in a suit silhouetted over a map of northern Wales in a muted green. He is gesturing, holding his cane in one hand, a cap on his head. Behind him is an astrological chart, with Jupiter and Saturn highlighted in the sign of Taurus.
Upon A Summer's Day

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Creature feature / Magical creatures

The description on this one from the Carterhaugh challenge says: “Pick your poison: vampires, zombies, witches, werewolves, sea monsters, fairies, whatever floats your supernatural boat, and go nuts.” So! Picking books where it’s a significant focus, here…

Setting

Set at or by the sea

Four Walls and a Heart takes a holiday at Brighton and Sailor’s Jewel is an Atlantic crossing in 1901 in an ocean liner.

Set somewhere specific

There are various location options that turn up in these lists – set where you live, set in a different country, or set or some place you’d like to travel. I don’t know where you live or want to travel, but here’s some help with what’s set where:

United Kingdom: Most of my books are entirely set in the UK, obviously. You can explore different locations through the list at the top right of the sidebar on the places page on my wiki.

United States: Nocturnal Quarry takes place mostly on the East Coast of the US, including Washington, D.C., Providence, Boston, and mostly New York City. Sailor’s Jewel has a few chapters in Boston.

Europe: Magician’s Hoard and Three Graces both have a chapter or so in Paris. Best Foot Forward has several chapters in Vienna, Austria and about a third of the book in or near Berlin, Germany.

Other

First in a series

Showing books 1-6 of 6

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/F, First relationship

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Outcrossing. A silhouetted man and woman in 1920s clothing standing next to each other, silhouetted on a green background. A chestnut pony's head is inset in the top right.
Outcrossing

Period: Great War

Romance: M/F, Closed door

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Carry On, a nurse and man in silhouette walking together, her arm through his on a mauve background. Yarn and knitting needles are inset in the top left.
Carry On

Period: 1920s

Romance: M/F

Content notes: Click here to reveal

The cover of Bound for Perdition has a man and woman silhouetted in dark brown on a green and brown background, with the woman holding a book while the man gestures. An open blank book and pen are inset in the top right corner.
Bound for Perdition

Period: 1930s

Romance: M/M, Late in life romance, Asexual, Bisexual, Polyamorous

Content notes: Click here to reveal

The cover of Best Foot Forward has a deep red background with map markings in a dull purple. Two men in silhouette stand, looking up at a point in the top left. An astrology chart with different symbols picked out takes up the left side of the image, with glowing stars curving up to the title.
Best Foot Forward

Period: Victorian

Romance: M/F, First relationship, Closed door

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Enchanted Net: A silhouetted man and woman in Victorian dress stand with their backs to the viewer. She is holding a glass of wine as they look toward each other. The background is a purple damask, crossed by pipes and gears and a streak of lightning, with a book inset in the top left corner.
Enchanted Net

Period: Post-war (late 1940s)

Romance: M/F, First relationship

Content notes: Click here to reveal

Cover of Grown Wise: A silhouetted man and woman in 1940s clothes, walking together as he reaches for a branch full of apples. The background is a muted green and brown, scattered with a swoosh of golden light.
Grown Wise

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By Celia 7 months ago

Explore my blog posts

Explore posts about each book

12 Seconds in 1927 Ancient Trust Authorial Wiki Best Foot Forward Bound for Perdition Carry On Casting Nasturtiums Chasing Legends Complementary Eclipse Elemental Truth Enchanted Net Facets of the Bench Fool's Gold Forged in Combat Four Walls and a Heart Friend? Friend. Goblin Fruit Grown Wise Harmonic Pleasure Illusion of a Boar In The Cards Magician's Hoard Mistress Of Birds Nocturnal Quarry Old As The Hills On The Bias Outcrossing Pastiche Perfect Accord Point By Point Sailor's Jewel Schola Tales Seven Sisters Shoemaker's Wife Silent Circuit The Fossil Door The Hare And The Oak The Magic of Four Three Graces Treats And Extras Upon A Summer's Day Wards of the Roses Weaving Hope Winter's Charms

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