At the start of the year, I embarked on a virtual tour of Europe, thanks to Rose City Reader’s European Reading Challenge. The idea of the challenge being to read books by European authors or books that are based in different European countries.
There are various levels at which you can join the challenge. I decided to participate at the Five Star level, meaning I had to try to read 5 European books this year. Well, I achieved that! And more, as I read a total of 17 books for this challenge. Click on the links to read my reviews (a few of these books I have read quite recently and haven’t had time to post reviews yet. The links will take you to the book’s Goodreads page).
Below is a breakdown of the books, by country:
Belarus: Chernobyl Prayer, by Svetlana Alexievich
Bosnia & Herzegovina: The Longest Winter, by Kevin Sullivan
Cyprus: Songbirds, by Christy Lefteri
Czech Republic: Melmoth, by Sarah Perry
Denmark: The Boy in the Suitcase, by Lene Kaaberbol
France: The Nightingale, by Kristin Hannah
Iceland: The Sealwoman’s Gift, by Sally Magnusson
Monaco: Rebecca, by Daphne du Maurier
Norway: The Ice, by Laline Paull
Poland: The Tattooist of Auschwitz, by Heather Morris
Russia: A Gentleman in Moscow, by Amor Towles
Serbia: The Tiger’s Wife, by Téa Obreht
Slovenia: Veronika Decides to Die, by Paulo Coelho
Spain: Castile for Isabella, by Jean Plaidy
Sweden: Island of Wings, by Karin Altenberg
Switzerland: The Sanatorium, by Sarah Pearse
Ukraine: Chernobyl Prayer, by Svetlana Alexievich
United Kingdom: Outlander, by Diana Gabaldon
Thanks to this challenge I have discovered books and authors that I probably never would have come across otherwise. It really has helped to broaden my literary horizons and I think I may join this challenge again next year just to “visit” those countries that I missed.