Sunday 31 July 2011

July and the Month Ahead

I think I had a good month reading wise. First of all I finished a readalong. I was reading Shantaram by Gregory Roberts. It was supposed to continue into August but I was enjoying it that much I spent one weekend reading the last 200 pages.

This book was also one for the Books I Should Have Read By Now challenge and so I substituted it with another book I had planned for the challenge this month. Once again I managed all three books although I feel a little guilty since I had been reading Shantaram over a period of two months. For the challenge I read;

The Thousand Autumns of Jacob De Zoet by David Mitchell
Lullaby Town by Robert Crais
Shantaram by David Gregory Roberts.

My favourite is probably Shantaram although I also liked the Mitchell book. I am still on track for voracious reader. Augusts books will be;

Mary Tudor by Anna Whitelock (since it was replaced last month by Shantaram)
The Surgeon by Tess Gerritsen
The Bachman Books by Stephen King

I had planned on reading the second book in the George R. R. Martin series. Turns out I actually have the second part of book 3 and not book 2. Means of course I will have to buy book2 this week. If I read that and part one this month I can add part 2 to next months list. Sigh!

This month I read;

Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy (trying to read one classic a month)
Lullaby Town - Robert Crais
The Railway Children - E. Nesbit
Hospital Babylon - Imogen Edwards-Jones
The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
Garnethill - Denise Mina
The Thousand Autumns of Jacob De Zoet - David Mitchell
The Summer of the Bear - Bella Pollen (book group)
The Return of Captain John Emmett - Elizabeth Speller
The Killing Kind - John Connolly
Yes Sister, No Sister - Jennifer Craig
The Burning Wire - Jeffery Deaver
A Game of Thrones - George R. R. Martin (re-read).

I don't think I could possibly choose a favourite. There are so many in there that I loved and for different reasons. When each book is very different it's hard to make a choice between them. My least favourite is probably The Burning Wire by Jeffery Deaver. I still enjoyed it but I don't think Deaver's heart is with this character any more. I have discovered though that I am growing fond of historical fiction. It shouldn't really be too surprising since I love history. My fondness for a good mystery is also growing.

August is a special month. My blog will be one year old and it's also my birthday. I have decided that I will have a giveaway to celebrate both. I haven't decided what book I am going to pass on as yet but I do have a wee question in mind. That will be the only rule to the giveaway. Answer the question. No need to follow if you don't want to or anything else. Plus the question is book related so I am sure many of you won't mind. I'll post the giveaway near the end of August so please look out for that.

I don't really have much else planned for the month reading wise. I'm not really one for planning what I read that far ahead. I do start college again at the end of the month so I will be savouring the luxury of lots of reading time. I also haven't planned what my classic is going to be. It's a draw between the two I bought last week (Wharton and Bronte) and Wilkie Collins. I have a feeling the lovely edition of the Wharton book is going to win.

How was your reading month?

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