July Overview/ Month Ahead.

Surely it isn't August already? That actually means my blog is coming up for two. I would have organised a giveaway but this blogaversary has crept up on me unawares. I will come up with something in a few weeks when I have actual time to myself. So watch out for that.

Another quiet reading month. I spent far more time than I wanted on Century Rain. Not in a good way. It was annoying me how slow it was. So I blame that for another low book count. Still some books in there that I very much enjoyed though.

1. London - Edward Rutherfurd
2. The Leopard - Tomasi Di Lampedusa
3. Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children - Ransom Riggs
4. The Phantom of the Opera - Gaston Leroux
5. Century Rain - Alastair Reynolds
6. Pigeon English - Stephen Kelman
7. Snowdrops - A. D. Miller

As much as I enjoyed most of these books it is fairly easy to pick a favourite. It has to be London by Edward Rutherfurd. It was a fantastic historical fiction. Not quite as good as his New York but I still loved it. A book that took me a few weeks to read as it was so huge and I didn't mind it for a moment. My least favourite was Snowdrops. I haven't reviewed it yet so I won't go in to detail but it was a fairly bleak view of Russia with a dull plot.

Challenge Overview

 Last month I chose to read the Leopard which I loved. I would say it's a nice change for a classic but this year I have been reading a lot of classic authors that I have never read before. I even participated in the classic prompt this time. I will definitely be taking part this month too as I will have more time on my hands very soon (two weeks and counting). I am now reading my next classics choice which is The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. I am loving it so far. Hadn't planned on reading it this month but a fellow blogger highly recommended it (thank you FBT).

 I was so down on this challenge last month and hard to feel motivated. I was actually tempted to give up. Thankfully I didn't and surprised myself by very much enjoying The Phantom of the Opera. A book I didn't enjoy the first time I read it a few years back. Next up is The Invisible Man. Have never read this so I am looking forward to it.

 It was the horror category this month and I probably stretched it a little by choosing Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs. It does have some element of horror though and it was a good read. This months category is sci fi/ fantasty. I have decided to go with fantasy as I have a book that's been lying there for years. The Sorcerer's Treason by Sarah Zettel. I may also read the travel category as I don't think I can wait to read the Bill Bryson.

I went with my own choice this month which was Century Rain by Alastair Reynolds. I picked it because I had read the group choice, Fahrenheit 451, plus I have a few sci fi books that have been sitting a while on my tbr pile. Glad it's out the way. Whilst I did like it I think I have gone off the whole space opera theme. Not sure what the group choice is but I think I am going to go with a book I picked up last week. It's Peter F. Hamilton's short stories, Manhattan In Reverse. I realise he is also a space opera writer but it is from a series of his books that I loved. Plus it will let me know once and for all if I have went off Alastair Reynolds or the genre.


Other than that I have no plans. I enjoyed a wee unplanned trip to the library last month so maybe I will have another this month. otherwise it's a case of working through my tbr pile which I seem to be getting there with.   In case you haven't guessed I have some time off in a few weeks and I plan to read my head off. I have a few chunkies sitting there so I might dust those off.

Any one got some holiday reading plans?