So yes, I’m scheduling July’s rearview for August 3 in order for there to be time for the rest of my July reads to post. (Guys, seriously, learning how to queue posts has changed my blogging life!) Besides, if I didn’t wait for those queued posts before posting this, basically my entire Rearview would be nothing but links to everyone else’s reviews! :-D
July was a pretty busy month. It mostly centered around getting ready for, going on, and recovering from vacation! We drove 24 hours to Colorado and 24 hours back. And while the drive was just as uninteresting as ever (especially Illinois and Kansas), Colorado itself…!!!!!!! So stunning! I’m still working on organizing all of our pictures; hopefully some will be up on the other blog soon… I’ll let you know, because I’m positive that you all want to see pictures of wildflowers, mountains, and alpine lakes!
We’re back home now, though, and settling back into life. Waylon is as adorable as ever, although he’s turned into a leggy teenager of a dog and does nothing but stare at me, waiting for me to throw anything for him to fetch. The gardens got a bit out of control while we were gone, but now we’re harvesting tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and beans, plus I have herbs drying… I’m super happy. For real.
As for books, it’s been a pretty average month. Only five reviews, as I’ve been doing a lot of lazy reading, which involves fluffy stories I don’t admit to reading. ;-)
Favorite July Read: Most of July’s reads were rereads, so it’s hard to choose, especially between The Blue Castle and Indiscretion, both of which I specifically read because I knew I loved them already!
Most Disappointing July Read: Obviously not much competition, but it has to be Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell. While I can understand why many people rave about it, it was just too dull and wordy for me – I like a bit of snap and action in my books. Incidentally, I usually also enjoy at least some semblance of a point.
Other July Reads:
- Hot Water by P.G. Wodehouse – 4/5 – Read Wodehouse. Today, if possible.
- Stormy by Jim Kjelgaard – 3/5 – a solid but somewhat unexciting outdoorsy tale.
Random Fun:
Although my blog is basically just book reviews, I enjoy reading other people’s non-review-yet-bookish posts! This month, I especially enjoyed FictionFan’s uncanny ability to decipher what those little one-line spurts of enthusiasm on a book’s cover really mean!
I’ve also, of course, been reading a lot about To Set a Watchman. Nicole’s Nine Cents had a review that I especially enjoyed – so insightful and interesting, and actually the first review I read that really made me want to read the book! (Have to admit… I’m a bit terrified… so much love for To Kill a Mockingbird!!!!)
Added to the TBR:
You people are KILLING ME with all of your outstanding reviews! Here are just a couple of the embarrassingly large number of books I added to the list –
- Claire over at The Captive Reader said that as soon as she finished reading A Desperate Fortune she wanted to start it over again! I really enjoy a historical/modern duel narrative when it is done well, and this read sounds like it may do just that!
- The Literary Sisters read a reprint of The Crime at Black Dudley, and it sounded like a great way to try out another author from the Golden Age of Crime Writing!
- Cleopatra Reads Books tempted me with two titles, The Girls and Pretty Baby. Both are psychological mysteries that sound quite intriguing.
- I apparently have to stop following Reading, Writing and Riesling as she is ruining my life with her excellent book reviews! The Killing of Bobbi Lomax especially sounds good to me, but did I stop there?? No! Little Black Lies, A Time to Run, Oblivion, and Charlie, Presumed Dead were all mysteries that also made it on the list. Carol: STOP! :-D
- Bibliobeth reviewed the sequel to Someone Else’s Skin – now both that and No Other Darkness are on the TBR!
- For a complete change of pace, HeartFullofBooks inspired me to read a mermaid tale – Lorali actually sounded like it might be a good one!
- I absolutely loved The Little White Horse when I read it a while back. Little Bookworm Ali’s review of The Runaways reminded me that I should check out some more of Goudge’s work!
- Books for the Trees always manages to make me think that I would enjoy reading a book that I might not have picked out on my own. This month, she added three! The Museum of Things Left Behind, All the Light We Cannot See, and The Tea-Planter’s Wife.
- Finally, I loved Lady Fancifull’s description of The Wind is Not a River. I recently read a nonfiction book about World War II in Alaska, and this historical fiction sounded worthwhile. I love reading about more obscure theaters of otherwise well-known events.
::whispers:: that’s only some of the books I added….!!!!!!!!!!
Overall, even though I didn’t read as many books in July as I sometimes do, it’s more because I’m doing other super nice things and reading just random silly stuff for fun, not because reading just sounds bleh, like it did back in the spring!
Hopefully all is well with all of you beautiful people… looking forward to your August reviews continuing to make my TBR an impossible achievement! :-D
The Aroma of Books 