Now that we're a week into August, I'm finally getting around to wrapping up July. We spent the first two weeks of the month with my parents in central NY, then moved to the rental house in coastal Connecticut where we will stay for the rest of the summer. One of our Manhattan daughters visited the first week we were here, then the other came with her boyfriend for the rest of the month. I'm surprised I managed to read anything at all, let alone five books. Best of all, I closed out the month with back-to-back five star reads. Definitely a first for me!
Books Read in July//
Morningside Heights by Joshua Henkin - 4/5, contemporary fiction, goodreads giveaway
The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller - 4/5, debut fiction
My Place at the Table by Alexander Lobrano - 4/5, audio memoir, Paris in July
Count the Ways by Joyce Maynard - 5/5, literary fiction, read/listen combination
Olive, Again by Elizabeth Strout - 5/5, literary fiction, read/listen combination
Favorite July Books//
July bonus//
I discovered two new authors last month, Joyce Maynard and Joshua Henkin. Both have extensive backlists to explore.
August Reading Possibilities//
The Street by Ann Petry - classic, currently reading
We Are the Brennans by Tracey Lange - debut fiction, borrowed from my daughter
A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams - audio, classic play
The Women of Brewster Place by Gloria Naylor - 1982 fiction, National Book Award Winner for First Novel
Olympus, Texas by Stacey Swann - debut fiction, recent indie bookstore purchase
Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe - nonfiction, audio
A Girl Returned by Donatella Di Pietrantonio - fiction, in translation
My new summer reading spot
What was your favorite July book? What are you planning to read this month?
You had a great July of reading. I recall The Women of Brewster Place being good long ago. I just made it to Calif. and there's plenty to do here ... I started Klara and the Sun on audio and I'm enjoying it so far. Hope you have a great August in Connecticut ... it looks great there with plenty of walks!
ReplyDeleteSusan - Glad you made it to CA! I'll probably start The Women of Brewster Place today. I remember there was a tv series years ago, but didn't watch it. There was an interesting intro by Tayari Jones that made me think it will be similar to The Secret Lives of Church Ladies which I listened to earlier this year. Will be interested in your thoughts on Klara and the Sun. It's definitely been on my radar.
DeleteI have all of the books you read in July on my TBR list and can not wait to read both of your favorites! The cover art for both of those books are so beautiful. One screams summer and the other fall. I already have a copy of Olive, Again and will probably read that one first. So lovely. That is, once I've finished my 20 Books of Summer reading challenge. I'm taking three books on our road trip, which is highly optimistic as I rarely read while traveling. I just like to have options. :)
ReplyDeleteI read a couple of winners last month (posted here and would have to say that Still Me was my favorite, followed by 28 Summers and Dear Edward. It was a good month!
Enjoy your beautiful reading spot!
Ugh. *cover art is, not are. ;)
DeleteLes - I'm pretty sure you've started your road trip now. It's exciting to be traveling again. I had a paperback copy of Olive, Again and was reminded of how much I enjoy holding a physical book! Since the pandemic began, most of my reading has been on my kindle or audio. It was such a treat holding a paperback with such a beautiful cover! I've decided to use my birthday gift certificate on a few trade paperbacks - at least one by Joyce Maynard. I have a couple of hardcovers in my stack for August. It's been a while since I've read one of those, too!
DeleteI am almost done with Paper Palace (wow - loving the writing but shock factor for sure). I have Morningside Heights and Olympus Texas - both sound good. As I mentioned previously, both of your July faves were also 5 star reads for me - so much so that I had to purchase them. Have a great August.
ReplyDeleteDiane - Paper Palace was a pretty intense read, but I couldn't stop turning the pages! I'm happy to own a copy of Olive, Again and will need to pick up a copy of Count the Ways to keep on my shelves, too.
DeleteMy favorite July books were Isn't It Bromantic? by Lyssa Kay Adams and New Girl in Little Cove by Damhnait Monaghan.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy the bromance book club books and this one with the Russian hockey player was great fun. It was over the top and funny and romantic.
The second book was about a mainlander moving to Newfoundland to teach French at a Catholic high school after a bad break up and her father's death in the 1980's. The author also spent time teaching in an outpost in Newfoundland the 80's. I loved the characters as well as the setting.
I have the Paper Palace waiting on my e-reader and am looking forward to it.
Sharon - I recently heard Annie Jones (From the Front Porch podcast) talk about New Girl in Little Cove. It sounded like a book I'd love, too, and am glad to hear you also enjoyed it.
DeleteThe Paper Palace is so well-written, but very intense and tough reading at times. I loved every thing about it except for the ending. Will be curious to hear what you think.
So glad you are enjoying your summertime - good books and family is wonderful! I had a great reading month in July too and now I'm trying to read more for women in translation month. Have a wonderful week!
ReplyDeleteIliana - I forgot to put A Girl Returned on my list of August possibilities! I made note of it after reading about WIT month on your blog. Will fix that now...
DeleteWhat a lovely spot for reading!
ReplyDeleteAudrey - This is the first time I've had a big front porch... and I'm loving it!
DeleteI'm excited to read-at-whim now after spending so much time reading books set in Paris.
ReplyDeleteIt's been a long time since I've had back-to-back five-star reads. Your review of Count the Ways inspired me to look for it. Now I'm also considering Olympus, Texas.
That's a great summer reading spot!
Deb - You really outdid yourself with Paris in July this year! I learned about so many new-to-me titles. Hope you get a chance to read the Maynard book... it was wonderful!
DeleteEnjoy your rental house! It looks beautiful. I wish I was there.
ReplyDeleteAj @ Read All The Things!
AJ - I'm already hoping we can get it next year!
DeleteAh, your new reading spot makes me miss Maine. Maine and Oregon have been our two favorite work assignments so far and I'd have to give the edge to Maine. There's just something about all the flowers and that rocky coast. I know you're in Connecticut but it looks similar to me.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your week!
Jen - We love Maine, too, but CT is a lot easier to get to for our daughters. Seems like one of them is coming up from NYC almost every weekend, and we love that! I've never been to the Pacific Northwest and would especially love to see Oregon. Looking forward to traveling again...
DeleteI'm hearing good things about both The Paper Palace and Count the Ways.
ReplyDeleteHelen - They're both wonderful. I think you'd enjoy them, too!
DeleteWow, what a fabulous reading month! Happy reading in August!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Angela. My expectations for July were very low, so these great reads were a bonus!
DeleteEnjoy staying cool on the coast!
ReplyDeleteWishing you a great reading week
Shelleyrae - It is quite a bit cooler here... I really didn't need to pack so many sleeveless tops, lol. Happy reading!
DeleteRita - It's great to see you posting and commenting again! Count the Ways was my first experience with Maynard, but now I want to read her entire backlist. It's been a while since I read a thriller... I seem to turn to them in late summer and early fall. I'll look into Falling. Hope you have a good week, too.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful way to end the month and what a fun month with lots of family visits!
ReplyDeleteKatherine - July was the best! It's been so good to catch up with everyone again.
DeleteYour new summer reading spot is absolutely gorgeous! Enjoy your stay!
ReplyDeleteErin - I've always dreamed of a quaint old house with a covered porch. So happy to rent one for a couple of months... I can sit out there with some shade on a hot day or stay dry while reading on a rainy one.
DeleteWow sounds like a busy but brilliant month, JoAnn! I have just back from an almost two week holiday, where I have enjoyed dipping in and out of The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel and The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. And my favourite read was my re-read of The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley. 🙂
ReplyDeleteJessica - It sounds like you had a wonderful vacation! The Count of Monte Cristo is a favorite of mine, and I think I've mentioned how much my mother enjoys Susanna Kearsley.
DeleteI love your summer reading spot. Can't get any better than that.
ReplyDeleteLet me ask you since your daughter is from Manhattan. Is it starting to pick up again? My uncle had to shut down his restaurant because the neighborhood went south in a big way.
Ti - Things are pretty good in my daughters' neighborhoods (one in Greenwich Village and the other on the Upper West Side)... People are out & about and dining out again. They are wearing masks again and mostly dining outdoors. Not sure if there are still capacity limitations, but restaurants will start to require proof of vaccination before patrons can enter next month. Strange times.
DeleteI just love reading on this porch! Will miss it when we leave.
Wow, with so much going on in your life at the moment, it's pretty amazing that you managed to fit in five books for the month.
ReplyDeleteI've read much of what Joshua Henkin has written, and I think you'll be happy with his back catalogue. Haven't yet read the one you mention here yet, though...still have that one on the TBR.
Sam - July was kind of crazy, but I loved every moment of it. A lot of my reading can be attributed to walks with audiobooks. Glad you give Henkin a thumbs up... I really liked his writing!
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