Hello, friends and happy 4th of July weekend. The year seems to be passing so quickly and before we get too far into July, let's wrap up June. We had a good month here... settling back into our CT home, visiting my parents, enjoying a quick visit with my brother and his family, and currently hosting our daughter, her fiancé, and the grandpup.
As for June reading, it was another month of good books but low numbers. Now that we're halfway through the year, I think it's safe to say that this has become a pattern. My overall numbers are down (again!) but enjoyment remains high. This is mostly because I've embraced longer books instead of putting them off... and this seems to be working for me right now. I have a hunch that when I compile my list of first-half favorites later this week, they will be mostly big books. We'll see...
JUNE BOOKS
No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister
narrated by a full cast
⭐⭐⭐⭐ - contemporary fiction, review pending
by Jake Bittle
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - nonfiction, review pending
STILL IN PROGRESS
Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
(on page 533 of 858)
The Postcard by Anne Berest
(on page 131 of 475)
JULY READING POSSIBILITIES
- finish Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
- finish The Postcard by Anne Berest
- Our Town by Thornton Wilder -classic play, on my kindle
- Hello, Beautiful by Ann Napolitano - new fiction, on my shelf
- Banyan Moon by Thao Thai - debut fiction, new release
- something backlist from my shelves
Other July happenings include a family reunion with my husband's cousins, another long weekend with my parents, my husband's high school reunion, and a trip to Lake Placid for my birthday where we will cheer on our oldest daughter as she competes in IronMan Lake Placid. It's shaping up to be another full month!
How did June go for you? What was your favorite book? What are you hoping to read in July?
That is a beautiful photo, I love it! I have No Two Persons on my list to read.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like July is going to be a very fun month!
Vicki - I think you're going to enjoy No Two Persons!
DeleteGood list!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Mae.
DeleteYou took the Big Books of Summer Challenge seriously! lol The truth is that I am enjoying my big books this summer, too.
ReplyDeleteIt definitely looks like you are going to have a delightfully busy July.
Deb - Every year I seem to read a bunch of big books during the summer, but don't sign up for challenges. And I regret it once again this year, lol!
DeleteI think the quality of our reading is so much more important than the number of books we read so you're on the right track.
ReplyDeleteI hope the high school reunion is fun; mine is in September.
Helen - I think you're right about that. In fact, I may not even sign up for the goodreads challenge next year.
DeleteThat sounds like a good month of reading. I think I go in spurts of enjoying big books and at other times I prefer books that are read more quickly.
ReplyDeleteJoy - I've loved big books most of my life and only started to shy away from them after I started blogging back in 2008. I'm sure I'll continue to go in spurts, but in some ways this feels like a return to my roots.
DeleteLove the picture. Looks like an easy place to find a quiet and peaceful reading spot or two. I hope you're still enjoying Lonesome Dove.
ReplyDeleteSam - That spot is about a mile from my house and I could easily walk down there and sit on a bench to read. Unfortunately I don't seem to do it very often. I am still loving Lonesome Dove, though there were a few gruesome scenes in the chapters I read last week. Right now I'm a week ahead of the group and trying to decide whether to charge through or slow down to enjoy the discussion.
DeleteBeautiful picture! You had some interesting books in June. July looks to be like a good reading month too. Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Yvonne. Hope you have a good week, too.
DeleteMy mom represented Connecticut in a presentation at their Independence Day celebration this weekend, recognizing the original 13 colonies. I don't think she's actually been there, but she said she had fun researching the state.
ReplyDeleteI too often neglect my big books in favor of smaller, quicker reads. I always enjoy the bigger ones too though so I really have no excuse. It's a matter of mind over matter.
It sounds like you have a lot to look forward to in July! I hope you have a great week and month!
Wendy - In some ways, reading all the big books feels like a return to my roots. I've loved big, sprawling novels for as long as I can remember, but got away from reading them after I started blogging. This has been fun, even if the numbers are down.
DeleteI am glad you are enjoying your reading, and your time in CT! I have always wanted to go back to the East coast for a visit. We went when I was in high school and it was such a great trip, and I know I would appreciate it even more now.
ReplyDeleteErin - We lived in CT for several years after we were married, so this has been a little bit like reliving old times!
DeleteAs long as you are enjoying reading a book(s) the size/page numbers don't matter. Glad you've had some good books to read :-) The reunion sounds a like fun thing and good luck to your daughter on the Iron Man challenge - impressive!
ReplyDeleteI've been steadily working on a crocheted blanket for my granddaughter, using a beginners book to assist me. When my Nana sat with me I could understand the stitches so the beginner books are my teachers now.
I just finished The Bog People by Prof. Peter Glob and did a reread of Crooked Heart by Lissa Evans. The nonfiction was inspired after I read Meet Me at the Musuem by Anne Youngson - I had to know more about the Tollund Man and other finds.
Tina - Our daughter has always been fit and athletic, but any one event of the ironman would be way beyond me... hard to fathom doing all three!
DeleteMy grandmother taught me to crochet, too, but all I remember now is a single chain. Glad you've found some books to help you now. Good luck with the blanket - would love to see a photo when you're done.
Meet Me at the Museum is still on my tbr list... hope to get to it before too much longer. Happy July!
I heard Ann Patchett's new book is based on Our Town - maybe that is also why you are considering it for July?
ReplyDeleteCLM - Yes, you're exactly right! I wish I'd read David Copperfield before Demon Copperhead, so I don't want to make that mistake a second time. Ann Patchett is a favorite and my plan is to read Tom Lake shortly after it's released. Although I probably read Our Town decades ago, I'm hoping to appreciate Tom Lake even more by having it fresh in my mind.
DeleteWow that's terrific for your daughter to be doing the IronMan at Lake Placid. I'm very impressed. I did some triathlons in my 20s and had fun back in the '80s. I'd love to cheer her on! You are reading some good books. And thanks to you I found The Postcard on Hoopla thru my rural library system and now I'm 1/3rd into it. I will wait to listen further before deciding what I think of it. thanks for letting me know about Hoopla as it helps to be able to get audio and ebooks in the countryside. Enjoy your week.
ReplyDeleteSusan - I'm so glad your library has hoopla! They seem to have more current/popular books lately and that's been a real treat. Libraries set their number of borrows allowed per month... based on how much they want to spend on the service, I assume. The only disadvantage is that you can't send ebooks to a kindle, so I have to read them on an ipad.
DeleteI'm impressed that you did triathlons. So much discipline is required to train properly... I can't imagine doing any one event, let alone stringing three together! So glad we can be there to cheer her on!
Did June fly by or what? I'm with you on that. Looks like you've had some great reads and some good possibilities ahead. I'm curious about The Postcard as I've seen that one quite a bit around social media. Hope it's going to be a great month for you and cheers to your daughter on her upcoming competition. How exciting!
ReplyDeleteIliana - I'm about 3/4 through The Postcard now and think it's excellent! Heavy subject matter, as you'd expect, but so good. Glad I bought the hardcover so I can pass it on to my daughter when we see her in Lake Placid.
DeleteI'm glad you're enjoying the longer books! I'm attempting to do the same. Big books tend to sit on my shelf for years, but I've been forcing myself to read them lately.
ReplyDeleteAj - I'm really enjoying the long books and think I'll continue with them for a while... may not even set a goodreads goal next year!
DeleteThis year has just been weird with how fast it's gone. I can't believe it's already July. The Postcard looks good and is one I'm hoping to read at some point soon. I hope you're having a wonderful week.
ReplyDeleteKatherine - The Postcard is excellent... I'm hoping to finish it today! Hope all is well with you.
DeleteFrom the sounds of it, you're having a busy, fun-filled summer! My numbers are going to be down this summer, but I'm still ahead of schedule for the year. I picked up a copy of Hello Beautiful while in Canada and will bump that up in my stacks when we get home. I'm not doing very well with my Summer Reading Challenge, but maybe things will improve in the next few weeks. My favorite book in June was These Silent Woods by Kimi Cunningham Grant. It's such a good story with great characters. The Postcard is one I'd like to try, and of course, Lonesome Dove is STILL on my TBR list. I have it on audio, but I think I'd like a print edition, too.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your upcoming events and gatherings! We have a lot of family visit this month, so in some ways, it will feel like an extended reunion for three weeks. :)
Les - I think we're both having fun filled summers so far! Just loving all your photos, but you may be back home by now. Hope the "re-entry" goes smoothly!
DeleteJust looked up These Silent Woods and it sounds like a gripping read! I took a break from LD this past week (don't want to get too far ahead of the group) and finished The Postcard - wow! Now it's back to Lonesome Dove. Also started Hello, Beautiful on audio yesterday and like it so far.
Hope you enjoy your family visits. We saw my husband's cousins yesterday... so much fun!