July Reading Wrap -Up and A List of August Possibilities

It's August and still very much summer around here. We've had way too much heat and humidity (along with much of the country) punctuated by frequent thunderstorms. This past week our NYC daughter, son-in-law, and Winnie the Whippet have been here - their last visit before the baby arrives at the end of the month. Meanwhile our CT daughter and son-in-law are looking at an early October due date. It's going to be an exciting fall!

July highlights included spending the 4th with family, celebrating my birthday, a long weekend in  NYC, and a baby shower. July also turned out to be a very good reading month with a mix of new releases, a book club selection, and a classic. I enjoyed three new-to-me authors, plus a novel/memoir by an old favorite.

BOOKS READ IN JULY

Sisters of a Halved Heart by Nayantara Roy

New release, literary fiction, MMD book club selection,

my thoughts here, ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

Departure(s) by Julian Barnes

Literary fiction that reads more like a memoir, purported final novel by a favorite author

My thoughts are here, ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

Kin by Tayari Jones

new release literary fiction, new-to-me author

My thoughts are here,  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Daddy Long-Legs by Jean Webster

Classic, YA epistolary novel, from my shelves

My thoughts are here,  ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

ONGOING GROUP READ

War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

The chapter-a-day slow read with Footnotes and Tangents continues. I'm loving this experience!

AUGUST READING POSSIBILITIES

I'm going all in for Austen in August this year!

The Annotated Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, David Shapard

(in progress)

The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow

Jane Austen at Home by Lucy Worsley (nonfiction)

Troika: Three Generations, Three Days, and a Very American Road Trip

by Irena Smith (memoir)

How was your July? What was your favorite book?

 

A Summer Reading Plan

Hello, friends. I've spend some time this past week thinking about my summer reading plans. I usually put together monthly TBR (to be read) lists but, since summer feels so short and is packed with activities, I've opted for a seasonal approach this year.

My plan includes book club selections, an Austen in August line-up, and new releases I'm excited about. Plus the yearlong slow read of War and Peace is still in progress. We hit the halfway mark today! 

BOOK CLUB SELECTIONS

Dolly All the Time by Annabel Monaghan

Sisters of a Halved Heart by Nayantara Roy

AUSTEN IN AUGUST

The Annotated Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, David Shapard

Jane Austen at Home by Lucy Worsley

The Other Bennett Sister  by Janice Hadlow

NEW RELEASE PRIORITIES

Whistler by Ann Patchett

John of John by Douglas Stuart

Villa Coco by Andrew Sean Greer

Summerland Cove by Ellen Baker

ONGOING GROUP READ

War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

Will I stick to the plan? Who knows, but I do enjoy making a list! I'll revisit this one after Labor Day and let you know how I did. Have you made a summer reading list?

 

February Reading Wrap-Up and A List of March Possibilities

February was such a short month and it's already time for another reading wrap-up. My reading year started off in the usual lackluster fashion, but by mid-month things finally began to get back on track. I finished four books in February and set one aside after 30%, but the last two books I read were both 4.5 stars. I hope that streak continues into March!

We also enjoyed visits from our NYC daughter and son-in- law, and an old friend from central NY.

BOOKS READ IN FEBRUARY

Every Day I Read: 53 Ways to Get Closer to Books by Hwang Bo-Reum

nonfiction, essays

⭐⭐⭐💫

A Quiet Life by Ethan Joella

literary fiction, from my shelves

⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is Not About Us by Allegra Goodman

literary fiction, connected stories, family drama 

⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

Grown Women by Sarai Johnson

Literary fiction, book club selection

⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

The slow read of War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy continues. I'm reading a chapter a day with a group at Footnotes and Tangents.

MARCH READING POSSIBILITIES

The Reservation by Rebecca Kauffman (in progress)

The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion: Vol. 7 by Beth Brower - reading project

Daughters of the Bamboo Grove by Barbara Demick - nonfiction

Lake Effect by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney - book club

I will also continue with War and Peace and hope to read at least one book from my TBR shelf.

How was your February reading? What was your favorite book of the month?

My Summer "Priority TBR" List

Inspired by all of your 20 Books of Summer lists, I've decided to put together a priority TBR list of my own. It consists of ten books I'd like to read by the end of Labor Day Weekend. Rather than joining a challenge, I'm formulating a reading plan. Though I may not get to them all, there will at least be a direction to my reading.

MY SUMMER "PRIORITY TBR" LIST

Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin

(in progress)

Horse by Geraldine Brooks

(in progress)

Olga Dies Dreaming by Xóchitl González

Persuasion by Jane Austen

Long Island by Colm Tóibín

How to Read a Book by Monica Wood

September by Rosamunde Pilcher

The Bodyguard by Katherine Center

Dust Child by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai

Fresh Water for Flowers by Valérie Perrin

ALTERNATES

This Strange Eventful History by Claire Messud

The Half Moon by Mary Beth Keane

Wellness by Nathan Hill

North Woods by Daniel Mason

January Wrap-Up and February Reading Plans

January was one long month around here. It started off on a pleasant note with holiday visitors remaining though the first week, but went downhill after that as my father-in-law's health deteriorated dramatically, resulting in his death a week later. The rest of the month seems like a blur. 

Surprisingly, I still managed to read four books. 

Books read in January:

1.  The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles

     - read/listen combination 

     - literary fiction

      - 4/5 stars (my review)

2. A Woman of No Importance by Sonia Purnell

    - read/listen combination

    - nonfiction

    - 3/5 stars (my review)

3. A Town Called Solace by Mary Lawson

    - ebook

    - literary fiction, longlisted for 2021 Booker Prize

    - 5/5 stars (my review)

4. The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green

    - audiobook

    - nonfiction, essays

    - 4/5 stars (my review)

My favorite book of the month:

February is a short month but, since moving to Florida, it has become one of the busiest. This is the beginning of 'high season' around here... lots of visitors, social engagements,  and seasonal programming and fundraisers for many organizations. The pandemic curtailed much of it over the past two years, but we are cautiously optimistic this year. 

My daughter and her boyfriend are here this weekend for her birthday celebration, my sister and BIL will visit over her February break, and we'll also welcome a friend from NY for a few days at the end of the month. Most of our activities and all dining will still be outdoors, but that's progress!

February reading possibilities:

• The Ten Loves of Nishino by Hiromi Kawakami (finished)
• Devil in the Grove: Thurgood Marshall, the Groveland Boys, and the Dawn of a New America by Gilbert King (nonfiction, Black History Month, in progress)
• There Is Confusion by Jessie Redmon Fauset (classic fiction, Black History Month)
• Sula by Toni Morrison (literary fiction, Black History Month)
• Brown Girls by Daphne Palasi Andreades (debut fiction, on hold from library)
• at least one book already on my shelf

What was your favorite book in January? What are you planning to read this month?

The small starfish in the photo above was discovered on a recent evening walk. Since it was alive,  I scooped it up for a quick photo and placed it gently back into the gulf.

July Wrap-Up and August Reading Plans

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?

June Wrap-Up and Summer Reading Plans

June has been another great reading month... I'm definitely on a roll this year!  I mostly stuck to my reading plan but more library holds came in than I was expecting, so I didn't get to listen to Dust Tracks on a Road or read the latest Shelf Subscription, Revival Season.

Books read in June//

Whereabouts by Jhumpa Lahiri - 4.5/5  literary fiction, in translation

Good Company by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney  - 4/5 contemporary fiction, read/listen combo

What Kind of Woman: Poems by Kate Baer  (I don't read enough poetry to rate it, but this was great.)

With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo - 4/5  YA audio

That Summer by Jennifer Weiner  - 4.5/5  contemporary fiction

A Thousand Miles to Freedom by Eunsun Kim  - 3/5 audio, memoir

Last Best Hope: America in Crisis and Renewal by George Packer - 5/5 audio, nonfiction

Favorite June Books//

Summer reading plans//

I'm keeping it simple this summer. Since we will be away from home for at least the next couple of months, most of my reading will be either on my kindle or audio.

JULY

I'll choose a couple of books from this list to read for Paris in July. The rest of the month will be devoted to my remaining library holds.

AUGUST & SEPTEMBER

Right now my plan is to read books already on my kindle. I've purchased so many daily deals over the past few years, and will finally setting aside time to read from my own digital library.  Lately it seems like purchasing a book is the surest way to insure that I don't  read it! You know how it goes once a deadline or due date is removed...

However,

I discovered a wonderful indie book store in Chapel Hill, NC on our trip north. Surprisingly, I managed to leave with just two new books. We'll also be fairly close to another favorite indie while we're in CT... so I may have to make a few exceptions to my kindle reading for new purchases.

What was your favorite June book? Have you made any summer reading plans?

Beaufort, SC

May Wrap-Up and June Reading Plans

 Before we get too far into June, I'd like to take a quick look back at May. It was our first full month of immunity... and I tried to make the most of every day. We ate at our favorite restaurants (still outdoors since the weather is so nice), visited with fully-vaccinated friends, shopped in stores I haven't visited in over a year, and even managed an overnight getaway to Key Largo.

 May highlights include//

• beautiful flowers for Mother's Day 
• Trees bursting with colorful blooms all over the island 
• Nesting owls (and fledglings!) on the beach path 
• Overnight trip to Key Largo
• Bedroom furniture finally delivered, I unpacked my suitcase
• Gorgeous sunsets on the beach
• Visits with friends

Books Read in  May//

I didn't really stick with my list of reading possibilities last month, only reading one of them. But I still read five good books and, in the process, rediscovered historical fiction.

• The Rose Code by Kate Quinn,  historical fiction 4/5
• Fifty Words for Rain by Asha Lemmie,  historical fiction 4/5
• The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw,  short stories 3.5/5
• Early Morning Riser by Katherine Heiny, fiction 3.5/5
• Good Morning, Monster by Catherine Gildiner, nonfiction 4.5/5

My favorite May book//

June Reading Possibilities//

• Good Company by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney  - new fiction, from the library
• Whereabouts by Jhumpa Lahiri - new fiction, in translation (currently reading)
• Bilgewater by Jane Gardam - backlist fiction, on my shelf
• What Kind of Woman by Kate Baer - new poetry (currently reading)
• Dust Tracks on a Road by Zora Neale Hurston - nonfiction, classic
• My final Shelf Subscription selection, a new release
• any  library holds that become available

How did your May reading go? What was your favorite book last month?

Key Largo, May 2021