What are you reading in July?

Well I should still be reading various books for dramaturgical research but I slipped in The Shadow of the Wind which is fairly magical and intoxicating thus far. I suspect some here will like it. I have a couple early reviewer books I should finish and review too.
*hangs head in shame*

I finished my reread of His Dark Materials: The Amber Spyglass last night. I'm beginning another reread of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, as the recent trailer and upcoming media promotions will get me excited.

ETA for touchstone.

I'm reading Brandon Sanderson's Elantris. I technically started it in June but haven't been able to read more than 65 pages so far. What I've read so far is very good, though!

I decided to start Unsqueezed by Margot Starbuck last night. So far it's been good.

I just finished heather Graham's "Seance" and am about to start Sandra Brown's "Fat Tuesday"

I'm still reading The Tall Man. It's the only thing keeping me going at work. I can't recommend this book enough, and after I finish it I'd be happy to pass it on to anyone who agrees to pass it on again.

I'm still in the middle of Supervillains and Philosophy, which is interesting. I'm probably going to read Toads and Diamonds soon, before I need to return it.

I'm still in a serious reading funk, I've read less than 20 books this year. However, I finally finished Ender's Game and I'm now reading Ender's Shadow

like it?

>#7: just added that to my wishlist.

Sometimes, evil is its own reward...

Oh yeah. What i'm reading. Well, last month when we got back from vacation i decided to work my way through the large hardbacks in mount TBR. It's nice to have a system. So right now I'm reading The Year of Living Biblically.

#9: I did and am.

I'm reading Pegasus by Robin McKinley -- the galley I was most excited to get last weekend. It's good so far . . .

I have also been reading the percy Jackson series

I just started Sepulchre by Kate Mosse, I like it so far...

I'm thoroughly enjoying Unsqueezed by Margot Starbuck, and picked up Barbara Kingsolver's Prodigal Summer as my novel; absolutely stunning book!

Pegasus was good, but ends in a cliffhanger. Now I'm reading Incarceron, which is pretty interesting so far.

Just started Last Tango in Aberystwyth by Malcolm Pryce.

I am reading Heart and Soul by Maeve Binchy. Like all her books it's a fairly fast read b/c she really knows how to draw you into the story & keep your interest.

I finished Elantris yesterday and loved it! LG told me somewhere else that I needed to read Mistborn if I liked Elantris, and I was so sad to see it was part of it's own series and not connected to Elantris. It's perfect as a standalone, though.

I am still reading Graceling which is pretty good so far...

I am into "The Hippopotamus Pool" by Elizabeth Peters

I wish I was in a pool for real! Its hot!!!!

K, yay! I'm glad you liked Elantris! :D I haven't gotten to Mistborn yet either but it's on the TBR list.

Ron, I love, love Graceling!

I listened to the audiobook of Skellig on my drive home today, and was pleasantly surprised. The only other thing I had read by David Almond was Clay, and I kind of hated it. But Skellig was the only audiobook I had on hand for a long trip, so I put it in, and I actually really liked it.

I also finished Incarceron over the weekend. I have a galley of Sapphique, the sequel, but I am not sure whether I want to read that next, or something else.

So, I ended up reading Flash Burnout, and it was excellent. John Green fans, definitely take a look at this one.

Finished Heart and Soul yesterday. Started on The Book of Lost Things.

#22: I finished Graceling and loved it too! I was afraid it would end in a cliffhanger and I don't have the second one yet...but it was awesome, lefty!

I am starting City of Bones tonight, a friend told me it was really good....

#25 PollyA, have you read Lost Things before? It is one of my absolute favorites! I'll try not to gush, but I hope you enjoy it. Truly outstanding book. We did a discussion on it a while back, I'll see if I can find the thread for when you're done. ETA: Book of Lost Things discussion

#26 Ron, glad you enjoyed it! The author also has a book called Fire, which is sort of a prequel to Graceling. I had heard good things about Bones too and read it a while ago. I just got the second one out from the library but haven't started it yet. I'm still primarily reading Heroes of the Valley.

I just finished The Angel's Game - really liked it but the ending was a little odd. It's definitely one of those books that was really unpredictable...but in a good way.

Next up for me is Pirate Latitudes...yarrrr!

#27 Lefty, No I've never read it before, a co worker told me about it maybe a year ago, I bought if off of Amazon several months ago, but I'm just now getting around to reading it. I like it so far. Thanks for finding the thread!

I finished The Girl Who Played with Fire. I think I even liked it better than the first book, but it ended so abruptly! I hope I can borrow the third book somehow. I don't know if I can wait for a library copy.

Now I am going to start Gregor the Overlander.

I'm reading Infinite Jest and I'm really enjoying it.

I read Sapphique (and reviewed it -- I've made it a goal of mine to review on LT any galleys that I read before their publication dates). It was good but not great. Now I am pondering my wealth of books, trying to decide if I'm going to read another galley, or a library book.

Just started The Red House Mystery by A A Milne, I love country house murdermysteries, but I think this may be too dated for me.

I started Sarah Addison Allen's The Sugar Queen this morning after I lost count of how many people recommended it to me. It's really very cute and a quick fun read.

An Early Reviewer book that I won came in (Dear George Clooney: Please Marry My Mom), so I read and reviewed that. Now I've started Touch Blue, another middle-grade chapter book. I'm not very far in to it, but it's interesting so far.

So, Sepulchre didn't hold my interest as well as i thought it would... I've moved on to The Day the Falls Stood Still which i really like so far...

#34, elba - I just read her latest, The Girl Who Chased the Moon, and liked it the best of her three so far. Another quick, light read!

I'm still reading Unsqueezed and Prodigal Summer, both of which I am thoroughly enjoying. I've also started Scouting the Divine, which is good but not gripping...at least not yet.

I'm reading East for next month's book club and The Endurance for this month's. Both are very good.

I'm finishing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and I'm starting Hitch-22.

The Red Pyramid which I am loving.

I finished (and reviewed, I'm on a roll with the reviews lately) Touch Blue. I then ripped through The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner, and posted on that thread. Now I'm trying to decide what to read next -- I have a plethora of library books to choose from, as well as several galleys still. I think one of the library books will win . . . but I don't know which one.

#37 - I *loved* The Sugar Queen so I definitely have to check out some more of SAA's stuff!

#40 - Yay!

Next up for me is The Dream of Perpetual Motion which is taking a while for me to get into. It's not bad, it's just... weird.

The last book I finished reading was Princess Ben. I've been in between books these past two days.

Currently reading The Tent, the Bucket and Me by Emma Kennedy

I read a couple of manga titles yesterday (The Color of Earth and The Color of Water), and today I felt like reading Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban for this month's group reread, so that's what I'm working on today.

I just finished Linger by Maggie Stiefvater and I LOVED it! And now I'm reading Three Cups of Tea, also really good. I also read The Book Thief this month and would definitely recommend that book to anybody looking for a powerful and resinating read!

Sadly, I am in the middle of a massive reread of books that I own because my library has chosen to fill it's shelves with heaving bosoms and novels wrote in First Person. 8( I am eyeballing a reread of Anne McCaffrey's Pern series, maybe even in the story's chronological order. Does that make me a geek? LOL

I have been reading quite a bit. I read Carlos Ruiz Zafon's The Shadow of the Wind and The Prince of Mist the Prince of mist is YA and appropriate for many here very haunting Spanish writer. I also read Miss Buncle's Book which was hilarious and I am rereading The Moonstone because I will be dramaturg on a production of it later this year.

Oh and I read The Intuitionist which is sort of amazing parrallel/ 1940s world in which elevator inspectors are important but it is really a meditation on race. It was fantastic.

#33 I had added The Red House to my wishlist because I was curious about a murder mystery by the author of Winne the Pooh. What did you think when you were done.

You know how there's comfort food? Well I guess HP is my comfort series... I'm rereading DH right now...

#48 I quite enjoyed it, but it was very old fashioned in a way Agatha Christie novels don't seem to be. English chaps in tennis whites saying 'What ho' and all that kind of thing. It wasn't mind boggling to work out what was going on, but I did quite enjoy it, as a relief from a lot of modern crime novels where serial killers find ever more ingenious and stomach churning methods of despatching large numbers of victims.

Now about to start on Naked Prey by John Sandford

In the past few days I've read Ash and Liar, both very good (though I had the weirdest dreams last night after finishing Liar -- and I can't tell you what they were, since they include spoilers!).

Now I'm reading Plain Kate, an interesting fantasy novel with a sort of Russian feel.

Finished The Poisonwood Bible, which was excellent, and then read The Other Hand (touchstoning here as Little Bee for some reason...), which wasn't.

I am now going to start on either One Day or Anna Karenina.

I liked Gregor the Overlander and now I am reading Middlesex which has been on my TBR list forever.

I finished City Of Bones which I absolutely loved and devoured and I can't wait till I read the second one in the series. I wanted to read something light and have started Blue Bloods, so far it is just ok....but it is entertaining, which was why I picked it in the first place...

Finished Prodigal Summer which was stunning! Hands down the best book I've read this year. Still reading Unsqueezed and Scouting the Divine, both of which are good but not rapid reads. I have a pretty intense week and likely won't have much reading time, but leave for vacation this Saturday, so rather than start something new, I think I will just put energies into planning my beach reads!

I just read The Angel Experiment on Monday, and School's Out- Forever yesterday. Both were good, although I think that the second was funnier.

I reread Mairelon the Magician -- I had all but forgotten all of the details, so it was like a brand new read to me! I recommend it. I also just finished The Fetch, which was somewhere between "all right" and "good."

I just finished Cebely's Secret. Now I'm reading The Van Alen Legacy and Tender is the Night. I need to go online and order a few books from series I've been following. Its hard to find books here.

I'm thinking I'm definately due for a trip to The Strand when I come back to the States next month to pick up my dogs.

#58 suge:
I can't believe they're not with you! I hope time speeds by before you're all reunited.

I'm slightly sad because I just read such an incredibly good book that whatever I read next may seem worse than it is. Juliet Marillier's Heart's Blood is absolutely amazing! I'd been wanting to read a good fantasy. You know the books that draw you in by the time you're on page 5 or something? That was this book for me. I couldn't close the book until I'd finished reading it.

I've started Anna Karenina. It's going to take a while....

I started The Audacity to Win and Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them.

#59 #58 suge: I can't believe they're not with you! I hope time speeds by before you're all reunited.

For a moment, I thought you were talking about her books instead of her dogs!! ;)

#60 LadyN:
I'm going to be starting that book soon, too! I recently received my copy from Early Reviewers. It does look like it will take a while to read.

#62 el:
Heehee. Her dogs, of course! :)

59--- I know!! I feel terrible thinking of them in NY wondering where mommie went. *Sob* (hey I found the asterick thingie!!!) But I'm going to pick them up soon and bring them to their new home. I miss them so much. Its gonna be so hard for poor blind Cocoa to adjust to a new house, but hopefully he'll like it here. I live a block away from the ocean so hopefully that makes up for all the other stuff.

#62--- LOL El! Im separated from my books too! I still have seven more boxes and two pieces of furniture in NY waiting to be shipped.

So yes, I miss my books too. My brother wanted to borrow a book and just when we had dispaired that it was still in NY, it turned up. I need to buy new shelves! I went to Ikea, but I couldnt make up my mind about white wood or dark. sigh.

btw, K: Hearts Blood sounds fab. I just finished one of JM's other books so, Im excited to hear she had other great stuff out there. I'll have to order books soon!

Suge, new season of Project Runway starts Thursday here. Will you be able to see it?

I finished reading Middlesex which was weird, but I like the historical parts. Especially the history of Detroit. Now I am rereading Eclipse after finally seeing the movie last week.

I just started Pirate Latitudes, I'm hoping it will be a good summer read... a bit of action for my dull day-to-day life lol

#64/65 suge:
They'll forgive you. They'll just be happy to see you. Cocoa knows the DR. He'll have some adjustments but I think he may love it. There will be a lot that's familiar to him without sight. . . . Marillier's one of my favorite authors now. Definitely try out her other works. I love the Sevenwaters series.

Speaking of Marillier, I'm reading The Dark Mirror, the first book in another series by her.

Just kicking off with The Virgin of Small Plains by Nancy Pickard

I listened to Bloody Jack yesterday -- meant to listen to it only while I was doing some yard work, but got engrossed in the story and ended up walking around the house with my iPod on for the rest of the day, until I finished it. I will have to get my hands on the recordings of the other books in the series.

I finished the Shopaholic series this weekend and am now back to Percy Jackson

Compski: Im not sure... are they still on Lifetime? I'm not even sure what chanels I get here. I only watch the one where Criminal Minds, Breaking Bad and Castle come on and Nickelodeon.

Thanks, K. I'm sure you're right. I moved to a new place so Cocoa wont know how to get around. He is super smart and I am sure that he will adjust, but still it makes me sad to think about how confused and scared he is going to feel.

I'm reading Well Between the Worlds and enjoying it very much! I actually own this and tried to read it a few months ago, but about 2 chapters in, the title page and the first 2 chapters repeated, then it went back to normal starting at about chapter 6 or so. Obviously I didn't want to skip chapters! I just finally got it out from the library. I don't know what I'm going to do with the messed up book. Will the publisher give me a properly printed copy?

Let's see. This month has been full of summer reading for school. I've read 3 books on gender-specific classrooms, 2 on our new writing curriculum, and am starting another book called Real Boys. Class is in full swing with my summer school students. We'll be finished with them this Friday. Then I'll have a few days next week to "relax" and hopefully read for fun.

My fun books this month have consisted of non-thinking manga. I tried to pick up a Sorcery and Cecelia book, thinking it was the 2nd. It was the 3rd. Made me very mad because it was the only book I took with me to Colorado Springs.

Oh. I'm this close (last chapter) to finishing World War Z. Probably will finish that tomorrow morning.

I finished Blue Bloods by Melissa De La Cruz which was very good, and have already started City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare , I LOVED the first one in the Mortal Instruments series, let's hope the second one is as good as the first one!

#73: You should be able to take it to a bookstore, who can then send it back to the publisher. Without a receipt you'll have to go for an exchange or store credit, but that shouldn't really be a problem right?

Thanks, Bib! Exchange is exactly what I'd like -- badly printed book in exchange for a correct one. I'll give it a try.

I'm reading Shannon Hale's The Actor and the Housewife right now. So far it's cute, but I'm not loving it as much as some of her other books I've read.

#79: I got that as an ER, but I haven't started it yet.

#80 - We'll have to discuss after you read it!
(p.s. I'm slowly catching up on your HP blog - I love, love, love your posts I just haven't had as much time to form coherent comments as I would normally like!) :)

>70 foggidawn: Foggi I LOVE the Bloody Jack series! though i haven't finished it yet...

So i am currently reading Pirate Latitudes, The Phantom of the Opera, and On Writing: a Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King

Veta, I recently read Phantom of the Opera for the first time and was pleasantly surprised. One of those classics that ends up being a good read instead of slogging through because you want to have read it. I hope you enjoy it!

I can't wait to start Goblet of Fire with the group! I've been finishing partially-read books while I wait for August. Starting early seemed like cheating or something.

>lefty: I'm on chapter 8 so far and i like Phantom alot... now i really wish i could see the show in Las Vegas... I hear its fantastic...

I have been reading quite a bit while on my trip. I read The Red House and Murder on the Links because British mysteries feel good for vacation. I also read Palladian which is a pretty funny take on Jane Eyre. I am now rereading The Master and Margarita because I am working on a theatrical version of it later this year.

#73 lefty:
I had that problem with a book recently, too. I was going to take it back to the bookstore with my receipt to see if anything could be done, but my sister had a copy and I knew I'd never reread it.

I just finished reading The Dark Mirror. I can't decide yet if I like it as much as Marillier's other books that I've read or not. Heart's Blood is definitely my favorite of them, though!

#86: You can still take it back and exchange it for a different book or get store credit which can be used for a different book.

Started reading The Red Pyramid last night.

I read The Birth of Venus this past week and it was excellent! I have The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo out from the library, so that will probably be my next read.

I just finished Hex Hall, which was very similar to Fallen in premise, but with better execution. It wasn't great literature or anything,but it was a fun read, and the dialogue made me laugh out loud a few times.