July Retrospective

 Against my predictions at the beginning of the month, I somehow managed to read 18 books in July which is outrageous - even for me. I can't really explain it, lol. I finally finished the main Fables series of graphic novels and the associated Jack of Fables. The whole series continually walks the line of completely running off the rails. It was a fun read but I'm glad it wrapped up before going completely crazy. 

I am giving up on 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. It's not that it is a bad book. For it's era, it's quite good, but it's dense. Brief, exciting episodes are wedged between long exposition about the sea, various sea life, and navigational data. I just found that I couldn't build momentum on it. I think some day I will try again sitting next to an atlas; I think it would help.

My favorite reads this month were Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff and The Library of the Dead by T.L. Huchu.

July List

 Ah, July 1st - the midpoint of summer. It's always a bittersweet thing to realize there is less summer ahead from this point on than there is behind. It's kind of a metaphor for life....but enough of that. Times a'cracken and all that. It was a slow reading month last month and chances are that July will be much the same. Nevertheless, I feel oddly ambitious. I've moved the partially read from June into their own list and filled July's main list with 30 titles. I don't think I'll read anywhere near that but I opened an old  box of books the other day and got a little carried away with titles. Additionally, my new batch of TBR recommendations just came in. 

I feel like a kid in a candy shop - too many good choices!

The List:

1. The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall
2. Animal, Vegetable, Junk by Mark Bittman (Valentines Gift from Ryan)
3. Made in America by Bill Bryson
4. Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton (TBR)
5. Candy Girl by Diablo Cody (Ryan's Pick)
6. Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey (Christmas Gift)
7. The Lost Kitchen by Erin French (Finished 7/25/2021)
8. Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman
9. My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George (Finished 7/1/2021)
10. Tourist Season by Carl Hiaasen (Finished 7/30/2021)
11. Funny Girl by Nick Hornby
12. The Library of the Dead by T.L. Huchu (TBR) (Finished 7/22/2021)
13. Everything's Eventual by Stephen King
14. Winds of Fate by Mercedes Lackey (Finished 7/9/2021)
15. Winds of Change by Mercedes Lackey (Finished 7/14/2021)
16. Winds of Fury by Mercedes Lackey (Finished 7/16/2021)
17. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
18. A Monk's Guide to a Clean House and Mind by Shoukei Matsumoto (Finished 7/17/2021)
19. 'Til Death Do Us Part by Amanda Quick (TBR) (Finished 7/25/2021)
20. Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff (Finished 7/18/2021)
21. The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith
22. Nero Wolfe: Homicide Trinity by Rex Stout (Finished 7/27/2021)
23. A Meditation on Murder by Robert Thorogood (Finished 7/4/2021)
24. Fables vol 19: Snow White by Bill Willingham (Finished 7/5/2021)
25. Fables vol 20: Camelot by Bill Willingham (Finished 7/5/2021)
26. Fables vol 21: Happily Ever After by Bill Willingham (Finished 7/6/2021)
27. Fables vol 22: Farewell by Bill Willingham (Finished 7/7/2021)
28. Jack of Fables vol 9: The End by Bill Willingham (Finished 7/3/2021)
29. Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear (Finished 7/3/2021)
30. Reader, Come Home by Maryanne Wolf (Professional Development)

Partially read left-overs from June:

1. The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu (Finished 7/1/2021)
2. Making Grades Matter by Matt Townsley and Nathan Wear (Professional Development)
3. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne
4. The Republic of Pirates by Colin Woodard (Ryan's Pick)