July Reading Log

June 29:  Currently curled up with Cassandra Clare’s fantasy in the 2nd book in the series of The Dark Artifices with Lord of Shadows; Ruth Ware’s mystery The It Girl, and Mariana Zapata’s romance From Lukov with Love.

July 7:   I finished From Lukov with Love by Mariana Zapata.  Jasmine was annoying and oblivious and blinked a hell of a lot. One reviewer took the time to count how many times the characters blinked:  176.  *facepalm*

The characters were older but acted like they were in their teens and there was way too much angst and way too much time getting to the point. It was tempting to give up but didn’t because there was just enough there that made me want to find out who or what Lukov was giving up for Jasmine in order to be her skating partner.

Rating:  ***

Still in the middle of Lord of Shadows and The It Girl and about to begin the ebook of  Seven Year Slip.

Off to watch Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire.

July 14: Never thought I’d be the type of person to have a book in every room and read whichever one is there. Still working on  It Girl by Ruth Ware (Bedroom),  V.E. Schwab’s Darker Shade of Magic (Living Room) and  Cassandra Clare’s Lord of Shadow’s.(Kitchen read)  Plus an e book for where ever: Ashley Poston’s Seven Year Slip.

Added two more dragon books to my stacks:  Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim and Of Jade and Dragons by Amber Chen.

Saturday Night movie:  M. Night Shyamalan’s Old

From the NY Times 100 Best Books of the 21st Century list,  I’ve read and finished  Wolf Hall, The Road, Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay, Fifth Season, and Station’s Eleven.

I started but couldn’t get into – David Mitchell’s Cloud Atlas. I haven’t been able to get into any of his books. Just don’t like the writing.

Want to read the rest of Mantel’s Wolf hall series. Also Barbara Kingsolver’s Demon Copperhead which is on my tbr because I loved The Poisonwood Bible. Plus Adichie’s  Americanah because I greatly enjoyed Half of a Yellow Sun. Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go because enjoyed Remains of the Day and Klara and the Sun.

July 21:  Finished Ruth Ware’s It Girl and would have never guessed who the culprit was. Gripping and dark, written in Before and After alternating chapters which was an interesting way to tell the story.

Rating:  ****

Also finished Ashley Poston’s Seven Year Slip which was quite good.

Rating ****

Almost finished with Cassandra Clare’s Lord of Shadows and not sure I’ll continue on with the series. The main characters are way too emotional.

Rating ***

Still in the midst of Darker Shade of Magic.  Too many books waiting in the wings to decide what’s next.

July 27: Finished Patricia Brigg’s Winter Lost which was so very good and now I want to go back and read the series over again. 

Rating:  *****

My water book is A Letter to the Luminous Deep by Sylvia Cathrall in which the story is shown through letters to each other:

“A beautiful discovery outside the window of her underwater home prompts the reclusive E. to begin a correspondence with renowned scholar Henerey Clel. The letters they share are filled with passion, at first for their mutual interests, and then, inevitably, for each other.

Together, they uncover a mystery from the unknown depths, destined to transform the underwater world they both equally fear and love. But by no mere coincidence, a seaquake destroys E.’s home, and she and Henerey vanish.

A year later, E.’s sister Sophy, and Henerey’s brother Vyerin, are left to solve the mystery of their siblings’ disappearances with the letters, sketches and field notes left behind. As they uncover the wondrous love their siblings shared, Sophy and Vyerin learn the key to their disappearance – and what it could mean for life as they know it.”

Also reading ebook Rebecca Yarros’ The Things We Leave Unfinished which is combo present day and past also involving letters so looks like I have a theme going:

“Twenty-eight-year-old Georgia Stanton has to start over after she gave up almost everything in a brutal divorce—the New York house, the friends, and her pride. Now back home at her late great-grandmother’s estate in Colorado, she finds herself face-to-face with Noah Harrison, the bestselling author of a million books where the cover is always people nearly kissing. He’s just as arrogant in person as in interviews, and she’ll be damned if the good-looking writer of love stories thinks he’s the one to finish her grandmother’s final novel… even if the publisher swears he’s the perfect fit.

Noah is at the pinnacle of his career. With book and movie deals galore, there isn’t much the “golden boy” of modern fiction hasn’t accomplished. But he can’t walk away from what might be the best book of the century—the one his idol, Scarlett Stanton, left unfinished. Coming up with a fitting ending for the legendary author is one thing, but dealing with her beautiful, stubborn, cynical great-granddaughter, Georgia, is quite another.

But as they read Scarlett’s words in both the manuscript and her box of letters, they start to realize why Scarlett never finished the book—it’s based on her real-life romance with a World War II pilot, and the ending isn’t a happy one. Georgia knows all too well that love never works out, and while the chemistry and connection between her and Noah is undeniable, she’s as determined as ever to learn from her great-grandmother’s mistakes—even if it means destroying Noah’s career.”

Finished Darker Shade of Magic. Rating:  *****

Saturday night movie: Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire

Also finished two ebooks: Get a Life, Chloe Brown byTalia Hibbert which was a contemporary romance about a disabled heroine. Rated ***  Plus You, Me, and the Colors of Life by Noa Walker which was a heartbreaking story about terminally ill woman who falls in love, gives back to those in need, and finds something positive about every day, e.  Rating ***

Eight book of which half were physical and half E books. Not so bad.