Weekly/Month Wrap-Up for July and Book Loot

I cannot believe July is over already. Part of me feels it went too quick, but another part of me looks back on the beginning of the month and feels that it really was that long ago. Personally, my life hasn't changed much, but I suppose it takes something rather important to change a life in one month.

Bookishly (is that a word? Is now) I can't believe how much more I've been reading. What books have I read this month? (I really have no idea...) Let's see...

1. The Lost World by Michael Crichton
2. The Hardest Thing to Do by Penelope Wilcock
3. Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen by Julie Powel
4. Darcy's Passions by Regina Jeffers
5. A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
6. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
7. Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game That Made a Nation by John Carlin
8. Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton
9. Sense and Sensibility  by Jane Austen

Not bad, and there are some titles up there I've been trying to get for months now. So I'd say I knocked out several 'to-reads.'

 

I am also very proud to have hosted my first 'read along.' Okay, so nobody participated, but it was damn fun getting down and dirty with a classic. I want to do another soon, but I don't know what book... Anybody have any ideas what they'd join in for? (If I get an idea int he next few days, I'll start a read along up for this month!)

 

As everyone knows, Borders is closing its doors forever. I stopped by this weekend to stock-up on some classics, and let me tell you something... Borders still can't get anything straight. The staff had no idea what they were doing, and I understand and feel sorry that they are losing their jobs, but you'd think they'd put some effort in for the love of the book. The sales were very eh, and, AND, they decided to release books before their publication date! That's just wrong. But here's what I got...

 

 

I also received an advanced readers copy for a book. I hope I can fit it into my reading schedule. I have a list of books I have wanted to get through for weeks now and I feel bad putting them off. But here it is, The Stranger You Seek by Amanda Kyle Williams:

 

And, AND, AND... Have you ever waited for a book to come out? Like... religiously?! I have. After a year of waiting for the next Pendergast book to come out, I HAVE IT:

 

 

Yes, yes, thumbs up for Becca! I was so happy when I got my hands onto Cold Vengeance by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. I want more than anything to throw all my other books aside and sit down with this, but I can't... So I'll start reading it tomorrow!

 

Challenges! I almost forgot to mention these. If you look at my challenges page you'll see I've completed my two challenges for this year. I would love to pick up another or maybe two more. If any of you host challenges or have ideas, tell me please!

 

I am looking forward to August and the reading adventures I'll have. I look forward to books, the blog, and all of my readers. Comment? Suggestion? Want to tell me to do something different with my blog? Tell me, it makes me smile, :)