What I wrote:
Here's a quick summary of the reviews I posted this month, in case you're curious about my thoughts! I'm still somewhat behind on my reviews and am sitting on a LOT of unfinished content... Oops! But never fear! It will all appear eventually :P Most of these books I actually read earlier in the year, but there we are:
- Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman - really enjoyed it, but not quite as much as I'd hoped
- Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel - ditto
- The Color Purple by Alice Walker - LOVED it! a contender for one of my all-time favourite books
- Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Gabriel Garcia Marquez - really liked
I also wrote about my favourite books of 2015 so far, which was rendered slightly obsolete by my then immediately reading some more books that are definitely firm favourites now, and I also listed some hyped books I've never read.
What I read:
So July was quite a busy reading month at the beginning but kinda petered out towards the end. Something about being on holiday (which I was at the start of July) just speeds up my reading I guess. Before heading on holiday with my family, I re-read The Man Who Was Thursday by G.K. Chesterton, which was as crazy and beautifully written as I remembered it.
My holiday reading started out with To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (my first time reading it! Say whaaat!?) and The Color Purple by Alice Walker - I thoroughly enjoyed them both! Then I picked up the considerably more light-hearted but still really awesome Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day by Winifred Watson, and The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan. Finally, just before heading home from my holiday, I started How Green Was My Valley by Richard Llewellyn (though I'm still midway through that - I'm savouring it!).
Basically, my holiday reading was seriously awesome and all the books I picked up were 5-star books for sure (though, you may have noticed, I don't actually give star ratings).
Then I sorta fell into a weird reading mood, which initially started because I was so busy visiting friends and whatnot (which I was totally cool with), but continued to prevent me from concentrating on the books I was reading even after I stopped doing fun stuff (which I was very much less OK with). Hey ho.
So I only finished one other book this month, The City and the Stars by Arthur C. Clarke, which I only finished last night and I'm still processing my thoughts on.
My holiday reading started out with To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (my first time reading it! Say whaaat!?) and The Color Purple by Alice Walker - I thoroughly enjoyed them both! Then I picked up the considerably more light-hearted but still really awesome Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day by Winifred Watson, and The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan. Finally, just before heading home from my holiday, I started How Green Was My Valley by Richard Llewellyn (though I'm still midway through that - I'm savouring it!).
Basically, my holiday reading was seriously awesome and all the books I picked up were 5-star books for sure (though, you may have noticed, I don't actually give star ratings).
Then I sorta fell into a weird reading mood, which initially started because I was so busy visiting friends and whatnot (which I was totally cool with), but continued to prevent me from concentrating on the books I was reading even after I stopped doing fun stuff (which I was very much less OK with). Hey ho.
So I only finished one other book this month, The City and the Stars by Arthur C. Clarke, which I only finished last night and I'm still processing my thoughts on.
What I watched:
Short answer: some, but not a lot.
I'm trying not to get too much into the habit of watching shows as I'm moving next week to a house without a TV (and I can't afford, neither time- nor money-wise, to get Netflix). But I have gotten rather addicted to watching Star Trek: The Next Generation, which is the perfect combo of hilarious/philosophical/hardcore-awesome to make it a hit with me :)
I've also been watching lots of Come Dine With Me with my sister. Sibling bonding yo.
What I did:
Aside from going on holiday and seeing friends, I also GRADUATED!! Crazy times! I got to wear a gown and hood and everything (though no mortarboard... apparently my uni doesn't believe in hats!)
Since then I've just been pondering what on earth I want to do with my life (fun) and trying to look for jobs while I figure it out (double fun).
How was your month?
Great wrap up! I reread The Color Purple last year, and it was one of my absolute favorites of 2014. Such a great book. I've really been meaning to read some more Walker, specifically "Possessing the Secret of Joy", which comes highly recommended by Shaina over at Shaina Reads.
ReplyDeleteThanks :D I'm so keen to read more Walker. My sister has read all of them and says they're all great so I really need to get on it! Might start with that one though ;)
DeleteYES! Listen to Katie. :D
DeleteSounds like you read a whole lot of awesome books this month (go you!). And a big congratulations to you for graduating, Rachel!! Have fun enjoying life after schooling. I wish you luck on your job search, but in the meanwhile, read some good books and whatnot. :)
ReplyDeleteJulia Anne @ Peach Print
Thanks Julia Anne :D The novelty of writing 'graduate' on my job applications still hasn't worn off! And I'm so happy with how this reading month went! It was mostly luck more than anything but still :) I'd rather read a handful of amazing books than loads and loads of mediocre ones.. Thanks for your comment :)
DeleteCONGRATULATIONS! Graduating is so exciting :-) But no mortarboards? What did you throw up into the air then? :-P
ReplyDeleteGood to know I'm not the only person behind on reviews! I have SO MANY review drafts sitting on my computer that I have to finish. Some are for books I read in March. Ooops.
I have not yet read To Kill a Mockingbird so you are ahead of me on that one. I'm probably going to have to read it soon just to get the world off my back. :-P
Thank you :D I'm still not over the excitement haha! and yeah I know, who doesn't have mortarboards??? We didn't get to throw anything in the air :'( That's the whole point of graduating right? Dreams = crushed :(
DeleteI am definitely in the same situation as you regarding reviews... I have so many that I'm desperate to finish but don't know where to start (or I'm just too lazy.. :P) Pretty sure there must be others in the same boat as us!
some nice classics in here. I tried to listen to Station Eleven, I guess I should retry, but reading it. I thought the flashbacks were bogging down the whole thing, had to DNF it!
ReplyDeleteI love Gabriel Garcia Marquez and The Man Who Was Thursday!
Thanks Emma! I feel like I already replied to your comment but it somehow got deleted.. Or I just imagined doing it! haha XD
DeleteI actually felt the opposite about Station Eleven, as the flashbacks were the most interesting bits for me! I think I'm in the minority though judging my most people's reviews. I do recommend giving it another go, as I know so many people love it (even though it wasn't quite for me).
I'm so keen to read more Marquez - I own a couple more of his that I'm looking forward to reading. And The Man Who Was Thursday might be one of my favourite books! I just love it! :D
First of all, congratulations on graduating! What an awesome accomplishment. :)
ReplyDeleteSecond of all, I'm bummed to hear Station Eleven didn't end up off-the-wall fantastic for you, mostly because I'm a third of the way in now and adoring it.
Thank you Shaina! It still feels a bit surreal even though that was nearly 2 months ago! I'm already mourning my student days a little bit :P
DeleteYeah I was a bit bummed as well.. I think I probably just built it up too much in my head before reading it. Either that or it just wasn't quite for me. I'm still recommending it to loads of people though because so many other people seem to love it! I'm glad you're liking it! It's always more fun to like books than to dislike them :P