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July Reading Summary and Plans for August

The amount of time I spend reading seems to be increasing – I managed to read and review 15 books and 1 audio book in July. I have also completed another 5 books and have their reviews waiting to be published in the next few days. I put this down to having a few spare weekends in July to read, so getting through a few extra books during this time.

I like having a few reviews/other posts under my belt, as it means I don’t have to worry about ensuring I have time to write a blog post each day. This isn’t something I’ve really done in the past, but planning posts several days in advance is something I recommend.

Do you write write your posts in advance? How many days ahead are you?

Favourites of the month

 

Books reviewed during July

The Other Hand – Chris Cleave  stars51

Flu – Gina Kolata stars4h

Blackmoor – Edward Hogan
  stars41

Kill-Grief – Caroline Rance stars41

Lanterns on Their Horns – Radhika Jha stars41

Fathers and Sons – Richard Madeley stars41

The House at Riverton – Kate Morton stars3h

Six Suspects – Vikas Swarup stars3h

Sugar Cage – Connie May Fowler stars3h

The Late, Lamented Molly Marx – Sally Koslow stars3h

Tragedy At Law – Cyril Hare stars3h

The Lost Book of Salem – Katherine Howe stars3h

Sea of Poppies – Amitav Ghosh stars3

Reading in the Dark – Seamus Deane stars3

Wolf Hall – Hilary Mantel stars1 (DNF)

Audio Book 

Rhett Butler’s People – Donald McCaig  stars3

I also wrote this review for a favourite from my pre-blogging days:

The Clan of the Cave Bear – Jean Auel stars51


Plans for August

I’m going to focus on the Booker long list in August, maybe adding a few Japanese books for variation.

I’ll try to add a few other books as well, just so you don’t get sick of reading about Booker books!

Did you find any great books in July?

Are you planning to read any thing from the Booker long list in August?

29 replies on “July Reading Summary and Plans for August”

I won’t get sick of Booker posts, Jackie, I promise. 😀

I don’t do my posts in advance. I write my impressions on a book as soon as I finish and then publish right away. The reason is because I don’t blog to review. I journal my reads, the way I used to in my notebooks before I started blogging. My posts, being journals rather than reviews, have to be logged on the exact date I finished reading.

I try to write my reviews as soon as I finish the book, so my memories are fresh, but then I sometimes add a few things before I publish them. The problem with your method is that I almost always finish a book just before I go to bed – meaning they would have to be posted/written the next day.

I’m amazed by the number of books I’ve read too! My only explanation is that there are a lot of short books in there, which I read in one day and there were a few times I read a longish book in one day as I had a lot of free time at the weekends.

I don’t think it will happen again!

I think my august plans are probably to have no plans bar towards the end of the month joining in on the Persephone Reading Week. Of course I will be meandering through the Man Bookers now I finally have the whole long list hoorah. September have something a little bit special planned, just need to work out the final ins and outs!

As for blogging ahead, I can be anything from one the day to a week ahead depends on whats going on with both my jobs and life outside that and books, is always good to have a few at the ready just in case though ha!

I forgot about the Persephone Reading Week – I’ll be reading a couple of books for that too!

I’m intrigued about September! Any more clues you can give us?

I’m a huge fan of scheduled posts. I read a lot – it’s all I do for fun – so I always have a lot of spare reviews in the queue waiting to be posted. Since I schedule those, I’ve also started scheduling other kinds of posts, and in general I very rarely blog on the spot. I like it that way, though, it makes it easier for me to read other blogs and feel more laid-back about everything when I can blog more on my own schedule and not worry that I’m going days without posting.

Just to show you how crazy I am, my blog could run by itself for all of August, and I’d only miss out a few days of posting where I’ve left gaps for scheduled reads.

I’ve requested three from the Booker longlist at the library, so hopefully I will get a chance to read those soon!

The whole of August! WOW!! I thought I was doing well to have a week ready in advance! I still like to write and post somethings straight away, but it does make me feel more relaxed about it all – knowing I don’t have to write a post if I don’t feel like it.

I won’t get tired of Booker either! I know that I probably will never get to most of them, so I rely on you to enlighten me! It looks like I reviewed 12 books in July…some from Poland, and others from my time in Indiana. Probably one of my bigger months actually. I’ve got two scheduled blog tours in August, and I keep putting off starting The Fiery Cross audio (Outlander) because it has almost 50 discs, but I must…the challenge finishes in September and I have two audios to get through. I’m looking forward to reading my first Random Reading Challenge book (it will be The Fortune Cookie Chronicles) and really REALLY want to read The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher!

50 discs! I think I’d be put off by that!

I hope you enjoy The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher.

My plan for August is as many Bookers as possible and Persephone Reading Week. I also hope to manage a few other books on my TBR pile for some variation (in reading and in posts); my library pile is a little out of control and I do want to read them before returning them so I need to get a handle on those.

I am trying to schedule posts where I can but so far I haven’t managed more than one day in advance! I do have three posts for coming weeks that I am in the process of writing so those will be scheduled soon. I’m still new(ish) to this and trying to work out a routine.

I am also intrigued by Simon’s September plans!

I look forward to reading the Bookers with you. Do you have any idea which ones you’re going to start with? I received How to Paint a Dead Man in the post today, so I might start with that one, but have a few library books which need reading first, so everything might change before I get round to reading it.

I’ve started to read Me Cheeta (I am finding it very funny so far but wonder how Booker enthusiasts and purists will feel) but so far that is the only one that has arrived :). Actually, Heliopolis is waiting for me at the library but I’m waiting for a bundle to go an pick up at once! Lazy, I know.

I’m really looking forward to reading Me Cheeta. I hope I find it funny too!

I am waiting for a lot of library books too, but have a few to read before they’ll let me pick them up! It wouldn’t be a problem if we were allowed the 30 books those in the US are allowed to take out at once. At least I know those Booker ones are just waiting for me in the library.

Hmmm I don’t want to give to much away but as soon as a parcel arrives I will be blogging about it!
I will say it’ll be quite sensational and perfect for nights as they draw in!
If you’ve guessed don’t give it away yet but by friday it’ll be up fingers crossed!

I try to write some thoughts down as I go because by the end (some books take me a few weeks to read and I’m often reading a few at a time) I’ll forget all my thoughts. I tend to have lots of first impressions and I like to compare those with my last impressions.

I try to have just one post a day, so sometimes I write the post a day or two before it goes up.

I try to write some thoughts down as I go too, and a few quotes that jump out at me. This means that some reviews are almost written before I finish reading the book. Some don’t inspire me at all as I’m going along – these ones are the hardest to write!

Unfortunately, I can’t read books in enough advance. I do a fair bit of other blogging stuff that is not actually writing or reading, so even though I love the idea of scheduled posts and am thrilled when I’m able to have a few pre-written, it rarely possible!

I hope to do a bit of that this weekend, though!

Good luck with your post writing this weekend. It is always nice to have a few saved up in advance!

I think fifteen books in one month is amazing!

Usually I don´t write a lot of posts ahead, but I like having one or two ready just in case a book takes longer to read than expected. I also try to plan a few days ahead.

I have a few stacked up now, so am considering reading a really long one. It is nice not to feel the pressure of having to read a book in order to write a post.

Great month!! I don’t have reviews scheduled too far in advance. With all the reading I do for work, I just don’t have time to read so many books that the reviews are waiting around to be posted! Wish I could get ahead.

How many books do you read for your work? I’m not sure I’d be so keen on reading if I had to read them like you do too.

15 books in a month is awesome.

I generally don’t plan my posts in advance. I do more impromptu blogging. Thats the reason I don’t blog everyday. I try to put up at least 2 books reviews in a week though. Sometimes, my reviews are scheduled though. If I unexpectantly finish more books than planned and if i manage to write all the reviews immediately, I do schedule them.

I don’t often schedule posts, but have them written waiting to be published. I like to be around when I post them, so I can respond to the first comments as they come in. It is great to have a few ready and waiting though.

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