I know theres still a day to go but I know I won't get another book finished by then so heres what I've read during July ...

Mary Reilly - Valerie Martin - Interesting story based on characters from Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde - looking at events from the view of his housemaid. 8/10

A Likeness - Sonia Overall - Historical novel set in the Elizabethan era about a painter and his muse 8/10

The Secret of Crickley hall - James Herbert - A pretty traditional "haunted house" story 7/10

Year of Wonders - Geraldine Brooks - I found this historical novel based on events in Eyam Derbyshire during the plague utterly compelling the story flows beautifully and a thoroughly good read 10/10

Thief Lord - Cornelia Funke - not quite as exciting as Inkspell but probably thats because its aimed at slightly younger children 5/10

Thirteenth tale - Diane Setterfield - an enthralling and mysterious story that keeps you guessing 8/10

The Various - Steve Augarde - a little escaping back to childhood here with a well written story about fairies 7/10

Slammerkin - Emma Donoghue - A really great historical story with a bit of spice and a few shocks along the way 10/10

Harry Potter and the deathly hallows - JK Rowling - As great as all the other Harry Potter books 9/10

 

 

Welcome to my World	Colleen	8
Perfect Victim	Christine McGuire	9
Murphy's Boy	Torey Hayden	9
The Apprentice	Tess Gerritsen	10
Skin Privlege	Karin Slaughter	10
Harry Potter and the deathly hallows	JK Rowling	9
6th Target	James Patterson	6
Air Babylon	Imogen Edwards-Jones	9
Memorykeeper's daughter	Kim Edwards	STILL READING

Actually been quite a slow month

Marshmallows for Breakfast – Dorothy Koomson – I really enjoyed this one  7/10

Shopaholic and Baby – Sophie Kinsella – Perhaps not as good as the earlier books in the series, but still a “laugh out loud read” 8/10

The No 1 Ladies Detective Agency – Alexander McCall Smith – This was one of my first swaps and I have only just got round to reading it!  Alight entertaining read. 8/10

Where did it all go right: Growing Up Normal in the 70’s – Andrew Collins – I was disappointed in this – it didn’t entertain me at all, and I gave up partway through 2/10

The Testament of Gideon Mack – James Robertson – I struggled to finish this one  6/10

Plain Truth – Jodi Picoult – enjoyed this, but thought the court scenes dragged a bit 7/10

The Memory Keepers Daughter – Kim Edwards – Fantastic 10/10

Tears of the Giraffe – Alexander McCall Smith – Another Good Read 8/10

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - JK Rowling – Loved it 10/10

Forever Odd & Brother Odd - Dean Koontz - 10/10 for both of them.Excellent page turners

The Ginger Tree - Oswald Wynd 10/10 - couldn`t put this down as it went from one disatser to the next

The Observations - Jane Harris - 10/10.....was quite disappointed when I noticed Jane n Joanne are 2 different authors...thought i had a few of hers on TBR

Intimate adventures of a london call girl - Belle du Jour...enjoyable read 10/10

Douglas Adams Starship Titanic - Terry Jones ...9/10 almost hitchikers guide stuff but not quite

The Tenth Circle - Jodi Picoult....9/10...still not MSK

The Brief History of the Dead - Kevin Brockmeier - 10/10 brilliant book really didn`t want it to end

Me and Emma - Elizabeth Flock - 10/10

read so many good books this month,that i`m not voting ..... 

 

Chemistry of Death by Simon Beckett 7/10 - alright but a lot of detail on what happens to decaying body.

Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen 9/10 - loved it, magical and a wonderfully cheeky tree.

This Book will Save your Life by AM Holmes 7/10 - ok, but not as funny or meaningful as it thought it was.

The Cat that Could open the Fridge by Simon Hoggart 7/10 - these people are completely self-absorbed and deluded. Let's not do this!!

Cross by James Patterson 6/10 - not sure why this one was written. Not as good as others, a bit aimless.

5Th Horseman by James Patterson 9/10 - reading these backwards for some reason, much better than 6th Target i thought.

Still Summer by jaquelyn Mitchard 6/10 - good but i didn't like anyone, wouldn't have minded much if they'd all become sharkfood.

Relentless by Simon Kernick 8/10 - think i expected too much. But it was good.

The Savage Garden by Mark Mills 6/10 - thought i'd love this literary whodunnit, but it was very slow and i didn't much care in the end.

Broken Skin by Stuart MacBride 8/10 - enjoyed this 3rd book in the series.

Broken Angels by Richard Montanari 10/10 - fantastic. Better than Skin Gods.

How to Talk to a Widower by Jonathan Tropper 10/10 - great book about a man dealing with the death of his wife. Both funny and tragic, really liked the writing.

 

With No One as Witness - Elizabeth George (7/10)
A La Carte (short stories by various writers) (5/10)
The Newspaper of Claremont Street - Elizabeth Jolley (6/10)
An April Shroud - Reginald Hill (7/10)
My Lover's Lover - Maggie O'Farrell (7/10)
One for the Money - Janet Evanovich  (6/10)
The Portrait - Iain Pears (7/10)
Marnie - Winston Graham (8/10)
The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets - Eva Rice (8/10)
Angels and Demons - Dan Brown (8/10)
The Well of Lost Plots - Jasper Fforde (7/10)
Hunting Unicorns - Bella Pollen (7/10)
The Oxford Murders - Guillermo Martinez (6/10)
The Devil Wears Prada - Lauren Weisberger (7/10)
Twisted - Jeffery Deaver (8/10)
When We Were Romans - Matthew Kneale (8/10)
The Road Home - Rose Tremain (9/10)

A really good month, thanks to having loads of time on holiday to really get into books.  However, the best by far was The Road Home, the latest Rose Tremain. 

I've been reading really slowly since I claimed that I read on average 10 books per month! In my defence this month a couple of my books have been non fiction, which I tend to read slower as I'm trying to concentrate more!

Kimono- Liza Dalby 8/10
Interesting subject and well written. However, it is quite an academic book, so you have to be really into the subject to make it all the way through.

Hide and Seek and Set in Darkness- Ian Rankin 9/10
I love Ian Rankin's Rebus books- they are really atmospheric and gripping.

Six Wives- David Starkey 8/10
A bit daunting due to its size and small print, but a really interesting book. Some sections dragged on a bit, but overall a good read. I am a fan of David Starkey and his writing style is very similar to his tv presentation.

Emma

Have spent too much time writing, swapping and in the forums this months, so my list looks pathetic in comparison to you guys!

The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks 7/10 I loved this- it's the first Iain Banks I read, but it made me request a couple more. Captivating, dark, but the ending was a bit too strange, even for me.

Anagrams - Lorrie Moore 9/10, very funny and accurate book. Makes me go - "hey, at last, someone else thinks that too"!

2 chapters of Foucault's Pendulum - Umberto Eco a hard-going read, haven't really got into it yet, so too early to rate it, but it has intrigued me so far

A Heart Breaking Work of Staggering Genius - Dave Eggers (half way through) I like it so far, but it is dragging more than I thought it would. Trouble is, I think it'd be absolutely brilliant if his editor had made him cut half of it.

Anyway, gonna go get on with some reading so I have a more substantial list next time...

 

A slow month for me too....

Picture Perfect -Jodi Picoult-I really enjoyed this

The Fabulous Mum's Handbook-Grace Saunders- entertaining in places, this is a mix of fiction and non fiction-some good advice in there which is why it is a keeper for now

Songs of the Humpback Whale-Jodi Picoult-STILL READING

These are mine for the month

1. The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O'Farrell.....9/10..enjoyed this sad tale of shattered lives...
2. Far from Over by Sheila O'Flanagan...8/10...enjoyed this light read as an insight into modern marriage...
3. Dancing with Eva by Alan Judd ...7/10..enjoyed this story about the intensity and madness of Hitler's final hours.
4. A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving....8/10..strange book,which took me a while to get into...
5. The Story of You by Julie Myerson...8/10..a novel about memories, grief and obsession...
6. The Portrait by Iain Pearson..7/10..a strange glimpse into the art world...
7. Marshmallows for Breakfast by Dorothy Koomson...9/10...enjoyed this one..light and easy to read.
8. Hamer's War by Francis Cottam..8/10..a powerful tale set in a Polish internment camp WW2..enjoyed it.
9. Hotel Babylon by Imogen Edwards-Jones...8/10..behind the scenes in a large hotel..funny!
10. Spellbound by Jane Green...5/10..uninteresting chick lit...
11. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K.Rowling...10/10..a fitting end to a tremendous story...a great read.
12. The Birth House by Ami McKay..10/10...warm, witty and compassionate..a great read.

Gave up on two....The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs and The Shoe Queen by Anna Davies.....didn't find either very interesting..

Life's too short to read a bad book

 

jobar:

These are mine for the month

1. The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O'Farrell.....9/10..enjoyed this sad tale of shattered lives...
2. Far from Over by Sheila O'Flanagan...8/10...enjoyed this light read as an insight into modern marriage...
3. Dancing with Eva by Alan Judd ...7/10..enjoyed this story about the intensity and madness of Hitler's final hours.
4. A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving....8/10..strange book,which took me a while to get into...
5. The Story of You by Julie Myerson...8/10..a novel about memories, grief and obsession...
6. The Portrait by Iain Pearson..7/10..a strange glimpse into the art world...
7. Marshmallows for Breakfast by Dorothy Koomson...9/10...enjoyed this one..light and easy to read.
8. Hamer's War by Francis Cottam..8/10..a powerful tale set in a Polish internment camp WW2..enjoyed it.
9. Hotel Babylon by Imogen Edwards-Jones...8/10..behind the scenes in a large hotel..funny!
10. Spellbound by Jane Green...5/10..uninteresting chick lit...
11. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K.Rowling...10/10..a fitting end to a tremendous story...a great read.
12. The Birth House by Ami McKay..10/10...warm, witty and compassionate..a great read.

Gave up on two....The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs and The Shoe Queen by Anna Davies.....didn't find either very interesting..

Life's too short to read a bad book

 

like the sound of Dancing with Eva and Hamer;'s War, i have a weakness for WWII books, must look out for them.
you're the 2nd one so far to read The Portrait, will have to get my copy out soon.
i liked Hotel Babylon the best of the series so far, very funny!!

Malicious Intent - Kathryn Fox -  Debut book, really enjoyed it.
The Ruby Knight - David Eddings -  Second of trilogy. Bit less pacy than first book, but good read.
The Perfect Husband - Lisa Gardner - What a very good book
Dead Sky - Tami Hoag  - Brilliant Book
Dancing with the Virgins - Stephen Booth - A good easy read
In the Midst of Death - Lawrence Block - Typical Block mystery, enjoyable, Scudder wins through.
Shot - Jenny Siler - First one read from this author and really enjoyed it

Ella Minnow Pea (Mark Dunn) - An enjoyable read, very clever book. 7/10

Digging to America (Anne Tyler) - Very interesting book, interesting to read about different cultures. Would like to read more by this author, anyone have any other recommendations for her? 9/10

Keeping it Real (Jodie Marsh) - Quite liked her after reading this, especially the parts about the bullying and the things she has gone through in life.  8/10

Lost for Words (Deric Longden) - Amusing and sad, have enjoyed all of his books.  9/10

Why The Whales Came (Michael Morpugo) - One of my favourite books as a child, my brother bought me this book after we had a falling out when we were growing up and I forgave him after reading this! Had to re-read it (which I rarely do) as going to use it in teaching next year after getting my HOD to buy some copies!  I still love it just as much.  10/10

Paws for Proceedings (Deric Longden) - Another great read. 8/10

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (by you know who) - A great read, sad it's all over! 9/10

Journey to the River Sea (Eva Ibbotson) - A lovely read / I love the way the settings were described, made me want to visit the Amazon River (almost!) 9/10

Confessions of a Bad Girl (Claire King) - Interesting read about her life.  7/10

The Summer Garden (Paullina Simons) - Can't score it yet as haven't quite finished it but hope to by August but it is very long and dragging a bit, which is a shame since I love this author, esp Tully.

 

A good month for me, but hoping to have a mammoth list to share for August since I will be off work and plan to read a lot!!

Slow month this month. In the run up to the end of term I just couldn't concentrate properly on reading.

The House At Riverton by Kate Morton
Enjoyed this period mystery but would have suited me better if it had been a little shorter.

Run For Home by Sheila Quigley
Thriller set in the north-east. Thought it was ok-ish.

Salmon Fishing In The Yemen by Paul Torday
Real enjoyed this. Liked the style and kept me in suspence all of the way through.

Digging To America by Anne Tyler
Enjoyable read, although it seemed to drift a bit towards the end. Just like Sarah I'm keen to try more by this author.

The Scandal Of The Season by Sophie Gee (Waterstones review)
18th century tale of partying and sex among the rich and wealthy. Better than I expected.

The Skeleton Room by Kate Ellis
This was one of my 20p books so I didn't expect much from it. Was pleasently surprised when I got into it. Typical crime/mystery story but has an historical twist in parts. Police characters a bit like Daziel & Pascoe.

Skin Privilage by Karin Slaughter
Many thanks to Gemsey for the loan of this. All I can say is WOW. If you're a fan of Slaughter's Grant County series then read this now.

Gave up on "A Kind Of Vanishing" by Lesley Thomson.