Around the Year in 52 Books discussion

Use this thread to tell us about your reading plans and/or accomplishments in July.

My plan for July is to finish 3 books I've already started, all of which are over 500 pages! I don't know why I do this to myself.

The Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson
Death's End by Liu Cixin
Pessoa: A Biography by Richard Zenith

After I finish one of the above SF books, I plan to read 2312 by Kim Stanley Robinson for a library book club read. I'm also waiting for an ILL: Gabriela, Clove and Cinnamon by Jorge Amado for a GR group read July-Aug

I plan to begin to continue reading from June:

-A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving (Audiobook)
-In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian Leadership by Henri Nouwen (NF)
-Liar, Dreamer, Thief by Maria Dong
-The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa
-The Last Bus to Wisdom by Ivan Doig
-Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell (NF)

Planning to begin in July:

-Open Carry by Marc Cameron
-Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt (audiobook)

Finishing
The Vanishing Museum on the Rue Mistral
Uncommon Type
Need to read The Rabbit Hutch in the next week for local library book group

Hope to read
The Ministry of Time
Daughter of the Moon Goddess
A Death in Door County
James
Racing the Devil
August Folly

July is gonna be my month! I'm determined. I've only got 4 books to go for ATY, but one of those has a long hold line. Maybe I'll get lucky with people dropping off the wait list or reading it more quickly. It's Notes on Grief which I'm planning on using for an author from an African country.

Jackie - do you read ebooks/kindle? If so, maybe you could join another library in your state that has larger circulation. Some allow you to apply online. I now belong to 6 libraries (2 are local) and have found that some have books others don’t have, or have vastly more copies of popular books, so I can usually get them sooner.

In July I'm finishing:
London
Why We Love Baseball
Peter Pan
Remarkably Bright Creatures

I will start and hopefully finish:
Never Whistle At Night
Erasure
From A Cat's View
Seven Kinds of People You Find in Bookshops

Tracy wrote: "Jackie - do you read ebooks/kindle? If so, maybe you could join another library in your state that has larger circulation. Some allow you to apply online. I now belong to 6 libraries (2 are local) ..."

I'm in WI and our state does one big online system for the whole state - this has its pros and cons. If this ends up as my last item, I'll interlibrary loan a physical copy.

Yesterday I finished Schindler’s List on audio. I had been reading it for months given how horrible the subject matter is. Definitely an important one, and one I fear we haven't learned from...

I had been reading American Girl in paper form, and it was OK, but I wasn't really connecting with it. Yesterday I started it on audio and I was so hooked I could have stayed up all night listening to it! Has that ever happened to you?

In July, honestly, I am just trying to survive! Holy crap what a year. I am reading Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao, and I am really enjoying it. I also just started on audio Where the Line Bleeds by Jesmyn Ward. I literally just started it, so I have no opinion on it yet. I'm going to read Refugee by Alan Gratz for a book club at my church led by one of our youth. Beyond that - not sure yet!

My plan for July is to finish the ATY challenge. I have four spots to fill. Here are the books I plan to read in July to finish the challenge.

#30 A Thousand Ships
#32 32 Candles
#43 Warrior Girl Unearthed
#46 Our Souls at Night

Starting a new job mid-June has thrown my entire existence off track lol. Still trying to find balance and a routine, and my commute has gotten much longer, which is a blessing (more audiobook time) and a curse (less print book time).

I'm currently one book behind on ATY, but I only have 23% to go for my current read for the Sea prompt. The bad news is that nearly all of my ATY books for July are books that I'd like to (or must) read in print.

My book club has our annual beach trip at the end of the month and I'm hoping to just sit and read for four days straight. It will be glorious.

Here's my plan:

There Are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak (a book related to sea) - currently 77% through
The God of the Woods by Liz Moore (a book related to land)
Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy (a book related to air)
The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty (a book set near the Mediterranean)
The Kingdom of Copper by S.A. Chakraborty (side read)
The Empire of Gold by S.A. Chakraborty (going for the gold)

All of those are in print - the first three because they are either ARCs, new releases, or I just want to read in print, and the last three because my library doesn't have the audio.

I'm also currently listening to Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver as a (very long) side read.

Emily wrote: "Starting a new job mid-June has thrown my entire existence off track lol. Still trying to find balance and a routine, and my commute has gotten much longer, which is a blessing (more audiobook time..."

I thought you were working from home! That's why I didn't offer to help with the Suggestion threads (plus you do it much better.)

I’m working for my husband’s firm, a bit from home, but mostly from the office. Problem is that my daughter is still in her daycare that was closer to my old job, so my commute to drop her off is longer. She switches August 1st so things will ease up!

Hello,
I'm a new addition to this group, so please accept my apologies if I haven't posted in the correct thread.

Since I've only joined recently, can I apply the books I've read since January 2024 to the challenge? So far, I have fulfilled 15 prompts.

Liz wrote: "Hello,
I'm a new addition to this group, so please accept my apologies if I haven't posted in the correct thread.

Since I've only joined recently, can I apply the books I've read since January 202..."

Absolutely.

Liz - welcome!

Emily - I loved the Daevabad trilogy! There is a book of short stories as well called The River of Silver. I hope you enjoy them!

Liz, you definitely can apply any books that you read this year to the challenge!

I ended up shifting my plans a bit once I got to the beach. I was looking at being 2 books behind on the challenge, and I decided to go for some lighter (physically lighter, and mentally lighter) books - Our Last Days in Barcelona for Mediterranean setting and The Briar Club for going for gold!