The Books That I Read in July

 

It's been a good month of reading, helped I suppose by the fact that the weather has been half really nice and half really rainy.  Reading on the patio once the sun has left the area where I have my chair, with a cup of coffee and the occasional biscuit on a plate is always good for my reading mojo.  When the weather turns wet I can retreat into the lodge and sit in the cool ... with more coffee even closer at hand.

Good Food for Bad Days by Jack Monroe

The first book that I read in July was this one.  Not one of Jack's finest offerings I'm afraid, I really do think that her earlier books were so much better.

This book has been donated.

The Place of Tides by James Rebanks

Alan bought me this book while we were on holiday in Thornthwaite, Cumbria earlier this Summer.  We were in Booths buying some bits for our evening meal and they had a wonderful book selection there with lots of local authors, and James is from Cumbria.  I rarely buy books, even new books at full price but Alan talked me into it ... you can imagine how easy that was.  😄

It is a wonderful book and a very special read, telling of his time spent on a remote Norwegian island with one of the last of the 'duck-ladies'.  Helping build the duck houses, looking after the ducks and then harvesting the eider-down ... the traditional non-cruel way.

Nigel's review sums it up perfectly in just a few words.

Kept.

Upside Down Cooking by Dominic Franks

I actually treated myself to this as a pre-order to get a bit of a discount.  I follow Dominic on Instagram now, I used to follow his blog way back in the day when we lived on our second smallholding and I had a HUGE collection of cookbooks.  We shared random recipes from random books each month.

This novel approach to cooking is so unusual that I just have to try it out ... there is a sheet of ready rolled pastry in my fridge just waiting for me to spring into action.

It will be ... 'So Good'.  

(If you know you know!!)

Kept.

Educated by Tara Westover

This is an outstanding book and one that I was recommended to read and I'm glad that I did.  It's brutal in places, with violence towards the writer graphically told, but overall the story is heart-warming as she comes to understand that her upbringing and lack of education can be changed.  She takes small steps forwards rather than great strides but ultimately makes a great and very educated life for herself.

After reading the book I did some research on Tara and her family, it was very interesting.

This book has been donated.

Lifting the Latch by Sheila Stewart

I just could not get into this book at all, which really disappointed me.  I gave it a good shot, but maybe because the last three books had been so good this one was a bit of a let down.  I gave up just a quarter of the way through.

This book has been donated.

Veg by Lucy Tweed

Another book that Alan bought for me, luckily it was half price at the garden centre because I didn't think very much of it.  Her humour just wasn't mine and the foods although tasty looking just were not that special and occasionally over-complicated.

This book has been donated.

I am already into my first book of August, Raising Hare by Chloe Dalton and it is shaping up to be a very good read.  So, I'm hoping for lots of sunny days on the patio, finding shade under the umbrella with copious mugs of coffee, and lots of time for reading in the month ahead.

Happy reading.  📚

Sue xx

I would just like to point out, that although I provide links to Amazon for all the books that I read each month, not all my books are bought from Amazon.  If they are some of them were bought from the Used section rather than full price.  

I share the links so that you can learn more about the books that I write about for yourself, or read reviews from others that have read them.  Of course most of the books I talk about would also be available from your local library, and if you are very lucky you might even find them in charity or thrift shops.  

There are so many ways to bring books into your home if you love reading. 📚