Happy July!  What are you reading this month? 

I'm currently reading The Winter King by Bernard Cornwell.  As usual with a Cornwell book, I love it!  So happy it's the first book in a series.  That means there will be more for me to read.  I should probably get current on the Saxon books first.  I haven't read the most-recent book.  

Read The Daring Ladies of Lowell by Kate Alcott.  Yes, it's good!  And, the story is based in New England involving an actual cotton mills tragedy.

Finished The Midnight Palace by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, Lucia Graves (Translator).  This author never disappoints me.  Even though it's not HF it was a very good read.

Mistress of the Ritz: A Novel by Melanie Benjamin was an excellent read with wonderful characters who once lived in Paris.  A couple's life connected with the Ritz during WWII when the Germans occupied Paris.  Don't miss the author's research comments.   Well done.

The Gilded Shroud by Elizabeth Bailey 4 stars out of 5.  Ms. Bailey is a new to me author. I greatly enjoyed the books. Set in 1789 England, it is a historical mystery.  Her characters are excellent. The Dowger Marchioness reminds you a lot of Maggie Smith in Downton Abbey, feisty but compassionette. The there is not all that much historical other than referfences to American Revolution and unrest in France. I lot of good sleuthing. I have put book 2 on my WL.

REK  I have done the Mill tours up in Lowell, Ma where your book was set. Very good enjoyed both book and tours.

I finished 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne yesterday.  I started Shogun by James Clavell today.  1200+ pages....wish me luck!  

Thanks Alice.  I really liked Ladies.

I finished the Lost Summers of Newport By Beatriz Williams set over 3 time periods. Very good.

Hello, all!  I finished The Winter King by Bernard Cornwell this afternoon.  Loved it!  Looking forward to the next two books in the series, but I should probably try to finish up the 2022 HF Challenge first, and I don't believe the other two would fit into any of the categories I have left.  So, like Carolyn who has also just started an immense book, I am going to tackle Sacajawea by Anna Lee Waldo, which clocks in at a whopping 1320 pages.  At least the paperback copy that I have (which has been on my shelf for probably well over 10 years) does.  SERIOUSLY thinking about shelling out the $8.99 for the Kindle version to save my tired eyes.  

Alice - I was just looking at The Lost Summers of Newport earlier today.  Worth the read, huh? Since the Kindle version was only $3.99, I just went back and purchased it.  

Finished The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn, based on an actual woman's life.  This brave talented Russian woman's life was marred by war but stood up to it all and became a soldier as did 800,000 Russian woman.  Great read.  The author was obviously enamoured by her.  So am I!

Shelley:  I have many books on my shelf by Cornwell but have yet read one.  Guess it's time.

This morning I woke up early and finished The Book Woman's Daughter (Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, Bk 2)  Author: Kim Michele Richardson. I gave it 5 stars. Second book in series. The first book was excellent and so was this one. Really brought you deep into social issus of Appalacia in the 1950s. I I enjoyed learning about roles of women (Pack Horse librian, fire watchwather and frontier nurses). There is so much history in this country that we know little about.. I highly recommend.

Alice, I enjoyed the first book, The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek.  Will have to find book two.  Thanks for sharing your thoughts about it. 

Alice, I enjoyed the first book, The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek.  Will have to find book two.  Thanks for sharing your thoughts about it. 

I finished The Girls in the Picture by Melanie Benjamin.  It was an ok read but I didn't like the topic very much.  Look for Mistress of the Ritz by the same author.  Much, much better.

I am reading The Paris Showroom by Juliet Blackwell 

I will admit I am a bit tired of books in occupied France during WWII, but I do very much enjoy Juliet Blackwell books.  The story pulled me right in book.

Violeta by Isabel Allende. Takes place in Chile. I like her books a lot but this is not a favorite.  Some characters were interesting but most I did not like much.Spans 100 years.