I have been reading non-HF stuff recently.  I read The Secret Life of Bees and The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd.  Loved Bees, Mermaid not so much...  I'm 1/2 way through A Million Little Pieces by James Frey and will be starting Aztec by Gary Jennings (again, started it once and put it down for a smaller read) later today.

Whats everyone else reading over the holiday?

I'm actually having a hard time getting into June's BOM, so I keep reading other things instead. On your theme of non-HF, I just started Twilight.

May I say there is some spectacularly  bad writing in the bit I've read so far?

(ETA - even though my typo has been quoted, I did think I'd go back and correct it :) )

I'm reading The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane.  So far it's good. 

May I say there is some spectacuarlly bad writing in the bit I've read so far?

Shockingly bad writing.  I covered my (failed) attempt to read it in my blog.

I just finished The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao.  It was wonderful.  i think it's one of those boks that will stick with me for a long, long time.

I'm still reading The Shakespeare Stealer series by Gary Blackwood. The books are good, but I have them in a heavy, 3-in-1 hardcover omnibus, so I've only been reading them when I'm home.

My PB "portable" read right now is The Crimson Thread: A Retelling of Rumpelstiltskin by Suzanne Weyn, from the YA "Once Upon a Time" series.

Shockingly bad writing.  I covered my (failed) attempt to read it in my blog.

Great blog! I'll keep you posted on my read - I'm only about 10 pages in.

I am reading a Roger the Chapman medieval mystery by Kate Sedley, which is one of my favorite series ever. This one is The Lammas Feast  (I think it's 11th in series) and am also listening to Eaters of the Dead by Michael Crichton in audio--narrated by the incomparable George Guidall. The 13th Warrior is one of my favorite movies of all time and I've been meaning to read the book version of it for years...so far I'm enjoying it.

ETA: I enjoyed 'Oscar Wao' a lot also...I listened to the audio version and the only thing that threw me off was the frequent use of Spanish without any translation. Most of it I could figure out by the context, but not being a Spanish-speaker, sometimes it was distracting.

Cheryl

I am reading Rise to Rebellion by Jeff Shaara. It is the first in a two book series about the revolutionary war. I liked his Civil War Trilogy and decided to give his other books a try. Good so far.

I just finished reading Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay.  What a story! I could not put it down! 

You are right on, Mimi.  Bad writing stopped me from reading the Twilight series and I work as a Middle School Librarian!  The kids can't understand why I haven't devoured the series as they did.

Can't wait to get a copy of the Physick Book Of Deliverance Dane.  It sounds so interesting.

Just started a Non-HF book Queen Takes King by Gigi Levangie Grazer.  I needed something light and fun after Sarah's Key.

Holly, Enjoy Aztec! I've read it twice. It's one of my top 10 favorite HF books.

Mimi, I bought the Twilight series for my daughter, who wanted it b/c of the movie. I flipped through it and it isn't my thing, but I noticed the writing. E-gads! What sells never ceases to amaze me.

Jerelyn, I never heard of Rachel Bard. I'd love to hear what you think of the Isabella book. Is this Edward's II's wife or another Isabella?

Holly, glad you started this July thread.  My reaction was the same as yours regarding the Sue Monk Kidd books.  I loved The Secret Life of Bees but was a bit disappointed in Mermaid Chair.  And also like you, I started off the month with a non-HF book; blazed through the hilarious Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich.

Jerelyn, Morning Gift is a favorite of mine and of Kelly's.  In fact, we have loved every Diana Norman book we've read.  Re. the Posie Graeme Evans trilogy -- they're very readable but the historical aspect is a bit iffy.

Currently I'm reading Suite Francaise.

Linda

I just started Katherine by Anya Seton yesterday. I have such a hard time pulling myself away from British historical fiction. I'm becoming such an Anglophile.

I'm actually headed to the bookstore later today to pick up a British history book. I've got a handful on my wishlist, but I'm impatient! lol

Will there be a July BOM?

ETA- Mimi, I couldn't read Twilight and I really gave it a good try. I'm not a literary snob at all, and I'll read anything that holds my attention. But it was so poorly written, IMO. I just couldn't get through it.

I have no interest in Twilight, but I had the same problem with Angels and Demons by Dan Brown. I picked it up three times to try and read it and I coudnt get past the bad writing. Da Vinci Code was the same way. Yet both books were huge sellers.

I've been in a "detective" kind of mood lately and I'm reading The Miracle at Speedy Motors by Alexander McCall Smith #9 in his Ladies Detective Agency series.  Such lovely simple writing and stories they always manage to make me smile.  Thanks for the information on the Roger the Chapman stories, Cheryl.  I am always looking for a good set of H/F detective books.  I have read Aztec as well and really liked the wonderful depictions of life at the time.  I've never read the Twilight books either but I had also heard from one of my daughters that the writing was awful in the first one she tried to read.  It is amazing what will sell these days!

I'm still plodding through The Far Pavilions.  Not that it's a painful or difficult read, I just haven't had a lot of time, and it's a mega-long book.  I've got nothing going this weekend, so I'm hoping to make a lot of headway with it. I'm really enjoying it.  Not sure what'll be up next.  I have over 100 books on my bookshelf, and I want to read them all!  LOL! 

I'm reading The Golden Warrior by Hope Muntz (about William the Conqueror and King Harold).  It's an older book (written 60 years ago) and the writing style is definately different.

I did finish it, because the storyline was engaging (but I snickered at the writing the entire time). I agree, it is amazing what sells. Ay yi yi.

I'm starting in a few seconds a non-fiction about Henry VIII's sisters, I look forward to it.

I am just about finished with a Pearl Buck novel, Pavilion of Women. Pearl Buck is an amazing writer and I've enjoyed every book I have ever read by her, but I'm particularly enjoying this one because I see a lot of myself in the main character. It's not just a great story, it's also a lesson in learning to be happy and helping those around you to find their happiness without meddling too terribly much in their lives. It's a wonderful book. If you haven't read a Pearl Buck novel, you are definitely missing out! She has so many good ones that I can't choose which I think is the best.

Jerelyn, definitely let us know what you think of The Morning Gift! Diana Norman's books are so hard to find and it would be good to know if this one is worth buying. I wish a publisher would re-release her earlier books! Maybe we should start a reading ring for some of these hard to find or infrequently posted books. I have a few I'd add to a reading ring. Would anyone be interested? Maybe I should start a new thread...

Who would you wrote to suggest a re-release? The author's current publisher?

Taking a break from hf and reading a John Saul pb today!

I'm reading The Golden Warrior by Hope Muntz (about William the Conqueror and King Harold).

Daphne, I've heard good things about this novel, but I just couldn't get into it. The writing was too dry for me.

Jerelyn, I second the request for what you think about The Morning Gift.

Valli, I'm up for the reading rings.  I think this is a brilliant idea.

Genie,  I'll do that.

I just read that many of you are waiting for Elizabeth Chadwick books to become available,  I have all of hers and would consider these for the reading ring.  Gulp!

I finished The Crimson Thread and posted about it in the "New to You Author" challenge thread, since it turned out to fit the challenge quite well.

Two quite different HF venues----one, modern Egypt, the other World War II Germany.  I'm learning more about Egypt's history from reading three novellas by Naguib Mahfouz (Nobel Prize winner for literature), published in one volume: The Beggar, The Thief and the Dogs, and Autumn Quail.  The WW II novel is a Young Adult novel entitled The Book Thief.  Both are very worth a reader's time.