(Felicia, I didn't see this thread for August, so I hope you don't mind me starting it)

I just finished At Home in Mitford by Jan Karon (not historical fiction) which seemed to take all danged month to read!  I liked it but I didn't love it.  A little too descriptive for my style.

I've started a wonderful book called "Nectar in a Sieve" by Kamala Markandaya.  It isn't historical fiction but it's historical to me.  LOL  It was written in the early 1950s.  It's set in a small Indian village.  The main character is a woman recently married.  As her children are growing, the village begins to evolve from a peasant farming community to a town with a huge tannery employing everyone.  So, the story is about how this change affects the main character and her family.  I'm about 60 pages in and it's beautifully written.

I've read Nectar in a Sieve and really enjoyed it. It was a great book!

I'm reading Jennifer Government by Max Berry, described as "A wickedly satirical and outrageous thriller about globalization and marketing hype." In the book, taxation has been abolished, the government has been completely privatized, and employees take the name of the company as their last name. So, if I worked for Wal-Mart, my name would be Valli Wal-Mart.  I thought about recommending this book in the Wal-Mart thread over in Discussions...LOL.. The strangest part is the government, you have to pay them for everything! If your kid is murdered, you would have to pay for the investigation yourself or there is no search for the killer. It's a very odd, but strangely compelling book!

I'm also reading The Secret Magdalene by Ki Longfellow. I usually enjoy anything about Mary Magdalene, but I'm finding this one to be a bit slow. I may give up on it if it doesn't pick up soon.

Jennifer Government sounds excellent --just added to my WL. I know my husband would like it too. Thanks for the rec Valli.

Melody, anyone is welcome to start these monthly threads. ;)

I picked up a copy of: "The Binding Chair, or a Visit from the Foot Emancipation Society" from PBS yesterday. I also bought "Peony in Love" by Lisa See at Borders because I didn't want to wait in line for it here. (It has 150+ wishers.)

I should finish "Royal Harlot" (library book) by Susan Holloway Scott in the next couple of days.

I just finished the latest Janet Evanovich Lean Mean Thirteen.  My thoughts:  meh - and I"ll leave it at that.  If anyone wants to discuss it more, there's a spoiler-permitted thread in the mystery/thrillers forum.

Got Hilda Lewis's Harlot Queen from the library and I'm sort of grossed out by the book.  It's old (published 1970) and the book shows wear and tear but just looks a little too 'grunky' for me.  I don't really want to touch it - maybe if I wear gloves while reading. 

Still plugging away at Plaidy's The Queen's Husband - which I will probably finish tonight if my husband is watching wresting. 

Then there's all the dog training books I got from the library on Tuesday night.   I gotta get my Henry to shape up -- at least understand sit when it doesn't involve food. :)

nevermind.  I hit submit in error. :(

I am currently reading "Goat Song" by Frank Yerby. It is set in Ancient Athens and Sparta. Very interesting so far!

I'm currently reading the first in a new-to-me historical mystery series by Sarah D'Almeida featuring the Musketeers. The first one is called Death of a Musketeer. So far I'm really enjoying it and have wishlisted the next one, The Musketeer's Seamstress and the thrid, The Musketeers' Apprentice, which has yet to be released.

Cheryl

Cheryl, the Musketeer books sound interesing.  I read Dumas' trilogy and loved it.  I like mysteries too.  Maybe I should check this out.

Melody, the wishlist lines are really small for them right now...it would be a good time to get on board! :)

Cheryl

Nectar in a Sieve is now on my bookshelf and ready for the next taker :)

Valli, what an excellent book!  I started it yesterday and finished it today.  The author really brought to life peasant life in India and the struggles a small farmer went through year after year.  It reminded me a bit of Pearl Buck's The Good Earth.

I have the following unpostable books available -- no water damage, mostly worn or chipped covers. One free with each order from my Bookshelf. PM me with your choice.

Kurt Vonnegut, Slaughterhouse-Five

Frank Herbert, The Godmakers

John Grisham, A Time to Kill

William J. Caunitz, Exceptional Clearance

Edward S. Aarons, Assignment Nuclear Nude

Patricia Rice, Denim & Lace

Richard North Patterson, Degree of Guilt

Last Edited on: 8/3/07 1:38 AM ET - Total times edited: 1

I'm reading The Damascened Blade (A Joe Sandilands Investigation) by Barbara Cleverly, third in a mystery series set in India in the 1920s. Highly recommended! I have three versions of the next book on my WL, and I hope one will turn up soon.

Yay, just got in the mail A Bloody Field By Shrewsbury by Edith Pargeter.  I won't get to it for a while, I need to finish 2 I"m reading now, but I'm so looking forward to reading this author for the first time.

I am now reading "Exploits and Adventures of Miss Alethea Darcy" by Elizabeth Aston.  It's set in the early 1800s and is another in her series on the Darcy family from Pride and Prejudice.

I just finished A Thousand Splendid Suns. It's a tear-jerker! I actually feel a bit bruised. It was so good though.

Valli, I had it on autorequest and the person who posted his or her copy still has not even accepted, let alone print the label.  Argh!

Yay, a copy of Reay Tannahill's Fatal Majesty finally became available!  It's hf about Mary Queen of Scots and I think from hearing a friend talk about it has a hf/mystery take to it.

Another yay!  Got this wl book in the mail today..I didn't realize it was hardcover and it look almost new!

The Quest for Becket`s Bones : The Mystery of the Relics of St. Thomas Becket of Canterbury
Author: John Butler

I just finished Peony in Love by Lisa See. Wow. My review pretty much sums up how much I loved it: http://www.paperbackswap.com/book/details/9781400064663-Peony+In+Love

Sorry to all of those waiting in the long line for this book, but it's not leaving my shelves. It's a definite keeper.

I'm going to be attending a family reunion for the next two days, but I hope to take enough reading time to at least finish Royal Harlot, which is coming with me in my new BookMate with PBS sticker. It's due back at the library soon.

Most of my extended family thinks I'm odd for constantly sticking my nose in a book, so I'll just confirm their perceptions! ;)

I finished Exploits & Adventures of Miss Alethea Darcy and it's already off to the next reader :)

I'm now reading Murder in the Place of Anubis which is pretty interesting.  Takes place in during King Tut's reign.

I just ordered Will by Grace Tiffany.  It's about William Shakespeare.  Hope it's good :)

I haven't been reading much in the way of straight historical fiction lately--a few historical mysteries and that's about it. As far as what I'm ordering, mostly my WL does my ordering for me these days. The Lost Diary of Don Juan by Douglas Carlton Abrams came up a few days ago and is on its way to me now, as well as a couple of Michael Jecks' Knights Templar mysteries.

Cheryl

Melody, I enjoyed the Tiffany books. There is a sequel to Will titled My Father's Daughter. <--I think that is the correct title. Marci S recommended these two books and she was right...they were good! I hope you enjoy it!

Cheryl, I have The Lost Diary of Don Juan and I'm really looking forward to reading it. Don Juan is someone I've never read about, and it's nice to read about something different every once in a while.

I just received a book that I've been wanting for ages....The King of Vinland's Saga by Mirsky. I'm SO excited about this one! I'm already about 100 pages in, and I think this one is going to be a keeper for me. I don't really know why I love these Norse sagas so much, but I do!

Melody I hope you enjoy the book...will go out this afternoon or Friday.  I loved the first half of "My Father's Daughter" and then I just lost interest.  I didn't even read "Will", I just posted it.   I do have "The Turquoise Ring" and would like to give that a chance somewhere down the line.