Hello, everyone!  I hope you are all enjoying the summer.  Hot and humid here in Minnesota.  Typical.  LOL! 

I am currently reading The Women in the Castle, which I'm enjoying.  I just started listening to The Castle of Kings by Oliver Potzsch.  Haven't heard enough to form an opinion yet, though. Guess I have a "castle" thing going on this month.  

Looking forward to hearing what the rest of you are diving into in July! 

Just finished Balm: A Novel by Dolen Perkins-Valdez, 4 stars.  A sensitively written tale about some people and their survival of the Revolutionary War.  There is Hemp, a former slave known as Horse, whose wife was sold before he was freed; Sadie, a woman whose father sold her to a wealthy man to free himself and his wife from debt that threatened to overwhelm them; and Madge, a woman who was born to one of three women who earned their way in life through healing others in rural Kentucky.  A fourth woman upset the household so Madge left.  Their lives are linked through life in Chicago where all found refuge after the war.  Well done.  I really enjoyed it.

I am reading The Long Petal of the Sea by Isobel Allende. As with all of her books it is beautifully written. The book starts in 1938 Spain with the Spanish Civil war and then moves to Chile with the refugees. Very interesting.

I am reading When we Left Cuba by Chanel Cleeton. Great look into Cubans who came to America in late 50's early 60's.  Easy to read well written.

Alice

Just finshed The Graveyard of the Hesperides by Lindsey Davis.  It's my second read by this author and I enjoyed it more than my first.  Love the independent heroine, Flavia Albia.  She's awesome and is adored by her lover, Manlius Faustus who cherishes her for who she is.  The story is written around the preparations for their wedding with an investigation to identify the culprits who murdered six people several years ago.  If anyone is interested I have both Deadly Election and The Graveyard of the Hesperides that someone in this group might like to read.  Send me a pm.  Both are postable.

Reading Tinisima by Elena Poniatowska which is about an Italian woman whose political activities get her in trouble, first in her country and later in Mexico.  She is talented and devoted to her beliefs.  Enjoyed this read very much. She was a remarkable woman whose life was filled with many loves, photography, care for the poor, and so much more.  Wonderful research, too.

Currently reading Dead Man's Walk by Larry McMurtry.

I finished The Other Windsor Girl by Georgie Blalock. It was about the of Princess Margaret. Very interesting.

Read The Red Lily Crown by Elizabeth Loupas. The story takes place in Italy where Chiara Nerini becomes involved with the Medici family and alchemy.   Very, very good