Looks like the reading index is in harmony with the heat index: this month of July has been my best of the year so far, with 10 books read, a total of 2524 pages, that is an average of 81.41 pages/day.

On the other hand, I have not finished any audiobook in July, I’m still listening to Wolf Hall, by Hilary Mantel, it is excellent, but very long.

The neat thing also this month is the diversity of what I read, as for content and format:

Novels:
State of Wonder, by Ann Patchett
The Glass Demon, by Helen Grant
French Leave, by Anna Gavalda

Historical novel:
Before Versailles: a Novel of Louis XIV,  by Karleen Koen

Graphic novel:
The Invention of Hugo Cabret, by Brian Selznick – upcoming review

Novellas: upcoming reviews
Bartleby the Scrivener, by Herman Melville (ebook – starting really to enjoy how convenient ereading is, especially through dailylit.com and using my stanza app  for ipodtouch)
The Death of Ivan Ilych, by Leo Tolstoy (ebook)

Non-fiction:
The Pun Also Rises, by John Pollack
Settled in the Wild, by Susan Hand Shetterly

Religious content:
Being As Communion, by John Zizioulas

It is extremely difficult to pick my July favorite, each being fantastic in its category.

In the non-fiction, one about words, one about nature, one about Orthodox theology, all 3 are must reads!

If I really need to pick my favorite in fiction, I’ll choose this one, but I loved very much the others as well:

Blogging wise, this past month:

• I organized a giveaway to celebrate my upcoming 1st blogiversary. Here is the post, in case you missed it.
• I have had more subscriptions, and visits are going up in number.
• have begun reorganizing my Reading Challenges pages.
• have started to post on Wordless Wednesday, with pictures of my hand painted rocks
• started reading for The Art of the Novella Reading Challenge, going on right now, and for the Europa Challenge. I will go on with those in August and begin more actively to work on the Japanese Literature Challenge.
• have also won an interesting historical novel: For the King, by Catherine Delors, and have received a few books by publishers and authors. The big event for August will be my post on Of Mice and Men on Aug 22, for the Steinbeck Classics Circuit Tour!

I  am still hesitating on changing the template, to go to a 3 columns site. Any preference?

Stay tune, keep cool, and keep reading!

ANY GREAT BOOK YOU READ THIS PAST JULY?