…And then she broke her vow. I got quite a few books from mid-July through August.

Adelle Waldman: The Love Affairs Of Nathaniel P – I have to be honest and say that whilst a particular review made me want to request this book, I can’t remember whose it was. So if you recall me having made a very excited comment about this on your blog, it was likely you. Edited to add, it was Laurie.

Andrea Zuvich: His Last Mistress – I’m always seeking to broaden my knowledge of English history as it’s become rather stale these last several years, and a particularly engrossing university course on the Civil War has made me fond of learning about the the two kings named Charles (grammatical moment, I can’t remember how to refer to two men named Charles).

Anya Von Bremzen: Mastering The Art Of Soviet Cooking – A foodie memoir for the reader who is really getting into books about food. I was rather excited when I received this pitch.

Bee Ridgway: The River Of No Return – Jenn has read this, as has Judith, but whilst I was very interested, it took seeing the book on the shelf for me to really consider it (the too many books too little time thing is, at the moment, making me picky). It’s a longer book than I’d expected but I do like time travel.

Elizabeth Chadwick: The Summer Queen – I had to get the hardback of this because it’s so beautiful. It’s going to look out of place on my shelves, with the row of paperbacks I have, but I suppose if I like it enough I can always get the paperback later.

Laura Navarre: Magick By Moonrise – I loved Navarre’s By Royal Command and have been eagerly awaiting this book. It’s a historical fantasy romance, so it’s bound to be different, but it’s a Tudor historical fantasy romance and that extra adjective is a magnet to me.

Laura Navarre: Midsummer Magick – The second in the series (though I probably don’t need to say that as it’s obvious) and again, the time period appeals to me. I believe this book includes a fairytale retelling which as you’ve probably realised by now, is right up my street.

Lucienne Boyce: To The Fair Land – 1700s, the sea, an author, and a mystery. There is something particularly appealing about this book that I can’t quite place – I only know it’s a mixture of the elements I’ve listed.

Martin Wagner: Deutschland – I took this to a coffee shop and read a chapter of it a few weeks ago, as a heads up, and despite the fact that I can rarely read with noise the book had me hooked. So far I’d say it’s going to be a thriller-mystery-horror.

N M Kelby: White Truffles In Winter – I know it doesn’t refer to chocolate, rather the strange white blob that was in an expensive soup I once tried, but I can’t get the idea of chocolate out of my head and the cover is gorgeous.

Rainbow Rowell: Eleanor & Park – I’m one of the few, it seems, who hasn’t read this, and I feel that needs to be rectified.

Robert Galbraith: The Cuckoo’s Calling – I’m unsure whether I should be referring to the author as ‘Galbraith’ or ‘Rowling’ in future, given the news, but for now I’ll honour Rowling’s choice.

Ruth A Casie: The Guardian’s Witch – The plot sounded great, the setting too, and whilst I couldn’t make up my mind for the longest time, I eventually gave in.

Stephanie Carroll: A White Room – Audra wrote a brilliant review of this book and it sounds just the sort of story I’d love.

Suzannah Lipscomb: A Visitor’s Companion To Tudor England – I was introduced to this historian via the recent BBC2 programme on Anne Boleyn. I loved Lipscomb’s focus on sources – she came across as very objective and that is something I admire. I’m aware it may be that a lot of the information in this book won’t be new to me, but Lipscomb has won me over. We won’t mention that I later met her and likely came across as a fangirl. You know that situation where you’re aware that you’re not a gushing fan but are worried about coming across as such anyway and then end up doing so? Yeah…

Not surprisingly I’ve been forfeiting days out in order to read.

What have you received/bought/borrowed in the last month?