Living Reading List - August

• THE OTHER WOMAN, Hank Phillippi Ryan - I'm reviewing this book for Criminal Element. It comes out on September 4th, and my Fresh Meat review will come out the week before. 
• THE WINTER PALACE, Eva Stachniak - This is a novel about Catherine the Great. She was many things, but boring was not one of them. 
• THE ART OF INTELLIGENCE: LESSONS FROM A LIFE IN THE CIA'S CLANDESTINE SERVICE, Henry A. Crumpton - Who doesn't love a good spy story, especially if it's true.... 
• THE ACCOMPLICE, Elizabeth Ironside - The Evening Telegraph in the UK called it, "A spellbinding story of love, murder, and deception." That was enough for me to try it.  

So, how did last month's books go? Here's July's list with comments. 

GAME OF THRONES, George R. Martin - This is one of those series that I feel like I should have read, but I am behind the rest of the world.  I love the HBO show and don't want to spoil it, but I think I'm getting to the point where I could read the first book and not spoil anything. And I could stop myself from reading further. I have enough willpower.  Don't I? (For a little more on this, click here.)

Ok, I read the first book and it really helped me understand a lot of what I was confused about in the first season of GAME OF THRONES. It is amazing how Martin structured the book from so many points of view. The series was very true to that structure. It's also amazing that all of those  different characters can have separate story lines that are memorable. I've now put CLASH OF KINGS on the list for August. 

THIS BODY OF DEATH, Elizabeth George - This is a re-read. I just love her novels (I buy them all in hardback) and I wanted to read it one more time because I've missed Havers and Lynley. The TV show is good, but just not the same. 

I loved how Havers goes to nine-year Haddiyah for fashion advice. Lynley continues to struggle with Helen's death and I think that's really what the title is about. If you haven't read this book, pick it up right now. 

OPEN RANGE, THE LIFE OF AGNES MORELY CLEVELAND - How can you not want to read a book that starts out, "Agnew Morely was born in Cimarron, New Mexico, on the night that Clay Allison shot up the town."

This is a short book, easy to read and enjoyable. Agnes Morely was one of the first cowgirls and lead a life far, far away from anyone I have known.  She grew up to be a writer, and this book made me want to read her memoirs, "No Life for A Lady." The first half was better than the second half, but I think that as Agnes got older, she got wiser and didn't let life happen to her so much. A much easier life, but it makes for boring reading. I got this one out of a local library, so it might be difficult to find. 

THE SWAN THIEVES, Elizabeth Kostova - yes it was on last month's list, see confession below. I'm trying again this month. It's really only the size that's stopping me, I really want to read the book. 

This books wasn't for me, which is too bad because I loved THE HISTORIAN which was written by the same author. I read the first 80 pages and then I put it down. Every book isn't for every person.