In July I read another set of four books, and the first non action/thriller/suspense book from Tal Bauer. It was good! Bauer’s skills and writing were great, like always. Yet I kept finding after reading more than half of the book, I was missing the action, or the mystery to solve. “Love and Lifeless” should’ve probably been a three star, yet it got four. Don’t ask me what I was thinking😂 it was another ‘I’ve read worse and better books—yet I had a good time reading it’. There was definitely something in the character development that made me a bit confused (like the characters being too similar and suddenly mixing goals etc). So if I ever read it again, it’s going to get a lower score. Lot of four star books this month! “Garron Park” was a fun, easy read book and I’m confused why I didn’t give it a higher score. Yes, it’s been a few weeks since I read it and brain fog makes me forget all the bad parts of it, probably something with the ending that made me give it a lower score. But to compare it to the other four stars books this month, it’s definitely the best one, sorry Bauer. On to the cherry on top, the only five star book for this month! “Freak camp” gives me such Isaac Marion’s “Warm bodies series” meets “Supernatural” vibes. Like it’s difficult not seeing the “Supernatural” inspiration. It was definitely the slowest of slow burn other than “Captive Prince” by C. S. Pacat I’ve read and I’m not mad about it! Finally, I would recommend either “Garron Park” or “Freak Camp” depending on how dark you want it and how many TW’s you wanna read.

I read really well in July! School starts back this month so my reading will be less of a priority 😭

July TBR

The heat of the summer hasn’t gotten to my head yet, and I’m still here ready and willing to overshoot my “to be read” goal per the usual. Every month, I think about what’s on the agenda, what weekend activities there are, then ask myself, “Is this realistic?” If the answer is no, which it so often is, I reduce my stack to something that sounds more doable (and even then, I don’t reach my goals),…

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A few days late, but after an awesome trip home to PEI and a week spent trying not to melt like popsicle here’s July’s read books! 1. “The Guns of August” by Barbara Tuchman (1962) 2. “Goodbye to All That” by Robert Graves (1929) 3. “They Fight Like Soldiers, They Die Like Children” by Romeo Dallaire (2010) 4. “The Invasion of Canada” by Pierre Breton (1980) Hope everyone is staying safe and cool in this extreme heat! Drink water, stay hydrated, chill in the shade and don’t work too hard! 🫠 🥵 #bookstagram #julyreads #summerreads #readingchallenge2022 #PEI #confederationbridge #thegunsofaugust #barbaratuchman #goodbyetoallthat #robertgraves #theyfightlikesoldierstheydielikechildren #romeodallaire #theinvasionofcanada #pierreberton (at Borden-Carleton, Prince Edward Island) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cg-WT8xJ0UCc99du0EGCqxESGi91AV910WjMqA0/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

July Wrap Up Rina: So how was this month? Cassie: Oh god well ok I went out with a boy, got dumped by said boy, quit my job, moved out of my apartment, tried to stave off seriously creepy existential dread— Rina: no I meant what did you read #CutTheChitChat #LetsGetDownToBusiness Cassie’s reads: Night of the Raven, Dawn of the Dove by Rati Mehrotra: 3.75 stars This Vicious Grace by Emily Thiede: 3.5 stars A Strange and Stubborn Endurance by Foz Meadows: 3.5 stars Adult Assembly Required by Abbi Waxman: 3 stars When You Get the Chance by Emma Lord: 3 stars Below Zero by Ali Hazelwood: 3 stars Rereads: Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire: 4.5 stars Rina’s reads: The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller: 4 stars Love Scenes by Bridget Morrissey: 4 stars The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman: 3.5 stars The Infinite Noise by Lauren Shippen: 3.5 stars Knot My Type by Eve Mitchell: 2 stars . . . #monthlywrapup #julyreads #julywrapup #madelinemiller #bookclubs #booksbooksbooks #bookishphotography #bookstagramfeature #bookaesthetic #bookstagrammer #bookstagrammers #epicreads #prettybooks #boostagram #flatlay #books #bookfeature #bookishlove #bookishfeature #bookgram #bookcommunity #igreads #unitedbookstagram #bookrecommendation #readersofinstagram #readingismagic #welovebooks #currentreads https://www.instagram.com/p/Cg4kIccLiYH/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Q: What is your favorite book you read in July?. ☀️ July means we’re fully into the summer now which means one thing for me: Summer concerts! 🎶 I went to 4 outdoor summer concerts this month, which meant I was listening to a lot of music and less listening to audiobooks this month, but I’m ok with that! I ended up seeing 9 Broadway shows in July too, less than previous months. I read 6 books, 2 comics, and 1 picture book in July. Full wrap up post on the blog now, link in bio. These are a few of my favorites from July:. 👻 The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston - Florence is a ghost writer who can also literally see ghosts. Sounds cliché, but it really works for this story! I grew up reading Meg Cabot’s The Mediator series and this was reminiscent of that – except make it 2022 and with adult concepts like romance and swear words. 🔅These Hollow Vows by Lexi Ryan - The way I forgot literally everything that happened in this book, boy am I glad I decided to reread this before These Twisted Bonds! It was a nice refresher and I was able to fly through this. I completely forgot how it ended, so I didn’t even pick up on any of the subtle clues early on. I really enjoyed this again the second time around – I cannot wait to just into These Twisted Bonds ASAP! #JulyWrapUp - #LMSJuly2022, #AlltheBooksJul22, #bookishconlifejul22, #novelebookreads, #TheShakespeareanaReads, #OceanBreezeandSummerReadsJul22, #MyFandomObsessionsJuly22, #StoriesWithStephJul22 #WrapUp #MonthlyWrapup #MonthlyReads #JulyReads #BookReviewer #BookBlogger #Bookstagram #Bookish #Bibliophile #Bookworm #BoostingYA #BookishLife #BooksOfIG #Bookstagrammer https://www.instagram.com/p/CgrZJGHrVHY/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Stay Awake by Megan Goldin

This kept me paralyzed on the edge of my seat! Thank you to @stmartinspress and @megangoldinauthor for a chance to read this eARC! This thriller comes out August 9 and you can preorder now via B&N, Amazon, or your local bookstore. Two years and three months ago someone tried to kill Liv. There’s just one problem - she can’t remember who made an attempt on her life or any new memories she has processed since. Liv was able to recover and relocate to London to start anew and with the help of a journal outlining her life for her and visual guides in her home recommended by a helpful social worker, she’s been able to move on from her past, until now. Something causes her to snap from her routine and fly back to Brooklyn, where everything started. She begins to wake up every day thinking it’s the day she almost died, burns her journal, and is only able to work from the notes on her arm and hands while hopped up on caffeine and paranoia. Liv finds herself at the center of a murder investigation with her prints all over it with no memory of whether she was involved or assurance as to whether she is at risk. Will she be able to assemble the pieces and clear her name or will she learn that she is indeed a cold blooded killer? I absolutely loved this! I’m an avid thriller reader and I’ve never read anything quite like this. I was immediately swept up in Liv’s fight for the truth. I enjoyed the cut between two years ago (the attempted murder of Liv and the other murders), the recent past (as she searched for truth and leading up to Ted’s murder), and the present day. It allowed for the reader to have just enough information to keep you baited and on the edge of your seat. I strongly recommend for thriller/mystery lovers out there! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - 5/5

I just finished a book I didn't have a good time reading. Hopefully, this one is better so I can try to keep to my small reading goal 📚📖 #bookworm #readinggoals #julyreads https://www.instagram.com/p/CfzIXMcLdksbSXCHxCa88o3uFFtsSRgH0sM6jY0/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

I have quite a few anticipated reads lined up this month - let's chat about them! https://youtu.be/LEs6pB4G2wo #TBR #ToBeRead #JulyReads

July Reads

What an amazing reading month!

Breakout reads of the month

Ace of spades- This book was everything I needed and more and I would truly love some more of Faridah's writing!

Mosquitoland- Me loving this book as much as I did came as a huge surprise. Looking forward to reading more of David's books.

Books I Read in July

I have to be honest, I don't think July was my favourite reading month ever! We started off VERY strong with The Book Thief, but it went a bit downhill for me after that; there just wasn't a book that completely wooed me. Let's see what August has on offer! What were your favourite July reads?

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak - This was amazing. So creative, so well thought out and incredibly heartfelt. I loved it so much, and it was deeply saddening, but such an important book! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Conversations With Friends by Sally Rooney - I really liked the multi-dimensional, well-thought out relationships in this book. However, I had the same problem with this book as I did with Normal People: the characters are so full of emotion which just don't come across on paper. Again, this would work so well as a show, but it lacked some depth for me as a novel. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Illuminae by Amy Kaufmann - This was really cool and such a different approach to writing a novel and I had fun with it. However, it didn’t really move me and I doubt it will stay at the top of my head when asked what my favourite books were. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Just Kids by Patti Smith - This was extremely fun to read and gave me all the vibes I wanted. The writing is beautiful and poetic and you feel captivated by Patti’s story. What an amazing memoir that gives you a true insight into the artistic world of NYC. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune - As I am not typically a fan of fantasy, this book was quite new to me. I enjoyed it, but I just couldn’t connect with it on an emotional level. For that reason I might also found it to be a tad bit longer than it had to be. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Breath by Tim Winton - I felt extremely close to this book. It is an ode to the sea, the waves and the beach and that is what I was hoping for when I picked this book up. Amazing. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Mein bester letzter Sommer by Anne Freytag - A little cheesy at some points but still a wonderful YA novel. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Burnt Sugar by Avni Doshi - A wonderfully written, heart-wrenching story about a very interesting mother-daughter dynamic. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan - This was really interesting and fun to read, all while being very short. I think you should definitely try this if you're in a reading slump! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Calling it a #TBR would be the kiss of death but here are a few #books I’m hoping to get to this month. I haven’t even looked to see what the #bookclubs are reading yet, but whatever. 😅 . Are you looking forward to any particular books this month? . . Tshirt from @novelgrounds. Use my Rep Code to help me win free stuff. 😂 oh, and for the discount. KENYA10. . . #ReadersOfInstagram #booksta #bookstagram #blackbookstagram #AmReading #CurrentlyReading #booktube #booktuber #summerready #JulyReads #ReadersGonnaRead #ReadAllTheBooks #BookStacks #CoffeeAndABook #WNDB https://www.instagram.com/p/CRB5jbGg19y/?utm_medium=tumblr

IF WE WERE VILLAINS

@minikasbookcorner on Instagram

July 7th, 2020 || 📚mini reviews: july reads📚 . 🌿La acusación by Bandi (translated by Héctor Bofill & Hye Young Yu). I normally don’t read short story collections because they tend to be a hit or miss for me but I was intrigued by this one. As always, I enjoyed some stories more than others but, as a whole, the collection is a worthy read and it pains the very bleak reality for millions of people in North Korea (7.5/10) . 🌿My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh. This novel was a ride for sure! Very dark, somewhat vulgar and extremely compelling for sure, but the ending threw me off completely and although it might have worked for some readers, it didn’t for me. What I “liked” the most was the depiction of depression through both the main character and her friend Reva (7/10). . What are you currently reading? • • • #julyreads #adayinbooklandreviews #recentlyread #recentreads #unitedbookstagram #bookloversunite #bookloversday #myyearofrestandrelaxation #literaryfiction #laacusacion #bandi #shortstorycollection #bookreviewers #bookreviews #booksandcoffee #bookaesthetics #translatedfiction https://www.instagram.com/p/CCVjBmHqNfw/?igshid=1cr2bhpi9e36n

Q: What is your favorite book you read in July?. Me, actually posting a wrap up post on the last day of the month?! AMAZING!. Full wrap up post on the blog now, link in bio. In July, I read 9 books total – this seems to be my monthly average these days! The month started off a little rocky but once I found my footing in books, I read a lot of 4 and 5 star reads so I’m really happy about that!. It's hard to pick just ONE favorite this month, but if I had to pick, I'd say Firekeeper's Daughter was my overall favorite. A mystery/thriller with Native American characters with contemporary Native American culture and language (Anishinaabemowin) prevalent throughout the book. Kept me on the edge of my seat and intrigued the entire time. I just finished Malibu Rising yesterday and once again, Taylor Jenkins Reid surpasses my expectations. I would like to live inside of a Taylor Jenkins Reid book please and thank you. She has such a way with words and setting the scene, I feel like I am really THERE. Her storytelling ability is unlike anything else. I loved Mary Jane as well - so as you can tell, I have a thing for historical fiction set in the 1970s/80s eras!. #WrapUp - #BombBooks721, #AlltheBooksJuly21, #ForShelfSake, #MyFandomObsessionsJuly21, #WishyWashyWishful, #booksarepugaliciousjuly21, #bookishcoven, #readgushjuly21, #arcmusic21, #RFABJuly21 #summerreading #JulyWrapUp #MonthlyWrapup #MonthlyReads #JulyReads #BookReviewer #BookBlogger #Bookstagram #Bookish #Bibliophile #Bookworm #BoostingYA #BookishLife #BooksOfIG #Bookstagrammer #bookwrapup #librarybookstagram #booksandvegetables https://www.instagram.com/p/CSAnmW1L5JO/?utm_medium=tumblr

It's July - borrows have reset! What are you looking forward to borrowing on hoopla?! #newmonthnewborrows #howdoyouhoopla 💙 ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ #linkinbio #julyreads #bookish #amreading #comics #igreads #igcomics #bookstagram #library #librarylove #tbr #literacymatters #bookshelf #bookriot https://www.instagram.com/p/Bz0UR95DrDa/?igshid=4g8q7x9kpt1r