What I read in this month’s Round Up!
July was a much slower reading month for me than usual – though I still made it through a decent mix of books. There were stretches of long days where I didn’t read much at all. I wouldn’t call it a slump, exactly, because I was still reading and chipping away at books I was genuinely interested in. There was also a steady stream of recommendations and titles from my TBR that kept me engaged. It just wasn’t a month where reading was the top priority – and I made a conscious effort not to feel weird or guilty about that.
I love reading so much that I’ve learned not to pressure or berate myself when I’m not devouring books at my usual pace. Honestly, it makes the moments when I do finish and enjoy a book feel all the more satisfying.
In this round up, I’m also including a couple of books I finished at the very end of June that didn’t make it into my June round up.
Altogether, I read 13 books – 11 of them in July. And… no five-star reads this month. I know, yikes! I enjoyed quite a few of them and flew through some in just a day or two, but nothing blew me away. I also didn’t make much progress on my monthly TBR – more on that in my TBR Update post coming Friday.
So overall, an average reading month with an average number of reads. Still, there were some standouts worth mentioning, so let’s get into the rundown.
Completed Books (in chronological order, Notable in italics)
End of June
- This: Blake & Emon by C. Monet
- Anti-hero by C.W. Farnsworth
Finished July
- Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter
- The De Santis Cartel: The Inc by KC Mills
- The Temporary Wife by Catherine Maura
- At War with Love by Mya
- Fractured by Dani Atkins
- Funny Story by Emily Henry
- When You are Mine by Kennedy Ryan
- Loving You Always by Kennedy Ryan
- Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros
- The Babysitter by Emma Curtis
- Faize by Jaimass P.
Currently Reading
- Lipstick and Camera Clicks by D.J Murphy
- Stillhouse Lake by Rachel Caine
This month, I made my way through a few thrillers, and honestly, they were the stories that left the deepest impression on me.
The most difficult read by far was Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter. I read it for my book club, and when we met to discuss it, many of us found it tough to rate – simply because the content was so intense. The premise was intriguing, the plot engaging, and the ending was satisfying in a narrative sense. But the subject matter was incredibly heavy. Trigger warning for graphic sexual abuse, murder, and some of the most disturbing violence imaginable against women.
With some distance and reflection, I’ve come to feel that it bordered on sensationalism. The sheer volume and detail of the sexual violence felt excessive – even exploitative – which made it hard to enjoy the book. I wouldn’t recommend it, simply because it’s far too triggering.
The second thriller I finished – The Babysitter by Emma Curtis – was much easier to digest and surprisingly fun. I listened to it on audiobook and flew through it in a day. While the title is slightly misleading in terms of what the book turns out to be about, I found it thoroughly entertaining.
The three points of view were occasionally hard to keep track of, but overall, the story moved at a great pace. I did predict the villain pretty early on – the signs were a little too obvious – so I wouldn’t call it shocking or unpredictable. Still, it kept me hooked and was a genuinely enjoyable thriller. This one I’d definitely recommend!
The third book worth mentioning this month was Funny Story. Now, I know Emily Henry is a New York Times bestseller and everyone seems to love her books, but honestly, it took me a while to even decide to read one. Everyone has a different favourite, and I just wanted to see if she had anything truly worth writing home about.
That said, I did enjoy Funny Story. I loved the premise and was fuming at the exes in the beginning. Watching Daphne and Miles fall for each other was so sweet and satisfying — it was very, very cute.
However, I don’t know if it’s just me, but when I realised halfway through the book that the characters were in their 30s, I had a moment of ummmm… really? They felt like they were in their early to mid-20s. There wasn’t that sense of maturity or life experience you’d expect. It genuinely felt like two people just starting in life, trying to figure out who they are — and while you can reinvent yourself in your 30s, something about their voices read young and a bit immature. I just couldn’t picture them at the age they were supposed to be.
Still, it was a good read. I’m not sure if I’ll explore more of Emily Henry’s books just yet, but she definitely gets a gold star from me for this one.
These three were the only ones I loved this month.
When You Are Mine by Kennedy Ryan was a good read. I devoured it in just a few hours. It ended on a cliffhanger, so of course, I immediately had to read the second book. It’s a forbidden love story, a trope you know I love! I’ve also been diving into a lot of Kennedy Ryan’s older work, and it’s been fascinating to see her evolution as a writer.
Compared to her most recent release, Can’t Get Enough, it’s clear how much she’s grown – her writing style, emotional depth, and the way she crafts her stories have matured so beautifully. I’m enjoying exploring her earlier works with that perspective.
Special mention to June’s read: Anti-Hero! I love C.W. Farnsworth, and this book is part of the Kensington series, which I’ve been reading from the very beginning. I adore that family, and now that the spin-offs focus on the children, I’ll be devouring every single one.
Of course, I finally finished Onyx Storm this month, which resulted in that very, very, very long review I posted last week. If you haven’t read it yet, please check it out for my full (and unfiltered) thoughts on Rebecca Yarros’ third Empyrean instalment.
The most disappointing book of the month was Fractured by Dani Atkins. I say disappointing because I love this author and have enjoyed reading a book by her almost every month. This one, though, just didn’t land.
The story follows a woman experiencing two separate timelines after a traumatic event. I loved the premise, but the execution didn’t work. The storyline felt choppy, disjointed, and unfinished. It ended really strangely, and the overall reading experience just wasn’t enjoyable. It took me days to get through because I kept putting it down, which says a lot.
Overall, an average month of reading – there are quite a few books I wanted to get through and just didn’t, so I’m hoping for a better turn out next month.
As always, my next post will be an updated TBR! Make sure to report back to the beginning of July to see what was there and what I’ve now read! I hope you enjoyed this round up!
See you next week! Follow me on GoodReads and Fable!
Signed,
