July 2022 Reads
The Dog Days of Summer really came in hot this year, huh?
Despite enduring multiple 90+ degree days in a row, July was a pretty good month!
On the non-bookish side of things, I feel like a lot happened in the last 31 days - some expected, some unexpected - but most of it was exciting nonetheless.
On the bookish side of things, my reading was everywhere lol. I will say, a few of the books I read this month have some sort of TV or movie adaptation that were released recently (i.e. Along for the Ride, The Summer I Turned Pretty, Heartstopper, and Bird Box). So, if you’re the type who likes to read a book before watching the on-screen adaptation, this blog post might be helpful for vetting out what to watch!
All righty. I think that’s it for now. Let’s get into everything I read in July!
*All summaries taken or paraphrased from Goodreads. Wuthering Heights summary taken from IMDB.
The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins
THE WIFE UPSTAIRS by Rachel Hawkins
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Summary: Meet Jane. Newly arrived to Birmingham, Alabama, Jane is a broke dog-walker in Thornfield Estates - a gated community full of McMansions, shiny SUVs, and bored housewives. The kind of place where no one will notice if Jane lifts the discarded tchotchkes and jewelry off the side tables of her well-heeled clients. Where no one will think to ask if Jane is her real name. But her luck changes when she meets Eddie Rochester. Recently widowed, Eddie is Thornfield Estates’ most mysterious resident. His wife, Bea, drowned in a boating accident with her best friend, their bodies lost to the deep. Jane can’t help but see an opportunity in Eddie - not only is he rich, brooding, and handsome, he could also offer her the kind of protection she’s always yearned for. Yet as Jane and Eddie fall for each other, Jane is increasingly haunted by the legend of Bea, an ambitious beauty with a rags-to-riches origin story, who launched a wildly successful southern lifestyle brand. How can she, plain Jane, ever measure up? And can she win Eddie’s heart before her past - or his - catches up to her?
My thoughts: This is the first time I listened to a mystery/thriller on audiobook and I’m pleased to report it did not disappoint. I think hearing it read almost made me less nervy about anything twisty that was on the horizon because the narrator did such an awesome job with all of the character voices. This storyline had me hooked from the beginning because it’s clear we’re dealing with some morally gray characters, and I wasn’t sure who to trust - especially when we find out later that there has been an unreliable narrator of sorts. The main character, Jane, is running from something that happened in her past life in Arizona. She’s a likable character overall and I respected how clever, quick, and observant she was. She picked up these survival tactics along the way and had a habit of falling back on them - even when she felt completely safe. Eddie’s character was the biggest question mark for me. I wasn’t sure how to feel about him based on what we learn from side characters and was not easily convinced by his good behaviors. I don’t want to spoil anything, so I’ll just say the plot twist slapped me in the face and I liked that the author left me questioning what actually happened after everything was said and done. There were a couple of meh things for me like what we learn Jane did and is running from (it’s kind of anti-climactic and never goes anywhere?), the pace hits a lull towards the middle of the book which felt drawn out, and there’s an interaction between two characters towards the end I wish we had been able to witness. Overall, this was an entertaining and twisty mystery/thriller and I recommend the audiobook!
The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
THE SUMMER I TURNED PRETTY by Jenny Han
Rating: 4/5 stars
Summary: Belly measures her life in summers. Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August. Winters are simply a time to count the weeks until the next summer, a place away from the beach house, away from Susannah, and most importantly, away from Jeremiah and Conrad. They are the boys that Belly has known since her very first summer - they have been her brother figures, her crushes, and everything in between. But one summer, one terrible and wonderful summer, the more everything changes, the more it all ends up just the way it should have been all along.
My Thoughts: In most cases, YA stands for “young adult” genre. In this case, it should stand for “Y Am I so obsessed with coming of age romance stories?” I could not put this book down. The setting alone made this a perfect summer read and the plotline had me a little nostalgic in terms of its relatability. One of my favorite things about the format of this book is the short chapters. The timeline bounces between the present day, when Belly is 15, about to turn 16, and the few summers leading up to the present. So, the short chapters made it so easy to follow along and make the essential connections between the anecdotes of summers’ past. Belly was a likable main character for sure. She was a little intense whenever her friends and/or family were picking on her for fun, but what teenage girl isn’t hypersensitive when she’s being relentlessly roasted? I sure was lol. I liked that Jeremiah and Conrad had distinctly different personalities, but still had enough in common that you felt the brotherly relationship between them. It made seeing what each guy brought to the table for this love triangle and why either brother would be an appealing option for Belly to date. There are some really emotional subplots throughout this book including divorce, cheating, and cancer. So if you find any of those topics to be triggering, I’d proceed with caution. Otherwise, this was an insanely sweet, summery, and swoon-worthy YA romance. :)
The Alice Network by Kate Quinn
THE ALICE NETWORK by Kate Quinn
Rating: 5/5 stars
Summary: 1947. In the chaotic aftermath of World War II, American college girl Charlie St. Clair is pregnant, unmarried, and on the verge of being thrown out of her proper family. She’s also nursing a desperate hope that her beloved cousin Rose, who disappeared in Nazi-occupied France during the war, might still be alive. So when Charlie’s parents banish her to Europe to have her “little problem” taken care of, Charlie breaks free and heads to London, determined to find out what happened to the cousin she loves like a sister. 1915. A year into the Great War, Eve Gardiner burns to join the fight against the Germans and unexpectedly gets her chance when she’s recruited to work as a spy. Sent into enemy-occupied France, she’s trained by the mesmerizing Lili, code name Alice, the “queen of spies”, who manages a vast network of secret agents right under the enemy’s nose. Thirty years later, haunted by the betrayal that ultimately tore apart the Alice Network, Eve spends her days drunk and secluded in her crumbling London house. Until a young American barges in uttering a name Eve hasn’t heard in decades, and launches them both on a mission to find the truth… no matter where it leads.
My Thoughts: Ugh. Ya girl loves a good historical fiction novel and Kate Quinn DELIVERED. I listened to this on audiobook and had an absolutely delightful time. This story bounces between two timelines - one where Charlie St. Clair is the narrator/focus as she searches for her lost cousin with the help of a hot Scot, Finn, and disgruntled drunkard, Eve. The other gives us a glimpse into who Eve Gardiner was when she was working as a spy in the first World War. Though each woman came from very different backgrounds, they both knew what it was like to defy the odds in the face of constant adversity. I loved their resilience and that neither one’s storyline panned out the way you hoped or expected, and yet they still came out stronger on the other side. The vivid visual descriptions made everything come to life, including the destructive aftermath of various cities following the war, the intricacies of the cafe where Eve worked as a spy, the nostalgic childhood memories Charlie had with her cousin, etc. There is one interrogation scene that had such detailed descriptions, my skin was crawling the entire time. Like that is the type of shit that intrusive thoughts are made of - yeesh. This book is a little bit longer than what I’m used to for audiobooks, but the pace made everything flow so well and really brought all of the storylines together. If you’re looking for an addicting historical fiction novel, I definitely recommend giving this audiobook a try!
Twisted Lies by Ana Huang
TWISTED LIES by Ana Huang
Rating: 5/5 stars
Summary: Charming, deadly, and smart enough to hide it, Christian Harper is a monster dressed in the perfectly tailored suits of a gentleman. He has little use for morals and even less use for love, but he can’t deny the strange pull he feels towards the woman living just one floor below him. She’s the object of his darkest desires, the only puzzle he can’t solve. And when the opportunity to get closer to her arises, he breaks his own rules to offer her a deal she can’t refuse. Every monster has their weakness. She’s his. His obsession. His addiction. His only exception. | Sweet, shy, and introverted despite her social media fame, Stella Alonso is a romantic who keeps her heart in a cage. Between her two jobs, she has little time or desire for a relationship. But when a threat from her past drives her into the arms - and the house - of the most dangerous man she’s ever met, she’s tempted to let herself feel something for the first time in a long time. Because despite Christian’s cold nature, he makes her feel everything when she’s with him. Passionate. Protected. Truly wanted. Theirs is a love twisted with secrets and tainted by lies… and when the truths are finally revealed, they could shatter everything.
My Thoughts: WOW. Ana Huang really said, “this is the last book in the Twisted series, and I need to make it an absolute BANGER.” I was obsessed with Stella and Christian’s story. I think of all four girls from this series, Stella was the most relatable and down to earth. She has some insecurities that stem from the rhetoric she grew up hearing, but still follows her own path despite the expectations of her family. Her character arc was just so satisfying. Christian is your quintessential beautiful, dangerous, badass business boi with friends in high places. He’s incredibly protective and possessive of Stella, but in the most stomach flutters way. It’s one of those “she’s the one and the only one, and I’ll kill anyone who touches” type of scenarios that we swoon for lol. Also, the slow burn of their relationship was unreal. Like the anticipation and sexual tension was palpable and, personally, I was here for it lol. The plot was so solid and I was as invested in the unfolding of the storyline as I was in the developing romance between Stella and Christian. The entire Twisted series is phenomenal, but this final installment is just *satisfied sigh* and you MUST dabble in it.
Heartstopper Volume 2 by Alice Oseman
HEARTSTOPPER: Volume 2 by Alice Oseman
Rating: 5/5 stars
Summary: Nick and Charlie are best friends. Nick knows Charlie’s gay, and Charlie is sure that Nick isn’t. But love works in surprising ways, and Nick is discovering all kinds of things about his friends, his family… and himself.
My Thoughts: Okay so I am officially obsessed with this graphic novel series, and cannot believe I didn’t pick these up sooner! This book felt like such a breakthrough for Nick and Charlie as individuals, and as a couple. I loved that Nick provides such an unexpected amount of warmth and comfort in Charlie’s life, and that Charlie’s friends got to see that in-person when their initial impression of Nick was that he’s just a dumb jock. It’s also endearing that Charlie is giving Nick patience and space to come out to everyone when he’s ready although they’re officially dating. Needless to say, I’ll be picking up Volume Three as soon as my library request comes through. :’)
Lord of Shadows by Cassandra Clare
LORD OF SHADOWS by Cassandra Clare
Rating: 5/5 stars
Summary: Would you trade your soul mate for your soul? A Shadowhunter’s life is bound by duty. Constrained by honor. The word of Shadowhunter is a solemn pledge, and no vow is more sacred than the vow that binds parabatai, warrior partners - sworn to fight together, die together, but never to fall in love. Emma Carstairs has learned that the love she shares with her parabatai, Julian Blackthorn, isn’t just forbidden - it could destroy them both. She knows she should run from Julian. But how can she when the Blackthorns are threatened by enemies on all sides? Their only hope is the Black Volume of the Dead, a spell book of terrible power. Everyone wants it. Only the Blackthorns can find it. Spurred on by a dark bargain with the Seelie Queen, Emma; her best friend Cristina; and Mark and Julian Blackthorn journey into the Courts of Faerie, where glittering revels hide bloody danger and no promise can be trusted. Meanwhile, rising tension between Shadowhunters and Downworlders has produced the Cohort, an extremist group of Shadowhunters dedicated to registering Downworlders and “unsuitable” Nephilim. They’ll do anything in their power to expose Julian’s secrets and take the Los Angeles Institute for their own. When Downworlders turn against the Clave, a new threat rises in the form of the Lord of Shadows - the Unseelie King, who sends his greatest warriors to slaughter those with Blackthorn blood and seize the Black Volume. As dangers close in, Julian devises a risky scheme that depends on the cooperation of an unpredictable enemy. But success may come with a price he and Emma cannot even imagine, one that will bring with it a reckoning of blood that could have repercussions for everyone and everything they hold dear.
My Thoughts: WOW. I have no words and at the same time SO MANY THOUGHTS. “Raise your hand if you’ve ever been personally victimized by Cassandra Clare.” *Both hands to the sky.* Y’all. This book was a journey, and the last ~15 pages didn’t have to do me that dirty. Like wtf. I don’t think I’ve ever been emotionally body slammed this hard by a book before. So many things to get out here - where do I begin? I guess for starters, I loved that Livvy and Ty got their well-deserved amount of page time. The Blackthorn twins have been just that in this series thus far - like that was their whole personality - so I appreciated that we finally got to know each of them on a deeper level. Plus, I was LIVING for the threesome that was the twins and newcomer, Kit Herondale. We all love a charming Herondale boy and Kit was no exception. Julian and Emma are still out here making me swoon and I loved the direction that their parabatai storyline is headed. The TENSION, my friends. Also, Cristina, Mark, and Kieran were unexpected, but also such a vibe. I wasn’t sure about it at first, but their dynamics just felt right, yanno? There are a few storylines happening all at once in this book, but they kind of overlap each other - per usual of C. Clare’s writing - so, I liked that each “group” of characters helped the plot points flow without getting messy. We also got to see characters from other Shadowhunter series reappear with a helping hand in this mess (i.e. Magnus Bane, Alec Lightwood, etc.). This book definitely took a turn I was NOT expecting and the last bit of it absolutely wrecked me. So like, idk what you want me to say lol. Lord of Shadows will be living rent free in my brain for a while and I just need someone to talk to about it. :’)
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
FAHRENHEIT 451 by Ray Bradbury
Rating: 4/5 stars
Summary: Guy Montag is a fireman. His job is to destroy the most illegal of commodities, the printed book, along with the houses in which they are hidden. Montag never questions the destruction and ruin his actions produce, returning each day to his bland life and wife, Mildred, who spends all day with her television “family.” But when he meets an eccentric young neighbor, Clarisse, who introduces him to a past where people didn’t live in fear and to a present where one sees the world through the ideas in books instead of the mindless chatter of television, Montag begins to question everything he has ever known.
My Thoughts: The most important thing going into this book is to remember it was originally published in 1953, and set in a dystopian future. So the way technology is described and advancing in this book was a prediction of what it might look like from that point in time. I listened to the audiobook and was super glad I did because the writing has an extremely unique cadence to it. I think if I had been reading a physical copy, the writing would’ve gotten away from me a little bit, but the narrator did an excellent job with keeping everything in order - if that makes sense? The message of this book is undeniable and extremely relevant in terms of people falling victim to whatever they’re being told vs. doing the work to educate themselves so that they can form their own thoughts on various topics. It’s a pretty quick read, and I definitely think this book is worth picking up if you’ve never read it before.
The Stopover by TL Swan
THE STOPOVER by T.L. Swan
Rating: DNF (did not finish) @ 52%
Summary: I was upgraded to first class on a flight from London to New York. The food, champagne, and service were impeccable. The blue-eyed man sitting next to me, even better. He was suave and intelligent. We talked and laughed, and something clicked. Fate took over and the plane was grounded, and we had an unexpected stopover for the night. With no plans, we made our own. We danced and laughed our way around Boston and had a night of crazy passion that no woman would ever forget. That was twelve months ago, and I haven’t heard from him - until today. I started a new job and met the CEO. You can imagine my surprise to see those blue eyes dance with delight when he saw me across the mahogany desk. But I’m not a carefree girl anymore. My life has changed, I have responsibilities.
My Thoughts: This book was recommended to me by my Kindle and because it’s rated pretty well on Goodreads (4.12 with 68,994 ratings), I decided to give it a go. *Side eye* This book was trash lol. Hence the DNF. Don’t get me wrong, the smut was great. The characters were not. They’re supposed to be in their 20s and 30s, and they acted like teenagers. There was no depth where there should be and the character development was basically nonexistent. Halfway through the book and these MCs were still so un-evolved?? On top of that, they basically kept fighting with one another over something petty, giving the silent treatment, and then making up in a lust-driven frenzy. Rinse and repeat with all the red flags. It just felt so repetitive, toxic, and frankly, not worth my time to continue on. There was plenty of eye rolling on my part lol. The plot was all right. There’s a mystery element to it that kept things interesting, but not enough that I’d willingly put myself through the second half of this book. Maybe I’ll try reading it again eventually, but I just cannot be bothered for now.
The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
THE FOUR WINDS by Kristin Hannah
Rating: 5/5 stars
Summary: Texas, 1934. Millions are out of work and a drought has broken the Great Plains. Farmers are fighting to keep their land and their livelihoods as the crops are failing, the water is drying up, and dust threatens to bury them all. One of the darkest periods of the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl era, has arrived with a vengeance. In this uncertain and dangerous time, Elisa Martinelli - like so many of her neighbors - must make an agonizing choice: fight for the land she loves or go west, to California, in search of a better life. The Four Winds is an indelible portrait of America and the American Dream, as seen through the eyes of one indomitable woman whose courage and sacrifice will come to define a generation.
My Thoughts: Holy hell. I completely understand why people are obsessed with Kristin Hannah now. This audiobook was unreal. I think that’s partly because Julia Wehlan is the narrator and she does an absolutely phenomenal job, but the writing alone was *chef’s kiss.* I loved that Elsa starts out as this unconfident, seemingly weak main character. Her family refuses to accept her as someone with a promising future and treats her like she’s a disappointment. As the book progresses though, it’s clear how much of a fighter she is and what she’s capable of. Her journey was one of pure courage and I cannot emphasize how much I admired her as she traveled across the country with her children, endured the adversities they encountered left and right, and ultimately fought for what she believed in. Loretta, her daughter, was a love/hate character for me. She was an absolute ball of fire fueled by anger, and though I definitely understand that she had to grow up fast and the reasoning behind her behaviors, I wished she would’ve given Elsa a little more credit. All of the other side characters (i.e. Ant, Elsa’s in-laws, Rafe, the family friends in California, etc.) were so dynamic and truly brought this story to life. The sensory descriptors of their environments in dusty Texas, the tent camps in California, picking cotton, and more were extremely vivid and pulled me right into the characters’ perspectives. I just loved this book so much and definitely recommend it!
Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen
ALONG FOR THE RIDE by Sarah Dessen
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Summary: It’s been so long since Auden slept at night. Ever since her parents’ divorce - or since the fighting started. Now she has the chance to spend a carefree summer with her dad and his new family in the charming beach town where they live. A job in a clothes boutique introduces Auden to the world of girls: their talk, their friendship, their crushes. She missed out on all that, too busy being the perfect daughter to her demanding mother. Then she meets Eli, an intriguing loner and a fellow insomniac who becomes her guide to the nocturnal world of the town. Together they embark on parallel quests: for Auden, to experience the carefree teenage life she’s been denied; for Eli, to come to terms with the guilt he feels for the death of a friend.
My Thoughts: Well good golly gosh. Now I understand why so many women my age were obsessed with Sarah Dessen books when we were in high school. This was an addicting little beach town coming of age romance. I loved that it touched on some deeper messages that commonly affect teenagers too such as dealing with parental divorce, accepting the new family dynamics, fearing you’re making too many mistakes, and knowing that sometimes people need second (and third) chances. Auden was such a great main character for this book. I actually identified with her a lot - fear of failure, can’t really ride a bike (lol), and an introvert. She kept to herself in Colby at first, but wasn’t stubborn about letting her walls down to people when the timing was right. I appreciated her maturity in stepping up to help her stepmom with her newborn sister when her avoidant father was showing repeated behavioral patterns towards parenting. Eli was also a really great main character, and it was so refreshing that the riff he and Auden experienced in their friendship/relationship was not blown out of angsty proportions. I was expecting more friction to happen once Auden was trying to make amends with him, but I was pleasantly surprised that they proved me wrong. All of the side characters really made this summertime story come to life and loved that the author incorporated a message about not judging someone before you get to know them. This was honestly a super cute book and I definitely recommend it if you're looking for an easy read. For anyone wondering, the Netflix adaptation was decently cringey lol and I think I liked the book a bit more.
It’s Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han
IT’S NOT SUMMER WITHOUT YOU by Jenny Han
Rating: 4/5 stars
Summary: Can summer be truly summer without Cousins Beach? It used to be that Belly counted the days until summer, until she was back at Cousins Beach with Conrad and Jeremiah. But not after this year. Not after Susannah got sick again and Conrad stopped caring. Everything that was right and good has fallen apart, leaving Belly wishing summer would never come. But when Jeremiah calls saying Conrad has disappeared, Belly knows what she must do to make things right again. And it can only happen back at the beach house, the three of them together, the way things used to be. If this summer really and truly is the last summer, it should end the way it started - at Cousins Beach.
My Thoughts: Okay, okay, okay. So I appreciated that this storyline did not pan out as I was anticipating it to. At first, I was frustrated and incredibly annoyed with Conrad because he was being incredibly stubborn and hard to communicate with. I completely understand that he is still grieving in this book, but it was a small letdown that we weren’t seeing much character development from him. That is until later when the reason behind his motives for disappearing to the beach house in Cousins come to light and I completely forgive him for being so secretive. It was nice that the timeline bounced back and forth between what happened after last summer ended and now because we got to see how Belly and Conrad’s dynamic changed and got a better understanding of what fell apart. We also got some chapters from Jeremiah’s perspective in this book which was a nice change of pace because the previous book was from Belly’s POV only. Taylor still annoys the living shit out of me and I don’t understand why she’s Belly’s BFF. The format of this book was short chapters again which made the whole experience a pretty quick read. If you read The Summer I Turned Pretty and are debating on reading the whole series, I’d recommend continuing onto this second book at least. It was worth the time and I don’t regret it at all.
Below Zero by Ali Hazelwood
BELOW ZERO by Ali Hazelwood
Rating: 4/5 stars
Summary: Hannah’s got a bad feeling about this. Not only has the NASA aerospace engineer found herself injured and stranded at a remote Arctic research station - but the one person willing to undertake the hazardous rescue mission is her longtime rival. Ian has been many things to Hannah: the villain who tried to veto her expedition and ruin her career, the man who stars in her most deliciously lurid dreams… but he’s never played the hero. So why is he risking everything to be here? And why does his presence seem just as dangerous to her heart as the coming snowstorm?
My Thoughts: Yesss. The STEMinist novella series continues! If there’s one thing I love, it’s a gentle redheaded giant as the love interest and Ian was giving us just that. Not only was he a beaut, but he was intelligent, a gentleman, and didn’t even know how attractive Hannah thought he was! Speaking of our heroine, Hannah was giving us that scrappy, bad ass energy we all know and love. The amount of drive and passion this girl has about space was truly impressive. It was even better that she and Ian nerded out so hard about the same scientific ventures. Similar to the previous books in this series, the timeline bopped between the present where Hannah is trapped in a glacial crevasse and the past encounters she’s had with Ian over the last 5-6 years. The character development was pristine, the plot had just enough adventure to keep me on my toes, and y’all, the tension between these two scientists was THICK. If you read Mara and Sadie’s short stories, you definitely need to continue on with Hannah’s!
We’ll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han
WE’LL ALWAYS HAVE SUMMER by Jenny Han
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Summary: It’s been two years since Conrad told Belly to go with Jeremiah. She and Jeremiah have been inseparable ever since, even attending the same college - only, their relationship hasn’t exactly been the happily ever after Belly hoped it would be. And when Jeremiah makes the worst mistake a boy can make, Belly is forced to question what she thought was true love. Does she really have a future with Jeremiah? Has she ever gotten over Conrad? It’s time for Belly to decide, once and for all, who has her heart forever.
My Thoughts: Y’all. I have never been so irritated with some characters for legitimately 85% of the book only for the author to end up giving me what I wanted the entire time lol. This book takes place 2 years after It’s Not Summer Without You. So, Belly is finishing up her freshman year of college which puts her at 18 years old. Would I say I was expecting some more maturity from her in terms of the unseen character development? Yes. Absolutely. Did I feel like she was giving me the amount of maturity I desired? No. She’s definitely more mature than the previous two books, but I think she’s in such denial about the current situation that it makes her come off as impulsive and immature. Jeremiah is literally the worst lol. He’s turned into an un-self aware frat bro and I could not be more annoyed. I guess I should keep in mind that he’s like 20 in this book which means he is nowhere near his formative years, but nonetheless, he needed to be taken down a PEG. My sweet boy Conrad is the real MVP of maturity in this book. He’s communicative, selfless, and I just love what Jenny Han did with his character. Truly a personality glow-up. Do I recommend reading this book? If you’ve made it this far in the series then 1000% yes. Will you love every second of it? Absolutely not lol. BUT it’s definitely worth enduring for the ending.
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
WUTHERING HEIGHTS by Emily Bronte
Rating: 3/5 stars
Summary: A man becomes obsessed with vengeance when his soul mate marries another man. Heathcliff is Cathy Earnshaw’s foster brother; more than that, he is her other half. When forces within and without tear them apart, Heathcliff wreaks vengeance on those he holds responsible, even into a second generation. (summary taken from IMDB).
My Thoughts: All right, y’all. Here we go. For starters, this is not a romance. If it is, it’s a romantic tragedy and there’s no other way to paint that. I know I would not have finished this book if I wasn’t listening to it on audiobook. There’s just no way it would’ve held my attention in the physical book form. There were times I was confused while listening to it, so I can only imagine how much I wouldn’t have comprehended visually reading it lol. This is the quintessential book of unlikeable characters. I literally was not fond of one single character. MAYBE Nelly Dean, but she also had her moments where I found her intolerable. If you’re down for the unlikeable/morally gray character trope, then by all means have at it. The main reason I gave this book three stars is because I can understand and appreciate why it’s considered a classic. If you have me analyze it at surface level, I would say Catherine is a narcissist who was upset she couldn’t control both men in her life. At a deeper level, I get that Heathcliff represented a life of wildness and freedom, and Edgar Linton represented a life of stability and status - which is why she went “into hysterics”: she couldn’t have her cake and eat it too. I totally missed that she was pregnant tho, so spoiler alert if you haven’t read it yet lol. Would I recommend this book? Not really. I’d say try Pride and Prejudice if you’re looking to dip your toe into the classics genre.
Bird Box by Josh Malerman
BIRD BOX by Josh Malerman
Rating: 4/5 stars
Summary: Something is out there, something terrifying that must not be seen. One glimpse of it, and a person is driven to deadly violence. No one knows what it is or where it came from. Five years after it began, a handful of scattered survivors remains, including Malorie and her two young children. Living in an abandoned house near the river, she has dreamed of fleeing to a place where they might be safe. Now that the boy and girl are four, it’s time to go, but the journey ahead will be terrifying: twenty miles downriver in a rowboat - blindfolded - with nothing to rely on but her wits and the children’s trained ears. One wrong choice and they will die. Something is following them all the while, but is it man, animal, or monster?
My Thoughts: I know that I’m late to this 2020 craze, but I am so glad I decided to read the book before watching the Netflix adaptation! This psychological thriller had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. The way the writing sucked me into Malorie’s story and truly put me into her shoes had my skin crawling. I think anyone who isn’t visually impaired relies heavily on sight as one of our primary senses every day, and I cannot imagine having that taken away in order to survive. The dual timelines between the present as Malorie rows down the river with her two kids, and the past which shows the 9 months leading up to the night her kids were born was riveting. I couldn’t even guess what had happened in the refugee house where she found safety with a ragtag gang of strangers that brought her to being alone for 4 years. Her resilience and courage are truly unmatched and the way she trained her kids to hone in on hearing more than seeing was incredible. This book really touches on why what we can’t see tends to be more terrifying than what we can. It’s a super quick read - less than 300 pages - and I definitely recommend picking it up if you’re looking for something a little creepy and thrilling.
Lovelight Farms by B.K. Borison
LOVELIGHT FARMS by B.K. Borison
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Summary: A pasture of dead trees. A hostile takeover of the Santa barn by a family of raccoons. And shipments that have mysteriously gone missing. Lovelight Farms is not the magical winter wonderland of Stella Bloom’s dreams. In an effort to save the Christmas tree farm she’s loved since she was a kid, she enters a contest with instafamous influencer Evelyn St. James. With the added publicity and $100,000 cash prize, she might just be able to save the farm from its financial woes. There’s just one problem. To make the farm seem like a romantic destination for the holidays, she lied on the application and said she owns Lovelight Farms with her boyfriend. Only… there is no boyfriend. Enter best friend Luka Peters. He just came home for some hot chocolate, and somehow got a farm and a serious girlfriend in the process.
My Thoughts: Yanno what? This was the perfect “Christmas in July” type of romance I was hoping for and am glad I picked up. It was a friends-to-lovers storyline and I just thoroughly enjoyed my time with it. Stella is such a down-to-earth main character and I loved that although she had a whimsical spirit about her, it didn’t come off as immature. Her personality struck the perfect balance between dreamer, strategic business woman, imperfect 30-something, and genuinely caring person. Similarly with Luka, he was just so freaking thoughtful all the time, but it felt natural - not forced. Which made it easy for me to fall fast and hard for this book boyfriend lol. The two together were GOALS. Not only as a couple but as best friends too. The way they knew each other on such a deep level and knew the perfect way to support the other in times of need had my heart melting. Not to mention, their strong emotional connection translated through to the sexual tension and spicier scenes sprinkled throughout this book too. The side characters - such as Beckett and Layla - made this story so much more fun and really brought Lovelight Farms to life. I wasn’t expecting a mystery subplot and although it’s pretty clear who the culprit is early on, it was still a creative way to add another dynamic to this Christmas-themed rom-com. The small thing that irked me is that one character doesn’t have their epiphany until the book is almost over and although it doesn’t last long, I wasn’t expecting them to be so un-self aware after everything that happened in this book. That said, I was glad everything was handled so maturely between the two characters because it truly reflected all of their growth. I honestly think this is a great read for people who go absolutely bonkers for Christmas and those who don’t mind a little touch of Christmas in a romance story. :)
That’s all I’ve got for July!
I don’t have any plans on the types of books I’m going to read in August. We’re truly just going to be reading on vibes only lol.
2022 Book Count: 133
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YOUR TURN! What has been your favorite summer read thus far?
