Looking back on my July reading, I am not wild about any of. WOW. With that opening line, this blog post is sure to be a smash. **Eye roll**
Reading view most of the month
Meh
The Hawthorne Legacy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes: I am kind of into this YA thriller series **Audio
Everything Sweet Is Bitter by Samantha Crewson: This has good reviews and generated a lot of pre-pub buzz, but I did not love any of the characters, and the story was kind of boring/ trope heavy. **Audio **2025
Veronica Ruiz Breaks the Bank by Elle Cosimano: Cute. *Audio
Mark Twain by Ron Chernow: Ugh I WANTED to like this because I think Twain is fascinating, but it was SUCH a slog. And! Chernow was extremely preoccupied with the Clemmons family as enslavers in the south and he wanted to, like, repudiate Twain in a weird way. But then! He would say something that totally erased race and class-- like Tom Sawyer was the picture of American boyhood-- and it was just so WEIRD. Also! Twain had a thing for young girls.
The Accidental Favorite by Fran Littlewood: Ok. The premise is good (read the cover flap), but it didn't bowl me over. **2025
Great but old
Rules of Civility by Amor Towles: LOVED IT SO MUCH. *Audio
Best of the month, which is a lower bar than usual, I think
The Maid's Secret by Nita Prose: This series is growing on me. *2025
The Briar Club by Kate Quinn: Audio book is **chef's kiss** *audio **2025
Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister: Good, but I was expecting better from this author. **2025
You Don't Belong Here by Megan Miranda: A serviceable thriller **2025
Next to Heaven by James Frey: Trashy and delightful and quirkily written-- big fan. THIS review sums up the Fey controversy nicely. **2025
El Dorado Drive by Megan Abbott: Ditto (also some good characters) **2025
So Far Gone by Jess Walter: I liked this, but I was expecting to be blown away. **2025
STATS
BTM 13
Book books: 7
Kindle books 0
Audio books 6
2025 books: 10
BTY 112
Book books: 63
Kindle books: 3
Audio books: 46
2025 books: 64
