All of the Books I Read in July

I read six books in total last month. I enjoyed reading them all, but I don’t know if I loved any of them. 

Some highlights of my reading this month: four out of the six books I read were by new to me authors, one book was a debut author, two were non-fiction (which I haven’t read in a while) and two I read completely in one day.

July was another busy work month for me. At one point during the month, I realized how few consecutive days I slept in my actual bed. Some days, I’d come home so tired that I’d go to sit on my couch for a minute only to wake up there the next morning.

Am I the only one?

That busy schedule paired with crazy, endless heat waves on the east coast made retreating into AC with a book a welcomed experience.

I did most of my reading last month in Ubers, car rides and before falling into deep sleeps at the end of the day.

Here are the books I read last month

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling

I’m sooo close to finishing my reread of this series. Half Blood Prince is definitely one of my favorites in the series because you learn so much more about this world, especially the darker side.

Chemistry by Weike Wang

This book I read in one day. It’s a short, fast read about a young chemist in the middle of a bit of a mental breakdown. Through this fast paced read, we pretty much enter our unnamed narrator’s mind as she tackles trying to make sense of what her life has become. If you’re into witty writing and characters you can empathize for while being frustrated with, give this read a try.

White Fur by Jardine Libaire

I read this book weeks ago and I’m still not completely sure how I feel about it. I can say for sure that I did not like the ending. The beginning pages draw you quickly and I expected the ending and resolution to be just as impactful. Sadly, it fell short for me. The characters in this book were amazing. Nothing about them was easy or predictable. They were complex and morally gray and bad and so good at the same time and I loved getting a peek into their story. I just wish the last 50 pages or so delivered more.

Flame in the Mist by Renee Adieh

After reading her Wrath and the Dawn series in May and June, I knew I’d be picking up this 2017 release. I absolutely adore the way that Adieh tells a story and creates complex female characters. And after reading two of her previous releases, I can definitely see here how her writing has gotten even stronger and more alluring. I had high hopes for this book, which it mostly delivered, but hope that the next book in the series makes me feel a bit more connected to the characters.

Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon

Another quick, one day read perfect for any creative who needs a budge to get back into creation mode. I tabbed so many pages with good points and solid reminders for when I’m in a bit of a creative rut. I’ll be reading the follow up book sometime in August and will do a separate review on the pair.

The Rules Do Not Apply by Ariel Levy

This memoir was incredibly raw, real and heartbreaking. I was in love with Levy’s writing style and tempted to buy more of her work just to keep experiencing her story telling. This book is the story of dealing with grief, of questioning who you are and sometimes hating it and how our relationships and losses impact us.

What books did you read last month that you loved? Any books that you disliked? Share them below in the comments and as always, follow me on Goodreads to see what I’m reading and how I’m rating books.