Hey, guys! I am super excited to talk about all of the books I read in July and August. There are no books included in June because I did not read a single Book that month. I was insanely busy. I was working forty hours a week, I got a cat, I went on vacation, etc. But anyway, I did enjoy the vast majority of the books that I read over these two months, and I think I read a good variety of books as well. Let’s just go ahead and jump right in!
The first book I read in July was Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott.
This is the novelization of the movie that released this year, which I still have not seen. It is told in dual perspectives between a girl named Stella who has cystic fibrosis and a boy named Will who has burkholderia cepacia, which (to my understanding) is something that is a mutation of CF, or something along those lines, that is incurable, so even new lungs won’t save the person suffering from this. Those with CF and b. cepacia cannot touch, so the general rule is they have to be six feet apart at all times. This is a love story between Will and Tessa who take back an extra foot of space between them, remaining five feet apart. I think this book was okay, but it wasn’t my favorite. I didn’t really connect to any of the characters, but I do appreciate the effort to raise awareness for CF. I ended up giving it 3.5/5 stars.
The next book I read was How to Make a Wish by Ashley Herring Blake.
This is one of my favorite books I have read so far this year. It follows two girls, Grace and Eva, as they try to navigate through love and life, one dealing with an alcoholic mother and the other dealing with the loss of one. This book just had really great diversity and conversations about sexuality and race that I think is super important. Eva is of a mixed-race, her mother being black and her father being white, and she is also gay while Grace is bisexual. I loved seeing the love story between these two and the complicated relationship between Grace and her mother, and it was just a really great book. I did review this, and I gave it 5/5 stars.
The next book I read was The Girls by Emma Cline.
This is a book about the Manson Family murders, but it is in more of a historical fiction setting. All of the names have been changed but it is the same story of what happened. I really wanted to love this, but it just was kind of a let down for me. The story seemed kind of boring and like it wasn’t really going to go anywhere. However, there were also parts of the book that I knew were spot on for the cult and the mindset of being in the cult that I thought was super interesting. However, a good portion of the beginning of the book doesn’t even take place when Evie is in the cult as it is told in dual timelines of her as an adult and when she was starting to get into the cult. I was kind of pulled in two different directions when it comes to the book in general, so I gave it 3.5/5 stars
The next book I read was Hex Hall by Rachael Hawkins.
This is a book that follows a witch named Sophie who after yet another magickal stunt is sent to a boarding school to help reform not only problem witches and warlocks but also shapeshifters and faeries. This is a book that I think I would have enjoyed a lot more if I were in high school. It was just kind of cliche for me in a lot of ways and utilized tropes in a way I wasn’t a fan of, and the entire book was basically fanfiction for Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets with some Percy Jackson thrown in for good measure. It was predictable in a way that was a little bit too obvious. I don’t think it a bad book, but it just wasn’t my cup of tea. I did review this, and I gave it 3.5/5 stars.
The next book I read was Just Listen by Sarah Dessen.
This was a book that surprised me because I actually ended up really enjoying it. It has a trigger warning for rape, so keep that in mind, but overall it was really good! The story follows high school student and reluctant model Annabel who lost her best friend because she wouldn’t listen to Annabel about what really happened that night they had a fight. I was kind of bored in the first half of the book, but the pace picked up in the last half and it really saved the book for me. I ended up giving it 4/5 stars.
The last book I read in July was Coraline by Neil Gaiman.
This is a children’s book I had surprisingly never read. The movie absolutely terrified me as a kid (and if I’m being honest, it still does; those button eyes are creepy as hell), but I remember really loving it. This is still a spooky Halloween read that I think you can enjoy at any age, and the book was even creepier than the movie, though it was a really faithful adaptation. All you need to know about this one really is that there is a portal fantasy feel to it, people have button eyes, and it gave me nightmares as a kid. I really enjoyed it, and I gave it 3.5/5 stars,
The first book I read in August was Harley Quinn Vol. 1: Hot In the City by Jimmy Palmiotti and illustrated by Amanda Conner and Chad Hardin.
I loved this so much. Harley is so quirky and weird, but I love her so much. Best of all, she is done with the Joker in this series and has a relationship with Poison Ivy, and it is just the best time. This is funny, the art is absolutely gorgeous, and I think it’s such an interesting take on Harley Quinn’s character. Instead of a villain, she is an antihero and has a backward set of morals, which is so Harley Quinn. She is emotional and cares a lot for other people while also being a badass, and it honestly is such a great start to the series. It honestly just made me even more hyped for the Birds of Prey movie coming out next year, even if the storylines are completely unrelated. I just want to see Harley Quinn without the Joker attached to her character. Overall, I really recommend this, and I gave it 4/5 stars.
The next book I read was Paper Girls Vol. 1 by Brian K. Vaughan and illustrated by Matthew Wilson and Jared K. Fletcher.
This is a series I always wanted to get into, and I am glad that I did, though I will admit I was confused throughout most of it. I just didn’t know what the hell was going on. That was probably intentional because the characters are also going, “What the hell is going on?” It is definitely an interesting start to a science fiction series, and honestly, I just wanted to read it for the relationships and friendships between the characters. Science fiction is not normally my thing, but Brian K. Vaughan always makes it super appealing and interesting, so I am very excited to continue with the rest of the series. I ended up giving this 4/5 stars.
The last book I read was Saga Vol. 3 by Brian K. Vaughan and illustrated by Fiona Staples.
This is a reread for me because I am wanting to continue with the rest of the series, and while this certainly isn’t my favorite of the books, I am still interested to see where the rest of the series goes. This one was psychologically creepy in certain places, which I thought added an interesting element to the story. The series is about a girl named Hazel who is born of two parents of warring races, and it is illegal for them to be together essentially so they are hopping around to different planets trying to keep her safe while everyone from bounty hunters to princes is trying to capture Hazel and her family. It is adult and has adult content, so if you are under the age of eighteen, I suggest steering clear of this one. But overall, I did enjoy the reread, and I gave it 4/5 stars.
And there you have it! That was my severely overdue Summer wrap up. What was your favorite book you read this past summer? Comment down below! I would love to know. And that is going to be it for this post today. Thank you all so much for reading this, I hope you enjoyed it, and I will see you next time!
