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Ashley’s July Haul and Wrap Up

08.01.2021 by Ashley // Leave a Comment

In July I read 23 books.  I felt a little bit slumpy this month, but it’s still a pretty good amount of books read.  I read some pretty good books too so I can’t complain.  You’ll find everything I read and hauled this month below the cut.

Books I hauled in July:

  • The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones
  • Blackout by Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon
  • Sisters of the Snake by Sasha and Sareena Nanua
  • The Taking of Jake Livingston by Ryan Douglas
  • A Stitch in Time by Kelley Armstrong
  • Ace of Spades by Faridah Abike-Iyimide
  • The Atlas Six by Olivia Blake
  • They’ll Never Catch Us by Jessica Goodman
  • Small Favors by Erin A. Craig
  • Gods & Monsters by Shelby Mahurin

Here’s everything that I read in July:

1. Resistance by Val McDermid

Rating: 4 Stars

Format: eBook

Review: I have a full review of this up on the blog here.

2. Stars, Hide Your Fire by Kel McDonald

Rating: 4 Stars

Format: eBook

Review: There will be a full review of this up on the blog closer to its October pub date.

3. The Odyssey by Gareth Hinds

Rating: 4 Stars

Format: Physical Copy

Review: This was a really good adaptation.  I liked the art style because it was clear who was who and what was happening at any given moment in the story.  I liked the structure of it, and really felt that it did the story justice.  If you’re not keen on reading the whole of the actual epic poem, this is a good way to get into it.

4. Displacement by Kiku Hughes

Rating: 5 Stars

Format: Physical Copy

Review: I loved this graphic novel.  It was really beautiful in both the art style and the story line.  I really enjoyed the structure of Kiku going back in time accidentally, and it was interesting to see her learn more about her personal history.  There were good parallels from the history of the story to the modern story line.  Overall, I was just really moved by the story and I highly recommend it.

5. The Truth App by Jack Heath

Rating: 4 Stars

Format: Physical Copy

Review: This was a super fast paced story and I quite liked it.  I could see it being really good for people who need the story to get started right away.  The book just throws you into the chain of events, and then things only keep escalating.  I really quite liked it.

6. The Girl From the Sea by Molly Knox Ostertag

Rating: 5 Stars

Format: Physical Copy

Review: This graphic novel was so cute.  I loved watching the main character grow from who she was at the start of the book to the end.  She really came into who she was. The art was absolutely gorgeous, and I loved each character’s design.  They’re super cute.  The romance was adorable as well.  I highly recommend this.

7. Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera

Rating: 4 Stars

Format: Physical Copy

Review: I haven’t read the novel this graphic novel was adapted from, but I still found myself really enjoying the graphic novel.  It was really beautifully illustrated and the storyline was still really clear.  I quite liked how it was adapted.

8. Icarus by Gregory A. Wilson

Rating: 3 Stars

Format: eBook

Review: There is a full review of this up on the blog here.

9. Savage: The Wild by Max Bemis

Rating: 3 Stars

Format: eBook

Review: There is a full review of this up on the blog here.

10. They Wish They Were Us by Jessica Goodman

Rating: 4 Stars

Format: Physical Copy

Review: This was an intriguing mystery.  I’m really glad that I read it.  I liked the secret society aspects of it and how the main character grappled with what it’s given to her versus what it’s taken away.  I liked that it kept me guessing.  It was definitely a slower paced mystery, but I still had a good time reading it.

11. Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Rating: 4 Stars

Format: Audiobook

Review: This was an interesting book.  I didn’t love it as much as I’ve loved some of TJR’s other books, but I still had fun listening to it.  I liked the structure of focusing on one night in the present timeline of the book while also learning about the family’s history.  I liked the dynamics of the family and how messy things were for them.  I also liked seeing them grow.

12. The Dead and the Dark by Courtney Gould

Rating: 5 Stars

Format: eBook

Review: There will be a full review of this up on the blog closer to its publication date.

13. Wild and Crooked by Leah Thomas

Rating: 4 Stars

Format: Physical Copy

Review: I really enjoyed this story.  I liked the two points of views that we got, and both characters were really interesting to me.  The storyline was messy and complicated, but I found it really enjoyable.  I liked the complicated relationships whether they were friend or family.

14. My Contrary Mary by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows

Rating: 4 Stars

Format: Audiobook

Review: There is a full review of this up on the blog here.

15. The Body Snatchers and Other Stories by Robert Louis Stevenson

Rating: 4 Stars

Format: Audiobook

Review: I really enjoyed the short stories included in this collection.  They were really well written and quite ominous.  I don’t have a ton to say, but overall I was quite pleased with this collection.

16. Van Helsing vs Dracula’s Daughter by Raven Gregory

Rating: 3 Stars

Format: eBook

Review: There is a full review of this up on the blog here.

17. The Henna Wars by Adiba Jaigirdar

Rating: 4 Stars

Format: Audiobook

Review: I found this to be a cute story.  The teens did some things that they probably shouldn’t, but that’s something that often happens with teens.  I liked the way the protagonist’s family came to accept her sexuality after being so against it at the start.  I also liked the competition aspect of the story.  I also appreciated the slow burn.

18. White Hot Kiss by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Rating: 4 Stars

Format: Physical Copy

Review: This was an interesting book.  I enjoyed the writing, and I also enjoyed the romance.  It was a compelling story, and I’m intrigued enough to continue on with the series.  There were some good twists and turns.

19. The Desolations of Devil’s Acre by Ransom Riggs

Rating: 4 Stars

Format: Audiobook

Review: This was a good conclusion to the series.  It was fast paced and definitely interesting.  I liked seeing how certain events came to pass, and I enjoyed the development in various characters.  I was excited to see how it ended and I definitely wasn’t disappointed by the end of it.

20. The Last House Guest by Megan Miranda

Rating: 4 Stars

Format: Physical Copy

Review: I found the premise of The Last House Guest intriguing.  The main character was really interesting to me and it was cool to read about how she had grown.  I really found myself feeling for her because it must have been so hard for her to lose her friend and then be suspected of her murder.  I liked reading about her investigating what happened.  The story really kept me guessing at every turn.  I was pleased with the resolution of the story.  However, I did find some of the writing a bit choppy.

21. Broken Things by Lauren Oliver

Rating: 5 Stars

Format: Physical Copy

Review: Broken Things was really compelling for me.  I was really drawn into our two main character’s stories and how they dealt with the trauma of the loss of their friend and being accused in her death.  They had such a complicated relationship all around.  It was very interesting to read about.  I also really enjoyed reading how the mystery progressed as they worked together to try and figure out once and for all what really happened.  I wanted to devour this in one sitting but sleep needed to happen.  I highly recommend it.

22. They’ll Never Catch Us by Jessica Goodman

Rating: 4 Stars

Format: Physical Copy

Review: This was an interesting mystery.  I think my favourite part was the complicated dynamic between Stella and Ellie.  They loved each other, but they didn’t always get along and sometimes they hated each other.  The characters all felt really real.  I also really enjoyed how certain characters turned out to not be what you thought.  It was really interesting to read about.  I also quite liked the commentary on sports and the pressure put on athletes.  This is definitely one to check out.

23. Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco

Rating: 4 Stars

Format: Audiobook

Review: Overall, I had a really good time listening to this audiobook.  There were some parts of it that had some really cool background sound effects that really added to the ambience of the story.  Story wise I liked it.  The pacing felt right and I liked the overall plot.  Emilia was an interesting character.  However, I didn’t like that it was pretty vague when it came to setting.

And that’s everything that I read and hauled in July.  What did you read? What books did you buy?

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Filed Under: Ashley, Book Hauls, Wrap Ups Tagged: book, book haul, book review, books, contemporary, fantasy, fiction, graphic novel, haul, historical fiction, mystery, opinion, reader, reading, reading wrap up, reads, review, Reviews, thoughts, ya, young adult

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Ashley’s Goodreads

The Complete Works
The Complete Works
by William Shakespeare
The First Part of the Contention Between the Two Famous Houses of York and Lancaster, &c., 1594
The First Part of the Contention Between the Two Famous Houses of York and Lancaster, &c., 1594
by William Shakespeare
All the Stars and Teeth
All the Stars and Teeth
by Adalyn Grace
I Am Still Alive
I Am Still Alive
by Kate Alice Marshall
Blood of Elves
Blood of Elves
by Andrzej Sapkowski

goodreads.com

Kari’s Goodreads

The Name of the Wind
The Name of the Wind
by Patrick Rothfuss
Contagion
Contagion
by Erin Bowman
Crown of Midnight
Crown of Midnight
by Sarah J. Maas
Queen of Shadows
Queen of Shadows
by Sarah J. Maas
Ruthless Gods
Ruthless Gods
by Emily A. Duncan

goodreads.com

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