July Reads and Reviews

July was a great month of reads! I got through a lot of books (lots sitting by the pool or while kayaking!) I also crossed off two more books from the Goodreads Winners of 2022 which is always exciting for me. Here are all the books I read this month-

Heartstopper by Alice Oseman

I read the first two books in this series because it won the Goodreads award last year, and I really enjoyed it! The books follow a British high school boy who's gay, and trying to figure out his friendships and relationships. It really captures the experience of being in school and not really knowing who you are or who you can trust, and finding yourself. I found out this is also a Netflix series so I want to check that out and keep reading the series as well!

My rating - 4.5/5

Sea of Tranquility by Emily St John Mandel

I probably would not have chosen this book on my own, but it also won a Goodreads award (for best Science Fiction). In the end, I'm glad that I did read it! This follows a few different time lines that seem to have nothing in common, but in the end it all makes sense and has a very satisfying ending. I liked all the different timelines and thought each one of them would make its own interesting book! There are also a few characters from other books by the author that show up which is always a fun treat.

My rating - 3.5/5

Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree

This is definitely not my typical read, but the premise sounded so interesting that I had to check it out! This story follows an orc who decides to give up a life of battles to open a coffee shop in a small town- where no one has heard of coffee. It's an adorable story with lots of ups and downs and the best characters- it's such a cozy little read that I think it would be perfect for fall or winter reading! Just make sure you read it with a hot mug of something and some pastries or else you'll be craving it while reading!

My rating - 4/5

Meet Me at the Lake by Carley Fortune

This was a 24 hour read for me- I absolutely devoured this and really enjoyed it! There were so many relatable parts of the story (having someone you've wondered 'what if' about, broken promises, summer love, etc) but also had some things that were a bit far fetched. I didn't really like the last conflict in the story and thought it was a little ridiculous, but the rest was perfect!

My rating - 4/5

Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld

I heard a lot of mixed reviews of this book, and that kind of mirrors my thoughts on it as well! I liked the format of this and how it was broken into three parts (even the email part I thought was clever and unique!), but I didn't like the main character at all. She was so irritating to me, especially in the third part of the book! The whole relationship came off as very juvenile to me as well, so it was kind of irritating to read this and find it believable.

My rating - 2.5/5

Love, Pamela by Pamela Anderson

I love, love, love reading celebrity memoirs, and this one was no exception. I don't know much about Pamela Anderson besides how she's portrayed in the media, so I was interested to learn more! This was a really good look at why you shouldn't judge people based on what we're told- you never know the full story or know the person's history of why choices were made. Sure- this might be a one-sided story of her life, but she seems like such a kind person with a heart of gold and seems like an amazing mother! I loved reading this and all the stories she tells- it was entertaining and a quick read.

My rating - 4/5

Audiobook

The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth - This was my bookclub pick for the month, and it was just OK. I liked the audio a lot and was excited to see what was going to happen- but it ended up dragging on for way too long and the ending wasn't satisfying at all.

DNF

A Thousand Miles by Bridget Morrissey - Got through about half of this before giving up. I didn't like the characters or believe in their relationship, and also found the whole road trip to be boring to follow.