July was an exciting month for me!! My family and I did our first (at home) summer camp! You can be assured it won't be our last either. So on top of my usual reads, I had some camp reads, childrens books, and my usual ARCs. Hamilton has also invaded, so expect some Hamilton adjacent reading to come! This was also my first month doing a monthly reading challenge that an author I enjoy releases in her newsletter each month. (You can sign up for that here.)
Christmas at Bayberry | Bourbon Bliss | Boyfriend Material | The Yellow House Mystery | The Camp-Out Mystery | Tiny T. Rex and the Impossible Hug | Ming's Christmas Wishes | The Safe Place | Theirs for the Night | The Summer Camp Mystery | The Black Flamingo | A Sweet Mess | Mystery Ranch | Tea & Treachery
Standout Book
Bourbon Bliss did something to my heart! I can't talk a ton about this since it is the fourth book in the Bootleg Spring series, but if you are a fan of sweet romances you have to try this. It can be a bit steamy, but it is also a story of overcoming, finding yourself, and learning to work through boundaries. If you aren't reading this series, you need to!
Honorable Mention
I heard about The Black Flamingo in regard to the representation and a look into drag culture. This was so much more than that. I did choice to listen to this in audiobook format since it is read by the author, which I think if that is an option for you then you should. I don't often read about a character discovering their identity in this way and that may be something I explore a little more in the future.
Books for Kids
I love dinosaurs. I can't say I know all the facts, but cute dinosaurs get me every time. So naturally, Tiny T. Rex and the Impossible Hug was just the cutest thing ever!!! If you have little ones, I highly recommend giving this one a try. It was a really precious story of friendship and caring for others.
ARCs Read
Y’all know I can’t resist anything Christmas and Hallmark. I was so excited when Hallmark posted Christmas in Bayberry to Netgalley. It’s Christmas in July with this quintessential holiday romance. I always love the festive holiday settings and characters who have a change of heart. Sparks fly when Wes is asked to return to Bayberry again per request of his boss, not expecting his school crush to be the owner's niece of the business he is sent to evaluate. Of course, you can expect Christmas lights twinkling and snow falling as they are both faced with decisions about what they want in their future. There is nothing like hallmark Christmas to get me away from reality! If you are looking for the book that checks all the boxes for Christmas, this is definitely it!Fake dating in London? M/M romance? Sign me up! Thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca I was able to read this. Although this didn't blow me away, I still enjoyed it. I think what held me back was something personal for me; however, what I did love was the diverse characters, the found family, and just how relatable the characters are. I was impressed that the lack of communication was used in a way that I could appreciate when it is usually something I cannot read.
Two Christmas books in July? Why do you sound so shocked? I must applaud Shadow Mountain Publishing for this stunning book. I am always looking for children's books I can read to my little ones. The colors and illustrations are so beautiful. I can't wait to get a final copy and dive into the cultural differences from ourselves with my family this Christmas. We love learning about how others celebrate.
Next up is The Safe Place. I decided to shift gears a little with this one and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books didn't let me down! It was one of those that kept me on the edge of my seat for the last several chapters. I was blown away with the ending, especially for a debut author. Twisted doesn't begin to cover it. If you are a fan of slow-building suspense that lets you inside the motives of the characters, you should pick this one up.
A Sweet Mess was the cute little culinary romance I needed without even knowing it! The only drawback that I had was how insta-love it began, but the characters were met with a lot of adversity that they had to overcome. Their communication was lacking, but their chemistry was amazing! If you are looking for a book with a description that will make you drool, look no farther. The food in this sounded phenomenal.
If you have been around for a while you will know my love for tea centered cozy mysteries. Kensington Books and Netgalley blessed me with an arc of just such a book. It had all the makings for something I should love, but I struggled to connect to it. It took me a while to get through it; however, it did keep me guessing until the end. The leads and number of possibilities were a tangled mess at times, but I never saw the who coming.
My reading may have been all over the board this month, but it turned out to be a great reading month! I have big plans for the month of August, including my N.E.W.T.s, which I will be doing a separate post on since there are some changes surrounding that readathon. What was your favorite read in July? What are you looking forward to picking up next?
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