Books #44

[Chocolategoggler]

My July reads:

The stand-out book of the month was The Other Bennett sister which I would have given 10 out of 5 if it had let me.
I've already detailed what I thought of it.
My second place book would be A Time Of Peace. I've really enjoyed this book series.
I know I've been banging on about reducing the number of books I have which has meant having to re-read all my book, so I don't accidentally throw out a hidden gem. I found the first book in the series in my bookcase and would have pitched it just looking at the book, and thank God I didn't.
My third place would go to The Good, The Bad and the Healthy which has helped in my quest of overhauling my diet this year.
The rest of the books I can't remember and would need a memory jog, but as I've given such high stars they must have been good - the 4.5 stars especially. I must have really enjoyed them.
The Cathy Bramley DNF was more down to the narrator of the audio book I think, which made it quite plodding.
If I'd only known I was going to forget what the books were about I'd have reviewed them before month end, but then maybe I already have on here?
I can only put it down to the sleep deprivation I've had this month.
I've another 3 books to get through before I pick up another 8 from the library so the treadmill is real.
Unless they are so brilliant I whizz through them in just over a week!
Sorry for waffling on.

ETA. I've just remembered the Emma book was a sequel to A Woman Of Substance.

 

[LaBlonde]

my july reads

long island compromise-taffy brodessor-akner
welcome to glorious tuga - francesca segal
great big beautiful life - emily henry
my name is lucy barton - elizabeth strout
my friends - fredrik backman

slightly meh month and i think backman’s style is really starting to grate on me sadly 🥲

 

[CommentBelow]

I think many of us will have experienced the benefits of reading to our wellbeing and I'm all for anything which can help someone in an era where mental health resources are so difficult to access.

However.... charging £100 to basically recommend someone a list of books vaguely related to their personal problems is a grift and a half if you ask me.

This thread does that for free!

 

[Blueblue123]

My July reads

Strange Houses — Uketsu 3.75/5
Really enjoyed this, but I thought Strange Pictures was better there were times it felt like it was trying too hard to be mysterious, Strange Pictures felt more authentic. I did like the storyline

Five by Ilona Bannister — 4/5
This was a good, unique read. Five main characters who you know will die by the end of the book, but you don't know who. It almost makes the reader decide who they would want or be least bothered by dying but most of the characters have flaws or reasons you should want to "save" them so it's a bit of an emotional ride

The Husbands by Holly Gramazio — 3.5/5 (audiobook)
Fun but I felt like a huge chunk of the middle could have been left out. I get part of the point was to show that finding love can feel like settling or wondering how things could have been but I don't think the MC needed to go through that many husbands to prove that

Dissection of a Murder by Jo McCready — 3.75/5 (audiobook)
I gave my review in the Book Club Thread (which was unpopular) and this thread, enjoyed overall but my mind wasn't blown like others seemed to be.

Party of Liars by Kelsey James — 3.5/5
Your standard "someone dies but who's the victim/bad guy?" plot and domestic thriller. Kept me interested.

Victorian Psycho by Virginia Feito — 3.75/5
This was good. I liked the mix of horror and dry humour.

Drowning by T.J. Newman — 4.25/5
I've heard good things about it but didn't expect to enjoy it once I passed the first few chapters. Some of the technical language lost me but the story itself definitely evoked emotion and a little fear.

The Nine Night Mystery by Sharna Jackson — 3/5 (audiobook)
I wasn't sure if this was YA. It read like one, the story dragged a bit but it was fine.

The Husband by Darren O’Sullivan — 3.75/5
I enjoyed this more than I expected. I guessed some of the story but there were still some good twists and it was quite emotional in parts.

 

[AllieBee]

My July reads. What a wholly disappointing month. I loved Dissesction of a Murder, enjoyed The Hike, and everything else was bad to mediocre.

 

[BWGossip]

My only fiction in July is half of Beach Read which I won't finish (nice "enemy to lover" and interesting back story with the dad/main character but the writing doesn't do much for me)

Don't know why I can't focus on any fiction books since 2026... I have False Colours and Frederica by Georgette Heyer on my TBR for August, if it doesn't unblock the reading slump nothing else will.

 

[veronica71]

My only fiction in July is half of Beach Read which I won't finish (nice "enemy to lover" and interesting back story with the dad/main character but the writing doesn't do much for me)

Don't know why I can't focus on any fiction books since 2026... I have False Colours and Frederica by Georgette Heyer on my TBR for August, if it doesn't unblock the reading slump nothing else will.

I think one of the reasons I love Hello Beautiful so much was that it was fiction and I really struggle with fiction nowadays. Do you read a lot of non fiction. I find one non fiction book leads to ten more every time

 

[Hannahebee]

My July Reads:

Death On The Down Beat 5/10
Murder Of A Lady 4/10
Surfeit Of Suspects 7/10
The Belting Inheritance 6/10
Final Acts Theatrical Mysteries 6/10

 

[SaintLeo]

My July reads (how are we at the end of another month already?!) All pretty good to be honest! Favourites were probably -

Introducing Mrs Collins - I do love anything Jane Austin adjacent and this was good, but did feel a bit predictable with a couple of convenient coincidences in the plot! Enjoyable though.

Project Hail Mary - can see why this has had so much hype and there were so many things I loved, especially Rocky related. But, as someone who has a very basic level of scientific knowledge at best, some passages about the technical stuff were just word salad! I kind of got the gist but ended up skimming bits, so can’t say I was always totally immersed in it. Looking forward to watching the film now.

 

[Mamacita]

I average 2-3 books a month this year and tbh I'm fine with that so here's my June and July

The Cypress Maze- Fiona Valpy
The Handmaid's Tale- Margaret Atwood
The Picture of Dorian Gray- O Wilde
Project Hail Mary- Andy Weir
Dark Matter- Blake Crouch

 

[Harlot O'Scara]

July Reads:

Harlequin
Strange Houses
The Mitford Girls
Reactor
The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle
The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat

I'd originally given Evelyn Hardcastle 3* but revised it down after thinking about it a bit more.

Reactor is incredibly silly, like the book version of one of those ludicrous action movies starring WWE wrestlers you'd find at the bottom of Netflix. It was still way more entertaining than Evelyn Hardcastle

 

[daisynoon]

Some books I loved this month (Mariana particularly!), and some books which were fun to read as part of a series. Any other Elizabeth Taylor (the author!) fans? I really liked A View of the Harbour - she can be really devastating.

I enjoyed Whistler, more than The Dutch House, slightly less than Three Days in June.

 

[shivorny]

I started The Family Friend by Claire Douglas on Tuesday, had a laparoscopy on that day so I now have some valuable time off to recover and read.

I've not got that far into it, but christ I cannot stand her irritating twot of a boyfriend.

 

[AllieBee]

I started The Family Friend by Claire Douglas on Tuesday, had a laparoscopy on that day so I now have some valuable time off to recover and read.

I've not got that far into it, but christ I cannot stand her irritating twot of a boyfriend.

I usually love a Claire Douglas book but this one fell really flat for me. I think i gave it 3/5 in the end.

 

[emmer_moans]

I'm trying so hard with the CC books, book one took an age to get into and then I flew through it, but book 2 seems to be back to the same struggle with new characters! I read TOG book one and could not care less about any of the characters, I just need to be back in Valaris

I am looking forward to being back in Velaris too I miss the Bat Boys

 

[Chocolategoggler]

My July reads (how are we at the end of another month already?!) All pretty good to be honest! Favourites were probably -

Introducing Mrs Collins - I do love anything Jane Austin adjacent and this was good, but did feel a bit predictable with a couple of convenient coincidences in the plot! Enjoyable though.

Project Hail Mary - can see why this has had so much hype and there were so many things I loved, especially Rocky related. But, as someone who has a very basic level of scientific knowledge at best, some passages about the technical stuff were just word salad! I kind of got the gist but ended up skimming bits, so can’t say I was always totally immersed in it. Looking forward to watching the film now.

Oh! I loved Introducing Mrs Collins and am massively trying to justify to myself why I should buy it and add to the excessive number of books I own, when I'm trying to downsize.

 

[Chocolategoggler]

I've just read something shocking about the future of books in another thread.
Makes me glad I'm keeping my book collection rather than completely getting rid of everything, as I was previously being encouraged to do.
Not to sound dramatic, but I'm feeling a bit devastated at what is being allowed.
Luckily at least some bookshops are catching on and questioning these "purchases".
I'll try and bring it over to here.

ETA. Hopefully this works, but it starts from this message here:

Discontent #16 food, energy, transport, cost of living, society etc

The £2 bus cap for all single fares is fine if you’re taking a longer journey but on shorter journeys around towns it’s still too much. Currently a single journey from the centre of my town to near where I live is £2.80 and it’s only a couple of stops (I can’t manage it because I’ve got...

tattle.life

 

[Booklover]

Can you tell I'm on holiday! I've read 7 books this month. And mostly 5 star ones too! Highly recommend all of them.

 

[Multi-21]

I usually love a Claire Douglas book but this one fell really flat for me. I think i gave it 3/5 in the end.

I didn’t like The New Neighbours which makes me a bit reluctant to read her new ones. I guess it is hard to constantly come up with new and clever twists

 

[AllieBee]

I didn’t like The New Neighbours which makes me a bit reluctant to read her new ones. I guess it is hard to constantly come up with new and clever twists

I know it really puts you off doesnt it. Yet some authors like Lisa Jewell just seem to get better and better.