July 2022 Reading Wrap-Up

Between traveling with my boys and spending lots of time outdoors with family & friends, I only ended up reading five books this month. That said, they all packed a punch in one way or another and I couldn’t have been happier with what I was able to fit in! I don’t have a “least favorite” book this month either…I genuinely loved each of them, all for different reasons. Here’s a wrap-up of what I read (click on the links for detailed reviews of each).

Book Lovers, by Emily Henry was the first book I read in July and ohmiword…what an INCREDIBLE start to the month! There was nothing I didn’t love about this one. This is the first Emily Henry book I’ve read, but definitely won’t be my last. From the characters to the storyline and all the witty banter in between, Book Lovers was perfection. It was giving definite Gilmore Girls/Stars Hollow vibes, so if you’re a fan of Lorelai and Rory and the small town charm of SH, I definitely think you’ll love this one. 5/5 stars.

I finished Nora Goes Off Script, by Anabel Monaghan in one sitting. Charming, completely unrealistic, and simply unputdownable. A darling rom com that reminded me of the movie, “Win a Date with Tad Hamilton“. My only complaint about this book is that it wasn’t longer. I could’ve devoured 1,000 more pages of Nora and Leo. As cheesy as this one might have been, I couldn’t love it more. 5/5 enthusiastic stars.

I was on a rom com kick at this point and reached for Back in the Burbs after the other two. This was such a fun read! So much more than a rom com, too. This story finds the main character, Mallory, really coming into her own after a series of personal setbacks. I loved the characters and the banter between them. This one made me laugh out loud. Funny and endearing, this is definitely a darling read!! 4/5 stars.

Because I’m fascinated by the Anna Delvey/Inventing Anna story and scam culture in general, I decided to give in to the hype and pick up my own copy of Cover Story, by Susan Rigetti. Different than any other books I’ve read in a while, Cover Story is written in epistolary form. Everything the reader is told is shared from the perspective of letters, emails, and diary entries. This one was pretty well paced, but did drag in certain parts. The ending was WILD and still has me thinking. Well written, captivating storyline, and a twist I didn’t anticipate. If crazy con artist type scams/scammers interest you like they do me, I think you’ll really enjoy this one. Just make sure someone reads it with you so you can discuss the ending. WOW. 4 out of 5 stars.

The book I didn’t have on my radar, but had a profound impact was Last Summer on State Street, by Toya Wolfe. One of my favorite BookTok’ers raved about this one and I couldn’t press “buy now” fast enough. I listened to this one on Audible and highly recommend the audiobook version (the narrator was fantastic!). While the book is relatively short (6 hours on audiobook, around 200 pages to read), it packs a heavy punch. A YA novel that truly reads more like a memoir. A coming of age story about a 12-year-old girl and her three friends during pivotal summer in the Robert Taylor Homes housing projects in Chicago and how that summer shaped their lives. Heartbreakingly beautiful and poignant. A MUST read (and an excellent selection for a book club pick). This is one debut novel you don’t want to miss. If you’re a fan of Jacqueline Woodson & Brit Barrett, I think you’ll love Toya Wolfe just as much. 4.5 / 5 stars.

Can’t wait to see what August has in store for me. Bring on the books!