July 2024
I’ve been reading so much, but I don’t always feel like writing a full review for everything. I was inspired by Modern Mrs. Darcy’s Quick Lit posts, as well as Hannah at So Obsessed With‘s monthly Quick Lit posts, and decided to do something similar as a way to briefly discuss the books I read in a month but don’t write full reviews for.
My July reading was up a bit from June: I read 12 books and with one major exception, I liked or loved them all:
Middle of the Night, Riley Sager (purchased) – 4⭐
I always have fun reading a Riley Sager book, and I always read them as soon as they arrive! I loved this premise and setting. I really enjoyed the mystery and delving into Ethan’s past while he tries to figure out what really happened. As usual with most of Riley Sager’s books, I thought this one had at least one too many twists, but I still had fun reading it, and am already looking forward to his next book.
Craft: Stories I Wrote for the Devil, Ananda Lima (library) – 4⭐
This was a really interesting collection of short stories, against a background story of the writer encountering the devil at a party.
Moonflower Murders, Anthony Horowitz (purchased) – 4⭐
I enjoyed this so much! Anthony Horowitz has become one of my favourite writers, and I loved that he has once again written an engaging mystery that contains another engaging mystery within! This was a fun, twisty story and I’m so excited to learn that there will be a third Susan Ryeland book in the future!
Knock Knock, Open Wide, Neil Sharpson (library) – 3⭐
This started out as such a fantastically creepy read, but overall it felt too long and with too much going on. It had such a strong start but it didn’t feel like the story was able to maintain that level of dread and tension beyond that point.
Slow Horses, Mick Herron (purchased) – 4⭐
I read this because I heard the TV adaption was really good, and of course I wanted to read the book before watching the show. I loved this book! It was fast-paced, twisty, funnier than I expected, and had characters that felt distinct from each other. I loved seeing the ‘slow horses’ work together and as soon as I finished this I bought the rest of the series (and side note, the TV show is definitely worth watching!).
Dead Lions, Mick Herron (purchased) – 4⭐
Once I finished Slow Horses, I moved on to the next book in the series. While I once again loved the humour and the characters, I did find this plot more difficult to follow and more convoluted. That said, it was still a fun read, and I think the adaptation made changes for TV that made it much easier for me to follow along.
Real Tigers, Mick Herron (purchased) – 4⭐
I enjoyed this much more than book two (which, while still a four-star read, remains my low point in the series). It centred one of my favourite characters (Catherine), and gave some background information I’d been really wanting about her and Jackson Lamb. And as soon as I finished this, I started reading book four!
Spook Street, Mick Herron (purchased) – 4⭐
I think I’ve been saying since book two that every book I read in this series is my new favourite, and that was definitely the case here! This entry resolved around River and his grandfather, and I cannot wait to see the upcoming season of the TV show, which will be an adaptation of this book. The relationships between some of the characters were strengthened and I have loved getting to know the slow horses better in each book.
The Plot Twist, Victoria Walters (purchased) – 3⭐
I was looking for something light and fun to read and this was a good pick. I loved the setting and while second chance romance is not a trope I typically love, I did enjoy seeing Stevie and Noah reconnect. Ultimately, this felt a little too fluffy for my liking, but it was a sweet, easy read.
Butcher and Blackbird, Brynne Weaver (library) – 3.5⭐
I was so intrigued by this because so many bookish people I know or follow online loved it, and the serial killer element definitely attracted the part of my brain that likes a dark and messy book! The romance was spicy and a bit insta-love (at least for one of them) but what I really loved were the scenes where Sloane and Rowan met up for their annual competition. It felt like reading something taken from a horror movie! There were scenes that reminded me of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Hannibal Lecter, etc. But I found Sloane’s BFF Lark insufferable which makes it really unlikely that I’ll read the sequel, which tells Lark’s story.
First Lie Wins, Ashley Elston (Libro.fm) – 3⭐
I read this as an audiobook, as part of a Libro.fm trial. I always say that I struggle with audiobooks, because I have such a hard time following a story without seeing the words, but I am determined to keep trying until I find a way to make them work for me! So I thought this would be a good book to try this way since it was a mystery on my TBR. This was just okay for me overall. I really didn’t care for the narrator, but I also found the story to be kind of predictable and full of plot conveniences that benefited the main character. I seem to be in the minority though, as I know lots of readers who loved this book.
Haunting Adeline, H.D. Carlton (Kindle Unlimited) – 1⭐
Well. The less said about this the better. I will say that I gave it a read because I was surprised by how much I enjoyed Butcher and Blackbird, and thought maybe I would give another ‘dark romance’ a shot. I had a Kindle Unlimited trial and this was really highly rated and in the top twenty for KU books. But oh my gosh, this book was so so bad, and ended on such a maddening cliffhanger. It includes a r*pey male love interest, utterly bland characters, awful writing, and what felt like pretty thinly veiled Q*non fanfiction…do not waste your time! Or do and then watch Cindy’s two-part rant and laugh along with me!
Well that’s what I read last month! What have you been reading?
