July 2025
I don’t always feel like writing a full review for everything. I was inspired by Modern Mrs. Darcy’s 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.
July was a great reading month for me! I finished 12 books, and have reviewed a few of them already:
The Underhistory, Kaaron Warren;
Night Watcher, Daphne Woolsoncroft; and
Not Quite Dead Yet, Holly Jackson.
Here are my thoughts on the rest of my July reads!
We Live Here Now, Sarah Pinborough (purchased) – 4⭐
I have been hit or miss with Sarah Pinborough’s books so wasn’t quite sure what to expect with this one, but it was a fun read! I thought it went in an unexpected direction, and it would make a great fall / spooky season read!
The Lies I Tell, Julie Clark (library) – 3⭐
This was fine. It was a decent read, but not my favourite of Julie Clark’s. It made some time jumps / omissions that I found strange, and I didn’t initially find Kat’s story all that compelling, but it came together nicely in the end.
Old Money, Kelsey Miller (e-ARC) – 3⭐
This was fine. I liked the mystery but nothing about the characters or the writing stood out to me.
Graveyard Shift, M.L. Rio (purchased) – 3⭐
This was a neat little novella. I actually think this could have been stretched out into something longer, because I would have liked to get to know the characters some more. This felt like it ended right when it was picking up steam.
Gothic, Philip Fracassi (e-ARC) – 3⭐
This had a great premise, and I loved the creepy, spooky atmosphere, but in terms of story and character, it left me wanting more.
How to Survive a Horror Story, Mallory Arnold (e-ARC) – 2.5⭐
I wanted to love this! The premise sounded great! But I felt like the characters lacked depth and while it was a quick read, it isn’t one that will stick with me.
The Treasure Hunters Club, Tom Ryan (borrowed) – 4⭐
What a hidden gem! I read this for book club and was expecting a quaint, small town mystery, but there is much more than that going on! It also took a turn I never expected, which was such a pleasant surprise. This was a delightful read!
Kill Creatures, Rory Powers (e-ARC) – 3.5⭐
This was a quick, propulsive read at first, and I couldn’t put it down. I really enjoyed the first half, but the second half didn’t maintain the pacing, and I found the ending and reveals kind of unsatisfying. This is more of a thriller than a horror or mystery, in my opinion, but if that’s what you’re looking for, this is a good pick.
A Kind of Paradise, Amy Rebecca Tan (e-ARC) – 4⭐
This was an incredibly sweet middle grade read that is also a love letter to libraries!
What have you been reading lately?
