Happy August everyone!
We’re in the midst of a quite toasty summer up here in New England, and I’m constantly in search of ice cream, air conditioning, and excuses to go swimming. (I work in an ice cream store, so that first one is rather easy to come by. Those latter two vestiges of warm-weather fun, though, they always manage to elude me!) July was a big reading month for me, as well, and I still hope to salvage the sad remains of my 2020 Reading Challenge.
I kid, I kid. But I got to nine whole books! That’s almost ten! Read-a-palooza!!
My favorite book this month was Julie Berry’s (AMAZING!) All the Truth That’s In Me. Berry, my love, writes the novel in second person, and the narrative device comes across as lyrical and poetic rather than clunky. The book has strong Scarlet Letter vibes, but it also is feminist as heck.
A close second was Rita Sepetys’ Salt to the Sea, a multi-perspective narrative chronicling the 1945 sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff. It’s a heavy read, but an important one, and Sepetys’ research and love of history shines. (Her debut novel, Between Shades of Gray, was also one of my July reads. I recommend it as well!)
If you, like me, were wowed by Julie Andrews’ iconic performance in The Princess Diaries films as a child, may I recommend Rachel Hawkins’ Prince Charming or Casey McQuiston’s Red, White, and Royal Blue? Hawkins’ novel is sweet for a younger YA audience (though I still prefer its companion, Her Royal Highness!) and McQuiston’s debut will charm anyone who has binged both The West Wing and The Crown.
As a longtime fan of the SGE books, I was disappointed with One True King. Still, it was nice to return to the favorite series of my youth! I elaborate more in my Goodreads review, if you’re interested.
My love of historical fiction grew this July with Stacey Lee’s Outrun the Moon and Natalie Jenner’s The Jane Austen Society. Both were moving and comforting depictions of friendship.
I finished this month off with Thomas C. Foster’s How to Read Literature Like a Professor. (The book was a summer reading assignment, and I adjusted my expectations accordingly.) A bit dry and limited in perspective, but with some good insights!
What books did you read this July?
xx
lulu
Hero & Bea 
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