Hello Readers! If you take a look back at My July TBR, you’ll see I read all of the books I had planned plus some. I spent most of the month on a blogging hiatus, which allowed me even more time to read, although, I didn’t read much the first week. I read 7 books, for a total of 2,456 pages. I spent the bulk of the month re-reading a favorite series, which I enjoyed so much. I crossed off several more prompts on My Popsugar Reading Challenge, and I decided to join the Trope-ical Readathon in August, so fingers crossed I can keep up my reading pace.

I only added a few new books to my digital shelves, so I’ll be combining my Wrap-Up and Haul this month.

Let’s see what I read and what I added to my TBR!

Be sure to check out The Monthly Wrap-Up Round-Up hosted by Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction!

(Link to synopsis on Goodreads through the book title.)

July Wrap-Up

I started the month reading Elle Kennedy’s next installment in the Avalon Bay series, The Summer Girl, which I adored! Sweet, fun, and surprising, this one was a perfect summer read.

➤My Rating: ★★★★½
➤Popsugar Challenge prompt: A book with “Girl” in the title
➤My Review
➤Published on July 18, 2023

I decided to spend most of my blogging hiatus re-reading The Hunger Games series. It’d been 10 years since I’d read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, which is also a prompt on My Popsugar Reading Challenge that inspired my re-read choice. I also wanted to refresh myself before I picked up the prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, which I’m currently reading. I also re-watched all the films, and I’m happy to say I still felt the same about the books (and the films!) as I did when I first enjoyed them.

➤My Rating: ★★★★★
➤Popsugar Challenge prompt: A book that fulfills your favorite prompt from a past challenge (reread)

I immediately continued with Catching Fire, the second book in The Hunger Games series. I’ve always said it’s probably my favorite book and film, and I still stand behind that statement.

➤My Rating: ★★★★★
➤Popsugar Challenge prompt: A book with a love triangle

And, of course, I finished my re-read with Mockingjay, which still remains my least favorite, although I still enjoyed re-reading it.

➤My Rating: ★★★★
➤Popsugar Challenge prompt: A book you read more than 10 years ago

Camilla Isley, an indie author I enjoy reading, recently signed with Boldwood Books and some of her backlist is being republished with edits, new titles, and new covers. The Love Proposal is one I hadn’t read yet, so I was happy to be approved for an advance copy. This one was a fun friends-with-benefits between a bridesmaid and the best man set over a week at a resort.

➤My Rating: ★★★¾
➤My Review
➤Published on July 22, 2023

I was invited to read an early copy of The Roommate Pact by Allison Ashley and I’m so happy I accepted. This romance might end up among my favorite books for the year. Don’t be fooled by the cute cover, this one packs an emotional punch!

➤My Rating: ★★★★★
➤My Review
➤Published on August 1, 2023

And finally, I picked up Love, Lists, & Fancy Ships by Sarah Grunder Ruiz via Libby. When I read an ARC of Luck & Last Resorts, the second book in this series, I knew I’d want to go back to the first one. I adore this group of friends so very much. And the setting on a super yacht is so much fun. Although we spend a little less time on the yacht in this one than we do in the second book. Both of these books are so much more emotional than the fun covers lead you to believe, as well. Which I always prefer.

➤My Rating: ★★★★¼

July Book Haul

This may be the least amount of books I’ve added in a long time, but I’m not upset about it. I only added one eARC and a few free books in July.

My eARC

I was a fan of Young’s debut adult novel, Spells For Forgetting, so I was happy to be approved for her next one, The Unmaking of June Farrow.

Synopsis:

A woman risks everything to end her family’s centuries-old curse, solve her mother’s disappearance, and find love in this mesmerizing novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Spells for Forgetting.

In the small mountain town of Jasper, North Carolina, June Farrow is waiting for fate to find her. The Farrow women are known for their thriving flower farm—and the mysterious curse that has plagued their family line. The whole town remembers the madness that led to Susanna Farrow’s disappearance, leaving June to be raised by her grandmother and haunted by rumors.

It’s been a year since June started seeing and hearing things that weren’t there. Faint wind chimes, a voice calling her name, and a mysterious door appearing out of nowhere—the signs of what June always knew was coming. But June is determined to end the curse once and for all, even if she must sacrifice finding love and having a family of her own.

After her grandmother’s death, June discovers a series of cryptic clues regarding her mother’sdecades-old disappearance, except they only lead to more questions. But could the door she once assumed was a hallucination be the answer she’s been searching for? The next time it appears, June realizes she can touch it and walk past the threshold. And when she does, she embarks on a journey that will not only change both the past and the future, but also uncover the lingering mysteries of her small town and entangle her heart in an epic star-crossed love.

With The Unmaking of June Farrow, Adrienne Young delivers a brilliant novel of romance, mystery, and a touch of the impossible—a story you will never forget.

Expected October 17, 2023

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Free Books

• Rebel with a Donut by Chrissy Q. Martin – I’d seen this YA romance around, so I snatched it up when I saw it for free. The reviews are glowing, as well.
• Christmas Lights and Snowball Fights by Beth Rain – Another freebie that caught my attention, it’s hard for me to resist a holiday romance, especially when it has great reviews.

Amazon First Reads

In July, we were able to pick two Amazon First Reads books. Nothing really jumped out at me, but I chose There’s No Coming Back from This by Ann Garvin and The Hanging City by Charlie N. Holmberg, both of which had great early reviews.

Expected publication on August 1, 2023

How was your reading month? Let me know in the comments!

Happy Wandering!