July 2020 Wrap Up

meltotheanyAside

WrapUp7

Hello, friends! How are you? I hope you are doing well! July was a really successful reading month for me! Again, I truly believe I refound my love for books and reading this summer, and I am praying with everything that it is here to stay for good! The last week of the month, I did participate in a readathon, and that for sure helped boost my books read number, too! But I had a really good reading month, and read three new favorite books of all time, while also reading an accumulation of fourteen books!

➽ The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel
⭐⭐ | Buddy read with Maëlys! ❤
I truly loved Station Eleven when I read it many, many moons ago. And this was just nothing like that, which is completely fine, but my expectations were just way too high. If you are looking for a legal case with many strings that do beautifully get tied together, then I would maybe give this one a try.

➽ Chasing Lucky by Jenn Bennett
⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Buddy read with Maëlys & Isabella 💕
I feel like at this point, I just have loved everything I’ve read by Jenn Bennett! If you are looking for a cozy small town feel, with small glimpses of a book store, and large glimpses of two kids finding themselves and finding how they could work together with their pasts and futures, then I recommend this!

➽ The Library of the Unwritten (Hell’s Library #1) by A.J. Hackwith
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Buddy read with Maëlys! ❤ | 🌈
Be still, my heart. Most impressive debut ever? Maybe. The writing, the concept, the unique ideas left and right, I am blown away by this story, these librarians, and this so very beautiful writing. Also, we love a pan main character in this house.

➽ Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust
⭐⭐ | Buddy read with Maëlys! ❤ | 🌈
Yikes, I know, please, just look away. All of my friends love this one, so please take this rating with a grain of salt. I loved the f/f romance (especially the love interest) and I loved the premise (it is ownvoices for the Persian mythos) and the directions this tale took. Sadly, it was just so convenient, and nothing ever truly felt at stake, because everyone was so in love with the main character. I don’t know, this just really didn’t work for me, but again, I am for sure in the minority with my feelings!

➽ Catching Fire (The Hunger Games #2) by Suzanne Collins
⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Reread | Buddy read with Lea! ❤
The way this whole series is going to hold up in 2020? Okay, we love to see it. Truly still blown away, and I cannot wait for me and Lea to finish this trilogy off soon!

➽ You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Dragons & Tea Book Club 🐉☕ | 🌈
This book was everything. Without question it will make my best books of 2020, list. And the diversity? My heart. Our main character is Black, queer, living with high anxiety, living with her grandparents because her mother passed away, and is helping take care of her brother with sickle cell. This book heavily talks about microaggressions, being marginalized, having to make yourself smaller, and how on top of all of this it is extra unfair to try to go to college. But this is such a hopeful story, such a beautiful story, such an important story because it is unapologetically happy. And the f/f romance in this is truly out of this world. I loved this book with my whole heart.

➽ Night Shine by Tessa Gratton
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Buddy read with Maëlys! ❤ | 🌈
Ready for me to gush about about f/f story? Here we are. Night Shine is my favorite book of 2020 so far, full stop. This story is truly so romantic, so beautiful, and so fantastical. Many people have said this is a “dark, queer Howl’s Moving Castle” and that is 100% accurate. I was yearning, screaming, falling in love, right beside our main character. But this is also a book about discovering yourself, and surrounding yourself with people who choose you, who pick you, and who love you every single time.

➽ Ice Planet Barbarians (Ice Planet Barbarians #1) by Ruby Dixon
⭐⭐
Listen, I don’t know why I did this. Actually, I do. I was finishing off my Audible Escape membership and I was like “this will be a quick read” and hit play. I wish I wouldn’t have. I feel like so many people also love this? But like… I knew from the very triggering content at the start that it was going to be a very rocky road space ship journey for me. And I think I’m just maybe too gay to enjoy reading about women having sex with blue alien space men, tbh. All respect to the blue alien though, because he was the best character and he could have done better, imo.

➽ Fence, Vol. 3 by C.S. Pacat & Johanna the Mad
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Reread | 🌈
I just really wanted to read Vol. 4 because it had just came out here in the US at the end of June! So I quickly reread Vol. 3 just for to refresh my memory!

➽ Fence, Vol. 4 by C.S. Pacat & Johanna the Mad
⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 🌈
I love the sports gays always, but I really love these sports gays. The slowest of all slow burns, but so many ships are starting to at least dock in the harbor, even if they are not sailing any time soon. Also, love me a good teamwork storyline.

➽ Where Dreams Descend (Kingdom of Cards #1) by Janella Angeles
⭐⭐⭐ | Buddy read with Maëlys & May! 💕 | 🇵🇭
My heart at this one. I really wanted to love it, truly. But just… nothing happened. The settings were cool, and the premises and questions being asked were cool too! But, it really ends with us figuring out nothing except for the mystery I didn’t care about. The romance and swooning did have me invested though! But I’m not sure if I’m invested enough to read book two, we will see.

➽ The Lady’s Guide to Celestial Mechanics (Feminine Pursuits #1) by Olivia Waite
⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Buddy read with Maëlys! ❤ | 🌈
I really loved this a lot! I especially loved all the different kinds of reclaiming in this story! Maybe all it took for me to fall in love with a historical romance was sapphics in STEM (and art)! Who would have guessed? :]

➽ Across the Green Grass Fields (Wayward Children #6) by Seanan McGuire
⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Buddy read with Maëlys, & Destiny! 💕| 🌈
My favorite Wayward Children world? I think so! And I’m not even a horse girl, horse girls are gonna love this even more! But this is truly a story about becoming the person you want to be, in a world that makes us feel like we constantly have to conform, especially at young ages! Also, this story stars an intersex main character and it made me realize how much I am slacking with reading that representation. But full review for this to come soon, and it is the highest of four star ratings!

➽ Witchy by Ariel Slamet Ries
⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 🇮🇩🌈
But I really enjoyed this story and I can’t wait to see what comes next! I truly always love a good magical story about people choosing their own destiny, even if the path to figuring that out can be a little difficult at times! And starring Asian witches, created by an ownvoices creator? Be still, my Filipino heart. Give me all the queer, witches of color stories, please oh please!

Okay, loves! That’s everything! I’m feeling very grateful this summer! July was the month that I started this blog back up, and it truly has been such a safe haven for me. I’m very thankful for my friends, who never make me feel alone, and who always are buddy reading with me. And I’m forever honored by everyone who takes the time to read my words. I hope you’ve been treating yourself kind this August, already. And I hope I keep treating myself that way, too! Happy reading! 💗

Goodreads | Instagram | Bloglovin’ | Ko-fi | Twitch | Wishlist | Youtube

 

41 thoughts on “July 2020 Wrap Up”

  2. Sounds like you had a great reading month!! I absolutely need to read a Jenn Bennet book, not only because I’ve heard that they’re adorable but also because those covers are just SO cute! So happy to see you around the book blog community this past month, and can’t wait to see what you get up to in August!! 🥰

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  3. Aaaaah, this entire Wrap Up just made me so very happy 🥺💜 even if there were some books that you didn’t love, it’s just great to see you love reading as a whole so much again. I love you a lot a lot 💜💜

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  11. WOW you’ve had a great reading month! I absolutely NEED to read You Should See Me in a Crown since I’ve seen so many people raving about that book! Fence seems fantastic too! It’s so great to have you back in the book blogging community! Great post, as per usual!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  12. ahh, i’m so sad that you didn’t enjoy where dreams descend! but i think i’m gonna read it anyway because i’ve heard great things about the writing :”) and you should see me in a crown is such a joyful and wholesome books—i’m so glad i gave it a try despite ya contemporary not being my preferred genre ❤

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. You should FOR sure read it still, bby! And we can talk about it after! I have very high hopes for book two! And my heart @ you loving crown! I hope you’re having a happy August, sweetheart. 💕💕

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  13. That wrap up! Oh my God! I’m glad it was a generally good reading month for you, with just a few exceptions.
    I only read one book in July, but that was because I wanted to fully focus on writing. I hope things will be better this month, both in terms of reading and writing.
    And after reading your thoughts about The Lady’s Guide to Celestial Mechanics, I do need to read that book!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  15. I also read You Should See Me in a Crown last month and LOVED IT. Jenn Bennett is one of my fave YA authors, and I’m really upset that I still haven’t read her newest book lol.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. No listen…. all the books I’ve picked up this summer because of you? Your power, bby. Truly. So thankful for you. And I love you. And take alllll you time, bby. No pressure or rush. I just want you to be having happy reading. 💕💕

      Like

      Reply

  19. I hadn’t heard of Night Shine prior to your post but omg, “dark, queer Howl’s Moving Castle”?!?! With a f/f relationship?!?! AHHHH, that sounds amazing, and I literally stopped reading your post to pull it up on Goodreads and add it to my TBR. Wow, why can’t I have this book in my hands right now?

    And bummer you didn’t like Girl, Serpent, Thorn! I personally adored it, but can totally see how the plot is a bit filmsy. And oooh, I’ve been hearing so many great things about You Should See Me in a Crown! Def also adding that to my TBR ❤

    Glad to hear you had a great month of reading and blogging! I hope your August also goes well! Happy reading & blogging! 😀

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. THIS COMMENT MADE MY DAY! And Night Shine is everything…. like…. whewwwwwwwww. My heart! I hope you adore it! Truly!

      And I love that you loved Girl, Serpent, Thorn. I am truly the outlier with my rating! hehehe! But I extra hope you love You Should See Me in a Crown, bby!

      Sending you so much love and so much happy reading! 💕💕

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

Leave a Reply

Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in:

Gravatar
WordPress.com Logo

You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. ( Log Out /  Change )

Facebook photo

You are commenting using your Facebook account. ( Log Out /  Change )

Cancel

Connecting to %s