July in Review

July in Review

My Epic Spring Break (Up) by Kristin Rockaway —  4 stars
Even though it’s set during a high school spring break, My Epic Spring Break (Up) will make an awesome addition to any summer TBR! It’s a fun, quick read filled with coding, Taylor Swift references, and a cute romance! I especially loved the New York backdrop and how the main character learned to set new goals after being rejected from her dream internship.

We Can’t Keep Meeting Like This by Rachel Lynn Solomon — 5 stars
I loved We Can’t Keep Meeting Like! It’s a heartfelt story with Jewish and OCD/anxiety rep. I loved the dichotomy between Quinn’s disillusionment with love and Tarek being a hopeless romantic. The contrast made seeing them grow and learn from each other all the more sweeter. Rachel Lynn Solomon is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors!

Clean Getaway by Nic Stone — 4 stars
Clean Getaway is packed with adventure, as Scoob travels through the South with his grandma on an impromptu road trip! Full of information about segregation and the civil rights movement, this novel is perfect for middle school classrooms, showing just how recent and relevant this history is for the US.

Made in Korea by Sarah Suk — 4 stars
Made in Korea is a perfect contemporary read for fall and winter! It’s a fun, rivals-to-lovers romcom that takes place during the school year. I loved how driven Valerie is and the competition between her business and Wes’ as they both fought to achieve their dreams. One of my very favorite parts of the story was Valerie’s relationship with her halmeoni (grandmother). Their relationship was so special and I loved seeing this explored in a YA novel! Check out my aesthetic and read my full review here!

Jackpot by Nic Stone— 4.5 stars
Jackpot was the fourth Nic Stone book I’ve read this year! I loved following the journey Rico and Zan take to track down a winning lottery ticket that was sold at the gas station Rico works at. The story is interspersed with POVs from inanimate objects, which was such a fun and unexpected addition to the novel!

Admission by Julie Buxbaum — 4 stars
The college admissions scandal was huge, so it was interesting reading a fictionalized version of the story. This was the first book I’ve read from Julie Buxbaum and I few through it! Admission  explores privilege and entitlement as well as dives into the motivating factors of why someone might cheat and bribe their way into school. I loved how the story weaved together through two timelines!

11 Paper Hearts by Kelsey Hartwell — 4.5 stars
Even though I read this book in the middle of summer, 11 Paper Hearts had me wanting to curl up next to the fireplace with a cozy blanket and mug of hot chocolate! This book is set around Valentine’s Day and I loved all of the winter vibes in it. It’s such a sweet story with a little bit of mystery thrown in as Ella tries to remember what happened the previous year. If you enjoyed To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, you’ll love this one! A great addition to any winter tbr!

Field Notes on Love by Jennifer E. Smith — 4 stars
Field Notes on Love is the first book I’ve read by Jennifer E. Smith! This book was so adorable. I loved the setting (a train ride across the US) and both POVs. Even though this book takes place over a few days, the characters’ journey and love felt so real! And now I too want to take a train trip across the country. I’m so excited that this book is becoming a movie (with Jordan Fisher)!

This Is My America by Kim Johnson — 5 stars
This Is My America was my favorite read in July. This book completely gripped me—I didn’t want to stop reading. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator did an amazing job capturing Tracy’s voice and the pacing of the novel (both of which were phenomenally written by the author). This mystery dived into so many important topics, and if I had been reading the physical copy, I would’ve been flipping through the pages at lightning speed. A powerful, must-read, This Is My America is perfect for fans of Tiffany D. Jackson and Holly Jackson. I look forward to reading more books by Kim Johnson in the future!

One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus — 4 stars
I flew through One of Us Is Lying and the sequel, One of Us Is Next! I can totally see why this series is so popular—I didn’t want to stop reading, it was that addictive. I loved that the audiobook had a full cast of characters, which really pulled me into the story.

One of Us Is Next by Karen M. McManus — 5 stars
I’m glad I jumped straight into One of Us Is Next right after One of Us Is Lying! I didn’t realize this one more of a companion series until I started it, but I love how the world expanded with new characters and a mystery with higher stakes (and that we were still connected to the original Bayview 4).

Meet Me at Midnight by Jessica Pennington — 5 stars
I love all of Jessica Pennington’s novels, so it’s no surprise that I adored Meet Me at Midnight! I think this is my new favorite of her books?? It’s so fun—I couldn’t get enough of Sidney and Asher’s banter and pranks! It’s the perfect summer romcom!

Are any of these books in your tbr? What was your favorite read in July?

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