What’s new?
The big news of the month was my sudden travel up to the North of France for some unplanned family time that forced me to put my blog on the back burner for a few days. The longest days of the year. That is when I realized I truly was addicted to blogging as much as reading. I can’t dissociate the two activities anymore. It is a good news. I think. At least for me. I can’t talk for my hubby, whose time with me has dwindled a bit because of my awfully busy schedule.
Anyway, I am glad July is over. It is my least favorite month of the year. With December. And January. July is useless because August has more fun. December is annoying because of Christmas songs / gifts / spirit. January is always too long and has the bittersweet taste of a morning after a night at the pub trying out all the shots on the menu, combined with a massive 30-days long headache and cold.
Books I read in July
(Clicking on the title will take you to the review if it available)
The Summer That Melted Everything, Tiffany McDaniel
Heir of Fire, Sarah J. Maas (won’t be reviewed)
Boyfriend By The Book, Laura Briggs
The Song of Achilles, Madeline Miller
My Husband’s Son, Deborah O’Connor
Books I purchased
I stopped trying to grab the meaning of the concept of book buying bans. Every fiber of my being rejects the notion. What can I do?
Books I received for review
Good Girl Bad Girl is actually a paperback. I did another little waffle dance when I received it because it is my first physical ARC ever.
Book of The Month Award
This month’s award goes to The Summer That Melted Everything. What do you mean, I have already talked about it for a week and it’s time to move on?! It will be time to move on once every reader around has read and experienced this book! Let’s hear a round of applause for the story that made me cry, where hundred of others failed to do so.
Blogging Life
Not a lot to report on this side, I was AWOL for two weeks and have been slowly returning to my usual schedule.
Tags
Life
Author Interviews
This Week In Books
Thatβs a wrap! How did June treat you? Do leave your wrap-up link in a comment below and Iβll pop a visit!
And now I have three more books in my TBR π hahaha
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oops π Which did you pick?
LikeLike
Twisted river, valentina, girl from sea… Haha I’m weak!
LikeLiked by 1 person
No, you just have great taste :p
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good to hear you love blogging so much π Enjoy When She Was Bad – Tammy Cohen is one talented author
LikeLiked by 1 person
I never expected the blog and reading to combine so well π I can’t remember how I used to have fun before I created that blog! Seeing so many good reviews of When She Was Bad, and knowing I have a thing for the office life, I could not resist any longer, I had to get the book!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Looks like you got through loads considering your time off! I think my monthly summary will be a bit sparse – oh well!
How can you hate December? :O Christmas is the best thing ever…I’m really pining for it already. I also can’t wait for the sun to go away, because I’m weird like that. LOL..
I finally borrowed The Sing of Achilles from the library. Looking forward to it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Unfortunately, all months can’t be book-filled and happy ones!
The Christmas atmosphere makes me cranky, haha. But I totally agree on the sun, I’m tired of hiding indoors! I want the rain and the cold!
I can’t wait to hear what you think of The Song of Achilles π
LikeLiked by 1 person
You had an eventful month.I get what you Kean when you mentioned reading and blogging.I struggle being away from the blog even for a week π You purchased a lot of wonderful books.I hope you find some wonderful reads from the collections.I really have to read The Summer that Melted Everything now.Great post.I hope you have a great August.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is torture isn’t it? π I now wonder how I had fun before I started the blog! I hope you enjoy The Summer That Melted Everything, I’d love to hear your thoughts on it. Have a great month, too π
LikeLiked by 1 person
I lolled at your month dislikings :’). January is one of my least favourite months as well due to all of the reasons you just mentioned. I mean, it does feel like a 30-day hangover, it’s boring as hell, and getting back to life just feels like dragging yourself through the streets while wearing 20kg boots >.>.
I practically hate all summer months. July is worse than August, though, because at least, in August, the days get noticeably shorter again (something I LOVE) and fall is getting nearer <3.
So many books! xD And you can never stop talking about TSTME. It should be the favourite of the month for every month of the rest of this year, really ^^. And then anther favourite of the year. And another favourite of last year in 2017.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Some months should simply be erased from the calendar :p Younger, I did like summer months, but now I realize what a mistake it was, haha. I hate being stuck at home when it’s so hot you melt as soon as you set foot outside. Spring and fall are my favorites β€
TSTME forever, haha
LikeLiked by 1 person
Same here! When I was younger, I thought the summer was freaking amazeballs! What were we thinking?! π
LikeLike
I’m sure we enjoyed the long months of summer because we did not have school, more than for the sun xD
LikeLiked by 1 person
TouchΓ© π
LikeLiked by 1 person
Heh, you don’t like Xmas either? XD
LikeLiked by 1 person
Brr, just thinking about it makes me cranky!! π
LikeLiked by 1 person
High fives, same here! XD
LikeLiked by 1 person
I now know who to complain about it when the time comes π
LikeLike
For sho! π I used to write school essays about the annoyance of Christmas.. haha, the teachers weren’t amused.. but meh, I made a lot of fair points… consumerism, waste of electricity, etc etc π
LikeLiked by 1 person
Haha, I love it! The Christmas spirit makes people blind to all those issues! π And the mandatory gifts?? I give gifts whenever I feel like it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
The Summer that Melted Everything sounds really interesting, but also TOO real for me, especially considering all of the crazy heat waves we’ve been having recently where I live. I’m interested to read more reviews of it, though. Glad you had a great July!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Maybe you’d enjoy it better during winter! π I love seeing more and more reviews on it, the book deserves love!
Thank you! π I wish you a great (and not-so-hot) August!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Man, you are making me add more to my TBR! lol
Wow, you had a great month of July!! So many great looking books! The Husbands Secret, My Husbands Son, and The Summer That Melted Everything interest me the most!! Thanks for sharing π
LikeLiked by 1 person
I can’t apologize for you adding new books to your TBR because I’m not sorry ππ I did not have the time to read a lot but I discovered great stories, I can’t complain! Thank you for stopping by π
LikeLike
AH, so glad you enjoyed the Summer that Melted Everything! It was my favorite book of the month too- just incredible with such wonderful characters, such expressive and complex writing. I can’t recommend it enough to people! Looks like you had a great reading month! π
~ Aimal @ Bookshelves & Paperbacks
LikeLiked by 1 person
That book should be on everyone’s bookshelf! Such a strong story! I read it almost a month ago and I still think about it a lot… Despite a few bumps in the road I’m happy with my reading π Thank you for stopping by π
LikeLike
Looks like you had a good reading month! I hope you’ll have more time to blog this next month-not that family isn’t important! It feels like it was just the end of June…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Same here, I did not see July come and go. How is it August already?!
Family is nice but coming back to your daily life and routine is awesome π
LikeLiked by 1 person
I know right? Before I know it, I’ll be starting High School!! Yeah, daily life is always nice π
LikeLiked by 1 person
I don’t want to go back to uniiiii xD
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lol!
LikeLiked by 1 person
While I can’t concur the hate for July, I do dislike January. It’s so boring. And cold. I hate the cold. August also sucks because school starts. Why can’t school start in September?
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love the cold! But January is cold and gloom, which is just -meh. School starts in August?? Poor you! I only need to get back to uni in late September!
LikeLike
School starts in August. And teachers have to go back at the beginning of August.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oooh, that’s terrible!
LikeLike
July is less fun! (I’m biased this year cos I’m not going away till August) And I get what you mean about December- for some reason it really dragged this year
great wrap up- and what a coincidence- I also bought a copy of dream thieves this month!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am not going away at all, the sun is already here so we are too lazy to move, although we would have liked to hide in a colder location during the heatwave, haha. I can’t wait to hear your thoughts about The Dream Thieves! I had promised myself I would not wait a year before getting the rest of the series, so I’m excited to read it.
LikeLike
Oh I so want to read your review of When She Was Bad. I’d like to read Twisted Rivers and the Second Love of my Life. They were already on my wishlist. I’ve read My Husband’s Secret and gave it 3 stars on goodreads. I wonder what you’ll think of it! Happy reading!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I just can’t wait to read When She Was Bad, I’m a sucker for office settings and I heard it was great (but a bit depressing). It’s about time I finally see what Moriarty’s stories are like π Happy reading to you too!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great reading month and haul, Donna!! I really want to read The Song of Achilles. It sounds amazing. The Dream Thieves πππ That was my fafvourite book in the TRC series.
And I am ridiculously happy that I have found a fellow Christmas hater! The fact that it’s getting closer is already making me angry π
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! π July was quite busy. The Song of Achilles is an interesting read, but it’s easier to appreciate it with previous knowledge of the story. The Dream Thieves is even better than the first book?? Woohoo, I’m in for a good time!
Haha, me too!! I want fall to last forever, I don’t want Christmas to invade our lives again!!
LikeLike
Great wrap-up Donna! I’m so happy that you read and purchased a lot of book last July! And congratulations for receiving your first physical ARC! That’s a huge achievement. Happy reading. ππ
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! π I was jumping up and down when I received the ARC, haha. Christmas in July! Happy reading to you too!
LikeLiked by 1 person
The Summer that Melted Everything has recently found its way onto my tbr list, too – I’ve heard so many good things, I just had to! I’ll check out your review in a moment, but I can guess from your award that it’s going to be good ^-^
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am not a fan of rereading, but I did reread most of the story a few days ago π That book is a winner
LikeLike
haha I feel the same way about book buying bans- I mean what am I to do when so many beautiful books exist in the world? :p
LikeLiked by 1 person
Exactly! There’s no way we can turn our backs on so many titles :p
LikeLiked by 1 person
haha I know right- that would be unfair to the BOOKS
LikeLike