Everything I read in July
the death of the girlboss and the end of the world (unrelated. probably).
I look forward to both consuming + creating monthly wrap ups all month long. July was a fantastic month for books and I’m so excited to share what I loved and liked and cried about this month. This month was largely a mood reading month, and I prioritized New England coast settings, summer reads, and ARCs of new releases as I received them, the downside of which being that I didn’t necessarily choose books or authors as intentionally as I typically do. Overall the books I read hit the mark, with only one book coming in at less than 4 stars.
If you’ve read any of these / want to read them / NOW want to read them after this post, let’s chat about it in the comments. Talking about books with book people is why I’m here! Let’s dive in.
This month’s breakdown:
GENRE: 3 contemporary fiction / 2 science fiction / 1 memoir (6 total)
FORMAT: 1 physical book from my personal collection / 2 digital copies from the library / 3 digital ARCs from NetGalley
AVERAGE STAR RATING: 4.45 - very high! (I find star ratings a flawed way to gauge books but haven’t come up with anything better, so stars it is)
PAGES READ: 2041
PS: If you, like me, are meticulous about tracking the books you’ve read, I highly recommend the digital reading log templates sold by this seller on Etsy. Simple to use, easy to read, and just a good time for anyone who is interested in their reading stats.
Please note: There are affiliate links in this post. All books are linked out to two sources- bookshop.org, which supports local and indie bookstores when you purchase through them, and Amazon for those who prefer it. If you purchase through these links, I’ll receive a small commission at no cost to you.
AMBITION MONSTER | JENNIFER ROMOLINI | MEMOIR | Highly recommend
“A deeply personal memoir about workaholism, the addictive nature of ambition, and the humbling process of picking yourself up when the world lets you down--an anti-girlboss tale for our times”
I expected this memoir to contain a recounting of Romolini’s career, maybe some musings on burnout, relatable passages about girlbossing too close to the sun as a fellow woman in media. And I got that, but I got SO MUCH MORE. This memoir truly reads like fiction, which I think is the highest compliment. I admired the way she wove her childhood in, asserting that she could not speak about her toxic ambition without speaking of her family and the adverse experiences at home that led her to seek worth in work. Romolini will take you on a beautifully crafted ride from that complicated childhood and beyond, through her reckless and rebellious young adult years and, finally, to achieving professional and personal success - or at least what seemed like success from the outside. Her recounting is my favorite literary take so far on the death of the girlboss.
Ambition Monster bookshop.org link | amazon link
YOU’RE SAFE HERE | LESLIE STEPHENS | SCI FI | Highly recommend
“Wellness, motherhood, and technology converge in a near future California, as three women's seemingly innocuous decisions have further-reaching consequences than any of them could imagine in this timely, clever, and white-knuckled thriller”
Written by popular Substacker of Morning Person!
I’ve been diving headfirst into books that speculate on the near future and what it might hold for us, despite the fact that it scares the shit out of me every time. Most of these novels seem to hinge on a culty, Goop-like female “wellness” CEO capitalizing on the profit potential of the fall of society, their reign of terror masquerading in a pale pink facade. You’re Safe Here is my favorite of these novels so far, largely because it felt so plausible. Which is sufficiently terrifying. I could see so many of the aspects of this book coming to life - the tiny camera they wear on their scalp that broadcasts their entire life to the internet, the injectable medical devices that monitor their health and vitals - it doesn’t feel too far out of reach. This one is a queer and twisty speculative thriller that poses tough questions to chew on: What does privacy mean when publicity is social currency? At what point does technological advancement become a hindrance? And would you ride off with Gwyneth Paltrow into the apocalyptic sunset?
You’re Safe Here bookshop.org link | amazon link
THE MARTIAN | ANDY WEIR | SCI FI | Might recommend
“Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars. Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there”
If you read my June wrap up, you’d know that Project Hail Mary by Weir is a new favorite. I was on a certified space kick after that one, so I had to read The Martian and watch the accompanying movie starring Matt Damon to fill the void. It was not nearly as revolutionary as PHM (this one coming in at 3.75 stars as opposed to PHM’s perfect 5 star rating) but I think Weir has an undeniable talent for creating irresistibly endearing main characters that you can’t help but root for.
The Martian bookshop.org link | amazon link
THE CLIFFS | J. COURTNEY SULLIVAN | CONTEMPORARY & HISTORICAL FICTION | Would recommend
“Enthralling, richly imagined, filled with psychic mediums and charlatans, spirits and past lives, mothers, marriage, and the legacy of alcoholism, this is a deeply moving novel about the land we inhabit, the women who came before us, and the ways in which none of us will ever truly leave this earth”
I’m a big fan of J. Courtney Sullivan’s work, and this was no exception. There is so much complexity to this novel that I’m actually astounded as I sit here and try to reflect on the most impactful parts. In fact, she may have tried to do too many things in this book, but overall I think it worked. I saw this marketed as a ghost story for people who don’t believe in ghosts, and as someone who doesn't (I think), that really caught my attention. Our main character is an archivist named Jane who has returned to her hometown after her life falls to pieces. She becomes entangled with a familiar historical home in the neighborhood when she is hired to investigate its history (and its hauntings). Sullivan looks at not only the history of a place, but the lineage and legacy of it - who was here before us and how do we honor them? I feel I truly cannot do the breadth of this work justice in such a short blurb, but I think everyone can find something to hold onto in this epic novel and the stories of its women throughout history.
The Cliffs bookshop.org link | amazon link
LITTLE MONSTERS | ADRIENNE BRODEUR | CONTEMPORARY FICTION | Highly recommend
“Set in the fraught summer of 2016, Little Monsters is a "smart, page-flipping novel...[with] shades of Succession" (The Boston Globe) from a writer who knows Cape Cod inside and out--its Edenic lushness and its snakes”
I’ve been trying to come up with a way to describe Brodeur’s writing - it is easy to read but by no means simple. It is propulsive and provocative and I tore through this so quickly despite its many difficult themes and complicated characters. It follows a family in Cape Cod, particularly a brother, sister, and their bipolar oceanographer father who has decided to go off his meds to, essentially, understand how whale song is the key to the universe. It’s also set in the months leading up to the 2016 election, and as I was reading this book it was announced that Kamala Harris would be stepping into the presidential race. It was quite a unique reading experience to witness the characters’ optimism that perhaps their impending election could usher in an era of hope (and perhaps the first female presidency) while we’re currently having our own layered and difficult feelings regarding the same thing 8 years later. Elections aside, this is masterfully crafted and unputdownable.
Little Monsters bookshop.org link | amazon link
FATHER OF THE RAIN | LILY KING | CONTEMPORARY FICTION| Highly recommend
“A provocative and masterfully told story of one woman's life-long, primal loyalty to her father, Father of the Rain is a spellbinding journey into the emotional complexities, mercurial contours, and magnetic pull of families”
I *thought* I was selecting this as the third in a fantastic streak of coastal New England reads, but it seems I accidentally read a trio of novels featuring female main characters (in New England, sure) with a parent facing addition and/or mental illness… something to bring up in therapy, perhaps. All jokes aside, I found this to be an intensely personal read that struck a chord somewhere deep inside of me. There were parts that felt intimately familiar to me, and parts that made me want to throw my Kindle at the wall in frustration as I watched Daley make choices at her own detriment in a desperate attempt to save someone who did not want to be saved (something for her to bring up in therapy). King is perhaps most well known for her novel Writers and Lovers, but this has solidly taken the lead as my favorite of her works so far.
This one also culminates during an election year - 2008. How strange to read two novels in a row, at this specific point in history, regarding two previous elections predicated on hope and change. Sometimes a serendipitous book comes along and makes me think “oh, I was supposed to read this at this exact moment”.
Father of the Rain bookshop.org link | amazon link
My Immediate TBR:
I didn’t see anything publishing in August that piqued my interest and I actually consider this a positive - my TBR is so long and cannot handle new additions. Here’s what’s on my short list to read ASAP.
Parable of the Sower - currently reading
The Myth of Making It - currently reading
The Shutouts (ARC)
Dying to get my hands on a copy of The Unwilding which sadly seems to be UK only at the moment and has one of my favorite covers ever
What was your best read this month? I can’t pick a favorite, but I’m making you choose. That’s all for now- see you soon!
I need to know - how do you mark your place in a book? Are you a bookmark-using rule follower or a rebellious page dog-earer? I’m here to admit that one of my more chaotic reader traits is that I simply try to remember the page number I left off on. It tends to work, but I’m really curious what this says about me psychologically (and what your choice in the comments will say about you)
Definitely adding your new england picks to my list! I feel like I need to get all my beachy roads in before the cozy months start. I've been in such a reading slump — what's a good rec for getting me right back in? I feel like I need something I can't put down and I just haven't found it yet!!
The Martian is my favourite movie. I like the book but thought it was too long in some places. I hope August is a great reading month!