This is my monthly wrap-up post, where I’ll be sharing some of my favorite reads & other bookish things from the past month, and talking about some of my reading goals for the upcoming month.

I read/listened to a total of 15 books in July. Here’s the breakdown:

• 7  were graphic novels
• 5 were YA books
• 3 were middle grade
• 3 out of the 15 were audiobooks

Come visit me on Goodreads to see the full titles, and keep up to date with my book recommendations.

 

MY JULY FAVORITES:

 

 

I read tons of great books this month, but one of my absolute favorites was Things Jolie Needs to do Before She Bites It. It was a heart-warming, funny read that was very special to be because Jolie reminded me so much of myself. Read my full review here.

My favorite graphic novel of the month was Moonstruck, which was a gorgeously drawn story of a queer werewolf barista in a mystical college town. Julie just wants to be normal, but that’s pretty hard when you’re surrounded by centaurs, ghosts, vampires, and all sorts of paranormal occurrences. The pastel art was beautiful, and the characters were so lovable. I can’t wait for volume two!

I also adored How to Make A Wish (but I pretty much adore any queer YA contemporary summer romance). This was the third book I’ve read by Ashley Herring Blake, and I think it’s safe to say that she’s now one of my favorite authors. She has such an authentic way of capturing the complexity of families, and of first love. Next on my list is her novel Suffer Love.

 

BIGGEST SURPRISE OF JULY:

 

The biggest reading surprise I had in July was Anna-Marie McLemore’s Wild Beauty. I mostly just stick to contemporary/realistic YA and didn’t expect to love this one as much as I did. It was such a beautiful exploration of womanhood, family, queer love, and the experiences of families of color.

Goodreads summary: “For nearly a century, the Nomeolvides women have tended the grounds of La Pradera, the lush estate gardens that enchant guests from around the world. They’ve also hidden a tragic legacy: if they fall in love too deeply, their lovers vanish. But then, after generations of vanishings, a strange boy appears in the gardens.

The boy is a mystery to Estrella, the Nomeolvides girl who finds him, and to her family, but he’s even more a mystery to himself; he knows nothing more about who he is or where he came from than his first name. As Estrella tries to help Fel piece together his unknown past, La Pradera leads them to secrets as dangerous as they are magical in this stunning exploration of love, loss, and family.”

 

GOALS FOR AUGUST:

 

• Read more ebooks (on my new Kindle!)
• Read 2 graphic novels a week
• Post more reviews. I’m excited to read & review some ARCs I just received in a few giveaways, including Pride by Ibi Zoboi and To Be Honest by Maggie Ann Martin.

 

How many books did you read in July? Do you have any goals for your August reading?