Chelsey’s July Reads
Between the long holiday weekend, a few days solo parenting, and longer summer days, I am happy with my reading this month! I revisited an absolute favorite and enjoyed more summer-themed rom-coms, while extending my historical fiction experiences.
Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan (5 stars) - After reading only two books by Annabel Monaghan, I can say I adore her stories. I feel seen by the scope of motherhood and the pressures often placed on parents. Her characters are loveable and I’m always rooting for what seems to be the underdog in the plot. Summer Romance was no exception. This sweet and savory story is the perfect addition to any flirty summer reading!
Beg, Borrow, or Steal by Sarah Adams (4.5 stars) -The saga continues in Rome, Kentucky!
While not a summer storyline specifically, this sweet read gave me all the right vibes.
Sarah Adam’s crafted another compelling story of another Walker sibling. The bantering and insults between Jack and Emily is genius and endearing. Both characters have relatable flaws and reasonable reactions each others. Some moments I felt could have been exposed and explained a little more, but overall I could hardly put this down - and stayed up wayyy to late one night just to finish it!Something Wilder by Christina Lauren (4 stars) - This was a different sort of story from the other titles I’ve read by Christina Lauren. Something Wilder was a fun and adventurous read - not the comical romance plot like many other of their books. I appreciated the detail they gave of the surroundings, however I think some of the characters could have been developed a little more for depth. The twist was expected and the arch wasn’t as high as I hoped it would be.
Overall though, it was a pleasant read!4. Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez (5 stars) - Another summer re-read for me, as I listened to this in April 2024. However, reading the actual words made me fall a little bit more in love with Daniel and Alexis. From the start of their story to the final pages, Abby Jimenez crafted details that made Wakan come alive, events that are relatable, and masterfully walks readers through flaws and short-comings of the characters as they work through layers of all-too-common-dysfunction into truth. Daniel will forever be my fictional crush because he echoes all the things my real-life hero has shown me to be true.
Breaking the Dark by Lisa Jewell (3 stars) - As much as I love Lisa Jewell, Breaking The Dark was a bit of a letdown for me. Maybe I just didn’t know what to expect with it being a Marvel storyline. This read very YA - the plot was dark but the super-hero aspect of the character wasn’t overplayed. I expected the big gasp moment in used to with Lisa Jewell, but it never came.
Over all it was an interesting but underwhelming read.Summer of Yes by Courtney Walsh (4 stars) - This was the first book by Courtney Walsh that I’ve read. It was sweet, predictable, and closed with a happy ending. Her characters were cute and their struggles were relatable to a degree.
Vera by Carol Edgarian (4 stars) - An interesting Historical Fiction based on the 1906 earthquake and fires on San Francisco. The story follows 15-year old Vera as she struggles
For her own identity between an alcoholic caretaker and her shy daughter, Pie, and the reality that her birth mother is the city’s most sought after Madam. After the literal earth shattering quake Vera and Pie are trying to piece their lives back together with what remains.Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid (5 stars) - Disclaimer - I knew absolutely nothing about this book other than 1) it was new and 2) it was read by my favorite narrator (Julia Whalen).
This was a gripping story of the early years of NASA allowing women into astronaut programs and missions into space. The journey isn’t just about the countdown to liftoff, but the grueling and all-too-often-inequality shown to women in the field; that it’s not just enough to as good as the men in the programs, but to be a damn strong woman alongside the men.
I don’t want to spoil the plot but there are some moral issues I have with the plot that I am happy to discuss, if someone wanted some warnings before reading. I will say that while the romantic twist was not explicit or obscene, it was descriptive in a manner that I would recommend risking the plot to know more.