Another month came and went, hence it is time for the monthly reviews. This post includes my July 2024 book reviews.
July was a decent reading month, but nothing spectacular. I had a couple of good books, but amongst those one that was a disappointment. Ah well!! I can’t complain though. I don’t like all the books I read, but I discovered something interesting. If I don’t read certain books within a reasonable amount of time after they come out, I might as well skip them. I find that generally I don’t enjoy them as much as I thought I would. Or is it because I overhyped them in my head? Either way, it is an eye-opening observation.
That being said, let me get started on my July 2024 book reviews.
Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry
Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing
Although I had this memoir on my tbr since before Perry’s death, I bumped it up my list since the actor’s tragic passing. I had it on hold at my library for a few months and it finally came in earlier this month. And, since the book was narrated by the man himself, I had to listen to it on audio. I find it is more enjoyable than reading it. Hearing Matty’s voice while he recounted the pain his addiction caused him was so much more authentic. Of course, at the time he wrote this memoir he didn’t know the fate that awaited him. Deep down he likely did see it coming on some level though. Still, it was a sad life story that ended up in tragedy way too soon. If you were a huge Friends fan like I was, then I definitely recommend it.
Honey by Isabel Banta
90s pop culture was heavily prominent throughout this book. But it has a lot more going on for itself. Yes, the music industry was at the center of the story. But also the way young women, especially ones in the public eye, were perceived by the public in general. It was an okay read, but this wasn’t as memorable as I expected it to be. Honey made me reminisce of the decades mentioned throughout the book, but that’s about it. It also got me worked up at the way women are still objectified up to today. Even though this is a work of fiction, the author captured this issue very well. Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for my advanced readers’ copy.
Barefoot by Elin Hilderbrand
The third book I read by this author and I must say, it’s my favorite one out of the three. I’m so glad, because I was ready to throw in the towel. The author redeemed herself with this book as far as I’m concerned.
It is the perfect summer reading. It has a few main topics that give it some depth while maintaining an overall light and easy-to-read vibe. The bonds of friendship and sisterhood are the main topics of the book, but also infidelity and redemption. It was fun and lighthearted, which is what I needed to read this summer.
If you’re looking for a book to bring on your beach vacation, this one is a perfect fit.
So Inn Love by Catherine Clark
This is a cute young adult rom-com that gives you vacation vibes. It takes place at an inn in Rhode Island, where romance sparks between two of its summer employees. From the author behind the Gilmore Girls books, this is a great summer book that can be easily read in a couple of sittings while lounging around. I devoured it during one weekend, it’s so lighthearted and fun.
Better Latte Than Never by Catherine Clark
Along with So Inn Love, I read this book as one volume that is entitled Unforgettable Summer. The reason I split them up is because this one wasn’t as great as So Inn Love, at least to me. It was a fast, fun read, but I didn’t enjoy it as much. And if I would’ve rated them together I would have had to give them both three stars, while I gave So Inn Love four. Still, you can read them as individual books if you choose to.
Humor Me by Cat Shook
I can’t say I didn’t enjoy this book, but I didn’t like it as much as I thought I would. It took me forever to get through it, and I found myself throughout a few evenings feeling like reading it was a chore. Don’t get me wrong, it’s an okay read, but one that I’ll probably forget by the time this review is up. I’d like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for my advanced copy, but it wasn’t a hit for me. I’ll leave it at that, as you might like it more than I did. At least, I hope so!
Birdman by Mo Hayder
I liked this book, but this was the biggest disappointment of the month. If I would have read it twenty years ago I would have rated it higher, no doubt. But to me it seems a tad outdated, so I only gave it three stars. The plot was intricate and well thought out. It contained a couple of surprising twists, but I did not love it. There were a couple of insufferable characters that made the book tedious at times and subsequently that made me not enjoy the story much. All that being said, it was very engaging and thoroughly entertaining, but it was a let down. Perhaps my expectations were too high, but I will not continue on with this series.
Concluding Words
July 2024 was decent reading-wise, but it wasn’t mind blowing. All of the books I read were ok, with none that stood out in any remarkable way. There are months like that, and that’s totally ok. That makes me enjoy and savor the spectacular books so much more when I discover them.
How was your July reading? Was it better than mine? Which was your favorite book of the month?
Let me know in the comment box below. Until then, keep reading fellow bookworms.
