Which books are worth the read and which should you skip? Find out what books I’ve been reading lately and whether I recommend them.
Have you ever looked at a bestselling book and wondered if it’s worth the read?
We’ve all picked up that hot new release only to discover it can’t truly deliver what the book jacket promises.
Every year, I compile my Read This Not That list of bestsellers worth the hype. But my list only contains 7 books worth reading and 7 that are not. Considering how many books I read a year, so many excellent books, and some not so great reads, don’t make the list.
I asked myself: Why not give monthly book recommendations?
Welcome to my monthly reading roundup. Each month, I write up short reviews of all the books I read that month. Find out which books I recommend and which to skip.
I know the month isn’t exactly over, but let’s take a look at my July Reading Roundup by the numbers:
- 2019 Releases: 7 New Releases (including 5 Advanced Review Copies)
- Genre: 8 Nonfiction, 8 Fiction
- Authors: 10 Female Authors, 6 Male
- Format: 1 Audiobook, 5 E-books, 10 Print Copies
- Total Page Count: 4,945 pages
But I didn’t write this post to show off my reading. I wrote it so you can hear my thoughts on the books I read this month.
Plus, take a sneak peek at some of what’s coming soon on the book blog.
Reading Challenge Update
For our 2019 Reading Challenge, we are reading one book a week from a list of 52 categories. Here are the five books I chose for July:
The Second Mountain
David Brooks
Blended
Sharon M. Draper
Related: 50 States Reading List: The Best Book Set in Every State
The Tipping Point
Malcolm Gladwell
Recursion
Blake Crouch
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Crown Publishing through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Related: The 9 Greatest Classic Science Fiction Short Stories of All Time
A Court of Thorns and Roses
Sarah J. Maas
July Reading Wrapup
The Last Romantics
Tara Conklin
I found this to be a solid piece of literary fiction, that just missed the mark from being classified as great. I like that the characters felt layered, showing the complications of family relationships. Plus, Conklin’s writing is just what you want from literary fiction. Yet, all in all, the overarching message left me unsatisfied. From literary fiction, I always expect to be left pondering deeper meanings at the end, and The Last Romantics didn’t quite fulfill that. Read more →
Verdict: Worth the read … if you like literary fiction
Mrs. Everything
Jennifer Weiner
I felt the novel dwelt too long on their childhood – the entire first half is about Bethie and Jo growing up – but then skipped large chunks of their adult lives when they were interesting, only to cram in the next generation at the end. Mrs. Everything touched on so many themes (molestation, rape, lesbianism, feminism, biracial relations, #metoo, etc.) that it didn’t deliver a strong message on any of them. In all, I can’t say that I would ever recommend this book, but to each their own. Read more →
Verdict: I say skip, but so many others would disagree.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Atria through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle
Stuart Turton
Verdict: Worth the read … super fun Clue-like mystery
Miracle Creek
Angie Kim
Verdict: Worth the read … if you love legal thrillers
Present Over Perfect
Shauna Niequist
Verdict: Skip … way too preachy
Happier at Home
Gretchen Rubin
Verdict: Skip … read The Happiness Project instead
The Joy of Less
Francine Jay
Overall, I have to say it falls surprisingly close to Marie Kondo. I honestly love the simplicity of Marie Kondo’s “Spark Joy” sentiment. However, Jay’s STREAMLINE method is a less touchy-feely decluttering strategy. For Americans, her tone is much more conversational and down-to-earth than Kondo, and Jay grasps not only American culture but also life with kids as well. If you want to try to declutter but aren’t warming up Marie Kondo, try Jay’s The Joy of Less instead.
Verdict: Worth the read … if you want to declutter without sparking joy
Into the Wild
Jon Krakauer
Verdict: Worth the read … if you love learning about other people’s lives
Not That I Could Tell
Jessica Strawser
Verdict: Skip … unless you like domestic thrillers
Flash Boys
Michael Lewis
Verdict: Worth the read … if you love investigative journalism
The Grand Design
Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow
Verdict: Skip … unless you like physics
The Road Back to You
Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile
After reading it, I am a doubter no more. I connected immediately with my type (I’m a five!) and gained a lot of insight into why I sometimes react the way I do. Better yet, I made my husband read it (he’s a nine all the way), and we had an extremely insightful chat about how our personalities affect our marriage. Is this the best Enneagram book out there? I couldn’t say. But I suggest trying out an Enneagram book and seeing what insights you can gain into yourself.
Verdict: Worth the read … if you love personality tests
Upcoming Releases
One of the best perks of being a book blogger is receiving advance review copies (ARCs) of upcoming book releases from publishers.
At the beginning of each month, I cover all the new book releases coming out, and the August 2019 book releases are right around the corner. Here’s a peek at the August releases I’ve already read.
My To-Read List
What’s up next for me? Before I let you go, here are a few of the titles I’m hoping to get through this upcoming month.
Be sure to come back in August to see which ones I read.
What books did you read in July?
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