What I Read in July 2024
More fun reads for summer! This month I packed in all the beach reads. A bit of humor, drama, history, and entertainment. Perfect for summer reading.
Also be sure to check out all my past reads in my new Bookshelf page.
** Disclosure: I am an affiliate of Bookshop.org where your purchases support local bookstores. I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase on any of the links below. **
Five Star Weekend by Elin Hilderbrand
What do you get when you plan a weekend with your best friends - one from each decade of your life? A five star weekend that is sure to be full of unexpected drama. Such is the premise of Elin Hilderbrand’s The Five Star Weekend. Hollis is a food blogger with the perfect life, two homes (one on Nantucket where she grew up), and recently widowed. As she is dealing with her grief, she reads about a weekend trip with girlfriends from each life decade. She decides to throw a similar weekend with her best friends from each decade of her life - 20’s, 30’s, 40’s, and current day. These include her BFF from Nantucket who still lives on the island. but she hasn’t seen or talked with in years, her BFF from college who doesn’t get along with her BFF from Nantucket, her friend from her neighborhood who worships Hollis, and a relatively unknown, avid follower of her blog that she’s never met in person but has a strong connection with. Each of these women have their own life situations they are dealing with and Hollis’ weekend plans collide with their lives to create a relatable, funny, heartbreaking, drama filled weekend. This book was very entertaining and had a few twists that made for great drama.
Lies and Weddings by Kevin Kwan
I loved Crazy Rich Asians and Lies and Weddings did not disappoint! I blew through the book in two days and it was a fun ride. Set in Hawaii, England, and LA, we meet Rufus Leung Gresham, future Earl of Greshambury and Eden Tong, a doctor and humble, childhood friend who grew up next door on their property. Rufus is a photographer who could care less about titles and aristocracy, but his mother couldn’t be more opposite. After finding out that they are on the brink of bankruptcy, Rufus’ mother starts concocting ways to marry her son off to someone with more money and prestige to keep the family title and land. But Rufus has eyes for only one woman and his mother does not approve. Scheming and plotting by his mother leads to hysterical situations, misunderstandings, and so much drama. Throw in some decades old secrets and unlikely alliances and you’ve got a highly entertaining rom-com.
Happy Place by Emily Henry
Emily Henry books are like a cozy blanket and cup of coffee on a chilly morning. They always make you feel good. This was a great palate cleanser after Demon Copperhead last month. I needed something light and entertaining and this delivered on all fronts. Harriet and Wyn are the perfect couple, except they broke up 5 months ago and still haven’t figured out how to tell their best friends. Now they are all spending a week together in Maine and have to pretend they are still together. How hard can it be? As the week unfolds, Har and Wyn still have chemistry, but their lives have taken different paths. Can they ever really be together again? The dialog and banter in Henry’s books is what makes them for me and I devoured this one. I related so much to Harriet. Her internal dialog, wanting to make others proud, trying to figure out life. The characters are all relatable and loveable.
Finding Margaret Fuller by Allison Pataki
I really love historical fiction and Finding Margaret Fuller did not disappoint. I didn’t know who Margaret Fuller was, but after reading this book, I’m shocked we don’t talk about her more. She was an advocate of women’s rights before it was even a movement. Born in the early 1800’s, Margaret was raised by a father who educated her relentlessly. She grew up into a brilliant and engaging women. Catching the eye of Ralph Waldo Emerson, she becomes his muse, spending summers in Concord with him, Thoreau, Hawthorne, and Louisa May Alcott (as a child). She dreams of bigger things for herself than marriage. She wants to have intelligent discussions, comment on society, enjoy adventures, and above all encourage other women to do the same. While teaching in Boston, she creates salons with some very influential and wealthy women like Elizabeth Cady Stanton. She then traveled throughout the east and midwest, documenting her adventures which lead to a journalist job at the New York Tribune. While being a reporter at the Tribune, she was asked to Editor go overseas to Italy to cover the Italian Unification. While in Europe, she mingles with Chopin, Wordsworth and George Sand. She was truly a remarkable women and her story is inspiring.
Such A Bad Influence by Olivia Muenter
A thrilling novel on the influence of social media in our lives. Hazel is struggling to make ends meet but refuses to ask for help from her mom and sister, both who are influencers on social media with brand deals and partnerships pulling in 6 and 7 figures easily. For the last 15+ years her sister has grown up in the spotlight on social media, all stemming from a family tragedy. Now 18, Evie has a following of millions on social media and is a daily figure in the lives of those followers. Suddenly, she vanishes. Hazel comes home to help find her and we peer behind the curtain of living your life online for all to see. Hazel has not had a good relationship with her mother since she pushed Evie into the spotlight so many years ago and has shied away from any involvement in their lives. Now she’s frantically trying to find the sister she loves and uncovering more than she bargained for. The story has many twists and turns and is a great commentary on social media.
The Next Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine
If you read the first book, The Last Mrs. Parrish, you must read this one! It was non stop scheming and drama. I could not put it down! Daphne and Amber are back with a few new players to boot. Daphne escaped her husband and Amber finally had everything she wanted…or so she thought. But, as we know, Amber is never satisfied with what she has and now her past is slowly creeping back into her life. Jackson is being released from prison soon for tax evasion, and it couldn’t come any sooner as the money is running out for Amber. But Jackson has other plans, as does Amber. Jackson is determined to get Daphne and his daughters back while Amber is set on destroying her past demons for good. The tangled story lines, lies, and deceit have you constantly wondering who is going to come out on top.
