Hi everybody, and welcome to my July wrap up!
This week I suddenly realised that we are now closer to Christmas 2021 then we are to Christmas 2020 and whoa I did not expect this year to fly by like that.
July is another one of those months that feels like just a blur, but I do recall that stuff happened: books were read, music was listened to, tv shows were watched. So let’s try and recall all of them, shall we?
Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon, books #1-3
One of the most hyped books on Booktok is this smutty blue alien sci-fi romance book. The first times I saw it, I quickly scrolled past, maybe laughed at it a bit. Because to be honest, normally I would NOT pick this up. The cover is just awful and the premise felt like it was just too weird for me. And yet… And yet my curiosity got the best of me. So I downloaded book one, fully prepared to laugh my way through it. And I did laugh, but in a good way? Actually, this was a really fun and entertaining read! While definitely not for everyone and while you should not expect award-winning literature either, if you go into it expecting a quick, fun and smutty romance featuring blue, horned aliens? Umm, it’s a pretty solid read…
Rating: 3 stars | Read my full thoughts
Bound by Flames (Night Prince #3) by Jeaniene Frost
I’m still making my way through the Night Prince series and this was another hit. At first I was a bit worried that we were going to get more of Vlad being overprotective and driving Leila away, but that quickly changed and it was such an action-packed emotional ride. Leila is such a strong, fun characters and Vlad is just an amazing and complex hero to read about. I dived into book 4 pretty much right afterwards and am currently reading that one.
Rating: 4 stars
One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston
After falling in love with Red White and Royal Blue (one of my all-time favorite reads), I’ve been anticipating One Last stop from the first moment I heard about it. I mean, an f/f romance by Casey McQuiston featuring a girl lost in time? Yes, please! And I’m happy to say it definitely lived up to all my expectations. It had a cynical heroine, the girl lost in time trope, a romance that’s as sweet as it is steamy, and a merry band of secondary characters who make up a heartwarming found family. Highly recommend.
Rating: 4 stars| Full review
Glint and Gleam (The Plated Prisoner #2 and #3) by Raven Kennedy
Get ready for me to talk about nothing else but this series for the next few weeks and months, because BOY AM I OBSESSED! I read the first book last month and loved it, but books 2 and 3 are really where the story picks up and where my appreciation morphed into full-out obsession! Check it out if you love the story of King Midas, amazing character journeys of healing and growth, a nice slow-burn romance, found family fabulousness and plot twists galore!
Rating: 4,5 stars | Full review of the series so far
All Rhodes Lead Here by Mariana Zapata
If you love a good slow burn romance, Mariana Zapata is the author for you! All Rhodes Lead here focuses on Aurora De La Torre a women moving back to her childhood home when she needs to start over. Her landlord (whose name is Rhodes, get it?) across the driveway is pretty grumpy at first, but both he and his son soon start to warm to Aurora’s warm sunshine personality. I loved the slow burn between Aurora and Rhodes, but also Aurora’s connections to everyone else in town, and her friendship with Rhodes’ son, Amos. This was just such a heartfelt book and I highly recommend it if you love slow-burn romances, the sunshine/grumpy trope, single dad trope, small towns and found families.
Rating: 4,5 stars
AND ALSO…
I discovered webtoons!
I know I’m late to the party, but how amazing are webtoons? I especially fell in love with Lore Olympus this month (yay, Greek mythology and Hades and Persephone retelling!) and of course the True Beauty webtoon, of which I watched and loved the kdrama just last month. Are there any experienced webtoon readers out there with more recommendations for me?
Top Ten Tuesday
10 Reasons Why I Love The Night Huntress Series by Jeaniene Frost
Book Titles That Are Questions (That I Too Am Often Wondering About)
Books That Were So Addictively Readable I Read Them In 1 Day
Books I’d Want With Me While Stranded On A Deserted Island
Quote It Wednesday
Can’t Wait Wednesday
Dark Rise by C.S. Pacat
Lore Olympus by Rachel Smythe
Tag Thursday
Something Different Sunday
July was again a pretty solid music month, so here are some of my favorites of the month!
MY FIRST FAVORITE: Onewe – Aurora
The new Onewe CD was just so good that I’m still listening to it daily over a month later. This month I loved Aurora the most – it feels like such an atmospheric song
MY SECOND FAVORITE: Against The Current – Lullaby
Yep, two favorites this month! Against the Current finally released their new EP this month and I AM IN LOVE. My favorite from the EP has to be lullaby, it’s has such a deep, dark vibe and it’s awesome.
2PM – Make It
This is pop at it’s finest. It’s so catchy and I love it.
Kim Woojin – Still Dream
I know there was a lot of drama surrounding and following Woojin’s departure from Stray Kids and I don’t know what’s true, but I do know that this is such powerful song and Woojin is a talented artist.
Woosung (ft Reddy) – Lazy
This song is such a vibe! I’m definitely craving some lazy days, that’s for sure.
July didn’t have quite as much TV as June, but that’s okay because I did enjoy what I watched!
Never Have I Ever season 2
I just watched season one last month, so it was fun to be able to dive back in almost immediately afterwards. Though this season I was frustrated a lot more by Devi’s antics, overall I still really enjoyed the show and the humor. I’m not 100% sure I love who she ended up with, as I kind of shipped her more with the other guy, but still, loved the journey. Will there be a season 3?
Also…
My husband and I are still watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer (we just started season 4), finished watching the kdrama Crash Landing On You (I already miss it again) and started Loki (only 1 episode in, so not much to say yet other than the ovbious “I love Loki”)
July was filled with a few great highlights:
Things that made me happy this month:
- Saw my friends and most of my family again for the first time in almost a year!
- Had a nice day off spending quality time with my BFF.
- Went to a COVID-proof festival where we sat in bubbles, but still it was nice being able to soak up that music festival atmosphere again.
- Had my second COVID-vaccine.
THINGS I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT MONTH:
- I have two weeks off near the end of August and I’m so looking forward to it!
- More friends and family dates (I’ll never take them for granted again).
- A new Annette Marie book AND the release of The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang.
- Stray Kids comeback!
How was your July? What did you read? What did you listen to and what did you watch? What are you looking forward to in August?
I can’t wait to start Lore Olympus! I saw Jennifer L. Armentrout recommend it and now I’m super excited to start! Also, I enjoyed the season 2 of Never Have I Ever mostly for the antics and the side characters. Felt like they fleshed out the side characters a lot more this season and I loved that!
A COVID-proof festival sounds like great fun and I can’t wait to attend one myself! Have a great rest of the month, Lindsey!
Oh, I didn’t know Jennifer L. Armentrout recommended Lore Olympus, that’s so cool!
The side characters in Never Have I Ever are indeed amazing, I love their stories too.
Thanks Hasini, hope you’ll have a great August!
Hooray for getting to see family and friends again! That’s so awesome!
It was so awesome, definitely made my month 🙂
VLAD! 😍
I’M SO SAD I’M ALREADY AT THE LAST VLAD BOOK!
I am so curious about this Covid-proof concert with bubbles. I’m going to a concert in October and I cannot wait.
I still need to read One Last Stop and watch Loki.
Hope you have a great August!
Lauren
http://www.shootingstarsmag.net
It was really fun! You had to book a ticket per 4 and there were little platforms per bubble all over the ground, all socially distanced from other bubbles. Once seated, you had to order and pay for drinks and snacks through your phone and they came and brought it to you. I though it was so well organised and felt safe and comfortable the entire time.
Hope you’ll have a great August too!
That’s so great you were able to see family and friends. You have me very curious about the COVID-proof festival and the bubbles, especially since COVID is on the rise here again.
I’m sorry COVID is on the rise again in your area! I definitely enjoyed the event and thought it was so well organised! I felt safe the entire time. I hope more organisations will be able to organise events like this in the future, as long as COVID is around…