July 2025 reading is a wrap! How is your reading year progressing? Did you have a favorite July read?
July 2025 Reading Wrap Up
I apologize for the generic image today. I usually create a collage of book covers for my monthly wrap up posts, but I had a dreadfully long endodontist appointment today for a root canal. I came home with sore jaws from having my mouth open for two hours and a headache. I took Advil and enjoyed a nap. Then I went to book club. This post is hastily thrown together. Some days are like that when life gets “lifey.”
July Summary: My outstanding read of the month was a reread. Out of 13 books completed, I experienced one 5-star read (a reread), seven 4-star reads, three 3-3.5-star reads, and two 2-2.5-star reads. One DNF.
My most memorable and compelling fiction read in July was a reread: The Correspondent by Virginia Evans.
My Captivating Character for July is Judy from Come Fly With Me. (Note: I selected Judy from a recent read, because no one character in July captured my attention like Judy. I couldn’t select Sybil because I already selected her in May..) Join the Link Party for #CaptivatingCharacters25 hosted by yours truly…details and review in this post. Check it out and link up (blog post, goodreads reviews, etc.) with me!
Don’t miss my first Summer Reading Guide and my blog collaboration project, One Must Read Book of the Summer.
***This post contains Amazon affiliate links.
Titles are Amazon affiliate links or my linked reviews.
ARC=Advanced Readers Copy (complimentary copy for review before pub date)
The Correspondent by Virginia Evans (audio)
FREE Book Club Kit for The Correspondent.
5 Stars. Fiction, Epistolary, Reread, Favorite Read of the Year. Yep…I’ve already reread my fav book of the year! I downloaded it on pub day after hearing a podcaster mention it. I hadn’t read any reviews. When I finished and started seeing reviews, readers were raving about the audio format (full cast narration) and I acquired it digitally from the library and reread it within weeks of my first read! I loved it just as much and adored the audio format. Highly recommended! I selected Sybil as my captivating character of the month for May.
Wedding Bells at the Wartime Bookshop by Lesley Eames
4 Stars. Historical Fiction (WWII home front), friendship, community, book about books/bookshops, series. Wondering if this concludes the series? My review of Wedding Bells at the Wartime Bookshop here.
Island Girls by Rachel Sweasey
4 Stars. Historical (WWII home front) and Contemporary Fiction, Dual timeline, England/Australia. Not yet reviewed.
The Secret Book Society by Madeline Martin (ARC)
4 Stars. (ARC) Historical Fiction (Victorian), Books About Books, Friendship, Women Supporting Women. Review on pub date: 8/26/2025.
The Guest in Room 120 by Sara Ackerman (ARC)
4 Stars. (ARC) Historical 1905) and Contemporary Fiction, Mystery, Crime fiction, Hawaii and Standord University. Review on Pub Date: 9/23/2025.
The Marriage Monitoring Aunties’ Association by Ola Awonubi
4 Stars. Contemporary Fiction, Christian Fiction, Diverse Read (Nigerian), Complicated Family Drama, (slow-burn, closed-door) Romance. Review coming soon.
Winter Nights at the Bay Bookshop by Jessica Redland (ARC)
4 Stars. (ARC) Contemporary Fiction, Books About Books/Bookshops, Christmas, Enemies-to-Lovers (closed-door) Romance. Review coming on pub day: 9/9/2025.
A Carol for Mrs. Dickens by Rebecca Connolly (ARC)
4 Stars. (ARC) Historical Fiction (1851), Novella, England, the wife/family of Charles Dickens, Christmas season, magical realism. Review on pub date: 9/23/2025.
Last Stop on the Winter Wonderland Express by Rebecca Raisin (ARC)
3.5 Stars. Contemporary Fiction, Romance, European Train Travel, Christmas. Review on pub date: 8/13/2025
The Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club by Martha Hall Kelly
3.5 Stars. Historical (WWII home front) and Contemporary Fiction, Books About Books/Book Club, Friendship. Not yet reviewed.
Could it be Magic? by Fay Keenan (ARC)
3 Stars. (ARC) Contemporary Fiction, Family Life, Romance, Christmas. Review on pub date: 9/7/2025
Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry
2.5 Stars. Contemporary Fiction, Writers, Story within a Story (which I completely skipped over). Open-door Romance. Not reviewed.
Beach House Rules by Kristy Woodson Harvey
2 Stars. Contemporary Fiction, Women Supporting Women. Not reviewed.
DNF: The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett
Once again, I’m an outlier. This one is sure to show on many best-of-the-year lists. I DNF’d at 12% because of an icky scene. No thanks…once I feel the ick, I have no desire to continue on to better content (which I’m assured is there).
Book Drama:
Recently, the book world experienced some drama. There’s a controversy surrounding the book The Salt Path and its author, Raynor Winn. You can read about it here. As a result of the controversy, I am no longer recommending the book, but I will keep my blog review. Have you read the book?
QOTD:
Did we read any of the same books?
Did you have a favorite July read?
July Blog Posts
You’re Not Listening Review
Wedding Bells at the Wartime Bookshop Review
Beach Bag Approved (book list)
Captivating Characters of July (and book review for Come Fly With Me)
The Book Club Hotel Review
Wartime Comes to West India Dock Road Review
#ChristmasInJuly Book List
Blogiversary #8
Are You a Completist?
Bright Lights, Big Christmas Review
No Stone Unturned Review
Books With Honorifics in the Titles
Mid-Year Check-In
Victory for the Foyles Bookshop Girls Review
Lady Tan’s Circle of Women Review
A Bookseller in Madrid Review
Books I’d Love to Reread
Summer’s One Must Read Book 2025 Collaboration
The Lost Story of Eva Fuentes Review
How do you Read so Many Books?
Happy Reading Book Friends!
“Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading.”
~Rainer Maria Rilke
“I love the world of words, where life and literature connect.”
~Denise J Hughes
“Reading good books ruins you for enjoying bad ones.”
~Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
“I read because books are a form of transportation, of teaching, and of connection! Books take us to places we’ve never been, they teach us about our world, and they help us to understand human experience.”
~Madeleine Riley, Top Shelf Text
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I have read The Salt Path and like you are feel that I can no longer recommend it, which is a shame as I enjoyed the experience at the time.
The brazenness of people like that always astonishes me!
Looks like a fab bookish month, Carol! I hope you’ve feeling better after your root canal ordeal. I’ve been eagerly following the controversy surrounding The Salt Path, and really want to know if they even walked the path!
I feel better today! Thanks!
I was wondering what you were thinking about the Salt Path controversy. I know you loved it.
I also DNFed Tender Hearts for the same reason. It was not what I thought it would be.
So many others love it. Thanks for the solidarity! 💯
Wow, I had not heard about the controversy over The Salt Path, but just read the article. Unbelievable. You had lots of 4 star reads, so not a bad month, Carol. I hope you have a few more 5 star reads in August.
Did you read Salt Path? People behaving badly always astonishes me!
I didn’t, but it was on my TBR. I have taken it off now. Yes, and boy did they get away with it for a long time.
Thanks for this reading wrap-up, Carol. I also read (and loved The Salt Path) and recently read/viewed both sides of the controversy over the backstory to this book.
Wishing you smooth recovery from your root canal work (I’ve been there 3x). 🙁
Thanks for commiserating re root canals! 😩 I’ve had a couple that weren’t as bad as this one. Hoping it’s my last!