July 2026 reading is a wrap! Did you have a favorite July read?
July 2026 Reading Wrap Up
July Summary: Out of 15 books completed (read one twice!), I had two 5-star reads (read Burning Side twice), eight 4-star reads, four 3-3.5-star reads, and one 2.5-3-star read. I had one DNF.
My favorite reading experience in July was The Burning Side by Sarah Damoff. In fact, I also completed a reread of it this month and enjoyed it as much as I did the first time! I’m making a Book Club Kit for it, and at this point, it’s my #1 read of the year.
My biggest accomplishment is finishing the overwritten 650+ pages of The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett. Although there were some interesting parts, I didn’t enjoy it overall (#outlier) and it was almost a DNF.
Marjan from The City of Widows is my July Captivating Character of the month. I read the book in May, but it’s being published this week. My blog feature, Captivating Characters of the Month, is hosted by yours truly (details in the linked post). Check it out and link up (blog post, goodreads reviews, etc.) with me!
***This post contains Amazon affiliate links.
ARC=Advanced Readers Copy (complimentary copy for review before pub date)
The Burning Side by Sarah Damoff
(read twice!)
5+ Stars. Contemporary Fiction. Literary Fiction. Complicated Family Drama. Character-driven. In the running for my favorite read of the year. I’ve already reread it! I save my 5-star rating for books like these. Book Club Kit coming soon!
No One’s Coming by Kevin Hazzard
4 Stars. Narrative Nonfiction. Medical Rescue. Not yet reviewed.
Summer at Flora’s House by Freya North
4 Stars. Literary Fiction (contemporary). Novella. #3 in a loosely connected series. Romance. Strong sense of place. Not yet reviewed.
The Little Porto Book Club by Rebecca Raisin (ARC)
4 Stars. (ARC) Contemporary Fiction. Book Club. Quirky Characters. Not yet reviewed.
Fair are the Meadows by Lauraine Snelling (ARC)
4 Stars. (ARC) Historical Fiction. Christian Fiction. #3 in a loosely connected series. Immigrant/Frontier Life. Review coming on pub date: 9/1/2026. See my review of #2 in the series, At Morning’s Light.
The Last Library of Paris by Kerry Barrett (ARC)
4 Stars. (ARC) Historical Fiction (WWII). Paris Library/Librarians. British Embassy in Lisbon. Taking Risks. Review coming on pub day: 9/24/2026.
Belle’s Christmas Carol by Michelle Griep (ARC)
4 Stars. (ARC) Historical Fiction. Christian Fiction. Novella. Dickens inspired. Orphanage. Romance. Review coming on pub day: 9/26/2026.
Twelve Days and Twelfth Night by Sarah Sundin (ARC)
4 stars. (ARC) Historical Fiction (WWII home front). Christian Fiction. Novella. Musical Theater. Romance. Review coming on pub day: 9/3/2026.
The Perfect Gift by Sarah Bennett (ARC)
4 Stars. (ARC). #4 in a loosely connected family drama series. Holiday Romance. Review coming on pub day: 8/28/2026.
Matchmaking Christmas by Toni Shiloh (ARC)
3.5 Stars. (ARC) Contemporary Fiction. Christian Fiction. Parenthood retelling. Family Drama. Review on pub day: 9/1/2026.
The Secret Bookshop in Ireland by Susanne O’Leary (ARC)
3 Stars. (ARC) Contemporary Fiction. Unique Bookshop. Romance. Review coming on pub day: 7/31/2026.
Patches of Red by Liz Flaherty
3 Stars. Contemporary Fiction. Mid-life Romance. Rustic/Lake setting. Not reviewed.
Get Lucky by Katherine Center
3 Stars. Contemporary Fiction. Women’s Fiction. Sisters. Surrogacy. Not reviewed.
The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett
2.5-3 Stars. Historical Fiction. Southern Fiction. Sisters. Prostitution. Overwritten. I’m a definite outlier in my opinions. My full review of Calamity Club here.
DNF: Road Trip by Mary Kay Andrews
DNF @ 10 %. Sometimes you know within the first few pages. I wasn’t connecting with the characters, the content, or the tone.
QOTD:
Did we read any of the same books?
Did you have a favorite July read?
July Blog Posts
July’s Captivating Characters of the Month
The Lady Glass Review
Books with “Secret” in the Titles
Blogiversary #9
The Bookshop Ladies Review
10 Memorable Family Dramas That Live in My Head Rent-Free
The Burning Side Review
Mrs. Quinn’s Rise to Fame Review
The Calamity Club Review
10 New-To-Me Authors in 2026
An Infinite Love Story Review
The Forgotten Names Review
Celebrating America’s 150th
Beach Bag Approved 2026
Summer’s One Must-Read Book 2026
The Rom-Commers Review
Victory Days for West India Dock Road Review
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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