Hello Friends, and welcome (or welcome back) to the blog.
Book Quote of the Day!
“Books are a uniquely portable magic.― ”
Friends, I hope you’re enjoying some creature comforts, staying hydrated, getting plenty of rest, not constantly scrolling, and taking care of yourself in these extreme heat conditions.
Here we are at July’s end, as August emerges. The month dashed by in a boiling, sweltering, raining, chaotic, Wonder Woman twirl 💫. (LOL) Today I’m sharing my bookish updates. I’ve been making great progress in my Goodreads Challenge, and I managed to squeeze in two more titles. I’m still looking for a bookcase replacement, and I never got to thrift any books in July. 🥺 (No matter) … and so it goes!
The Bookish* Newsletter!
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Issue No. 6 | July 2025 | Blog Version
Check out bookish updates on my good reads progress, upcoming titles, lists, and reviews!
NEW ARC BOOK REVIEW ✨ 4.5 ✨
Thank you to Net Galley and Atria Books for the advanced copy of this title.
The Dead of Summer, Jessa Maxwell [Thriller, Mystery, Summer]
I love Jessa Maxwell mystery/thrillers, and this is the 2nd title I’ve read from her catalogue. Her stories are always well set up, and the narrative maintains a steady pace, following the plot that has been introduced.
Dead of Summer has the right amount of players, so you don’t get bogged down in all these characters that eventually turn out not to have anything to do with the original plot. There are no unnecessary or conflicting backstories that distract the reader from the original premise, and the story stays on track to deliver a great ending.
The Dead of Summer focuses on two neighboring friends, Orla and Alice, who share every aspect of their lives, including their love of art, and they plan to go to New York to attend college when they graduate. They can’t wait to leave Hadley Island in New England, where everyone knows everyone. However, Alice realizes that her New York dream would be a little hard to come by due to her circumstances. Orla doesn’t see this, but she notices that her friend begins to act strangely, dress differently, and pull away from her little by little.
Of course, there’s a boy …David, who’s from a wealthy family and doesn’t have the worries or concerns of Alice and Orla. Emotions and nativity can be a catastrophic combination when it comes to teenagers, and everything is in the moment. There are a few other essential players in this story. Henry, the island recluse, watches everyone from his tower. Faith, David’s girlfriend from New York, hoping for an engagement, and David’s father, Jeffrey, seemly pulling everyone’s strings.
This thriller is a slow burn, building to the disappearance of Alice and the events that unfolded that night. Town gossip would reveal absolute truths as another girl goes missing and recluse Henry is once again at the center of everything.
I enjoyed the conclusion of this story and was on the edge, waiting to see what happened, although it was somewhat predictable.
Latest Approved ARC Titles!There’s only been one addition to this list, as I’ve only requested two more titles. I always want more than I can read, so this time, I’m staggering my review dates. |
Great Book Sources++ BookTrib ++ |
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August Reading Challenge!📚🎧☕ “Read a book with a three-word title.” |
Good Reads Challenge Progress
I’ve been on fire with my challenge and managed to squeeze in a group audible read. 💥 Whoo-hoo!!
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What Books Did I Get in July?🎧💌📖 🎧 Of Monsters and Mainframes |
New episodes are live on the ARC review podcast for your listening pleasure.📚🎧☕
I’m also including the link to the PDF version of the “July” newsletter. Don’t forget to check my “Book Tracker” page for more updates. Thank you so much for stopping by today. Please consider subscribing or following along. — Duces.✌🏽 —