Hello Friends!  Welcome (or welcome back) to the blog.

** Quote ** 
“A room without books is like a body without a soul.”
― Marcus Tullius Cicero

My bookish peeps, how are you? I hope you’re doing well, as we head into August. How hot is it? My area is headed for a cool-down with the impending storms.

Wherever you are, make sure to stay hydrated, enjoy a bit of slow summer vibes, and read a good book. And for the love of all things …” put down that phone📱!” (LOL)

We’re at the end of the month, which means bookish business. Here is my July Edition of the newsletter, with the latest ARC reviews, approvals, and current reads.

Here we go!

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VOL. 2 | Issue No. 16| JULY 2026| Blog Version | PDF

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LATEST BOOK REVIEW

The Calamities
Chuck Wendig
[HORROR ✮ THRILLER ✮ MYSTERY]
✨4.17 Goodreads Rating

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey, Random House Worlds, and Inklore for the advanced copy of this book.

I don’t quite know how to communicate what I just read… other than: ᯓwhat did I just read?

This was a confusing story (at least for me) about influential families, the occult, and demonic secrets. The Mayne family is an influential clan of half-human, half-demon beings sustained by an elixir kept in the family’s reserve. The trouble begins when Mourning Mayne—named for the fact that his mother died giving birth to him—returns home at his father’s request to attend to urgent family business. Instead, he discovers his father has vanished, along with every drop of the family’s precious elixir.

The Maynes are just one of several powerful clans, all with sinister ties to the business of selling souls. It’s an intriguing premise, and on paper it has all the ingredients for a dark, atmospheric fantasy. Unfortunately, this is where the story lost me. I understood the what and, eventually, the why, but everything in between felt frustratingly elusive. How the story arrived at its biggest revelations—and even how it ultimately ended—left me scratching my head.

There are memorable moments throughout, and the world itself has the potential to be fascinating. However, the narrative often asks the reader to connect dots that never felt fully drawn, leaving me more bewildered than immersed. I have a feeling this book will resonate with readers who enjoy piecing together opaque, layered storytelling, but for me, the confusion ultimately overshadowed what could have been a compelling tale.

I will give a nod to Wendig for including some lore about A Staircase in the Woods, which was also a trippy story, but I enjoyed that one better. This one was lost on me, so I gave it 3.00 ✨ stars.

CURRENTLY READING

Approved ARC downloads 💾

The House That Eats The Dead, Max Doty
The Henchperson’s Guide to Unionizing, Marshall J. Moore
Bitter Fruit, Tempest Black

UPCOMING HORROR READ!

🕯️📖 What I read in JULY

I’m falling a bit behind on my ARCs and Goodreads Challenge.  It’s really hard to stay motivated in the summer, which is typically the best time to finish a few short titles.  I’m hoping I can turn this around in August. 😊 📚🎧☕

The Godsend, Bernard Taylor [REVIEW]

🕯️📖 What I’ve Added to my WISH LIST in July✨ 

Japanese Gothic, Kylie Lee Baker
The Curse of Hester Gardens, Tamika Thompson
The Dorians, Nick Cutter
The View From Here, Rachel Hozwell Hall
Record Lows, CJ Green
Rules for Aging and Larceny, Julia London
Headlights, C.J. Leade

AUGUST 🎧 reading challenge

Create a Fall reading curriculum!

Great Book Sources

✯ BookTrib ִ✯ Goodreads ִ✯ Book Riot ִ✯ Literary Hub ✯ Booktrovert ✯ Fable ✯

Well, friends, that’s it for today. July has been a little stressful for me, so posting this round-up was cathartic, and just what I needed. Thank you so much for stopping by today. Please consider subscribing or following the blog.  – Duces.✌🏽 –

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