Everything I Read in July
Quick(ish) thoughts on all my reads last month
RED, WHITE & ROYAL BLUE BY CASEY MCQUISTON
Yes, this lived up to the hype! I’m glad I ended my July with my first queer romance, and something “patriotic”. Red, White, and Royal Blue is set in an alternate reality where the President of the United States is a woman and her son strikes up a friendship and then a romance with the Prince of England. I’ll be honest, a big part of me liked that President Claremont was the winner of the 2016 election in this reality. Alex Claremont-Diaz has been the dutiful FSOTUS, volunteering for his mom’s campaign and finishing up his senior year of college in DC, unsure of what comes next for himself. Due to a bit of a PR mess he is forced to strike up a friendship with one of the Princes of England, Harry. Their friendship transitions to a romance, and a beautiful one at that. There are a few steamy scenes, Chapter 6 in particular I was reading on the subway, which was defiantly not the right vibe for what was happening. All in all I loved this book.
ACE OF SPADES BY FARIDAH ABIKE-IYIMIDE
Loved this YA Mystery/Thriller! Think Gossip Girl and Pretty Little Liars with Get Out thrown in. Read my full review here. Devon and Chiamaka are the only black students at a private school and at the start of their senior year they get targeted by a mysterious “Aces,” who is doing everything they can to destroy the both of them. I won’t give anything away but its a slow burn mystery that also takes on issues of racism and classism.
THE 7 1/1 DEATHS OF EVELYN HARDCASTLE BY STUART TURTON
Wasn’t a fan, too many characters and the “twist” was uneventful for me. Full review here
RECKLESS GIRLS BY RACHEL HAWKINS
This was just ok. Reckless Girls is told from the point of view of Lux, the main character. She and her boyfriend offer to charter a boat to a remote island for two college students on vacation. There they meet another couple, and all characters are not really who they seemed. Fun but I didn’t tear through it. I really enjoyed The Wife Upstairs so was hoping for another great one.
LEASE ON LOVE BY FALON BALLARD
A mostly cute rom com, but just ok for me. In essence, the two main characters annoyed me and needed to communicate more. To be honest, I am not the biggest fan of a miscommunication trope, but I do love a proximity trope. In Lease on Love, Sadie has just lost a promotion and needs to move, and after getting drunk out with friends, mixes up a dating app for a roommate app. She ends up meeting her roommate Jack, thinking its a date, and after the confusion subsides they decide to live together, and slowly something between them blossoms.
ANNA THE BIOGRAPHY BY AMY ODELL
Great biography of Anna Wintour, I devoured this. I would describe this as a mostly unbiased biography, and a great look into the world of magazine publishing. Think what you will about Anna Winter but she truly is one of the most influential people in magazines. One note, Anna herself declined to be interviewed for this. This book did make me wonder if some of the “reputation” she has stems from misogony as she was a young woman who rose through the ranks very quickly. Condé Nast had publishers that were physically and sexually abusive to staff, yet they aren’t infamous. If you have any interest in fashion or journalism this is a great read. For some great memoirs, definitely also check out The Chiffon Trenches: A Memoir by Andre Leon Talley and More Than Enough by Elaine Welteroth for other looks into Condé Nast and Vogue, and Save Me the Plums by Ruth Reichl for a look inside Condé Nast and Gourmet Magazine.
