July has been a month of audiobooks and festive ARCs. Yes, that’s right, I’ve already started reading books for my annual ‘The 12 Books of Christmas’ series. Anyway, I’ve had some real highs and lows reading-wise, so let’s get on with the wrap up.
Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust
Read: 1/7/25 – 8/7/25
I’ve got quite a ‘meh’ relationship with this book. I was so excited to finally pick it up, but the years I waited to do so really built my expectations. Which sadly were not met. I’m not entirely sure what it is about this book that didn’t sit right with me, but I didn’t enjoy it anywhere near as much as I thought I would.
Synopsis: There was and there was not, as all stories begin, a princess cursed to be poisonous to the touch. But for Soraya, who has lived her life hidden away, apart from her family, safe only in her gardens, it’s not just a story.
As the day of her twin brother’s wedding approaches, Soraya must decide if she’s willing to step outside of the shadows for the first time. Below in the dungeon is a demon who holds knowledge that she craves, the answer to her freedom. And above is a young man who isn’t afraid of her, whose eyes linger not with fear, but with an understanding of who she is beneath the poison.
Soraya thought she knew her place in the world, but when her choices lead to consequences she never imagined, she begins to question who she is and who she is becoming . . . human or demon.
Princess or monster.
Critical Role: Vox Machina—Kith & Kin by Marieke Nijkamp
Read: 29/6/25 – 12/7/25
I’ve finally delved into the Critical Role novels. It’s taken me a while as I’ve owned this for ages, but I had a good time. I listened to the audiobook version and of course, the narration was stellar. I think I’ll listen to the audiobook versions of all of them despite owning the physical copies.
Synopsis: Vex and Vax have always been outsiders. A harsh childhood in the elite elven city of Syngorn quickly taught them not to rely on others. Now, freed from the expectations of their exacting father and the scornful eyes of Syngorn’s elves, the cunning ranger and the conning rogue have made their own way in the world of Exandria.
The twins have traveled far and experienced great hardship. But with the help of Vex’s quick wit and Vax’s quicker dagger, they’ve always kept ahead of trouble. Now, unknown perils await them in the bustling city of Westruun, where the twins become entangled in a web spun by the thieves’ guild known to many as the Clasp. Trapped by a hasty deal, Vex and Vax (along with Vex’s faithful bear companion, Trinket) set out into the wilds to fulfill their debt to the infamous crime syndicate.
As the situation grows more complicated than they ever could have imagined, for the first time Vex and Vax find themselves on opposite sides of a conflict that threatens the home they have carried with each other for years.
I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver
Read: 13/7/25 – 14/7/25
I fell completely in love with this book. I’m talking completely enamoured to the point that I’d read 75% of it in one sitting. Which, based on how long it’s been taking me to read books recently, is impressive.
There is such much heart, love and emotion in this book and I’m ridiculously excited for the movie in November.
Synopsis: It’s just three words: I am nonbinary. But that’s all it takes to change everything.
When Ben De Backer comes out as nonbinary, it doesn’t go down as they are thrown out of their house and forced to move in with their estranged older sister.
All Ben can do is try to keep a low profile in a new school. But Ben’s attempts to go unnoticed are thwarted when Nathan Allan, a funny and charismatic student, decides to take Ben under his wing.
As Ben and Nathan’s friendship grows, their feelings begin to change, and what started as a disastrous turn of events looks like it might just be a chance to start a happier, new life.
Prom Date by Diane Hoh
Read: 14/7/25
This was OK. I listened to the whole book in one sitting and thought the tension was built pretty well throughout. However, its age does show a bit. I didn’t like that everything that happens is because a girl doesn’t have a boyfriend to take to prom.
Synopsis: As prom approaches, a killer targets the most popular girls in school.
Margaret Dunne’s afternoon job at her mother’s dress shop is usually tranquil, but in the weeks leading up to prom, her work is nonstop. She wouldn’t mind helping the popular girls try on dresses if she had a date too, but boys hardly look at Margaret.
After a particularly grueling day taking abuse from three popular girls, Margaret finds a strange package in the alley behind the shop. Inside are the three girls’ dresses—mangled, muddied, and completely ruined. Plenty of people hate the popular clique, but why take it out on their prom dresses?
A few days later, Margaret sneaks off from the senior picnic to enjoy the view from the old lighthouse. A scream pierces the air, and Margaret sees one of the popular girls, Stephanie, dead at the bottom of a cliff. It seems someone at her school has her eye on Stephanie’s perfect date, and will kill to get her hands on him.
Trusting Blake by Estelle Maskame
Read: 16/7/25
I decided to continue this series because I enjoyed book one, but mostly because this instalment was about to leave Audible Plus and I love a ‘free’ listen. I thought this was pretty decent but not as good as book one. Apparently there’s a time jump in book three, so I may have to check that out.
Audiobook Review: Trusting Blake by Estelle Maskame
Synopsis: What the hell just happened?! One cheating dad, one furious mom, and Mila stuck in the middle.
Enter chaos. Hit by an onslaught of revelations, Mila’s life is turned upside down. And when her A-list parents jet in from LA, they bring nothing but conflict, leaving Mila feeling betrayed and her Tennessee fun at a standstill.
But Blake is still there – with his easy smile, comforting touch and his guitar – and Mila turns to him more and more. Things are heating up between them and the pressure is becoming intense.
As the drama unfolds between their families and life starts to unravel, can Mila and Blake keep it together as summer draws to a close?
The Strawberry Patch Pancake House by Laurie Gilmore
Read: 23/7/25 – 25/7/25
My first experience with Laurie Gilmore’s books wasn’t great, but I seem to be enjoying each one more than the last. I haven’t read the second book in this ‘series’ yet, but The Christmas Tree Farm and The Strawberry Patch Pancake House have been great. I loved this so much. Single dad romances are not something I ever pick up, and still won’t be something I look for, but I did like the trope in this one.
Review coming soon!
Synopsis: As a renowned chef, single-dad Archer never planned on moving to a small town, let alone running a pancake restaurant. But Dream Harbor needs a new chef, and Archer needs a community to help raise his daughter, Olive.
Iris has never managed to hold down a job for more than a few months. So when Mayor Kelly suggests Archer is looking for a nanny, and Iris might be available, she shudders at the thought. But in need of money she reluctantly agrees.
As Archer and Iris get used to their new roles, is it possible that they might have more in common than they first thought, or is Olive just determined to play match-maker…
The Winning Formula by Cara Veloce
Read: 23/7/25 – 26/7/25
If you’re a fan of F1 and romance novels, this is perfect for you. It’s not overly filled with romance and the F1 details are actually accurate. I do think they weren’t allowed to use some of the actual race names though, which is pretty funny. The narration was also great.
Synopsis: An engineer looking to prove herself. A driver in need of a comeback. One race season to win it all…
Sienna Skye is a race engineer at GreenSkye Racing, one of the top F1 teams, crunching the critical data so their drivers perform their best on the racetrack. As one of the few female engineers in the sport, she’s determined to show everyone she’s capable of winning a championship for her team.
Finn Di Santis is a driver whose steely determination and killer instincts used to win him Grand Prixes and racing contracts. Now, he’s scraping by at the bottom of the leaderboard with only his charm keeping the sponsors happy. All Finn has ever wanted is to race, but his dream might come to an end if he doesn’t start winning.
When an opportunity arises for them to compete together this season, it could be Sienna’s biggest career moment and Finn’s chance at the comeback of his life. With the cameras and pressure on them, the race is on for Sienna and Finn to fall into sync and bring home victory. As their reluctant partnership turns into something more complicated, Sienna and Finn begin to wonder if there’s more at stake here than their careers. If they can learn to trust each other, they could be the perfect equation to winning it all. But can they make it through the season with their hearts intact?
Self by Christopher Sebela & Cara McGee
Read: 26/7/25
This graphic novel has a very interesting concept but the execution wasn’t brilliant. I really liked the art style and the character designs were great, but when the main character is boring, it’s hard to get on board with a story.
Synopsis: Postscript backs up everything about a person into a file ready to be loaded into a printed body that offers one final chance to wrap up loose ends after they’ve died.
Nat Winters has finally achieved something like a perfect life. No more scraping or getting by. She has a home, a husband, and a job turning into a career.
When Nat’s Postscript gets hacked and her file is torrented, her life gets set on fire by these tweaked copies of her running around the world, chasing down their own versions of her deferred dreams.
As more of them begin coming to town, looking for her, Nat will be forced to confront a dozen different sides of herself and try to fix the mess they’ve made. But as she tries to contain things, Nat finds out there’s a contingent of Blanks out there who want to hurt her, even kill her, on the orders of a mysterious enemy who is looking to make this identity theft permanent.
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