July Wrap up & Haul

Posted on by Casey smurph

July has been awesome! I actually haven’t read as many books as I would have liked BUT one huge important thing happened… I got a Kitty! If you follow my twitter where I spam everyone with pictures you’d know this and that I also have two dogs so it’s been an adventure getting these guys to not eat like each other

I also did a few other things, like Ozcomiccon and rewatching ALL of Game of thrones. I MAY have also binged Doctor Who and Sense 8 because how does anyone not binge watch these shows? Anyhow back to books because even though I only read 9 of them I read some really fantastic ones!

30197201A Quite Kind of Thunder by Sara Barnard

This book was everything everyone told me it would be. Cute, funny, SO MUCH character growth, romantic, diverse, and about learning how to work in a world that doesn’t always make room for you.

If you’re looking for a cute contemporary that deals in important teen coming of age arcs and diverse characters I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending A Quiet Kind of Thunder.

4/5 stars

32319702.jpgA Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by McKenzie Lee

SO MUCH SASS! These characters are my absolute favourite, Monty is the best narrator and Felisity is FIERCE.

I’ll be rereading this so many times I adored it so much, it’s had me laughing out loud and crying from one chapter to the next. Not only is it impossibly cute but deals with heavier themes.

5/5 stars

30312891Lord of Shadows by Cassie Clare

I love Cassies writing and jumping back into the Shadowhunter world felt like coming home.

I was disappointed by the ending but overall I adored the characters and can’t wait for the next book (that is 2 YEARS from now! Excuse me while I yell into the void about the injustice)

4/5 stars

35440329Hidden Bodies by Carolyn Kepnes

Ha yeah so umm you could say I didn’t enjoy this.

Not only was Joe’s personality completely lacking compared to the first book, the plot was missing. The plot wasn’t missing a certain thing, no, it was literally missing. SOMEONE SHOW ME WERE THE PLOT WAS? Perhaps I blocked it out in my pain.

If you want to read my less than love review just click the image.

2/5 Stars

1473780Red Seas under Red Skies by Scott Lynch

Goddamn I love this series, I love these characters, I love this world, I love this so much.

Locke is once again hatching a crazy scheme and gets caught up in even more crazy, blackmail, card tricks, thievery, assassins on assassins trying to kill him and I love it all!

PS. Baddass lady pirates YAS

5/5 stars

25698127Yellow by Megan Jacobson

Yellow is a weird story, the story of a girl who’s to young to be dealing with everything she has laid in front of her, bitchy friends who bully and pick at her, a mother suffering an alcohol addiction and break up, a boy on the phone who died 20 years ago, a supposed murderer she’s been tasked to bring to justice, new friends, a new crush, basically a lot for any grown adult let alone a girl of 14.
Every character is complex, messy, sad, and happy. This book is unlike anything I’ve read and I’m so happy I finally picked it up.

4/5 Star

25792394The Philosopher Kings by Jo Walton

I have never read anything like this story and while some parts are a little long-winded and slow all together the book is a combo of Greek mythology, historical fiction, and sci fi SCI FI AND GREEK MYTHOLOGY I SAY! How could I not love that?!

P.S Apollo is a main character?! How could any greek mythology loving being not want  to read this series.

4.5/5 stars

818478Stardust by Neil Gaiman

A Star and a half human, a man and a fairy, a fairy turned into a bird, witches looking for eternal youth, princes fighting for a crown, ghosts and unicorns. This isn’t even the start of all the magic that is included in this tiny story.

5/5 Stars

32129370Finding Nevo by Nevo Zisin

The amazing of Nevo’s journey, from a young age Nevo shows us what it was like for them growing up as someone who doesn’t fit societies specific holds.

Nevo’s story is one I wish I had read when I was younger. The talk of feminism and ingrained misogyny is something I wish I heard more of as a teen. I know this book is going to help so many people and I’m so glad it’s out there for the world to read and consume.

5/5 stars

Four! Yes FOUR of these were on my set TBR and yay for me actually kind of sticking to it. I also changed up my TBR a little mid way through the month so I could join in with Booktubeathon but managed to cross over a few books from my original tbr. I finished 3 books from my booktubeathon TBR.

Haul:

I am still limiting my book buying as I am making my way through my owned and unread pike but I as always I ended up hauling a fair few:

The only book I actually bought from this haul was The Philosopher Kings(ebook)! The rest were either traded, arcs, won, or picked up from the Allen & Unwin Fanfest. I also unhauled 7 books to the Little Library (which is a free library that people donate their books to in a take a book leave a book kind of way) It’s so freeing to unhaul even if new books do magically spawn onto my shelf ONE DAY I WILL HAVE MORE ROOM I SWEAR IT.

(side note magical book spawning shelf story anyone?)

So that was my month. Just to keep up appearances I’m still counting my Project 5 (read 5 books buy 1) I have bought 19 books this year and read 73 making me 22 books behind.

I hope you all had an awesome month! Did you participate in Booktubeathon? How many books did you get read? Have you read any of the same books as me? 

40 thoughts on “July Wrap up & Haul”

    1. You is one of my fave Thrillers so I hope you love it, the best thing is it works as a standalone XD No but some people liked Hidden Bodies so take my opinion with a grain of salt coz you might sill enjoy it 🙂

      His name is undecided! It’s between Mango and Morty, I think we’re going to have to flip a coin and decide xD

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  2. Aaaaaaaay, awesome wrap up! You read some amazing books! I can’t wait to sink my teeth into Scott Lynch’s books (when I eventually get to them)! 😀
    And I am 25 books behind, I think. So we’re doing well HAHA! Our poor shelves though.

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    1. THEY’RE SO GOOD *shoves them forcefully but with all the right intentions at you*
      I think I had a pretty good month too hopefully this month will be EPIC i know I’m definitely trying to make it a big one xD

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      1. “But with the right intentions.” HAHAHA! I have Lamora on my shelf, I’ll get to it eventually. There are just other books before it! I HOPE THIS MONTH WILL BE AWESOME!

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  3. MY HEART JUST CRACKED READING THAT THE NEXT TDA BOOK WON’T BE RELEASED UNTIL 2 MORE YEARS. I’LL BE LIKE ALMOST 17 THAT’S SO NOT OKAY. Whatever I’ll still love it just as much. I see lots of rereading in my future though lol. I almost bought LOS but decided against it just because I wanted to buy a book I haven’t read yet instead, and I have it on my kindle. BAD DECISION I NEED THE REAL BOOK SO BAD. Haha…

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  5. Omg your kitten is the cutest thing ever! I’ve been loving all your pictures and videos on twitter and Instagram. It’s seriously making me want another kitten, but I must resist, because my family and I already have 4 cats. 😅

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  6. i’ve been meaning to start the gentleman bastards series and seeing your review plus mention of it again in your wrap-up, just makes me want to pick it up very soon lol. all i ever hear from that series are gush worthy reviews.

    you had a great month of reads, despite hidden bodies but congrats on your kitten and all the 5 stars! i hope you have a wonderful august!

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  8. What a super great month! YOUR KITTY IS SO CUTE I’m dying please never stop posting pictures on twitter *o*
    Ohhh I really want to read A Quite Kind of Thunder and Finding Nevo! They sound very good!
    Yasss Red Seas Under Red Skies is SO GOOD!
    I’m both tempted and scared to read A Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue because I’ve seen so much hype?? I don’t know, I might wait for the paperback and see! Or maybe a kindle sale! (Kindle sale are both saving my life and ruining me haha)
    I wish you a good month of August!!

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    1. The hype is real but it’s worth it I think, seriously went to one of my all time faves before I had even finished it! The audio book is amazing for Gentlemans Guide (the narrator is the actor who played Tom Riddle and his sass is legendary listen to a free sample) Red Seas was soooo good, I just ordered the third book and can not wait to see what adventures Locke and Jean get upto in it xD

      I hope you can read Quiet Kind of Thunder and Finding Nevo soon, they’re both amazing stories and I felt them deeply, Thank you ❤

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  9. Your kitty is ADORABLE!!!! OMG it makes me miss my cats so much!
    Also I really want to read A Gentleman’s Guide! I’ve heard nothing but amazing things about it!

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  10. I am dying to get my hands on The Gentleman’s Guide. I think I’m next in line for the e-book from my library though, so I am stoked! I LOVE the book cover for Yellow, so pretty! Amazing haul and reading month. 😀

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    1. YAASSS I hope you love Gentlemans guide! I’ll be keeping a eye out for your thought on it, so much sass I loved every bit 😀
      Isn’t the cover gorgeous! This is a friends copy so I’m sad it wont be staying on my shelf I need to pick myself up a copy of it 🙂

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  12. You’ve had a massive month in books Casey but OHHH MEEEER GEEEEEERD ISSA KITTY! Look at that tiny ginger head! She? He? What’s their name? I want to hear all about your newest family member.

    Nine books is a great month of reading for me. Been on a bit of a break and trying to get back into it at the moment. I’m so glad you enjoyed A Quiet Kind of Thunder, a really lovely read wasn’t it. May your August be full of awesome books Case ❤

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    1. KELLY ISNT HE JUST A CUTE PUFF BALL! He’s name is either Morty or Mango we still havent decided and have been calling him a bit of both to see what sits better xD poor kitties going to be confused soon!

      I loved Quiet and Nevo, thank you so much for unhauling them to me. Hope everythings as okay as they can be for you, sometimes a break from this community is the best thing when life stresses are piling up. Hope you have an awesome August to Kells ❤

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  13. It seems like you had a great July Casey. The only book I’ve read that you have as well is The Gentleman’s Guide and I definitely agree with your thoughts on it, it was an incredible read. I have Lord of Shadows on my to-read list as well but I’ve heard horror stories about that cliffhanger and I know I won’t be able to wait two years for the last book so I’ not starting it myself anytime soon. 🙂
    Also great haul, I really hope you enjoy all these books, especially Now I Rise and Golden Son because they’re two favourites of mine! 😀

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    1. It’s so incredible! I wasn’t expecting to love it as much as I did but it went right up to my faves xD If you can avoid LoS spoilers I’d wait too, I wanted to wait but I saw a spoiler and decided I should just read it all ready before someone ruins it :/ I was heartbroken by the ending I was more annoyed that she choose to end it there I felt it was a crappy move to make when you’re not releasing the next book for ages xD

      I loved Red Rising so I cant wait to read Golden Son and Morning Star, and Lada was epic in And I darken so I can’t wait to see more of her story 😀

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      1. Oh that’s really good to hear, and yeah I’m pretty good at avoiding spoilers for books. So far all I’ve heard about LoS is that the cliffhanger ending is insane! That’s kind of a shame, but the cliffhanger is definitely ensuring fans are talking about her books and eagerly awaiting the next one.
        Lada was even more amazing in Now I Rise, I think it’ll be a book you really love Casey. 🙂

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  14. What a great reading mouth you had! And your haul looks lovely! I have Quieter Kind of Thunder and A Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue on my TBR! unfortunately I didn’t get to participate in the booktubeathon – I hope to join the next one! 😀 I did manage to read 7 books this month though!

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    1. I hope ou can join in next time! i didn’t throw myself fully into but I’m happy I managed to read atleast a few books from my TBR 😀 I hope you love Quiet Kind of Thunder and Gentlemans guide as much as I did ❤

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  15. I JUST LOVE YOUR KITTEN SO MUCH. And 9 books is still pretty decent!! I see you hauled a Garth Nix – I’ve got Clariel which I bought without realising it was book four *sigh* but I can’t find the rest of the series in the right format to match. It’s been a struggle.

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    1. I havent got the first book so it seems like we’re in the same boat xD I wasnt going to say no to a free book though so here we are.
      Eee I do too! He’s so sweet and fluffy it’s cool to have someone so little compared to the doggos xD

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    1. I’m super excited to start Homegoing! It didnt make it into any of my readathon TBRs for this month but I’m planning on reading it asap. I think you’ll really like Yellow, the writing is very atmospheric I was lucky enough to borrow a copy that had annotations from the author so it made reading it even cooler 😀

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