July Books 2023
July Books 2023: 9 Books I Read in July
By: Brittany Shields
It’s almost the end of August by the time I’m posting this but I’m going to change the publish date so that it stays chronological on my page. I’m letting you know because this end of my summer has been crazy!
It’s been hard to find the time to read let alone write reviews and end-of-month posts!
But for those who don’t follow along with each book, here is the compilation of books I read in July, covering six different genres.
I finished two books that were on my list of Most Anticipated Books of 2023, one from the Most Anticipated Books of 2022, and one from the 2022 Goodreads Choice Awards Reading Challenge.
1. Judas 62 (Box 88 #2) by Charles Cumming
Genre: Thriller/Espionage
“There would be ‘collateral damage’ along the way and young Lachlan Kite would somehow have to get used to it.”
Judas 62 is the sequel to Box 88.
Another spy novel with Lachlan Kite at center stage.
In brief: it’s a story of revenge. The past— Kite’s exfiltration of a valuable scientist from Russia— meets the present— a mission to frame a Russian FSB officer who has put out a bounty on Kite’s head for the past grievances.
This book is over 500 pages so you’ll probably want to read my full review to see if it’s worth your time. For me, there were some things that made me decide to lean more toward Daniel Silva’s spy thrillers than Charles Cumming.
2. Time’s Orphan (Odriel’s Heirs #3) by Hayley Reese Chow
Genre: YA/ Fantasy
“Speak of dragons, and I’ll tell you of warriors who walked their flames. Speak of shadows, and I’ll tell you of heroes who brought the dawn. Speak of pain, and I’ll tell you of the Time who stole it away.”
This is part of a series but can easily be read as a stand-alone.
Hayley is an indie author and one I’m glad I discovered.
The world-building is good in this book.
This fantasy novel tells the tale of a girl with special healing powers who discovers she is the key to saving her people from the fear and darkness that covers their world from The Dead King.
If you wanted to start this series from the beginning, book one is called Odriel’s Heirs.
Check out my review for more plot and character details and a pronunciation guide.
3. The Syndicate Spy by Brittany Butler
Genre: Thriller/Espionage
There is a lot going on in this spy novel.
The driving plot is the overarching mission to take down terrorists who are attacking new energy sources in an effort to control all of the energy.
It takes place largely in the Middle East. Because of the setting and a couple major female players in the book, there are threads of feminism and the oppression of women in the Muslim culture. The author’s background gives her firsthand knowledge in both of these aspects.
I wanted to like this one but there was some sexual content and a lot of violence that hindered my reading.
Read my full review to see my comments on her writing style, some of my ponderings on the subject matter, and my ultimate recommendation.
4. I Didn’t Do It by Jaime Lynn Hendricks
Genre: Mystery
“I’m not a stupid character in a stupid book who turns into a murderer for no reason.”
This was a fun murder mystery told from the perspective of thriller authors. It is also a personal attack on Twitter which I am totally here for.
The scene: A convention for mystery/thriller authors called Murderpalooza. A nominee for the big award is murdered at the hotel. Several other authors in attendance have a connection to the victim and all have a secret. Except someone else knows their secrets and is exposing them on Twitter.
It’s one of those stories where you feel like any of them— or none of them— could be the killer and it’s hard to feel too confident that you have it figured out!
Check out my full review to see a cast of characters, the really good name they come up with for the Twitter stalker person, some quotes from the book that struck me funny, and more about the Twitter attack.
5. The Ferryman by Justin Cronin
Genre: Science Fiction/Mystery
[On my list of Most Anticipated Books of 2023]
“Farewell, birds and trees and long, unhurried days, and while I’m at it, farewell to all the lies I’ve had to tell.”
“The mind works wondrously; it is capable of astonishing feats. It is the only machine in nature capable of thinking one thing while knowing its opposite.”
The Ferryman is a mixture of Inception, The Matrix, Total Recall, and Passengers (the one with Chris Pratt and J-Law). It is a long book with layers. Every time you think you know what’s going on, you peel back another layer.
It’s a thought-provoking, dystopian-type, sci-fi thriller that bends reality and takes you for a ride.
There are a few themes throughout the book: People ruining the earth. The selfishness of humans when faced with devastation. The love of a parent for a child and child loss. The politics of the ‘haves’ and the ‘have-nots.’ The idea that meaning comes from a designer.
Read the full review for a better plot summary, some random commentary, a discussion on the philosophy of life depicted in the book, some spoilers, and my ultimate recommendation.
6. The Family Bones by Elle Marr
Genre: Suspense/Thriller
“The retreat could be the match that ignited the dry kindling of our family pyre— disastrous, just like last time.”
Olivia Eriksen is part of a family of psychopaths.
Olivia, herself a neurotypical, is working on her grad paper, studying the relationship between psychopathy and the age-old question- nature or nurture?
So, of course, she is going to attend a family reunion out in Oregon on a wilderness resort to talk with family members and understand their experiences.
Because what could go wrong?
This one’s a freaky read and a little bit like a horror movie (but with less blood and guts).
Read my full review for more plot details and a second thread of the story and how realistic it actually is.
7. We Go On: Finding Purpose in All of Life’s Sorrows and Joys by John Onwuchekwa
Genre: Christian Living
[This was on my list of Most Anticipated Books of 2022]
“Ecclesiastes cries with us in our sorrow, in our disappointment. It shares with us in our pain and frustration. It doesn’t give easy answers to difficult questions. It sees things as they really are. But it also doesn’t leave you there.”
“God loves to call the brightest futures out of the darkest circumstances.”
Honest is a good descriptor for John and this book. He shares of his own experiences of the death of his brother, his strained relationship with his other brother, and years of infertility.
It’s a short read. Plus the book has pictures! I thought they were a special addition and did make it more beautiful than a typical book.
Read my full review for more good quotes, the two things that stuck out to me the most, the five major topics he hits on, and a nice little rabbit trail.
John does a really good job at acknowledging the sorrows of life, validating the feeling, but nudging us to the One who walks us through them.
8. The Long March Home: A World War II Novel of the Pacific by Marcus Brotherton and Tosca Lee
Genre: Historical Fiction
[On my list of Most Anticipated Books of 2023]
“We didn’t come through hell just to die when it’s over. If we have to run— if we have to swim off this island— we’re gettin’ through this. The three of us— all home alive. That’s our only aim from here on out.”
This is a hard book to read. Because it’s a book of war and of being a prisoner of war.
The atrocities of WWII we’re familiar with, but in a different location than Europe— the Pacific.
This is the story of three teenage boys— best friends and voluntary soldiers— fighting near Manila. While the boys are specifically fiction, this book is based on true stories.
Marcus Brotherton is known for his non-fiction work and Tosca Lee (one of my favorite authors) has written all kinds of genres, but she is a researcher and whether she is writing fantasy, thrillers, or historical fiction, you can tell that she has put in the work to bring her characters and the setting to life!
Read my full review for more historical context, plot details, and my ultimate recommendation.
9. Huda F Are You? by Huda Fahmy
Genre: YA/Graphic Novel
[Nominee for ‘Best Graphic Novel/Comic’ category of the 2022 Goodreads Choice Awards Reading Challenge]
This is a very short YA graphic novel about identity and finding one’s place in a new school.
Huda, the author, tells of growing up as a Muslim teenager and discovering who she is.
Muslim readers will be able to relate to this book, and non-Muslim readers will understand better the challenges people of other cultures may face at school.
Check out my full review to see a few sample pages of this illustrated novel.
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