July 2024 Reading Update
Aug. 12th, 2024 12:02 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
penwallaJuly was my reread month -- a new thing I was trying where I dedicated time to rereading books so I wasn't being haunted by the guilt of my TBR. July was probably the wrong month to do this, but hey, we did it!
Currently Reading:
Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
I had grand ambitions for what I was going to reread in July, and didn't get to everything on my list. But I really do want to reread this series still.
Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
Someday I will finish this book.
The Imposition of Unnecessary Obstacles by Malika Older
Trying to actually get to new releases in a reasonable manner this year.
Refusing Compulsory Sexuality by Sherronda J. Brown
So far, a very interesting perspective.
Rereads:
Third Girl by Agatha Christie
Sad Cypress by Agatha Christie
Evil Under the Sun by Agatha Christie
As always, when I don't know what to read, I reach for Poirot mysteries. I think Sad Cypress is pretty mid, but the other two are solid.
The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
This is one of my favorite romances: all the charm of a historical, speculative elements that don't overpower the story, and a romance that keeps you turning the page.
Carry On by Rainbow Rowell
I reread this on a whim. Overall I think it holds up--if you like YA romances or Drarry, you will definitely enjoy this. It's definitely a flawed book--the plot falls apart a bit at the end--but I think the interpersonal stuff and the romances are strong enough to carry it. That said, rereading this made me realize how disappointing the rest of the series is. I still think Wayward Son is great, but I think it's almost great on accident, and I definitely don't think I would give Any Way the Wind Blows a 4/5 on reread now.
Writing the Romance Novel: Crafting a Love Story That Sells by Leigh Michaels
I wrote a whole separate post about how much this book sucked so I won't belabor the point. But it does suck.
Romancing the Beat: Story Structure for Romance Novels by Gwen Hayes
One of the writing books I recommend frequently because I think it's so useful and so easy to apply. It's a short book, too--you can easily finish it in a sitting. Hayes really lays out a formula for romance arcs that feels universal, and I think it would be easy to use parts of it if you disagree.
Captive Prince by C.S. Pacat
Prince's Gambit by C.S. Pacat
Kings Rising by C.S. Pacat
The Summer Palace and Other Stories by C.S. Pacat
I haven't read these since 2018 and damn, they hold up incredibly well. I was shocked by how short they were, but in a good way, because Pacat uses every page to maximum effect. The plot and the romance are perfectly intertwined, the foreshadowing is immaculate, the symmetry of Damianos and Laurent is so well crafted. And they're funny, too! One of those book series that will give you brainworms. If you started with Dark Rise, yes, go back for these, it's worth it.
10 Things That Never Happened by Alexis Hall
I truly believe no one is better at wringing every drop of emotional impact out of a mundane situation than Alexis Hall is.
The Demon of the House of Hua by Maria Ying
I just love monster romances, honestly, especially with the twist of the widow falling in love with her wife's killer.
Currently Reading:
Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
I had grand ambitions for what I was going to reread in July, and didn't get to everything on my list. But I really do want to reread this series still.
Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
Someday I will finish this book.
The Imposition of Unnecessary Obstacles by Malika Older
Trying to actually get to new releases in a reasonable manner this year.
Refusing Compulsory Sexuality by Sherronda J. Brown
So far, a very interesting perspective.
Rereads:
Third Girl by Agatha Christie
Sad Cypress by Agatha Christie
Evil Under the Sun by Agatha Christie
As always, when I don't know what to read, I reach for Poirot mysteries. I think Sad Cypress is pretty mid, but the other two are solid.
The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
This is one of my favorite romances: all the charm of a historical, speculative elements that don't overpower the story, and a romance that keeps you turning the page.
Carry On by Rainbow Rowell
I reread this on a whim. Overall I think it holds up--if you like YA romances or Drarry, you will definitely enjoy this. It's definitely a flawed book--the plot falls apart a bit at the end--but I think the interpersonal stuff and the romances are strong enough to carry it. That said, rereading this made me realize how disappointing the rest of the series is. I still think Wayward Son is great, but I think it's almost great on accident, and I definitely don't think I would give Any Way the Wind Blows a 4/5 on reread now.
Writing the Romance Novel: Crafting a Love Story That Sells by Leigh Michaels
I wrote a whole separate post about how much this book sucked so I won't belabor the point. But it does suck.
Romancing the Beat: Story Structure for Romance Novels by Gwen Hayes
One of the writing books I recommend frequently because I think it's so useful and so easy to apply. It's a short book, too--you can easily finish it in a sitting. Hayes really lays out a formula for romance arcs that feels universal, and I think it would be easy to use parts of it if you disagree.
Captive Prince by C.S. Pacat
Prince's Gambit by C.S. Pacat
Kings Rising by C.S. Pacat
The Summer Palace and Other Stories by C.S. Pacat
I haven't read these since 2018 and damn, they hold up incredibly well. I was shocked by how short they were, but in a good way, because Pacat uses every page to maximum effect. The plot and the romance are perfectly intertwined, the foreshadowing is immaculate, the symmetry of Damianos and Laurent is so well crafted. And they're funny, too! One of those book series that will give you brainworms. If you started with Dark Rise, yes, go back for these, it's worth it.
10 Things That Never Happened by Alexis Hall
I truly believe no one is better at wringing every drop of emotional impact out of a mundane situation than Alexis Hall is.
The Demon of the House of Hua by Maria Ying
I just love monster romances, honestly, especially with the twist of the widow falling in love with her wife's killer.
