I find that July is either a month where I read a lot (hello, reading outside in summer) or not much at all (the busyness of summer gets to me). This year, it was a super busy month and I slacked a little bit on the reading! But in 2026 I’ve got no specific number goal I’m trying to hit, because I want to read for pure fun, not pressure.
Here’s what we read in July (slash also June, because I didn’t post a roundup in June, so some of us included some June reads here):
Cathy
A Little History of Canada by H. V. Nelles
I spent most of July travelling around Georgian Bay in Ontario and it was beautiful. I didnโt really know much about Canadian history before I went and found A Little History of Canada tucked away in a used book store in one of the towns on the lake.
Itโs pretty much what it says on the tin – a little history of Canada. Itโs not super in depth but I gave me a rough idea of Canada (both pre and post European settlement) so I didnโt feel completely ignorant during my time in Ontario.
The authorโs writing is the easy-to-digest kind of academic writing that has a bit of a โstory lineโ thatโs backed up with facts and the occasional figure. The chapters are organised around themes rather than being a chronological run through of Canadaโs history. And I appreciated this approach as it was quite clear what the link was between a past event or place and more recent times.
A Little History of Canada was a very easy read while I was on holiday and Iโd recommend it for those who donโt know anything about Canada as an introduction. Itโs 3 stars for me.
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Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett (Audiobook)
Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg and Magrat Garlick are witches in the Discworld who try very hard not to get mixed up in royal intrigue. But an unforunate instance of being in the wrong place at the wrong time means they end up responsible for a baby that was smuggled out of the castle. And theyโre not really sure what to do. They eventually find a couple from the theatre to raise the child and check in every so often via their cauldron.
Wyrd Sisters then follows the story of Granny, Nanny and Magrat as they have various dealings with a new king – mostly involving the witches causing trouble in response to being persecuted by the king who wants to get rid of them. The paralell storyline follows the child as he grows up in the theatre and experiences strange dreams of three women watching him.
I like this book a lot because the story is funny. The absurd moments that are sprinkled throughout the story make you laugh (or snort loudly at least). And Terry Pratchettโs writing style lends itself to the characters’ and the things that are going on around them.
The whole story has a feeling of destiny around it, you know that the child is special, youโre just waiting for him to figure out that heโs actually the missing prince.
Iโve been listening to it as an audibook and the characters are perfect for being read aloud. Their humour, sarcasm, the way they say things – everything works perfectly in an audiobook narration.
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Joli
We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker
I’m in a smaller, side book club in addition to the bigger one where picks are made for us. In the smaller one, we make our own picks, and June was my turn. I had had We Begin at the End on my shelf for a long time, so I decided we should go for it. And man, it was a doozy.
If you look up reviews of this one online, you’ll read a lot about how it broke people. I can 100% confirm that those people are not lying. This book is heavy! But it will break you in the most beautiful of ways, if you know what I mean.
The protagonist is a pre-teen/teen girl, doing her very best to care for her little brother throughout some pretty ridiculous circumstances…they have a very difficult life. The book has mystery, suspense, and just so much heart. So much caring in a world and a situation where it seems like caring is hard to come by.
A beautiful book, all around.
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Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club by J. Ryan Stradal
I found myself with some unexpected free time nearby my favorite cafe/bookstore, so I popped in, grabbed a coffee, and chose a used book off the shelves to buy and start reading while I waited.
J. Ryan Stradal is a local author I’ve always *meant* to read more of, ever since picking up and loving his Kitchens of the Great Midwest. I’m so glad I found a used copy of Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club on the shelves that day, because it was a delightful read.
I have memories from when I was very little of going to a nearby supper club for dinner. I grew up in a small town in Wisconsin, so of course there was a supper club nearby. I remember the wood-paneled walls, the smell of fried fish, and the atmosphere of people coming together, enjoying each others presence, and eating good food.
So, this book hit home for me. It’s set in a small town in Minnesota and has so many distinctly Minnesotan references and ways of life. The story was lovely, I loved the characters, and really enjoyed the family ties/inheritance theme that ran throughout the book.
Whether you’re a midwesterner or not, I recommend this big-hearted read.
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The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean
The Return of Ellie Black was my big book club’s pick in July, and it was a decent thriller.
Basically, girl disappears, girl is gone for years, girl reappears and acts very mysteriously, like she’s hiding something.
I liked the dual narration that jumped between what was happening now and Ellie’s experience while she was gone. The problems I had were mostly centered around things that seemed too convenient, such as how the hospital let Ellie go home after…hours? When she’s been gone for years and is malnourished and clearly in mental distress.
And of course, the investigator looking into the case lost a sister in a similar kind of way to how Ellie disappeared, making her pretty obsessed with solving the case.
I didn’t, however, guess the twist. So it was definitely entertaining.
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Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid (Audiobook)
Please don’t hate me for this review, but I didn’t like Daisy Jones as much as I liked Malibu Rising!
What I did like: The audiobook was narrated by a cast, there was enough drama to keep me looking forward to what was next, and Daisy ended up being a likable character.
What I didn’t like: The story just felt kind of one-noted for me. All the things happen that you would expect to happen in a book about a band in the 70s โ drugs, sex, one person that wants to control what the band does, dissent among band members…there wasn’t really one great climax to the story for me. It just kept going in the same general direction.
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An Artful Dodge by Karen Odden
If you like engaging historical mysteries with gorgeous period details, youโre in for a treat.
I have been a fan of Karen Oddenโs books for years now (see my reviews of A Dangerous Duet and A Trace of Deceit), and even got a fellow LQer in on the fun (see Katieโs review of Under a Veiled Moon). And then when An Artful Dodge was next on my list to read, I was flipping through the monthโs Booklist Reader magazine and found a mention it. I was so pumped to see that, because Karenโs books really are that good and she deserves that mention!
Suffice it to say I was really looking forward to reading An Artful Dodge, and it definitely did not disappoint.
Read my full review of An Artful Dodge!
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Molly
House of Rayne by Harley LaRoux
After a bad breakup, Salem spends what should have been her honeymoon mountain biking around the Pacific Northwest. A one night stand with her innkeeper complicates her stay on Blackridge Island, a place that seems to grow stranger the longer she stays there.
For her part, Rayne is torn between her interest in the newest guest at Balfour Manor Inn and the knowledge that the longer Salem stays on Blackridge Island, the more dangerous her visit becomes.
I found this book to be a perfect blend of horror and romance, two genres Iโve dabbled in but donโt read super often. It was just spooky enough for me, without crossing over into being too scary to read.
I do think there are some pacing issues, as a lot of the middle of the book is just bad things happening and the characters trying to stay alive, rather than figuring out whatโs going on and how to stop it. However, it was still an entertaining read.
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Junie by Erin Crosby Eckstine
Junieโs grandmother calls her โcarefreeโโa label Junie resents not only because her grandmother really means careless, but also because it paints her in stark contrast to her sister, Minnie.
Following Minnieโs death, Junie uses the endless work given to her as a house slave to fill her days and keep her mind occupied. Her life is interrupted when Violet, the masterโs daughter and someone Junie considers a friend and confidant, must entertain a suitor from New Orleans. Not only does Junie have to worry about Violet marrying a cruel man, she also fears being taken from her family and forced to follow Violet to New Orleans.
To make matters more complicated, Junie is haunted by the ghost of her sister, who has a mission for Junie. Failing to complete it means Minnieโs soul will be lost forever, but Junie fears that completing it will turn her world upside down even more sharply than Violetโs pending nuptials.
This was an audiobook I found myself looking forward to every day on my way to work. Vibrant settings, complex characters, romance and heartbreak kept me listening.
Junieโs stubbornness was sometimes infuriating. However, watching her try to manage the careful balance of her life was gripping. Every choice had consequences, and her increasing desperation built suspense throughout the book.
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A Penance for Crows by Shannon Morgan
Strange symbols and a series of seemingly accidental deaths come to the island of Beanna Dubh in this modern gothic. Grizela, an artist who came to the island to escape her past, must unearth who or what is bringing about the mysterious events taking place in order to clear the names of four young girls before their superstitious community seeks revenge.
Full review of A Penance for Crows available now!
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The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow
My new favorite book by one of my favorite authors!
Owen Mallory has dedicated his life to the memory of Sir Una Everlasting, the figurehead of Dominion. She inspired him to join the army and conquer in the name of his country and religion, going against his rebel fatherโs beliefs in the process. On his return home, Sir Una again guides his decision to become a professor history.
When a mythical tome is mysteriously delivered to Owenโs desk, he finds himself pulled into an unexpected adventure into the past to document Una Everlastingโs final days. In the process, however, he finds himself falling in love with her, while also questioning why the events feel more familiar than they should.
Harrowโs use of the second person is captivating and drew me in immediately. The characters were lovable and heartbreakingly tragic, and I absolutely devoured every page.
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Yerba Buena by Nina LaCour
I listened to this as my audiobook for the month.
Sara is a sixteen-year-old runaway turned successful LA bartender. She is haunted by the death of her high school girlfriend, which drove her away from home, but also desperately misses her younger brother Spencer, whom she left behind.
Emily is in her sixth year of undergraduate school, and her love life is as lacking as her academic career. Her older sisterโs drug addiction hovers in the background of her life, looming like a dark cloud as she attempts to figure out what she wants to do with her life.
The two women become unexpectedly intertwined after meeting at Yerba Buena, a high-end, trendy restaurant.
Overall I thought this book was fine. It certainly had its moments, but the ending frustratingly turned on a simple lack of communication, which fell flat for me.
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Girls Girls Girls by Shoshanna von Blackensee
After graduating high school, Hannah and Sam leave Long Beach, New York for San Francisco, where theyโre sure they can finally live openly after secretly dating for years.
Unfortunately, the girls find it harder to make it in San Francisco than they anticipated, and turn to stripping to make ends meet. Hannah finds stripping distasteful and abandons it to work as an escort for an older woman named Chris, while Sam embraces the queer community and starts spending more time with her friends and less time with Hannah.
This book was a lovely coming of age novel, although at times it felt very obvious that it is a debut novel.
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Renee
Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke
This was a completely bonkers tradwife thriller. Natalie Heller Mills is the perfect wife and mother, at least as far as social media is concerned.
She and her family live simply off their ranch, tending their chickens, growing their own food, and homeschooling their children.
No one sees what goes on behind the scenes.
But then one morning Natalie wakes up and everything is just different enough. The children are hers, but they arenโt. Her husband is hers, but he isnโt. The house is hers, but itโs not. Anything involving electricity is gone. Her phone is gone. Everything is cooked on a hearth fire. Thereโs no heat. All their clothes are sewn by hand.
This one is a little bit of a slow burn, but it was a fun read for me, especially coming off of having just read Jo Piazzaโs tradwife thriller right before that.
See my full review on StoryGraph.
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The Baby-Sitterโs Club Super Special #7: Snowbound by Ann M. Martin
During some gloomy weather, I decided to raid the bookshelf full of my old middle grade novels in my parents’ basement for some comfort re-reads. I loved the BSC, and this Super Special about a blizzard in Stoneybrook was just what I was in the mood for.
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My Crazy Cousin Courtney by Judi Miller
I think this was my favorite book in 5th grade. Re-reading it as an adult was a lot more nuanced for me because, yes, Courtney is still the โBrat from Beverly Hills,โ but as an adult, itโs easier to recognize why sheโs the way she is. Her life is pretty sad. When she goes to stay with Cathy and her mom in New York City for a summer, adventure awaits them all.
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Liberty Island by Virginia Hume
I read this for book club and canโt say it was my favorite. There were a lot of characters that I had trouble keeping straight, especially at the beginning when youโre still trying to place yourself as a reader in that world.
Itโs a dual narrative historical fiction novel, told from the points of view of Anna and her niece Julia.
Thereโs a lot about womenโs freedom and liberty in this book, but the ending just felt so wrong and neatly tied up into a bow. The more I thought about it after I finished reading, the less I liked it.
I will say that hearing the author talk about her research process was interesting. There was a lot of research that went into the book. I just didnโt necessarily feel like the ending was right for those characters.
See my full review on StoryGraph.
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That’s it! That’s what we’ve been reading. What did you read in July?
More About Me
- What We Read in July 2026 - August 13, 2026
- Review: An Artful Dodge by Karen Odden - August 3, 2026
- How to Get AI-Free Book Recommendations in 2026 - August 1, 2026