Today I’m back with a July Wrap up. Things have been slowly returning to normal and I’ve been in work more so I’ve had less time to read. I did manage a total of 8 books, so lets dive in!
1. Music and Malice in Hurricane Town – Alex Bell
This was a book I picked up on a whim and ended up absolutely loving it. It follows a young girl living in a magical New Orleans as she becomes wrapped up in the murder of the cajou Queen. Forced to find out who killed her, Jude goes on a whirlwind adventure through the underworld of Baton Noir. It was a really gripping read and I ended up racing through it. (4.25/5 stars)
2. The Dark That Dwells – Matt Digman & Ryan Roody
This epic space adventure was my favourite book of the month. Full of action and adventure, I couldn’t put this one down. It’s a brilliant blend of science fiction and fantasy, following four strangers who become swept up in an epic adventure to stop an ancient evil from returning. I loved everything about this one, from the world building to the character and I highly recommend picking it up. (5/5 stars)
3. If I Had Your Face – Frances Cha
If I Had Your Face follows a group of women living in contemporary Seoul. In this society plastic surgery rules all and everyone is obsessed with looking beautiful. Each women is dealing with her own struggles of living in this society and it was such a fascinating story. The writing is gorgeous and I definitely recommend if you’re looking for some gripping contemporary fiction. (3.75/5 stars)
4. Harrow Lake – Kat Ellis
I absolutely love horror movies so when I heard about this story about the daughter of a famous horror movie director, I was instantly hooked. The story follows Lola as she returns to her mothers hometown and the place where her father filmed his cult classic. When she arrives she finds a town stuck in the past, with a number of mysterious secrets. This book was brilliantly creepy and I had such a fun time reading it. It’s a perfect read for Halloween! (4.5/5 stars)
5. Hinton Hollow Death Trip – Will Carver
Hinton Hollow Death Trip is completely unlike anything I have ever read before. It follows Detective Pace who is returning to his hometown after many years. The story is narrated by Evil, as over the course of a few days he inspires and nudges people to do evil things. This story has really short snappy chapters that had me turning pages faster and faster. (4/5 stars)
6. The Gilded Wolves – Roshani Chokshi
This is one I’ve wanted to read for a while and it was so much fun. A heist style novel about a group of individuals looking to steal magical artefacts, it very much gave me Six of Crows vibes. I really liked the characters and the plot was excited but I would have liked a bit more of a chance to get to know the world and the magic system before diving into the main story. (3.5/5 stars)
7. The Cry of the Lake – Charlie Tyler
This debut thriller might be short but boy it packs a punch. The story is set in a small town and follows a number of characters during the disappearance of a young school girl. When her body is discovered police find evidence to suspect one of her teachers. The evidence appears too neat, raising suspicions in police officer Annie and the suspect’s daughter Flo. But who would want to frame him and why? Full of twisty secrets, this was a mysterious and gripping read that I ended up reading in one day. (4/5 stars)
8. The Resident – David Jackson
This book honestly freaked me out so much. Serial killer Thomas Brogan is on the run when he finds refuge in an abandoned house. Whilst exploring he discovers he can access the homes of the neighbours through the attic and decides to have some fun while he’s lying low. I live in the type of house where this seems possible so it definitely creeped me out. A completely terrifying read, it hooks you in right from the very first page. (5/5 stars)
So those are the eight books I read in July! If you’ve read any of these I’d love to know what you thought as well as what books you’ve been reading in July!
I loved the Artemis Fowl series growing up so when I heard that Eoin Colfer was releasing an adult fantasy novel about a vodka drinking dragon I was desperate to get my hands on it. This action packed tale is full of hi-jinx and humour and is without a doubt one of the most unique tales I’ve read in a long time.
The Deck of Omens is the concluding book in The Devouring Gray duology. I absolutely loved book one so I was really excited to pick up book two. The Deck of Omens picks up just after the events of The Devouring Gray and this sequel is just as dark and gripping as book one.
The Trials of Apollo is the first in a new series from Percy Jackson author Rick Riordan. This series follows God Apollo, as he is cast from Olympus and forced to live as a mortal teenager. When he makes it to Camp Half-Blood he discovers his enemies are plotting to bring down Olympus permanently.
I saw a few people talking about this online and thought I would have a look at the synopsis (mainly because I was intrigued by that absolutely stunning cover!). After reading what the book was about it immediately became an anticipated release. An heir attempting to reclaim her throne? The forbidden art of bone shard magic? WHERE DO I SIGN UP? This sounds like the kind of thing I would absolutely love and I’m so excited to read it. I’ve seen a few people have read it already and the reviews have all been 4/5 stars so that gives me really high expectations for this book. The Bone Shard Daughter is the first in The Drowning Empire series and I just have the feeling that this is going to be one of my all time favourites. I’m participating in the blog tour for this one in September but I know as soon as my copy arrives I’m going to be diving straight into this one. 
The Cold is in Her Bones is the dark and compelling Medusa retelling you didn’t know you needed.
Midnight’s Twins is the first in an all new fantasy trilogy from Holly Race. The story follows fifteen year old Fern, who has always felt like an outsider in her family. When she uncovers secrets surrounding her mother’s past, Fern discovers the magical dream world of Annwn. Annwn is protected by Knights and when Fern’s twin brother Ollie is chosen to join them, Fern must do everything she can to prove she is one of them too.
Mirage was one of those books that I thought sounded quite interesting and order a copy of and then sits on your TBR for absolutely ages. Eventually I picked it up and I absolutely devoured it. I couldn’t put it down and it was one of my favourite reads of 2019. It was fast paced, I loved the characters and the plot was so engrossing. I love the doppelganger trope and I think it’s done so well in this book. I’ve been eagerly awaiting this second instalment because I’m desperate to know what’s going to happen next. I have really high expectations for this one, so fingers crossed it lives up to it. The release date has been pushed back to August which I’m a bit sad about, but thankfully there isn’t too long to go. There is also a change in the cover design and while I like the new cover I do prefer the simple design of the first book and I’m going to be so sad they don’t match. If you haven’t picked up Mirage yet you can read my full review 
Magic For Liars first caught my eye when I saw it described as ‘Veronica Mars at Hogwarts’ and while this is a murder mystery set at a magic school, the story was very different from what I expected. Dark and twisty, the story follows Private Investigator Ivy Gamble as she is asked to investigate the death of a teach at a secret magic school. A school where it just so happens her estranged twin sister Tabitha works. Struggling to uncover the truth when everyone around her has magic and she doesn’t, Ivy must face the truths of who she is, and use everything she’s got to uncover who carried out such a gruesome murder.
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is one of my most anticipated releases for 2020. Although I’m still working my way though V. E. Schwab’s back catalogue, I’ve read and loved her City of Ghost series, The Near Witch and Vicious. Each one was a four or five star read and I’m so eager to read more of her books. I went to an event to celebrate The Near Witch last year and she talked about how long she had worked on Addie LaRue and even with her just mentioning it briefly I was hooked. It sounds like an incredible read and I really adore Schwab’s writing. There’s been quite a lot of buzz about this book already, and I’ve seen a number of five star reviews from bloggers too. I’m so excited to get my hands on a copy but there are a few more months to wait, 
The Bibliophile Chronicles 