July 2024 Reading Wrap-up

I got a surprising amount of reading done in July despite being busy throughout the month. I did end up straying quite a bit from my July TBR. This was mostly because I splurged on Kindle Unlimited and found myself picking up my Kindle more than normal. July 2024 Reading Wrap-up shows the books I read during the month, my thoughts on them, and some general reading stats.

July 2024 Reading Wrap-up

A Galaxy Next Door Vol 5 by Gido Amagakure

This was a reread.

It was great to revisit this part of the story, especially getting to see Shiori’s family and the island she grew up on. There were a number of amusing moments, especially with Shiori’s mother avoiding her at all costs – I realize that sounds weird but trust me, if you know the story this part is funny. This volume certainly shows how much Shiori has grown since the beginning.

The Secret of Friendship by Kazune Kawahara & Aiji Yamakawa

I haven’t read many one-shot manga and this one sounded like an interesting premise.

Eiko and Moe have a great friendship, however, sometimes they are a bit too dependent on each other. Seeing these two change along the way, learn to do things without each other, and gain love along the way, was great. However, there was something that felt off that I couldn’t quite put my finger on.

This story was different and while I can’t say I loved it, I am glad I checked it out.

Christmas in the Highlands by Suzy Henderson

I realize it seems very early to read Christmas stories, but I am being proactive with my seasonal reading.

While this book didn’t blow me away, it was a quick read and there were parts of it that I did enjoy, however as a whole, it didn’t grab me. There were too many convenient moments and far too many hot and cold moments between Niahm and Alex.

Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman

This book was recommended to me by a random book-loving stranger and boy am I glad they told me to check it out.

From start to finish, I was hooked on the story of Carl, Donut, and all the other Crawlers thrust into this life-and-death struggle to survive and potentially save Earth from aliens. This story is amusing, chaotic, dangerous, and downright strange, and all of those qualities add up to be one fantastic story.

This series is being bumped up on my list of priority reads because I need to know what comes next.

Christmas at the Little Duck Pond Cafe by Rosie Green

I took a chance with this book, especially since it was the third in the series, however, I feel confident that not reading the first 2 books didn’t affect my ability to enjoy the story.

This one took a bit to get into, as I didn’t really feel a connection with Fen and her deep love of Pride & Prejudice. However, it did eventually grow on me, and I found myself connecting with Fen once things got rolling.

There are a number of ups and downs, along with some bad decisions made by many characters, but in the end, most if not all of it works out. The Christmas aspect of the book is minimal.

I will likely go back and read the first two books in this series.

BL Metamorphosis Vol 1 by Kaori Tsurutani

I chose this book at random and I’m glad I did. Ichinoi and Urara couldn’t be more different from each other. One is a high school student, and the other is a woman in her 70s. The one thing they have in common is books, but their unexpected bond over BL (boys love) books is where this book stands out.

Watching these two bond over their mutual love of these stories and growing as individuals because of that was wonderful. I cannot wait to read more of their journey of friendship and love of books.

Edge of Madness by Kyla Stone

The second book in the series but it didn’t quite stand out the way the first book did. However, while the overall situation is the same in this one, the stakes feel a lot lower than in Hannah’s story.

That being said, there was a lot to experience in this one, and seeing the struggles of Noah, Milo, Quinn, and the rest of the residents of Fall Creek when dealing with such a huge event. I do feel like Quinn and her grandma truly made this book because Noah wasn’t the strongest main character and there was a lot of repetitive thoughts and moments surrounding him.

Even so, I am excited to continue with this series.

Tender Wings of Desire by Colonel Sanders

I don’t know what to say, I got this book for free several years back and it was time to read it. It’s a romance ‘written by’ and starring Colonel Sanders.

It was a short quick read and honestly, it was fine.

Coming Home to Puddleduck Farm by Della Galton

I didn’t know what to expect with this one. It did take a bit for me to get into the story but once that happened I enjoyed it quite a bit. There was one character that got a bit on my nerves, but ignoring that, I truly enjoyed the mix of characters in this book.

Pheobe was a great main character and I’m glad that despite outside pressure, she stuck to her guns about what she wanted to do going forward. Her grandma, Maggie, was the star of the show, but without her, I feel like Phoebe would still be struggling in many ways.

This was a good start to the series and I will be continuing with the series soon.

A Galaxy Next Door Vol 6 by Gido Amagakure

The final book in the series and while it did feel slow at times, I really enjoyed this one. Shiori and Ichiro have come a long way since their first meeting. Their relationship has had its ups and downs and it was wonderful to see it come to that happily-ever-after stage.

This one covers several years, which in a way, I wish was stretched out over a couple of volumes because I want to see more of them and their family. However, I feel like this was an excellent end to the series.

My Kind of Christmas by Janet Dailey

I love a good cowboy romance, toss in some Christmas and you have a winning combination.

This book was slow at times but overall, I quite enjoyed reading it. Travis was frustratingly stubborn throughout most of it, but thankfully Maggie was ready to take on the challenge of getting this cowboy to open up. It was nice to see a mature couple grow together and realize their feelings for one another, get through the ups and downs of life, and get a happy ending.

I look forward to continuing the series.

Days on Fes Vol 1 by Kanato Oka

I picked this one up on a whim, thinking that the premise of the story sounded interesting.

In a way, it was interesting. However, I never felt that this story grabbed me. I honestly feel like this would be better as an anime than a manga. I don’t think I will continue with this series.

July 2024 reading wrap-up stats

• Books read: 12
• Books purchased: 1
• Books unhauled: 2
• Books DNF’d: 6

I hope you enjoyed my July 2024 Reading Wrap-up. What did you read in July?