Welcome to the July 2018 Reading List. I have several recommendations and a few reviews. The first part of the month was devoted to family and simply enjoying my time with them. I read very little during that time other than children’s books but I made up for it after all the visitors left.
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July 2018 Reading List
- The Air Raid Killer (Max Heller, Dresden Detective), Frank Goldammer
- The Billionaire Love Match (The Billionaire Surprise Book 1), Emma St. Clair
- Surviving Revision: How One Writer Finished What She Started, K. Kris Loomis
The Last Good Day (Avery & Angela Book 1), Robert Kugler
- The Earl and His Lady: A Regency Romance (Branches of Love, Book 4), Sally Britton
- Deadly Ride (Charleneland Book 1), Nic Saint
- Beautiful Exiles, Meg Waite Clayton
- Seduction (Curse of the Gods Book 3), Jane Washington & Jaymin Eve
- What If Everybody Said That?, Ellen Javernick
- We Are the Dinosaurs, Laurie Berkner
- Ada Twist, Scientist, Andrea Beaty
This is the short form list. Keep reading for all the details, images, authors, synopses & commentary
July 2018 Reading List
*All images & synopses are from Amazon.com*
Comments are my own.
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The Air Raid Killer (Max Heller, Dresden Detective), Frank Goldammer
In the final days of the Nazi regime, with the historic city of Dresden on the brink of destruction, terrifying rumors spread about the Fright Man, a demonic killer who exploited the cover of a nighttime air raid siren to mutilate and kill a young nurse.
Just as seasoned detective Max Heller begins investigating, the Fright Man kills again… The investigation seems hopeless. Desperate refugees flood the streets, all of Heller’s resources are depleted, and his new boss is a ruthless SS officer. And like so many others, Heller and his wife, Karin, survive on meager rations while fearing for the lives of their sons at the front.
But as tensions mount and enemy firebombs decimate the city, dangerous new clues come to light—and the determined Heller pursues a violent and twisting path to unmask a monster.
The Billionaire Love Match (The Billionaire Surprise Book 1), Emma St. Clair
Does real love stand a chance on a rigged reality show? Casey’s friends tell her that she’s a terrible judge of character. When she hears about a matchmaking reality show based on personality tests, she applies on a whim. But moments before the show starts filming, a chance encounter with a stranger has her questioning everything.
In front of cameras, under the watchful eye of his movie mogul mother, and surrounded by fourteen other jealous women, Colt and Casey do their best to let a real relationship unfold. Can they trust something built on live television or will their relationship run out like fifteen minutes of fame?
This clean and inspirational billionaire romance is a perfect read if you enjoy witty dialogue and colorful characters or consider shows like The Bachelor a guilty pleasure.
Full disclosure here… I have never watched a reality show like The Bachelor, Survivor or even American Idol! I have watched a little Dancing with the Stars and I did enjoy RockStar: INXS. ( more disclosure: My daughters were in the studio audience for that one )
However, I really liked this story. It was funny, infuriating, touching. So even if you aren’t a fan of reality shows, billionaire romance, etc. I think you will enjoy this book. It is the first in a new series & I look forward to the next one.
Emma St. Clair writes clean romance stories. This is a refreshing genre for me. You should give it a try. Even more disclosure for you: I am an advanced reader for several of her books.
Surviving Revision: How One Writer Finished What She Started, K. Kris Loomis
Surviving Revision: How One Writer Finished What She Started is a humorous first-hand account of a first-time novelist grappling with how to turn her disheveled vomit draft into a novel someone besides her mother might want to read.
Unruly characters, infuriating loglines, wayward settings and haphazard props provide stumbling blocks and “ah-ha” moments like:
• A character’s first impression is a promise you make to your reader.
• Just because you call something a scene doesn’t make it a scene.
• It’s an author’s job to save her story, not her characters.
• Your main character is not the protagonist in every scene, but…
• Every scene needs a protagonist (and an antagonist!).
• Wallpaper should be hung after the tub is ripped out and replaced.
Accidental discoveries, astonishing surprises, and amazing improvements lurk between these pages, and by the end of the book, you will be convinced that you, too, can revise your own work into something you can be proud of!
I was an advanced reader for The Sinking of Bethany Ann Crane. Surviving Revision was written about that book. If you have read The Sinking of Bethany Ann Crane you will enjoy this book, even if you aren’t an author yourself.
The Last Good Day (Avery & Angela Book 1), Robert Kugler
Eighteen-year-old Avery is a talented musician leaving home to study at the Boston Conservatory of Music to take his shot at success and glory. Before he boards the 8 AM Northeast Connector out of Princeton Junction, he has one last day at the Jersey Shore with Angela, his best friend since the first day of ninth grade at Windsor High School.
The day starts off smoothly enough, but when the always levelheaded Angela goes ballistic and storms out while getting her palm read on the Boardwalk by Madame Marie, and then reveals that she’s decided to not go to Princeton University in the fall, a lifelong dream, Avery fears there’s something very, very wrong and he’s, as usual, at a loss as to what to do.
This book is a best seller in the young adult genre but I believe you will find it very enjoyable regardless of your age. The problems and issues that Avery & Angela face are not exclusive to the young. We all can learn a few good lessons from them.
The Earl and His Lady: A Regency Romance (Branches of Love, Book 4), Sally Britton
Lady Virginia Macon, the recently widowed Baroness of Heatherton, has an impossible decision to make. Her late husband’s unscrupulous brother demands guardianship of her sons. The courts are on his side, unless she marries someone willing to stand in her late husband’s place. Locking her heart away and devoting herself to her children is the only way Virginia can countenance such a decision.
Wearied by the world, Lucas Calvert, Earl of Annesbury, is tired of being alone. His wife’s passing six years previous left his life gray and empty. His only recourse has been to make life better for those around him, using his considerable wealth and influence. When he learns of Virginia’s plight, he knows he can save her and her sons.
I first read this as an advanced reader for the author. It is book 4 in a series but I had no trouble following the storyline. I found it such a delightful, sweet story and was so impressed by the author’s writing that I immediately downloaded the 1st in the series. Look for it on next month’s reading list
Deadly Ride (Charleneland Book 1), Nic Saint
Mia Rugg and her family run an amusement park in California called Charleneland, named after her famous grandmother Charlene, the well-known songstress. They all share the same house, with things getting pretty hectic from time to time, as Mia’s two sisters Maya and Marisa don’t always see eye to eye, while Charlene, being the diva that she is, manages to get on everybody’s nerves pretty much all the time.
All in all, though, things are going well for the enterprising family. At least until a voice doctor is found murdered on one of the park’s most popular attractions, the Haunted Ride, and Mia is forced to cooperate with local police detective Blane Jamison to solve the crime. When Charlene’s longtime arch-rival Phoenix accuses her of being behind the murder, things suddenly look very bleak for Charleneland, and soon Mia and her family’s future hangs in the balance.
Will Charleneland survive the sudden uproar? Will Mia and Blane be able to work together to find the killer, in spite of their differences? And will Blane get through his first meeting with Charlene and her two Corgis unscathed?
Find out in Deadly Ride, the first installment in the new humorous cozy mystery series Charleneland.
I love Nic Saint cozy mysteries. Nic Saint is the pen name for Nick & Nicole Saint. They are prolific writers of several series. Deadly Ride is laugh out loud funny. You can’t help but make the comparison of the characters to a couple of real life divas as I’m sure was intended. Grab a copy of this great book. I can’t wait for the antics in Charleneland Book 2!
Beautiful Exiles, Meg Waite Clayton
From New York Times bestselling author Meg Waite Clayton comes a riveting novel based on one of the most volatile and intoxicating real-life love affairs of the twentieth century.
Key West, 1936. Headstrong, accomplished journalist Martha Gellhorn is confident with words but less so with men when she meets disheveled literary titan Ernest Hemingway in a dive bar. Their friendship—forged over writing, talk, and family dinners—flourishes into something undeniable in Madrid while they’re covering the Spanish Civil War.
I am still making my through this one. It is pretty slow-moving so far or possibly I am not a huge fan of the way Hemingway led his personal life. Regardless, it’s an intimate look into the lives of two writers who cannot help but clash. Martha was so ahead of her time. I will update my thoughts on this book in the next post.
Seduction (Curse of the Gods Book 3), Jane Washington & Jaymin Eve
Willa Knight: Dweller? Sol? Accidental evolutionary hiccup?
Willa has never been a particularly useful dweller: she isn’t very good at chores, she isn’t very good at worshipping, she isn’t very good at not having opinions, and she isn’t very good with rules—but none of that matters anymore.
The rules are changing.
The dwellers are trying to make their own way in the world, and Willa can’t seem to help getting tangled up in their plans.
Luckily, she has the Abcurse brothers to help her out—until she doesn’t, and suddenly she’s alone again in a world on the brink of chaos.
With the Abcurses gone, she’ll have to rely on her wits, and her sister Emmy, to stay under the radar and survive.
Because someone wants her dead.
I love Willa Knight. Clumsy, goofy, but so very real. Willa & her Abcurse brothers along with Emmy make this a wonderful series in the Fantasy/Romantic Comedy genre. This is book 3 in the Curse of the Gods series. I re-read it in anticipation of book 4 coming out at the beginning of Aug.
This series needs to be read in order so start with Trickery (Curse of the Gods Book 1) followed by Persuasion (Curse of the Gods Book 2).
July 2018 Reading List – Children’s Books
What If Everybody Said That?, Ellen Javernick
What if everybody chose to be kind?
If you tell someone that they can’t play with you, there’s no harm done, right? But what if everybody said that? What if everybody forgot to be kind…and made fun of other kids’ artwork at school, or told a fib, or refused to share with a person in need? The world wouldn’t be a very nice place to live. But what if everybody thought before they spoke, so the world would be a kinder place?
With clear prose and lighthearted artwork, this companion book to the bestseller What If Everybody Did That? explores the power of words and shows kids that the things we say matter.
Not just for kids! We all need a lesson in this one.
We Are the Dinosaurs, Laurie Berkner
Laurie Berkner, “the queen of children’s music,” (People) pairs the lyrics of her beloved hit with Ben Clanton’s whimsical illustrations in this winning, adorable picture book—a must-have for fans of Laurie, dinosaurs, and all things cute.
We are the dinosaurs
Marching, marching
We are the dinosaurs
My youngest grandson is really into this book right now. He is 2 but it is recommended for up to first graders.
Ada Twist, Scientist, Andrea Beaty
Like her classmates, builder Iggy and inventor Rosie, scientist Ada has a boundless imagination and has always been hopelessly curious. Why are there pointy things stuck to a rose? Why are there hairs growing inside your nose? When her house fills with a horrific, toe-curling smell, Ada knows it’s up to her to find the source.
What would you do with a problem like this? Not afraid of failure, Ada embarks on a fact-finding mission and conducts scientific experiments, all in the name of discovery. But, this time, her experiments lead to even more stink and get her into trouble!
I love books that celebrate brain power, curiosity, STEM, and intellect in children. Andrea Beaty’s series is perfect for all ages even though it is recommended for K-2.
That wraps up the July 2018 Reading List.
Occasionally, books will make it on to multiple lists. This happens because I am either so in love with it I read it twice, I am writing a review or re-reading to refresh myself before a sequel releases. You can find past reading lists here or by clicking the links below
I hope you enjoy it and can find a book or 2 to read soon. Please let me know if you do. I would love to have a discussion on my Facebook page or leave a comment on this post.
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Thanks so much for including my book!! I really appreciate it and that you read it, even though you don’t love reality TV. It was kind of a surprising story to write. 😉
It was a very fun read. I was happy to include it. Anxiously awaiting the next in the series.
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