What I Read in July

July was a whirl wind of a month, so much packed in what with sports day, proms and leavers assemblies but funnily enough because of everything going on I was struggling to sleep so I actually had more time to read.

Flight of a Starling by Lisa Heathfield

Rita and Lo, sisters and best friends, have spent their lives on the wing – flying through the air in their trapeze act, never staying in one place for long. Behind the greasepaint and the glitter, they know that the true magic is the family they travel with.

Until Lo meets a boy. Suddenly, she wants nothing more than to stay still. And as secrets start to tear apart the close-knit circus community, how far will Lo go to keep her feet on the ground?

This novel is from an author I love, I reviewed one of her previous books Paper Butterflies and in comparison this one is just as good. Her stories are so thought provoking.

Lord of Shadows by Cassandra Clare

A Shadowhunter’s life is bound by duty. Constrained by honor. The word of a Shadowhunter is a solemn pledge, and no vow is more sacred than the vow that binds parabatai, warrior partners—sworn to fight together, die together, but never to fall in love.

Emma Carstairs has learned that the love she shares with her parabatai, Julian Blackthorn, isn’t just forbidden—it could destroy them both. She knows she should run from Julian. But how can she when the Blackthorns are threatened by enemies on all sides?

Their only hope is the Black Volume of the Dead, a spell book of terrible power. Everyone wants it. Only the Blackthorns can find it. Spurred on by a dark bargain with the Seelie Queen, Emma; her best friend, Cristina; and Mark and Julian Blackthorn journey into the Courts of Faerie, where glittering revels hide bloody danger and no promise can be trusted. Meanwhile, rising tension between Shadowhunters and Downworlders has produced the Cohort, an extremist group of Shadowhunters dedicated to registering Downworlders and “unsuitable” Nephilim. They’ll do anything in their power to expose Julian’s secrets and take the Los Angeles Institute for their own.

When Downworlders turn against the Clave, a new threat rises in the form of the Lord of Shadows—the Unseelie King, who sends his greatest warriors to slaughter those with Blackthorn blood and seize the Black Volume. As dangers close in, Julian devises a risky scheme that depends on the cooperation of an unpredictable enemy. But success may come with a price he and Emma cannot even imagine, one that will bring with it a reckoning of blood that could have repercussions for everyone and everything they hold dear.

I am obsessed with these books, this one was 700 pages long and I still read it in less that 3 days, cannot believe I have to wait 2 years for the next one and with the ending I was left with I'm not sure how I'm going to manage.

All the Wrong Chords by Christine Hurley Deriso

Scarlett Stiles is desperate for a change of scenery after her older brother, Liam, dies of a drug overdose. But spending the summer with her grandfather wasn't exactly what she had in mind. Luckily, Scarlett finds something to keep her busy--a local rock band looking for a guitarist. Even though playing guitar has been hard since Liam died, Scarlett can't pass on an opportunity like this, and she can't take her eyes off the band's hot lead singer either. Is real happiness just around the corner? Or will she always be haunted by her brother's death?

I received a copy of this book via Netgalley, the blurb caught me but I'll admit the book didn't live up to the expectations I had for it. You can see my full review over on goodreads.

The Society by Jodie Andrefski

Welcome to Trinity Academy’s best-kept secret.

The Society.

You’ve been handpicked by the elite of the elite to become a member. But first you’ll have to prove your worth by making it through Hell Week.

Do you have what it takes?

It’s time to find out.

Samantha Evans knows she’d never get an invite to rush the Society—not after her dad went to jail for insider trading. But after years of relentless bullying at the hands of the Society’s queen bee, Jessica, she’s ready to take down Jessica and the Society one peg at a time from the inside out.

All it’ll take is a bit of computer hacking, a few fake invitations, some eager rushees…and Sam will get her revenge.

Let the games begin.

This book had potential but all got a bit muddled, I think more editing was needed to make it into something truly readable

Unplugged by Lisa Swallow

"A rock star doesn't return to his humble beginnings and whisk away the girl he kissed once. Especially if she has a four year old and her relationship status is 'it's complicated'."

Blue Phoenix bass player, Liam Oliver discovers pictures of his fiancée with another man and his world crashes around him. He packs up his humiliation and hurt and flies back to his Welsh family home for Christmas.

Cerys Edwards once had pictures of Liam Oliver covering her bedroom wall. Her best friend’s big brother never gave her the time of day when they were growing up. When she was fifteen, he left town leaving Cerys with her fantasies. Now he’s back. The problem is, she has a daughter and a broken relationship of her own.

In the world of his Christmas past, Cerys and Liam reconnect. Are they two hurt people looking for comfort in a time of heartbreak or does Cerys have a place in Liam’s future too? 

Months later and unplugged from his Blue Phoenix lifestyle, Liam reconnects with Cerys. He discovers Cerys’s world is full of complications he never expected – including Ella’s father who isn’t happy about being replaced by a rock star. 

I really enjoyed this book. A great mix of storyline, romance, lust and emotional connections. It was sweet but with enough drama to keep you turning the pages.

The Fall Up by Ali Martinez

I wanted to jump. 

He made me fall.

As a celebrity, I lived in the public eye, but somewhere along the way, I’d lost myself in the spotlight.

Until he found me.

Sam Rivers was a gorgeous, tattooed stranger who saved my life with nothing more than a simple conversation.

But we were both standing on that bridge for a reason the night we met. The secrets of our pasts brought us together—and then tore us apart.

Could we find a reason to hold on as life constantly pulled us down?

Or maybe there’s only one direction to go when two people fall in love at rock bottom—up.

This was one of my favourite reads this year. The storyline pulls you in and has all the feels to it. The subject matter isn't an easy one but it is done in a way the really makes you stop and think.

Ghostface Killer by M Never

Once, I was nothing. 

Hungry, abandoned, wandering, and alone. An adolescent street rat fighting for crumbs. 

Then a chance encounter changed my entire world. 

A man in an expensive suit asked me how much my life was worth. 

I didn't have an answer, because I didn't know. 

He asked if I thought it was worth killing for.

Impulsively, I said yes... 

He found me, then fostered me, and in the interim turned me into a killing machine. A modern day La Femme Nikita. 

Now, I only have one mission. To avenge the death of the man who saved me. 

There's an invisible war on the streets. Us against them. Family against family. Power against power. 

They call me Ghostface Killer because they never see me coming.

I understand the weight of that danger. 

The hazard. 

The jeopardy. 

Because now here I stand, three months pregnant with the barrel of a gun pressed to my head cause I never saw him coming...

This novel is jam packed with sex and guns. The protagonist is a strong woman, one who takes no sh*t and I really loved it for the pace of it. Fast, dramatic and ok not the most believable but books are there to take us away from reality aren't they.

So there we have it, there is my list of reads for July, I'm already building up a nice collection of 'wants' for my Christmas list as well. How many books did you manage to read last month?