Happy July, friends ☀️ Summer time is here on my side of the world, the best time of the year, if you ask me. Here’s my little recap for the past month!
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Like May, June’s been a month of ups and downs. I’m still struggling a lot with my mental health at times and I’m trying my best to… well, make the best out of it, I guess.
I was lucky enough to spend the last part of the month on holidays in Italy and had such a wonderful time. I went to Rome and Florence, discovering these cities for the very first time and both were so, very beautiful, even if, at that time of the year, it was already filled to the brim with tourists and VERY hot (like, 39°C).
Do you remember when I wrote travel blog posts? Would you like to see some on Italy?
I also got to go back to my hometown a little bit and, as always, it’s been so, so good for me.
Not much’s in the works for July, just hoping for a good month and… more adventures soon.
Monthly Reading Wrap-Up
June has been a fantastic reading month, actually. Thanks to my time off and on holidays, I managed to read 6 BOOKS, which is quite a feat for me, so yay. Not only that, but I genuinely enjoyed everything and have some new favorites here, too!
LIES LIKE WILDFIRE ☂️ This was a great mystery read about five teenagers and friends accidentally starting a wildfire. It’s certainly not all black and white and nor are the characters in this story, but I was hooked from page one. Loved the secrecy, the focus on friendship and it kept me on edge until the end. I’ll definitely read more from this author!
THE GIRLS I’VE BEEN ☂️ This was, wow. Okay so please check out the trigger warnings, because this one’s heavy, but it’s SO GOOD. The daughter of a con-artist, her ex boyfriend and new girlfriend are taken hostage in a bank robbery and let me just tell you: yes this will be messy and terrifying and gripping and powerful, too. 200% recommending this.
SERENDIPITY ☂️ I found Serendipity to be a fun, quick read with short stories each dealing with a romantic trope, even if I wish some of them actually played on the trope they chose a little more.
RIDE WITH ME ☂️ This was such an entertaining contemporary romance about Charlie, having to drive around her school’s party boy everywhere after an accident. It’s fun and summery and I really liked it!
A DISASTER IN THREE ACTS ☂️ I loved Last Chance Books by this author and this book didn’t disappoint! It’s about Saine, having to have her childhood best friend and new best friend’s ex as the main character in the documentary she’s shooting. I loved the chemistry and the banter between the characters very much.
PARACHUTES ☂️ This book, I devoured it, I just couldn’t stop. It’s about these teenagers called “parachutes”, put in houses in the USA with foster families to study, while their wealthy parents remain in Asia. It’s about privilege and social classes, about silencing girls and it’s just so, so good. A new favorite.
Book Discoveries of The Month
EVERYTIME YOU GO AWAY ☂️ I loved Abigail Johnson’s, Every Other Weekend and this new book sounds so lovely. It’s about childhood friends trying to find their way back to each other and well. You know me, I adore childhood friends okay.
💧 Find the book on Goodreads
OUT OF CHARACTER ☂️ This sounds like a wonderful contemporary! It’s about a girl escaping the real world with role playing online, slowly falling for her online bestie and juggling with the messiness of relationships both on and offline.
💧 Find the book on Goodreads
MY FLAWLESS LIFE ☂️ Okay so this one has a MC keeping everyone’s secrets at an elite private school and suddenly facing secrets of her own and it sounds messy and intriguing and I’m so here for these kind of mystery books.
💧 Find the book on Goodreads
Goodreads challenge: 26/50 books
I’m ahead of my challenge for.. the first time, I think?!
Nothing happened in June.
I’m sad and a bit mad, but well, I also know I couldn’t do everything. I’m hoping to get back to writing a bit this July, maybe try organizing my thoughts and everything to get into a 3rd draft.
If I stop being paralyzed by the work I have to do.
I had a lot of fun writing some of my blog posts this month, but they also took me an incredible amount of time. Reminder that, if you enjoy a blogger’s content, tell them, share their work, support them, tip them on ko-fi or check out their wishlist… it means everything to us. ❤️
I don’t have anything specific in the works for July. I kind of spent a lot of time drafting blog posts in June, so maybe I’ll take it easy?
I can hear you laughing. Fine, I don’t know how to take it easy, aerm.
On the blog this month: book reviews
On the blog this month: blogging, books & more
My sister started out the month with a fantastic post about fandom. I love books dealing with this topic SO much!
Since June was Pride Month, I compiled a little list of some underrated YA books to read for Pride Month. I hope you’ll check these out and will find some great reads!
I had this random idea to pair up books with the type of vacation you’re having and… this blog post was born. It took me so many hours and I shed some frustrated tears, but ultimately, I was happy with the result!
The Summer I Turned Pretty released on Amazon Prime this June and, for the occasion, I wanted to make a blog post. I read these books a long, long time ago and have fond memories of it, so it was fun to get back to it and to draft this blog post about YA books like the summer I turned pretty.
Last, but certainly not least, I screamed about some of my most anticipated reads for the second half of 2022. There are so many exciting releases, I can’t wait to read them all.
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On instagram
Since I was back with my bookshelves this past month, I tried making a couple bookish reels. Let’s face it: bookstagram is a materialistic place and the more books you have and show off, the more it works.
Not going to get into a whole debate about that, now. Maybe some day, because I terribly feel that not having a lot of books close by is preventing me to create content and therefore, to grow. If you have any thoughts or advice on the topic, I always appreciate them!
You can follow my instagram account here!
I didn’t take much time to blog-hop this past month, with my traveling and everything else, but I tried early in the month, so here are some blog posts I enjoyed reading!
- Fanna @ Fanna For Books shared an excellent list of YA Queer Books By Authors of Color!
- I loved Veronika @ Wordy & Whimsical’s blog post about books that make her feel warm and fuzzy.
- A Book Owl’s Corner’s blog post filled with confessions of an evil book blogger was an EXCELLENT read.
- I loved Kat @ Bookish Blades’s post on underrated sci-fi and fantasy series to read.
- Alicia @ A Kernel of Non Sense has an excellent list of queer books by Latinx authors to check out!
- Nick @ The Infinite Limits of Love does it again with a guide to July – December 2022 Romance books, a truly perfect resource.
- Caro @ The Book Cheshire Cat shared some great recommendations for Pride Month!
How was your June? How’s your reading challenge going so far? Any adventures planned for these upcoming months?
I’d love to hear from you in the comments!
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The Girls I’ve been sounds like such a good read – thanks for putting it on my radar 🙂
It was incredible! A bit tough to read at times, but I really loved it 🙂
I’m kind of freaking out right now because I also went of vacation to Italy in June! I’m so sad I didn’t know you were there or maybe we could have met up! But yes, it was SO HOT there! I’m so glad you enjoyed though!
Congrats on reading 6 books! I also managed to read more than usual this month despite traveling, so perhaps there was something in the air that allowed us all to read more than usual! (Perhaps that thing was sunshine?)
I hope you have a fantastic July filled with lots of reading, writing, and all around good times!
OH MY god really, you were?! DAMN it! 😱 Which cities did you go to? I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!
Thank you so, so much, I hope July will be lovely for you, too! <3
I KNOW! I went to Rome, Florence, and Milan. Florence was by far my favorite, but I definitely enjoyed the entire trip! Although now I’m slightly sad that we didn’t coordinate and manage to meet up!
AH that’s amazing, I went to Rome and Florence, I can’t believe this!! 😭😭😭
It sounds like you had a pretty good month! I would LOVE to see more on your trip to Italy!! Let me travel vicariously through you! 😊
My month was less than stellar… I’m hoping July will look up, so far July hasn’t been great, but there is still time for it to turn around! Happy July! 💞
Oh thank you so much! I’ll think about writing travel blog posts again, maybe!
I’m so sorry that June wasn’t the best, I hope that July will be waay better for you, sending you all the good vibes <3 <3
I look forward to whatever travel posts you do decide to post! 😊
Thank you, so far my July hasn’t started any better, but there is still time for it to turn around 😊
Fingers crossed it will get better!! <3 <3
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i would love to see an italy blog post, if you’d like to write it!! <3 and ahh i'm glad that summer has been treating you well so far, even if you're still dealing with some lingering mental health issues. sending you love and all the more summer adventures! and YES i'm so happy that you loved the girls i've been, like truly such a fantastic book 🥲
Oh thank you, I’ll think about writing one maybe then! <3
I'm so happy I stumbled upon this book, really it was SO good and deserves more hype, I think!
I hope you'll have a lovely month! <3 <3
Wow I’d love to go to Italy, especially Rome! I’ve heard about The Girls I’ve Been a lot but haven’t really looked into it much, I might have to consider reading it now. Hope you have a great July! ☺️
I hope you’ll get to visit someday, it’s so beautiful! 🙂
Aaah, if you read The Girls I’ve Been, please keep me updated, I’d love to know what you think of it. I hope July will be good to you and thank you so much!! <3
AHHHH HIII!! I’ve probably never commented on your blog before, but I just wanted to say that I am INSANELY IN LOVE with all of your posts AND ALWAYS GET RIDICULOUSLY EXCITED WHENEVER I SEE THEM 😭😭 THEY’RE JUST PERFECTION OK?? and I am AWED at the huuuge amounts of effort you put into all of them!!!
AND I LOVE THIS POST TOO OBVIOUSLY!! wrap ups are ALWAYS the most fun to read! AND YAYY TO ENJOYING THE GIRLS I’VE BEEN!! i read it a few months back AND IT WAS WAY DARKER THAN I WAS EXPECTING??? but also REALLY INTRIGUING and i liked it!! Except the end was kind of a cliffhanger WHICH IS SAD CONSIDERING IT’S A STANDALONE??
Also omggg YES!! Im all up for the italy travel posts AND AM SO GLAD YOU HAD SO MUCH FUN!! Hope you have THE MOST AMAZING JULY and am really really looking forward to reading MORE OF YOUR FABULOUS POSTS ❤️❤️
Oh my god 😭😭 this is the sweetest comment ever, thank you so, so much, I appreciate it so much ahh!! 😭
I agree, The Girls I’ve Been was WAY darker than I thought, but I loved it!
I hope July has been kind to you so far and thank you so, so much again!! <3 <3
I hope the coming month will be better for you in terms of mental health <3
So glad that you got to travel in Italy! I think I remember your travel blog posts and would definitely love to see more of them 🙂
Thank you so much, I hope so, too! I hope July has been kind to you so far!<3
So good to read through your monthly wrap up and see how things are going, Marie! I am so jealous of your trips to Italy and London, but I am so, so happy you’re getting to escape for a bit. And I’m rooting for you that your writing muses will come back soon, but don’t forget to be kind for yourself too, okay?
Thank you so, so much Nicole, you’re too kind <3 I hope that July has been good to you so far? Sending you lots of love!!
It’s been okay! 🖤
Glad to hear that you had a good time in June, your time in Italy looks like a dream – I hope I can visit someday 🥰 I’m excited for Ride with Me and A Disaster in Three Acts, both sound like the perfect fun summer reads 😊 Also thank you so much for sharing my post! 💕
Thank you so, so much Caro, I hope you’ll be able to visit someday!!🥰 And you’re so welcome, your posts are always so lovely!
I’m sorry June didn’t go so well for you. I feel like I’ve been playing mental catch up all summer, hence me disappearing for my blog for the past month and a half. I still don’t even feel 100%. I feel exhausted all the time, but I’m finally catching up reading blog posts that interest me, and hopefully, I’ll go back to writing soon. Hope your July was amazing xx
Melina | http://www.melinaelisa.com
I can understand that feeling so, so very much. I hope that August has been kinder to you so far and wish you all the best. Always a message away if you ever need to talk! xx