july book report.

Dreamland Burning by Jennifer Latham / I was still thinking about this book days after I finished it. While I was reading it, I had a long conversation with Tony about it—the characters and the events—and I found myself starting to say things like "back then," but would catch myself because the truth is, not much has changed about the way Black people are treated, and this book does a good job illustrating that fact. I'm pretty sure it's meant to be a Young Adult novel, but I'd recommend it to anyone. And if you do have a young adult in your life, share this book with them and then have a conversation about it. Heck, if you don't have a young adult in your life, share this book with someone and have a conversation about it.

The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware / This was a bit hard for me to get into because it reminded me of The Girl on the Train at the beginning, but I kept reading and got sucked into the story; I had to find out what happened! Not the best mystery/thriller novel I've read, and I had a hard time keeping all of the minor characters straight, but a good story in the end.

Night Road by Kristin Hannah / Not one of my favourite Kristin Hannah novels, but I enjoyed reading it. It made me think back to when I was a senior in high school, the parties I went to, and the parenting choices my mom made. And of course, as a mom now myself, it made me think of the choices Tony and I will have to make as Mabel grows older.

It's Okay to Laugh (Crying Is Cool Too) by Nora McInerny Purmort / I loved this book! It surprised me, because I thought it would be mostly about Nora's husband's death and how she dealt with it, and it was, but it was so much more than that. The Goodreads description describes it perfectly: "A love letter to life, in all of its messy glory, and what it’s like to still be kickin', It’s Okay to Laugh is like a long chat with a close friend over a cup of coffee (or chardonnay)." I felt like Nora was giving me a pep talk for life. One of my favourite quotes from the book: "It's harder than it looks, for everyone. If you ask me how I am, I'll tell you reflexively that I'm okay and it's true for the most part. And when you tell me the same thing, I'll know that it's mostly true for you too, because you're working hard to be that way, not because it's easy."

The Leavers by Lisa Ko / I did not love this one and while I did hover between a 2 or 3 star review, I think that's only because I live in China so found some details interesting. Then again, if you don't live in China, you might find it interesting. The whole book felt slow, especially the first half, but the second half was better.

Paper Towns by John Green / Chose this as a lighter read after a couple of heavier reads. It was okay; I think if I was a teenager (the intended audience), I would have liked it more. It's been awhile since I've been in high school (10 years to be exact), but the dialogue and plot felt relatable to high school-me.

What have you read lately?

P.S. More book reports here.