Wrap-Up: July 2022

I missed last month’s wrap up, but oh well let’s start fresh with a wrap up of July 2022.

Life

What happened in life? Not that much actually. In the first weekend of July, I went to a YA book event, it was finally possible. It was a very last minute decision though, I bought my tickets literally the night before. Anyway, the event was nice. Many people came out to see Brigid Kemmerer, but for me the other attending authors were more interesting. These were Enrico Galiano (no books translated to English unfortunately), George Lester (Boy Queen) and Sarah Moore Fitzgerald (The Apple Tart of Hope) via livestream. After the interviews there was time to get some books signed and if you liked, you could do several workshops. Because I bought my ticket super last minute, I couldn’t sign in to any workshops. I didn’t mind, because there were no interesting ones for me. When looking back, I’m glad I went home after the signing because my train broke down…

In the middle of July, I noticed I got more and more tired, to the point I actually could fall asleep at work. That’s a sign I needed to take a break and I booked one week off. This was last week. Turnt out it was really necessary, because I took long naps during the day. Therefore, my blog went on an unintended hiatus. In the first few months of the year, I was preparing to move out and actually moving out, so probably it caught up to me. I hope I’ll be fine now for this month, because I booked my longer leave in September. To top things off, we got a many heatwave this month. This got to the point it actually went crazy, temperatures rose up to 38 degrees Celsius. Luckily it was just one day of these high temperatures.

The books

I’ve read more books than I actually hauled, that’s good rigght? I’ve read the following books:

1. Tim by Mans Mosesson: This is the official biography of Avicii, who passed away in Aprril 2018. I bet many of us know his music. I listened to the audiobook in Dutch and I could finish it in one day. ⭐⭐⭐🎧
2. Thuis draag ik bij me by Cecile Korevaar: This is an originally Dutch YA book about the refugee crisis in 2016. Three teenagers try to flee the war in Syria and face many challenges. Will they finde find refuge and safety? This author did lots and lots of research, she was even able to travel to the places mentioned in the book including Syria. ⭐⭐⭐⭐📚
3. The Blood Traitor by Lynette Noni: I couldn’t wait for this book and it served. Click on the title to go to my review. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐📚
4. The Apple Tart of Hope by Sarah Moore Fitzgerald: This was one of the favorite books of a fellow Dutch book blogger who sadly passed away this past April. To honor and remember him, the author was at the YA event I told about before through a livesteream. I only couldn’t read the book in time. However, it’s indeed, hopeful. ⭐⭐⭐⭐📚
5. Made in Korea by Sarah Suk: This was such a delight to listen to. Not to difficult, but I was able to get invested in the story. ⭐⭐⭐⭐🎧
6. The Witch King by H.E. Edgmon: I saw this book on another blog and it was one of this blogger’s favorite reads of last year. So naturally, I had to try it. Diversity and fae? Count me in. I’ve started this as an audiobook, but I didn’t like the narration. Therefore, I got myself the ebook and hoped I would fall in love with the story. Well, I didn’t. The diversity is honestly the best in this book and I’m really sorry to say this. The story and characters made me cringe a lot. Unfortunately, this was a DNF, I just couldn’t be bothered no more. 📚🎧
7. Elektra by Jennifer Saint: I was impatient for this one, even that impatient that I bought myself the English version instead of the Dutch one which is ridiculously expensive (€17 for an ebook is just ridiculous). However, this book delivered exactly what I was expecting and hoping for. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐📚
8. De laatste man by Pepijn Keppel: A Dutch biography of a professional hockey player who discovered he was gay and thought there was no place for queer people in pro hockey. ⭐⭐⭐🎧
9. Listen To Me by Tess Gerritsen: Yes, a new Rizzoli & Isles book, finally! To say that I was anticipating this one, is just an understatement. The murder is again very complex and we got an extra POV this time, Angela Rizzoli’s, Jane’s mother. I thought this was great, it brought something extra to the book. I’ve listened to the Dutch audiobook. ⭐⭐⭐⭐🎧
10. Het hoogste woord by Nanda Roep: A Dutch feelgood about a publisher who got fired and now needs to find another job. She ends up teaching kids at a primary school who have difficulty with language and rreading. She hates it and hates everything that’s not “literary”. Therefore, she drifts away from society and needs to find her place in normal life outside of the literary world. I’ve read the book, but I’m not sure about my rating yet. It’s somewhere between 3 and 4 stars. 📚
11. Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan: I really wanted to like this book. The premise sounds interesting, especially since there have been more books published lately which are inspired by Chinese mythology. However, this was not a match. I find it way too slow for my taste and I just didn’t like the formal writing and dialogues between the characters. I had to DNF this one. 🎧
12. The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune: This was a reread in Dutch. I like the English version better. ⭐⭐⭐⭐📚
13. Bright by Jessica Jung: The conclusion to the “Shine” duology. I liked this book and was able to finish it in one day. Although I’m not a Girls’ Generation fan, one of my friends was so I knew what happened back in 2014. I think Jung spilled the tea here. ⭐⭐⭐⭐📚
14. Younglood by Sasha Laurens: Vampires at a boarding school who also happen to be lesbian? Yes please! I was really eager and excited to read this book. It started of really promising, but it was untill about 60% before something happened and even that felt rushed. It was promising and had potential, but left me a little disappointed. ⭐⭐⭐📚
15. The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun: Last but definitely not least. I really enjoyed this love story with deeper layers. I am not able to judge the representation of panic attacks, anxiety, depression and OCD, but that mental health is getting space in this novel is a bonus. There are more and more books addressing this topic, thankfully. As this is a Dutch review copy, I haven’t decided on my rating yet. However, it will be high. 📚

Besides reading 15 books, I just hauled 5 new ones.

1. De kleine theetuin in de zon by Anne West (Dutch);
2. Vlindereiland by Corina Bomann (Dutch, not translated into English, originally published in German);
3. Het hoogste woord by Nanda Roep;
4. The Dutch version of The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun;
5. Youngblood by Sasha Laurens.

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So, July is done and dusted. What did this month bring you?