july's reading wrap*up!

hello, and welcome!

below each of july’s weekly reading book review videos, you’ll find links to each book discussed. links which’ll take ya to the title’s page on bookshop.org where you can conveniently shop for books online while supporting the indie bookstore(s) in your very own community! hurray!! :D

enJOY, and happy colourful reads to you!

❤️xo,

*hallie :)


✨ weekly reading book review july 2024: episode one!! ✨

this week i read:

✏️ SHAKESPEARE: THE MAN WHO PAYS THE RENT by dame judi dench & brendan o’hea

✏️ THE WIFE by meg wolitzer

✏️ THE ENIGMA OF ROOM 622 by joël dicker

✏️ CONVENIENCE STORE WOMAN by sayaka murata

currently reading:

✏️ THE HERO AND THE CROWN by robin mcKinley

✒️ WRITE FOR LIFE: CREATIVE TOOLS FOR EVERY WRITER by julia cameron

reading next :

✏️ CHILDREN OF ANGUISH & ANARCHY by tomi adeyemi (my signed, personalized indie pre*order from book sof wonder in nyc!!❤️)

miiiight read next:

✏️ THE GIRL WHO KEPT THE CASTLE by ryan graudin

✏️ DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY by erik larson

✏️ SILVER NITRATE by silvia moreno garcia


✨ weekly reading book review july 2024: episode two!! ✨

this week i read:

☕️ THE HERO & THE CROWN by robin mcKinley

☕️ BRUNO, CHIEF OF POLICE by martin walker

☕️ IF CATS DISAPPEARED FROM THE WORLD by genki kawamura (#bookclubready @flatiron_books )

☕️ THE LONELY HEART OF MAYBELLE LANE by kate o'shaughnessy (#roadtrip #southernlit #familydrama #middlegradefiction #imsinging )

watched:

☕️ HAIL, CAESAR (a quotable fave; #itscomplicated )

currently reading :

☕️ THE GOD OF THE WOODS by liz moore (amazzzzzingly written ; on pg 62/476 & wish i had nothing else to do today! @bookofthemonth @riverheadbooks )

or join book of the month (where i got my copy!) for $5.

miiiiiight read next:

☕️ NORA GOES OFF SCRIPT by annabel monaghan (adult romcom @putnambooks )

❄️ ELATSOE by dr. darcie little badger (YA indigenous fantasy; @levinequerido )

☕️ A NOVEL LOVE STORY by ashley poston (see my m. judsonbooks signing event reel & blog post!! portal fantasy romcom with a bookstore cat named butterscotch?!? oh, yeah!!)

my insta reel

my blog post

☕️ & hope to watch hitchcock’s THE 39 STEPS. (which i thought i’d seen as a noir comedy the warehouse theatre years ago?!?)

what stories are loving and enjoying right now?!

with all my weedy sea dragon love,

❤️ xo,

*hallie :)


✨ weekly reading book review july 2024: episode three!! ✨

this week i read:

☕️ THE GOD OF THE WOODS by liz moore (amazzzzzinnnnggggg!! book of the month coupon link here if you need it!!)

☕️ ELATSOE by dr. darcie little badger (ya paranormal indigenous murder mystery!!)

currently reading :

☕️ TWELFTH NIGHT: A MUSICAL ADAPTATION by kwame kwei-armah & shaina taub

☕️ CONTINENTAL DRIFTER by kathy macleod (middle grade graphic novel)

☕️ A NOVEL LOVE STORY by ashley poston (adult romcom perfection!!! signed at m. judsonbooks !!)

☕️ WRITE FOR LIFE by julia cameron

in the new*book haul &/or might read next:

❤️ WHAT HAPPENED TO RUTHY RAMIREZ by claire jiménez (just won the pen faulkner!! she was our writeshare summer camp guest speaker!)

❤️ DASHED by amanda quain (out tomorrow!! thank you wednesday books !!)

❤️ SLOUCHING TOWARDS BETHLEHEM by joan didion

❤️ EARTHLINGS by sayaka murata

what stories are you loving right now?!

with my monday best,

i’m gonna need another cookie,

❤️xo,

*hallie :)


✨ weekly reading book review july 2024: episode four!! ✨

this week i read:

☀️ A NOVEL LOVE STORY by ashley poston (signed at an event at m. judson booksellers!! adult rom-com ode to romance novels & reading!!)

☀️ THE GIRL WHO KEPT THE CASTLE by ryan graudin (magical middle grade adventure with many studio ghibli vibes!!)

currently reading :

☀️ THE GUEST CAT by takashi hiraide

☀️ CONTINENTAL DRIFTER by kathy macleod

recording next:

☀️ ITTY BITTY BETTY BLOB picture book deep*dive for my paid substack subscribers & crayon box (patreon) members

bookshop.org link:

https://bookshop.org/a/5254/9781662640148

my halthegal substack:

https://substack.com/@halthegal

the crayon box (halthegal patreon):

https://www.patreon.com/halthegal

☀️ @aardvarkbookclub unboxing!

https://aardvarkbookclub.com

miiiiight read next:

☀️ HUSBANDS & LOVERS by beatriz williams (a july book of the month pick ; sounds intriguing, no?!)

bookshop.org link: https://bookshop.org/a/5254/9780593724224

try book of the month for $5: https://www.bookofthemonth.com/referral/4fk6zo9eig4

what stories are you loving right now?! tell me, tell me!!

with daydreams of doughnuts & actual sweatshirt weather,

<3 xo,

*hallie :)


✨ weekly reading book review july 2024: episode five ✨

i tried to use a coupon (that i had to go out of my way to a store i Never go in) that expired on 7/1, thinking i had JUSt made it before the first, if you’re wondering how my week went…

BUT, here’s what i managed to read since we chatted last. :)

this week i read:

❤️ THE GUEST CAT by takashi hiraide

❤️ DASHED by amanda quain (thank you, @wednesdaybooks !! i loved it!!!)

❤️ DNF’ed a mystery story read we won’t name, but my copy is now at my local used bookstore after trade*in…

☕️ BEFORE YOUR MEMORY FADES by toshikazu kawaguchi

❤️ THE PUPPETS OF SPELHORST by the one & only kate diCamillo (also go read FERRIS if you haven’t!!)

#currentlyreading :

☕️ BEFORE WE SAY GOODBYE by toshikazu kawaguchi (no. 4 in the #beforethecoffeegetscold series!)

miiiiight read next…?!

❤️ THE LOST STORY by megan shaffer (book of the month july pick!)

try BOTM for $5: https://www.bookofthemonth.com/referral/4fk6zo9eig4

☁️ THE ANOMALY by hervé le tellier (from the staff picks at mjudsonbooks !)

❤️ THE LOST CITY OF Z by david grann (movie cover because got it with trade*in credits! to clarify, now that i’ve looked at my shelves, the other similiar book i’ve read is THE LOST CITY OF THE MONKEY GOD by douglas preston.)

❤️ CURSED BUNNY by bora chung (not in video: it was hiding in my studio!)

❤️ THE INTERNATIONAL HOUSE OF DERELICTION by jacqueline davies (also not in video; it was in my car!)

currently otherwise:

❤️ PARKS & REC season 4

❤️ HAUNTED COSMOS podcast (atlantis facts in the midst of a teeny bit of cringe & eyerolls.

❤️ alllllll the dior olympics fashion reels!!

what stories are you loving right now?!?!

(yes, team usa & gymnastics & emotional support doggies count!)

with all my not*yet*caffeinated*enough luv,

❤️xo,

*hallie


to recap: here are the books i happened to love the most this month.

✨📚 of the 13.5 books i’ve read this month, here are the ones that had me flipping pages, giggling, thinking deep thoughts, or made my imagination burst with sunny rain showers of glitter*coated flower petals…. 📚✨


🩵 IF CATS DISAPPEARED FROM THE WORLD by genki kawamura
💙 THE PUPPETS OF SPELHORST by kate dicamillo
🩷 A NOVEL LOVE STORY by ashley poston
💜 THE GIRL WHO KEPT THE CASTLE by ryan graudin
💚 THE GOD OF THE WOODS by liz moore


what stories brought you the most joy this month?! 😄


forever battling the urge to drive to the bookstore,
hide in my studio,
&/or find more coffee,
💘xo,
*hallie 🤓

hallie bertlingComment