July 2021 Wrap-Up

Moving sucks. It's a lot of work, and it takes you a while to get settled after the move. It also affected my reading. I moved in mid-July, so it was just a busy month. I could still read 6 books, but half of the books were under 250 pages and fast-paced. Overall, I think it was a strong reading month.

A Social Media Favorite

In July, I read a book a few people on Youtube that I follow have loved. This is the 2nd Brandon Sanderson novel that I have read. Mistborn: The Final Empire follows Kelsier, who recruits a crew to pull off a near-impossible heist and overthrow the Lord Ruler. Included in the team is a girl named Vin, who has had a harsh life. We follow them through the planning and execution of that plan.

I liked the book for the most part. It was very much a book to set up the rest of the trilogy. However, it was slow in some areas. I've learned that Sanderson's style is to really lay the story's foundation with a bit of action mixed in. However, the story picks up a lot in the last 50 to 100 pages with some twists and turns that surprised me. I didn't love it like some people, but it was a good first book that encourages me to read the next book in the series and see where it goes.

Favorite Quote

"He doesn't really 'allow' them to do such things," Kelsier said "More, he sometimes ignores it when they do. Banning books is tricky business, Vin-the more stink the Ministry makes about a text the more attention it will draw, and the more people will be tempted to read it. False Dawn is a stuffy volume, and by not forbidding it, the Ministry doomed it to obscurity." (Page 340)

Romance is Always Good to Get Out of a Slump

After reading a 500+ page fantasy, packing, and moving, I was in a reading slump. To be honest, I didn't really feel like doing too much! So a way that helps me build momentum is to read a favorite genre of mine, African-American romance. This helped me build momentum going into August. Now, I won't lie; nothing I read became a favorite. I'm not giving you a long summary because the books are short, and I wouldn't want to kill your curiosity! But, here is a quick rundown on what I read:

• Careless Whispers by Rochelle Alers - Eh, it is was okay. The characters were bland to me. The romance was flat until maybe midway through the book. Then the ending was eh. It was a quick read, but I don't see myself coming back to this book. It just didn't stand out to me in any way.
• Claimed by A Steele by Brenda Jackson - Follows Gannon Steele, the last single Steele. He planned to stay single for another 10 years after his older brother recently got married. That changed pretty quickly in this book. Claimed by a Steel was a quick read to close out the Steele series. I didn't have strong feelings for it. It was an okay book, but not one of my favorites.
• The Rebel Heir by Niobia Bryant - This is the 2nd book in the Cress family series. I did not read the first book, but I don't think you have to. This follows the story of Cole and the family chef Jillian as they navigate lust, family dynamics, and then love. I thought this book was well done. It's not a new concept by any means, but it had good pacing and a good lead-off to the following books in the series. This was my favorite romance novel of the month.
• I Heard A Rumor by Cheris Hodges - I enjoyed this book and my 2nd favorite romance of the month. It is the 2nd book in the Rumor series and a great follow-up to the first book (which I read years ago). I think it had a good pace throughout the book. The romance was well done. It was a slow build-up but interesting. The ex dynamics were a little over the top but worked well in the story.
• Spirit of the Season by Donna Hill, Francis Ray, & Margie Walker - Francis Ray is one of my favorite authors, so I was excited about this read. It is a collection of 3 books that were centered around the holidays. Each of the books was okay. Nothing terrible, nothing outstanding. They were quick, enjoyable reads.

Conclusion

Overall, this July was an okay reading month in terms of quality. My star ratings for the month were an average of 3.08, meaning I liked most of the books and got what I came for. The books were what I expected, and I would generally recommend all these books (exception noted above) to everyone.