Everything I Read in July 2024.

Twelve books. How did I read so much this month? I honestly don’t know. Summer TV has been super grim, it is too hot to go outside, I’ve kinda just let myself be a little hobbit, staying home and reading my books. Plus this month there were so many books I’d been hotly anticipating (You’re Safe Here, Margo’s Got Money Problems, All Fours, House of Glass, James, Sandwich, and Shark Heart were all high high up on my to-read list!). So I guess I was just really excited to read, and far less excited about going out or watching TV. I will say that I’ve had a private goal of reading 100+ books this year (I typically average around 80ish) and months like this make me think I can do it. I’m up to 67 at the time of writing this.

Read on for the reviews. The best books I read this month were James, Never Let Me Go, and All Fours but I also really really loved You’re Safe Here, House of Glass, Margo’s Got Money Problems, and Shark Heart. It was one of my best months of books in a long time!

As always, I’d love your recommendations – leave ’em in the comments! I know the NYT Best Books of the Century piece was polarizing but I found it really inspiring! I chose to read Never Let Me Go based on this list and have ordered a handful of others… so you’ll probably see these woven in over the coming months.

Also, a reminder about The Library. Every book I’ve read over the past ten+ years is there, and you can search + filter by genre. One thing I started doing this month was using square art to denote which books are audiobooks. But there’s also an audiobooks filter!

Everything I Read in July 2024

Thrillers

You’re Safe Here, by Leslie Stephens

As a longtime reader of Leslie Stephens’ newsletter Morning Person, I had preordered it but tempered my expectations. This sounds bad, especially as someone who has an online following… but you sometimes think, “did this person get this book deal because of their following or because of their talent?” Anyway: the book solved that question… it’s definitely her talent. I LOVED this book and couldn’t put it down! It is a little bit literary (gorgeous writing), a little bit sci-fi (set in the future in 2060), but also very much a thriller. I was blown away by the futuristic (yet realistic) world she created, the technology she imagined (it’s so creative!), and her characters!

It is 2060 and several natural disasters have occurred. Airplane travel is now prohibitively expensive, even for the very wealthy. Beer is a commodity. Same with coffee. Set in California, we meet three women. There is Emmett, the enigmatic founder of the largest tech company in America. She has just launched the WellPod: a fully stocked personal pod floating in the Pacific, giving its travelers a true escape from reality. There is Maggie, newly pregnant (but not by her partner) who decides to embark on the 6 week program. And then there is Noa, Maggie’s fiance (and WellCorp employee!). When Noa discovers a dangerous coverup, she’ll do anything to keep Maggie safe.

If you loved The Circle by Dave Eggers, you’ll love this. Stanley Kubrick fans will also love all the 2001 references. I want a sequel. Or a television adaptation. Brava, Leslie! Overall Score: A // Order on Amazon.com or Bookshop.org

Breaking the Dark, by Lisa Jewell

I will start by saying that Lisa Jewell is one of my favorite (if not my favorite!) authors. I will read anything she writes. But this one was not my favorite. It was fun to read but went really far off the rails. This is to be expected as it is a Marvel Crime novel, and there is a little bit of superhero stuff and a whole lot of supernatural stuff involved. I will also say that it’s creative and imaginative… it just wasn’t my favorite. But a medium Lisa Jewell book is better than a lot of books; I still gave it a B+. Jessica Jones is a retired superhero and PI.

After suffering a horrible, unspeakable trauma, she lives a quiet life, stays out of trouble for the most part, and probably drinks too much. She’s just focused on surviving and making ends meet. Her business isn’t doing well, her home is a disaster, her relationship doesn’t seem to be going anywhere… but she’s alive! One morning, a distraught mother comes into her office. After a visit with their father in the UK, her twin children are not acting like themselves. Suddenly they have flawless skin, are never on their phones, and say the word “perfect” constantly. Jessica travels to a small village in the British countryside to try and figure out what happened.

Meanwhile, in an alternate timeline, we meet an ambitious young woman and her boyfriend’s strange parents. As Jessica unravels the mystery, it’s bigger and darker than she ever could have expected. Again, this goes off the rails (what happens is wild!) but it’s a fun read. I read it in two sittings. Overall Score: B+ // Order on Amazon.com or Bookshop.org

Made For You, by Jenna Satterthwaite

This is a fun one. I would describe it as Annie Bot meets The Bachelor. (Bots seem to be trending this summer?) Julia Walden is a Synth (aka a synthetic human / bot). She’s totally lifelike and human in every visible way. She ages, she can have babies, she thinks and feels freely, she needs sleep just like the rest of us. Still, her existence is controversial; she has a lot of haters who don’t believe bots should exist at all. In this case, Julia was designed for one reason… to be a contestant on The Proposal and win the heart of the bachelor, Josh. She’s literally… made for him. The story is told in dual timelines; alternating between her time on the show and what comes after.

Fifteen months after the show ends, Julia and Josh are married, raising their daughter in rural Indianapolis. Something is off in their marriage and we aren’t quite sure what that could be. But when Josh goes missing, Julia’s world is turned upside down as she becomes the prime suspect in his murder. The sheriff, who (like many people) hates Synths is eager to lock Julia up immediately. Julia must race to figure out what happened on her own. But who can she trust? As she struggles to figure out who killed her husband, bombshell truths are revealed: about her makers, about her existence, about her husband. It is twisty and fun and a total page turner. Overall Score: B+ // Order on Amazon.com or Bookshop.org

House of Glass, by Sarah Pekkanen

I really loved this book. Sarah Pekkanen is one of those authors (up there with Liv Constantine and Lisa Jewell) where I pre-order all of her books and get SO excited to read them. Pekkanen (if you are not familiar!) pens twisty thrillers that are really, really hard to put down! Stella Hudson is a best interest attorney at the top of her game; serving as counsel for children in custody cases. Her latest case is like nothing she’s ever seen before. The Barclay family: perfect on the outside, until their young nanny falls from the top floor of their beautiful home. The nine year old daughter now refuses to speak (all the while, collecting sharp objects). It is Stella’s job to figure out what happened.

Along the way, memories from her own childhood come up (Stella also suffered from traumatic muteness as a child thanks to an incident in her past). She can tell that the family is lying, covering something up. She just can’t tell what that is. There is no glass in the house; even the windows are plastic. Everyone is a potential suspect. The mother, the father, the grandmother, the nanny’s boyfriend… even Rose. As Stella immerses herself further into the Barclay’s world, she questions her own safety and begins to wonder if her client, the person she’s supposed be protecting, is capable of murder. Like I said: this one was very hard to put down.. it was definitely one of my favorite thrillers of the summer. Overall Score: A // Order on Amazon.com or Bookshop.org

Light Reads

Margo’s Got Money Troubles, by Rufi Thorpe

This is one of those books that was hyped to me for so long before it came out. But I had a real block around actually picking it up and reading it. Did I want to read about a teen mom who starts an OnlyFans with the help of her father? Definitely not. But did I wind up deeply enjoying it? Also a definite yes. Margo is a 19 year old college student who has an affair with her professor. Her mother is a former Hooters waitress (now dating an evangelical Christian) and her father is a former pro wrestler. She’s always known she’d have to support herself. Despite everyone in her life telling her not keep the baby, she decides to go forward and becomes a mother. She loves Baby Bodhi but can’t balance everything – she quickly finds herself unemployed and on the verge of being evicted.

When her estranged father shows up and asks to move in with her, she agrees. Through watching some of the wrestlers her father manages, she gets the idea to start an OnlyFans to make some money on the side. Before she knows it, she’s become a runaway success on the platform. But with it comes judgment, estrangement from friends and family… not to mention, the weirdos and strange requests she deals with. But Margo has finally figured out a way to stand on her own two feet and support herself and her son. The book is unputdownable, despite the strange plot. It’s funny, heartwarming, and surprisingly tender at times. I loved the relationship between Margo and her father. It’s just as good as everyone says it is, definitely worth the read. Overall Score: A // Order on Amazon.com or Bookshop.org

Historical Fiction

The Beautiful People, by Michelle Gabel

I enjoyed this one because I was very interested in the subject matter (Slim Aarons + Lilly Pulitzer in sixties Palm Beach!) but if I hadn’t been so interested in the historical elements, I think the writing would have dragged. Gogo Hightower is a failed debutante. Her fiance has just broken up with her, her family is embroiled in scandal, she is broke without anywhere to live. When her friend Dolly sets her up with (famous photographer) Slim Aarons, her whole world opens up. Aarons is the go-to photographer to the jet set: high society, royalty, Hollywood stars… even the president. Margo finds herself thrown headfirst into a world of glamour, glitz, and travel. Beautiful people, beautiful places. What could be better?

But as Margo becomes more wrapped up in this world, the lines between work and play blur. Her friendship with Lilly Pulitzer seems like a promising one — until something tests her loyalty and threatens to unravel everything. This is juicy and fun, a perfect beach read. I definitely enjoyed it but felt like the writing was a little bit underwhelming. Maybe the third person perspective? I’m not sure. It’s still a fun read especially if you loved Palm Royale or are a big Slim Aarons fan (I fall into both categories!). Overall Score: B+ // Order on Amazon.com or Bookshop.org

Literary Fiction

James, by Percival Everett (Audio)

This is one of my favorite books in a while. I listened to it on audio at a friend’s recommendation; I’m so glad I did as the narrator really acts it out. James is the retelling of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, from Jim (the slave)’s perspective. It is clever, it is smart, and it will make you feel every single emotion (I laughed out loud and also cried out loud). I am absolutely thrilled that it is going to be made into a feature film (produced by Steven Spielberg!). When Jim (James) hears that he is about to be sold (and separated from his family forever), he decides to run.

Meanwhile, Huck Finn has faked his own death to escape his violent father. And so begins their famous journey down the Mississippi River. Some of the elements of the original novel remain place (some smaller characters like the Duke and Dauphin, the floods and storms) but this is all about Jim’s story. His intelligence, agency, compassion, etc. His character is shown in a new light and it’s just… wonderful (but also heartbreaking at times: no spoilers but you will cry). It’s truly a masterpiece and something I have been recommending to absolutely everyone! Overall Score: A+ // Order on Amazon.com or Bookshop.org

Never Let Me Go, by Kazuo Ishiguro

I ordered a bunch of older (but new-to-me) books from the NYT Best Books of the 21st Century list and this was up first. It was absolutely wonderful. Wonderful and upsetting. The sort of haunting book that sticks with you for a very long time. I realized about 70 pages in that I had seen the movie, but I saw it long enough ago that luckily I didn’t remember most of the plot.

The book centers around three students at an exclusive boarding school in the English countryside. We don’t know much about the students’ backgrounds, or even the school really: just that creativity is really worshipped and encouraged. I don’t really want to tell you more than that (besides the fact that this is a must-read!). We follow the students into young adulthood as their lives take different paths. There is a bit of a love triangle and little sci-fi element, and a shocking twist about halfway through. The writing is exquisite. It broke my heart (I cried!) and I loved it so much. I can’t stop thinking about it! Overall Score: A+ // Order on Amazon.com or Bookshop.org

Sandwich, by Catherine Newman

This is about a family’s annual vacation to Cape Cod, told from the perspective of the 54 year old mother. I was really excited to read it as it came highly recommended… plus… Cape Cod.! And I know that so many people loved this book. I can absolutely see why, but this one was just not for me. So much of it was is about motherhood, menopause, the narrator’s miscarriages… I just did not want to read those parts. (There is a big time trigger warning for pregnancy loss). She wrote so graphically about both menopause and pregnancy loss that I had an awful nightmare that I had a miscarriage while swimming at the beach. I understand that a lot of people related to these topics, but I did not. And I didn’t want to read about them. I felt a lot of relief when I finished reading.

That being said, the rest of the book is funny and relatable. Nothing really happens but the writing is great. A family has rented the same house on Cape Cod for twenty years. You feel like you are on Cape Cod. I could smell the salt air reading it. And I loved the dialogue. I loved the family dynamic. I loved the description of the cottage. The ending made me weep and I think that Newman does a great job capturing the feeling of not being old, but not being young. In summary: do not let my issues with the book dissuade you from reading. This book is beloved and for good reason. Overall Score: B // Order on Amazon.com or Bookshop.org

Shark Heart, by Emily Habeck

Lewis and Wren are newlyweds, happily going about their lives until Lewis receives a rare medical diagnosis. Within the year, he will transform into a great white shark. While improbable in our world, this is a thing that happens in this world. Animal mutations are a part of life. His wife Wren, struggles to grasp the reality at first. Is there a way for them to stay together after his change? As time goes on, as she sees his carnivorous behavior and struggle to exist on land, she has to make peace with what the future will bring. Throughout this, Wren also reconciles memories of her mother, her childhood, and her college ex-girlfriend. She also befriends a pregnant woman who is carrying two birds. I really struggled for the first half of the book. While creative, I didn’t find it enjoyable to read. It was weird and uncomfortable.

When a friend explained that the transformation was a metaphor for long term illness or cancer, I “got it” a little bit more. (I feel a little bit dense, that hadn’t really occurred to me). Still, I found myself skimming the second quarter of the book. But then, somewhere along the lines, I just started to love it. Once a major thing had happened, we go back in time a bit and those parts of the book were my favorite. (It’s hard to explain without giving spoilers). Anyway, all in all, this lived up to the hype. Stick with the weird. It gets really good (though it is heartbreaking at times!). I am passing this along to my mom and can’t wait to hear what she thinks. Overall Score: A // Order on Amazon.com or Bookshop.org

All Fours, by Miranda July

This book was a weird little journey but I loved every minute. The writing is exquisite, it is difficult to read at times, but it’s the sort of novel that really makes you think about life and middle-age and what you want and what happens when you wake up and realize your life is halfway over. There are not enough books about being a woman at this age. You don’t have to like the narrator or even agree with her choices (she really blows up her life in all of the most spectacular ways); but you do feel for her… deeply! This book is weird, tender, funny, sad… all the things.

It begins with our narrator (a semi-famous artist/writer type) planning to drive across the country from Los Angeles to New York. 30 minutes after she leaves, she checks into a nondescript motel, and doesn’t leave for three weeks. The time she spends in that motel room will change the course of the rest of her life. There are times where it is a little bit absurd (I loved it though?). There are some weird sex scenes (just skim if it’s not for you). But honestly, truly, I agree with everyone when they say it’s “the book of summer.” I couldn’t put it down, I loved it so much. A must-read. PS – there is a (heavy!) content warning for traumatic birth. I’d recommend skipping if that is something that will be hard to read. Overall Score: A+ // Order on Amazon.com or Bookshop.org

Non-Fiction

Four Seasons, by Isadore Sharpe

This is an older book (it came out in 2012, though the audio version was not released until 2023, but it had been on my list for a while as I tend to really love anything about the hospitality business. And also (of course!) Four Seasons are some of my most favorite hotels. This one isn’t salacious or gossipy in the way that some of these books can be (you should read Heads in Beds for that sort of thing) but it is super super interesting as both a memoir and business book. It is the memoir of Isadore Sharp, Four Seasons’ founder (he’s now 92!). I love a humble beginnings success story.

Isadore grew up as a child of Polish immigrants with no background in hotels. His background and initial talents were actually in building! But over half a century, he built his brand from scratch into one of the most admired, successful hotel brands. We also learn about his private life. His wife Rosalie, his children, his commitment to funding cancer research. But how did he create such a wildly successful brand? The answer is (as with so many of these books) is by providing unparalleled service. (Danny Meyers and Will Guidara have to have read these books before penning their own on hospitality!). I loved this. As it is older, parts feel a little dated but it’s still a fascinating story about a brand (and now founder) that I really admire. Overall Score: A- // Order on Amazon.com

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