 Hello, hello everyone. My name is Laura and this is my channel Laura's Little Library and welcome to today's video Which is my July wrap up? This July which was pretty good. I wasn't feeling like I was gonna end up reading a bunch of books But then right in that last week. I read so many books like I was averaging a book a day for almost a week Which yeah, really boosted my reading at the end there A lot of them were library books. Majority of them were audio books So I only have three physically here to show you. It's just kind of crazy, but We're just gonna get into it. So the first book that I'm gonna talk to you about is Gideon the Ninth And this is by Tamsin Muir You can see there's still a bookmark in here. That's because my husband is reading it He started reading it like a month almost two before me And here I have finished it and he's still only two-thirds of the way through I He's not the biggest reader He wants to be and he used to be but not so much anymore But I also don't blame him because this book was slow. I Rated this three out of five stars. It was too slow for me I didn't like how we were just plunged into the world and we didn't get any Explanation the kind of explanation we got was after something and like happened and we're like, oh, okay I guess you can do that. Sure. Why not? I Just I don't know. I I prefer more info dumpy than Nothing at all So I should say what this is about. So this to sum it up very quickly. It's about Lesbian necromancers in space. That is true I didn't get too much of a spacey element from it like a little bit At the beginning when they travel, but they're kind of just stationary in one spot for majority of the book So I didn't get a whole bunch of spaceiness in it Which is kind of disappointing the necromancy was what I wanted more information on so I could actually understand it and enjoy it A little bit better and then the lesbian part was fine. They It's more like they have a history and they'll probably have something in future books But I don't care to stick around for it. I liked our main character I like to get in and I like tarot and I liked them together But other than that, I just didn't really care much for the book. Not that it was bad I can see why other people would like it. It's just not Something that I personally enjoyed and so I will not be continuing with like Harold the ninth and whatever the third one is but Yeah, it was just too slow Didn't really care the plot was okay. I Just it was not my enjoyment. So and I also read instructions for dancing by Nicola Yoon or Nicola Yoon Still not sure how to say it. This was also three out of five stars I also was not super excited about this book when I was reading it. This follows a girl who Used to really love romance novels and just loved love and then Her parents get a divorce and to her her whole world kind of comes crumbling down and then she ends up like magically being able to see when a couple kisses like Kind of their love story how it started how it's going and how it ends So she just is like nope. No, nope. No love is stupid not doing it But yeah, I think I liked half of the book I liked the dancing elements. She actually takes dance classes She does and then and I liked the visions But I feel like I didn't get enough of those two elements which kind of were the two main elements that made this book unique I Didn't get enough of that. I got a lot of like the YA Drama and just other elements of the book that I wasn't super excited about or I didn't find as Interesting as the other elements so like half the book really bored me and the other half was like I want more of this to enjoy it Like like the family drama like okay I don't mean to say that divorce isn't traumatic or something that should be talked about like that is not what I'm saying at all But just the way it was handled in this book. I just didn't care for It was just like so over done but and And again that part of the book isn't something that's super unique to it like it's something I've read in other books before And so it kind of just made me want to stop reading YA contemporary romance I'm just kind of done with it like I just with the drama that happened and like the age it just I It just made me realize I am kind of done with YA contemporary romance. I can't do it anymore It's too dramatic for the sake of being dramatic and it's kind of annoying The other thing was that I had a hard time with the timing in this book because I went from like Couple of days then a couple weeks and then a wedding is coming But oh no the wedding is like here now like the time it was just weird and all over the place So the writing was fine the characters were fine whatever I In the last book that I have physically that I read Is be a queen's my little brother's was given to me by a friend of mine It was like you need to read it and I sat and I waited and waited and waited until summer so that I could read it this basically is Like Miss Teenage Dream pageant is flying to a beach To or like is flying somewhere for the pageant So it's one girl from every state in the United States And then they're playing goes down on an island and now they kind of have to do like a survival thing Except there are nefarious things happening on this island that they don't know about Which was like Okay, it's a very far-fetched book like the beauty queens and the survival aspect I enjoyed it was it was very hatchet kind of very a lot of the flies, but Then a various other Part in the book. I was just like this is so I roll and like like that comedic where they do just like a little poke and then it's like a whole punch-down effect and the other person just Like like that kind of thing But I mean the whole premise of it is just kind of funny too, so I guess it fits This was also three out of five. I had a lot of three out of five star books this month It almost kind of gave me the feelings of Wanda vision though because it was off-putting and very blunt Which you know, I got those feelings for Wanda vision and I loved Wanda vision I didn't love it as much, but it was just very interesting because like they would have Advertisements and other things to kind of help us get a sense of how their world is actually different in ours Like it's not our world It's like a dystopian version or another parallel universe to our world And it was very Wanda vision in that way. There was a lot of really good rep in this book There was trans rep queer rep cultural rep different kinds of things like that and It was an interesting message message about like just female pleasure in general kind of going from beauty queens what we Traditionally think about them like what's displayed in media about them and then kind of their transformation on this island Growing out of that. It was just very interesting. I would say like be prepared But also have an open mind because it was just an interesting book not one that I would read again like at all but Yeah, like the romances in here was interesting like there's not much more I can say other than describing it as interesting and a three-star So now I can get into all of the books that I read Over audio I mean I read all three of those with the audiobook, but I actually had the physical copy to show you I actually read a master of gin, which was a leftover From June that I wanted to read for a queer for a pride month It was and ended up being a four out of five stars It won me over it definitely had a bit of a beginning that I had a harder time getting into again kind of just being thrown in Not really slow, but not as fast-paced as I would have liked but it eventually grew on me Um, the characters are definitely the best part of this book for sure. It was great the mythology mixed with like Mythology mixed with the multiple religions mixed with like our modern times Was a really interesting balance and I'm like how they played out I think it's definitely a best case scenario to some extent I mean, it's not perfect But like looking at it compared to what I know it could be if it was something happening It was definitely in much better shape than it could be Which was really fun and clever to read about lots of female main power I loved all the like female power of our main character who was like a modern woman But then her kind of sidekick helper who like more hijab and was a little bit more traditional in her beliefs But how she was just as powerful and awesome as our main character like that was really cool I'm very appreciated the romance was better than I expected I was expecting it to be kind of like a two three star romance You know like it was there and I wasn't going to enjoy it or there was gonna be this twist to it No, I liked it. I think it got better as the book went on But again, I think that's just the book in general. I liked it better as I kept going and then my final thought It's the writing it's like it's like that real writing where someone's kind of more talking story telling it to you rather than like academic writing which this book could have easily been written kind of more academically and then Like had the same vibes and everything, but it was a little more loose and I liked that. I very much appreciated it That's really what kept me going through the story Especially at the beginning when I had a hard time getting into it. So Yeah, four out of five stars. It was pretty good. I would recommend it If you like gin and murder mystery and slightly culty not super culty Books And then get ready for this I read the never night trilogy by Jay Kristoff I read never night God's grave and dark dawn all within like a Couple weeks of each no like a week of each other Like I read the first book and then I got the second book like a day or two later And then I read that in a couple days and I got the third book like the next day Or even at the same time as the second book and I just read the entire Trilogy and I finally feel caught up and like understanding of a lot of things especially with mr. Kindly I get it now people don't we say mr. Kindly was the not cap from never night and I was like what I Got it. I got it. So yeah, I enjoyed them. I gave never night 4.5 out of five stars. I gave God's grave like a three point five almost four out of five stars I think it had a little bit of middle book syndrome But that also could just be me not caring much for a middle book It just felt like it was an interesting Not start over but kind of felt like it cuz she gains all these fighting skills in the first book Then she goes to the second book and she no longer knows how to do anything And she has to relearn how to fight But just like a different fighting style like I can appreciate the different fighting style But I just feel like so much of what we learned in the first book was ditched That also goes for what we learned about her species and the darkness I feel like a lot of that got ditched a little bit in the second book And we just went full blown with the gladiator thing and then all of a sudden at the end It was like, okay, now we need to actually get ready to wrap up the entire world so Yeah, and then And then the fourth book I also gave 3.5 out of five stars Dark Dawn the third book did I say fourth? I don't know dark dawn. I gave 3.5 out of five stars it was just kind of chunky and Like good characters, but it was just long long and drawn out I was just waiting for them to just kind of do the final battle and be done with it and It just kind of didn't quite happen that way And I wasn't super excited about it in that regards, but yeah So for anyone who hasn't read an ever night series, I'm not gonna give any like spoilers past like what I've said I haven't really said spoilers, but might not make sense The first book I liked the writing. I like it breaks the fourth wall Dear reader kind reader Just I kind of felt like we had a little bit of dropping of the plot at some point So forgetting what was important to the main character and her just kind of losing sight of what she's actually Trying to do and the things that are important to her but I loved mr. Kindly and It I think it was like one of the og Female assassins or like it feels like an og female assassin book like this and throwing up class kind of were like Start of the kick of badass female main characters So I appreciate that even if it was written by man I gotta say all the female female there is queer rep There is female female love in the later books and those scenes for being written by a man We're not bad for being written by a man Next I read I read a couple of duologies start to finish. I know it's like I don't need to do the continuance on anymore I definitely do um Because I actually finished some duologies for once and so I read fable by Adrian young and then I read the second book Namesake by Adrian young. So that's the duology first book four out of five stars loved it second book five out of five stars Even better. I feel like the critiques I had for the first book Were fixed or improved upon in the second book Which just made me all the happier and more excited and you know reading them back to back always helps too Yeah, like the romance grew on me I first wasn't a fan because I felt like our love interest kind of treated her more like a little girl or a child rather than someone his age or Equal and when his character was first introduced I wasn't aware that he actually was her age and that was going to be the love interest So then when that started happening, I was like, well, I have to change my own mental image And the romance felt really fast, but I think that was because of how fast-paced the book was like I don't know. I just feel like the book took place over the course of like four days so for the romance to develop that much over that short amount of time felt kind of weird and Well, yeah, just weird, but I think it just wasn't written well of how long the book Timeline actually was but I did end up getting on board with it. We'll have some more detail Scenes and just kind of surroundings but in the end I got I got around with it. It was a great twist Great cliffhanger at the end Sorry, my feet are falling asleep. So I'm just gonna get shorter and Yeah, so the second book everything was just better the romance was better the Like how the politics worked and the resolution and just kind of everything playing into each other and the cleverness like It just felt like the game had gotten stepped up and I liked that then I also read the 2.5 book the last legacy also by Adrienne. So this book takes place in the same world Following a family that is mentioned in the second book Following like the character that is in the second book that we briefly see was very separate like you do not have to read The fable duology in order to read the last legacy But it's just nice because you get a little bit more Information of how the gem trade works and I really I initially was gonna save this Duology and then also their book for August kind of to do my hot girl summer vlog because it's it's Not piratey, but it's like summer theme. It's you know, it's sailing and Swimming and things like that, you know very summery activity So I thought I was gonna save it and then I had no patience and I read it anyway so Yeah, and I think last I can see I liked a little bit less. That was a little more of it like 3.5. I think Romance just didn't quite hit the same as the first one or as in the duology And it was just it was a different kind of story and I wasn't sure if it was gonna be different kind of story or not I didn't I don't think I wanted it to be by I think that's cuz I read it so close But I also just didn't want to forget anything so Yeah, and then they've got Book number zero for this coming out later this year. It's called Saints and I will read that I'm very excited. It is the father of Fable and Yeah, his story so I'll read that just cuz I liked the author's writing and storytelling and it like I said It was just so fast paste, which I greatly appreciated Then I read I read the daughter of the pirate king duology So daughter of the pirate king and daughter of the siren queen by Patricia love and seller because I've been wanting to read more Patricia love and seller because I have started to read her and I've been loving her books like the shadows between us and one of the sword Blade of secrets loved them so I knew I really wanted to read this and again I was gonna save it for August for hot girl summer because it is pirates and swimming and just you know It's a little early a female pirates on the Caribbean But again, I had no patience and I zoomed right through it like this was the duology that I just sat on my bed with nothing to do for Hours listening to it because I was so entranced in what was happening in the book I didn't need to go for a walk or clean or do something to kind of keep me focused on it I was enthralled the whole time. I was just sitting there listening I loved it five out of five stars pretty sure both of them were I think I like the first one more than the second one Because I think the banter between our enemies to lovers characters was so Good it was so consistent basically the entire first book was banter between these characters like there was a plot She was trying to get something off of his ship He was trying to get answers from her about the pirate king But majority of it was just them Bantering being enemies and then falling in love and it was so good Like it gave me read and live vibes from Serpenton dub from the first book and I loved that book. I love that romance. So just like that style of like She does things her way She is kind of good at two shoes, but he's also a pirate in this one. So like it's goody-two shoes as a pirate can be And I just I could not get over How wonderful it was the characters the plot the world building it was all so good And then the second one was Good, I think we got a little less of the romance and banter from the first one And I felt like we kind of just not dropped it, but it just became more plot heavy of Why these characters were together in the first place? It's like okay now that they got what they need or didn't get what they need and like things happened Now we can progress with what they were actually supposed to be doing and Kind of leaving the romance behind a little bit. So I was kind of saddened by that But the plot was good like the I was then interested in the plot I just knew that there was also a romance that kind of like enriched it enriched it a little bit more So I think that's one of if not my favorite read of July actually, I can say with confidence that Daughter of this pirate king was my favorite read of July. Those are all 12. Oh, I did a lot of series Surprisingly enough. I started and finished quite a few series, which I'm kind of proud of myself. I never do that Anyway, thank you all very much for watching this Strange July wrap up. I hope you have are having a great summer or winter if you're in the southern hemisphere I have fun But Yeah, let me know what are some of the things that you have been doing this summer that you've been enjoying or some of your favorite books Or at least favorite books that you've read in July or what you're reading in August Honestly, tell me anything about your reading lives. I would love to chat with you get to know you get recommendations Talk about books etc. And so forth. You can also do that with me on my social medias, which I have linked down below Books to Graham book talk book Twitter book The other one Good reads I have good reads Yeah, I think that's it So you can follow me there below and we can chat more about books there as well Give this video a thumbs up if you liked it. Also feel free to subscribe I make videos theoretically on Sundays and Wednesdays this summer I'm not really sticking to that schedule quite as strictly as I do during the school year in the school year I'm usually very good about getting videos up on Sundays and Wednesdays But just because of how the summer has been so different for me and how it's been going I try to do two videos a week, but I make no promises But hopefully with me quitting my second job soon. It will be a lot easier. So anyway, yes Thank you for watching. Have a great summer or winter and I will see you on the next one. But until then