It’s finally time for the 2025 July Reading Wrap up! While reading took a downturn during this month July still gave peak summer vibes and spectacular experiences.
2025 July Reading Wrap up Statistics 📊
Due to travel plans and me being distracted I decided against setting a reading goal and just went with the flow. I’m so glad that I did as I was read three books this month making July the month that I read the fewest number of books this year. While there wasn’t a theme or pattern for July I did read books from two previously read authors Silvia Moreno Garcia and Fredrik Backman and one new-to-me author, Cecy Robson.
While I enjoyed Silvia Moreno Garcia and Fredrik Backman’s novel giving them high ratings. I had a heartbreakingly poor experience with Cecy Robson’s novel. It ended up being the lowest rated novel with me kicking myself for not DNF’ing and reading something else.
My reading pace remained slow with a little improvement from last month as it took me on avergage ten days to finish a book. The mood of books that I read were emotional, tense and mysterious which is typical for me. I maintained reading medium-paced books with me reading the most books that were three hundred to four hundred and ninety-nine pages. I only read fiction books across various genre affiliations.
I only read print books in hardcover editions that I borrowed from the library. And, I managed to acquire s total of ten new book friends to add to my collection.
July Book Acquisitions 📚
Despite not reading much into did shop and get a lot of new books. During my trip home to Georgia I visited an Ollie’s for the first time and found a couple of books at perfect pricing. Then my sister and I visited an Indie Bookstore called The Bookworm which specialized in new and used books. It was such a quaint and cozy shop with the owner being so nice. I was able to get my hands on on a Bell Hooks novel which made my day.
Lastly, I purchased some romance books during Barnes & Noble’s romance BOGO sale. All in all it was a spectacular month with great new books to add to my collection.
- Let Us Descend by Jesmyn Ward (gift from sister)
- Caught Up by Navessa Allen (Barnes & Noble)
- Filthy Rich Fae: Fallen Court by Geneva Lee (Barnes & Noble)
- The List by Steve Martini ( The Bookworm Indie Bookstore in Atlanta)
- Sounds Like Love by Ashley Poston (Barnes & Noble)
- These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong (Ollies)
- Silver in the Bone by Alexandra Bracken (Ollies)
- The Last Negros at Harvard by Kent Garrett (The Bookworm Indie Bookstore in Atlanta)
- All About Love by Bell Hooks
- Salt Bones by Jennifer Givhan (Aardvark Book Club)
July Reading Wrap Up 📖
Velvet Was the Night by Silvia Moreno Garcia
This novel was heavy on the noir vibes and was a captivating read. Moreno Garcia transports you to 1970’s Mexico City, Mexico during a turbulent political climate full of tension, violence and danger. Written in dual points-of-view we follow Maite a frustrated secretary who struggles to connect with her mother and sister and is in dire financial straits. and Elvis a jaded henchman who’s job is to rough up freedom fighters and gather intel for the organization he works with. Once Maite becomes embroiled in a case involving her missing neighbor and becomes implicated in a political plot against the government. She becomes a target whom Elvis follows and spies on as the dangers become real and things get out of control. I highly enjoyed this and found the character driven elements and themes of this novel superb. I also loved the continual action, mystery and intrigue layered throughout the story. If you’re a fan of noir and enjoy slow burn stories with strong character-driven storytelling you’ll love this! Add Book to Your Collection!
My Friends by Fredrik Backman
I had the pleasure of reading Fredrik Backman’s newest release and it was an amazing, emotional and cerebral experience. This novel weaves a poignant story about grief and loss, the enduring bonds of friendship, and how small insignificant events can change the trajectory of one person’s life. We meet Louisa a young woman who’s desperate to escape the foster care system and is shrouded in trauma and grief as she has an encounter with a man in an alley that leads to her becoming the owner of a highly acclaimed and expensive painting. This chain of events will lead her to travel across the country learning more about the artist of the painting, it’s history and the people integral in shaping the artist’s life and inspiring him to become an artist. Backman is an amazing writer truly top tier. Crafting character-driven stories exploring heavy topics and themes regarding humanity and the human condition is his expertise. Such a captivating and emotional read make sure you have a box of tissues on standby! Add Book to Your Collection!
Bloodguard by Cecy Robson
We finished the month off with a bit of a disappointment. Bloodguard is a Romantasy novel based on elements of the Roman empire. You have Leith of Grey who comes to Arrow to fight in the Gladiator games in hopes of becoming the coveted Bloodguard and acquiring wealth and status to help his mother and sisters and improve their lives. Maeve is a royal Elven princess destined for the throne. Yet, she’s desperate to escape a marriage to the evil Soro who has wicked designs for the throne and kingdom. She propositions Leith to marry her promising to care for his family and grant him freedom. The two battle against the cruelties of the broken system they live in all while falling in love and working on a plan to take back Arrow from the evil that has ensnared it. This premise was interesting but the execution was lackluster. The writing lacked depth, emotion and complexity. The characters were flat and one-dimensional. The romance and spice were lackluster. The world-building was weak and the plotting was faulty. Not a good experience in the slightest. However, I can see this being the perfect option for those who are new to the Romantasy genre and are looking for a novel that’s a bit easier to navigate. Add Book to Your Collection!
Music on Heavy Rotation 💿
This month was heavily influenced by Beyoncé. As I prepared for the Cowboy Carter concert I was up to my chin in all things Beyoncé. I listened to her entire discography but paid particular attention to her Self-Titled album, Lemonade, Renaissance, and Cowboy Carter. As these albums reflect her transitioning in her musicality and becoming more transparent with her lyricism and excelling as a visual artist and performer. However, I did make space to enjoy some new music.
Don’t Tap The Glass – Tyler, The Creator
Label: Columbia Records | Release Date: July 21, 2025
The fusion of hip-hop, house, and funk made this an instant favorite. It’s upbeat, playful and super creative. My favorite songs include the opener Big Poe, Sucka Free, Stop Playing with Me and Ring Ring Ring.
Let God Sort ‘Em Out – Clipse
Label: Self-Released | Release Date: July 11, 2025
The lyrical mastery on this album reminds me of why I fell in love with hip-hop in the first place. Rich metaphors, double entendres, alliteration, repetition powerful messaging. I’m telling you rap is pure poetry.
Film & TV Recap 🎥
A goal I’ve been working on this summer has been to enjoy more shows and movies as I tend to favor books and music over everything else and I want to be well-rounded when it comes to media and entertainment. So, let’s talk about the shows and movies that I watched this past July.
The Take starring Idris Elba
Rating: R Rated | Release Date: Nov. 18, 2016 | High Top Releasing
This action movie follows pickpocket (Richard Madden) and rogue CIA agent (Idris Elba) as they team up to intercept a terrorist conspiracy in Paris, France.
This movie was an ok time. I enjoyed Idris Elba and found him to be phenomenal as always. I even liked the banter and interaction with Richard Madden’s character. There was plenty of action with electric fight scenes and killer one lines. However, the story was predictable and much of this premise was built on the stupidity of the pickpocket Michael Mason. While Idris Elba fans might enjoy this I don’t think it’s a top tier movie that I would recommend.
Materialists starring Dakota Johnson, Chris Evans and Pedro Pascal
Rating: R Rated | Release Date: June 13, 2025 | A24
Highly successful New York matchmaker Lucy (Dakota Johnson) becomes torn between her ex-boyfriend John (Chris Evans) who she shares chemistry and love with but he’s incapable of providing the lifestyle she desires and the perfect match Harry (Pedro Pascal) who ticks all her boxes but she feels no passion for.
The exploration of how commodifying dating and love can create unrealistic expectations about relationships and marriage. Leading to superficial relationships based on materialistic values. This movie had a lot to say about this and it did a fairly good job of getting its point across.
Also, on a complete side note. The fashion for this film, stunning. Dakota Johnson’s style was impeccable. There were numerous outfit inspirations. If you’re all about style and fashion you’ll appreciate the looks Ms. Johnson was serving.
However, this movie was pitched and marketed as a rom-com which it very much is not. There are some heavy topics explored in this movie and it felt devoid of the typical vibes and tropes common with a rom-com. That being said the character arc and growth of Lucy was phenomenal and enjoyable to watch. The acting was top notch and the pacing was steady and consistent throughout. If you’re a fan of women’s fiction and enjoy a little substance to your romance you’ll find this an enjoyable movie.
Self-Care & Lifestyle Influences 🪴
As a professional who’s been in the spa, wellness and beauty industry for over ten years I can’t help but share about the skin-care and personal hygiene products that I’ve been loving this past month.
Dove Body Cream Serum for Even Tone
If you love to go the extra mile with your self-care routine and are looking for a body serum that delivers results and helps even out skin tone. You need this in your life! I’ve only used this product for a month and already see my skin has become more vibrant and even. This product does contain retinol so make sure you use sunscreen during the day to protect your skin!
Naturium Urea Body Serum 5%
Another amazing body serum that’s excellent at hydrating and replenishing the skin barrier. While also providing exfoliation benefits to reduce bumpy, textured skin. The texture is silky and fast absorbing. Perfect when coupled with a delicious body oil. Your skin will be soft, smooth and delectable.
Vitamin C Mask with Kaolin Clay & Turmeric
A creamy, dreamy mask that’s a multi-tasker. It does a fabulous job of brightening and helping purify the skin of blemishes. However, make sure to use this when you don’t have any upcoming events, photos or plans as this may cause a bit of purging. 😳 So, plan accordingly.
Ultrasonic Skin Spatula
The perfect accessory for deep cleansing, anti-aging and skin maintenance. With the power of ultrasonic technology you’ll be able to deeply cleanse pores to remove blackheads and pore clogging impurities. There’s other settings that allow you to lift and tone the skin, infuse toners, essences, and moisturizers into the skin barrier for increased penetration and hydration. I’ve seen such an improvement with my skin’s appearance and my pores have been less clogged. Definitely glad to have this in my skincare routine.
That’s a wrap for July! Like I said this month delivered peak summer vibes with amazing experiences and memories I’ll carry with me forever. While I’m a little sad that August will be the end of the summer season I’m looking forward to celebrating my birthday and making more core memories. How was your July let me know in the comments below!
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