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I have been enjoying my Summer Break, so July has been a slow reading month! I’ve also been a little bit of a slump, so leave a comment on what you’ve been enjoying. Whether you’re looking for your next great read or just curious about what I loved (or didn’t love), this post has all the details. My goal for 2025 was to read one book a month, and so far, I’ve more than DOUBLED that! I’ll be sharing a brief summary, my personal thoughts, and a rating for each book. Plus, I’ll highlight my top recommendation of the month at the end!
Book List Overview (with links to purchase)
- My Time to Stand by Gypsy-Rose Blanchard
- Practice Makes Perfect by Sarah Adams
- I Think I Might Love You by Christina C. Jones
📖 My Time to Stand – Gypsy-Rose Blanchard
- Genre: Memoir
- Synopsis: This memoir tells the life story of Gypsy-Rose Blanchard, beginning with her upbringing under her mother’s care and leading up to the events that made national headlines. Through letters and personal reflections, she details the emotional, medical, and psychological abuse she endured, and how it shaped her identity. The book explores themes of control, survival, and self-discovery as Gypsy attempts to reclaim her voice and process the consequences of her past.
- My Thoughts: Ever since it hit the headlines, I’ve been obsessed with the Gypsy-Rose case! I’ve watched all the interviews, documentaries, remakes, and reality TV shows surrounding her story, so it only made sense to pick up her memoir. I thoroughly enjoy reading Gypsy tell her story, even the hidden parts that I’d never heard before. This story was riveting, mind-blowing, and full of twists and turns. Whether you see Gypsy as a victim, a murderer, a manipulator, or somewhere in between, her memoir is a great read!
- Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (out of 5)
- Would I recommend it? Maybe–if you’re into true crime or you’ve followed the Gypsy-Rose case, I’d say yes. Otherwise, I would not recommend her story.
📖 Practice Makes Perfect– Sarah Adams
- Genre: Romance Novel
- Synopsis: Annie Walker is a sweet, small-town florist who has HORRIBLE luck in dating! She wants the fairytale–the whirlwind romance, the husband, the kids, but all within her safe, predictable town of Rome, Kentucky. Will Griffin, a visiting bodyguard with a rough-around-the-edges exterior, agrees to help her “practice” dating to prepare for the real thing. What starts as a pretend relationship quickly grows more complicated as real emotions develop. Will is nothing that Annie envisioned! He’s unpredictable, unavailable, and a flight-risk. But, that doesn’t stop them feeling like they never want to leave each other’s arms…
- My Thoughts: If you’ve kept up with my reading wrap-ups, you know I’ve been working my way backwards through the When In Rome series by Sarah Adams. So far, I’ve loved every book in this series, and Practice Makes Perfect is no different! There’s something about a small-town romance with humor, wit, depth, and relatable characters that will get me every time! This one has tropes of grumpy x sunshine, opposites attract, “bad boy”, and dual POV. It’s full of romance, but not too much spice. But, it definitely has all the feels!
- Favorite Quote: “Until I met her and held her in my arms, I never knew I could be capable of so much tenderness.”
- Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (out of 5)
- Would I recommend it? Yes! I love the When in Rome series, and I recommend any book from it! I already have book #4 on pre-order!
📖 I Think I Might Love You– Christina C. Jones
- Genre: Romance Novel
- Synopsis: Jaclyn Love is trying to get her life together, but a spontaneous decision lands her in a crazy situation, where she meets Kadan Davenport, a rule-following, quiet type who’s nothing like her usual vibe. When they can’t seem to avoid each other, they enter into a very strange arrangement that leads both of them into unexpected territory…
- My Thoughts: I decided to pick up this book because I wanted something short and sweet to end my month of reading, and Christina C. Jones did not disappoint! This light, funny, enemies to lovers novella had my eyes glued to the pages. It’s the perfect depth for a short read, and the characters are very likeable. I definitely want to read more from this author!
- Favorite Quote: “I’m light-skinned with a beard, I’m everybody’s type.”
- Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (out of 5)
- Would I recommend it? Yes–if you want a short, fun, easy-to-read, fluffy romance, this one is perfect!
My Top Pick This Month Is…
Practice Makes Perfect by Sarah Adams! As I’m such a fan of small-town romances, I’m sure this is no surprise! I’ve been so in love with the residents of Rome, Kentucky, and I can’t wait for the last book in this series!
What’s TBR for August?
August will be a busy month for me, as I’m returning to work as a teacher, but there are still some things I’d like to read…
- The Wedding Party by Jasmine Guillory
- I Think I Might Need You by Christina C. Jones
- These Summer Storms by Sarah MacLean
That concludes my July reading wrap-up! I’m so excited that I’ve read 32 books so far this year, and I can’t wait to see what’s next! What did you read in July? Do you have any recommendations for me? Let’s chat in the comments!
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