July 2020 Wrap Up // 40 Books, ALTA Watching, and More!

Hi, friends!! Welcome to what will probably be my longest wrap up ever. I feel like I say that somewhat often, but like. I read 40 books this month? Which is so many? And so wild? And also please never let me do this again because I am dreading writing this so much? Anywho, let’s just jump right into the wrap up because like, it is going to be a doozy.

Non-Bookish Things from July: 

IRL Things: 

• This isn’t so much IRL as it is blog related, but I hit 400 followers on here this month??? That is so surreal, especially since I have pretty much been the absolute worst at blogging this year, but thank every single one of you so so much! I truly appreciate every single one of you, it is honestly still so wild to see that people read and like my content. I have also decided to do a Q&A to celebrate this milestone, so if you have any questions, leave them down below!!
• I started to hang out and get closer with one of my cousins this month!! I have honestly been pretty distant from most family members for a while, but I get to be the real me with her and that is pretty rare for me and I really enjoy it.
• I officially started stressing about having to go back to school in August, such a fun achievement. I’ll be taking online classes at yet another new college while three days a week I will also be coaxing two elementary schoolers through distance learning, so basically, wish me luck. I will definitely need it.

Music: 

• Folklore by Taylor Swift
  • I know that I had to have listened to something else this month before Folklore came out, but I genuinely could not tell you what that was. It is Folklore on repeat over here. I plan on doing a whole post about my favorite lyrics, but here are some that really hurt me:
    • And I’ve been meaning to tell you
      I think your house is haunted
      Your dad is always mad and that must be why
    • They told me all of my cages were mental
      So I got wasted like all my potential
    • But there’s robbers to the east, clowns to the west
      I’d give you my sunshine, give you my best
      But the rain is always gonna come if you’re standin’ with me

Movies and TV: 

• Hamilton (2020)
  • I shockingly only watched Hamilton once this month? I assumed that when it came out I would watch it over and over again, but I didn’t? It was really really good, but it didn’t fully fling me back into my Hamilton phase which was appreciated.
• Avatar: The Last Airbender
  • If you follow me on Twitter, you may or may not be aware that I finished Avatar for the first time this month and I have many thoughts and feelings. I am planning to rewatch again in August and then write up a giant rambly post, so keep your eyes peeled for that.
• Legend of Korra
  • As I am writing this, I am on the first episode of the last season and I have no idea how I managed to watch three seasons in a week, but it was a thing that happened means my thoughts are a jumbled mess. I cannot wait to finish this show (which I have t minus 24 hours to do by the time this post goes up before my CBS trial expires), I might write a post on it, I haven’t decided to be honest.

Finally, the 40 books I read this month. If you don’t want to read the wrap up for all of these I don’t blame you, I don’t really want to write it tbh. 

• The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta
  • ☆☆☆☆☆
  • Read from 7/2-7/2
  • I listened to this as an audiobook and I cannot explain how good it was, the audiobook was so well produced and the writing and story were both exquisite.
• George by Alex Gino
  • ☆☆☆☆
  • Reread from 7/2-7/3
  • Review here.
• Check, Please! Book One by Ngozi Ukazu
  • ☆☆☆☆
  • Read from 7/4-7/4
  • This was a really fun graphic novel and I can’t wait to read the sequel whenever my library gets it.
• Sparks by Kit Mallory
  • ☆☆☆☆
  • Read from 7/1-7/4
  • Review here.

• Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
  • ☆☆☆
  • Reread from 7/3-7/4
  • I decided to finally reread and finish this series, but I honestly don’t have much thoughts on them? Like they were alright and I understand why people get so attached to the characters, but they seemed kind of messy, especially the last trilogy.
• Destroy Me by Tahereh Mafi 
  • ☆☆
  • Reread from 7/4-7/5
• Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi 
  • ☆☆☆
  • Read from 7/5-7/6
• Fracture Me by Tahereh Mafi
  • ☆☆
  • Read from 7/7-7/7

• Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi
  • ☆☆☆☆
  • Read from 7/7-7/7
• Restore Me by Tahereh Mafi
  • ☆☆☆
  • Read from 7/18-7/19
• Shadow Me by Tahereh Mafi 
  • ☆☆
  • Read from 7/19-7/20
• Defy Me by Tahereh Mafi
  • ☆☆
  • Read from 7/20-7/20

• Reveal Me by Tahereh Mafi
  • ☆☆☆
  • Read from 7/20-7/20
• Imagine Me by Tahereh Mafi
  • ☆☆☆
  • Read from 7/20-7/21
• King and the Dragonflies by Kacen Callender
  • ☆☆☆☆☆
  • Read from 7/6-7/7
  • This book was so good, I need to get a physical copy and annotate it, but the audiobook was also just so good. It was a very atmospheric book and the descriptions of grief were spot on, I utterly loved this book.
• The Gravity of Us by Phil Stamper
  • ☆☆☆☆
  • Read from 7/6-7/8
  • While this book wasn’t perfect by any means, I love how it got me so hyped about space, I also really liked the social media aspects and the anxiety and depression rep.

• So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo
  • Read from 7/7-7/8
  • I really found this book to be insightful, it opened my eyes up to racism against non-Black POC communities that I had been ignorantly unaware of and I can tell this will be a book I go back to.
• Me and White Supremacy by Layla F. Saad
  • Read from 7/10-7/11
  • While I could not use this as the workbook it was intended to be due to the fact that the audiobook had to be returned to my library quickly, this was still a very important and eye opening read.
• I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown
  • Read from 7/11-7/11
  • I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook, I also really liked how the author discussed their experience in different churches throughout their life. As an ex-Christian, I find it super interesting to hear how different church denominations influenced other Christians.
• Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
  • Read from 7/15-7/15
  • The author narrated this audiobook and I just wanted to note that because I feel like it added to the reading experience. This book was so well written and lyrical and full of emotion, everyone should consider picking this up.

• Becoming by Michelle Obama
  • ☆☆☆☆☆
  • Read from 7/9-7/10
  • I have been meaning to read this forever, so when the audiobook was randomly available from my library I knew I had to listen and damn, it was just so good and I loved just like sitting and listening to it. It was a great reading experience.
• Darius the Great Is Not Okay by Adib Khorram
  • ☆☆☆☆☆
  • Reread from 7/11-7/11
  • I love this book with my entire soul, it may be my favorite book with mental health rep. The depression representation is so good and so important and everything else about this book was also perfection. I keep telling myself that I will write a review for it, but maybe someday.
• Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust
  • ☆☆☆☆
  • Read from 7/12-7/12
  • Sapphics! Monsters! Princesses! Read this!
• The A to Z of Girlfriends by Natasha West
  • ☆☆☆☆
  • Read from 7/5-7/13
  • This was my second ever Natasha West and I really enjoyed it, I can’t wait to read more of her books.

• Music from Another World by Robin Talley
  • ☆☆☆☆☆
  • Read from 7/12-7/13
  • This book made me cry. I wanted to review it but I kind of just never did, but I am sure I’ll reread it so maybe I will review it then.
• The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
  • ☆☆☆☆☆
  • Read from 7/14-7/15
  • I picked up this audiobook with the intent of just getting it off of my physical tbr finally but I ended up just being left with a somewhat broken heart and a lot of emotions, so that was fun.
• Rick by Alex Gino
  • ☆☆☆☆
  • Read from 7/16-7/17
  • This was so so cute! The questioning ace and aro rep was so good, my ace self desperately wishes I had had this book as a middle schooler.
• It’s Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini
  • ☆
  • Read from 7/17-7/18
  • While this depression rep was somewhat decent, I could not excuse the constant sexualization of women and blatant transphobia. Also, this was moderately triggering for me due to the discussions surrounding suicide and eating, so if you were to some reason want to pick this up please be careful.

• All the Worlds Between Us by Morgan Lee Miller
  • ☆☆☆☆
  • Reread from 7/15-7/18
  • Review here.
• All the Paths to You by Morgan Lee Miller
  • ☆☆☆☆
  • Read from 7/18-7/19
  • Review here.
• The Mall by Megan McCafferty 
  • ☆☆☆☆
  • Read from 7/19-7/23
  • Review here.
• You’d Be Mine by Erin Hahn
  • ☆☆☆☆
  • Read from 7/25-7/26
  • Erin Hahn, man, she owns my heart.

• Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Promise by Gene Luen Yang
  • ☆☆☆☆☆
  • Read from 7/25-7/26
  • This hit me right in the Zuko feels, also I am Sokka when it comes to dealing with Aang and Katara’s constant heterosexualness.
• Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Search by Gene Luen Yang
  • ☆☆☆☆☆
  • Read from 7/26-7/26
  • As someone who was left with many questions about Zuko’s family, I loved this comic and I loved finally getting answers. Also, Azula was here, so that was nice.
• Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Rift by Gene Luen Yang
  • ☆☆☆☆
  • Read from 7/26-7/30
  • Watching Aang and Toph fight physically hurt me and I all around enjoyed this one less than the first two, but it was still a fun time.
• Cinder by Marissa Meyer
  • ☆☆☆☆
  • Read from 7/28-7/29
  • I read this in attempts to lower my physical tbr and it was honestly a pretty fun time, I can’t wait to continue on with the series.

• Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch
  • ☆☆☆☆
  • Read from 7/27-7/27
  • This was another physical tbr book but it was honestly very enjoyable, I loved the setting and the focus on family and what it means.
• I Kissed Alice by Anna Birch
  • ☆☆☆
  • Read from 7/22-7/29
  • Review here.
• Queen’s Shadow by E.K. Johnston
  • ☆☆☆
  • Read from 7/29-7/30
  • I am sad I didn’t enjoy this more, but I still loved learning more about Padme and now I actually understand more about Naboo’s culture, so that is fun.
• Queen’s Peril by E.K. Johnston
  • ☆☆☆
  • Read from 7/30-7/31
  • This book confirmed that at least three of Padme’s handmaidens are sapphic and I will be reveling in this knowledge for a long while.

 

Okay, that is it, we are finally done. Hopefully I will chill out next month. How was your month, what did you read? Let’s chat below! And if you have any questions for my Q&A, drop those too!!