Books I'm Looking Forward To: July


Can you believe it's almost July? I'm shocked that June is coming to a close. Just like last month, June is packed with an amazing set of books that I can't wait to start reading. We're also starting to see some of the spring books that got pushed because of COVID come out, and I'm so glad that these authors are getting that chance, even though conditions are still less than ideal. I've been waiting for most of these books since I seriously started blogging again back in March, and I'm so excited to finally start reading them. I wanted to share a quick list of some of the books I'm most excited to read over the course of the month. I have ARCs for all of these, so expect reviews coming soon. I just started I Killed Zoe Spanos, and I'm already sucked into its atmospheric, mysterious world. 

As always, preorders, especially now, are so important for supporting authors. Many of them are offering fun preorder incentives if you send in your receipts. I've linked to each author's website, so just click their names to get easy access to buy links and any special offers. Let me know in the comments what books you're looking forward to in July. 


June 30
Okay, I know this is technically a June book, but it's the last day before July, so it felt like it fit better here. The good news is that it will be out in the world tomorrow! It can hold you over for the next couple of weeks until these books come out.
I don't read a ton of thrillers, but this one caught my eye. I love following Kit on Twitter, and this book has elements all my favorite mystery/thriller type books. First, it takes place in a glamorous, mysterious small town that has been rocked by Zoe, a local teen, going missing. The case is shaken up again when Anna comes to town. The body is found, there's a surprise confession, and there are even more questions that they started with. What really hooked me was that it follows a special investigation by teen podcast host, Martina Green. If you've been following my blog for a while, you know I loved the podcast driven Sadie. (If you want that review, find it here). 
If you order it today (6/29), Kit has a great swag pack preorder that also comes with a donation to NCMEC. And if you're reading this after, the other cool thing is that the first printing has blue sprayed edges! That makes my bookstagram heart so happy! 
Love, Jacaranda
Love, Jacaranda
July 7
Jacaranda moves from living in foster care to going to a prestigious boarding school. Because of her mom's arrest, her life has been difficult, but when a video of her singing goes viral, it finds a wealthy benefactor who is willing to pay for her eduction. She's thrust into a world that is totally foreign to her. While she finds friends and even a cute boy who is interested in her, she's still unsure of how she fits in with her peers. 
I was sent this book a lot time ago by the team at Harper Collins. I was totally surprised to get it in the mail, and I can't wait to get the chance to pick it up. 

July 14
Mari's dad has been a politician her entire life. She's looked up to him and been his biggest supporter her entire life, but when he runs for president, that changes. Per usual, when someone runs for president, the media (both critically and gossipy) is ready to investigate everything they've ever done. As the race goes on, Mari realizes that she doesn't agree with some of his positions. Even though society doesn't make a place for her stance or opinion, she realizes that she wants to use her voice to challenge her father and make her views known. 
I'm so excited to see more overtly political YA, and I love this book cover! This one is definitely at the top of my TBR list.




He Must Like You
Danielle Younge-Ullman
July 14
I'm trying to figure out how to get my hands on this book ASAP. I think I might have to break my rules and buy another book so that I can read it immediately because I've loved Danielle's writing for years. If you haven't read her first book, check out Everything Beautiful Is Not Ruined which I reviewed a while ago.
Libby is in a tough spot. Her parents tell her she's on her own paying for college and that she's losing her room at the end of high school, and now her job waitressing is at risk because she decided to stand up to the notoriously creepy customer who is beloved by the town. Dealing with the fallout just leaves Libby angry at all the men who have done her wrong and contributed to the downward spiral of her life. It'll be a struggle to find her footing again. 
July 21
I've you've been reading my blog for any amount of time, you know that I love Erin Hahn's book (and I adore Erin as a person too. She's one of the sweetest authors I know). After reading and loving her first book, You'd Be Mine (go read it!), I reached out to do an author interview with her. It's still one of my all time favorites. After taking it upon myself to get all of you to read that book, Erin reached out to see if I'd want to do the cover reveal for More Than Maybe. Not only did I love the book, I got to live out my dream of hosting a cover reveal (if you're an author who is interested, please reach out!). There's a ton of information and a teaser chapter in the cover reveal, which you can read here, and I reviewed the book forever ago here. It was supposed to come out in the spring, but it got pushed through the pandemic, so I hope you'll give it some extra love now. Erin also shared a playlist for the book which you can check out here if you're as music obsessed as I am (the music in this book is so good!).
More Than Maybe speaks to my deeply music loving heart. Vada wants to be a music journalist, and she's working towards an internship with Rolling Stone (can I be Vada please?), and she works at a bar that brings a lot of bands through to get more experience. Through a school project, she connects with podcaster and high school senior, Luke Greenly, whose father was in a super popular band back in the day. Luke is an amazing musician in his own right, but he doesn't want his career to be defined by his dad. Vada and Luke have an immediate connection that comes in handy when they have to work together to save the bar. 
If you're getting to the older end of the YA reader spectrum and craving stories that expand past the boundaries of school into teens who work and are thinking about career, this is a great choice. It definitely will appeal to those searching for older YA. 
July 28
I have been a major fan of Rachel from the start, so of course I'm super excited for this book! It's the end of senior year and academic rivals Neil and Rowan are still at odds. As the class meets up for one last tradition- Howl, a senior class game that forces them to go all across the city- they have to team up if they want to succeed. Forced to spend time together and without anything to fight over, Neil and Rowan start to realize that maybe they like each other more than they thought... If you are an enemies to lovers fan, I'm pretty sure you're going to love it. I'm so excited to see a book set after senior year since that's where I am in my life right now. I can't wait to read it!
If you want to read about Rachel's other 2 books, I'll link them by their titles here: Our Year of Maybe/ You'll Miss Me When I'm Gone.



The Mall
July 28
This has the coolest colors! I love the neon outline of the main character on the cover, and it has such a strong vibe. It immediately hooked me. 
I can't explain why, but I'm super drawn to near past historical fiction (mostly new YA set in the 90s). This one is set in 1991 exclusively in a New Jersey mall which adds another intriguing layer. So many shows and movies are set in malls where people just hang out. I've never understood it, so I'm excited to get a glimpse into that world. It sounds like the book mostly centers around changing friendship and love interest dynamics over the course of a summer. I love stories that are focused on relationships, and I've been excited to get to read this one since March. 

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