July 2021 Book Reviews and Recommendations

My reading for this month had a lot of plot twists, mystery, and drama. Whether you are searching for a book to read on the beach or one to read before bed at night take a look at these new book reviews to find your next great read.

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One of Us Is Lying

At first, I almost stopped reading One of Us is Lying but I’m glad I continued.  I am even contemplating reading the sequel. This YA novel is an easy read. The mystery is interesting to follow along with the twists and turns. The reader definitely guesses what really happened but you still want to keep reading.

A handful of kids end up in detention for being caught with cell phones by a particular teacher.  The students all say the phones are not theirs and were planted. Shortly into detention one of the students dies from an allergic reaction.  The death does not seem accidental and now the remaining four students are the prime suspects. 

The victim ran a gossip site publishing huge secrets of fellow students which always turned out to be true.  What were these four hiding and who had a secret so big it was worth killing for? 

The Lions of Fifth Avenue

I really liked The Lions of Fifth Avenue. It’s not a pageturner but I did finish it fairly quickly. The story had more depth than I was expecting, very interesting.

A middle-aged woman works in the New York Library curating an exhibit of rare books when suddenly very important works are being stolen. Being only one of a couple of people with access to the area she is naturally a suspect. 

The story then flips back to her grandmother’s time when she lived in that same library. The library apartment is for the superintendent and his family. Her husband is the superintendent and works on his manuscript in his downtime. As an unfulfilled housewife, she decides to go to journalism school where she is treated differently than the men. 

There is a lot of mystery surrounding the stolen books, including some family secrets.

When We Were Vikings

When reading the first few pages I kept thinking why did I pick this book? KEEP GOING!! When We Were Vikings is completely different from what I usually read and I needed that.  It really helps you think of life from another point of view. It also reminds you of the privileges you have and what opportunities in life you may have taken for granted.

The story is entirely from the viewpoint of a young adult woman who was born with fetal alcohol syndrome.  She lives with her older brother and goes to the library and community center. She is obsessed with Vikings and how they protect their tribe.  She wants to become a hero.

She finds out her brother has been lying to her about attending college and doesn’t like the people he is hanging around with.  Unfortunately, there are some truly horrible people in the world who take advantage of her but she also has a close group of supporters who encourage her and have her back.  It’s a sweet story that has realistic plot points.

The Wife Upstairs

The Wife Upstairs is a good book to take on a vacation or an easy read before bed.  It’s pretty quick and not too scary. 

A woman is a dog walker in an upscale neighborhood when an opportunity to date one of the handsome wealthy residents arises. He lost his wife in a boating accident the year before. But was it really an accident? The police keep stopping by and the wife’s popular southern home decor company is now controlled by the husband.

Obviously, the title of the book gives some of the plot away but there are still enough twists to keep the book interesting.

Check out my book reviews from June for more recommendations!