It’s the first Thursday of the month. Time to report!
What is the best book you read in July 2022 and why did you love it? It doesn’t have to be a newly published book, or even SFF, or even fiction. We just want to share some great reading material.
Feel free to post a full review of the book here, or a link to the review on your blog, or just write a few sentences about why you thought it was awesome.
And don’t forget that we always have plenty more reading recommendations on our Fanlit Faves page and our 5-Star SFF page.
One commenter with a U.S. mailing address will choose one of these prizes:
- a FanLit T-shirt (we have sizes M, L, XL)
- a book from our stacks.
- a $5 Amazon gift card (this is the only option for non-USA addresses).
I read two great books this July. Coincidentally, they both finished a series. The first was Ken Liu’s Speaking Bones, which finishes their Dandelion Dynasty series. I was crying at the end of this book. It is so good. The second book was Robert Jackson Bennett’s book, Locklands. It finished their The Founder’s Trilogy. Excellent conclusion to this series.
My favorite book of July was Holy Chow by David Rosenfelt. It’s the latest in his attorney Andy Carpenter series. It was a quick read because I didn’t want to put it
In genre, I read 3 of 4 books in the Drake Chronicles by Lauren Gilley. Fantasy set in a secondary world where illegitimate nephew escorts a high ranking female cousin north to a Scandinavian country to cement an alliance. The ruler says she’s welcome to marry one of his nephews but not him. Adventures ensue. Book 4 switches focus to another northern tribe and I needed a break, but I’ll go back to it.
I also enjoyed Of Charms, Ghosts, and Grievances by Aliette de Bodard. I really should read the novel where these guys get together. Thuan is a Vietnamese dragon shifter who would rather talk and investigate than fight while Asmodeus is a fallen angel/demon who would much rather fight and cause mayhem.
Most other favorites were rereads as I was packing up our house and then on a cross-country trip to my new location. No energy for new books!
I didn’t read any great books in July but I read several that were very good:
A Little Hatred (The Age of Madness, #1)- Joe Abercrombie
The Escape Artist- Brad Meltzer
A History of Wild Places- Shea Ernshaw
My favorite was the bodyguard by Katherine Center. It’s a new release and it isn’t sci-fi or fantasy but it was so cute!! It was funny with great characters and a really enjoyable read.
Only one 5 star book in July – “Gemini” by Carol Cassella. It sat on my Goodreads TBR list for years and I always thought it was a space-related fantasy. Not at all! It’s an intertwined story beginning with an ICU patient, victim of a hit and run, and her physician. The plot was very detailed with a bunch of medical references. Hard to describe, but a real page turner.
I read “Nettle & Bone” by T. Kingfisher. Everyone was praising this book and insisted that it was an excellent story. Well, the hype is well-deserved! The book is short, but it full of everything we love about dark fantasy and fairy tales, including their tropes! So far, that book is one of my favorites of this year!
“Hollywood Dead” by Richard Kadrey. Our hero Sandman Slim is half-alive after having been raised from the dead, so that raises difficulties in fighting evil occult cabals bent on nuking Los Angeles, as well as in getting back to his preferred fully-alive state.
Melita,if you live in the USA, you win a book of your choice from our stacks, an Amazon gift card or a FanLit shirt (please specify size.) If your address is outside of the USA, you will get a $5 Amazon gift card.
Please contact me (Marion) with your choice and a US address. Happy reading!
Thank you, Marion! Email on the way shortly.