What I Read: July 2023

Here’s what I read this July

The Five-Star Weekend by Elin Hilderbrand

Every summer I look forward to Elin Hilderbrand’s newest book. I thought this one was fun premise, the premise is that a blogger gathers a group of her closest friends for a special weekend together in Nantucket after her husband passes away. It took a little for things to get going as there’s a big cast of characters and everything takes place over one weekend. I still enjoyed it… and still dream of going to Nantucket for my own little five-star weekend.

My Rating: 4/5 Stars

On Fire Island by Jane L. Rosen

I will gobble up any book that takes place on Fire Island. This one in particular is an absolute gem. While the premise is a bit sad, a woman passes away at age 37 but gets to spend one last summer looking over her husband and loved ones, I found it to be really heart-warming and a unique take on death. I especially loved all the characters, it’s an eclectic crew that comes together despite their differences every summer.

My Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

And Don’t F*ck It Up! by Maria Elena Fernandez

I listened to this oral history of RuPaul’s Drag Race as an audiobook. It’s got interviews with RuPaul, various producers, judges, and contestants over the years.

As a HUGE fan of RuPaul’s Drag Race, I so enjoyed this deep dive into the show and how it came to be. It’s full of great little trivia bits and I think even super fans will find something new. My only complaint is that the audiobook is read by one person. While I’m sure it would’ve been impossible to round up everyone that gave an interview for the book, at times I found it confusing all coming from the same voice.

The Gay Best Friend by Nicolas Didomizio

I thought this book was super fun. It’s a little bit of romance but is more so focused on the complicated friendship dynamics between the gay main character and is best friends that are a straight couple. It’s laugh-out-loud funny at times but also has some very tender moments.

My Rating: 4/5 Stars

Some Other Now by Sarah Everett

I’ve been on the hunt for books that *feel* like The Summer I Turned Pretty. This book has some similarities — takes place over the summer, there are two brothers, their mom is a motherly figure to the main female, and it’s got some big feels. Something about it missed the mark for me, though. I usually love dual timelines but this one felt like it took forever to get going. I also thought there’d be more summer vibes and it just wasn’t there for me. I did enjoy where it ended up, just wish it didn’t take so long to get there.

My Rating: 4/5 Stars