The Books I Read in July 2022: A Wrap Up

I managed to read six books in July 2022. This isn’t as many as I would usually read but The Book of Form and Emptiness was a chunky one!

I read some really good books this month, with no book being below a four star read.

This is the complete list of books I read in July 2022.

The Book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki

After the sudden tragic death of his father, teenager Benny Oh starts to hear voices. Inanimate objects start to speak to him, everything from a teapot to a pair of scissors.

Benny’s mother Annabelle is also struggling to cope after the death of her husband. She developed a hoarding problem, which only exacerbates Benny’s difficulties as the voices in his head become more clamorous.

Benny starts to seek refuge in the silence of a large public library. The library has always been a place of solace for him and he starts to spend more and more time there. At the library, Benny befriends a street artist with a pet ferret, a homeless poet and his very own Book.

Book narrates Benny’s life and teaches him to listen to the things that really matter.

I really enjoyed this book. It was so different to anything I’ve read before.

The characters were strong and Annabelle held a special place in my heart. Her struggle with the death of her husband while trying to be there for Benny was really moving. It highlighted the complicated relationship between mother and son and perfectly showed Annabelle’s guilt and love for Benny.

Click here to read my full review of The Book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki.

That Bonesetter Woman by Frances Quinn

Endurance Proudfoot has always struggled to fit in. Large and ungainly, Durie struggles to find her place in the world, at a time when women are supposed to be delicate and demure.

Durie is uninterested in becoming more appealing to anyone. She has only one dream – to become a bonesetter like her father. Despite his claims that it is not a job for a woman, Durie’s father has to reluctantly agree that Durie has a natural ability. Her large hands and lack of grace lend themselves well to the physical task of bonesetting.

However, when her sister, Lucinda, finds herself in trouble, Durie is banished to London alongside her. The two sisters are as different as could be, and as they arrive to stay with their Aunt Ellen, Durie is determined she will continue her work as a bonesetter.

As she starts to make a name for herself amongst London’s finest, Durie is delighted to be making a living doing something she loves. However, her success isn’t celebrated by everyone. Some people remain suspicious of an independent woman, while others start to question her abilities. With a small group of men determined to undermine her work, while another tries to steal her heart, can Endurance live up to her name?

I really enjoyed this book. I would definitely say I preferred it to Frances Quinn’s debut novel, The Smallest Man. This is largely down to Durie, who was the perfect heroine. I think if you didn’t love Durie, the story wouldn’t work half as well.

Thankfully I adored Durie. Her strength, decency and determination made her a force to be reckoned with, but it was her vulnerabilities that made her so endearing. She was stubborn yet kind, intelligent but also naive.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book and I’m looking forward to reading whatever Frances Quinn writes next.

Click here to read my full review of That Bonesetter Woman by Frances Quinn.

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

Linus Baker leads a quiet life in his tiny house, with just his devious cat and his beloved records for company. He has spent years working for DICOMY (Department in Charge of Magical Youth) monitoring their orphanages. He is good at his job, meticulous and honest, but at 40 years old, Linus wonders if there might be more to life.

Then one day, Linus is summoned by Extremely Upper Management and given a highly classified assignment. He is tasked with travelling to an orphanage, home of six magical, yet seemingly dangerous, children.

Linus’ job is to discover if these children, including the Antichrist, are truly as dangerous as they seem. He is also ordered to find out more about the enigmatic and charming Arthur Parnassus, the children’s guardian.

As Arthur and Linus grow ever closer, Linus must choose between duty and his dreams.

Another gorgeous, heartwarming book by TJ Klune. I loved it. Who would have thought a story about the Antichrist could be so uplifting?!

Click here to read my full review of The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune.

The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton

The year is 1686, and an eighteen-year old Nella arrives at a huge house in the wealthiest quarter of Amsterdam.

The house belongs to her new husband, the mysterious Johannes Brandt. Nella has come from the country to start her marriage, arranged by her family, and expects to meet Johannes when she arrives at her new home.

However, instead of being greeted by her new husband, Nella finds herself being introduced to Marin, Johannes’ waspish and stern sister.

Mystified by her husband’s absence, Nella struggles to settle within the house, especially with Marin undermining her at every turn.

When Johannes eventually returns, he presents Nella with an extravagant wedding gift – a cabinet-sized replica of their home. It is to be furnished by an elusive miniaturist, whose tiny creations mirror their real-life counterparts in unexpected ways.

Nella soon begins to realise that all is not as it seems within the Brandt household and as she begins to uncover secrets, she discovers that all of them could be in danger.

As the Brandts struggle to maintain their facade, none of them predicts the role the miniaturist might have in the events yet to unfold.

I’m a bit torn when it comes to this book. It was really immersive and the writing was so evocative, but it just missed the mark for me.

It was atmospheric, beautifully written, all the things I love and yet it just didn’t grab me as much as it should have. The plot was quite slow-moving and I just wasn’t gripped by it.

Click here to read my full review of The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton.

You and Me on Vacation by Emily Henry

When Alex and Poppy met at college 12 years ago, there was a massive personality clash. Where Poppy was outgoing and vivacious, Alex was quiet and introverted. They disliked each other instantly and were pretty confident they wouldn’t be meeting again.

A year on, they are forced to share a car journey and despite their differences, they form a very unlikely friendship. They also make a pact, every year they would go on vacation together.

They stick to this pact and over the years enjoy several memorable holidays. However, two years ago everything changes, and their friendship is left in tatters.

This year, Poppy invites Alex on one last trip, desperate to mend their friendship. Little do they know, this trip will have a lasting effect on the rest of their lives.

This is the second Emily Henry book I have read and whilst I didn’t love it quite as much as Book Lovers, it was still a great read.

Emily Henry is now officially my favourite romance author! This book was witty and fun but still packed an emotional punch. The perfect holiday read.

Click here to read my full review of You and Me on Vacation by Emily Henry

People Person by Candice Carty-Williams

Dimple Pennington knows of her half-siblings, but doesn’t have any kind of relationship with them. Her father, serial womaniser Cyril, clumsily introduced them as children/teenagers but they have played no part in each other’s lives since.

None of the siblings seem to have anything in common other than an absent father and abandonment issues, so they each follow their own paths away from each other.

Now in her 30s, Dimple is still struggling to find her place in the world. As a struggling influencer with a toxic boyfriend, she has never felt more alone.

Therefore when a dramatic incident occurs, Dimple doesn’t know who to turn to. In a moment of spontaneity, Dimple contacts her siblings for help.

I really enjoyed People Person, although not quite as much as I enjoyed Queenie.

Both Queenie and Dimple were trying to find their place in the world. However while Queenie focused on one main character and her relationships, People Person is much more family orientated.

Overall I enjoyed this book. It was witty yet poignant and well worth a read.

Click here to read my full review of People Person by Candice Carty-Williams