July wasn't a big reading month for me, mostly because I was so busy! Two weeks were spent in all-day classes and one was pre-planning for school. I'm not sad about what I did read, though. Few the titles may be, but they're all worthy of your consideration.

You won't see them on here, but I did start the month by rereading a favorite series. I like to do that from time to time, almost like a palate cleanser when I've read something really good and need to reset my brain. A majority of the month was devoted to one series, but there were a few DNF's thrown in there, too. I also started a book but put it aside and haven't picked it back up yet.

Anyway, let's dive in!

Author: Amy Sue Nathan

This was my One Woman Book Club pick for July. I originally picked it for July because I thought it would be a good beach or pool-side read. It's set on the shores of Lake Michigan in summer so that definitely fits, but the themes were heavier than I was anticipating.

Betty "Boop" Stern was raised by her grandparents who owned a Jewish destination resort in the 1950s. The main story is set during the summer of Betty's senior year in which she has a summer romance with a half-Jewish college student named Abe. She's also determined to be crowned Miss South Haven before she heads off to college where she hopes to become a fashion magazine editor. Everything comes crashing down around her on the day of the pageant, causing Betty to embrace a future she does not want. She vows to leave that summer in the dark, but when her granddaughter shows up on her doorstep in a delicate situation, Betty knows it's time to unveil the truth of that summer.

Author: Charlie Nottingham

Rain is a witch without a coven barely making ends meet by performing seances and the occasional locator spell for the supernatural authorities. When a vampire offers her the chance to save her home with a huge job, Rain agrees to cleanse his partner's mansion of malevolent ghosts. That job is the gateway to Rain's destiny, a destiny that's been building for centuries. She, along with her best friend and the two men employing her, are inextricably tied together. With the help of a spirit known only as "the woman in black," they must defeat an ancient demon who's been stealing souls to survive, including the soul of Rain's brother.

This series had so many twists and turns. The way all of the characters were connected was masterful. I don't know how the author kept it all straight! The final book, while resolving the problem I mentioned above, introduces an even bigger conflict the group must solve. That book hasn't been published yet.

Crash & Burn (Lost Boys book 3)

Author: Emilia Finn

Emilia Finn does it again! This book features Axel and Hannah, two characters that we met in the last book of this series. Axel is the youngest firefighter on his crew. Hannah is the assistant at Axel's sister's bakery. They've had a thing for each other for years, but Axe refuses to act on it, claiming that Hannah's too young and inexperienced. In reality, he doesn't want her to be in a state of constant worry over his dangerous job. After back-to-back incidents that result in a crew member's death, Axel essentially runs away. He spends half a year battling wildfires while Hannah tries to move on, attracting the attention of a sneaky stalker who ensures none of her dates stick around for a second one.

Traitor Witch (The Deadwood book 1)

Author: Marie Mistry

I've been looking for a good pirate story for awhile, and this definitely delivers! I'm technically finishing up the final book of this series right now, and all the events have kind of blurred into one big story. It's been an amazing story, and I'm going to be sad when it ends.

Nilsa is an assassin sworn to serve the Moon Goddess. When the high priestess of not on her coven but also the local Sun Goddess's coven are killed, Nilsa is the prime suspect. To save her life, she seeks refuge on board the Deadwood, a notorious pirate ship that also serves as the home of the mates she's not supposed to have.