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Reading List and Book Reviews for July 2024

ByMary Wilson
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Learn which books I recommend for
kids, teens, and adults based on my own reading this month.

This month was quite an adventurous month.

My husband and I celebrated 25 year years of marriage with a trip to San Diego. We ate good food, enjoyed uninterrupted conversation, and adventured around the town.

He was at a work conference, so the daytime was my own, and I loved the opportunity to read, write, and journal. I also walked a lot outside simply to enjoy the fresh air and movement.

Overall, there were a lot of disappointing reads this month, but I did have two five-star books to balance it out.

I didn’t have an audiobook going this month, and I think I need to get back to having one on hand. I missed it!

I’ve included all of my reviews below, so keep scrolling and share what you read this month in the comments!

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Check out my July 2024 book reviews for kids, teens, and adult books

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Children’s Books for July 2024

I teach online book clubs for kids, so I always have a list of children’s books that I read for either a current book club or to preview for a future book club.

The Magician’s Elephant
by Kate DiCamillo
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Orphan Peter Augustus decides to spend his dinner money on a visit to a mysterious fortune teller. The fortune teller gives him hope that his sister is alive and that he must follow an elephant to find her. He is completely discouraged by the preposterous fortune until the word of an elephant in the town reaches his ears. Could it be true? What if it was?

This is a magical fantasy full of hope and wonder woven into the story. Kate DiCamillo’s characters remember to imagine “What if” instead of being stuck in “what is.” Of course, it opens them up to magical possibilities and healing.

This story is not one of my favorite Kat DiCamillo stories, though it does have a beautiful message. It is told in a choppier writing style (much like Tale of Desperaux). The writing style and rotating point of view for the narration made it hard for me to connect with any one character right away.

Overall, it is a lovely read but somewhat strange as well.

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The One and Only Ivan
by Katherine Applegate
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Ivan has never known life outside of his domain at the Big Top Mall. He is content living with Stella the elephant and his good friend, Bob, a stray dog. One day, a baby elephant, Ruby, arrives at the Big Top Mall and Ivan slowly begins to realize that he can not allow Ruby to grow up in a cage at the mall. He knows he must use all of his brains and his artistic ability to rescue her from this life.

This book is full of heart-warming moments, even though it is based on a difficult but true story about a real-life gorilla, Ivan. The animals at the Big Top Mall are full of character and personality, especially the humorous Bob the dog, who was as favorite in my book clubs.

The story is told from Ivan’s point of view, and it is very believable. I fell in love with Ivan right away. He loves art, and he loves to draw. This passion was part of what made him such a loveable narrator. He brings us along as he reconsiders his life at the Big Top Mall and we get to see exactly how he begins to realize it isn’t the best situation.

The ending is a happy one, and it makes the journey worthwhile. I loved how all the characters I fell in love with were given the ending they deserved.

NOTE: Parents should know that Stella, the larger elephant, dies. In addition, there is a scene when the trainer, Mack, is angry and uses a claw stick on the young elephant.

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A Bear Called Paddington

A Bear Called Paddington
by Michael Bond
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Paddington Bear travels to London from Darkest Peru where he meets Mr. and Mrs. Brown at the station. Mrs. Brown sees Paddington’s tag on his neck that reads, “Please look after this bear. Thank you.” and she decides to take care of him.

From there the adventures and mishaps never stop. From an overflowing bathtub to sticky bun messes, Paddington is always creating some chaos. But the Brown family (and the readers) fall in love with Paddington despite the crazy mishaps.

This is a gentle and sweet book for elementary children. Paddington’s adventures are silly, fun, and perfect for the whole family. Each chapter feels a bit like its own short story, yet they are connected as we watch the Brown family fall in love with Paddington.

Admittedly, the book felt a bit slow for me as an adult. I am drawn to a lot more action in a book (even children’s books) but I can see how it is the perfect read for many kids.

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YA Books for July 2024

These books are typically for ages 14 and up. Websites such as Common Sense Media can help you make the best decision about the content for your children. I also include a few warnings when needed.

The Toll Book

The Toll by Neal Shusterman
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

This was the final book in the Scythe series, and I must admit it was somewhat disappointing. I truly loved the other two even if the ending of the second one was a bit unbelievable. This one dragged on too long and felt “all over the place.”

New characters were introduced, and there were many different story threads, so it was hard to keep it all straight.

Overall, it just seemed like things were being dragged out with no real direction. I am glad I read it to finish this story, but it wasn’t my favorite ending to a trilogy.

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All the Bright Places
by Jennifer Niven
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Theodore Finch and Violet Markey are unlikely friends. They meet on the bell tower ledge, where both are contemplating death, though they are not necessarily planning to follow through. It isn’t clear who saves who, but from that moment on, they share a connection.

Violet’s world shrank when her sister died, and her friendship with Finch broadened her horizons and opened her up to the possibility of living again. On the other hand, Finch is struggling, and no one seems to realize how tough things are for him.

This book started slowly for me even though it started amid a pretty intense moment. I didn’t love Finch, the opening narrator. It took me a bit to get used to his antics and personality. Once he was more defined, I became more attached to him and drawn to the story.

I think this is an important story to open up conversations about mental health, grief, loss, and such. That said, it is a hard story. In particular, it becomes clear that Finch is struggling with undiagnosed mental illness. NO ONE in his life effectively comes alongside him. The guidance counselor’s attempt to reach him seems half-hearted. His mother has her own issues. His sister covers for him when he disappears for weeks at a time. And this drove me crazy.

Violet’s story is a much happier situation as she copes with her sister’s death and processes her grief. Her ability to do this is unsurprising as she has a support system, including her parents, even though they are clueless about a lot going on.

My oldest daughter recommended this book to me, and I can see why. It’s the kind of story that sticks with you. I found myself thinking about it the next day. Of course, so much about this story is heartbreaking. It was hard to read. I desperately wanted a happy twist in the final chapters, but that wasn’t the reality.

Parents should be aware that this book contains mental illness, kids un-aliving themselves, and deep grief. These topics are central to the story. I would recommend it more for older teens. There is also mature content including parties and sexual content.

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The Maze Runner
by James Dashner
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Thomas wakes up in a mysterious lift facing a group of boys he has never seen. He has no idea who he is, where he is, or how he got here. He discovers that all the boys had the same experience when delivered to The Glade. Outside of the green area called “The Glade,” towering walls form a vast, ever-changing maze. No one can find the way out and no one can survive a night in the maze.

Just as Thomas begins to settle into the strange life in The Glade, the lift delivers another person to the area. But this time, it is a girl. And she gives the message that “the end has begun.”

I am a huge fan of dystopic literature, and this book did not disappoint. It’s different from many dystopic tales because we don’t learn much about the world outside the glade until the end.

I love how we “walk” with Thomas through his confusion about the Glade, the maze, and everything happening to him. We don’t have insider information, so we must learn everything alongside him as the story opens. I found this pretty engaging as a reader. It allowed me to predict things and be surprised alongside him.

The cast of characters represents a nice cross-section of personalities. They are very different from one another, and I enjoyed several of the main characters. I was definitely rooting for them!

The ending opened up an entire world of questions and made me excited to continue reading the series.

NOTE: Parents should be aware that this book is violent and scary. One of the boys is punished harshly, which is hard to read. There are also quite frightening creatures in the maze. People die, and others are injured.

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The Scorch Trials

The Scorch Trials
by James Dashner
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Thomas and the other Gladers thought escaping from the Maze would end the trials, but WICKED isn’t done yet. Instead, Phase Two has begun, and the Gladers have exactly two weeks to cross through the Scorch – a burned-out section of the world. Nothing will be easy, and all of the Gladers will be tested, but they are determined to survive.

I loved this series the first time I read it, but this was my second time through, and book two wasn’t keeping me interested this time. Thomas is constantly being drugged or knocked out. He loses track of time, hears weird conversations, or has strange dreams due to this throughout the book. Honestly, it felt overdone and very repetitive.

I am not sure we learn anything new in book 2. It’s a long, drawn-out trial across a cursed, burned land. We go on a journey with the characters, but I am unsure what the point is. We gather some new characters, and some loyalties are tested, but nothing new surfaces to add to the general plot.

Interestingly, my reading experience of the book was so different this second time. I really enjoyed this series when I read it for the first time many years ago. Maybe the fact that it is a second read impacted the experience, though I don’t remember anything from my first read.

NOTES: Parents should know this continues to be a violent series.

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Adult Books I Read in July

My favorite genre is a thriller or mystery, but I do challenge myself to broaden my horizons with a few other options mixed in.

Remarkably Bright Creatures

Remarkably Bright Creatures
by Shelby Van Pelt
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Tova Sullivan is a widow and a grieving mother who works the night shift at the local aquarium. She mops and cleans the place, which helps keep her busy.

She has “befriended” the giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium, Marcellus. Her friendship with Marcellus will lead to answers about her son’s death that she doesn’t even know exists. And the truth will lead to new relationships and a new future for Tova and many others.

I absolutely adored this book, and I didn’t expect to. It was a bit slow at the start as I got to know each character. I couldn’t figure out where it was all heading, but I began enjoying the ride and the various personalities.

Having parts of the story told from the point of view of the Octopus was fascinating. I enjoyed Marcellus and his antics and wisdom. He was one awesome octopus!

I was cheering for the various characters because I LOVE a happy ending. I am so grateful that this book had one and it was a ton of fun to get there!

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The power

The Power
by Naomi Alderman
⭐️ ⭐️

I was so intrigued by the book’s premise and then so disappointed by the writing. The story felt choppy, and the individual sentences often felt choppy. The writing jumped around a lot, and it didn’t connect well. Some of it seemed so outlandish and violent for the sake of it.

I powered through to reach the end, and it didn’t redeem itself. I just never connected to any of the characters and their stories. This one was definitely disappointing.

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The Ten Thousand Doors of January

The Ten Thousand Doors of January
by Alix E. Harrow
⭐️ ⭐️

{2.5 Stars} Based on the reviews (and the cover), I wanted to love this one, but I just didn’t.

The start was very slow for me. I couldn’t get into it, especially with the story inside the story. Some of it was my fault, as I probably needed to commit more time at the start to keep everything straight. Eventually, the stories connected and made more sense, but there were still some holes for me in the overall plot.

I think the top reason I wasn’t invested in this story was that the characters felt flat. There wasn’t a lot of depth or development. Ultimately, I didn’t care what happened to January. I also didn’t believe the situation January was living in from the start. A strange man was raising her while her father traveled the world, and her father didn’t seem to be the type to do that.

The concept of the doors was interesting, and I wanted to learn more about them. It never seemed to develop beyond their use to find her family. I never really understood why people wanted to close them permanently. An entire society was devoted to this mission so I wanted to learn why. I read the ending pretty quickly, so if there was more explanation at that point, I probably missed it.

In addition to everything else, the writing was very flowery and felt overdone.

I am clearly in the minority as people adored this book. So don’t let this review stop you if you have this on your list. It just wasn’t my thing.

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