The Books I Read In July 2023
- Alexa Burban
- Jul 30, 2023
- 7 min read
July was an exciting reading month as I FINALLY finished the Throne of Glass series! I'm glad that's over with to be honest - haha. I'm also ONE book away from completing my reading goal for 2023 and I'm so thrilled! What this means for my new goal, I have no idea. I'd love to read 100 but I'm not sure if that's possible. I am always up for a challenge!
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Yaaayyy I’m back on the Throne of Glass train. After taking quite the break on this series, I was concerned I wouldn’t get back into it or really care what happens after the ending of Queen of Shadows (I felt things had wrapped quite nicely and no more was required) but I’m back and I’m thrilled by how much I enjoyed this!
One of my favourite bits from the book was the majority of if not all of the characters we’ve met in the previous books have come together (in some way), whether they’re on the same side of the (impending) war or not. I keep thinking how much I loved the Avengers films when everyone would band together and beat the current big bad so this really reminded me of that. Just so fun to see all the different character dynamics come together.
There was much more romance in this book, and thank goodness. As much as I enjoy the war strategy/buildup and the war itself, I love love so seeing new relationships-ish blossom was a treat, my favourite being Elide and Lorcan and then a close second Lysandra and Aedion (although I need more of them).
The ending was predictable-ish. I knew Aelin would be taken/captured in some capacity and her court would have to save her. She’s not my favourite character but I love her sass and confidence (although sometimes it borders on cockiness). Excited to finish this series (and hopefully cry - haha. Make me FEEL SJM)!
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Tower of Dawn is currently leading the charge for my favourite book in this series.
I thoroughly enjoyed this. I genuinely loved all the (primary) characters and loved getting to know the new ones. This book was very reminiscent of Throne of Glass for me. The setting was (largely) back in a castle and getting to know the new characters and their backstories along with the Southern Continent's history made me feel how I did when I read Throne of Glass.
I have always loved Chaol so I was thrilled this was a book where he was one of the leads. Following Heir of Fire, I felt like Maas wrote Chaol's character in a way to try and make the reader hate him and love Rowan (as Aelin's new love interest) and after me mourning the idea that Aelin and Chaol wouldn't be endgame, I thought Maas did Chaol's character wrong. What I loved so much about Tower of Dawn was Chaol exploring his trauma, his grief, and accepting decisions he had previously made that he wasn't proud of and attempting to move on. His character arch has been one of my favourites.
Yrene has had a special place in my heart since we first met her in Assassin's Blade. There was something about her that struck me so seeing where her life had gone years later and the person she became in Tower of Dawn was great. Her drive and commitment to healing people was beautiful. She's probably my favourite character of the series (top 3 for sure).
"I might not have battled kings and shattered castles, but I am the heir of apparent to the Healer on High. Through my own work and suffering and sacrifice. And you're standing right now because of that. People are alive because of that. So I may not be a warrior waving a sword about, may not be worthy of your glorious tales, but at least I save lives--not end them." - Yrene, Tower of Dawn
What a literal badass!
Chaol and Yrene as a couple made me beyond giddy. Two of my favourites together? Yes, please!
I also enjoyed Nesryn and Sartaq's story. I just loved this whole book so, so much!
I'm beyond excited to read the final book in this series but also so scared cause then I'm done. I'm prepared for an emotional rollercoaster and I'm really hoping that Kingdom of Ash delivers!
Read 2 Review (July 2023):
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Overall, I really enjoyed this, even for a second time. I LOVED Ethan (what a man) and I also really liked Olive but god, the final 70 pages of this book really ruined this potential 5-star read for me. I was icked out that Ethan didn't believe Olive over his sleazebag of a brother. I know romance authors feel the need for that third-act breakup (and how I wish they didn't) but Olive shouldn't have taken Ethan back. I also felt like the ending was super rushed. Olive forgave Ethan for not believing her WAY too quickly and then the epilogue didn't flow well for me.
I'd like to think this book ended when the couple was still in Maui on their "honeymoon". If it did, it would've been a 5-star from me.
Read 3 Review (July 2023):
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After taking quite the break from historical romances, falling back into the world was so easy with this. It’s my favourite historical romance I’ve read and I absolutely adore Michael Stirling.
There’s one part that takes my breath away every time I read it. It’s the gentle yearning for a love that seems forbidden. The calm moments and acknowledgements of someone’s features and mannerisms. Just beautiful.
“He heard her stir and rolled to his side to get a better look. He had never seen her wake up, he realized. He wasn't certain why he found that so strange; it wasn't as if he'd been privy to many of her private moments before. Maybe it was because in all of his daydreams, in all of his fantasies, he'd never quite pictured this the low rumbling from deep in her throat as she shifted position, the small sigh of sound when she yawned, or even the delicate ballet of her eyelids as they fluttered open.
She was beautiful.
He'd known that, of course, had known that for years, but never before had he felt it quite so profoundly, quite so deeply in his bones.
It wasn't her hair, that rich, lush wave of chestnut that he was rarely so privileged as to see down. And it wasn't even her eyes, so radiantly blue that men had been moved to write poetry--much, Michael recalled, to John's everlasting amusement. It wasn't even in the shape of her face or the structure of her bones; if that were the case, he'd have been obsessed with the loveliness of all the Bridgerton girls; such peas in a pod they were, at least on the outside.
It was something in the way she moved.
Something in the way she breathed.
Something in the way she merely was.
And he didn't think he was ever going to get over it.” - Chapter 8
I can guarantee I’ll get chills every time I read that passage in my future rereads. If I was in the book, it’s safe I say I’d swoon.
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
"Her name was Aelin Ashryver Whitethorn Galathynius. And she would not be afraid."
I can confirm I sighed in relief after finishing this book/series. It was quite the ride but I didn't love it as much as I hoped. There were moments throughout Kingdom of Ash that got me excited but again, the book was so long and the big moments we've been waiting for (for a few books/the whole series) almost felt like they were glossed over.
I really wanted to be shaken up by something major (yes there were moments that had this potential but it didn't do it for me). What I loved so much about ACOTAR was I felt like I had gasped or shouted so many times at events throughout the series and TOG lacked that for me. I think part of the reason I didn't feel so emotionally invested was because of how many characters there were and many of them felt very one-dimensional and I didn't completely love the lead (Aelin) by the end of the series.
Speaking of ACOTAR, the one moment that I did gasp/shout/get far too excited was the appearance of Rhysand and Feyre. That made me very, VERY happy.🥹
Overall, I did enjoy the series. Entering into a world, learning its history, meeting troubled characters and learning to like/love them. I had fun but it wasn't a holy-grail series for me.
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Oh this was cute! Luke and Emmy were adorable and I just loved how much Luke wanted her. I love when the men fall hard and fall fast. And to top it all off, a rare gem among romance books: there was no third-act breakup!🫶🏻
“And Emmy wasn’t just pretty. She was extraordinary.”
I mean?!🥹
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 | 🌶️🌶️.5
I had so much fun with this! I don’t typically enjoy the first book in a series so this was a surprise!
Okay sure, morally, there were a few red flags but colour me colour-blind because I wasn’t seeing any. Vaughn was fun… that’s all I’m going to say.🤭
““How long you been staring at me, Boss Man?” she mutters.
“Since day one,” I whisper in her ear.”
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I'm so close to hitting my 2023 reading goal but I have a bad feeling I'm in a bit of a reading rut. I've DNF'd the last two books I've tried to start so I'm not off to the best start for August. I'm going to revisit my TBR and see if there are any books a lot of people have raved about and try there. My fingers are crossed that something sticks!
xx
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