July TBR | Babblers Gonna Babble Books

Dear fellow Babblers,

June has been a pretty *meh* month for me. I haven’t come across anything truly worth my babbles. After reading The Circle at the beginning of the month I’m pretty sure the rest of my month of reading was tainted by that despicable piece of craftsmanship (you can find a full review of The Circle here). I spent this afternoon finishing up on Dear Mr. M by Herman Koch and will definitely will be posting a review of it soon to share with y’all yet another one of my readerly sufferings. I wasn’t as impressed as I anticipated. The Dinner is a whole lot better. Dear Mr. M is just a bunch of twists and turns between multiple focalizers spanning the course of several years. The disappearance of a high school history teacher is what’s supposed to draw the narratives together but I found the lack of linearity very difficult to keep up with. *sigh*

Now that June is in the past I have high expectations for this months reading schedule. With all the attention that’s been given to YA, and even science fiction and fantasy all over WordPress, Goodreads, as well as several literary journals I’ve decided to devote this month specifically to these genres. With this mission set in stone, along with a number recommendations I’ve been receiving from my new bookish buddies here I strutted into Barnes & Noble fearlessly and with absolute confidence, and I’ve decided to share with you, fellow babblers – many of whom I owe thanks for the awesome suggestions – my July TBR.

1. A Darker Shade of Magic (Shades of Magic #1)

I’m super excited to begin this new trilogy. I’ve been shying away all year long from beginning a new series out of fear of disappointment. However, with the exceptional reputation that it’s seem to have acquired in a short amount of time, I feel pretty confident that this work of fantasy will finally carry me out of my June-gloom reading slump.

                     2. The Bear And The Nightingale

I’m not familiar with this author but, I mean, just look how riveting this cover is though! I’m bewitched just by the evocative shade of blue and the way it contrasts against the golden font (sorry- that’s the artsy fartsy in me taking its melancholy toll on my mental stability) ! The premise of this novel surrounds monsters and magic, bringing together storytelling traditions of Russian Folklore.

3. Thirteen Reasons Why

This book has been out for quite a few years now and. Despite the devastatingly lucid, yet realistic nature of the plot, surrounding a girl who’s committed suicide and, through tapes, reveals the thirteen reasons that drove her to make such a decision, its not until now (in the most literal sense of the word) that I’ve decided to pick it up. It could also just be that the novel is now a major hit on Netflix… but then again, I’m too much of an OCD blabber-mouth to ever even sit through TV programs – hence the slothiness of my reading pace.

  4. Norwegian Wood

Damned straight I didn’t forget my dearest Murakami! The absolute savior of my soulless soul! I received this recommendation from my newest book-blogging buddy Avalinah at AvalinahsBooks – an absolute savior to our humble book blogging world that if you haven’t yet checked out her amazing site I have to warn you that you are UTTERLY and COMPLETELY not a bimbo. Yes, a bimbo – go check her out! I have not less than the highest expectations for Norwegian Wood – Murakami’s imagination hasn’t failed me yet, and I’m already sure I am going to be once again blown away by his evocative surrealistic language.

5. Men Without Women

Yay! More Murakami! This has been my most anticipated 2017 release and I’m really looking forward to this thrilling collection of short stories which juxtapose women and men by drawing contrasts and at the same time similarities between the two sexes’ emotions and psychologic pathos.

6. When Dimple Met Rishi

Even though, this book, by its description, doesn’t appeal to me much just because of it’s artificiality – I mean, it seems super cliché – I picked it up anyway as a “light” summer read that I feel will give me nostalgia for my teenage years and the corny young love that went along with it. (So glad all that nonsense is behind me *phew*).

7. The Hate U Give

Need I say more ? With all the heat and discussion that has been circulating around the world, especially here in the states, on subjects such as race and class divisions, particularly through The Black Lives Matter movement this book is a MUST READ. With issues of political violence and racism being at the very heart of this YA work of literature, I’m beginning to notice more and more that YA is not simply a superficial genre of literature lacking in realism and truth but rather a genre which draws attention to and confronts us with the world and the societal conditions which we live under in a day-to-day basis.

Truly Yours,

What’s on your July TBR? How did June-gloom treat ‘cha? Did I miss any essential reads? Read any of these (of course you did – I’m the one behind here)? Don’t forget to leave a bookish babble below – I wanna hear what ‘cha gotta say!

(Image credits go to Google)