Mini Book Reviews – July 2026
Mini Book Reviews – July 2026: What To Read & What To Skip
Welcome to my regular round up of mini book reviews of what I’ve read this past month! I had one 5 star read that is going to end up being one of my favorite books of the year, a few solid highly rated romances, and one book from a beloved author that was a bit of a disappointment.
I’ve also added a little section at the end with small things I’ve been loving lately in my life, so don’t forget to check that out!
In my list of mini book reviews, I include everything I’ve read recently that I finished. I like to share both my five star reads and any misses to help you get a better idea of what you should read or might want to skip.
As always, I love to hear if you agree or disagree with my ratings! Let me know in the comments what you thought of my July 2026 mini book reviews.
*Disclosure – I earn a small commission for any items purchased through the links below at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my book blog!!
Mini Book Reviews – July 2026
Physical Books:
Reality Bites by Amy Mass
What a completely unexpected surprise this was! I typically enjoy books set on reality shows, but this was even better than I expected! It’s got the classic, fish out of water on a reality set with a scientist who makes a desperate attempt to get funding for her research by participating.
As the black sheep of her family, Grace is used to not fitting in, but not exactly in the normal way. Her entire family is full of influencers, on Instagram, YouTube, and Twitch but she’s a major introvert who just wants to save animal species. When her mom signs her up for a “Love Island” type show, she reluctantly agrees hoping to win the prize money.
There’s a major thorn in her side in the form of the show’s lawyer though. Andrew seems built to needle her and she can’t help but poke back. These two have THE BEST back and forth dialogue. I love their banter and the shifting feelings. This is the perfect vacation book for anyone looking to simply have a ton of fun reading! 4.5 Stars | Buy From Amazon
Dolly All The Time by Annabel Monaghan
I can’t get enough of her books! This one in particular is perfect for summer, with sailing, summery foods, and lots of love.
Dolly is a single mom who returns home with her almost teenage son for the summer to help her Dad with his home. He still runs their family business, but is struggling a little and needs money to replace the roof. An unexpected solution comes when Dolly helps the son of the local wealthy family change his tire.
Stewart just went through a public break up and is charmed by Dolly, so he gets her to agree to pose as a new love interest in exchange for the money her family needs for the roof. Stewart is a total workaholic but Dolly discovers he’s also thoughtful, devoted and terrific with her son. She’s swept away by the fancy life he leads and soon is swept away by her feelings. It all seems too good to be true and she’ll have to decide whether to go all in or head back to their life in Boston when the summer is over.
Annabel always has incredible middle age female characters who are often finding a second chance at love. It’s refreshing reading about their struggles and hopes at this stage in their lives. I enjoyed every bit of this!! 4 Stars | Buy From Amazon
AudioBooks:
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Brighter Than Before by Courtney Walsh
I really enjoyed this, as expected from her! Courtney Walsh is the queen of no spice romance and I am thrilled this one features a middle age single mom!
A year after her divorce, Claire decides it’s time for a change. She’s always wanted to live in Chicago, so she finally leaves her ex husband and her former stuffy life behind to move to a new city. She’s got a list of what she wants from life and she’s determined to follow it.
We get to read along with Claire as she discovers new hobbies, finds true friendships, and even goes on a few dates that her daughter gets her to reluctantly agree to. I love this type of story – seeing a woman find new purpose and love after a difficult, draining relationship. | 4 Stars | Buy From Amazon
King of Gluttony by Ana Huang
This was probably my least favorite of the series, but it’s still a fun billionaire romance. I didn’t think it was as spicy as her other books from what I remember as well, so this would be a good option if you love more of the buildup and will they / won’t they tension! The plot definitely moved slower and I may just be getting a bit tired of similar stories within this series.
An heir to a culinary empire and his childhood rival, who he’s been secretly obsessed with for years take the stage in the sixth book! Maya is the only one who’s been able to challenge Sebastian and he loathes her for it, but he has never been able to get her out of his head. As a marketing exec, she’s forged her own path in the corporate world and always is up for the next challenge. Except this time, they’ll be working together instead of competing…
Maya and Sebastian are both of them are pissed when their family’s companies agree to a partnership and demand Seb and Maya work together to pull off the PR. Forced to actually collaborate instead of compete, these two end up discovering they work quite well as a team… until eventually the animosity turns into attraction. 3 Stars | Buy From Amazon
eBooks:
Rites of the Starling by Devney Perry
You’ve made it to my 5 star read!! This is the sequel to one of my favorite books of 2025, Shield of Sparrows, and it absolutely lived up to the first book! I always get nervous reading a sequel (especially in the fantasy genre) because they have a tendency to drop off in quality. Not the case here!
Shield of Sparrows introduces us to Odessa, who is married off to the prince of a neighboring kingdom to ensure peace. However, she discovers a dangerous poison is infecting the beasts of this land and threatening the lives of the people. She deals with growing feelings for the wrong man, learning to navigate fights both physical and political, and the overarching terror of an upcoming migration of horrid winged animals that slaughter anyone they can find.
Book 2 continues the story in the best possible way, with a shift in perspective and the introduction of new characters that I absolutely fell in love with! It was the perfect blend of new and familiar with utterly compelling storytelling! I can’t recommend this series enough! 5 Stars | Buy From Amazon
Things I’m Loving Lately:
Wantable Clothing Box – This is my favorite clothing “try on at home” box! The selection of clothes is phenomenal and I love that you can look through options and pick a few things that you want specifically added to your box! You can get a $25 credit to try if you sign up with my link!
Puzzle Board – This has revolutionized the way I do puzzles!! I never thought I’d like having 4 drawers to spread out my puzzle pieces or want to prop up my puzzle, but now I use both features all the time! This is a terrific price right now, so it’s the perfect time to try it for yourself!
The Body Shop Gift Set – One of my favorite beauty brands is back on Amazon!! I adore The Body Shop has useful body products like lotions and body wash and now you can get their most popular items and scents in a cute gift set!
For more mini book reviews, check out What I Read in June 2026!
Reality Bites does sound interesting! I wonder if you’ve read/liked Ruth Ware’s novel about a reality show, “One Perfect Couple”? I did.
My daughter gave me a Puzzle Board for Christmas and I’ve loved it. I still have to use my regular box tops (ha) for pieces at the beginning because everything doesn’t fit in the four drawers, but eventually those all go away as I get more pieces put together.
Visiting from Anne’s.