Hi all. Happy 4th to those of you in the States. It’s hard to believe it’s July now. Woohoo. It was a pretty rainy May and June here (check out the rainbow I saw last night), but we should get some of our best weather the next few weeks. So break out the sunscreen.
July should be busy. I’m officiating a couple important junior tennis tournaments, and the women’s Canadian Open pro golf tournament will be here so I’m excited to go watch that. I’ve been playing in a lady’s golf league this summer, which has been a lot of fun. Who would’ve guessed it. So with that and the yard work, I’ll be full on. What about you — will you get to the beach this month?
Now let’s check out what’s releasing this month. There’s so many new novels coming out that it’s a bit hard to pick a few, but first I got to go with Liz Moore’s novel The God of the Woods (out July 2) which is about a sister who goes missing at a sleep-away camp years after her brother’s disappearance there … leading to dark truths unraveling about their wealthy family. Uh-oh.
Apparently it’s both a domestic drama and a crime novel. And from what I’m hearing it seems like it could be the novel of the summer, even if it’s nearly 500 pages long. I repeat: it’s looking to be the novel of the summer! I have read Moore’s other novels: Long Bright River, Heft, and Unseen World, which are all really good, so I’m on the list to get this one. Bring it on.
Next up is Taffy Brodesser-Akner’s sophomore novel Long Island Compromise (due out July 9) about an American Jewish family in New York whose suburban paradise is shattered when the father, a wealthy business owner, is kidnapped. Decades later the legacy of the trauma still leaves a mark on the family. Oprah Daily calls it “A big, juicy, wickedly funny social satire … probably the funniest book ever about generational family trauma.”
Not sure the situation seems funny, but I thought the author’s 2019 debut novel Fleishman Is in Trouble was quite a hoot in parts — and she’s a big talent. Amusingly irreverent. And I don’t plan to miss her new one. I was bummed not to see the TV miniseries based on Fleishman Is in Trouble, which came out on Hulu (Disney+ in Canada), but Jesse Eisenberg stars as the lead character with Claire Danes as his ex-wife in the drama. It looks pretty amusing and like it follows the novel pretty well. Perhaps we’ll break down and get Disney+ for a month. 🙂
There’s also the new novel by Kate Quinn called The Briar Club (due out July 9) about female friendships and secrets in a Washington D.C. boardinghouse during the McCarthy era. Publishers Weekly says it’s a stellar historical mystery … in which Quinn brings the paranoid atmosphere of McCarthy-era Washington to vivid life.
The setting looks good to me … as well as that of Marjan Kamali’s novel The Lion Women of Tehran (out July 2) about a decades-long friendship of two Iranian women whose lives are upended by their country’s political upheaval. It looks enticing, and Helen already read and reviewed it favorably on her blog. So yay.
I have read two of Kate Quinn’s earlier novels and Marjan Kamali’s debut The Stationery Shop, which was a nice surprise hit. Their books are usually in the genre of women’s fiction … but I wouldn’t say chick-lit. I dabble in women’s fiction sometimes but not all that frequently.
I think for now I’ll stop there with book releases and move on to what’s coming out on the screen. Granted there’s a lot of notable sports on the TV in July, which often occupy some of my free time. First Wimbledon (July 1-14) of course, as well the Tour de France (June 29-July 21), then a couple pro golf majors, proceeded by the Olympics in Paris (July 26-Aug. 11). So you’ll probably be checking that out, yay Paris. I admit I’m a bit of a sports junkie, since playing many sports in my youth, and I usually love seeing some of the Olympics.
But if you need a break from those, there’s Season 2 of the gritty British police drama The Responder (on BritBox starting July 11), as well as the new TV series The Emperor of Ocean Park (starting July 14 on MGM+) based on the 2002 novel by Stephen L. Carter …. about a law professor whose life is shattered when his father, a judge, dies … and a journalist questions whether it was due to foul play. I remember the novel made quite a splash when it came out many years ago and it looks pretty good with Forest Whitaker as the judge. But does anybody have MGM+? Not sure where or what that is.
Next is the TV series Lady in the Lake (starting July 19 on AppleTV+) based on the 2019 novel by detective author Laura Lippman. It stars Natalie Portman as an aspiring reporter in 1960s Baltimore who pursues the murder of a forgotten young woman. The movie trailer looks a bit crazy and I’m beginning to wonder if every role Portman takes on is a bit off-kilter. From her movies Black Swan to the recent May December, she often plays some wacky characters. But then author Laura Lippman is usually pretty good so maybe try an episode or two, before casting it to the wind if need be.
In new music this month, there’s not much I see coming out. But I’ll pick Canadian folk/country singer Donovan Woods’s new album Things Were Never Good If They’re Not Good Now (due out July 12). Here’s a single off that called How Good. Enjoy.
That’s all for now. What about you— which releases are you looking forward to this month? Happy July.
I have Liz Moore’s book on my “to be read” list – maybe next after I finish my current read.
Hi Dorothy, I hope you enjoy it. You can vet it for us. But I hope to get to it soon too. Happy reading & July!
I’m really interested in The God of the Woods, Long Island Compromise and The Lion Women of Tehran. Long Island… has been compared by Amazon editors as Succession-esque, so it could be fun. Let’s see if/when I’ll get to read them but at least they’ll be on my radar. Happy reading month and sports watching!
Thanks Carmen, I think it’ll be a good month. I’m not sure when I’ll get to these books either but they are on the radar. I didn’t realize they had called Long Island like Succession. That’s cool. I think we only watched a couple seasons of Succession but of course the last season … which was fun. Hope all is well.
Lovely rainbow picture! Enjoy all your tennis and golf events! And I picked The God of the Woods for my Book of the Month choice this month and it will arrive at some point. I’m also really looking forward to the Kate Quinn book. Hoping we get a little moisture this month, but I’d be happy if the hurricanes don’t come. It’s rarely too bad in our area because we are far inland, but the Texas Gulf Coast has had way too many of those. I know – I have lots of weather wishes! LOL
Hi Kay, thanks. It could be a busy month. But I hope you like God of the Woods and the Briar Club. And I hope you don’t burn up there. I’m sure a little rain would be nice. We are just getting our first long spell of hot weather (80s & 90s). Wishing you a great month. Stay cool & Happy reading.
Wow, that is a pretty amazing rainbow! Unfortunately, we’ve had lots of rain here as well, but no rainbow in sight 🙁 It sounds like you have a busy July ahead of you, hope it all goes well. Your featured new releases sound good. The Liz Moore novel is a must, but I may check out the other two as well. Could use something with a bit of humour, so maybe Taffy Brodesser-Akner’s novel would be a good choice.
Hi Stargazer, thanks this is the first rainbow I’ve ever been able to get a good picture of. It was a doozy. Try to keep the rain at bay there. I am watching a bit of Wimbledon when I can. I am hoping the Taffy novel does have good humor to it — fingers crossed. Enjoy your reading this month … and hopefully the sun will shine 🙂
Hi Susan, it’s great that you have joined a lady’s golf league. You will meet alot of nice people have fun and best of all its important to get outside regularly and I know for me I haven’t take my own advise. LoL.
The book that jumps out at me is The Briar Club. I want to read it because the time period interests me and I have heard alot of good things about the author and so I want to give one of her books a try.
I read the book Lady In The Lake. It’s well written and the character Natalie Portman plays if the movie follows the book makes a major change from who she is when the novel starts to who she is when the novel ends.
Hi Kathy, yeah the golf league has really been fun for me this season. This is my first back playing regularly since I was younger … so I’m enjoying it and the ladies. It’s good to be out there.
Although Kate Quinn has some nice history settings, I’m also a bit leery of her … because her novels can be light dishy kinds of women’s fiction. So just beware. Still I like the sound of this latest one, so I might try again.
Interesting to hear about Lady in the Lake … it seems another perfect role for Portman since she plays those changeling kinds of parts usually well. I liked Lippman’s novel Sunburn. Did you read that one? Enjoy your July & happy reading!
Did not read Sunburn but I will check it out. The character Natalie Portman will be playing is troubled if I remember the book correctly. And her journey reflects the changing role of women. It was a thought provoking read.
Thanks Kathy, you have me interested in the Lady in the Lake. I think I had picked it up once but set it down. I will check it out again. Portman is good at playing troubled roles.
What a perfect rainbow! What good luck to have seen and captured it in a photo! Means good luck for sure. Have a good week.
Harvee https://bookdilettante.blogspot.com/2024/07/essays-short-stories-and-fantasy-sunday.html
Hi Harvee, thanks, I hope the rainbow is good luck! Wouldn’t it be great to have a month of good luck. 🙂 … I’ve never got a picture of one so good, ha. Have a great July & happy reading.
We had a very nice 4th of July. It was actually a cooler day–barely reached 90. So we had our annual breakfast outside then played some croquet. It was fun. And I love watching Wimbledon! There have been a lot of great matches so far. I’m rooting for Coco Gauff and Emma Navarro. And I can’t wait for the Olympics. It’s my favorite sporting event. From diving to gymnastics to all the equestrian events. That’s what I’ll be watching for sure. 😀
Wow Lark, that’s great to hear. So glad to have another Wimbledon fan and the Olympics too. So much to see. & Coco and Navarro are strong players! I keep watching as well. And nice to hear your 4th went well. Croquet is a fun game and good tradition on 4th of July. We have a heat wave this week in our neck of the woods … so the Canadians will likely melt … 🙂
Enjoy your week.
I recently read the Lion Women of Tehran and liked it. And, I’m a Kate Quinn fan so that’s exciting to hear she has a new one coming out.
Hi Helen, yes I cited your review in my post. Not sure if you saw that. But glad you liked the Lion Women of Tehran — I think it sounds good. I will add it. And I liked her first book. The Quinn book set in DC sounds good as well. Enjoy. & have a great week ahead.
That rainbow photo is impressive. I don’t remember the last rainbow I saw.
I don’t usually get newly released books, only when it is an author I am committed to. I am interested in trying a book by Kate Quinn, and the subject matter in The Briar Club sounds good, so maybe I will track that one down someday. I like boardinghouse settings too, although most books of that type I have read were written decades ago.
I read The Emperor of Ocean Park in 2004 and I remember I liked it, but not much about it beyond that. I knew that Stephen L. Carter had written more books but I did not realize that two of them were sequels to The Emperor of Ocean Park. We don’t have MGM+ so unless it looks really compelling we won’t see the adaptation.
We do have Apple+ so could watch Lady in the Lake. I have the book but have not read it yet.
Hi Tracy, yes I haven’t seen a rainbow in a long, long time so it really surprised me to see such a big rainbow last week. Is it good luck?! I hope so.
Interesting to hear about The Emperor of Ocean Park … I didn’t realize it had sequels either so that is good to know. Perhaps I should go back and read it. I don’t have MGM+ either. I remember others liking it back in 2004 so I’m not surprised you did too.
I have not read Lady in the Lake either but I read Lippman’s novel before that Sunburn which was pretty entertaining. Interesting that they have made a series of the Lake book. Hmm.
I might read the Briar Club book for its DC setting but I’m a little leery of Quinn’s writing being pretty light stuff. We will see. I’ve read 2 of her others and soured a bit on her. But then this new one sounds pretty good. See what you think.
Hope all is well there. Have a great week.
The God of the Woods sounds promising. At 500 pages, it could really get interesting…plenty of room to develop characters and false leads. Not sure I have the stamina right now for something quite that long, but it’s going on my list.
I read that Lippman book, but I’ll be darned if I can remember much about the details. I do still have the impression that it is not one of my favorite Laura Lippman books, but I’d still be curious enough to watch the video version, I think.
Hi Sam, glad if you are back from your road trip. I’ll check your site soon to see how it went. I have read only Lippman’s novel Sunburn which was pretty entertaining and I liked, but I think I put down the Lady in the Lake novel and didn’t pick it back up. So now it’s a series? I might see an episode or two.
I hear you about The God of the Woods being long … not what I’m into right now either. But it’s on the radar. All these long summer books … when I could use something fun & snappy. Hope you’ve had some good reads. Enjoy your week ahead.
Wow! What a great shot of that rainbow!
You sound pretty busy with officiating tennis and playing golf. My daughter is taking golf lessons and enjoys hitting the links with her husband. I’ve only played a handful of times and while it was fun, I was pretty awful. 🙂 As close as we live to the beach, I never seem to make it to the sand. We have such a pretty path along the bluff in our neighborhood, so I tend to walk that rather than drive somewhere to walk on the beach. I’m hoping to get more long hikes in, though. Did one on the 3rd and am planning another next weekend.
I’ve been seeing a lot about The God of the Woods on IG, and hope to get a copy later this year. I’ve never read anything by Liz Moore, but I hear great things about her previous books.
We watched the first season of The Responder and enjoyed it, so we’ll be eager to dive into season two. The Emperor of Ocean Park sounds good, but what the heck is MGM+? Keep me posted on Lady in the Lake. The previews seem a bit strange. We’re thoroughly hooked on Presumed Innocent and plan to re-watch the Harrison Ford film once we’re finished with the TV series.
Hi Lesley, yes we too are watching Jake Gyllenhaal in Presumed Innocent. We’re not sure if they’ll change the killer from the book or the last movie. Or will it be the same person? Hmm that keeps us watching.
I think Liz Moore’s last novel Long Bright River is going to be tough to beat. I really liked that one. It was good on audio too. I haven’t been on IG too much, just been on the go I guess. Summer is busy right? That’s great your daughter is taking golf lessons. I just took it up again this May. The course is not far from Knox Brewery. It’s a bit Zen I think. The ladies in the golf league luckily are nice and it feels good to be outside walking there. I’m still trying to improve 🙂
Your walking paths on the bluffs must be gorgeous. Perfect for walks. And enjoy the long hikes.
We are having our first heat wave of the summer this week. So will take the dogs to the river to swim. I’d not seen a rainbow in many years … then saw that one last week after a rain. Amazing. Ha. Have a great week.
Very tempting book list! I should start keeping track of these books on my amazon list where I note interesting possibilities.
Enjoy all your very nice summer activites.
best,mae at maefood.blogspot.com