2025 Popsugar Reading Challenge - Update #7

Happy Tuesday everyone and welcome to my seventh and final 2025 Popsugar Reading Challenge update with mini reviews!   In July, I read 6 books for a total of 50 completed out of 50.  I can't believe I finished my challenge!  I found a lot of great books with this year's challenge.  Keep reading to see my thoughts on the books I read in July: 

❋ ❋

I liked the idea of The Sanatorium (Detective Elin Warner #1) by Sarah Pearse, but it just didn't work out for me. The first maybe fifth of it seemed like it could have potential, but after that it just lost me. I wish there was a lot more atmosphere for the setting than there was, and the main character was just irritating. But, there was a note left behind in it from the previous owner. It's a double side square from Arizona Inn on 2200 Elm St., Tucson, Arizona and has some real gems on it from what I can make out. For example: "When you stop you drop," "Keep going forward," and "We are all just passing through to serve to evolve love." We also have "Philip wouldn't give his last name" on the front page. On the back side, we have "Philip gave up military career - gave up smoking ". Then what could possibly say "London - 12 national pups" and "Do you really like these garden party Queen soke(?) - how would you like 12,000 people a your 1 own laughed ahead it (not sure about that last bit). Anyway, though, the best part was the yellow sticky note attached which says "Solution for student loans - get a job." Whoever you are, I hope you're doing okay, especially Philip. I think I'll tuck this back inside the book as a special treat for the next owner of this on down the road.

My review is also on Goodreads and The StoryGraph.

❋ ❋

A Demon in Silver (War of the Archons #1) by R.S. Ford has potential but it never quite reached it for me. The first half of the story is interesting, but I didn't care for the direction  it went in after that. I realized I wasn't particularly interested in following along with any of the characters the more it went on. The author writes some great action scenes throughout but it wasn't enough to keep me hanging on. Also my copy of the book had some errors in it - like missing pages.  I don't mean torn out, but more like they were just never there in the first place or the page was totally left blank with out even a page number or anything on it.

My review is also on Goodreads and The StoryGraph.

❋ ❋

The Queen of the Tearling (The Queen of the Tearling #1) by Erika Johansen is a trilogy opener that I think I would have preferred if I read it closer to when it was a new release. Now, though, I wasn't very impressed. It is tempting and promising, but it's way too long and I never really cared much for any of the characters. The idea of it being the future of Britain and the U.S. rather than a fantasy story, but for that to really work for me I would have liked to have know more about the what, where, and why we ever got about the situation leading to this kingdom. Also, this was way too long of a for me. Overall, it has some interesting idea, but it never quite worked as well as I'd hoped it would.

My review is also on Goodreads and The StoryGraph.

❋ ❋ ❋ ❋

In the Lives of Puppets by T.J. Klune might be my least favorite of the author that I've had the chance to read, but then again it's still a pretty great sci-fi standalone.  I just think I've preferred the others I've read from Klune a bit more.  Daniel Henning does a fantastic job as the narrator.  He's got a great voice and I'm impressed it was just one person performing this whole book.  I highly recommend checking it out in the audiobook format.

My review is also on Goodreads and The StoryGraph.

❋ ❋ ❋ ❋

The Incident of the Book in the Nighttime (Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery #10) by Vicki Delany is the newest installment of a mystery series I've become very invested in.  I really enjoy this series and its characters.  This one has a different main setting than usual so it was cool that it switched it up.  I can't believe it's been ten books - here's to the next, The Devil in the Details, which will be released on January 6th, 2026!

My review is also on Goodreads and The StoryGraph.

❋ ❋ ❋ 

Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh wasn't quite what I was expecting, but I'm still glad I tried it.  Jeremy Irons has a great voice for audiobook narration. I think I will have to try the 1981 adaptation (starring Mr. Irons!) soon.

My review is also on Goodreads and The StoryGraph.

Are you taking part in this challenge?  Have you read any of these books?  As always, thanks for visiting my blog and perhaps even commenting down below!