Mini Book Reviews: July 2026

I received ARCs of The Shampoo Effect, The Parisian Heist, Contraposto, Make Nice, and When Lemons Give You Life from NetGalley and their publishers in exchange for my honest reviews. This post contains affiliate links. 

I won't sugarcoat it--this wasn't my best month of reading. While all the books I read were good, only Contrapossto was memorable. Sure, The Shampoo Effect was entertaining, but my reading felt uninspired and, dare I say...a slog? My complaint about most books right now is that they are too darn long, and not because they need to be. It's a trend that needs to come to an end. I said what I said. 

And speaking of Contrapossto, this epic coming-of-age story deserves more hype. Wow!

When Polly's book club friends give her an ancestry test for a gift, it opens up a literal Pandora's box as she searches for a connection with the person who is her match. But wait..there's more! Polly and her husband are undergoing infertility treatments in an attempt to start a family of their own. Polly's best friend has terminal cancer. Her father has dementia. There's a lot going on in this book, and if I wasn't able to fully engage with the narrative, I'd have to go back and re-read what I just read. At times, I wondered where the whole thing would end up — and end up it does with a very tidy finish. I've always enjoyed this author's books; her writing is always beautiful and profound. But More Than Enough was a bit of a challenge to get through--some might say it was more than enough. 

A tight group of childhood friends, with all the history that goes with it, is disrupted when one of the men brings a girlfriend into the group. While his ex-girlfriend announces that she is pregnant with his baby, it changes things. Instead of being a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship, it becomes an awkward triangle, which makes for some very entertaining reading. The reader follows the drama as the relationship continues, as you would expect, until it doesn't. I really enjoyed this one--there were a few laugh-out-loud moments as well as jaw droppers. I loved the author's previous one, Pineapple Street, and The Shampoo Effect was even better. 

The Parisian Heist is a fictional reimagining of the rise of Vincent Van Gogh's rise to success and the women behind it. It's also the story of the world of art collectors--if you have read The Art Thief or The Art Forger, then you get the gist of what this is about. Told in timelines alternating between the past and the present, it is a deep dive into the art world. As much as I enjoyed learning some of the history behind Van Gogh and his work, as well as the twists and turns in the heist, I felt that the narrative could have used a little tightening up, especially in the beginning of the book. The pace picked up as the story went on. Overall, a very satisfying read from a reliable author.

Let me start by saying that I didn't expect to enjoy Contrapposto as much as I did. But the main character, Cricket, wound his way into my heart. This coming-of-age story follows Cricket, a shy boy who lives with his alcoholic mom, and his BFF Olympia, throughout their lives. Cricket finds it easier to express himself through art and comes to learn that he is extraordinarily talented. Olympia is a hot mess--I kept thinking she has some undiagnosed mental illness--but can do no wrong in Cricket's eyes. She flits in and out of his life, stoking his love for her, before she leaves again. The story gets off to a slow start, but the reward is getting to know these characters. I could not put it down, and I did not want it to end. This will be one of my favorite books of the year. Highly recommended.

When the Pickford family's mother dies, the family honors her wish of returning to The Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island in Michigan. I don't know why the island isn't identified in Make Nice, but that is clearly where this book takes place. The island holds a lot of history for this family--they used to have a summer home there. The 3 adult siblings and their father try to 'make nice' for the time that they are all together. Each of the siblings has issues in their own lives--don't we all?-- but their stories, told in alternating chapters, made for some entertaining, and at times, very funny reading. There was no tidy ending, and the reader is left to speculate on what happens to the siblings when they leave the island and return to their lives. A little slow at the start, once it got going, I didn't want to put it down.

When Lemons Give You Life is another sweet story from the author of The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife. When a renowned chef's husband is diagnosed with dementia, he fakes having dementia so he can stay at the nursing home to care for him, remaining there after his death, and continuing with his deceit. There are two alternating storylines: Griff's and his sister Lisa's. The storylines also travel forward and back in time. There's a lot to unpack, but it all works, and the result is a charming story with a satisfying ending. The author focused on a lot of issues here, but for me, the most compelling was the care of dementia patients in a residential setting, which leaves a lot to be desired. 

I'm linking up with Jenn and Jenny for Tuesday Topics!  I'm also excited to join Farrah for My Month is Booked! Also with Share Your Shelf with Slices of Life and Not in Jersey, and with A Good Book and a Cup of Tea with Boondock Ramblings, Cat's Wire, and Still Life with Cracker Crumbs.