Books of the Month July 2022
While the number of months left in 2022 begins to shrink, the same thankfully can't be said about the number of great books that are available. As a result, our readers were once again spoiled for choice when selecting their favorite books this July. So, no matter what genre you love most, here are the books of the Month for July 2022.
Best Romance
Star Bright
by Susannah Nix
Star Bright is a Hollywood romance novella by Susannah Nix starring Kimberleigh Cress. An A-list starlet. Kimberleigh is one of the hottest young actresses in Hollywood but knows how to protect herself. Her number one rule is to never show any weakness, especially in front of the press. However, she is caught off guard when a sleazy tabloid reporter comes upon her during a vulnerable moment and shows kindness. She finds the reporter, Spencer Devlin, to be sexy, charming, and surprisingly thoughtful and can't see to stay away from him. Meanwhile, Spencer also never expected to share an unlikely connection with a spoiled starlet who hates his guts.
Best Action & Adventure
The Arch Emulator and the Seven Keys
by Michael Stewart
The Arch Emulator and the Seven Keys is the story of four different people who are all connected by a phenomenon called "emulators." Emulators are all people who have the stigmata, and at any given time, there are seven of them on earth. However, these emulators are all being hunted by a murderous cult called The Smiths, who are in search of a powerful artifact. As The Smiths attempt to find the artifact, known as the seventh key, they will cross paths with the daughter of a famous archeologist, a little girl from the Midwest, a callused deep core driller in Antarctica, and a locked-up man who might just know the location of the key.
Best Mystery & Thriller
Haunted River
by J. T. Bishop
In Haunted River by J. T. Bishop, Detective Gordon Daniels inherits his estranged grandfather's home. So naturally, Daniels is anxious to sell it as 25 years earlier, the body of a woman clad only in a white nightgown was discovered on the banks of the river on the property. Daniels invites Detective Aaron Remalla to help him clean out the place before selling, but soon after, the body of a second woman clad in a white nightgown is found on the river. This event throws both detectives into an investigation they would have preferred to avoid. However, their scrutiny of the nearby town uncovers a host of colorful suspects and a shocking sinister secret that someone is prepared to kill to keep hidden.
Best Biography
Without a Homeland
by Bobbie Lord
Without a Homeland is the story of Bobbie Lord, who, in May 1999, headed to the Qatrom Refugee Camp in Korҫё, Albania. Her goal was the assist the Kosovar Albanians who had fled ethnic cleansing, and she ended up being assigned the job of camp manager of the 3,000 refugees. Although she has several years of experience working in countries such as Kenya, Guatemala, and Zambia, Bobbie was unsure if she could handle the pressure at the age of sixty. Without a Homeland recounts the story of her mission to give people facing unimaginable obstacles the hope that someday they would be able to return home.
Best Children's Book
The Ultimate How To Draw Cute Stuff Book
by Ultimate Kid Press
The Ultimate How To Draw Cute Stuff Book by Ultimate Kid Press is illustrated by Phoebe Norcott and is perfect for budding artists. The simple step-by-step instructions make it easy for children to follow along and draw the 40 amazing cuties that are featured in the book. Kids can grab their art supplies and develop basic art skills with this book, which will help them draw confidently.
Best Young Adult
Midnight Angel
by Kimberly Loth
Midnight Angel is the first book in The Thorn Chronicles series by Kimberly Loth. Naomi is part of a deadly cult that has kept her trapped for years, but things get a lot worse when her father wants her to get married at the age of sixteen. She sees no way out of this predicament until one dark knight when an angel sneaks into her room, kisses her, and opens her eyes to a whole new, supernatural power. Naomi finds that she can use her newfound power to fight back but discovers she's not the only one with a secret.
Best Fantasy
Adamant
by Emma L. Adams
Adamant is the first book in The Alliance Series by Emma L. Adams. Ada Fletcher is stuck in a dead-end job in London but has a secret. Her family is originally from a world that was devastated by a magical war, which forced them to live undercover on the low-magic Earth to hide their powers. However, Ada continues to risk her life by helping others escape the deadly battle between magic-wielders and the ruling tyrants. Soon Ada's path crosses with that of Kay Walker, grandson of the Inter-World alliance's late founder. Kay expects his first week as an Alliance employee to involve hunting rogue monsters but ends up having to investigate the murder of his supervisor as well as questioning Ada.
Best Horror
Bolder Cursed
by Janice Tremayne
Bolder Cursed is a chilling and powerfully scary supernatural thriller by Janice Tremayne and the second standalone book in the Zack Bolder Supernatural Series. Zack is called in to investigate when an Australian ghost town becomes the setting for a blockbuster movie production, and things begin to go very wrong. First, the lead actor falls foul to unexplained events and dies, and then the film is possessed by an evil poltergeist embedded into the casting. Zack has to track down the evil entity, save the actors from possession and prevent the movie from becoming a cursed medium.
Best Literary Fiction
Continuum
by Chad Lester
Continuum is a collection of thought-provoking short stories by Chad Lester. These stories are varied in subject matter and ambitious in scope while moving from ages past to present and even the unknowable future. For example, in Beyond, a girl finds herself alone on a strange planet and isn't sure how she got there, while End of the Earth is about a young woman fleeing alone into an unforgiving primeval wilderness with her infant.
Best Science Fiction
Data Mine
by Lou Iovino
Data Mine by Lou Iovino is set in a world where individuals who wield global influence are carefully watched to prevent things like political scandals, corporate greed, embezzlement, disinformation, and fraud. Their biometric data is transmitted by nanoparticle-infused, flexible circuitry tattoos called Harvesters to be analyzed by Data Miners. Gwen Elliott is one such Data Miner who is chosen for a critical assignment. Gwen becomes the personal data miner for Senator Rosemary Martin, the leading candidate for President of the United States. Unfortunately, the senator has a dangerous secret that she's determined to keep hidden at all costs, and Gwen will have to figure out how to survive if she wants to solve the mystery.
Best Paranormal
Unleashed
by Bella Jacobs
Unleashed is the first book in the Dark Moon Shifters series by Bella Jacobs. A woman named Wren is on the run after escaping from a cult doing its best to brainwash her. However, she also discovers that a violent shifter faction is out for her blood and an ancient evil who eats "chosen Ones" like her for breakfast. This leaves her with no choice except to join forces with the four dangerous-looking men who claim they were sent to guard her life. From a werewolf with a rap sheet to a lynx shifter, bear kin, and even shape-shifting griffin, Wren has to figure out if the men are really what they seem or have a secret agenda of their own.
Best Non-Fiction
See Yourself In A New Light
by Sarrana Rain
See Yourself In A New Light by Sarrana Rain is filled with practical tips, exercises, and positive affirmations. These are aimed at women to recover self-worth, cultivate self-love and boost their self-confidence. It highlights how your life can benefit from having a healthy self-esteem and how to identify negative thought patterns and break them. Also included are steps on how to strengthen your sense of identity and self-worth, how to handle mistakes, and much more.