Welcome back to Worth the Read! At the end of each month, I like to take stock of what I read and reflect on how the combined experience has left me feeling. In July, I read the first three Dungeon Crawler Carl books (I'm obsessed), listened to two Freida McFadden audiobooks (can we talk about how disappointing The Divorce was?), and tore through the June Read with Jenna pick, The Children by Melissa Albert, which was overall excellent but a little too convoluted. It was a month heavy on sci-fi, fantasy, and commercial thrillers, and as much fun as I had, I'm craving some different flavors now.

This is all to say, I'm going into my August TBR guns blazin'. I want to read books that really knock my socks off, whether that's because of their literary merit, their humor, or their originality. I want to read something that shakes me. I want to read something I can genuinely give five stars to. And, lucky for me, the books coming this month look up to the job.

This list is pretty eclectic, including everything from a novel some might consider to be a "dad book" (I disagree) to the rumored Reese's Book Club pick and one of the most anticipated sequels of the year. Oh, and I'm spilling a little insider tea on a Pulitzer Prize-winning author. Without further ado, let's get into it.

I’ve had the pleasure of reading this one already, so I can confidently say it needs to go on your TBR. When I tell you that Claire Carusillo is funny, I mean she is actually funny. Because let’s be honest, most books that are sold as funny are just…not. And this is the secret to really excellent humorous writing: there has to be a strong heart at the foundation to really make it sing. As a woman descended from a family of larger-than-life women, I felt so seen by The Responsible Party, which brilliantly examines the complicated family dynamics and legacies that start shaping us before we’re even born. This novel is joyful, energetic, bizarre, hilarious, and tender, and I genuinely can’t wait to see what she writes next.

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