What I Read in July 2026

It’s August already, which means it’s time for a recap of what I read in July! This was a bit of an eclectic month for me, bouncing between a juicy nonfiction audiobook, a new Sally Hepworth novel, and two Nancy Drew reads from very different eras. If you’re looking for your next read (or listen), I’ve got a little bit of everything below.

Like, Follow, Subscribe

I listened to Like, Follow, Subscribe by Fortesa Latifi on Spotify. I’m not a mom myself, but as a (tiny) blogger, it was so interesting to get an inside peek at what it’s really like to be a mommy or family blogger or influencer. I knew about some of what goes on behind the scenes, but there were still a few moments where I was genuinely surprised.

Ruby Franke was mentioned more than once throughout the book. While I didn’t know who she was before she was convicted, her story definitely highlighted the dark side of influencers who take things too far.

This one is definitely worth a read (or a listen) if you’re at all interested in the intersection of family, kids, the internet, and the ethics surrounding it all.

Mad Mabel

I’ve read most of Sally Hepworth’s books by now, and I’ve enjoyed all of them. This one was no different!

Mad Mabel follows Mabel, who’s in her 80s and lives on a quiet street. No one would suspect her of having a past as a murderer in her younger years. Through flashbacks, we discover what really happened earlier in Mabel’s life, and how her past is coming back to haunt her in the present.

There’s something about Sally Hepworth’s writing that I love. This was one of those books I had to purposely savor and slow down while reading. I could have easily finished it in just two or three days, but I didn’t want it to end.

If you’ve enjoyed any of her other books, I think you’ll like this one too. Anne of Green Gables is brought up a few times throughout the story, and since Anne is one of my all time favorite book characters, I was really happy to see her get a mention.

The Nancy Drew Files: Portrait in Crime

I found this one at the thrift store for only $1.79, so I knew I had to grab it. There’s something about the Nancy Drew books written in the 80s and 90s that are a bit racier than the originals, with murders, danger, and a lot more romance mixed in.

I remember reading books from this series back in elementary school and thinking the covers looked so old fashioned, even though they were actually pretty recent at the time. It’s funny how that perspective changes once you’re an adult picking these up again for fun.

Portrait in Crime follows Nancy as she works to solve a mystery involving a stolen (and possibly forged) painting, all while teaming up with her best friends George and Bess. As always, there’s a little romantic drama woven in too, with Nancy weighing whether she wants to stay committed to her long term boyfriend Ned or leave the door open for someone new. It’s a fun reminder of why this series has stuck around for so long. The mystery keeps you guessing, but it’s really the friendships and the will they, won’t they with Ned that keep me coming back.

Nancy Drew Girl Detective: False Notes

I read a second Nancy Drew book this month, this time from the newer spin off series written in the early 2000s. These ones aren’t quite as fun for me to read as the older books, since they feel too recent and are written from a first person point of view instead of the classic third person narration I grew up with.

In False Notes, Nancy heads to a summer music camp to look into the kidnapping of a fellow River Heights teen, a talented young musician who vanishes right before a big performance. It was a quick, fun read, and of course Nancy was able to piece together the clues and crack the case in the end. While this series isn’t quite my favorite, I still enjoy revisiting River Heights any chance I get.

Have you read anything good lately? I’d love to hear about it if you have. I’m always looking for new ideas for what to read next, so drop your recommendations in the comments!