July Literary Horoscopes

Aries

The Ram / Courageous, Adventurous, Independent / Domineering, Selfish, Arrogant

Try not to read too much into your productivity this month. You might feel the urge to, well, strike out. (Get it? Because you’re a ram? Okay, I’ll see myself out). Anyway, your insecurities will spike mid-July, but drive them back with some virtual friend dates. 

Your story pick could be a great distraction, too!

• A Girl at the End of the World, by Prashanth Srivatsa

• Teaser: “He turned his face the other way, toward the forest where the leaves swayed, the branches drooped in clusters to form hideous gates leading into darkness, and the fragrance of the alinyas beckoned her.”

Taurus

The Bull / Loyal, Friendly, Resourceful / Self-Indulgent, Possessive, Greedy

Whoa, I’m glad to see you made it through June! Ditch your pseudo-survival bunker and enjoy these early summer days. Maybe even go a little crazy and find a patch of sunshine—grassy meadow or sturdy fire escape will do—and soak up this gorgeous poem.

It’ll transport you to another place and time.

• The Grain of the Voice in the Failing Head, by Kari A. Flickinger

• Teaser: “Finger-pad stalks dance off each plastic frond / methodically, as your hand drifts / through our bedroom blinds. You stay / in time. / We collect curve against timorous bone shard / to practice our language of sound.”

Gemini

The Twins / Intelligent, Adaptable, Creative / Moody, Opportunistic, Inconsistent

Don’t look now, Gemini—a shiny new romance could be yours! I know what you’re thinking; how can you get your groove on in quarantine? Well, these tea leaves don’t lie. Look for it around the end of the month, when you’ll be extra creative and witty. Pro tip: Tone down your atomic levels of snark (…at least till the third date).

In the meantime, I have just the thing for you:

• The Other Me, by Michelle Bailat-Jones

• Teaser: “I saw the other me at the airport. We were waiting for the same plane, both of us halfway home.”

Cancer

The Crab / Honest, Generous, Faithful / Insecure, Needy, Crabby

Finally, it’s crab season! Leo will steal the spotlight in July, but until then, this grand stage is all yours. I know adorable crabs like yourself tend to hide under shells (heh). Try to show off a little, though. Pursue a dream you’ve been thinking about; don’t be afraid to put yourself out there, even if that translates to a virtual platform. 

This utterly fantastic story will be your reward. 

• Wavelengths, by Desiree Evans

• Teaser: “As she walks toward the water, I take in the long line of her back. Those wings are as long as she is tall, so black they almost shine blue. I smile and go over to meet her, sidling up against her side to wait for the waves to roll in, for the cold water to slip over our feet.”

Leo

The Lion / Cheery, Noble, Imaginative / Demanding, Boastful, Melodramatic

An opportunity may slip by at the height of the month. Try not to let it get you down or set off those melodramatic tendencies. Instead, turn that energy outward and help some loved ones. Your cheery nature is a superpower, so get sharin’! 

When you need a break, though, here’s a story pick that’s just for you: 

• This Is Not the End, by Aarti Monteiro

• Teaser: “When your husband leaves for work every day, you sit on the balcony and study the schoolgirls with slick black hair in tight plaits as they walk by. The fisherwomen shout the prices, and you crave the pomfret your mother cooked for you as a child.”

Virgo

The Maiden / Practical, Diligent, Kind / Obsessive, Self-Righteous, Compulsive

Oh, Virgo, you may be put through the wringer this month. Take extra care at the start of July—you’ll be vulnerable to all kinds of jabs—and avoid your “witty” colleague like they’re going out of style. Remember to take care of yourself. Say it with me: Self-care isn’t selfish. 

In the meantime, let’s distract you with some good reading:

• Tide, by Mandira Pattnaik

• Teaser: “We marvel at the hypocrisy of the waves—gnawing away at our barely-standing home, but never quite gobbling it. Ena and I sit by the broken table, on the floor, the corners of which are encroached by drifted sand and watch a dinghy being cradled.”

Libra

The Scales / Compassionate, Trustworthy, Peacemaker / Disorganized, Materialistic, Indecisive

June may have been a tad boring, but July is looking up! New money is headed your way this month. Remember to put some of it in the bank for future travel plans—a.k.a. beaches with rainbow-colored margaritas—and party like it’s 1999. You know, in your living room.

Here’s some reading to dry your tears. Erm, I mean to get you started:

• Chroma Charm, by Diane Callahan

• Teaser: “Nestled inside were five tiny tubes that shone peach, clear, red, green, and pink, their labels facing outward: Apocalyptic Sunshine, Secret Agenda, Lady Sinful, Vintage Disaster, and… The fifth name was obscured; Candice turned the bottle. Strawberry Fizzpop.”

Scorpio

The Scorpion / Purposeful, Charismatic, Cunning / Aggressive, Manipulative, Possessive

These past few months have been full of ups and downs for you (talk about whiplash). In the summer, you might want to make some time for you. It’s oh so tempting to stay in your Netflix pants—who isn’t tempted, honestly?—but now is a good time for new projects and hobbies. 

…Or you could stay on the couch and read this story pick. Hey, I’m not judging.

• Fragment, by Ania Mroczek

• Teaser: “We did not fuse into a thousand-headed anomaly, perhaps that’s the thing: we did not fuse at all. There are many ways to fragment. A metamorphosis of loss, of rupture and sudden space—an opening.”

Sagittarius

The Archer / Straightforward, Optimistic, Adventurous / Careless, Impatient, Hotheaded

Alright, so your best months haven’t hit yet. Summer will still be the bee’s knees for you (fall might be even better!). If these tea leaves are right, July should be a middle-road kind of month for you. Like June, every day won’t feel like a Monday morning, but they won’t have that Saturday buzz, either. 

Escape the monotony with your compelling story pick for July:

• Keep Tabs on You, by Kristina Ten

• Teaser: “The paper-doll women stand with their legs together and their arms bent at the elbows. They are thin from one side and thinner from the other, and their faces are set in a pleasant, close-mouthed expression that never changes.”

Capricorn

The Mountain Sea-Goat / Traditional, Responsible, Ambitious / Unforgiving, Blunt, Pessimistic

Good news, Capricorn! Your health issues should clear up in July. Go outside and enjoy some fresh air and sunshine any way you can (safely, of course). Life is short, so it’s good to stop and smell the roses. Eat that extra slice of cake. Bask in the moment. 

Start by seizing the day with this bold and unique read.

• The Augur and the Girl Left at His Door, by Greta Hayer

• Teaser: “There would be a child—there was already a child quickening in the bride’s belly; that much was obvious by the angles of the cuts, the swell of the muscles by the shoulder blades—but that child would be the end of them.”

Aquarius

The Water-Bearer / Intellectual, Open-Minded, Outgoing / Unpredictable, Self-Conscious, Chaotic

Guess what, Aquarius? It’s time to bust out your summery clothes and change those sheets (bonus points if they have cartoon characters). This month will be all about fun and frivolity, which has to be a welcome change after that doozy of a spring. Embrace the season as early as you want, you heat junkie you.

First things first: Check out your monthly story pick.

• Don’t Throw Stones, by Amy Barnes

• Teaser: “He didn’t look at me as he sped from fairgrounds to home, our city glass house in a row of glass cut-out, glass-blown houses. People peeked out of windows pulling back silly curtains without offering help.”

Pisces

The Fish / Charitable, Intuitive, Artistic / Timid, Impractical, Indolent

Toward the beginning of the month, quarantine fever might make a comeback, but don’t let those four walls keep you caged. If last month was all about work progress, then July is your time to shine in the family/friend department. Schedule a few Skype calls and try a virtual movie party or game night.

In your downtime, I have a spellbinding read for you.

• What You Lost in the Wildermere, by R. J. Howell

• Teaser: “You walk to the border between this world and that, stand in the tangled underbrush, and peer between the gap in the ancient redwood trees.”