June was a busy and hectic month. I read a lot of things and did a lot of things. Most of what I read were graphic novels, which are typically fast reads for me. I lost track of my hauling of books in the last little while, so I’m just going to list all the books that I hauled in May and June below.
Here are the books I hauled in June (some of them may have been hauled in May, but I can’t remember):
- I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston
- Family of Liars by E. Lockhart
- The Marvellers by Dhonielle Clayton
- Ballad and Dagger by Daniel Jose Older
- A Rip Through Time by Kelley Armstrong
- The Merciless Ones by Namina Forna
- Hide by Kiersten White
- Forging Silver into Stars by Brigid Kemmerer
- The Counselors by Jessica Goodman
- Together We Burn by Isabel Ibañez
- Book of Night by Holly Black
- Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Now let’s get into the books I read in June:
1. Sheets by Brenna Thummler
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: The depiction of grief in this graphic novel was lovely and nuanced. I loved Marjorie and Wendell as characters. The spirit world part was really interesting to me. The art was lovely and really did a good job of getting across the feeling of the story. I was fully enthralled with how this story played out.
2. Pixels of You by Ananth Hirsch
Rating: 4.75 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: I really enjoyed the premise of this graphic novel and how the two main characters were forced together. I also really enjoyed the way their relationship progressed. The art was absolutely gorgeous and I liked the photography elements. The inclusion of AI was quite interesting, especially when you consider the headlines that they put in between scenes of the book.
3. Soupy Leaves Home by Cecil Castelluci
Rating: 3 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: This wasn’t my favourite graphic novel, but I’m still glad that I read it. It was well illustrated for the most part and I liked the historical setting. However, I did like Soupy/Pearl as a character and I was glad that she didn’t have to go back to her dad at the end. I did wish that she didn’t have to go back to her family at all though.
4. They Called Us Enemy by George Takei
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: I liked this story. It was interesting to read about George Takei’s life and about the internment camps. I had known a little bit about them but not a lot, so it was interesting to learn more. George Takei is a really interesting figure. The story was informative and it had a nice art style. I felt that it suited the story being told.
5. Little Monarchs by Jonathan Case
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: I really enjoyed this graphic novel, but it took me a while to get into it. It was fairly text heavy, which was a bit daunting all things considered. The art style was cute, and I really enjoyed the main character and her design. I was really rooting for the little girl to find her family and I’m glad that she did. There were some good twists and a good unclear ending.
6. Estranged by Ethan M. Aldridge
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: I’ve never read a fae story starring two male characters. I really found that appealing. This story dealt with themes of identity and what family is, and I really enjoyed that. I love found family stories, so this completely worked for me. The art was really nice and I liked how they were able to easily differentiate between the two main characters.
7. Fence by C.S. Pacat
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: This was an interesting start to the series and would be a good addition to any graphic novel collection. I liked the characters and the whole boarding school/fencing dynamic that it had going on. I can see where it’s likely going to be a slowburn romance but there wasn’t really all too much there yet. I wanted it to have a little bit more going on.
8. American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
Rating: 3 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: This wasn’t my favourite graphic novel that I’ve read lately. I liked the art and the character design. I also liked the elements of Chinese mythology that were included in the story. However, the story wasn’t my favourite. I could see where the author was going and what he was trying to achieve. It worked, but not so much for me.
9. Brave by Svetlana Chmakova
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: I had a lot of fun reading this graphic novel. It was very sweet. I liked Jensen as a character. He felt very much like a student I’ve taught before. I liked the message about bullying and how kindness is important. I love the art style. and how it was bright and colourful. It was a really interesting read.
10. Drama by Raina Telgemeier
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: I really enjoyed this story. It was very well drawn, and I enjoyed the characters’ designs. I enjoyed Callie as a character. She was a bit boy-crazy, which isn’t something that I personally related to, but it’s something a lot of kids might. She and her friends felt realistic and they had interesting dynamics. The story arc made a lot of sense to me, and I loved her character growth.
11. Verity by Coleen Hoover
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: I had fun reading this twisty thriller. It wasn’t as shocking as I thought it wmight be, but I did find myself guessing and wondering what was going to help next. Lowen was an interesting characters and I found that in some ways she was relatable but that in many ways she was not relatable. I definitely think it’s worth picking up. It’s a fun read.
12. Paradise by Laura Maria Censabella
Rating: 3 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: I downloaded this beacuase it was a pretty quick read. I like listening to the LATW productions. The premise of this play was interesting and fairly unique. However, it wawsn’t my favourite. There was fairly good character growth over it, but I felt disconnected from the overall story. It probably would have been better if I had seen it on stage.
13. Hide by Kiersten White
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: I was excited to pick up Kiersten White’s adult debut. I was not disappointed. It was well written and had an intriguing storyline. I really enjoyed Mack as a character, and liked how she let herself slowly open up to the other characters. The premise of the horror aspects of the novel were pretty dark and twisty. I had a lot of fun with this story.
14. The Witch’s Hand by Nathan Page
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: I liked the dynamic between the two brothers and how they supported each other. I also liked the whole found family dynamic. The magical elements of the story were interesting as an addition. I had sort of thought that it would have been more along the lines of Hardy Boys and the ‘witch’ from the title wasn’t an actual witch but more Scooby Doo like. It had a good mystery and a plot arc to it. I would definitely continue the series.
15. Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong by Prudence Shen
Rating: 5 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: This was so funny to me. I loved the dynamic between Nate and Charlie, and the addition of the militant cheerleaders. I laughed a lot while reading this graphic novel, and truly enjoyed the depiction of male friendship. I also loved the art style. There were a lot of great illustrations and colour. I loved the panel design and the way it got the story across. I also had fun reading about the unexpected team up elements. It was great.
16. The Crossover by Kwame Alexander
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: I enjoyed the novel, and I enjoyed the adaptation. It was well done, and got the story across clearly. I loved getting to see the depictions of the characters and seeing the story represented more visually. I think this will have a high appeal to students/kids who aren’t as keen on reading. It’s fast paced and high interest.
17. Monster by Guy A. Sims
Rating: 3 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: I liked the premise of this story, and I can see where it would be a high interest read for students. The protagonist was interesting to me, but I found myself a bit confused by the transitions between parts of the story. They were a bit hard to tell apart. I appreciated how the story resolved though because I did really want it to have a happy-ish ending.
18. Laika by Nick Abadzis
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: I didn’t know what to expect going into this, but I somehow didn’t expect the dog to die. It was really hard to read about. I liked how it did an overview of where the dog came from and how it got into the space program. I also appreciated the pressure that they were put under to show why they were so motivated. The art style was cute, and I liked hat it projected the dog’s thoughts and feelings.
19. This Was Our Pact by Ryan Andrews
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: This graphic novel did end up going where I expected it would go. I liked the way the main little boy grew over the course of the story. The fantasy elements were interesting as an addition. I ended up liking them more than I thought I would when they were initially introduced. The other little boy was also a great addition to the story, and I really liked him as a character. They paired well together.
20. Drowned City by Don Brown
Rating: 3 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: I knew a little bit about the events this graphic novel was about, but it was really informative and interesting to learn even more by reading this book. I didn’t realize how bagly the government fucked the citizens of New Orleans over. It would be a good read for people who want an introduction to the subject matter. The art style well suited the information being passed on.
21. Gods and Monsters by Shelby Mahurin
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: audiobook
Review: I’m glad I finally got around to reading the end of this series. It was a good conclusion overall to the series. I didn’t love it when Reid lost his memory, but I liked that he fell back in love with Lou anyways. The final action that led to the resolution of the novel was quite good, and I really liked. how everything played out.
22. Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: This graphic novel was super cute. I really liked the art style. It totally hit me in the feels with all of the stuff about friendship; that stuff usually does. I liked the elements of roller derby as it wasn’t something I knew a whole lot about. It was quite interesting to learn more. I liked the character growth that was shown.
23. Awkward by Svetlana Chmakova
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: I am loving this series of graphic novels. The characters are totally adorable and relatable for teens/middle schoolers/early high school. The art is really cute, and I loved how well certain moments were depicted. I liked how this one played out, and how we learned more about Peppi as a character. It was great to see her grow. I liked how the two clubs had to come together. This was great.
24. Crush by Svetlana Chmakova
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: The way this graphic novel depicted crushes was too painfully real. It was super relatable regarding the awkward moments that surround such things. The art style continues to be really cute. I liked how it discussed toxicity in relationships as well as toxicity in friendships. It was a lot of fun to read this story. It handled things well.
25. Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: I liked the dynamics between the sisters. They were so lovely. They clearly cared for each other. I also liked the way the ghosts were depicted in the story. They were very sweet. I liked the art style, The colours were very vivid and well suited to the story being told. I really enjoyed the overall message.
26. Smile by Raina Telgemeier
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: I liked the idea of a graphic novel memoir. It was interesting to read about Raina’s experience with her teeth and coming to terms with her smile. I definitely cringed at a couple of moments based on the descriptions and visuals. I was so proud when she stood up to her friends finally. It was a good read.
27. Friend Me by Sheila M. Averbuch
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: I enjoyed this fast paced story. It throws you pretty quickly into the action and the plot. I felt for Roisin as she dealt with the bullying and mistreatment from her classmates, and everything else she had to deal with. I enjoyed how it introduced science fiction elements. That really kept me guessing. It was decently well written middle grade type novel. The story had a good resolution. I liked the end.
28. The Curie Society by Heather Einhorn
Rating: 3 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: This wasn’t my favourite graphic novel that I’ve read recently. I liked the premise and the idea of the characters. I also liked the whole secret society premise. However, I wanted it to be longer and to have a bit more development. It did a lot of different things in a relatively short amount of pages and I just wanted it to slow down so that I could appreciate the development of the friendship between the girls. I felt that that was really glossed over.
29. Manga Classics: The Jungle Book by Crystal S. Chan
Rating: 2 Stars
Format: eBook
Review: All of my stars are for the art in this one. I loved the way the characters were designed whether they were human or animal. I also really liked the sense of movement through the panels and how they drew the scenes. It was well laid out. However, when it comes to the story I didn’t really like it. It was weirdly convoluted and the animal stories at the end didn’t make a ton of sense to me. It was a good way to read the story, but I think I’ll stick with the Disney movie.
That’s everything I read in June! What did you read?
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