June was a pretty good reading month despite being incredibly busy. I had a lot of fun with the books I read and I got in some pretty good books that I was and am quite excited about. I ended up reading 19 books, which I’m pretty happy with.
Books Hauled in June:
- Lore Olympus Volume 4 by Rachel Smythe
- The Whispers by Ashley Audrain
- Always Isn’t Forever by J.C. Cervantes
- Cherish by Tracy Wolff
- Girls Like Girls by Hayley Kiyoko
- Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Fairies by Heather Fawcett
- The Measure by Nikki Erlick
- Some Shall Break by Ellie Marney
- One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston
- Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
- Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley
- Foul Lady Fortune by Chloe Gong
- She Started It by Sian Gilbert
- Giant Days Volume 13 by John Allison
- Zero Days by Ruth Ware
- The Only One Left by Riley Sager
- You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight by Kalynn Bayron
- Night Film by Marisha Pessl
Books Read in June:
1. Bunny by Mona Awad
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: This book was so weird. It was like a trainwreck: I couldn’t look away. So many weird things happened and I’m not really sure I fully understand what happened, but I’m pretty sure that I had a good time. Overall, I’m glad that I read it. It provoked some interesting questions.
2. Charm by Tracy Wolff
Rating: 3 Stars
Format: Audiobook
Review: This was my least favourite in the series to be honest. I get why it exists because it’s good to fill in those gaps while also setting up for the next book, but I felt like it could be a lot shorter than it was. I still enjoy Grace and Hudson as characters, but it was kind of hard to read this initial version of their love story.
3. In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce
Rating: 5 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: I reread this by reading it aloud to my at the time fiance but now husband. Certain aspects of the story don’t hold up as well, but I still have such a soft spot in my heart for this world and these storylines. I still love the characters and the way the story develops. There is some really good action.
4. The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: This book was really interesting. I found that it had a unique premise. I’ve read things with a similar vibe but nothing quite like this, and it made it rather hard to put down. I also really enjoyed the main character and the way she saw the world, with slightly the perspective of an outsider. There were some spooky/scary parts that I found really interesting. I also found the world building was quite well done. However, I was quite satisfied with where it ended, and I don’t think that I want to read the sequel.
5. A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: This was another re-read for a class at work. I still really enjoy the storyline and watching students engage with the play.
6. Giant Days Volume 11 by John Allison
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: I love these characters and the episodic nature of the volumes. They are well written and well illustrated. I have a lot of fun with the stories.
7. Giant Days Volume 12 by John Allison
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
8. The Buried and the Bound by Rochelle Hassan
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: I love a good urban fantasy and the inclusion of fantasy elements in a world that is recognizably our own. This book did a great job at that. I liked the three alternating points of view, though I think that Aziza was my favourite and my favourite character. There was some interesting magic systems and good twists that kept me guessing. I wanted all of the answers, but I recognize that it’s a first book so I will just have to read the sequel.
9. A Wilderness of Stars by Shea Ernshaw
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: I think this is probably not my favourite Shea Ernshaw book, but I still gave it four stars so I have to admit that I still had a really good time. I love the way that she writes. She has a beautiful writing style. This book is well written and has a unique vibe to the world building. The characters were interesting and it was definitely well paced. It caught me a little off guard because it was sci-fi, but I ended up enjoying it.
10. The Woman Who Rides Like a Man by Tamora Pierce
Rating: 5 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: I really enjoyed my re-read. I feel like Alanna developed a lot as a character in this third book, and came more into her own as she lived among the Bazhir. It’s perhaps not as eventful as the book before or after, but I think it’s still a really important part of Alanna’s story.
11. Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Audiobook
Review: I really enjoyed re-reading this book and revisiting the brief romance between Celaena and Chaol. I liked seeing more of the world that SJM built. I’m looking forward to reading the next one again.
12. Reena: A Father’s Story by Manjit Virk
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: I am glad that I read this memoir. It was very interesting to read from Reena’s father’s perspective and what life was like for them before and after Reena’s death. It was a hard read, but it was a good one.
13. The Maidens by Alex Michaelides
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Audiobook
Review: This was definitely a twisty story. I think it was well-written and well-paced. The storyline definitely kept me guessing about what was going to happen next. I also liked the references to the author’s first book.
14. Giant Days Volume 13 by John Allison
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
15. Giant Days Volume 14 by John Allison
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
16. The Measure by Nikki Erlick
Rating: 5 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: I loved this book. It was a really unique premise that brought up some really interesting discussion for me. It was was very well-written and I really liked how we got the perspectives of all the different characters. It provided a well-rounded perspective of the different sides of the issue and how it affected different aspects of life. I liked seeing the ways they felt about the strings. I think this was my favourite read of June.
17. The Island by Natasha Preston
Rating: 3 Stars
Format: Audiobook
Review: I feel like Natasha Preston hates a happy or hopeful ending for her characters, and there’s something about that that just doesn’t work for me. I don’t need the characters to have a perfect ending, but I like a little bit of hope.
18. The Only One Left by Riley Sager
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: I really enjoyed this book. It had a really interesting premise and I loved the way it was laid out and executed. I liked the eerie decrepitness of the remote mansion and the bits of the past mixed in with the ‘present’ day storyline. The story was well-written, and I enjoyed that it was set in the past because that made for some interesting features. I found myself really compelled to finish the story and just wanted to read it.
19. You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight by Kaylynn Bayron
Rating: 5 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: This was such a good book. It felt like I was reading a slasher flick in the best way possible. I had so much fun on every page. There was some spooky moments and good moments of conspiracy. I really liked the main character and the setting of a full contact horror experience. I also really enjoyed the length as well because I love a really good short book.
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