What I Read in June

22 books down in June! This is absurd behaviour I know. But also, as I write this, it is halfway through July and I've only finished one book. I think I burnt myself out!

I had a week and half off in June and it was so incredible and much needed. I spent a week up north where there was a lot of unplugging, resting, relaxing, and reading. I took a very carefully curated (of course) stack of books, focusing on some upcoming new releases and books I own I wanted to get to. I'm really happy with what I read! Check out mini reviews for each below.

Blew me out of the water; loved! (5 stars)

These Impossible Things by Salma El-Wardany: I devoured and loved this book which follows three best friends as they drift apart and then are pulled back together. El-Wardany navigates some heavy themes (love, sex, faith, family and tradition) with delicacy and in a way that’s so readable (I read this within 24 hours) without being exploitative. It’s one of those books where I immediately missed the main characters after reading. I want to know how Malak, Kees, and Jenna are doing! But I have a feeling they’re just fine.

You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi: Akwaeke Emezi’s ability to dive in to new genres and absolutely kill it is astounding. I will forever compare every romance I read going forward to this one. It is that good. Also - the food descriptions are amazing and think this would be a perfect summer book. This literary romance is divine!

When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill: A fantastical feminist story that will make you want to burn it all down. A story dedicated to Christine Blasey Ford about a mass dragooning of the 1950s (where women randomly turn into dragons). It’s so good!

The Divorce Party by Laura Dave: Oh hello? I absolutely loved this book. I was worried about reading another Dave because I LOVED The Last Thing He Told Me and my standards were unfair but I ended up loving this one.This book takes place over the course of a day - the day that Gwyn and Thomas are throwing their divorce party after 35 years of marriage. Their son, Nate is bringing his fiancé (her first time meeting his fam IRL) and their daughter Georgia is 8.5 mos pregnant with her musician, noncommittal baby daddy. The characters, pacing, and setting were great (I got Malibu Rising vibes) and there were two moments where I GASPED.

It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover: I was worried about re-readin gthis one and not loving it as much as I loved it the first time. But it holds up! I forgot how little Atlas is in it - so that makes me so much more excited for the sequel coming out this fall. This is another book where the author's note is incredible and gives so much context to the book. I also obsessed over this reread so much that my sister immediately read it after I did (and she finished it in a day)!!

Us Against You by Fredrik Backman: Oh man, I didn't think it was possible to love a sequel as much as the original, ubt here we are. I loved Bobo, Benji, Maya, Kira and Peter. I feel like I know these characters, like I run into them at the grocery store. I love Backman's writing so much and I CANNOT wait until the third and final Beartown book.

Nightcrawling by Leila Mottley: I don’t think there’s much about this book I can say that hasn’t already been said: it's poignant, vivid, beautifully written, and thought-provoking. Reading the author’s note made me appreciate it so much more. Even though it's a shorter read, the characters were deep, rich and so vivid that they'll stick with me for a long time. I'm glad I decided to savor this one and read it over the course of a week (vs binging it in a day)!

I can't believe this was written by a 17-year-old, and it was such a great choice for Oprah’s book club. Can’t wait to see what Mottley does next! Thank you McClelland and Stewart and Tandem for my copy.

I liked it! (4 stars)

Rivals by Katharine McGee: This was good! As always, a great escapist read and I can't wait for the fourth and final. I was most interested in Jeff and Nina's storyline this time around, and it ended on such a cliffhanger! Brittany Pressley is such a fantastic narrator - this was my first ever preordered audiobook!

This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub: A fun time travel, father/daughter love story. You rarely get stories like this and I loved it! The audio was fantastic, and I loved the NYC setting and 90s callbacks.

We Spread by Iain Reid: This book was so good: scary, thought-provoking, smart, and unputdownable. That's what you get with an Iain Reid book! A quick summary: Penny gets put into a home after a bad fall. She's suspicious of the owners and other residents and there's a chance something more sinister may be going on...

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han: So cute and readable! I liked the show more. The book is less love triangle, she's worse to Cam, there's less Steven, and Taylor is worse. I can really appreciate Han's work adapting the show. The soundtrack! Loved Laurel and Suzannah's friendship, and ended on such a cliffhanger! Look forward to finishing the series this afternoon.

What I Mean by Joan Didion: My first Didion! Her voice is so distinct. My favourite essays were Pretty Nancy, Why I Write, and EveryWoman.com. I like her character studies (particularly of other women) and her delving into the writing process. I immediately want to add her books to my birthday list!

The Jigsaw Man by Nadine Matheson: I really enjoyed this book!! Reminds me of the Unsub series by Meg Gardiner or the Caged series by Ellison Cooper. It's less about the "why" and more about the "why and how" will they stop the perp. I would love to see this as a mini series and can't wait to read the sequel! The lead detective was so badass, and the author is a criminal solicitor (which explains why the book is so well done)!

The Beach Trap by Ali Brady: This was cute! I found out of the two leads, one was MUCH more likable than the other, almost like the bratty one didn't have much character growth. I would have liked more humour and banter in the book, but still cute! The epilogue had me smiling.

It was good (3 stars)

Jameela Green Ruins Everything by Zarqa Nawaz: Very readable and outrageous. Very much got Finlay Donovan vibes. I liked the chemistry and relationship between the two main characters. I'm really leaning in to own voices reviews on this one because of the subject matter and how Muslims are portrayed (essentially a satire on terrorism). Thank you Random House/Tandem for my copy!

The Night Shift by Alex Finlay: This was very fun and nostalgic! The main detective in this one reminded me of Meg Gardiner's Unsub. I liked the multiple point of view chapters. Not my favourite thriller, but one of the better ones I've read in a while!

Imposter by Bradeigh Godfrey: This debut thriller may have won me over a bit more if I loved the MC (which I didn't). Why are all female leads in thrillers so unlikeable?! t was a bit too adjectivey for me and the plot was very predictable. But - it kept me company while waiting three hours at the airport. Thanks Netgalley and Blackstone for my copy!

Counterfeit by Kirstin Chen: This audiobook (thanks Libro.fm!) started off with a BANG and I was in it. Then it started to drape off a bit. Ava was a great character and I can definitely see this one as a movie.

Bad Vibes Only by Nora McInerny: I don't remember loving as much as 'No Happy Endings', but there were some relatable and funny stories. I can't help but wonder if because I follow and love authors like these (and hear from them all the time), by the time I read their book it almost feels less special.

The Truth About Ben and June by Alex Kiester: This debut is a really interesting, readable and necessary book on postpartum anxiety. I enjoyed the last third of the book the most when you were reading from June’s perspective firsthand vs previous journal entries and those in her life piecing together what happened. Although I love how this narrative choice shows how two people can experience or interpret an event in completely different ways. Thank you Harper Collins Canada for my copy!

Unimpressed (2 stars)

Acts of Violet by Margarita Montimore: The audio production of this was fantastic! I loved the full cast and multi-mediums. This book was way too long and lacked the magic that Montimore's debut (Oona Out of Order) had. I didn't love the ending/resolution of the story either. I had high hopes for this one! Thanks Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the early copy!

No rating

Woman of Light: by Kali Fajardo-Anstine: I cannot in good conscience rate this book because I was NOT paying attention whatsoever when I was listening to the audio. I had trouble sticking with this literary western.