6 Books I Read in June
6 Books I Read in June
By: Brittany Shields
I don’t know about you guys, but June was a busy month for me!
I didn’t get as much time to read because it seems I’m always taking the kids out to parks or pools or finding fun activities for them to stay busy with!
So in June I managed to read 6 books.
3 are new releases, 1 is a very popular book I finally decided to try, and 2 of them were kinda flops for me.
I still have more books to read as part of my Goodreads Choice Awards Reading Challenge and my list of Most Anticipated Books in 2022 and none of these were part of those lists. We shall see what books I get to in July!
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Spotlight of the Month:
This month’s spotlight is Breathless by Amy McCulloch! If you’ve seen Cliffhanger or Vertical Limit, it has the same kind of dangerous thriller elements and would make a good movie.
Plus it has some inspiration from real life experiences (not the murder part) that were interesting to learn more about via a Netflix documentary I reference in my full review.
I love books that make me google stuff and want to learn more, and it’s even better when it’s an intense thriller!
1. A Forgery of Roses by Jessica S. Olson
Genre: Fantasy/Ya/Mystery
“Everything is a calculated move in this house. Nothing is as it seems. Ever.”
“I’m so sorry… I always do this. Every time I care about someone, I find some way to destroy them.”
I loved Olson’s debut novel, Sing Me Forgotten, and enjoyed this one too.
Myra is a prodigy which means when she paints people’s portraits she has the magical power to change them. But prodigies are feared not revered and she must keep her power a secret.
When she is forced to help solve the mystery of the death of the governor’s son, her and her sister’s lives hang in the balance.
Mostly mystery with a bit of romance.
It’s an intense (and clean!) read with a compelling plot, likable protagonist, and great writing.
Read my full review for more plot details, quotes, and why I love the title.
2. Start Without Me (I’ll Be There in a Minute) by Gary Janetti
Genre: Memoir/Humor/Nonfiction
The back of the book says- “Gary Janetti is bothered. By a lot of things. And thank God he’s here to tell us.”
I should probably start by saying that I had no idea who Gary Janetti was before I read this book. I entered a Goodreads giveaway for the book because it was marketed as a funny book and I like funny things.
Janetti is writer and producer for Family Guy and Will & Grace, which are both popular shows, so I’m assuming a lot of people would find this book funny. There’re lots of positive reviews to that affect.
Unfortunately, for me, this book didn’t do it.
Read my review to see the parts that I found funny and those that I didn’t. And some other random ponderings this book evoked.
3. Breathless by Amy McCulloch
Genre: Suspense/Thriller
“There were even more ways to die on the mountain than she had imagined.”
How would you like to be a vulnerable mountain climber on a precarious peak with not only natural dangers to worry about, but a murderer?!
That’s where Cecily finds herself in Breathless.
But who is it and why won’t anyone take her seriously? Is it just altitude sickness affecting her judgment?
Let’s just say… you’ll want to take a peak at this book…
Fun fact: The author of this book climbed one of the most dangerous mountains in the world which inspired this book.
Read my full review to get some interesting background info, fun facts, more plot details, and a recommendation for a corresponding Netflix documentary to watch after you read this!
4. Why We Argue and How to Stop: A Therapist’s Guide to Navigating Disagreements, Managing Emotions, and Creating Healthier Relationships by Jerry Manney
Genre: Nonfiction
"Practice makes progress.”
"Try different, not harder.”
If you’re like me and you never argue, I guess you don’t need this book…
And if you’re also like me, then it’s hard to admit that you argue too much.
So maybe it wouldn’t be a bad idea to see what we could do better at.
As they term it, consider this book AFGE: Another Freakin’ Growth Experience!
This book is a little similar to Kim and Penn Holderness’s book Everybody Fights: So Why Not Get Better at It?.
Whether or not you can apply all of Manney’s suggestions, I think you’ll find some valuable things to help you communicate better with your family, friends, and coworkers.
Read my full review for a list of my personal takeaways!
5. Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
Genre: Fiction
“There are scars on my heart, just as thick, as disfiguring as those on my face. I know they’re there. I hope some undamaged tissue remains, a patch through which love can come in and flow out. I hope.”
Eleanor Oliphant is fine. She has her job and her routine and she needs no one else.
Except she’s not.
This book is the witty and heartfelt account of how Eleanor Oliphant discovers that she is not fine and that loneliness is killing her. She has to deal with her past and her toxic relationship with her mother to figure out that people are important.
We need each other.
I love that message of this book.
Read my review to learn more about what makes Eleanor so endearing and learn some new UK vocabulary.
(Also this might become a movie soon, so if you haven’t read it yet, you probably want to!)
6. P.S. I Still Love You (To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before #2) by Jenny Han
Genre: YA/Romance
“I want to have it all, and to have it all, you have to risk it all.”
I read To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (Book 1) back in November. Well we wanted to watch the second movie on Netflix so of course I needed to read the book first.
In short: Didn’t love it. Didn’t hate it.
I have a feeling I might like the movie better than the book. Will update once I can compare.
This book takes up right where the first book leaves off. Lara Jean and Peter have to deal with an embarrassing video of them that goes viral.
And Lara Jean gets herself into a new love triangle. Josh is out and John Ambrose McClaren is in.
Who will she choose?
Read my review for more of my thoughts on why I wasn’t a huge fan of this book and to see a full book/movie comparison.
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