June was a pretty good reading month! I decided to make a graphic because all the covers went together so beautifully.
You may notice that I didn't read anything for Caribbean American Heritage Month, and that is because I started my read late in the month, DNFed it after 15 pages, and didn't have time to pick another. Whoops!
Besides reading, I also managed to do two fun summer things in June: I went to the pool and I went on one of my favorite hikes, which ends up at the beach. Yay!
All descriptions are linked to Goodreads.
Fantasy/Sci-Fi Reading Challenge
The Foxglove King, by Hannah Whitten
★★★★
Genre: Fantasy
"In this lush, romantic new epic fantasy series from New York Times bestselling author Hannah Whitten, a young woman’s secret power to raise the dead plunges her into the dangerous and glamorous world of the Sainted King’s royal court." (From Goodreads)
This was everything I want in a fantasy novel, from the lovely writing to the complicated characters to the wonderfully detailed magic system and world building. Highly recommend!
The Fourth Consort, by Edward Ashton
★★★★.5
Genre: Sci-Fi
"Dalton Greaves is a hero. He’s one of humankind’s first representatives to Unity, a pan-species confederation working to bring all sentient life into a single benevolent brotherhood. That’s what they told him, anyway. The only actual members of Unity that he’s ever met are Boreau, a giant snail who seems more interested in plunder than spreading love and harmony, and Boreau’s human sidekick, Neera, who Dalton strongly suspects roped him into this gig so that she wouldn’t become the next one of Boreau’s crew to get eaten by locals while prospecting. Funny thing, though—turns out there actually is a benevolent confederation out there, working for the good of all life. They call themselves the Assembly, and they really don’t like Unity. More to the point, they really, really don’t like Unity’s new human minions. When an encounter between Boreau’s scout ship and an Assembly cruiser over a newly discovered world ends badly for both parties, Dalton finds himself marooned, caught between a stickman, one of the Assembly’s nightmarish shock troops, the planet’s natives, who aren’t winning any congeniality prizes themselves, and Neera, who might actually be the most dangerous of the three. To survive, he’ll need to navigate palace intrigue, alien morality, and a proposal that he literally cannot refuse, all while making sure Neera doesn’t come to the conclusion that he’s worth more to her dead than alive." (From Goodreads)
What's a surefire way to make a fantasy reader pick up a sci-fi book? Put "palace intrigue" in the blurb. Honestly, that's why I read The Fourth Consort. And it delivered! This is a snappy book with a complex main character (I loved how Dalton's present-day predicament was interspersed with scenes from his life prior to signing on with Unity, informing his actions and giving the reader into a glimpse of his thought process) and really interesting support characters. I loved the ending, and I kind of (like, really really) want a sequel?
Mood Reads
My Friends, by Fredrik Backman
★★★★
Genre: Fiction
"Fredrik Backman's signature charm, humor, and attention to the poignant details of everyday life are on full display in this funny, moving novel. His most heartfelt and personal tale yet, My Friends is a stunning testament to the transformative, timeless power of art and friendship." (From Goodreads)
In true Fredrik Backman fashion, none of the foreshadowing turns out to be what you think it is. Unfortunately, I feel like I wasn't in the mood to read this book when I read it. I look forward to coming back to it in a few years, though, and appreciating it anew. (I really did love it, Fredrik. Please keep writing stories.)
Under the Same Stars, by Libba Bray
★★★.5
Genre: YA Historical Fiction
"It was said that if you write to the Bridegroom’s Oak, the love of your life will answer back. Now, the tree is giving up its secrets at last. In 1940s Germany, Sophie is excited to discover a message waiting for her in the Bridegroom's Oak from a mysterious suitor. Meanwhile, her best friend, Hanna, is sending messages too—but not to find love. As World War II unfolds in their small town of Kleinwald, the oak may hold the key to resistance against the Nazis. In 1980s West Germany, American teen transplant Jenny feels suffocated by her strict parents and is struggling to fit in. Until she finds herself falling for Lena, a punk-rock girl hell-bent on tearing down the wall separating West Germany from East Germany, and meeting Frau Hermann, a kind old lady with secrets of her own. In Spring 2020, New York City, best friends Miles and Chloe are slogging through the last few months of senior year when an unexpected package from Chloe’s grandmother leads them to investigate a cold case about two unidentified teenagers who went missing under the Bridegroom’s Oak eighty years ago." (From Goodreads)
I really enjoyed this once I got to the second half and the three distinct storylines/POVs started coming together. What took this down from a four-star read for me was that I couldn't connect with Jenny's storyline in 1980 Berlin. Every time I got to one of her sections, I would at least sigh inwardly, if not put the book down to come back to later. I appreciate that Libba Bray was weaving in another instance of Germany's history, of love being resistance and resistance love (as well as Frau Hermann's story, which proves to be quite important), but unfortunately I just didn't connect with those sections. Also, perhaps it's because I was reading Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell (which does such a wonderful job of capturing the feel of the time period) at the same time, but the historical sections of Under the Same Stars felt a bit stilted to me. They lacked the immediacy of the 2020 sections. I didn't mind so much with the 1940-41 sections because those were told like a fairytale, and that worked. But again, the 1980 sections just didn't feel right. All in all, though, this is a book worth reading!
Daindreth's Outlaw, by Elisabeth Wheatley
★★★
Genre: Fantasy
"She broke her curse, but can they break his? Daindreth’s Outlaw is the sequel to Daindreth’s Assassin, continuing the story of the assassin who falls for the archduke she was sent to kill. Beauty and the Beast meets The Witcher in this fantasy romance that is sure to delight fans of Sarah J. Maas, Kristin Cashore, and Leigh Bardugo." (From Goodreads)
I didn't enjoy this as much as the first book, but the insane magical forest at the end somewhat made up for it. (Seriously, it was pretty creative.) The writing didn't seem as polished–there were a lot of choppy sentences and repetition, e.g.: "Caa Iss continued to chatter inside Daindreth's head. That incessant babble that had haunted so much of Daindreth's life. They neared the gates and as best Daindreth could tell, there were twenty or so guards ..."
The characters also "clipped" a lot (e.g. "'I happen to know that a Kadra'han's bond does not preclude lying,' Sair clipped"), which started to grate on my nerves. I guess I was more into the story than I thought, because looking back, the author seems to be allergic to "said" and "asked". In the space of two pages, I saw "gasped", "demanded", "snapped", and "panted" (twice), and only three "saids".
There was also this discrepancy – Sair: "You're left-handed?" Thadred: "Yes." And then, 32 pages later, we read: "[Thadred] reached up with his left hand–the one he could most easily live without if it was bitten off." I don't know about you, but I could most easily live without my NON-dominant hand.
This book felt like a bridge to the next step in the overarching plot; I have a feeling the next book will be better.
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, by Susanna Clarke
★★★★.5 stars
Genre: Historical Fantasy
"The year is 1806. England is beleaguered by the long war with Napoleon, and centuries have passed since practical magicians faded into the nation's past. But scholars of this glorious history discover that one remains: the reclusive Mr Norrell, whose displays of magic send a thrill through the country. Proceeding to London, he raises a beautiful woman from the dead and summons an army of ghostly ships to terrify the French. Yet the cautious, fussy Norrell is challenged by the emergence of another magician: the brilliant novice Jonathan Strange. Young, handsome and daring, Strange is the very antithesis of Norrell. So begins a dangerous battle between these two great men which overwhelms that between England and France. And their own obsessions and secret dabblings with the dark arts are going to cause more trouble than they can imagine." (From Goodreads)
I enjoyed this. My only complaint (and it is a large one) is that this book does NOT need to be 1,006 pages. Seriously, the story could be tightened up quite a bit. I'm still not exactly sure what the plot was.
The Fill-In Boyfriend, by Kasie West
★★★★.5 stars
Genre: Contemporary YA Romance
"When Gia Montgomery's boyfriend, Bradley, dumps her in the parking lot of her high school prom, she has to think fast. After all, she'd been telling her friends about him for months now. This was supposed to be the night she proved he existed. So when she sees a cute guy waiting to pick up his sister, she enlists his help. The task is simple: be her fill-in boyfriend—two hours, zero commitment, a few white lies. After that, she can win back the real Bradley. The problem is that days after prom, it's not the real Bradley she's thinking about, but the stand-in. The one whose name she doesn't even know. But tracking him down doesn't mean they're done faking a relationship. Gia owes him a favor and his sister intends to see that he collects: his ex-girlfriend's graduation party—three hours, zero commitment, a few white lies. Just when Gia begins to wonder if she could turn her fake boyfriend into a real one, Bradley comes waltzing back into her life, exposing her lie, and threatening to destroy her friendships and her new-found relationship." (From Goodreads)
I wish I could write characters as well as Kasie West: I mean, characters who have a clear flaw that they need to work through before they can get the guy and be happy. Gia was pretty flawed and, at times, kind of unlikable, but I was always rooting for her. Even Hayden had flaws that he needed to work through! They were clearly stated by Bec instead of shown, but everything she said corroborated with his actions, so I wasn't too mad about it. And Bec herself was a perfect supporting character and a great foil to Gia. I thoroughly enjoyed this!
Nonfiction
On Writing and Worldbuilding: Volume I, by Timothy Hickson
★★★★
Genre: Nonfiction
"Writing advice tends to be full of 'rules' and 'tips' which are either too broad to be helpful or outright wrong. In On Writing and Worldbuilding, we will discuss specific and applicable ideas to consider, from effective methods of delivering exposition and foreshadowing, to how communication, commerce, and control play into the fall of an empire." (From Goodreads)
I found this to be very helpful, as all of Mr. Hickson's videos are! I also underlined several things just because they were funny.
Paper TBR
The House of Mirth, by Edith Wharton (Audiobook)
★★★★
Genre: Classic
"Lily Bart, beautiful, witty and sophisticated, is accepted by ‘old money’ and courted by the growing tribe of nouveaux riches. But as she nears thirty, her foothold becomes precarious; a poor girl with expensive tastes, she needs a husband to preserve her social standing and to maintain her in the luxury she has come to expect. Whilst many have sought her, something – fastidiousness or integrity- prevents her from making a 'suitable' match." (From Goodreads)
I don't remember when, if ever, a book has made me so angry. True, Lily Bart is not Scarlett O'Hara-level infuriating, but she got close. *MASSIVE SPOILER INCOMING* And then she had the audacity to overdose and die just as Selden was about to declare his love for her! Why the hell didn't she marry him?!?! *END OF MASSIVE SPOILER* I was confused at first how she was 29 and still unmarried, especially in that time period and with her beauty and opportunities, but as the book went on and she passed up chance after chance at marriage, I understood. I was very invested in this book, and with each idiotic decision Lily made I got more fed up, yet I couldn't stop listening. If you want a classic that will make you feel things, this is it.
Reading Challenge Updates
Organized challenges I'm participating in:
2025 Cover Lovers Reading Challenge - 5 books
Fantasy/Sci-Fi Reading Challenge - 1.75 books
2025 New Release Challenge - 3 books
Personal challenges:
Books I Didn't Get to Last Year - 1 book
National Month - 0 books
Middle Grade - 0 books
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