June Reads
Summer reads in full bloom, under a strawberry moon!
June means summer! Summer means reading! ☀️📚
I’m remembering, fondly, the years of my youth spent reading the summer days away. I was a frequent flyer of my small town library, reading every single book in The Baby-Sitters Club and Boxcar Children series. Reading by the pool or on the banks of the pond, on a blanket in the grass next to the growing corn stalks, in my bedroom, in the park gazebo, on the couch… the only time I wasn’t reading in the summer was when I was riding my bike in town and hanging out with friends. And even then, I probably had a book in my bag.
Not much has changed. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Thankfully, I now have the Libby app — to get library books at a simple tap of my finger — and memberships with Barnes & Noble and Book of the Month to satisfy my reading urge. I have stacks of books waiting patiently for me to crack them open (and I will, I swear!), and I can continue to rarely be without a book.
With every book I finish, I smile thinking about how happy getting back into reading has made me over the last couple of years. I might still be trying to escape reality and avoiding social media/online news, but I know it’s more because I genuinely enjoy getting lost in stories. It’s helping me with my own writing, too. Which, speaking of, I’ll be back to publishing essays and more soon, I promise!!
All of this is to say… just, read more. We could all use a little more reading in our lives. It’s honestly the best. 🩷
You know I love sharing my reading stats. For June — total books read: 9!
The breakdown:
Fiction: 5
Nonfiction/memoir: 4
Library: all 9!
Total so far, for 2025: 58!!!!
I am now only TWO away from my 2025 goal (which was set at 60 all the way back in January). Wild.
When I counted up the books read for June, I saw all of them came via my Libby app. I have so many physical books on my shelf that I can’t wait to dive into… I’m going to cool it on the holds for a month-ish and start devouring those. My Book of the Month picks for June are begging to be read, among many others. Check back next month to see what actually happens!
As always, if you have a recommendation or something you know I’ll love to read, please put it in the comments, DM me, send a smoke signal, tell me on Goodreads — basically, whatever it takes to get the book on my TBR!
Also, just to keep it top-of-mind, please refer to the Instagram post on what my star ratings mean. My three stars might be your five, you never know!
FICTION
THIS BOOK WILL BURY ME, by Ashley Winstead
Who it’s for: True crime + fiction lovers, being a perfect combination of the two
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Exciting. Oh, to leave it all behind and become a full-time amateur slueth!! That’s exactly what Jane ends up doing. Reeling from the sudden death of her father, Jane finds herself engulfed in a local murder, becoming active within a popular forum (Reddit vibes). She becomes [online] friends with a small group of armchair detectives (one an actual former detective) and shortly after she meets them, a horrific murder occurs in a small Idaho town (echoing the Moscow Murders). The group decides to head to Idaho to help solve the crime. This book is styled as a story Jane is telling, a year later, to shed light on the events that transpired up to and through solving the case. I loved the voice, the structure, and how the story unfolded. If you are into true crime at all, you will really enjoy this one!
THE SUMMER WE RAN, by Audrey Ingram
Who it’s for: Lovers of love, secrets, and people finding each other again
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Dramatic (in a great way). Tess is running for governor against Grant — they act like they don’t know each other, but we find out they dated the summer before he went to college. Grant comes from a long line of rich, legacy folks and Tess is referred to as a “bumpkin” at one point, and that’s really all you need to know about why their summer romance was frowned upon by the adults around them. They went through some major, never spoke or saw each other again after that summer, and they meet face to face on the debate stage decades later. What unfolds is their history, which is full of emotion in both timelines. This is a wonderful story, with the unresolved feelings between the main characters being so well written. This isn’t my typical type of read (not a thriller, I mean) and I really enjoyed it.
THE RETURN OF ELLIE BLACK, by Emiko Jean
Who it’s for: Thrilling fiction and incredible suspense
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Enthralling. I’ve had this book on my list since it was released and finally got around to it. Ellie Black went missing and suddenly reappears, upending the life of the detective tasked with her case (who is mostly in that line of work because her own sister vanished a couple of decades prior). Ellie won’t talk about what happened to her while she was gone, which hinders the investigation into her disappearance… which also seems similar to the circumstances of some other missing girls from the area. I promise you, you aren’t ready for the twists this book delivers. Read it.
COMFORT ME WITH APPLES, by Catherynne M. Valente
Who it’s for: Those who dig a fantasy with some underlying horror elements
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Strange. Picked up this little shorty (clocks in at about 100 pages, depending your reading device) because it had good reviews and was a finalist for some coveted literary awards. Sophia just needs to be happy, because she was made for her husband! Except she’s not, and she can’t quite figure out why… things in the house are just a little too big for her, she’s not allowed in the basement, and her husband is always traveling for work. Things begin to unravel after they attend a neighborhood party together. It was weird, but very well-written and I couldn’t put it down because I just had to figure out what the hell was going on!
PARK AVENUE, by Renée Ahdieh
Who it’s for: People who love a good beach or vacation read
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fabulous. This was billed to have Succession vibes — it had a little bit of that, but enough to get me to open it up. I was hooked from the jump. Jia is a junior partner at her law firm and is brought in to help with a potential major acquisition. She gets deeply involved with a very rich family, who are sure their father is hiding most of their fortune in order to keep it for himself. She has to sort through the intricate web that this family finds themselves caught within, and quickly. My only regret is that I wasn’t on a beach or vacation to read this one — seriously. A great read for your summer — whether you’re traveling, lying by the pool, or staying cool indoors.
NONFICTION
PROPAGANDA GIRLS, by Lisa Rogak
Who it’s for: History buffs
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Interesting. This book goes into the work of four women who were employed with the OSS — Office of Strategic Services, which eventually became the CIA after the Second World War. These women created propaganda within different theaters of the war, helping the Allies become victorious. It details the work they did — forging letters, writing broadcasts, developing rumors for opposition spies to run with — and how we might not have won the war without their help. It was a great read, highly recommend it!
THE TRUE HAPPINESS COMPANY, by Veena Dinavahi
Who it’s for: Those who like stories of people leaving cults
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Vulnerable. This was a great listen! Veena Dinavahi shares the story of how she got involved in a cult, which is actually never named (True Happiness Company is a moniker, and so is the name of the person who ran it)… which of course leads me to believe this person/cult is still ripping off people. Anyway, Veena’s parents found the leader in a moment of distress, when Veena was hospitalized for a failed suicide attempt. What unfolds is how she found herself under the thumb of this leader, who then orchestrated her marriage and everything in her life. She has a slow realization and finally gets away. This is such an important story — even the smartest, strongest people can be susceptible to falling into a cult or scheme. Stay vigilant!
FROM HERE TO THE GREAT UNKNOWN, by Lisa Marie Presley & Riley Keough
Who it’s for: People who love a memoir from a high-profile celebrity
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Emotional. This memoir was not long enough. Lisa Marie asked her daughter, Riley, to help her finish her memoir about a month before she died. Riley did a bang-up job putting the rest of her mother’s story together, and weaved in her own experiences of living as Lisa Marie’s daughter. Lisa Marie’s life was so interesting and to see how Riley was able to weave their stories together in one unforgettable memoir was wonderful.
SAY EVERYTHING, by Ione Skye
Who it’s for: Those who love a tell-all penned by a GenX celeb icon
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Dishy. You know her as the lead in Say Anything and a bunch of other roles in your favorite 80s/90s films. She dated the lead singer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers when she was just sixteen (he was in his mid-twenties at the time). She ran around with the biggest stars of that time and didn’t shy away from saying everything (ha, there’s the title!). She takes us through her childhood, adolescence, and where she is now. This was a pretty good memoir, especially if you know Skye and the people who were in her orbit.
All the (non-affiliate) links for the books reviewed go to Bookshop.org, a wonderful site where you can purchase your books and support your local independent bookstore(s). 📚
Check out past reads by clicking here. See what my star ratings mean on Instagram.
Follow me on Goodreads!
Join the Book of the Month Club and get your first book for $5!
Want to support me and my writing? You can click this button below 👇🏻 to do just that!
