Searching for a great book? Check out everything I read in June 2023 ... from thrillers to speculative fiction, family dramas, and more, there's a little something for everyone!
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I just got back from an epic trip to the UK, so this month's reading list is a little behind schedule (for good reason though). Our trip started out in London, a city I always love visiting, then we took a train to Liverpool. It was my first time in Liverpool, and it was such a cool city. I had so much fun!
Next, we spent in a few days in the gorgeous Ribble Valley ... I just love the English countryside! Before heading to Manchester on our last day, we managed to squeeze in a side trip to nearby Haworth to check out the Brontë's stomping grounds, and the weather was appropriately dreary (lol). I didn't get much reading done on this trip, and I'm still recovering from jet lag, but it was a great vacation overall.
Back to June. I finished nine books last month, including three audiobooks and one book of poetry. A little bit of everything, even some nonfiction, which is not my go to. I'm loving audiobooks lately (I typically listen on Scribd) ... they really make boring chores and work tasks fly by!
My favorite book this month was Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel. This book has so many levels and is such a gem! I read her book The Glass Hotel a couple years ago, and loved that one as well, so clearly I need to read her other books ASAP.
Did you read anything worth recommending this month? I'd love to hear about it in the comments!
Books I Read in June 2023
I've included links for all of these books on Bookshop.org and Amazon so you can easily find them, as well as my ratings for each book (one star is lowest / five stars is highest).
The Nineties by Chuck Klosterman
The 1990s was an era of massive change, and you can relive it all in The Nineties! From the rise the rise of the internet to pre-9/11 politics, changes regarding race, class, and sexuality, and the concept of selling out (plus everything in between), this book takes a critical look back at the years that marked the greatest shift in human consciousness of any decade in American history.
Considering how popular 90's fashion, music, and culture is right now, this book (which came out last year) feels very well-timed. I was in high school and college during the nineties, so I found this book to be a fun (and sometimes disturbing lol) look back at the decade! It covers everything from music to politics to historic events, and with the benefit of hindsight, takes a critical eye to the decade. I listened to the audiobook (it's narrated by Klosterman and another narrator), and I'd recommend it to anyone who is curious to learn more about the nineties (especially if you lived through them).
Order on Bookshop.org or Amazon | My Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 out of 5 stars)
Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano
If you enjoy family dramas, check out Hello Beautiful! In this homage to Little Women, William (who grew up in a tragedy-stricken family with parents who barely acknowledged him) falls in love with Julia during his freshman year of college. Julia comes from a close-knit family, and she and her three sisters are inseparable. Within this new family, William finally experiences contentment, but when the darkness from his past resurfaces, it threatens Julia's plans for their future and the sister's devotion to each other.
I'm a little torn about this book. I was drawn in by all the rave reviews, and while I loved parts of it, I thought other parts really dragged. The first part of the book felt slow to me and not very engaging, and I had a hard time sympathizing with Julia's character. Around the middle though, the story picked up, and I thought the ending was great. William's story was very compelling and heartbreaking, and I enjoyed the themes of sisterly love, friendship, and chosen family. Overall, I'd definitely recommend it, even if it felt a bit uneven.
Order on Bookshop.org or Amazon | My Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 out of 5 stars)
Yellowface by R.F. Kuang
If you're looking for a book with a main character you'll love to hate, check out Yellowface! Athena Liu and June Hayward are "friends" and novelists, but while Athena becomes a literary darling, June's first book flops. One night, June witnesses Athena's death in a freak accident, and she impulsively steals the draft of Athena's next book. After editing the manuscript, which is about Chinese laborers' unsung contributions during World War I, June sends the novel to her agent as her own work. Her publisher soon rebrands her as Juniper Song (complete with an ethnically ambiguous author photo), and the book quickly becomes a best-seller. When evidence emerges that June's success is stolen, she needs to decide how far she'll go to protect the success she thinks she deserves.
This books is pretty dark! Overall, I enjoyed the story with a pretty big caveat ... I'm just not the biggest fan of first person perspective novels where the main character is kind of evil. And you catch on pretty quick that you're not going to like June / Juniper! I need someone to root for, so I only have myself to blame for choosing this book (lol). That said, I did like the story, plus the themes of cultural appropriation and racism are very timely (it's a pretty cutting look at the publishing industry). It also touches on social media and how some books become bestsellers simply due to hype surrounding them, while others without the same media love simply languish.
Order on Bookshop.org or Amazon | My Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 out of 5 stars)
Crazy Stupid Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams
The romantic escapades of the Bromance Book Club series continue in Crazy Stupid Bromance! In this book, a hacktavist and a cat cafe owner need to decide whether or not they should risk moving beyond the friend zone. After Alexis helps take down a toxic celebrity chef, other victims of sexual harassment begin flocking to her cafe. Seeking support, she leans on her best friend Noah (a computer genius and the only man she can trust) for support. Noah is secretly in love with Alexis, but he's not sure if the timing is right to confess, so he turns to his buddies in The Bromance Book Club for help.
I've really been loving this series, and would recommend it to other rom com fans! While I wouldn't rank this as my favorite book in the series, I still really enjoyed it (it was the perfect escape after reading a couple darker books). The two main characters here both have a lot of baggage, so it was fun to see their romance progress (things get steamy!). If you're a fan of the friends to lovers trope, check it out. Another thing I love about this series, is that the characters are recurring ... I'm looking forward to the next book which is about the Russian!
Order on Bookshop.org or Amazon | My Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 out of 5 stars)
The Nigerwife by Vanessa Walters
A perfect life is not quite what it seems in The Nigerwife! Nicole left behind gloomy London and her family's troubled past for a sunny new life in Lagos. And she seems to have it all: a handsome husband, luxurious home, and a glamorous circle of friends. But when she disappears without a trace and the lackluster investigation stalls, her estranged auntie Claudine takes matters into her own hands. Claudine's investigation slowly uncovers the cracks in Nicole's seemingly perfect life, while threatening to reveal the long buried secrets of her own past.
I listen to the audiobook of The Nigerwife, and I really loved it! The story was quite compelling, and the narrators did an excellent job with the two main characters. I enjoyed the peek into Nicole's everyday life, and the lives of other wealthy Lagosians, many of whom were quite unhappy. The book speaks to the effects of generational trauma, and the search for love and happiness. As the story progresses, secrets are revealed and your perspective on the main characters changes. I was slightly disappointed by the ending, but overall I'd highly recommend it!
Order on Bookshop.org or Amazon | My Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 out of 5 stars)
Your Emergency Contact Has Experienced an Emergency by Chen Chen
If you're looking for a timely collection of poems, check out Your Emergency Contact Has Experienced an Emergency! The uniquely-structured poems in this book explore themes of family (chosen and blood), as experienced by a queer Asian American living in the era of Trump, mass shootings, and the pandemic.
I'm not a huge poetry reader (I tend to default to fiction), but I've been challenging myself to read more poems this year. This was a wonderful collection! It's filled sadness and heartbreak (especially the poems about his family), but also humor and love. Many of the poems were set in Texas, and I found that feeling of being surrounded by conservatives (when you're not one) especially relatable.
Order on Bookshop.org or Amazon | My Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 out of 5 stars)
The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz
An aspiring author's dream becomes a nightmare in The Writing Retreat! Just when Alex's dream of becoming a published author feels out of reach, she's invited to an exclusive writing retreat hosted by renowned author Roza Vallo. She quickly accepts the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, even though her former best friend Wren has also been invited. When the Alex and her fellow attendees arrive at Roza's secluded estate, they're shocked to learn that they must write an entire novel in one month, and the winner will receive a lucrative publishing deal. Alex is determined to win, but Roza's erratic behavior, Wren's cruel mind games, and other mysterious happenings begin to feel sinister. When another writer disappears during a snowstorm, Alex must beat the clock to avoid suffering the same fate.
I wanted to love this one (the plot and setting were right up my alley), but I had a really hard time getting into it and ending up feeling disappointed. The books starts off slowly, and the story felt very juvenile, almost more of a young adult book. Alex herself was supposed to be about 30, but she seemed very immature (I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator definitely contributed to this). The book also ends up being more horror than thriller (with a hefty dose of erotic thrown in), not what I expected. And I don't want to give anything away, but the storyline felt implausible and the twists were over the top. That said, this book has lots of fans, so don't let me stop you from picking it up if you're intrigued!
Order on Bookshop.org or Amazon | My Rating ⭐⭐⭐ (3 out of 5 stars)
Breasts and Eggs by Mieko Kawakami
Looking for a story about contemporary womanhood in Japan? Then check out Breasts and Eggs! This book has two parts, and it's told from the perspective of Natsu, an aspiring writer. In the first part, Makiko and her daughter Midoriko travel from Osaka to Tokyo to visit her sister Natsu. Over the course of their short visit, each woman confronts their fears and family secrets. In the second part which takes place eight years later, Natsu, who is treading water in her career and struggling with anxiety about growing old alone and childless, searches for peace on a trip back to her native Osaka.
I really loved this unique book! It's one of those stories that's more about character than plot (although a lot happens), and the themes of loneliness, family relationships and friendships, uncertainty, and body autonomy were poignant. The author also painted a wonderful sense of place and character between the book's two timelines ... I found myself googling Natsu's Tokyo neighborhood after I finished reading the book! I'm looking forward to reading more of this author's work.
Order on Bookshop.org or Amazon | My Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 out of 5 stars)
Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel
Travel from Vancouver Island in 1912 to a moon colony 500 years later in Sea of Tranquility! Following his exile from polite society, 18-year-old Edwin St. Andrew travels to Canada. While wandering the forest one day, he's shocked when he unexpectedly hears the notes of a violin echoing in an airship terminal. Two centuries later, Olive Llewellyn travel to Earth and leaves behind her family and moon colony home to promote her book (which contains a strange passage about a man who plays his violin in the corridor of an airship terminal as a forest rises around him). When Gaspery-Jacques Robert is hired to investigate an abnormality in the Canadian wilderness, he discovers a series of upended lives: the exiled son of an earl driven to madness, a writer trapped far from home while a pandemic ravages Earth, and Garpery's childhood friend from the black-skied Night City, who has discovered a way to disrupt the universe's timeline.
While I may have struggled to describe this book concisely (in a way that actually makes sense lol), Sea of Tranquility was truly my favorite book this month! It's one of those stories that you have to read for yourself. It's very unique, and while difficult to describe, all the threads of the story become clear as you read it. There was something so beautiful and touching about this book, too! I definitely recommend reading it, especially if you enjoy speculative fiction.
Order on Bookshop.org or Amazon | My Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5 out of 5 stars)
And that's a wrap for June! I hope you found some reading inspiration here! Have you read any of these books, or do you have any books you'd recommend? Let me know if the comments!
Looking for more great books? Check out all the books I read in May 2023 and April 2023, plus this roundup of my Favorite Books from 2022 that I created for bookshop.org!
