Skip to main content

June Wrap-Up

Books Read This Month

  1. The Two-Family House by Lynda Cohen Loigman
  2. All You Can Ever Know by Nicole Chung
  3. The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
  4. Under the Table: Saucy Tales from Culinary School by Katherine Darling
  5. The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater
  6. Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater
  7. The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater
  8. 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos by Jordan B. Peterson

Favorite Book Series This Month

Clearly, The Raven Cycle, judging by the pace at which I went through the whole thing... and I'm considering reading them all over again. The Raven Boys starts off as a contemporary Gothic paranormal Harry Potter, but the series evolves into a found family epic (and romance) featuring several of the most individual characters I've ever met in fiction. It's got me interested in tarot cards like I've never been, sighing over an unlikely, unexpected, and perfect couple, and terrified of dreams (and Latin). I had such a book hangover, the first thing I did after finishing the last book was text a friend who also NEEDS to read it. Thank you so much for the repeated recommendations from Paper Fury for getting me to read these! These are definitely YA in content and at the same time so far beyond YA in complexity, theme, construction, and the characters, the characters...I've already preordered the first book in the sequel trilogy, Call Down the Hawk. 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

My Reactions to Common Book Buzzwords or Phrases

I'm trying to post but take it easy, so I'm including my reactions to some of the example buzzwords Jana used in the prompt, plus any more I think of. I had some very strong and immediate reactions, probably since these buzzwords are so common, especially in romance and the romantasy that's ultrapopular these days! Happy Top Ten Tuesday! My Reactions to Common Book Buzzwords or Phrases Phrase: "Morally grey characters" My Reaction: NO. Why?: I'm thoroughly sick of this trend, especially because it typically means "morally grey male love interest" which typically actually means "I fell in love with a serial killer BUT HE LOOOOVES ME." No. Don't get me wrong, I can and do enjoy genuinely nuanced characters and I do not expect anyone, much less a fictional character, to be perfect nor do I want them to be, but if I see that phrase, I think Rhysand, or, at best, Christian Grey, and I'm just not into that. (But if you are, you're ...

Books On My Fall 2025 To-Read List

It's already mid-fall, so I've already read some of these, but I imagine I'll finish more before the fall is out! I'm reading quite widely these days--I seem to be reading 3-6 books at any given time, because of book clubs, yes, but also mood, format, and availability. Happy Top Ten Tuesday! Books On My Fall 2025 To-Read List An Amateur Witch's Guide to Murder by K. Valentin--I received this ebook for review from LibraryThing, and I've never been quite so pleased with my choices! This was a hilarious ride from the get-go and crammed full of witchy Goth kid oddities and gore--a perfect Halloween read, and hopefully the beginning of a series! A Bridesmaid's Guide to Murder by Abigail Scott--Another ebook I received for review from LibraryThing--and whatever it is, books ending in "Guide to Murder" are killing it for me these days! (Let's not look too deep...) I'm not finished, but I'm loving it so far. Don't Forget to Write by Sara Go...

Cozy/Atmospheric Reads

I love this topic for rejoining Top Ten Tuesday!  I'm trying to lean in as much as possible to the coziness of fall and the upcoming winter season. I've done a lot better with that the last few years. Just because it isn't my favorite doesn't mean I can't enjoy it. Plus, some books I'm reading lately that are apropos for the Halloween atmosphere pervading my neighborhood this month at least.  Cozy/Atmospheric Reads Adenashire, a Cozy Fantasy Book Series by J. Penner--These books are the epitome of cozy fantasy with distinctive characters from a variety of creative fantasy backgrounds, including orcs, fennex, and gargoyles. The Bloodstained Key by Charity Rau--Not so cozy, but stiflingly atmospheric--a Gothic novel set inside a fairytale. The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic by Breanne Randall--Really captures the cozy atmosphere of a small town and a trove of magical family secrets. An Amateur Witch's Guide to Murder by K. Valentin--I don...