So, throughout the month of June, I really felt like I was in a reading slump. For some reason it just felt like I wasn’t getting anything done! Looking back, however, I read 9 books sooooo I’m not mad at all.
I’m like a bit into July now, so a lot of my emotions about these books may have cooled a bit, but honestly, I’m pretty happy with everything I read last month. I think almost everything was a 4 or 5 star rating with a couple 3 stars sprinkled here and there.
I read mostly 2018 releases with a couple from previous years and one reread.
There was no rhyme or reason to any of the books I picked up this month. They were mostly books I knew I wanted to get to before the end of this year and one book that I had to get my hands on the day it was released.
If you want to hear all about the books I read and loved this past month, read on ahead.
The Way You Make Me Feel | Maurene Goo
I dived straight into this book after reading and loving Maurene Goo’s previous book I Believe In A Thing Called Love. I fell in love with her writing style and knew I needed to read more.
This book is similar in that it is about a Korean American girl in high school and that it is crazy hilarious. Everything else, however, is completely different.
The book follows the main character, a feisty high schooler with a penchant for pranks and trouble. After a prom prank gone awry, she and her arch nemesis must work together in her father’s Korean Brazilian food truck for the summer as a punishment.
There’s romance. There’s friendship. There’s a mom who’s an Instagram influencer. And, of course, there are some drool-worthy food descriptions.
If you’re into cute YA romances with laughs upon laughs thrown in, this is the book for you.
Vicious | V.E. Schwab
I’ve been putting off reading this book for months! Months! I fell in love with A Darker Shade of Magic last year and have been saving this read for as long as possible.
This story is oh so very different than that series but full of the same amazing writing and character building.
Going into this book, I was expecting something very different. I’m not exactly sure what, but it was not what I got. Not to say that is a bad thing. Just very unexpected.
The greatest surprise for me was that it’s set generally in our world and era. For some reason I was expecting a world without technology or cars or something? Not sure where I got that idea.
It’s kind of like a superhero story if the heroes were very very morally questionable. (Probably why she named the now-series Villians.)
It’s gritty and weird and a little spooky. Perfect if you’re a Marvel fan, but want to see more Thanos than Captain America.
Listen To Your Heart | Kasie West
I was so so excited to read this book after I picked it up at BookCon! Thank you thank you thank you for the copy.
I had no idea what this book was about going in, but the cover screamed SUMMER to me, so I figured June was the best time to read it. It wasn’t my favorite Kasie West book, but also not my least favorite. In reality, it’s about a girl who hates being in the limelight joining her school’s podcasting class. Shes winds up being one of the hosts despite hating the idea.
There’s some romance, some interesting family dynamics, and a very fun advice podcast.
A solidly entertaining summer YA romance with some cute miscommunication and embarrassing love confessions all tied up in the school’s podcast. If you are a podcast lover and a contemporary YA lover, this book will check all your boxes.
A Reaper At The Gates | Sabaa Tahir
Oh, baby! This was the book I’ve been waiting weeks for (and luckily not any longer.) Did I think any book could surpass the last one? No. Was I hoping it would? Duh.
I truly did not think these books could get any more devastating. Like, there’s no way I could hurt as much as I did before. Oh, how wrong I was.
Sabaa Tahir is veering into George RR Martin territory if she kills off any more people. This is the kind of series that being the main character does not mean you are safe. No one is safe!!
Sometimes I read other fantasy and think it is good, then I read one of her books and I realize she’s playing on a whole other level.
I don’t know how I will survive waiting for the next and final book in the series. I guess here’s to me rereading these 3 books until it comes out.
Lucky In Love | Kasie West
This book is all about a girl who wins the lottery. Sounds fun and cute right? WRONG!
This is one of the most stressful books I read this month, and I read some stress.
Maybe it’s because I’m old and I understand being financially responsible a little more than I did at 18, but jesus girl, get your shit together.
I don’t know how many times I was just yelling “Go to a financial advisor!!!” at this book. Too many times.
Her friends stressed me out. The romance stressed me out. Her family stressed me out. The freaking lady at the gas station stressed me out. There is nowhere safe!!!
The romance in here was pretty cute, but tbh it was all overshadowed by her stupid money decisions for me.
I’ll Give You The Sun | Jandy Nelson
Decided to reread one of my all-time favorite books this month. I read this in a blur last year and I wanted to see if I was still obsessed with it.
Spoiler alert: yes, I’m still obsessed. This may be my #1 favorite book. I love it so so much.
It’s funny. It’s romantic. It’s sad. It’s stressful. Like it straight up has everything!
You’re following two twins Jude and Noah. Noah’s chapters are from when they’re 13 and Jude’s are when they’re 16. Something big has happened somewhere in the middle there and their lives, personalities, everything has changed drastically.
I always think I like Jude’s story more then I read Noah’s part and I’m like “no, this is amazing.” They’re both so amazing in their own ways.
The writing is my favorite. How she wove together these storylines is an art in itself. Ugh it’s so good.
Children Of Blood and Bone | Tomi Adeyemi
One of my most anticipated reads of the year! And if you were wondering, yes, it did live up to the hype.
Before reading I’d heard it described as a mash-up of Avatar the Last Airbender and An Ember In The Ashes and some other things that I can no longer remember.
The Sabaa Tahir inspo in this book was so so apparent. At first, I just thought they were happy accidents but then there were so many references to that series, they could only be on purpose.
It’s all about an oppressed people who’ve had their magic stolen from them. They’re now treated like vermin. One girl has had enough.
It’s so powerful and amazing and full of twists. I read through the whole thing in like 2 days.
Please read it asap!
Leah On The Offbeat | Becky Albertalli
Okay this was another book that I had high hopes for this year.
I loved loved loved Simon vs The Homo Sapiens Agenda and figured this would be the same. If you don’t know, this book follows Simon’s best friend, Leah. It takes place about a year(?) after the end of the first book and follows them as they’re applying and preparing for college.
Certain parts were so good and, had this been a stand-alone book, I think I would have liked it even more. For some reason, the Leah in that book didn’t seem to match the one in this one?
She seemed mean and disagreeable the whole freaking time! And I understand she’s stressed and a perfectionist and doesn’t know how to handle her feelings, but jesus. I just kept wanting to yell at her to chill out!
I don’t know. Maybe I need to reread Simon to see if my memory is just skewed, but to me she seemed like a different character.
Everything else about this book was amazing though! And everything was tied up in a neat little bow at the end which I appreciated.
Only Human | Sylvain Neuvel
Yet another highly anticipated book. I loved the previous two books in this series and was hoping for a mind-blowing ending to the series.
Unfortunately, that is not what I got.
I was so bored while reading this book. The entire time I was just waiting for something to happen and it never did!
And the thing is, he had so many opportunities to make this interesting. So many opportunities for world building and plot twists and ugh. It just fell flat for me.
I finished it because I felt like I owed it to the series, but to be honest, I could have gone without.
It’s so disappointing, too! Because in the first two books, Neuvel just yanks you around the whole time. There are some crazy plot twists that I would never never guess.
They’re just so creative. And this book had the most potential to be weird and creative and it just didn’t happen.
