It’s time for my first half of June book review! I am sharing what I read in June so far, although I am skipping a few 5 star reads to share later in the month. I had a lot of shorter and quicker books so far this month! The Amazon links to the books I’ve read are affiliate links and if you use them and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. If you’ve read any of these books or are interested in them, I’d love to hear about it in the comments!
Title: Home Field Advantage
Author: Dahlia Adler
Genre: YA Rom Com
Publisher: Wednesday Books, 6/7/22
Source: Publisher via Net Galley
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review / I enjoy her books
My Rating: 4 Stars
Home Field Advantage follows cheerleader Amber, who along with the rest of the school is surprised when the new quarterback Jack is actually a girl. The school is not queer friendly and they definitely aren’t for a girl joining the team. Amber has to decide whether to stay in the closet or be open about her feelings for Jack and risk her spot on the squad.
“Amber McCloud’s dream is to become cheer captain at the end of the year, but it’s an extra-tall order to be joyful and spirited when the quarterback of your team has been killed in a car accident. For both the team and the squad, watching Robbie get replaced by newcomer Jack Walsh is brutal. And when it turns out Jack is actually short for Jaclyn, all hell breaks loose. The players refuse to be led by a girl, the cheerleaders are mad about the changes to their traditions, and the fact that Robbie’s been not only replaced but outshined by a QB who wears a sports bra has more than a few Atherton Alligators in a rage. Amber tries for some semblance of unity, but it quickly becomes clear that she’s only got a future on the squad and with her friends if she helps them take Jack down. Just one problem: Amber and Jack are falling for each other, and if Amber can’t stand up for Jack and figure out how to get everyone to fall in line, her dream may come at the cost of her heart.”
This was a quick read with high school love and drama throughout and does include misogyny and homophobia.
Title: Book Lovers
Author: Emily Henry
Genre: Rom Com
Publisher: Penguin Audio, 5/3/22
Source: Audio Publisher
Why I Read It: Everyone loves it
My Rating: 4 Stars
Two years ago I read Beach Read by Emily Henry and I just could not get into it. The whole world loves her books and claimed this one to be her best yet, so I decided to listen to Book Lovers – narrated by Julia Whelan, who I love. It was good, but I can’t say I loved it, like most people!
“Nora Stephens’ life is books—she’s read them all—and she is not that type of heroine. Not the plucky one, not the laidback dream girl, and especially not the sweetheart. In fact, the only people Nora is a heroine for are her clients, for whom she lands enormous deals as a cutthroat literary agent, and her beloved little sister Libby. Which is why she agrees to go to Sunshine Falls, North Carolina for the month of August when Libby begs her for a sisters’ trip away—with visions of a small town transformation for Nora, who she’s convinced needs to become the heroine in her own story. But instead of picnics in meadows, or run-ins with a handsome country doctor or bulging-forearmed bartender, Nora keeps bumping into Charlie Lastra, a bookish brooding editor from back in the city. It would be a meet-cute if not for the fact that they’ve met many times and it’s never been cute. If Nora knows she’s not an ideal heroine, Charlie knows he’s nobody’s hero, but as they are thrown together again and again—in a series of coincidences no editor worth their salt would allow—what they discover might just unravel the carefully crafted stories they’ve written about themselves.”
I enjoyed the banter and the mentions of January from Beach Read. I didn’t love the sister relationship – they seemed co dependent and the nickname “Sissy” gets on my nerves. I also wondered if there are any people of color in Emily Henry’s world! I wanted to read the book Nora and Charlie were editing!
Title: We Were Liars
Author: E. Lockhart
Genre: YA Contemporary
Publisher: Delacorte, 5/13/14
Source: Publisher
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review / Everyone loves it
My Rating: 4 Stars
This book has gotten popular due to Book Tok, I believe, and a new prequel just came out. I received both of them from the publisher.
“A beautiful and distinguished family.
A private island.
A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.
A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive.
A revolution. An accident. A secret.
Lies upon lies.
True love.
The truth.
Read it.
And if anyone asks you how it ends, just LIE.”
The writing in this one was poetic and I could see why people love it, but I felt like I had read books that have a similar twist in the past and I didn’t feel all that surprised!
Title: How Do I Un-Remember This?
Author: Danny Pellegrino
Genre: Memoir / Essays
Publisher: Sourcebooks, 3/8/22
Source: Publisher
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review / Heard about it on a podcast
My Rating: 3.5 Stars (Rounded up to 4)
I heard about this book on the Book Talk Etc. podcast and was going to listen to it but then an advanced copy showed up – even though it came out in March! I was excited to read this.
“Think of the most embarrassing thing that’s ever happened to you. Was it the time your high school cheer squad taunted you in front of the entire town? Was it the time your best friend’s mom caught you streaking in all your naked, self-conscious glory? What about the time you accidentally threw a tooth at your dry cleaner or took an urn into Kohl’s for some holiday shopping? For Danny Pellegrino, the answer is all of the above. Growing up as a closeted gay kid in small-town Ohio wasn’t easy, and Danny has the stories to prove it. But coming of age in the 90s still meant something magical to Danny. The music, film, and celebrity moments of his youth were truly iconic, and his love for all things pop culture connected him to a world larger than the one he knew in the suburban Midwest. And through all the pains of growing up, Danny could always look to that world for hope—whether that meant bingeing The Nanny until he had the confidence of Fran Fine, belting out Brandy songs until his heartaches were healed, or watching semi-clothed Ryan Phillippe scenes until his cheeks burned from blushing. With refreshing honesty and jaw-dropping absurdity, Danny invites readers to experience his most formative moments in life—from his hometown in Ohio to his hit podcast and career in entertainment today. How Do I Un-Remember This? is an unfiltered and all-too-relatable glimpse into Danny’s life and the heartfelt and hilarious moments that shaped it. Although he wouldn’t change them for the world, these stories are—unfortunately—true.”
Basically a book of interrelated essays, this one kept me entertained and I enjoyed his essays about his childhood as a gay kid growing up in the Midwest and about pop culture.
Title: The Wild Girls
Author: Phoebe Morgan
Genre: Thriller
Publisher: William Morrow, 4/26/22
Source: Publisher
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review
My Rating: 4 Stars
This thriller takes four privileged women and puts them in a fancy resort in Botswana. This reunion isn’t all it seems and there are murders. We know that something happened two years ago to split up the friend group, but we don’t know what it was.
“It’s been years since Grace, Felicity, Alice, and Hannah were together. The ‘Wild Girls,’ as they were once called, are no longer so wild. Alice is a teacher. Hannah has a new baby. Grace is a homebody. Only Felicity seems to have retained her former spark. Then Felicity invites them all on the weekend of a lifetime—a birthday bash in Botswana. It will be a chance to have fun and rekindle their once bomb-proof friendship… and finally put that one horrible night, all those years ago, behind them for good. But soon after arriving at the luxury safari lodge, a feeling of unease settles over them. There’s no sign of the party that was promised. There’s no phone signal. They are on their own… and things start to go very, very wrong.”
This was a quick and mostly fun thriller!
Title: Chef’s Kiss
Author: TJ Alexander
Genre: Rom Com
Publisher: Emily Bestler Books, 5/3/22
Source: Publisher
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review
My Rating: 4 Stars
Chef’s Kiss by TJ Alexander takes place in the kitchen of a cookbook and magazine publisher where Simone is a writer and not a video star. The new test kitchen manager Ray is sunshine to Simone’s grump and the two begin to create video content together. Ray announces that they are non binary and faces difficulties due to this.
“Simone Larkspur is a perfectionist pastry expert with a dream job at The Discerning Chef, a venerable cookbook publisher in New York City. All she wants to do is create the perfect loaf of sourdough and develop recipes, but when The Discerning Chef decides to bring their brand into the 21st century by pivoting to video, Simone is thrust into the spotlight and finds herself failing at something for the first time in her life. To make matters worse, Simone has to deal with Ray Lyton, the new test kitchen manager, whose obnoxious cheer and outgoing personality are like oil to Simone’s water. When Ray accidentally becomes a viral YouTube sensation with a series of homebrewing videos, their eccentric editor in chief forces Simone to work alongside the chipper upstart or else risk her beloved job. But the more they work together, the more Simone realizes her heart may be softening like butter for Ray. Things get even more complicated when Ray comes out at work as nonbinary to mixed reactions—and Simone must choose between the career she fought so hard for and the person who just might take the cake (and her heart).”
Simone does her best to support Ray and I think the book does a good job of showing how to be an ally. Simone has a roommate who is trans and she is willing to answer Simone’s questions with the understanding that it is not her job to teach Simone about what it means to be trans. I appreciated this being written in an understandable way as many of us will revert to asking our friends questions when it is not their job to support our learning. That’s what we have books for! Simone is bisexual and the book contains biphobia as well as transphobia and there is a slow burn romance between Simone and Ray.
Title: Island Time
Author: Georgia Clark
Genre: Contemporary
Publisher: Emily Bestler Books, 6/14/22
Source: Publisher via Net Galley
Why I Read It: Loved her previous book
My Rating: 3.5 Stars (Rounded up to 4)
While I loved Georgia Clark’s book It Had To Be You, Island Time seemed too long and was hard for me to get into. It features two families who get stranded on an Australian island after a tsunami, although they still had wifi and were able to connect to their jobs.
“The Kellys are messy, loud, loving Australians. The Lees are sophisticated, aloof, buttoned-up Americans. They have nothing in common…except for the fact that their daughters are married. When a nearby volcano erupts during their short vacation to a remote tropical island off the coast of Queensland, the two families find themselves stranded together for six weeks. With only two island employees making up the rest of their party, everyone is forced to question what—or who—they really want. Island Time is a sumptuous summer read that dives deep into queer romance, family secrets, ambition, parenthood, and a bird-chasing bromance. This sexy, sun-soaked paradise of white sandy beaches, crystal-clear waters, and lush rainforest will show you it’s never too late to change your destiny.”
I mostly read this but also tried listening as it was long and not that exciting. I liked the climate and environmental aspects of this story. It was a great read for Pride month with queer couples at the forefront.
Title: Pieces of Her
Author: Karin Slaughter
Genre: Thriller
Publisher: William Morrow, 8/21/18
Source: Publisher
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review
My Rating: 3.5 Stars (Rounded down to 3)
I was in the mood for a good thriller but this one was too long and slow for me! It contains two stories – Andrea in the present and Jane in the past – and part of the story involves figuring out how the two plot lines are connected.
“Andrea knows everything about her mother, Laura. She knows Laura has spent nearly her whole life in the small beachside town of Belle Isle, Georgia; she knows Laura’s a beloved speech pathologist; she knows Laura’s never kept a secret in her life. Andrea knows that Laura is everything she isn’t—confident, settled, sure of herself. Feeling listless, with no direction, Andrea, unlike Laura, struggles to find her way. But Andrea’s certainty is upended when a visit to the mall is shattered by an act of horrifying violence that reveals a new side of Laura—a cool woman who calmly faces down a murderer. It turns out that before Andrea’s mother was Laura, she was someone completely different. For nearly thirty years she’s been hiding from the woman she once was, lying low in the hope that no one would ever find her. But now she’s been exposed, and nothing will be the same again. To save her mother, Andrea embarks on a desperate journey following the bread crumb trail of her mother’s past. Andrea knows that if she can’t uncover the secrets hidden there, there may be no future for her mother . . . or her.”
Andrea was rather immature for a 31 year old. I suppose she is supposed to seem like she matures throughout the book, but I wasn’t so sure! I have heard this is not Karin Slaughter’s best and I do have another book by her that I may try at some point.
Title: Elsewhere
Author: Alexis Schaitkin
Genre: Contemporary / Speculative Fiction
Publisher: Celadon, 6/28/22
Source: Publisher
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review
My Rating: 3.5 Stars (Rounded up to 4)
I was intrigued by the concept of this book and even though it’s not my typical type of read, I decided to check it out. The concept is that there is a community in which mothers disappear, and no one knows why.
“Vera grows up in a small town, removed and isolated, pressed up against the mountains, cloud-covered and damp year-round. This town, fiercely protective, brutal and unforgiving in its adherence to tradition, faces a singular affliction: some mothers vanish, disappearing into the clouds. It is the exquisite pain and intrinsic beauty of their lives; it sets them apart from people elsewhere and gives them meaning. Vera, a young girl when her own mother went, is on the cusp of adulthood herself. As her peers begin to marry and become mothers, they speculate about who might be the first to go, each wondering about her own fate. Reveling in their gossip, they witness each other in motherhood, waiting for signs: this one devotes herself to her child too much, this one not enough―that must surely draw the affliction’s gaze. When motherhood comes for Vera, she is faced with the question: will she be able to stay and mother her beloved child, or will she disappear?”
There were some interesting pieces to this, such as the question of what makes a mother disappear and why. It seemed to be about motherhood overall, and I would call it an interesting read.
Title: Answers In The Pages
Author: David Levithan
Genre: Middle Grade Contemporary Fiction
Publisher: Listening Library, 5/10/22
Source: Audio Publisher
Why I Read It: Sounded good
My Rating: 4 Stars
This is a book that contains three stories in one. Some of the reviews I have read have completely missed one of the stories – and I will admit I was confused at first, but there were three separate audio narrators and the character names are different in each section! It is about a challenge on a book assigned in the classroom and it contains pieces of the book itself, as well as a separate story about Roberto and Gideon becoming friends, and more.
“When Donovan left his copy of The Adventurers on the kitchen counter, he didn’t think his mom would read it—much less have a problem with it. It’s just an adventure novel about two characters trying to stop an evil genius…right? But soon the entire town is freaking out about whether the book’s main characters are gay, Donovan’s mom is trying to get the book removed from the school curriculum, and Donovan is caught in the middle. Donovan doesn’t really know if the two boys fall in love at the end or not—but he does know this: even if they do, it shouldn’t matter. The book should not be banned from school.”
Part of the enjoyment of this book is coming to understand who Roberto and Gideon are in relation to Donovan and I enjoyed these parts of the book. I wasn’t as much into the adventurers story, but middle grade readers may appreciate those parts as well. This book contains an important lesson about why it’s okay to read books about boys who love each other and Donovan’s teacher was great at getting this point across.
Title: Meant To Be
Author: Emily Giffin
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Publisher: Ballantine, 5/31/22
Source: Publisher
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review
My Rating: 3.5 Stars (Rounded up to 4)
Meant To Be was a fast read, but I found the writing to be a bit bland, reading like a diary or a news article. It is a story about the love between Joe and Cate, but I didn’t really feel the reasons why they loved each other, besides for attraction.
“The Kingsley family is American royalty, beloved for their military heroics, political service, and unmatched elegance. In 1967, after Joseph S. Kingsley, Jr. is killed in a tragic accident, his charismatic son inherits the weight of that legacy. But Joe III is a free spirit—and a little bit reckless. Despite his best intentions, he has trouble meeting the expectations of a nation, as well as those of his exacting mother, Dottie. Meanwhile, no one ever expected anything of Cate Cooper. She, too, grew up fatherless—and after her mother marries an abusive man, she is forced to fend for herself. After being discovered by a model scout at age sixteen, Cate decides that her looks may be her only ticket out of the cycle of disappointment that her mother has always inhabited. Before too long, Cate’s face is in magazines and on billboards. Yet she feels like a fraud, faking it in a world to which she’s never truly belonged. When Joe and Cate unexpectedly cross paths one afternoon, their connection is instant and intense. But can their relationship survive the glare of the spotlight and the so-called Kingsley curse?”
While this was obviously meant to be a take on the JFK Jr. / Carolyn Bessette story there are some major differences as I don’t believe the Bessette family struggled from the same issues as Cate’s did in the book and Carolyn did finish high school and attend college while Cate did not, causing some of the class issues between her and Joe. Other details about the two couples do overlap. The story takes place mostly in the 90s and contains domestic abuse and victim blaming.
Title: The Good Luck Charm
Author: Helena Hunting
Genre: Rom Com
Publisher: Forever, 8/7/18
Source: Publisher
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review / Buddy Read
My Rating: 4 Stars
While I didn’t love the last two books I read by Helena Hunting, I did love Kiss My Cupcake, another stand alone, and I wanted to try The Good Luck Charm as well. It took me some time to get into it, but I ended up mostly liking the story.
“Lilah isn’t sure what hurt worse: the day Ethan left her to focus on his hockey career or the day he came back eight years later. He might think they can pick up just where they left off, but she’s no longer that same girl and never wants to be again. Ethan wants his glory days back. And that includes having Lilah by his side. With her, he was magic. They were magic. All he has to do is make her see that. Just when Lilah might finally be ready to let Ethan in, though, she finds out their reunion might have nothing to do with love and everything to do with improving his game. But Ethan’s already lost her once, and even if it costs him his career, he’ll do anything to keep from losing her again.”
I did not like Ethan and felt that he was quite manipulative. He seemed like he never grew up from high school, which is when he and Lilah previously dated. He was not willing to let Lilah be apart from him when she clearly said she needed to study and seemed to be motivated by his lust for her, rather than real love. I did like the family aspects of the story and appreciated that Ethan took advice from his father.
There you have it – 12 of the books I read this month. Of these books, 8 were print, 2 were audio, and 2 were e-books. 9 were adult, 2 were YA, and 1 was Middle Grade. Genres included contemporary, rom com, memoir, and thriller.
Have you read any of these books or do you want to? What have you been reading lately?
