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I slowed down a bit in my reading this month. Which should come as a shock to absolutely none of you! The girls had their last weeks of school, which are always total CHAOS. Jimmy was officially back from school which means more time hanging out with him and being together and less reading time (NOT complaining- it’s’ my favorite reason to not read.)! Then the girls got out at the end of June…and there went the last of my reading, HA!
It’s all good. I’ll find my new groove soon.
With that said, I read some GEMS this month- here’s what I did get around to reading in June.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo // Taylor Jenkins Reid.
This was one of my BOTM books from last month.
Y’all know I love me some TJR. This was a departure from the usual TJR read and I mean that in a really good way. It was excellent. My obsession with old Hollywood means I fell in love with this novel from page one. There was also a wonderful dose of social justice and activism which made me like it even more. That said, my super conservative friends would probably not enjoy this one. I ADORED it. 4.5 stars
The Sisters Chase // Sarah Healy
This was another BOTM selection. I enjoyed this one although I figured it out way before the end of the book. I didn’t really connect to any of the characters though… which keeps me from giving it a higher rating. 3 stars.
The Fall of Lisa Bellow // Susan Perabo
Nope nope nopety nope. This one is a NOPE for me. But I kept up with it because I’d heard so many others rave about it. So anticlimactic. I kept waiting for something to happen or some twist or resolution…but there was just…nothing. And my LORD I’m so tired of reading about bratty teenagers who treat their mothers like crap. 1.5 stars
A Million Junes // Emily Henry
This was yet another one of my BOTM reads. I haven’t stopped thinking about this one since I read it. Haunting, beautiful, magical, and thoroughly enchanting. The setting completely sucked me in and captured my attention. The last couple of chapters got a little too weird and convoluted for me, but the tear-inducing ending more than made up for it. Swoonworthy. 5 stars.
Bear Town // Fredrick Backman
Before I start this review, I need to disclose that I love Fredrick Backman. A Man Called Ove is one of my all time favorites. That said, his writing style takes a little getting used to. He is Swedish and I’m not sure if that has something to do with the different cadence and at times dry and abrupt structure of his sentences. But listen to me here- STICK WITH IT.
Ostensibly this book is about hockey. Which I know zero about. Zero. In reality it is about so much more. Love, fear, loyalty, loss, desire, family, good, and evil. It is about whether “boys will be boys” is an excuse and if “locker room banter” is acceptable. It’s about standing up for what you believe in…and so much more. Some of it is quite dark and some of it probably needs a trigger warning.
Listen to me here…Backman’s books are a slow burn. He wants you to KNOW his characters inside and out before you get to the action. He wants you to work for it and think about it. Always read carefully because there are gems scattered along the way. 5 stars.
Rabbit Cake // Anni Hartnett
Weird and quirky and memorable. And also deeply sad- but you don’t notice at first because it’s so offbeat. Enjoyable and unique for sure. One of my favorite narrators in recent memory. Some of you might find it too strange…I thought it was so lovable and endearing. 4 stars.
Now let’s talk about my July selections for Book of the Month.
- Goodbye, Vitamin– Guys I really loved this one. It is not my usual type of book at all but I fell in love with it and haven’t stopped thinking about it.
- Final Girls– A nice twisty escape read which wasn’t my all time fave, but still quite enjoyable.
- American Fire– Haven’t gotten to this one yet but I have high hopes. The story is so intriguing! I’m trying to read more non-fiction too.
BOTM DEALS FOR JULY:
- BOTM Canvas Tote to anyone who signs up for two months (or more) and uses code: TOTALLY at checkout.
- 1, 2, or 3 month membership for $10 a month
- Add Hunger by Roxane Gay or The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver to your box for $9.99 per book.
Overall this month was SUCH a good month. So many excellent books that I’ll remember forever.
How about you? Anything you loved? Hated? Felt mehhh about?
Happy Monday y’all!
xoxo
S
Thanks as always! Currently reading Beartown. I like it am sticking with it as I’ve heard so many people really like it. It’s not one that I would abandon but I’m not “into” it yet if you know what I mean. Also, my son is hockey player so it resonates with me more. Just finished The Dry – really liked it. I thought it was suspenseful. A friend finds it boring…everyone is different.
I know you’re busy but totally random question – I know you are tall – any suggestions on places to buy bathing suits? My are horribly out dated and OLD. I used to do Lands end but they can be SO frumpy. I’m 5’9″ and long waisted so everything is short and I carry weight in my lower half so ugh…
I used Cupshe and although the prices seem to good to be true, my one piece suits I ordered are SO CUTE!!!
Stephanie, when I click on your blog the writing jumps up and down. I know that sounds really weird but its true. Do you know why, and how can I get rid of that? It is very difficult to read this way.
I’ve never heard of this happening? So odd.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo was my BOTM choice, and I fell in love. Such a sweet story about true love- in whatever form it comes in, and how we make a family out of who we love, not who we share a bloodline with. I hated for it to end!
DITTO
This month I really loved Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley, Chemistry by Weike Wang, and The Student Conductor by Robert Ford. I reread the first three Griffin & Sabine books (they are a bit like art books, with images of postcards and letters contained in actual envelopes); the visual aspect is actually the best part. Goodbye Vitamin is the book I chose for this month’s BOMC box.
You always give me so many additions to my TBR pile!
Griffin and Sabine! Love love love them.
I love these reviews! I just listened to My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella off of one of your past readers comments, I think….great reader and pretty good Kinsella form. And I read Modern Lovers by Emma Straub – I had a handful of paperbacks from the library and chose to take that one on a trip, then I read some not so great reviews and almost didn’t read it, but I’m happy I did. Been reading too many murder mysteries lately, so those were 2 good brain candy books.
I will be adding Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo to my list. American Fire just arrived but currently reading Free Food for Millionaires by Min Jin Lee — because I really enjoyed reading Pachinko. I am about a quarter way through and enjoying it as well. Love that you share your reads!!!
I love that when I read your reading recap I have to have goodreads open to see if I’ve already read it, for some reason, I’m terrible with book titles. And my library site open so I can add books to queue.
I LOVED LOVED LOVED Bear Town. While I adored Ove, the grandmother one was just okay for me, even though, in the end, it was better than okay. But, Bear Town? Sucked me in from page one, literally. Bang!
I can’t wait to read it again, but I will wait. I thought it was so well done, so many levels of emotion. And your review of it? Exquisite in and of itself.