June was a busy month, with my birthday, travel planning for later in the summer, and getting my dad’s condo ready for sale. I’ve been trying a new allergy remedy, immunotherapy, that I hope will ease my symptoms. And I’ve been trying, not so successfully, to keep up an exercise routine. We’ve had a number of days recently where the wildfire smoke was so bad we aren’t supposed to do any exercising outside, which is frustrating. My garden is struggling a bit, maybe from all the weather fluctuation, but things are starting to grow (eggplant, tomatoes, squash and banana peppers).
Demon Copperhead won this year’s Women’s Prize, making Kingsolver a two-time winner and the winner of a Pulitzer to boot. Thoughts?
Here’s what I read in June:
- Aloha Vietnam by Elizabeth Nguyen
- The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling (audio)
- Killing Me by Michelle Gagnon
- The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep by H.G. Parry (audio)
- And Then He Sang a Lullaby by Ani Kayode Somtochukwu
- What My Bones Know by Stephanie Foo (audio)
- How to Walk Away by Katherine Center (audio)
- Foster by Claire Keegan (audio)
Favorite reads:
For those of you who love David Copperfield, Demon Copperhead, or both, you must read The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep. This book combined so many things that I love – literary criticism, Victorian literature, fantasy, and sibling relationships – and it did so in a way that was incredibly clever and fun at the same time. Laugh out loud funny at times, and the audio reader was perfect at voicing some of the most loved and hated literary characters. I first read about this book in 2020 on A Book Addict’s Bookshelves, and I’d kind of forgotten about it until my library purchased it (probably due to increased interest in David Copperfield).
What My Bones Know is an inspiring blend of memoir and research on trauma. Stephanie Foo describes her own struggles in heartbreaking detail, then explores in detail many different types of therapy and her own journey of recovery. It’s a powerful read, and one I related to even though my experiences weren’t similar to hers, because many of the tools she learns are similar for those struggling with other issues, like meditation, yoga, gratitude journals, and grounding exercises. Much thanks to my friend Lory at Entering the Enchanted Castle for this recommendation.
Foster by Claire Keegan is very short, a novella really, but it’s fantastic. It’s a deceptively simple story about a girl in Ireland who goes to live with another family for the summer. Instead of the abuses I was kind of expecting to read about, she experiences kindness and warmth, and she blossoms under their gentle instruction. The writing is incredible. I’ll definitely be reading another book by her, Small Things Like These.
I’ve already written about Aloha Vietnam and And Then He Sang a Lullaby. So last I have to recommend How To Walk Away for fans of Katherine Center, Emily Henry, or Mhairi McFarlane. I love the way Center develops her characters and deeply researches whatever she’s writing about. As with McFarlane’s books, the romance takes a back seat to a much bigger issue; in this case, a spinal cord injury resulting in paralysis below the knees. I spent weeks in a hospital and a month in a wheelchair as a teen, and while my situation was in no way comparable to this character’s, I still empathized with everything she goes through.
Disappointing reads:
Killing Me and The Ex Hex were fun reads, on the sillier side but good for a break if that’s what you’re looking for. They weren’t disappointing, just not as good as my other books this month. And for witchy romances I’d recommend Not the Witch You Wed or The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches over this one.
On the blog:
I reviewed three books and wrote about the books I still need to read for challenges, now that the year is half over.
Books for challenges:
- 20 Books of Summer: Aloha Vietnam, Killing Me, And Then He Sang a Lullaby, What My Bones Know
- Nonfiction: What My Bones Know
- Reading Around the World: And Then He Sang a Lullaby, Foster, Uriah Heep
- Backlist: The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep
What I’m reading now:
I’m listening to Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley (already so good!), and I’m currently reading Monsters We Defy and Dreams of Arcadia.
What’s coming up:
I have two ARCs to read in July, The Deep Sky by Yumi Kitasei and Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedo.
That’s my June wrap-up. In July, I’m excited to have my niece visiting for a weekend, and then I’m going to Wisconsin for my other niece’s wedding. Hope you’re enjoying the summer and reading something good!
