You know what the end of the month means. It’s time for my 2025 June reading wrap up. And this month has been an exciting and busy month as I prepare for summer fun, travel and my birthday. But, before we launch into a new month let’s reflect on what made this a fun reading month, the reading goals I was able to achieve, all the books I acquired and plan for July.
June Reading Stats
June was another month where grief was a dominate theme in the books I read with at least five of them focusing on grief and its complexities. I also explored a variety of genres outside my continual obsession with Fiction. I dabbled into Romantasy, Dark Romance, Contemporary Romance, and Horror. I had some repeat authors this month as well as I read books from Ashley Winstead, Emma Grey, Abby Jimenez and Emily Henry.
There were also new to me authors that had a spectacular first impression. Primarily, Sadeqa Johnson and Erin Crosby Eckstine where I’m eager to explore more work by both of these authors as soon as possible.
Another theme has been how slow I’ve been reading lately. At first this was bothering me as I struggle with this existential crisis around the idea that I’m never going to be able to read all the books in my lifetime. But, I’m learning to balance my reading hobby with my lifestyle and other hobbies, intrests and pursuits because perspective and balance in life is everything.
Ok, let’s jump into these stats!
When it comes to sticking to my monthly TBR when I tell you that I read not one of the books I had planned for this month. Which leads me to believe that I need to take a break from a set monthly TBR and just focus on seasonal TBRs and go with the flow because obviously it’s just not my journey right now.
That being said I do have a couple of fun TBRs I want to get into over the summer. One is a themed fun summer TBR that’s focused on creating the perfect summer vibes. The second is a Beyonce themed TBR to celebrate the fact that I’m going to the Cowboy Carter tour! Perhaps I can have some fun vlogs where I read the books I’ve selected for these TBR’s.
June Book Acquisitions
I did quite a bit of book shopping this month much due to my trip to Austin for the Riley Sager author event. I mean I HAD to visit all the bookstores and pick up some stunning new books. I forsee me reducing my book budget in the future. But, let’s celebrate the new friends that I’ve added to my collection.
- With A Vengeance by Riley Sager (Book People)
- The Poppy Fields by Nikki Erlick (Books-A-Million)
- Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid (Book People)
- Our Infinite Fates by Laura Steven (Pango Books)
- Bones to the Wind by Tatiana Obey (Satisfiction Subscription Box)
- Filthy Rich Fae by Geneva Lee (Pango Books)
- King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby (Book of the Month)
- Can’t Get Enough by Kennedy Ryan (Black Pearl Bookstore)
- The Memory Collectors by Dete Meserve (Aardvark)
- The Hollywood Assistant by May Cobb (Pango Books)
- The Staircase in the Woods by Chuck Wendig (Pango Books)
- Heartbreak Symphony by Laekan Zea Kemp (Black Pearl Books)
June Stand Outs
These are the books that left a major impression on me this past month.
Book of the Month: Junie by Erin Crosby Eckstine
I recently read this book and the way that it stole my heart and broke it into a million pieces with its beauty. We’re following 16 year old Junie as she’s working on Bellereine plantation in Lowndes, Alabama. She’s currently working as a house maid which no matter how hard she tries she’s horrible at. She’s more of a dreamer and has been affectionately nicknamed carefree by her older sister. However, Junie is struggling with grief and guilt over the loss of her sister and when she learns that she may be seperated from her family she makes a desperate decision that will unravel family secrets and send her on a journey of self-discovery and love. Everything about this coming-of-age Historical Fiction was marvelous to me. The way that she wrote about the realities of slavery and how Junie had to learn about the realities of the world and what it would mean to truly capture the “sublime.” Such a well-written and heartwrenching novel. I bawled like a baby at the end.
Least Favorite Book: Something in the Walls by Daisy Pearce
The premise for this novel sounded so promising. Set in the 80’s in Great Britian during a heatwave. We meet Mina, a recently graduated child psychologist with a dark history regarding her brother’s death. At a grief support group she meets a man that offers her an oppurtunity to utlize her skills to determine if a young girl is truly being haunted by the ghost of a witch or if the family is out for fame and money. Despite needing to plan for her upcoming nuptials she jumps at the chance. They travel to Banethal and stay with the Webber family to observe Alice. But things become more sinister and bizarre landing Mina into the thick of it as superstitions and archaic traditions take hold of the small community. I wanted to love this so much but it felt like the author was leading me somewhere and then surreptitiously dropped me in the dark. There were too many storylines that didn’t have a satisfactory conclusion and so much of Mina’s actions, behavior and decisions led to the mess that she was in. While the atmosphere was thick and oppressive with foreboding and dread it wasn’t enough to save this story for me.
Longest Book: Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry
Next up is the newest release from Emily Henry that has many in a tizzy. While some find it to be some of her best work others detest it. I was interested to see where I would fall in this camp. So, in this novel we’re following writer Alice Scott as she leaps at the oppurtunity to write the autobiography for the reclusive heiress Margaret St. Ives. Upon her arrival she finds she’ll be vying for this position with well-renowed writer Hayden Anderson. A friendly rivalry ensues that turns into a romance that leads to self-discovery and long hidden secrets unfolding. This was my second book by Emily Henry and I loved it. Alice was such a fun, bubbly character and was a joy to read. Her romance with Hayden was adorable and I loved learning about Margeret St. Ives and seeing how all these storylines came together at the end. I will say that this novel does drag a bit in the middle. However, it picks up towards the end and becomes a remarkable tale with a beautiful finish.
Most Memorable Book: The House of Eve by Sadeqa Johnson
Another powerhouse book that caught me unaware and was so poignant and reflective. Told in dual POV we follow 15 year old Ruby as she’s working to be the first in her family to go to college despite life throwing curveballs. And, when an unexpected and forbidden romance happens she’ll have to make difficult choices regarding her future. Eleanor is a student at Howard University who’s struggling to fit into D.C. upper class. Things get worse when she meets and falls for William Pride a wealthy and connected premed student. They fall in love and marry as Eleanor struggles with her insecurities and doubts about fitting in with his family and the upper-class and educated Black society of D.C. I felt so compelled by each of these stories and Johnson had me reacting in such a visceral way. I was literally trying to advise the characters on what to do next. The pacing was steady, the characters well developed and the conclusion equal parts heartwarming and heartbreaking.
2025 June Reading Wrap Up
This Book wil Bury Me by Ashley Winstead
Started the month strong with this new release that focuses on the wide spectrum of personalities in the true crime community and how Jane, a young woman reeling from the sudden loss of her father, becomes entrhalled with it and a group of armchair detectives that work together to solve cold cases and become a part of the high profle Idaho massacre in a college town. This book was fascinating and did an excellent job of detailing the emotional and mental rollercoaster of grief while also exploring the pros and cons of the true crime community. It wasn’t a twisty thriller but there was tons of suspense and surprises at the end that made it worth it for me. Check out my Review: This Book Will Bury Me by Ashley Winstead
Diavola by Jennifer Thorne
In this delicious Gothic Horror we’re following Anna as she embarks on a family vacation to Italy and is full of trepidation as she’s facing another excursion facing hr family’s nit-picking and judgement of her. Yet, they quickly discover that their vacation Villa is haunted by a malevolent entity creating chaos within the familial relationships and in general. I enjoyed the vibe of this novel as it was ripe with decay within the actual setting and metaphorical decay within the family itself. Also, Anna’s sarcasam and dark humor added comedic relief throughout the novel. And, I really enjoyed the ending.
Filthy Rich Fae by Geneva Lee
I decided to dip my toe into the Romantasy genre with a little encouragement from a friend. And decidied to give this novel a go. This story follows Cate a nurse that’s trying to keep her head above water while looking out for her adopted brother. Until, she sees him being wheeled into the ER with a gunshot wound at the end of her shift. After learning he’s involved with the notorious Gage family known for their brutality, wealth and ilicit activities. Determined to protect her brother she goes to the Gage’s to negotiate paying for her brother’s loan only to land herself in an arangement with the leader of the family Lachlan Gage. Soon she’s being swept into his world and drawn to his dark aura and mystery. While it took me a little bit to get into this one it ended up being so good. I loved the slow burn enemies-to-lovers romance that was full of witty banter and electric chemistry. Excited to continue with the series and read the next installment fairly soon.
Say You’ll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez
I dived into another romance and decided to give Abby Jimenez another try after having a not so great time with Yours Truly. I’m so glad that I did because this book was exceptional. We see Xaviar a grumy veternarian fall in love with Samantha a vivacious woman after a not so cute meet up followed by the most amazing date ever. After he learns she’s moving to California to care for her mother who has dementia she tells him to forget her but he can’t. And, soon they’re locked into a long-distance relationship as life roars around them with their particualar circumstances threatening to tear them apart. I loved how this book gave representation for long-distance relationships and couples and felt it explored the common problems and issues with these romances in such an honest and real way. I also appreciated that this novel had zero miscommunication and both love intrests were just as committed and into each other. This was a hit for me.
Pictures of You by Emma Grey
The second release from this author that I’ve been anxious to read. And, as predicted it was an emotional and gut wrenching story. The novel opens with Evie waking up in a hospital after a tragic accident that has claimed her husband’s life as she has amnesia and can’t remember anything past being 17 years old. As she begins to navigate her life trying to unlock her memories she becomes entangled with photographer Drew who used to be her best friend in high school as he helps her connects the dots of her past and she learns the startling truth about how her life didn’t turn out the way she’d anticipated. This was such a reflective and insightful novel that explores the reality of domestic abuse. This shifted my perspective on the topic and made me open my eyes to the fact that there’s such nuance to domestic abuse and toxic relationships.
Lights Out by Navssa Allen
I finished the month strong with this humerous Dark Romance where Josh creates masked man thirst traps on social media and discovers that Aly a girl he’d been attracted to follows him and is into the same things as he is. In his zeal he comes up with an unconventional way to capture her attention leading to a very hilarious and titallating romance. I loved this! I had the pleasure of enjoying both the audiobook and the physical copy and wow I’m a new fan. The next installment of this series Caught Up was recently released and I can’t wait to get my hands on it.
This was such a fun and carefree month of reading and I’m looking to carry this vibe into the rest of the summer. Let me know what were your stand out books of the month. Til next time happy reading friends!
