Time for an over-due catch up of what I read in June.
I won't even pretend to be surprised that I'm running weeks late again. Between flares and migraines, recovering from my birthday, and enduring three heatwaves in a month, I haven't been very functional this month, and it's apparently just how I roll now.
But, if you're interested, here's what I read last month, anyway:
June Reading Stats:
📖 7 books completed, 2 started.
📖 3 hardbacks.
🎧 4 audiobooks
📖 2705 pages (including audiobooks).
🎧 62 hours 18 minutes listened at 1.1x speed.
📖 2 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ reads!
📖 3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ reads!
📖Average rating: 3.82 stars.
📖Average book length: 450 pages.
📖Average time to finish: 9 days.
I Read:
📖Slaying the Vampire Conqueror by Carissa Broadbent. 3.75⭐
📖The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong. 5⭐
📖/🎧 Fearless by Lauren Roberts. 1⭐
🎧A Duel with the Vampire Lord by Elise Kova. 4⭐
🎧House of Flame and Shadow Graphic Audio Part 2 by Sarah J. Maas. 5⭐ (Reread).
🎧A Dawn with the Wolf Knight by Elise Kova. 4⭐
🎧A Duet with the Siren Duke by Elise Kova. 4⭐
And I Started:
🎧Six Scorched Roses by Carissa Broadbent.
📖Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles.
Favourite Reads: My favourite physical read of June was probably The Teller of Small Fortunes. It was one of those books I just fell in love with from the beginning, and adored the entire way through. It was about a lonely young Asian fortune teller trying to find her place in a western world that sees her as 'other', despite her growing up alongside them. As she journeys, she meets a mercenary and an ex-thief, a novice baker, and a semi-possessed cat, who team up to find the mercenary's missing daughter. While they're all searching for what they're missing and meeting curious creatures like trolls and phoenixes, Tao also finds herself running from the Mage's Guild, who will stop at nothing to enlist her for her powers that she'd rather keep hidden. Sorry, dudes, she only tells small fortunes. Read the sign. There are magical creatures, cute and cosy found-family vibes, plenty of humour, and a good dose of adventure, and it left me feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. Definitely an all-tine-favourite. If you're a fan of fantasy, you need to read it!
Favourite Listens: With the exception of Fearless- more on that in a minute- I loved all the audiobooks I listened to in June, so I don't know how to choose! I worked my way through the last three books in the Married to Magic series- A Duel with the Vampire Lord, A Dawn with the Wolf Knight, and A Duet with the Siren Duke, and thoroughly enjoyed all three. I know the names make them sound like bad bargain-bin romance novels, but they're actually brilliant fairytale-retelling romantasies on-level with Fourth Wing and ACOTAR, and I couldn't get enough of them. I can't decide if I loved the Wolf Knight or Siren Duke more, but... why choose? Another favourite was part two of the Graphic Audio of House of Flame and Shadow, as it was so fun to hear brought to life in this format- all the action and drama were clearly made for dramatized adaption. I especially loved hearing the cross over scenes, Bryce and Ruhn's face off with the Autumn King, and all the Ruhn and Lidia moments- together and alone. Those two carried that book.
Least Favourites: Last month or ever? Doesn't matter, the answer to both is the same: Fearless. It was quite possibly one of the worst things I have ever read. It was so bad, I had to tandem-read it with another book just to motivate myself to keep reading, and I ended up switching to the audiobook after 145 pages because I just couldn't push through it any longer. I should've DNFed it, but I was determined to see it through to the end to find out what happened. Big mistake. Huge. My eyes were sore from rolling them so hard at the cringe-worthy dialogue, ridiculous plot-lines, terrible writing, and infuriatingly passive characters. Your brother, the king, wants to forcibly marry the woman you love to bring the kingdom together? Just internally scream, but don't say a word. Your beloved is going to be put through her own personal, deadly trials to prove to the court she's a worthy queen? Smile and wave, boys, smile and wave. Things are turning a little incestuous... It's okay, we need not tell anyone... meet me at the altar at two? Excuse me... what?! Why are they all just going along with it? Where's the outrage, the protests? How did this book even get published? Why did someone feel compelled to buy my copy from me on eBay? I don't get any of it. It was exhausting and horrendous, and I'm just glad it's over.
But you win some, you lose some, I guess, and it was still a pretty good reading month overall. And thankfully, July has been even better. And I'll be back to update you on that really soon.
Have you read anything good lately?
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