June Reading Check-In

What I've read so far this month

I’m still figuring out the rhythm of this newsletter, some of which is dictated by my reading life (and being a mood reader). As of this writing I’ve read 9 books this month, a rarity for me, and have been focusing on new and upcoming releases, which I’m really enjoying. Because of that, I wanted to get some of these in front of you before the month is over so you can put in your library holds and preorders.

I’ll be back again at the end of the month to share the rest of the books I’ve read. I’d love to hear what you’re reading! Drop a comment below to tell me what books you want people to pick up.

June Reading (So Far)

[Thank you to Doubleday, Hogarth, Riverhead, Simon Audio, Random House, LibroFM, Knopf, and Netgalley for my free review copies.]

📖 Same As it Ever Was by Claire Lombardo

Lombardo’s sharp insights on marriage, the challenges of raising children, and the intricacies of friendship make for a messy, beautiful, and poignant family story. What I loved most is how Lombardo explores the subtle ways the choices we make echo throughout our lives. Her storytelling resonated deeply both with my own life and with universal experiences like complicated family dynamics and the journey of getting to know yourself, over and over again. As in The Most Fun We Ever Had, the characters are complex, relatable, and hard to say goodbye to. Lombardo is an extraordinarily talented writer, especially when it comes to capturing the profound beauty in the everyday. This book lived up to every one of my expectations while surprising me along the way.
|Buy via Bookshop.org|

📖 Bear by Julia Phillips

A modern, visceral, fairytale, Phillips weaves a mesmerizing story of two sisters that's both profound and relatable. Sisters Elena and Sam’s strong bond begins to unravel when a mysterious bear shows up at their house, throwing into question their sisterhood, perceived realities, and the stories we tell ourselves. Her writing is beautifully straightforward yet deeply emotional, exploring themes of loss, hopelessness, and sacrifice. Phillips skillfully draws readers into the atmospheric world, with a swiftly moving plot, which kept me absorbed until the (surprising, complicated) end. I was thoroughly mesmerized. For fans of Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance by Ruth Emmie Lang and Shark Heart by Emily Habeck. Out June 25.
|Buy via Bookshop.org|

📖 The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

This was probably my most anticipated book of the year and I can confidently say it will end up in my top three. Despite the various characters and timelines, Moore brings the reader along without confusion, skillfully weaving the different stories together. Part family drama, part mystery, the novel centers around the disappearance of Barbara Van Laar from her family’s camp in the Adirondaks. This event dredges up painful memories of her older brother Bear, who vanished 14 years earlier. I was utterly captivated, and completely lost myself in the setting and its complicated characters; finishing the book felt like emerging from another world. Long Bright River was a favorite, a book I can still recall with surprising detail. And somehow Moore did it again (and this one might be even better). Out July 2.
|Buy via Bookshop.org|

🎧 Ambition Monster by Jennifer Romolini

I decided to give Romolini’s memoir a listen (big thank you to Simon Audio for my copy) after I saw she was coming to my local indie. The only thing I knew about Romolini was that she co-hosted a podcast called “Everything’s Fine,” which I listen to fairly regularly. But it was her career in media and publishing that piqued my interest, as well as her rejection of the early 2000s “boss babe” culture. And I’m happy to say it was absolutely fantastic. I gobbled it up in less than two days, and felt like I had found a new friend in Romolini. If you’re “of a certain age” and find these sorts of books fascinating, I highly recommend it (especially on audio – her narration is great). For fans of One in a Millennial by Kate Kennedy and No One Tells You This by Glynnis MacNicol.
|Buy via Bookshop.org|

🎧 I’m Mostly Here to Enjoy Myself by Glynnis MacNicol

Not surprisingly, this delightful book made me wish I were in France, savoring a glass of wine and eating a plate of cheese (yes, an entire plate). MacNicol’s memoir of her time in Paris after the isolation of the pandemic is a refreshing escape. So many memoirs of women over 35 seem to be focused on being unhappy or overwhelmed or burnt out, which is valid, don’t get me wrong. But it was fun to read about a woman in her 40s seeking pleasure, without justification or shame. Paris served as its own character, along with her interesting group of similarly aged friends. I’ll be rereading this one in print so I can highlight all of the many lines that had me saying “yes!” as I listened to MacNicol’s narration.
|Buy via Bookshop.org|

📖 One of Our Kind by Nicola Yoon

This is a hard one for me to review, for a couple of reasons. Having read and loved Yoon’s Instructions for Dancing, I was really eager to read her adult debut, but it didn’t work for me at all. For one, I found the writing to be very juvenile – there was a lot more telling than showing, and many of the characters felt one dimensional. It was unclear what audience Yoon wrote this for and what message she was hoping to leave with readers. While the novel clearly aims to comment on racism and the daily challenges Black people face, I wish it delved deeper into these themes. Being a white woman, I can’t speak to the lived experiences of Black people, so I’ve included some own voices reviews. [Reviews to check out: on Storygraph – bahahreads; Goodreads – Erin, Bri, Kimberly, Casey, Miesha; Instagram – Cree.] On a recent episode of Book Talk, Etc., Hannah recommended When No One is Watching by Alyssa Cole as an alternative, and I heartily cosign.

(I also read Tell Me Who You Are by Louisa Luna and Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe, both of which I reviewed in my June Releases newsletter.)

Have you read any of these, or have any on your TBR?

Currently Reading

📖 The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali

The Stationery Shop is an all-time favorite, and while I’m only about 50 pages in to her newest, Kamali’s writing is just as beautiful.

🎧 The Sicilian Inheritance by Jo Piazza

I’m reading this for the the SSR Podcast’s Patreon book club and am really enjoying it so far! Like everyone said, it’s giving me wanderlust and making me wish I could Sabrina the Teenage Witch myself to Italy right now.

---

That’s it for now! I’ll be back in your inbox in a couple weeks.

Until then, happy reading!