Most Anticipated June Releases

Four I've read and five on my TBR

There are many, and I mean many, exciting new books coming out in the next few months, and I’m trying to read as many as I can to share with you. Below are the June releases I’ve read, and the ones I plan on reading soon. As always, I love hearing what you’re excited to read or if you add any of these to your TBR.

Four I’ve read…

[Thank you to Putnam, FSG, William & Morrow, and Netgalley for my free review copies.]

📖/🎧 Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan

Nora Goes Off Script was one of my very favorite romances (and a debut!) of 2022, but Same Time Next Summer fell flat for me so I was nervous for this one. Thankfully, it made me swoon just as much as Monaghan's first. The characters, the setting, the chemistry – it all worked so well and I was unable to put it down. So much so that I switched back and forth from the ebook to the audio so I could read it at every moment possible. If you've enjoyed any of her books, you'll like this one (especially if you prefer closed door romances). This solidified Monaghan as an auto-buy author for me. Out today, June 4.
|Buy via Bookshop.org|

📖 Tell Me Who You Are by Louisa Luna

The book begins with Dr. Caroline's unsettling encounter with a patient telling her he’s going to kill someone, with hints to a more sinister history. I’m a big fan of an unreliable narrator and Caroline's character is definitely untrustworthy. I also appreciated how Luna slowly reveals her story to the reader. Despite the promising setup, the twists failed to deliver and there were various threads left unexplained. Overall this was an enjoyable if uneven thriller with a unique voice that fans of the genre will like. I’ll be reading more from this author. Out today, June 4.
|Buy via Bookshop.org|

📖/🎧 Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe

Having never read anything by Thorpe, I wasn't sure what to expect except I knew it was getting a lot of buzz. Margo’s Got Money Troubles is a rollercoaster of emotions that will leave you laughing, crying, and everything in between. Thorpe skillfully crafts flawed yet compelling characters whose struggles are both ridiculous and familiar. It definitely took me a moment to adjust to the narrative style, which alternates between third and first person, but it creates a unique narrative which adds layers to the story. The heart of the story is Margo’s journey, her growth as a person, and her quirky support system. Despite her missteps, her determination to forge ahead made her endearing and relatable. Thorpe doesn’t neatly tie up every loose end, but leaves readers with a sense of hope and characters that will stay with you. Out June 11.
|Buy via Bookshop.org|

📖/🎧Middletide by Sarah Crouch

I picked this up on a whim when I wanted something quick to read over the holiday weekend. Alternating between print and audio, Middletide was surprisingly entertaining and not completely what I expected. It's more of a mystery than a thriller, which I found to be propulsive and atmospheric. The setting was reminiscent of “Virgin River,” a show I love, as were some of the characters. The relationships were more of a focus than I anticipated, which ended up being one of the aspects I appreciated the most. Two small quibbles: It was hard to keep track of the timeline and characters at first, but eventually I settled into it; and the indigenous community is one the author made up, and from my understanding she doesn't have any personal experience with being a part of an indigenous culture, which gives me pause. I'd like to find read thoughts from own voices reviewers to see if how she managed that seemed respectful. Out June 11.
|Buy via Bookshop.org|

---

Catching Up, Pt. 1

---

Five on my TBR…

• One of Our Kind by Nicola Yoon – This is Yoon’s adult debut and I absolutely loved her most recent YA novel, Instructions for Dancing, so this has me intrigued. Ashley C. Ford, author of Somebody’s Daughter, said, “I can’t remember the last time a book kept me turning the pages so quickly, or kept me up so late. One of Our Kind is for readers who want to be taken to the edge of expectation, and solidly dropped into the middle of a new nightmare. I still have goosebumps.” Out June 11.

• Same As It Ever Was by Claire Lombardo – Those of you who read and loved Lombardo’s debut, The Most Fun We Ever Had, are probably also eagerly anticipating this one. (I’ve read the first 50 pages so far and am hooked.) From the publisher: “Another brilliantly observed family drama in which the enduring, hard-won affection of a long marriage faces imminent derailment from events both past and present.” Out June 18.

• Bird Milk & Mosquito Bones by Priyanka Mattoo – From the publisher: “One woman’s search for home, from Kashmir to England to Saudi Arabia to Michigan to Rome and, finally, to Los Angeles—standalone essays that together form a sweeping portrait of a peripatetic life.” I mean, say no more. Out June 18.

• Little Rot by Akwaeke Emezi – I’ve read and loved many of their books, especially their 2022 romance, You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty. Plus, Publishers Weekly calls it a “decadent good time,” and honestly that’s enough for me. Out June 18.

• Bear by Julia Phillips – Rumaan Alam says, “There is something unsettling and uncanny about Julia Phillips’s wondrous second book, less a novel than a fairy tale for the strange times in which we live.” It seems like it could be in the vein of Shark Heart or Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance, two of my all-time favorite books. Out June 25.

Other June releases on my radar

June 4

Triple Sec by TJ Alexander
Ambition Monster by Jennifer Romolini
What it Takes to Heal by Prentis Hemphill

June 11

I’m Mostly Here to Enjoy Myself by Glynnis MacNicol
Tehrangeles by Porochista Khakpour

June 18

Complicit by Leah Bravo

June 25

Under Your Spell by Laura Wood
Husbands & Lovers by Beatriz Williams
Honey by Isabel Banta

What June books are you looking forward to?

That’s it for now! I’ll be back in your inbox more consistently now that I’ve caught up. If there are things you want to see or content I used to share but haven’t recently, I’m all ears!