June Reading Recap
Hello from the midst of the blistering heat wave that has settled over the East Coast…All I’ve wanted to do lately is stay inside, watch Love Island UK, and read historical romance but luckily, we were blessed with a June that was mostly milder and gorgeously summery. I spent it racing around town, eating very good cake, and having a bit of an up-and-down reading month. Maybe I was a little pickier than usual this month, maybe I went a bit overboard on my library holds, or maybe I placed a bit too much weight on the beginning of summer reading season. However, I did read two of my most anticipated books of the year, both of which lived up to my high hopes, and a really fabulous historical romance.
My June reading goals were:
Three queer romances in three different genres: The Devil She Knows by Alexandria Bellefleur, The Duke by Anna Cowan, and Get Over It, April Evans by Ashley Herring Blake
Three historical romances set outside 19th century England: Wild Sweet Love by Beverly Jenkins, And Then There Was the One by Martha Waters, and Let Us Dream by Alyssa Cole
The next book in a series: The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, Vol. 3 by Beth Brower
And a Women’s Prize winner: I started Small Island by Andrea Levy in June but I’m still reading it. It’s the kind of book that demands to be read slowly and thoroughly and I’ll have a review for you next month!
My July reading goals are:
Three sci-fi romances or sci-fi novels that have significant romantic subplots
And one Women’s Prize winner
Favorites of the month
This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me by Ilona Andrews (Maggie the Undying #1)
Maggie goes to sleep in Austin, Texas and wakes up in the world of her favorite fantasy series armed with only her wits and the inability to die. And, naturally for an Ilona Andrews heroine, she decides to rewrite the grim story of Kair Toren and stand up to the powerful people who want to wreck it. I had a fantastic time reading this from start to finish. Andrews (a husband and wife writing team!) has a true gift for pacing, plot twists, and writing cinematic action scenes. This is a stay up late just to read one more chapter kind of book and it's addictive. All of our characters are satisfyingly competent, especially our savvy heroine, and somehow Andrews has magically made a brooding, morally grey, and uber-powerful love interest appealing to me…between this and their Hidden Legacy series, they might be the only authors capable of selling me on this kind of fictional man. Plus there's magical animals! Mage battles! Court politics! It's both deeply satisfying on its own and had me clamoring for the second installment immediately.
The Duke by Anna Cowan
Years after a night of passion that then saw her abandoned to the dangers of Revolutionary Paris, courtesan Celine Genet arrives in London with a dangerous letter and a bargain for Kate, the Duke of Howard: Kate will help Celine find a wealthy, titled husband and Celine will keep Kate's secret. This is dark, dramatic, lush and over-the-top in all the ways that I love. The stakes are high from the very beginning, when Kate and Celine meet in the house of a man who's bound for the guillotine, and the emotional intensity never lets up. I loved Kate's force, Celine's cunning, and the fierce way they put themselves in danger for each other. The prose has a classic feel to it and there's some amazingly vivid imagery both when it comes to the characters' emotional relationships or the decadence of the ton. I’m still thinking about some of the scenes that Cowan sketches here and I really, really want more books in this world of powerful female nobles. (Open door, medium steam.)
The Paris Match by Kate Clayborn
A woman in Paris for the wedding of her former sister-in-law joins forces with the gruff best man in an attempt to save the wedding after an offhand remark sends the bride spiraling. But, like any Kate Clayborn book, this is so much more than that. It's an examination of the idea of an amicable divorce, of the truths we owe to the people we love, the work of healing, and the beauty of one transformative week. The descriptions of Paris are exquisite, the sentences lush and lovely and complex, and the way Clayborn reveals her characters to the reader beautiful. There's moments here that are just heartstopping with the intensity of her prose and the feeling it conveys. It's a messy book, one that knows the people you love most can hurt you and that sometimes they're worth loving anyway and that complication is inherent is any deep relationship. I love the way that she lets her characters live in ambiguity and complexity and how she shows both Layla and Griff working through their pain. This book is romantic in all the truest ways and I believed in both the sudden depth and intensity of Griff and Layla's connection and the lasting nature of their love. One of my favorites of the year. (Open door, low steam.)
Really liked
The Devil She Knows by Alexandria Bellefleur
After being dumped by her girlfriend, chef Samantha Cooper is stuck in an elevator with a gorgeous woman who claims to be a demon and offers Sam a deal: six wishes in exchange for Sam's soul. This is interesting structurally, especially as Sam spends a big chunk of the novel trying to get her ex-girlfriend back, but I think Bellefleur pulls it off. The connection between Sam and Daphne is seeded really well, from the first flash of attraction to a deeper connection, and Bellefleur captures every moment of their growing relationship, while also making Sam's heartbreak ring true. Daphne is such a fun love interest to read, in all her scheming, demonic glory. A delightful foray into a new genre for a favorite author of mine. (Open door.)
Get Over It, April Evans by Ashley Herring Blake
After reluctantly closing her shop, tattoo artist April Evans takes a summer job teaching at a lakeside resort and finds herself sharing a cabin with the younger woman her ex left her for. Blake is an expert at the messy sapphic romance and I especially liked the emotional complexity on show here, as she writes about two women both in the middle of their own journeys of self-discovery and artistic reinvention. The way that she writes about April and Daphne's approaches to making art and channeling their creativity is lovely, as she plunges the reader into the thick of the creative process. There's also a thoughtfully written subplot about wrestling with changing friendships and both the lakeside setting and the romance are dreamy. (Open door, high steam.)
The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion; Vol. 3 by Beth Brower
In the third installment of her journals, Emma M. Lion hunts for tickets to a St. Crispian's production, is enlisted by her aunt to be her cousin's foil, and grapples with her lingering grief over the death of her first love. For me, the magic of this series is that charming and fizzy and funny as it is, there's a real undercurrent of poignancy and sadness. Brower writes about grief in a really lovely, subtle way and my heart ached for Emma and the brave face she puts on. I also relished our introduction to the further quirks of Emma's wonderfully eccentric neighborhood and the wide assortment of potential love interests. (I have no idea who her endgame is and I like it that way!)
Cape Fever by Nadia Davids
Young maid Soraya is hired to work at a crumbling Cape Town mansion by its eccentric owner in this summery Gothic that simmers with tensions, resentment, and the ghosts of the past. Any good Gothic novel has a haunted house and this one has a painting that seems strangely alive, a vengeful spirit, a perfectly preserved childhood bedroom, and an imperious, cunning mistress. I was fascinated by the depiction of a 1920's Cape Town scarred by World War I and of the Cape Malay community's history and culture. I'd especially recommend this if you're headed to Cape Town anytime soon or if you're interested in learning more about South African history.
Waist Deep by Linea Maja Ernst
This story of five university friends reuniting for a weekend in the Danish woods where they flirt, argue, and wonder how they arrived at their present from their rebellious pasts was exactly my kind of messy. It's especially good at capturing millenial self-consciousness, the urge to arrange one's life like it's a cinematic tableau, and the friction between ideals and reality. The forest setting is gorgeous and there's some particularly decadent passages of description that conjure up the heat and languor perfectly. (Not to mention the carefully selected domestic details! I love a well placed description of a character's clothing or their dishes.) Ernst also writes from an array of distinctive POVs, whirling in and out of each character's head. I think this might be a great pairing with Evenings and Weekends by Oisin McKenna.
Life Among the Savages by Shirley Jackson
A quirky memoir of life with small children in rural Vermont that had me marveling at Jackson's range. (The Haunting of Hill House remains one of the most eerie and terrifying books I've ever read.) I laughed out loud multiple times, whether Jackson is describing her daughter's small army of imaginary friends or dealing with her husband's attempts to hunt a groundhog with an air rifle, and especially liked how distinctive and delightfully weird all three of her children's personalities are. And I loved the cats.
Something About You by Julie James
When someone is murdered in the hotel room next to hers, U.S. Attorney Cameron Lynde is caught up in a high-profile case and put under FBI protection, run by the very same cocky FBI agent who still (wrongly) blames her for a botched case years ago. This snappy romantic suspense positively crackles with chemistry, from Cameron and Jack’s banter to their moments of peril to their grudging and then full-throated admiration of each other. Both main characters are supremely competent from start to finish and I especially loved how Cameron gets to be both tough as nails and really feminine. This is crying out to become a big-screen rom-com, perhaps starring rom-com queen of my heart Zoey Deutch. (Open door, medium steam.)
Platform Decay by Martha Wells (The Murderbot Diaries #8)
Murderbot is back, this time on a rescue mission that will require it to interact with (horror of horrors) children. I love Murderbot’s dry, sardonic voice, its perpetual crankiness, and the deep well of principle and reluctant affection that hides beneath said crankiness. One of the great pleasures of the series is seeing Murderbot figure out how to interact with humans, and how those humans learn to work with Murderbot too. There’s a found family element that’s deeply affecting but never cheesy. I also find Wells’ vision of the future fascinating--it’s dark in a way that feels very plausible but it’s also determinedly hopeful.
Liked with minor quibbles
Big Stick Energy by Sarina Bowen
A hockey team captain and a bubbly admin agree to fake date their way through a family wedding they’re both dreading. There’s lots of little moments between Eric and Darcy that had me grinning with delight and their chemistry is palpable. Darcy in particular is a heroine who so easy to root for--she’s smart, bubbly, funny, and capable. Eric has a similarly strong moral compass and they just feel like a really well matched couple. I also enjoyed Bowen’s quippy, breezy writing style, which made for a fast and fun read. What I wanted was more of their complicated relationships with both of their families, which mostly seem to get resolved off-the-page, and less of Darcy’s villainous half-sister, who seems almost cartoonish in her hatred of Darcy. (Open door, medium steam on the higher end.)
The Examiner by Janice Hallett
The six students on a multimedia art course clashed from the start, from assignments set on fire to their final project for a local company. But did that clash end in a murder? This clever, twisty epistolary mystery is told in text chains, emails, diary entries, and student reports. I just enjoy being along for the ride with Hallett's books and seeing what twist she'll pull out next, as well as how she crafts characters through their way of speaking and writing. This one is particularly focused on the dark side of group dynamics and the power of guilt and although I didn't find the final twists quite as satisfying or surprising as The Appeal or The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels, it was a solid pick when I wanted a fast and plotty read.
Wild Sweet Love by Beverly Jenkins
Famed female outlaw Teresa July's bank robbing days are over and she's slated to spend the next year under the guardianship of a respected member of Philadelphia society, whose handsome son Teresa soon finds herself falling for. Teresa is a fabulous heroine: utterly and completely herself, confident, and sharp-tongued. I particularly liked her growing bond with Molly, her future mother-in-law, the historical context, and how Jenkins writes communities of strong women who possess all kinds of strength. However, the open-door scenes are written in a very flowery style that harkens back to older historical romances and that I didn’t love and the pacing felt a tad rushed. Recommended if you're looking for a unique, fierce heroine and a peek into Philadelphia history. (Open door, medium steam.)
And Then There Was the One by Martha Waters
After a string of murders has tourists flocking to her small Cotswolds village and a suspicious death is ruled an accident, intrepid sleuth Georgie Radcliffe writes to a renowned detective for assistance and gets his handsome secretary (and incorrigible flirt) Sebastian instead. This book takes place over a very compressed timeline and although I enjoyed Georgie and Sebastian's chemistry enormously--I love a practical woman and mildly roguish man--I don't know if we got quite enough moments of deeper connection for me to buy that they were ready to reshape their lives for each other. However, I still found this to be an absolute treat of a read. We have an absurdly quaint village, a very good elderly beagle, and a lot of quips and charm. It's a loving send-up of the 1930's mystery, with just the right amount of winking self awareness. (Open door, low steam.)
Objectively good but not my preferred genre
Stay for a Spell by Amy Coombe
On a visit to the quaint town of Little Pepperidge, an overworked princess finds herself cursed to stay inside a run-down bookstore until she discovers her heart's desire. Reading this unlocked something key about my reading preferences: however well done they are--and I think this one is quite well done!--cozy fantasy is simply not my preferred genre. Coombe's style is whimsical in a way that reminded me of a grown-up version of some of my childhood favorites, her descriptions of the bookstore are delightful, and her playful sense of humor adds a welcome dash of fun. Many of the scenes where various princes show up to kiss Tandy and attempt to break her curse had me giggling. But the stakes are so low that there's absolutely zero tension and barely a climactic moment. I don't need the entire world to be at risk but I want something to be. If you like cozy romantic fantasy, I think you'll love this but I needed a little more danger and excitement. (Closed door.)
In which I struggle with romance novellas
Let Us Dream by Alyssa Cole
In 1917 Harlem, sparks fly between a nightclub owner involved in the suffragette movement and an Indian chef. I loved all the historical detail that Cole weaves in and how she explores the themes of community and solidarity. The world on the page is richly developed, nuanced, and humming with life. However, I so wish this was longer! The romance takes a bit of a back burner to the fight for the vote and the perils both characters face. I wanted more of Bertha and Amir learning how to build a long lasting relationship, especially since they’re both incredibly strong willed characters who clash frequently, and of the giddy moments when they’re falling for each other. For me, romance novellas often work best when they keep a tight focus on the central couple.
I had some structural quibbles
Level Up for Love by Lenora Woods
Two former college rivals are forced together during a D&D campaign. My favorite aspect of this romance was its gleeful embrace of all things nerdy, especially when it comes to exploring its central couple's love for game design. It's clear that Woods knows and loves the world of D&D and I really enjoyed getting to learn more about a nerdy corner I'm not familiar with. I also enjoyed the deeply loving relationship between our heroine Reagan and her sister Mona. However, the book is split between the contemporary romance and the story of the D&D game the main characters are playing and I felt like both storylines suffered from that split. There's key conversations with secondary characters that we don't get to see on the page and I really wanted both more fantasy world-building and moments between Reagan and Wesley to deepen their backstory. (Open door, medium steam.)
You win some, you lose some spontaneous bookstore discoveries
The Novices of Lerna by Ángel Bonomini
In the titular piece of this short story collection, a scholar receives an invitation to a mysterious institute governed by byzantine rules where all the other residents look exactly like him. In other pieces, men pine for vanished women, cafes appear and disappear on street corners, and characters wonder if they're all figments of another's imagination. This was one of my spontaneous bookstore purchases and alas, it was a less successful one. The title story is intriguing and atmospheric and some of the other stories are strikingly weird and eerie but some of them read more like thought experiments than fully-formed stories. And nearly every single female character is written as an object of desire and not a person.
Let me know about your June reading in the comments!
Currently reading: Small Island by Andrea Levy
Recommendations, miscellany, and little bits of joy:
We had a gorgeous weekend upstate, complete with farmers’ markets visits, sandwiches from the Corner Counter in Red Hook, and brown butter donuts from Mighty Donuts.
Finally finding a SPF lip balm that I like, from UltraViolette, and investing in prescription sunglasses for long summer days.
Being all in on this season of Love Island UK. I am extremely behind but I’m also valiantly avoiding the discourse and that’s been the perfect combination for me.
