June 2020 Reading Wrap-Up

June Snapshot:

• Got our family masks so we could venture to stores, in this ever changing upside-down world of 2020.

• My daughter turned 10 which looked completely different with no parties or family visits or school.

• Family game night mostly every night. New favourites include: Loot and Professor Noggins Science.

• Watched a ton of The Great Canadian Baking Show … no where near as good as the British version, but better than nothing!

• Really missing our favourite summer activities like our beloved outdoor pool, camping, and yearly summer vacation.

(sorted by TBR ranking; reviews linked)

High

The House in the Cerulean Sea

Written by TJ Klune

Published by Tor Books

(Audiobook)

Pure joy. That’s all I can say really about this heartwarming story of inclusion, diversity, found family and belonging. It will cure your 2020 sorry, hurt heart. I enjoyed the audiobook, but I know would’ve loved it more if I’d read it myself as the narrator’s voice did irritate me many times.

You can find it here: Bookshop.org

Deacon King Kong

Written by James McBride

Published by Riverhead Books

(Audiobook)

This is a gut punch of a novel. I’m so glad I listened to it as an audiobook because it brought so much more to the experience, much more authenticity of voice that I could never have grasped as a white woman. This was a hard read and I’m still processing it to be honest, so I’m going to wait on my review. It was exceptional and I will think about it for some time, but it is in no way easy to read and the plethora of characters was challenging.

Full review HERE.

You can find it here: Bookshop.org

Dread Nation

Written by Justina Ireland

Published by Balzer + Bray

(Audiobook)

Another read way outside my comfort zone – this zombie/horror civil war era reimagining was gritty, bloody, and violent while packing strong emotional punch. Topics of hate, racism, abuse, systematic oppression are all here which can make it a challenging but necessary read. I really enjoyed the audiobook as the narrator brought such great voice and depth to the main character.

Full review HERE.

You can find it here: Bookshop.org

The List of Things That Will Not Change

Written by Rebecca Stead

Published by Wendy Lamb Books

I loved it, I just absolutely loved this. Read my review, or better yet pick up this quick, wonderful book and read it yourself.

Full review HERE.

You can find it here: Bookshop.org

Snapdragon

Written and illustrated by Kat Leyh

Published by :01 First Second

(Re-read)

I simply adore this book and firmly believe everyone needs to read it … which is why it was my May book pick! To be read when you are feeling down on life.

You can find it here: Bookshop.org

Beach Read

Written by Emily Henry

Published by Berkley Books

One of my favourite romance reads in a long time. Being an extremely picky romance reader I loved the witty banter of these characters combined with the observations on women in publishing and some real emotional depth with topics of anxiety, grief and childhood trauma. A really fun, escapist, steamy read for romance fans.

Full review HERE.

You can find it here: Bookshop.org

Quintessence

Written by Jess Redman

Published by Farrar, Straus & Giroux

Speaking of anxiety … I really enjoyed this middle grade centring around a girl who has panic attacks. While I kept wanting to hear more of Alma’s journey to healing (especially considering Jess Redman is a child psychologist), I really felt there was a missed opportunity to provide readers with some strategies regarding coping with anxiety and attacks. The story itself was fun, a little lingering in the middle, but the friendship dynamics were excellent with well drawn supporting characters. However parents were unfortunately portrayed as unfeeling and incompetent for most of the novel.

You can find it here: Bookshop.org

Middle

The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy

Written by Mackenzi Lee

Published by Katherine Tegen Books

This is a fun, rollicking story but really paled in comparison to A Gentleman’s Guide for me. While I really enjoyed the exploration and conversation on women’s past & current struggles to enter the spheres of male dominated arenas I found the story to really flounder and drag at times. I was really thrown by a sudden, screeching story directional change that comes quite late in the book but it is overall humours and light hearted, with LGBTQ+ representation and some excellent insights on feminism.

Full review HERE.

You can find it here: Bookshop.org

Akata Witch

Written by Nnedi Okorafor

Published by Speak

It pains me, seriously, to put this in the middle/3 star section of my wrap up, but I was left befuddled by this novel. It had fantastic imagination and voice, but I’m really struggling to know the audience this was for. Because while all our main characters are preteens and the dialogue is written younger, much like any other middle grade novel, the content was hard to stomach …. as an ADULT. Dealing with child abuse, child torture, child maiming, and a power hungry child serial killer … I’m still quite disturbed by what I read here. I’m just really sincerely confused by this one.

Full review HERE.

You can find it here: Bookshop.org

Low

Park Avenue Summer

Written by Renee Rosen

Published by Berkley Books

If you’ve watched Mad Men and read (or watched) The Devil Wears Prada … then move along because there is literally nothing new to see here. While sounding like the ultimate combo, I really felt most scenes where just straight stolen out of the aforementioned stories. Further it was quite stale and boring with very little happening. For me, this was a miss.

You can find it here: Bookshop.org

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