Monthly Wrap Ups

June Reading Wrap Up

July 6, 2018 / 736 Comments

June was an interesting month when it came to reading. I ended up reading six books total, the original number of books on my June TBR list, but I didn’t read all the books on that list. I got a library card this month, and I traveled to visit a friend, so my reading routine got a little messed up, but honestly, I’m really happy with how my reading went this month. I’m consistently reading more and more, and nothing makes me happier. Let’s get started with this June reading wrap up!

Books From My June TBR That I Actually Read

Rich Dad Poor DadImage from Amazon

1. Rich Dad Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not! by Robert T. Kiyosaki
This was such a quick, educational read for me. I’m so glad I finally got to this highly recommended book as it set a great foundation on investment knowledge and expanded my understanding on passive income. Kiyosaki provides a summary section with helpful quotes and a place to take notes which I found really helpful — especially when referring back to the book for information. The only downside is how repetitive Kiyosaki’s writing can be, but all in all it was a really great book. I gave this book 4/5 stars.

How to Be A HeroineImage from Amazon

2. How to Be A Heroine: Or, What I’ve Learned From Reading Too Much by Samantha Ellis
Unfortunately, this book did not live up to my expectations. I enjoyed reading about a variety of heroines, and thought Ellis expertly weaved them in to her narrative about her personal life, but I don’t think the book added anything to my understanding of literature (which is what I hoped it would do). Ellis basically just lists out all the heroine’s she used to admire but grew to learn weren’t that great after all. I gave this book 3/5 stars.

The Woman in Cabin 10Image from Amazon

3.  The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware
I thought this book was a great mystery-thriller. It follows a reporter, Lo, on job to write about a new luxury cruise. On the first night of the cruise, she believes she’s witnessed a murder. When she reports what she heard and saw, the mystery unfolds. It’s got body-doubles, back-stabbing ex-boyfriends, and deceit galore. I thought it was an interesting mystery with great twists, but it also felt like it went on for a little too long. It’s hard to explain without ruining it, but Ware almost tried to fit too much into the story without developing the characters enough. I gave this book 4/5 stars.

Books I Decided to Read on a Whim

first comes love by emily giffinImage from Amazon

1. First Comes Love by Emily Giffin
I devoured this book. I had a little marathon read with myself and finished it in under eight hours. It follows the perspectives of two sisters who don’t get along. Their relationship has been further strained by the untimely death of their older brother. Giffin picks up with the sisters 15 years after the brother’s death, and follows them as they deal with the other struggles life throws their way. Between marriage problems and a desire for motherhood, two things I haven’t experienced myself, I still felt like Giffin’s characters were relatable and realistic. If you’re looking for a contemporary romance, this is the one. I gave this book 5/5 stars.

Harry Potter and the Triwizard TournamentImage from Books-A-Million

2. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
I’m still in the midst of my Harry Potter re-read, and the only book I was able to finish in June was Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. This has never been my favorite book because I hate when the bad guy wins, but I knew it had to happen. I’ve come to appreciate this book for what it offers the Harry Potter universe — a necessary shift in power, complex characters, supportive friendships, and a main Hufflepuff character. I gave this book 5/5 stars.

A Torch Against the NightImage from Amazon

3. A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir
I went to Norfolk, Virginia at the end of the month to visit a friend. While there, we went to Barnes and Noble. While he was roaming the aisles, I settled down with this book to start reading it. About thirty minutes later, my friend found me. Apparently he had been looking for the exact book I had been reading for the last half hour.I told him I’d let him buy it if he let me read it before I left. Thankfully, I managed to get through the whole book. After not loving Red Queen, I was worried that I had lost my ability to enjoy YA fiction. I was wrong. A Torch Against the Night was absolutely wonderful. It made me laugh, made me cry, made me care about the characters, and so much more. I liked the book (and the first book in the series) so much I am going to be personally buying it (I also read his copy of An Ember in the Ashes when I visited him last August). Since this is a sequel, I’m just going to tell you the general synopsis of the series — Laia is a Scholar slave who joins the Rebellion to save her brother from the prison Kauf. Elias is a warrior for the Empire who turns his back on it to help Laia. It’s a kind of dystopian YA that features unpredictable plot-twists, well developed characters, and a swift-moving storyline. I gave this book 5/5 stars.

Books From My June TBR That I Didn’t Get to Read

lord of the flies, a darker shade of magic, the curious case of the dog in the night

1. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
This book features an intelligent boy who can remember every country of the world but cannot decipher social cues. He lives in a world of order, but when one night, the neighbor’s dog is killed, Christopher has to throw the rules he knows and loves out the window to solve the mystery. Although I’m upset I didn’t get to this book that I’ve had on my shelf for years in June, I can’t wait to read it in July or August.

2. Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Golding’s story features a group of boys who are free to make their own choices without adult supervision after a plane crashes on an uncharted island. It follows them as they figure out that making the rules isn’t always all fun and games. I actually was able to start this book, but when I got to Norfolk and needed to power through A Torch Against the Night it took a backseat. I’m excited to pick it up again in July.

3. A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab
A contemporary, adult fantasy, “A Darker Shade of Magic” features multiple versions of the city of London in varying levels of disarray due to to magic. The main character, Kell, is one of the last of his kind with the ability to travel between the parallel worlds. Each London has it’s own rules and some people travel between the worlds, but can only do so with the help of someone like Kell. But when Kell is forced to send Delilah Bard to another world without supervision, dark magic has the opportunity to escape in previously untouched Londons. I’m hoping to get to this book in July because it sounds truly captivating.

That’s everything I read (and didn’t read) in the month of June! What was your reading like last month? Did you accomplish your reading goals? Let me know in the comments below.

Happy reading,
Kimberly

june reading wrap up pinterest graphic

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