June Reads

Hi! I'm Emma (June) and I'm 19. I love reading and this is where I document my reading journey! 

[jooniens]

January 2023 Wrap-Up

I really think I should just change my blog name to "I am only slightly late posting this." I think it would fit the vibe better.

ANYWAYS! I had a really good reading month in January despite being on vacation for the first week of the month. I read a total of 4 books and some were better than others

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennet

This was my first read of the year and I am glad it was. I loved this book and I really don't have much to complain about. I loved how character focused this book was and yet it still managed to keep me interested (unlike other books I read this month). I am not sure if there was any overarching plot but this was still a fun read especially for those who love historical fiction!

4/5 Stars

A Reaper at the Gates by Sabaa Tahir

The third installment in the An Ember in the Ashes series. This was my favorite so far. Most of the book felt like it dragged on and it was very focused on character development which usually doesn't bother me but this whole series is very action packed and the slower pace of this installment tripped me up. However, the last 2/3rds of this book had me reeling and screaming into my pillow. And the ending knocked me right off my feet. It is easily one of the best endings I have ever read.

4.5/5 Stars

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

This is a re-read. This year I am focusing less on reading new books and more on finishing series. I have only read the first 3 books in this series so I felt justified to read it again. I watched the show with my mom and we both loved it and now that the second season is coming out I want to read the entire series PLUS the six of crows duology by the time it comes out in March (This is definitely a long shot I know). I was not expecting to like this book as much as I did. I had read it when I hadn't really developed my reading tastes and loved everything I read. This book is older and I just was expecting it to be an eh book. I loved it, is it the greatest work of literature? No, but I love it.

4/5 Stars

Dance of Thieves by Mary E. Pearson

Well, not every book I read this month could be a hit. I don't think I had high expectations going into this but this book severely disappointed me. This is marketed as enemies to lovers but they were kissing by page 120. I thought oh maybe there is some backstabbing and there was but they still maintained feelings? Not only that but this book is too damn long. This book was 505 pages long and didn't get good until the last 100 ish pages. I feel like this book tried to be character driven and it was but to the point to where there was no plot. I was simply reading about people doing stuff.

2/5 Stars

As I mentioned before, this year I am focusing on finishing series and clearing out my TBR so I will be reviewing a lot more sequels and other installations in series. I may also be re-reading some books so that I can finish books that I read in previous years.

Once again, I am sorry for posting late. I will see you guys in my February Mid-month update (no TBR this month, sorry!)

Much love,

June <3

[jooniens]

January 2023 TBR

I truly am so excited to be back doing this. I had to remind myself on hiatus that taking a break is what I needed but I truly did miss this. 

I am quite proud of the reading that I did in 2022 and I am going to push myself to read even more this year. As I have mentioned before one of my goals this year is to finish all of the series that I have started, both in 2022 and overall. Thus, many of my TBR lists this year will be full of sequels and continuations of series. I will do my best to not include spoilers but sometimes in book reviews it is just part of business. 

Anyways, now that I’ve established “ground rules”, let’s get into what I want to read in the month of January!

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

I know what I said above, I want to finish the series that I have already started and this is the first of a new series but hear me out, I have been wanting to read this for awhile and after I was finally able to FIND this book (which is more of a challenge than you would expect for a book that is nearly a decade old) I want to start it as soon as possible. You all have seen my opinion on the Mortal Instrument series but I heard that the Infernal Devices is far superior and I am just holding out for it. 

Lightbringer by Claire Legrand

I have had this in at least one of my previous TBR lists and yes, I still haven't read it (hence why one of my goals is to finish series). I really loved the first two books in this series I just don’t want it to end. This is quite a large book so If I do decide to read this I will probably try to read some shorter or stand alone novels to help my brain not shut down. 

Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson 

Now for a standalone. I actually just bought this and honestly, I wouldn’t have picked this up if Hannah (From Aclockworkreader) didn’t make a reading vlog about this novel and loved it. It seems like something I would like I am just not sure why I always gravitate towards series instead of stand-alone novels. I have this book right in front of me and I actually plan on starting it after drafting this post (remember to keep up with me on Goodreads/Instagram @jooniens !) 

A Reaper at the Gates by Sabaa Tahir

I started An Ember in the Ashes in November of 2022 and it has been true love. A Torch against the Night was my last read for 2022 and it was a great way to end a year of reading. This entire series has swept me off of my feet and I am so excited to keep reading, I just love these characters and this world so much. I accidentally bought this thinking that it was the second book so I had to go back to Barnes and Noble later (what a shame). 

There isn’t a lot on this list because half of my Goodreads TBR has gone missing(?) I know I trimmed it down but I don’t think I had gotten rid of so much. Hopefully, I will be able to knock some of these titles off and start 2023 with some great reads.  

Also, note that I will be bringing back the Mid-Month Reading updates however they will be brief posts and not as long as they were previously. 

Have a very happy and safe new year! 

Much Love, 

June <3

[jooniens]

2022 End of the Year Wrap-Up

I am so excited to be back from my hiatus! It was a much needed break and I am happy to announce that I have finished my 3rd semester of college and was able to spend more time with friends and family.

2022 was certainly a year of growth for me. I really grew into my responsibilities and I could not be more proud of myself. Not only was I productive in self care this year but also in reading. My Goodreads reading goal this year was 40 compared to last year’s goal of 29. I was also able to complete my goal this year and read a total of 40 books! This makes me very excited, last year my goal was far less and I wasn’t able to complete it so I am extra proud of the progress I have made. Another goal I had this year was to not re-read as many books and make myself branch out into new territories, I was also able to do that, only re-reading 4 books.

I will not be going in depth for many of these books as I have given reviews for many on Goodreads or they have made it onto this blog already. I'm going to keep my comments on what I read this year brief unless there is something special I want to mention. As always, full thoughts (during and after reading) are on Goodreads, so if you want to know more about what I thought, check there or DM me (here or on Instagram @Jooniens )

(also note before reading, on Goodreads I will round up my scores accordingly hence why you will see a difference in ratings!)

No more waiting, here are all of the books I read in 2022!

The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix

I love Hendrix’s work but his other novels definitely outshine this one.

3.5/5 Stars

Gumiho by Kat Cho

A little over dramatic for my taste, an interesting concept though.

3/5 Stars

Scythe by Neal Shusterman (2018 Re-read)

Just reaffirmed my love for this series, full thoughts on Goodreads.

5/5 Stars

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo

Fairly unmemorable, I enjoyed reading it.

3/5 Stars

Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson

An instant favorite.

5/5 Stars

One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Not my favorite book by this author but enjoyable and memorable.

3/5 Stars

The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philya

An excellent collection of short stories that touched my heart.

4/5 Stars

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

A quick and easy read, not my favorite book by this author.

3/5 Stars

The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins

A surprisingly good read that kept my drives to work interesting.

3.5/5 Stars

Darius the Great is Not Okay by Adib Khorram

A touching book that sticks with me to this day. A favorite to come out of YA.

4.5/5 Stars

The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson

An excellent and action packed sequel to Mistborn.

4.5/5 Stars

I Kissed Sarah Wheeler by Casey Mcquiston

I think Mcquiston should stick to Adult novels, it doesn't compete with other YA on the market.

2.5/5 Stars

American Panda by Gloria Chao

A cute coming of age story. Enjoyable but not exactly unique.

3.5/5 Stars

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

A very disappointing book for a Pulitzer Prize winner. Full thoughts on Goodreads

2.5/5 Stars

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

A super cute summer read. Not the height of literature but fun to read.

2.5/5 Stars

Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy

Such a fun concept with an unlikable main character.

3/5 Stars

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

The hype got to this one for me but I still loved reading it.

4.5/5 Stars

Palm Beach by Mary Adkins

The Worst of The Year. I hated this book.

1/5 Stars

First Love, Take Two by Sajni Patel

A cute romance book, super formulaic but enjoyable.

3/5 Stars

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han

My second Jenny Han book, I liked it a lot more than TSITP.

4/5 Stars

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

A truly excellent novel. One of my favorites of the year.

5/5 Stars

Hot Under His Collar by Andie J. Christopher

A trash romance book, not much else to say.

2/5 Stars

The Grace Year by Kim Ligget

A book that I wasn’t expecting to like nearly as much as I did.

4.5/5 Stars

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

This is THE murder mystery. This sets the standard.

5/5 Stars

Every Vow You Break by Peter Swanson

Awful thriller. Like what the hell was this.

1.5/5 Stars

City of Glass by Cassandra Clare

You all know how I feel about these books.

3/5 Stars

Furyborn by Claire Legrand (2020 Re-read)

This was technically a re-read but I remembered nothing about it and I am so thankful for that.

5/5 Stars

Kingsbane by Claire Legrand

A solid sequel but I much prefer the first book.

4/5 Stars

City of Glass by Cassandra Clare

A really good conclusion to the series. I have complaints but y’all know them.

3.5/5 Stars

Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson

This is certainly one of the books of all time. I liked the first one better.

3.5/5 Stars

The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

This was a massive book. Not just in terms of size but also in content. An instant classic.

5/5 Stars

House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig

I went into this book with no expectations and it was an okay read.

2.5/5 Stars

The Violent Delights by Chloe Gong

This is another case where the hype really got to me for this book, wish I would have read it earlier.

3/5 Stars

Kill Creek by Scott Thomas

Entertaining and worth the read, especially in October.

4/5 Stars

Flame in the Mist by Renée Adhieh (2nd time re-reading)

My favorite comfort book.

4/5 Stars

Truthwitch by Susan Dennard

Not what I was expecting to read but I absolutely loved this book.

4.5/5

Ink by Amanda Sun

Showed me just how much my reading taste has changed.

1.5/5 stars

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

OMG did I love this book. It instantly became a favorite of all time

5/5 Stars

Serpent and Dove by Shelby Maurin

I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to lovers of enemies to lovers.

3.75/5 Stars

A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir

An amazing sequel, this series is becoming a favorite.

4/5 stars

Now for some re-caps:

My Favorites of 2022:

Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson

Furyborn by Claire Legrand

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

My Worst Reads of 2022:

Palm Beach by Mary Adkins

Every Vow You Break by Peter Swanson

Ink by Amanda Sun

Hot Under His Collar by Andie J. Christopher

I am so happy to be back doing this blog. I truly missed this and I hope y’all did too. I only have one goal for 2023 and that is to finish all of these series that I started this year. Unfortunately, I won’t be posting a January TBR as I’m currently traveling but I will be bringing back the Mid-Month reading update and will be making one for January.

I’m happy to be back and I can’t wait for the new year.

Much love,

June <3

[jooniens]

HIATUS ANNOUNCEMENT

Hey reader babes!

School is becoming my main focus in my life as well as my personal relationships. Because of this I will be taking a hiatus until further notice. I will not be posting a November Wrap-up or December TBR

I will still be posting and updating on Goodreads as well as my Instagram (@jooniens).

I plan to be back by the New Year.

Have a safe and Happy Holidays. I love you all and you will be missed.

[jooniens]

November 2022 TBR and Some Schedule Changes

Hello my reading pals

I can’t believe that it is already November. This year has blown by. I felt like as a child days lasted forever and now it seems like I neve have enough time to do anything. 

That doesn’t mean I don’t have time to read of course ;)

As mentioned in my last post, I didn’t get around to reading much in October as I had fallen into a reading slump (which is okay). However, I am feeling far more motivated a week into November (yes sorry this is taking so long to get these posts up) and I want to read a lot more this month. In November I plan on finishing up a few series and getting into sequels so that I can start with some new series in 2023 (that can’t be a real year come on). 

The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson

It is no shock that I absolutely love Brandon Sanderson. I loved Mistborn when I started it earlier this year and I’ve really wanted to complete the series for the past few months now. I don’t want this story to end at all but I know that I will love this book and it will allow me to dig into other series by Sanderson without feeling guilty

Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson

It is definitely ambitious for me to have 2 of Sanderson’s novels on here but that is why it is called a TBR. I loved Way of Kings and if I may be wrong but I think the next Stormlight book comes out in 2023 and if I could catch up with the series it would make me very happy. 

Lightbringer by Claire Legrand

You all saw how much I raved about the first two books in this series when I read them yet I have not read the conclusion of the series (this a common theme for me). I’m not sure if it was the length that got to me or the fact that I read the first 2 back to back and just needed a break. Regardless, I want to see how this series ends and I miss these characters so much and there is so much in the first two books that need to be explained. 

As Good as Dead by Holly Jackson

I read A Good Girls Guide to Murder this year and was absolutely blown away with it. It was truly a phenomenal book. I read the sequel and wasn’t as thrilled with it and I almost put the series down completely. However, after reading some of the reviews and the synopsis for the conclusion I think I want to read it (as soon as I can find a paperback copy). 

These are just a few of the series that I am wanting to conclude/continue this month. I need to be better about finishing the series if I like them. I’m sure you have noticed that a lot of these were the final books in a series and that is because when I like something, I don’t want it to end. Yet, I need to make more space for new favorites. 

You may have noticed the title and saw that I am going to be doing some schedule changes. I am a college student and finals are coming up very soon so I will be reducing posts to just twice a month. I will be doing a wrap up and a TBR list instead of all of those plus a mid month check in. If at any time you are interested in what I am currently reading check out my Goodreads, I also tend to post fuller reviews there and you get to see my thoughts as I am reading. This is hopefully just a temporary change and I will be back on a normal(ish) schedule in 2023. 

Have fun with your fall adventures!

Much Love,

June <3

P.S. If you are in the U.S. and able to vote go do so! Make the change we need to see in this world!

[jooniens]

October 2022 Wrap-Up + Reading Slumps

Hello reader babies!

I know, I'm a broken record at this point but this post should have gone up earlier in the week.

In October, I allowed myself to relax a little bit and even fell into *Gasp* a reading slump. I only read 3 books in October and there is nothing to be ashamed of. In the reading community, there is a stigma around reading slumps and after wrapping up the books I read, I'd like to talk about it more.

As stated above, I only read 3 books in October and while I know I could have read more I am happy with the books that I did read.

These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong

I don’t really remember a lot about this book and I feel like that says a lot about how I feel. There is a lot of controversy around this book and its politics. I will not be touching on that mostly because I do not know a lot about what is going on and I would like to keep my blog free of these kinds of things. I thought this book was just okay. It really is encompassed by the word “mid”. I feel like the execution could have been better because this is such a cool concept for a book. The romance felt forced and not natural at all and I cared more about the side characters than anything else. At least this book had a cohesive plot and it kept me entertained.

3 / 5 Stars

Kill Creek by Scott Thomas

I saw this in a YouTube video posted by gabbyreads and she adored it so I of course had to pick it up (she is the only person I take horror/thriller recommendations from). While I did like this book and the premise there are a couple of things I want to touch on. I liked the characters and there were times that I genuinely felt creeped out when reading this.  Not to mention the idea of this story is so freaking cool. I loved the haunted house and how it followed the characters. I loved how this wasn’t just a spooky house and how there were psychological aspects to the horror as well. There are a couple things I didn’t like and that was how Scott Thomas wrote the main female character in this book and how he described fat people. Both came off as very misogynistic and fatphobic. 

3.5 / 5 stars 

Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh

This was not a new read for me. After I realized that I had fallen into a reading slump I allowed myself to re-read a book which is something that I didn’t want to do this year (we will touch more on that later). I loved this book the first time I read it and I loved it this time around. I don’t really have much to add. I love the world, I love the characters, its quick and action packed, it was a great pick me up when I really needed one

4 / 5 Stars

Now let’s talk about reading slumps. These things are straight up demonized in the reading community. I know why that is but at the same time, when you need a break, you need a break, after checking some analytics I realized that I read 10 books in June which is maybe why by July and August I was starting to feel some burn-out. I also felt a little burnt out after reading Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson, it was just a really long book and it took a lot out of my brain. Reading slumps are okay and that is something that I am slowly teaching myself. In my little blurb for Flame in the Mist I mentioned that this year I didn’t want to re-read books. Last year, I re-read quite a few books and I just wanted to be able to expose myself to more authors and genres which I am proud to say that I have done well this year. But re-reading Flame in the Mist was a great idea as it helped push me out of that reading slump because I actually got to enjoy reading for that small time frame, even if it wasn’t an entirely new world. 

My fellow reading sapiens, don’t feel bad because you are burnt out. Take your time, no Goodreads reading challenge is going to define whether or not you are a good reader. 

Much Love, 

June <3

[jooniens]

Mid-Month Reading Check-in + My Goodreads Shelves

Hello reader friends!

Going to be completely honest, this was supposed to go up Sunday. I had drafted out the post but it never made its way to be published (I didn't like it). So here we are.

As of this post I have completed 2 books this month. That feels a little underwhelming but I have been in a bit of a reading slump and I'm ahead on my Goodreads reading challenge so I am allowing myself to relax a bit. I'm actually drafting this at work and I'm certain that I will be picking up a new read tonight (most likely Jade City by Fonda Lee) but we shall see once the wrap up comes around.

Because I'm not currently reading something, I knew this post was going to be a bit short so I thought I would add something that I find interesting, Goodreads shelves. I love looking through other peoples shelves, it gives me a glimpse of their personality. Every Goodreads account has 2 shelves 'want to read' and 'read'. Users can add onto these allowing them to organize their shelves further.

Along with the two shelves that every Goodreads account has, I have 5 personalized shelves:

Emma Approved Romance:

This shelf is pretty self explanatory. If I enjoyed the romance in the book, it made its way onto this list. This list is not exclusive to romance books as there are plenty of non-romance included on this shelf. That being said, not all of the books on here I particularly enjoyed. If the romance didn't make me want to vomit, its probably on this shelf.

Made Me Cry Shelf:

Another shelf that is pretty self explanatory. If a book made me cry it makes its way onto this shelf. Many of these were just sad character deaths although one was out of pure frustration with a character.

Trash in a Bad Way:

These books sucked. No sugar coating, no "well..." I simply did not like these books. I have a grand total of 5 books on here so if you made it onto this shelf, go sit in time out and think about what you did.

Trash in a Good Way:

These books also sucked but I had fun while reading them. A lot of this shelf contains old books that I read as a younger teen/child that I revisited later in adulthood. They could also be books that even though the writing style was bad, I enjoyed the plot and characters.

Truly Excellent:

These books were the ones that had me on the floor. They were so good that 5 stars wasn't quite enough to describe them. What is also called the "6 star shelf" contains some of my favorite books of all time.

While my descriptions aren't super concise hopefully they will make more sense to those just perusing my Goodreads page (although I doubt people do that).

I will update you guys when it comes time for the October Wrap-Up (that feels wrong to say, where did this year go?).

Much Love,

June <3

[jooniens]

October 2022 TBR

Hello reader babes!

Despite what the weather tries to tell me, it is full on fall. My house is full of pumpkin spice scent and my closet has been restocked of my favorite, cozy sweaters.

I'm super excited for October and like any other normal person, I save all of my horror/thriller books for this season. To be honest, after reading the chunky book that was The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson I have felt a bit of reading slump coming on and while I am ahead of my reading goal, I don't want to start falling behind.

No more rambling, let's get into my reading plans this coming month.

Hide by Kiersten White

When I first saw this book I was immediately intrigued because it reminded me of a book that I read as a child called Closed for the Season by Mary Downing Hahn. I love the concept of a spooky, haunted amusement park. I have seen quite a few mixed reviews but when it comes to thriller/horror books I am easily entertained.

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

According to Goodreads, I read this some July 2-3 years ago but I don't think I actually finished it (I didn't realize how to properly shelf things at the time). But now that I have more understanding of fantasy under my belt and more of a grip on V.E. Schwab's writing style I think I will be able to actually enjoy the story this time around.

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

I remember when this book first came out and everyone was losing it. Yet, a couple of years later I hardly hear anyone talk about it. I know that with the release of the Shadow and Bone series on Netflix that any of Bardugo's work has taken the back burner while the Grishaverse runs its course on booktok. I don't know much about this book other than it contains a murder mystery (I think). It all seems very dark academia and I love it.

The Troop by Nick Cutter

I've seen this book pop up multiple times in the vlogs that I have seen from the booktubers that I like and honestly their reactions are enough to have me interested in the book. Small confession; One of my biggest fears is parasites. I hate them all and they all creep me out so it makes sense that this book would rightfully terrify me. I'm going to try and brave through it and hopefully I'm not a wimp and it will make it's way onto my October Wrap-Up.

These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong

I absolutely adore Chloe Gong as a person so it is a mystery as to why I haven't read this yet. I have started this multiple times and each time I have been intrigued especially with the beginning scenes and the idea of a scary monster terrorizing 1920's Shanghai? Wonderful and it sounds so spooky and a perfect autumn read.

While this isn't a concise list of all of the things that I want to read in October I think it really provides a snippet of what my reading mood is for this month. Hopefully this new schedule will work for all of you lovely readers and I'm working on bring you guys more content . Side Note: I'm working on getting a YouTube Channel set up so that I can hopefully reach a wider audience and bring more bookish content into this world.

Anyways, I'll check in with you guys on my Mid-Month reading check in and I hope you are all enjoying your fall reading.

Much Love,

June <3

[jooniens]

September 2022 Wrap-up

Oh, look who is on schedule for posting something.

Hello reader babes!

I dub September "The month that June did not read a lot". Don't get me wrong I am super proud of what I read.

You may have noticed that I made some changes to my August 2022 Wrap-up and that was because that is because some of the books I read on there were actually completed in September (The first week of September blended together with August in my brain). I am including those original reviews here so you are still able to see my thoughts and opinions on them.

This month I read a total of 4 books. I was just shy of my goal for September but I am proud that I was able to finish a rather large book this month. The other books I have read this month kind of fell short of my expectations although I did have one five star read.

*Spoilers will be indicated by asterisks around the book title*

*City of Glass by Cassandra Clare*

This was all in all a very good conclusion to the end of the series. It was action packed and kept me wanting to read. However, I have a massive issue with this book and that  While I adore this series, the world and the characters, who the hell let Cassandra Clare publish this. I get that late in the book (like way later) we learn that Clary and Jace aren't siblings but while they still believe that they are siblings both actively say "aha who cares lets bonk anyways" and it is gross and not okay, especially for a YA novel. I get that it's far too late to change now and Cassandra Clare has been kind of infamous for her incest kink(? gross) but I still hate it. To be honest, I only read the Mortal Instruments so that I could read the Infernal Devices which I'm told is far superior.

2/5 Stars

Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson

As y'all now, I read A Good Girls Guide to Murder and absolutely loved it. I was excited to pick this up when I finally was able to (seriously this book was sold out everywhere!) I have to say I was a little disappointed with this book. It just didn't grip me like the first one did and the investigation seemed to fall flat. I liked the ending and it was still fun to be in this world with these characters. I'm not sure if I will continue with the series unless the last book involves a plot line from this book.

3/5 Stars

The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

I finally did it. I read my first "Adult" fantasy novel and by was I glad that it was this one. My first thought for this is "Wow can Brandon Sanderson world build." His histories, politics, characters, geography, all of it sucked me in and I could imagine myself in this world. At times it felt like I was a scribe just recording everything going on and I loved every bit of it. This book was slow, don't get me wrong but with a 1,000 page book, what do you expect. That isn't to say that things didn't happen. From start to finish I was intrigued with how things were happening and what was going on. I loved the switching perspectives although, towards the beginning I was far more interested in Shallan's story than I was Kaladin. Speaking of Kaladin, he is my new book boyfriend. I love that man with my whole heart. In one of my reading updates on Goodreads (follow me on Goodreads) I said that Kaladin reminded me a lot of Kelsier from the Mistborn series and I think that is why I love him so very much. This book was intense and I loved every bit of it.

5/5 Stars

House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig

While I *technically* finished this on Oct. 1, I am counting it here because a majority of it (88%) was read in the month of September and it was finished in the early morning hours (2:27 AM to be exact) of October 1st. I didn't know a lot about this book going into it. I was fresh off of my Furyborn YA fantasy reading kick when I picked this up from my local Barnes and Noble and the premise was interesting. Going into this I did not know that it was a retelling of the 12 Dancing Princesses fairytale and honestly that gave this book a huge boost for me. That being said, this book was certainly interesting and don't get me wrong it was good and I'm glad that YA is allowing darker fantasies onto the scene but this book just wasn't all that for me. The romance felt thrown in and unnecessary, the characters didn't feel fully flushed out and I didn't feel like the plot was super cohesive.

3/5 Stars

I'm disappointed I didn't read more higher rating books but The Way of Kings really over shadowed my other reads for this month and to me, that is okay. Hopefully October will be a spooky month for some great reads. October TBR will be coming later this week.

Much Love,

June <3

[jooniens]

September TBR and Reading Check-in

Wow, two posts so close together!

Like I mentioned in my last post (check that out by the way) I said that I would be changing the format of my reading check-ins. This is mostly just to keep my wrap-ups interesting and fresh while also creating a more frequent posting schedule.

This post is a hybrid of the reading check in plus my TBR for the month of September.

Let's do my TBR first:

Lightbringer by Claire Legrand

I kind of burnt myself out after reading both Furyborn and Kingsbane back to back so I'm taking a break but I'm planning on picking this up soon. I honestly just don't want this series to end but I'm excited to see how everything comes to an end (and possibly full circle).

As Good as Dead by Holly Jackson

I said in my last post that I wasn't sure about finishing up this series but after reading the synopsis on Goodreads I think I want to finish it. Not only does it sound interesting but it has higher reviews than the second book. Once I can find it I'll definitely pick it up.

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

As y'all know I finally finished the Mortal Instrument series last month and the only thing that kept me going through that hellfire was the fact that this series is considered far superior by fans of the series. Honestly, the concept for this series sounds far more interesting that the Mortal Instruments and maybe the protagonist won't be as whiny.

The Eye of The World by Robert Jordan

I'm sure you all have notices that I am a massive fantasy fan, both YA and Adult. I've been a fervent subscriber to Daniel Greene on YouTube for years and the fact that I have not read this book is insulting to everyone everywhere. This book is THE fantasy series of this century and I want to finally understand what everyone is talking about

Typically I would save my reading check-ins for a different post but because I'm really late on posting, it's getting combined with this one.

So far, I have read 30 books this year and I'm 3 books ahead of schedule on my Goodreads reading challenge. I've read 1 book so far and I'm currently 46% of the way through The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson. I absolutely loved Mistborn but it was YA and I wasn't sure if I would be able to read Brandon Sanderson's writing in an adult novel. His style is just as easy to read and I will forever be in love with his prose. I still have a lot left of this book but I'm sure I will end up being another massive Cosmere fan.

October is so close and I'm so excited to start all of my spooky reads at the end of this month. This reading year has been great so far and I'm sure it's going to keep getting better.

Much Love,

June <3

[jooniens]

August 2022 Wrap-Up

Hello reader babes!

I have really no excuse when it comes to writing this the second week of September. But hey, better late than never right? I'm literally writing this at work so I hope you guys enjoy it.

In the hot month of August I read a total of 4 books which was my goal! Some were excellent, others...not so much. Some of these I discussed in my Mid-August reading update however, fresh faces are here as well.

*Spoilers will be indicated by asterisks around the book title*

NOTE: From here on out mid-month updates will only discuss my current read and how many books I have read thus far. Just to keep the Wrap-up interesting :)

Every Vow You Break by Peter Swanson

I have already tore into this book pretty hard in my Mid-August Update so I don't feel the need to do so again here. I just didn't like this book, the plot was odd and it didn't feel flushed out at all. It read like a fanfiction that shouldn't have gotten published.

1/5 Stars

City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare

I liked this book. That seems like a bad review but I truly feel neutral about it. It felt like a middle book, lots of filler and just weird plot line. The ending battle scene was super good and I will never forgive Ms. Clare for what happened to my baby Simon in this book. He deserves better. I have a lot to comment on regarding Clary and Jace but that will come with my blurb on City of Glass.

3/5 Stars

Furyborn by Claire Legrand

I read this for the first time in September of 2020 but I think God decided that it wasn't the time for me to read it and blanked it from my memory so that when I read it this time it was like the first time reading it. I knew the overarching plot but holy crap did this novel blow my socks off. I loved the characters, their bonding moments, the action just everything had me on the floor and head over hills in love.

5/5 Stars

Kingsbane by Claire Legrand

I finished Furyborn while on shift at my job and as soon as I got home I ran for my bookshelves and grabbed this. I gave this book a lower rating and not just because it had tons of filler. I loved focusing more on Eliana's character, is was great to see a protagonist struggle and not be just immediately good at everything. The twist at the end was fantastic. I only have one real complaint with this book and that has to deal mainly with the amount of spice in it. The first book definitely had spice but it was about what I would expect for a YA novel but this book seemed to have a spice scene each chapter and some of it was very explicit. It kind of took away from the rest of the book and those scenes definitely could have been used in other ways.

3.5/5

August was a really good reading month for me and I'm glad I slowed down a bit from the book monster I was in July. Now that school is in full swing it's hard to read as much as I used to (and thus, posting is more difficult too). I'm glad y'all are sticking with me and I'm thrilled to see what September has in store.

Much Love,

June <3

[jooniens]

Mid-August Update

Hey y'all!

Nice to see you again. Remember how in my last post I said I was working on a reading/writing vlog? Yeah well, my camera decided to fill up with memory and I can't afford a new one.

Anyways, I am starting my sophomore year of college this week and I plan for my reading to slow down quite a bit (P.S. I started a studygram, let me know if that is something you would be interested in seeing here).

Other than all of that, I figured I would give you all an update for this month and what I have been reading, and how I felt about the books I decided to shove my nose into this month. I have to admit I was hoping I would have been able to read more this month, it is so hard to believe that this month is already halfway over. So far, I have read 3 books and am currently reading the 4th book. This brings my Goodreads total of books read to 27 (as of writing this 2 books ahead of schedule).

Every Vow You Break by Peter Swanson

I picked this up randomly and I went in with absolutely no expectations. I have never heard of this author (despite them being fairly prolific in the thriller genre) and I have to say this was NOT a good first impression. This book had both awful writing and terrible storytelling. The plot was absolutely all over the place and all of the characters were absolutely awful. The main character was just...so flat. Not to mention this thriller was not thrilling, if anything I kept reading to see how I'd want to slap the characters next. I don't this book had any redeemable qualities. Initially, I gave this a 2 star review but after comparing to it another book I gave a 2 star I bumped it down to 1 star.

City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare *this review contains spoilers*

I tried to read this book late last year sometime and the incest REALLY got to me. I expressed this to my friend and she told me that later Jace and Clary end up not being siblings (which helps me) but the fact that they really had a moment where they both basically said "I don't care if we're siblings" made me want to vomit. Their "romance" is set up to seem like they are star-crossed lovers and it is disgusting. Apparently, Cassandra Clare is kind of infamous for her incest "kink" so I'm not surprised looking back.

Beyond that, I really enjoyed this book and plan on continuing the series. I'm so mad that Ms. Incest Clare put my baby Simon through all of that, he really deserves better. I thought the writing was okay and I was entertained enough to keep reading fairly consistently. I gave this a 3 star out of 5 on Goodreads.

Furyborn by Claire Legrand

The final book for this update (and something that was actually on my August TBR, not that we are surprised). Let me start by saying that I have read this before but I did not remember absolutely ANYTHING about it. I don't know if it was because I read it almost 2 years ago or if God said "Nah, this isn't the right time for you to really appreciate this book" and just wiped my memory. Whatever happened to wipe my memory, I'm glad it did because o m g did I LOVE this book. If you go through my updates on Goodreads it's just being confused that I didn't remember this absolute work of art. I loved the double perspective and while Rielle's story was much more interesting (at least to me), I still loved Eliana and all of the characters (Including Corien even though he's toxic). I have already started Kingsbane (the second book) and Am already taking notes. I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars on Goodreads.

Like I said, I'm a little disappointed that I haven't read more this month but 2 out of these 3 books were 300-400 page fantasy novels so I'm cutting myself slack, especially since I am 2 books ahead of my goal (for now).

Good luck with the rest of your month and to those who are going back to school, I hope you have a good semester and study hard. I do expect my reading to slow down but I plan on continuing to update here. Starting from now a lot of my focus is going to be on my studygram but I won't abandon you all I promise.

Much Love,

June <3

[jooniens]

August TBR (2022)

See? I told you that I would post today. I'm actually working on setting up a YouTube reading/writing vlog as I write this. However, in my July Wrap-up, I said what a great month July was for me in the reading scope and it really was, August has a lot in store for me and I can't wait to see how it goes for me. This month I go back to school and I'll have to balance all of that stuff with my job and other fun adult things. Reading will get done and with the line-up, for this month I think it will be hard for me to keep my hands off of these books.

The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

This book is not my typical read at all. I picked it up at a Barnes and Noble and while scrolling through Libby it was available so I guess the universe just wants me to read this book right now. Fresh off of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, this seems like a fun thriller/mystery that will keep me on my toes (not to mention that cover is gorgeous)!

Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson

As mentioned in the little blurb right above this, I just finished A Good Girl's Guide to murder and that book entirely swept me off my feet. Needless to say, I am dying to get my hands on that second book and as soon as I get my paycheck this week I know what I am getting. I'm still not entirely sure how the first book leads into a series but at this point, I am so in love with the characters that I am dying to read this book.

Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson

So earlier this year I absolutely fell in love with this series. I read Mistborn in late may(?) and it was the first book in a while to make me hardcore sob. I love these characters and I love Brandon Sanderson's writing with all of my heart. I took a little break after reading the second book in this series because I simply don't want this series to end. However, I think now is the time and I am ready to finally close the series and dive into other Sanderson books.

Husband Material by Alexia Hall

I read Boyfriend Material early in 2020 and I absolutely adored it. It was a SUPER cute and quick read and I've been desperately waiting for this novel to come out since I found out. I am trying to branch out of my fantasy comfort zone this year and so far I am doing excellent. I am wanting to read more thrillers and more romance and while this may thrill me it is more of a romance. Needless to say, I just can't wait to read this on a cool night in August with some tea.

Kingsbane by Clare Legrand

If you saw this title and got excited, don't get too hyped up. I read the first book in this series (Furyborn) a while ago and I'm not sure how much of it I remember (other than I really enjoyed it). While I am dying to finish up this series, I might need to re-read the first novel before I dive into the second book, or at least use Cliffnotes.

While this certainly isn't a concise list of everything I want to read this month, these are the titles I picked out of my TBR list on Goodreads (maybe I should do a total TBR blog/video...we shall see). This list may morph and change as the month goes on and my schedule gets a little more intense, but I have big hopes for this month in regards to reading.

Much Love,

June <3

[jooniens]

July Wrap-Up

Hey y'all, it's been a while hasn't it? To be honest, I planned on posing a June Wrap-up + July TBR but by the time I got around to doing it, it was halfway through June and It felt wrong. This month I plan on doing better with posting now that I have settled into the rhythm of my life.

July was a great reading month for me. By the end of June I had caught up with my reading goal, and this month I've been consistently about 1 book ahead (BTW follow me on Goodreads!)

In total, I read 5 books this month, which isn't as many as other people but I am rather proud of the progress I made as well as the quality of the books I managed to read this month. The reads this month definitely lead up to an exciting August TBR. Without further ado, let's get into it.

To All The Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

I read The Summer I Turned Pretty in the later weeks of June and while it certainly wasn't the greatest work of literature, it was a fun read. After scrolling through some reviews and watching videos about those who read romance/contemporary books more than I, I heard that this was the preferred Jenny Han book series. I have to say that I agree. While this book DEFINITELY read like an older YA romance novel, it was thoroughly entertaining. I think both Josh and Peter were thoroughly boring as love interests. They were just so regular. It was still entertaining to read and I had a fun time.

Rating: 3.5/5

Where The Crawdads Sing By Delia Owens

After seeing the trailers for the movie that came out in Mid-July I thought to myself "Ah crap, now I have to read it." I remember when this book came out and my local library deemed it a book club read. I don't know about y'all's local library, but mine tends to pick not great reads for their book club. So needless to say, My expectations were kind of low but holy crap I absolutely love this book. Not only was the writing absolutely gorgeous, but I was actually rooting for Kya and the twist I did not see coming. I had theories about it and my theory could not have been farther from what actually happened. However, now I don't want to see the movie anymore because I don't think it will live up to how I feel about the book. It came full circle and I probably won't see the movie until it becomes available on Amazon prime or something.

Rating: 5/5

Hot Under His Collar By Andie J. Christopher

I saw this while scrolling through my library and internally "This looks awful, it's going in the pile." I burned through this book in about 2 days and while it entertained me it was...not good. It was fun to read, the plot was entertaining and I don't think I've seen this kind of priest/church member romance in mainstream media (not including those odd Amish romances your mom reads) besides the show Fleabag. The characters didn't feel like they had a lot of chemistry but it ended up on my "trash in a good way" shelf on Goodreads because of how entertaining it was to me.

Rating: 2/5

The Grace Year by Kim Ligget

I technically started reading this book in mid-June through the audiobook which I checked out through Libby but I returned It because I just wasn't listening to it enough. I ended up re-checking it out later in July and finally finishing it. My first comment on this book is that this isn't a great YA novel. There were very graphic descriptions of violence and gore. I am not complaining but I think that Kim Ligget would have made this an EXCELLENT adult novel. Beyond that, I'm not sure how I feel about this book. Tierney was kind of annoying to listen to (or maybe that was just the audiobook narrator) yet I still managed to root for her. I wish more of the social dynamics would have been explored and maybe some better explanations of the history of this society. The twist came out of nowhere and didn't make much sense and the ending left me guessing what happened (and not in a good way). I'm sure the author did that intentionally, but it just didn't work for me.

Rating: 3.5/5

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

Technically, I finished this book just as August 1st rolled into the year but I'm still counting it as a July read. I picked this up randomly and I guess that I need to do that with books more because I absolutely adored this book. I'm not usually a thriller reader and especially not a YA thriller reader. I absolutely loved Pippa and this book kept me entertained from start to finish. In other thrillers that I have read, the first 1/3 of the novel tends to provide background information and character development/info dumping. This novel added leads, new theories and it kept me intrigued in the story. I had a few theories thanks to the plethora of details the reader gets yet I couldn't have guessed the twists, yes plural. In the last 50 pages, there was this massive twist and I thought, oh that is kind of underwhelming but then another twist came right after practically slapping me in the face. Do you know that meme of Sheldon Cooper where he says "I don't need sleep, I need answers"? that was me for the last 100 pages of this book and I can't wait to read the rest of the series (although I'm not sure how it is a series).

Rating: 5/5

Edit: It was so late I forgot to sign off...

I'm so glad that July was such a great reading month for me. After the reading month that was June, I am glad that I actually enjoyed (most) of the books that I read this month. August TBR coming later this week, originally planned to put it in this post but I'd like to go to bed. Thanks for sticking with me even though I didn't post for a month or so, you mean the world to me.

Much Love,

June <3

[jooniens]

Mid-Year Book Freak Out Tag

Hello and welcome to the blog! This will be both a tag and an introduction to me and my reading style/taste. If I don’t have an answer specific to this year, I will substitute it with a general answer. 

As of June 26th, I have read 18 books this year. According to Goodreads that is still 1 book behind schedule (I’m never good enough for you am I Goodreads?) Despite Goodreads attempting to gaslight me, I am very proud of my reading progress this year and I can’t wait to share it with you! 

BTW: My Goodreads account will be linked at the end of this post. 

Without further ado, let’s get started!

Best book you have read so far in 2022? 

Definitely Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson. It was my first Sanderson book and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a lot more developed than other fantasy books that I have previously read. 

Best sequel you’ve read so far in 2022?

Well, I have only read one sequel in 2022 (more to come) and that was Well of Ascension, the second book in the Mistborn trilogy by Brandon Sanderson. This book felt mostly like filler but the last 100-150 pages were a whirlwind that I thoroughly enjoyed. 

New release you haven’t read yet, but want to?

There are two that come to mind, one being Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao. I’ve been anxiously waiting for this release and when it was finally released I couldn’t find it ANYWHERE! Now I can find it but other books just catch my interest first.

Most anticipated release for the second half of 2022?

Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid. I have absolutely loved everything I have read by Reid, she is such a talented author and I can’t wait to read another one of her books. I’m not the biggest fan of the cover (and honestly if the UK version is better I may just wait for it) but I’m nevertheless excited. 

Biggest Disappointment?

A full review for this is going to be on my Goodreads (It does contain spoilers so beware) but my biggest disappointment was All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. For being a Pulitzer Prize winner, I had high expectations for this book that it did not meet, again my full review is on Goodreads. 

Biggest Surprise?

My biggest surprise this year was American Panda by Gloria Chao. It wasn’t the best thing I have ever read by any means but it was pleasantly surprising and a comforting read. 

New Favorite Author?

Brandon Sanderson by far. Ever since I have finished Mistborn I have wanted to start the Stormlight Archive. 

Newest Fictional Crush? 

KELSIER FROM MISTBORN!!!! I love that man with my entire heart. 

Newest Favorite Character?

Kelsier(Mistborn), Vin(Mistborn), Gansey(The Raven Cycle), Darius (Darius the Great Is Not Okay).

Book That Made You Cry?

Ladies, Gentlemen, Theydies, and anyone else, take another shot for Mistborn by Branson Sanderson.

Book that made you happy?

Dumplin’, American Panda, Darius the Great Is Not Okay, and Scythe (My only re-read this year). 

Favorite Book to Movie Adaptation you have seen so far this year? 

I’m bending the rules on this and I’m just going to say which adaptation I am most excited about which is The Summer I Turned Pretty Amazon Prime original series. The book is not a literary work of genius but it was a comforting read and I hope the show will provide that same level of comfort. 

Favorite Review you have written this year?

I’m new to the review game but the only review I have written this year that was in-depth was for All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. My tone was critical in it and possibly a bit rude but I was really upset after I had finished it. I might need to go review that soon....

Most beautiful book you bought this year?

I was on a book-buying ban for most of the year but I have to say it is a tie between Spin The Dawn by Elizabeth Lim and The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. Honorable mention goes to (you guessed it) Mistborn and Well of Ascension. The artist did such an amazing job on those covers. 

What books do you really need to read by the end of the year? 

I have so many that I want to read this year. Up on the list is Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson, The Unhoneymooners, The Poppy War and These Violent Delights. 

This concludes the tag! I want to thank you so much for reading and I hope you stick around for the next half of the year!

Much Love, 

June <3 

GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/87465579-emma