June Book Haul

 At the beginning of this month, I had so many books on my TBR that I decided to put myself on a book buying ban. That ban lasted for about a week.

A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare

The first book I picked up this month was A Midsummer Night's Dream. At the beginning of June, I read Romeo and Juliet. I liked it a lot more than I thought I was going to. For my second Shakespeare novel, I wanted to read A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Goodreads synopsis:

There's trouble in the Fairy Kingdom. King Oberon wants to each Titania, his proud wife, a lesson. Things heat up when four young nobles arrive in the enchanted forest from Athens. They're all in love- byt with the wrong person. It's up to Puck, a playful sprite who isn't above a but of mischief after dark, to do his master's bidding, trick Queen Titania, and dial down the drama among foolish lovers. With a certain potion at his disposal, what could go wrong?

The Threads of Magic by Alison Croggon

In early June, I was gifted two books by a family friend. The first was The Threads of Magic. I flew through this book fairly quickly. I thought the characters were flat and the story was a bit basic.

Synopsis:

Pip lives in the city of Clarel. When he pickpockets a man, he acquires a stone heart in a silver casket. The heart begins to communicate with Pip. The royal officers who lost the heart would stop at nothing to get it back. Pip has unknowingly broken an ancient spell. What Pip doesn't know is a war between Specters and witches has been brewing for ages.

Amber & Clay by Laura Amy Schiltz

The second book this friend gave me was Amber & Clay. This book was way longer than it had to be, especially since nothing happened. It helped that most of the book was told in verse.

Synopsis:

Rhakos and Melisto live in acient Greece. Rhakos is a Thracian slave in a Greek household. Taken from his mother at a young age, he ends up in Athens. His only friend is Socrates. Melisto comes from a rich household. She's sent away to become one of Artemis's bears. The two have never met in the flesh, but by the time they do, one is a ghost.

Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry by Joya Goffney

The next book I got this month was Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry. This book sounds like such a fun contemporary! I love books involving blackmail so I'm sure this will quickly become a favorite.

Goodreads synopsis:

Quinn keeps lists of everything- from the day she's ugly cried, to "Things That I Would Never Admit Out Loud," to all the boys she'd like to kiss. Her lists keep her sane. By writing her fears on paper, she never has to face them in real life. That is until her journal goes missing...

An anonymous account posts one of her lists on Instagram for the whole school to see and blackmails her into facing seven of her greatest fears, or else her entire journal will go public. Quinn doesn't know who to trust. Desperate, she teams up with Carter Bennett- the last known person to have her journal- in a race against time to track down the blackmailer.

Together, they journey through everything Quinn's been too afraid to face, and along the way, Quinn finds the courage to be honest, to live in the moment, and to fall in love.

Counting Down With You by Tashie Bhuiyan

Besides blackmail, another trope I love is fake dating. Counting Down With You sounds like such a great book!

Goodreads synopsis:

Karina Ahmed has a plan. Keep her head down, get through high school without a fuss, and follow her parents' rules- even if it means sacrificing her dreams. When her parents go abroad to Bangledesh for four weeks, Karina expects some peace and quiet. Instead, one simple lie unravels everything.

Tutoring the school's resident bad boy was already crossing a line. Pretending to date him? Out of the question. But Ace Clyde does everything right- he brings her coffee in the morning, impresses her friends without even trying, and even promises to buy her a dozen books (a week) if she goes along with his fake-dating facade. Through Karina agrees, she can't help but start counting down the days until her parents come back.

T-minus twenty-eight days until everything returns to normal- but what if Karina no longer wants it to?

Not My Problem by Ciara Smyth

The next book I got this month was Not My Problem. 

Goodreads synopsis:

Aideen has plenty of problems she can't fix. Her best (and only) friend is pulling away. Her mother's drinking problem is a constant concern. She's even running out of outlandish diseases to fake so she can skip P.E.

But when Aideen stumbles on her nemesis, overachiever Meabh Kowalski, in the midst of a full-blown meltdown, she sees a problem that- unlike her own disaster of a life- seems refreshingly easy to solve. Meabh is desperate to escape her crushing pile of extracurriculars. Aideen volunteers to help. By pushing Meabh down the stairs.

Problem? Solved. Meabh's sprained ankle is the perfect excuse to ditch her overwhelming schedule. But when another student learns about their little scheme and brings Aideen another "client" who needs her "help," it kicks off a semester of traded favors, ill-advised hijinks, and an unexpected chance at love. Fixing other people's problems won't fix her own, but it might be the push she needs to start.

The Witch King by H. E. Edgmon

The next book I got this month was The Witch King. I'm currently reading it now and so far, it's great!

Goodreads synopsis:

In Asalin, fae rule, and witches like Wyatt Croft... don't. Wyatt's betrothal to his best friend, fae prince Emyr North, was supposed to change that. But when Wyatt lost control of his magic one devastating night, he fled to the human world.

Now a coldly distant Emyr has hunted him down. Despite transgender Wyatt's newfound identity and troubling past, Emyr has no intention of dissolving their engagement. In fact, he claims they must now marry now or risk losing the throne. Jaded, Wyatt strikes a deal with the enemy, hoping to escape Asalin forever. But as he gets to know Emyr, Wyatt realizes the boy he once loved may still exist. And as the witches face worsening conditions, he must decide once and for all what's more important- his people or his freedom.

Strange Creatures by Pheobe North

After reading A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, I was in the mood for more mystery novels. Strange Creatures was the first one I picked up.

Goodreads synopsis:

From the moment that Annie was born, she and her older brother, Jamie, were inseparable. Alike in almost every way, they promised to always take care of each there while facing the challenges of growing up differently in suburban America. And when life became too much for them, they created their own space in the woods behind their house: a fantasy world of their own making, where no one else could find them. And it was enough, for a while. But then came middle school when Jamie grew dark and distant. He found new friends, a girlfriend, and a life away from Annie and their shared world. By the time Annie was in eighth grade, it was as if she hardly knew the brother who was her other half.

And then one day, he disappears.

Annie, her family, and the entire community are devasted. And as the days turn into months turn into years, everyone begins to accept that Jamie is gone for good. Everyone, that is, except Annie, who believes that Jamie has entered the world they created and believes that she's the only one who can bring him back. But as Annie searches for answers and finds a new relationship with a girl she did not expect, she makes a startling discovery about her own brother's disappearance- and has to decide how much of herself she's willing to give up in order to keep hope alive.

Both Can Be True by Jules Machias

The next book I got was Both Can Be True. The main reason this book caught my eyes was the adorable little dog on the cover.

Goodreads synopsis:

Ash is no stranger to feeling like an outcast. For someone who cycles through genders, it's a daily struggle to feel in control of how people perceive you. Some days Ash is undoubtedly a girl, but other times, 100 percent guy. Daniel lacks control too- of his emotions. He's been told he's overly sensitive more times than he can count. He can't help the way he is, and he sure wishes someone would accept him for it.

So when Daniel's big heart leads him to rescue a dog that's about to be euthanized, he's relieved to find Ash willing to help. The two bond over their four-legged secret. When they start catching feelings for each other. however, things go from cute to complicated. Daniel thinks Ash is all girl... what happens when he finds out there's more to Ash's story?

With so much on the line- truth, identity, acceptance, and the life of an adorable pup named Chewbarka- will Ash and Daniel forever feel at war with themselves because they don't fit into the world's binaries? or will their friendship help them embrace the beauty of living in between.

The River Has Teeth by Erica Waters

The first ARC I got this month was The River Has Teeth. This book comes out next month on July 20. I'm so excited to read this book! This book contains a mystery I can't wait to solve. I also think that the cover is stunning!

Goodreads synopsis:

Natasha's sister is missing.

Her car was found abandoned on the edge of a local nature preserve known as the Bend, but as the case goes cold, Natasha's loss turns to burning anger.

She'll do anything to find answers.

Della's family has channeled magic from the Bend of generations, providing spells for the desperate. But when Natasha appears on her doorstep, Della knows it will take more than simple potions to help her.

But Della has her own secrets to hide.

Because Della thinks she knows the beast who's responsible for the disappearance- her own mother, who was turned into a terrible monster by magic gone wrong.

Natasha is angry. Della has little to lose.

They are each other's only hope.

The City Beautiful by Aden Polydoros

The next ARC I got was The City Beautiful. It comes out on September 7. I want to read more historical fiction books and this one seems so unique.

Goodreads synopsis:

Chicago, 1893. For Alter Rosen, this is the land of opportunity, and he dreams of the day he'll have enough money to bring his mother and sisters to America, freeing them from the impression they face in his native Romania.

But when Alter's best friend, Yakov, becomes the latest victim in a long line of murdered Jewish boys, his dream begins to slip away. While the rest of the city is busy celebrating the World's Fair, Alter is now living a nightmare: passed by Yavok's dybbuk, he is plunged into a world of corruption and deceit, and thrown back into the arms of a dangerous boy from his past. A boy who means more to Alter's body completely, the two boys must race to track down the killer- before the killer claims them next.

White Smoke by Tiffany D. Jackson

I haven't read any books by Tiffany D. Jackson yet, but I've wanted to for a while. White Smoke seems like such a creepy book and I love it!

Goodreads synopsis:

Marigold is running from ghosts. The phantoms of her old life keep haunting her, but a move with her newly blended family from their small California beach town to the embattled Midwestern city of Cedarville might be the fresh start she needs. Her mom has accepted a new job with the Sterling Foundation that comes with a free house, one that Mari now has to share with her bratty ten-year-old stepsister, Piper.

The renovated picture-perfect home on Maple Street sitting between dilapidated houses, surrounded by wary neighbors has its... secrets. That's only half the problem: household items vanish, doors open on their own, lights turn off, shadows walk past rooms, voice can be heard in the walls, and there's a foul smell seeping through the vents only Mari seems to notice. Worse: piper keeps talking about a friend who wants Mari gone.

But "running from ghosts" is just a metaphor, right?

As the house closes in, Mari learns that the danger isn't limited to Maple Street. Cedarville has its secrets, too. And secrets always find their way through the cracks.

This Is Why We Lie by Gabriella Lepore

The last mystery novel I got this month was This Is Why We Lie. This was another ARC and comes out on September 21, 2021.

Goodreads synopsis:

When Jenna Dallas and Adam Cole find Colleen O'Dell's body floating off the shore of their coastal town, the community of Gardiners Bay is shaken. But even more shocking is the fact that her drowning was no accident.

One Jenna's best friend becomes a key suspect, Jenna starts to look for answers on her own. As she uncovers scandals inside Preston Prep School leading back to Rookwood reform school, she knows she needs Adam on her side.

As a student at Rookwood, Adam is used to getting judgmental looks, but now his friends are being investigated by the police. Adam will do whatever he can to keep them safe, even if that means trusting Jenna.

As lies unravel, the truth starts to blur. Only one thing is certain: somebody must take the fall.

Keeping it Real by Paule Chase

One of my favorites books from last year, A Dress for the Wicked, was about a fashion competition. When I read the synopsis for Keeping it Real, I immediately thought of A Dress for the Wicked.

Goodreads synopsis:

Marigold Johnson can't wait to attend a special program at her family's business, Flexx Unlimited, for teens who love fashion. Byt Mari quickly realizes that she's out of place compared to the three other trainees- and one girl, Kara seems to hate her on sight.

As tension builds and the stakes at the program get higher, Mari uncovers exactly why Kara's been so spiteful. She also discovers some hard truths about herself and her family.

My Contrary Mary by Cynthia Hand, Bodi Ashton, & Jodi Meadows

One of my favorite writing trios is the Lady Janies. The My Lady Jane series was hilarious and I enjoyed it so much. My Contrary Mary was one of my most anticipated releases of 2021.

Synopsis:

Welcome to Renaissance France, a place of poison and plots, of beauties and beats, of mice and... queens?

Mary is the queen of Scotland and the jewel of the French court. Except when she's a mouse. Yes, reader, Mary is an Eðian (shapeshifter) in a kingdom where Verities rule. It's a secret that could cost her a head- or a tail.

Luckily, Mary has a confidant in her betrothed, Francis. But after a king meets a suspicious end, things at the gilded court take a treacherous turn. Thrust onto the throne, Mary and Francis are forced to navigate a viper's nest of conspiracies, traps, and treason. And if Mary's secret is revealed, heads are bound to roll. 

The Lucky List by Rachael Lippincott

The last book I got was The Lucky List. Earlier this year, I read Five Feet Apart which was such a cute romance! Rachael Lippincott's latest release looks so good.

Goodreads synopsis:

Emily and her mum were always lucky.

But Emily's mum's luck ran out three years ago when she succumbed to cancer, and anything has felt right since.

Now the summer before her senior year, things are even worse than ever- Emily has wrecked things with her boyfriend, Matt, and her dad is selling the house she grew up in and giving her mum's belonging away. The only person she has to talk to is Blake, a girl she barely knows since she and her dad moved back to town five seconds ago.

But that's when Emily finds the list- her mum's senior year summer becket list- buried in the back of her closet. When Blake suggests that Emily take it on as a serious challenge, the two set off on a journey to tick each box and help Emily face her fears over losing her connection to her mum. As she starts to feel closer to her mother, so too does Emily's bond with Blake deepen into something she wasn't expecting.

And suddenly, Emily must face another fear: accepting the secret part of herself she never got to share with the person who knew herb best.