June Wrap-Up

10 Books, 2 ARC Acceptances, and a Very Long July List

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June was a busy month. I read 10 books, and I got accepted as an ARC reader for NetGalley and Book Sirens! I am excited to explore more books with them. I noticed that the majority of the books I read this month dealt with people hiding parts of themselves from others. As an introvert, I relate to that. It is hard for me to let people see all sides of me. I think people should have a choice on whom they share their full self with.

**Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros**: 4.5 stars

Violet is forced to become a dragon rider and face deadly challenges. She tries to hide how weak she is by secretly poisoning her opponents. She knows that strength and brutality are qualities expected of riders, especially if she wants to attract a dragon. However, she discovers that brutality and strength are not the only qualities that make a good rider. She is brave and smart. I liked how they explored Violet becoming her own person instead of what people expected of her.

**Someone You Can Build A House In by John Wiswell**: 4.5 stars

I like the fact that the book asks hard questions. Shesheshen is a monster that preys on the people in the local area. However, when she meets Homily, she begins to question her predator instincts. She is afraid of showing Homily the monster that she is, so she pretends to be human. She wants to keep Homily by her side no matter the cost, and she doesn’t want her predatory instincts to jeopardize that. Shesheshen also questions Homily’s family. She wonders how her predatory behavior is different from them because all of Homily’s family either mentally, emotionally, or physically abuses her. Her analysis makes you realize that a lot of monsters hide in plain sight. They may look normal, but they are hiding their dark intentions from the world.

**James by Percival Everett:** 4.5 stars

James is the retelling of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. James and the other slaves in the book pretend that they can’t read or write, so they dumb down their speech in front of their white masters. Letting their masters know about their intelligence risks not only their lives, but the lives of their family and friends. Sometimes hiding yourself is a good form of protection, not only to protect your boundaries, but also to keep others from having the upper hand over you.

**Narcissistic Traps: Breaking Free From Abuse, Gaslighting, Trauma Bonds, and the Patterns that Keep You Stuck by Sharelle Ellis**: 4.0 stars

The self-help book discusses how people will hide their nature to lure their victims into a toxic relationship. The book gives advice on how to see the red flags in your relationship and how to heal.

**Assassins Anonymous by Rob Hart**: 4.0 stars

Mark is a retired assassin. He has joined a 12-step program to stop killing people. However, his past is not willing to let him go so easily. It was interesting seeing Mark wanting to lead a normal life, but not being able to share intimate details about his life because it could get him or someone he cares for killed. I also like that it asks the question of if it is realistic for Mark to retire from being an assassin when there are people out there that are actively trying to kill him. It makes you wonder if self-defense is a good enough reason to take a life or not.

ARC Reads:

I was excited to be accepted by Netgalley and Book Sirens. Both are platforms used by authors and publishers who send out digital advance reader copies (ARCs) to readers, bloggers, and industry insiders in exchange for honest reviews usually before a book’s release date. I received two ARC reads this month:

The Awake: The Dispensable by Warren Wright

This was from Book Sirens. I will have a full review of it out near the publishing date in either late September or early October.

Ungodly Rich by Katharine McGee

I received a copy from NetGalley. I will have a full review for it this coming Wednesday.

Coming Soon:

The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook by Matt Dinniman

Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree

I have finished both books, but I have plans for them which should be revealed in the upcoming months

DNF

Flashlight by Susan Choi

Normally, I am okay with the book switching points of view throughout the novel. However, the different points of view in this book were hard to follow. You saw different points in people’s lives, but didn’t know how they connected or what the overall plot was.

Altered Carbon by Richard K. Morgan

I loved the premise: a man trying to solve a mystery of a suicide attempt when it shouldn’t be possible. However, I had a hard time following the science behind the world the characters lived in.

Alan Opt Out by Courtney Maum

I am debating whether to continue reading this or not. The characters are very hard to root for, but it may change upon further reading. I will let you know if I decide to continue with this or not.

TBR List for July

The following is what I want to read this July, but I don’t know if I will get through all of them:

Science, Magic, and Mayhem by Caz Lewis

The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix

The Gate of the Feral Gods by Matt Dinniman

Book Lovers by Emily Henry

There is No Antimemetics Division by Sam Hughes and qntm

Wolf Worm by T. Kingfisher

Whistler by Ann Patchett

The Hole by Hiroko Oyamada

A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher

Detour by Jeff Rake and Rob Hart

Erica’s House by Zak Kaullman

The Caretaker by Marcus Kliewer

The Chemistry Test by Georgina Frankie

Enormous Wings by Laurie Frankel

The Someday Garden by Ashley Poston

John of John by Douglas Stewart

The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout

Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett

Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata

The Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler

Social Animals by Camille Perri

The Return by Rachel Harrison

The One Day You Were My Husband

The Extraordinary Dreams of Cynthia Peabody by Lynne Marshall

I think the ones that I am the most interested in:

**Detour by Jeff Rake and Rob Hart**

A group of astronauts who returned from space notices a lot of strange changes to the lives they are coming back to.

**Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett**

A lady who runs a cat shelter finds out her new landlord is using her shelter as a front for an illegal magic shop.

**The Extraordinary Dreams of Cynthia Peabody by Lynne Marshall**

A woman discovers her dreams give her unusual powers.

Let me know if any of you guys would want to do a buddy read with me for any of these books in the comments below!