This post contains affiliate links that I could make commission off of. All opinions are my own. Learn more.
Now that we’re a third of the way through July, let’s recap everything I read in June! Whoops. My big goal for the year is to read 52 books, and I’m a bit behind, but I still managed to read 4 books last month.
Truth or Beard by Penny Reid
Truth or Beard is the first in the series The Winston Brothers by Penny Reid. It’s a romance novel that tells the story Jessica James, a recent college grad who moves back to the small town she grew up in after college. In an awkward case of mistaken identity, she realizes she may have feelings for Duane Winston, the Winston twin that she swears she hated her whole life.
This book is so fun. It was a great mental escape from the shitstorm that is the world right now. I definitely will be reading the rest of the series! Now I just need to wait for the books to come in at the library…
Rating: 5/5 stars
Duped by Abby Ellin
I first heard about Duped on The Happier Podcast, because Abby Ellin was a guest on one episode to talk about the book. In it, she talks about the con artist she almost married, and talks about other people just like her who were duped by people they thought they could trust.
To be honest, I wanted to like this book so much more than I did. Her story is so interesting, but I realized pretty quickly that I heard almost the whole thing in the podcast episode. A majority of the book isn’t her story; it’s not a memoir. It’s more of a self-help book that talks about dishonesty and lying. Interesting, but not at all what I was looking for.
Rating: 2/5 stars
The Art of Showing Up by Rachel Wilkerson Miller
The Art of Showing Up is a self-help book that talks about, you guessed it, how you can better show up for yourself and your friends. The first half is all about taking care of yourself (because you need to put on your own oxygen mask before helping others), and the second half discusses how to be a better friend.
I loved this book. It took me a bit to get through because it’s a self-help book, which is really hard to wrap my head around right now, but it was so helpful. I’ve actually put a lot of the recommendations into practice and it’s made a noticeable difference in my friendships. I wouldn’t be surprised if I treat myself to the book (I read a library copy) so I can continue to reference it.
Rating: 5/5 stars
All Adults Here by Emma Straub
I kept seeing this book all over Instagram, so I decided to snag it from the library. It follows various people in a vacation town on the east coast during the summer and fall. It’s a coming-of-age novel for all of the characters in the book, even though they’re all different ages.
I didn’t have many expectations for a book (when I see a book making the rounds on Instagram and book review sites, I like to request it without reading any synopsis to get the full effect), and I really enjoyed it. There are so many diverse stories that are told, and it was really refreshing.
Rating: 5/5 stars
Leave a Reply