What I read in June | 2021
Features some advance review copies via NetGalley. This post contains affiliate links*.
June has been a brilliant month for reading. Although I abandoned one book because I just couldn’t get more than a quarter of the way through, the rest of the month has been eclectic to say the least!
Regency, vampires, sisters and succubus – I’ve had a brilliant mix of books in June which is just one of the things I love about reading. Being able to disappear into a wide range of stories and worlds. Here’s what I pulled from my bookshelf this month.
The Stepsisters by Susan Mallery | AD
Thanks to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing and Susan Mallery for the advance review copy of The Stepsisters.
Read the full synopsis here.
Wow, did I start June with a bang. The Stepsisters was nothing short of brilliantly emotional. A love story with a difference, The Stepsisters is a story about three girls who hated each other and the beautifully flawed women they become.
Daisy, Sage and Cassidy each have their separate lives that do not involved each other, but when Cassidy is involved in an accident, circumstances mean that she has to move in with Daisy and her family. As they reconnect, they start to listen and learn that everyone has their own version of events and things are rarely as black and white as they seem. Then, when one of them does the unthinkable, their newly formed sibling bonds are tested to their limits.
Brilliantly written, I loved everything about this book. All three women are broken and flawed in their own way and even the villain has her reasons and comes across as pathetic rather than wicked. I loved The Stepsisters in all is shades of grey. Especially as although there is a little dash of romance in it’s pages, its the love between sisters that really sits centre stage.
Love love love, and worth a read!
Born of Ice by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Read the full synopsis here.
This is an oldie but a goodie for me. For some reason I really fancied something easy that I’ve read before and would be able to storm through quickly.
The League series by Sherrilyn Kenyon are a sci-fi romance series where the men are strong, the women are feisty and the stories are packed with action and romance.
Born of Ice is the third book in the series and follows Alix – a slave who is forced to stop at nothing to bring down Devyn Kell if she has any hopes of saving her mother and sister. The question is, can she do at the cost of a good man? A man she thinks she’s falling in love with.
The Vine Witch by Luanne G Smith
Read the full synopsis here.
This was an impromptu download from the Prime reading list as I fell in love with the cover. Add that to a blurb which sounded right up my street and I couldn’t wait to get started.
When Elena awakens from a curse after 7 years, her whole world has changed. A vine witch from Château Renard, when she finally returns home the chateau has been sold and its new owner Jean-Paul discards old magic for new science. Whether Jean-Paul is a believer or not, Elena has her work cut out for her to unweave the hexes which have been placed on the vineyard and uncover the darkness which seems to be woven into its roots.
The Vine Witch captivated me page after page. Beautifully written, it is filled full of characters I can’t wait to learn more about. So much so that I have already downloaded the next two books in the series. It reads like a fairy talewith ancient magic woven throughout.
All 3 books are £1 each on Amazon at the moment which is an absolute bargain.
Talk Bookish to Me by Kate Bromley | AD
Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing and Kate Bromley for the advance review copy of Talk Bookish to Me.
Read the full synopsis here.
Read in a single night, I really enjoyed about 90% of Talk Bookish to Me. Kara is a successful author suffering from a bad case of writers block. With her best friends upcoming wedding just around the corner, she is suddenly thrown into the path of her old college boyfriend. The man who broke her heart 10 years ago, and also the man she may still be in love with. As expected though, their story is not smooth sailing.
I LOVED the romance novel references and the fact that Kara is such a book nerd, it made me love her as a character so much more. I also loved the intertextuality of it as Kara’s own book is woven throughout, influenced by her current love life. There is a lot to love about this book: the wedding setting, Kara’s friends, a rather adorable dog, the troupe references all wrapped up in a well written story that has brilliant pace and just the right amount of depth. What stopped it being a 5 star story though is the twist.
To use Kara’s own words, there is always conflict to be overcome in a romance novel, however – for me at least – that conflict needs to be enough to make it believable, but not so much that you lose the reader. I still really enjoyed the book, but it did take the shine off it for me.
Such a shame though as otherwise I loved it. And at 99p on Amazon at the moment, it’s an absolute bargain and still worth a read.
Perception by Terri Fleming
Full synopsis here.
Easily my favourite book I’ve read this month, Perception is a Pride and Prejudice sequel and which follows Mary and Kittys stories. Taking place a few years later than it’s inspiration, it is an absolute joy to read.
Transported back to Longborne, Fleming treats the character we know and love with respect and love. Weaving a narrative for them where they develop and grow – sometimes through great hardship. Perception is the kind of book I will lend to other people, but will ask for it back as it is a story I plan to visit again over the years.
I loved every page and can’t wait to see what comes next from Fleming.
Life Sucks After You Die by Crystal-Rain Love
Full synopsis here.
If you follow this blog then you know that I am a sucker for a Facebook advert for a cheap supernatural book! This popped up on my newsfeed and I couldn’t resist.
Life Sucks After You Die follows Danni Keller as she is attached one night not once but twice. Not quite a vampire, not quite a succubus, Danni has decision to make. However, with gorgeous guys all around, a mother that’s worse than the vampires and a douche-bag boss, there is a lot going on!
This was a lot of fun. Quick and easy with fun characters, it was a great way to pass a few hours. It’s the first book in the Twice Bitten series and although I’m not running out to read book two, I have no doubt that I will catch up with them at some point.
And that’s it! I diverse reading month for me, but I really loved every single one for very different reasons.
- Books read this month: 6
- Total books read in 2021: 45
- Books abandoned in 2021: 1
As you can probably tell, I’m always looking for new books. Especially at the moment. Are there any that you would recommend?
DISCLOSURE: some of these books have been gifted to me by the publishers via NetGalley in return for my honest opinion. I am not paid to do this, I do it because I love to read. The decision to include them on this blog is my own and I am under no obligation to do so.
* I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.co.uk.
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