June has me rethinking how I was looking at my 2025 reading…is it actually not that bad?!
I had three 5-stars, one 4.5-stars, and three 4-star books. I’m still working at clearing my galleys, but I’m trying not to pressure myself.
FINISHED
🎧 Deep Cuts by Holly Brickley (2025) — ★5
Gorgeously immersive story about a pair of songwriters.
🎧 All Shall Be Well by Deborah Crombie (1994) — ★3.5
Second in the series — not quite where it needed to be, but a solid installment.
🎧 The Dark Mirror by Samantha Shannon (2025) — ★3
Fifth in the series — not sure I’m going to continue.
🎧 Hercule Poirot’s Christmas by Agatha Christie (1928) — ★4
Ended up being a bit of a surprise; nicely done.
📱 The Love Haters by Katherine Center (2025) — ★4.5
Always a breath of fresh air; darling rom-com that hit the spot.
📖 Watchmen by Alan Moore (1987) — ★4
Gritty and dark story of disgruntled superheroes in an alt history.
🎧 Salt Slow by Julia Armfield (2019) — ★4
Tight range of short stories with hints of what’s to come from Armfield.
📱 Awake in the Floating City by Susanna Kwan (2025) — ★5
Beautiful story of friendship, memories, history, and art.
📖 Fox by Joyce Carol Oates (2025) — ★5
Maybe the most brilliant, multi-faceted literary thriller ever.
DNFs
🎧 An Island by Karen Jennings (2019) — DNF at 15%
🎧 Held by Anne Michaels (2023) — DNF at page 64
CARRYING OVER TO NEXT MONTH
🎧 The Book That Broke the World by Mark Lawrence (2024)
📖 Misbehaving at the Crossroads by Honorée Fanonne Jeffers (2025)
📖 The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty (2023)
Happy reading!
—C.
I'm with you- 2025 for reading has not been as bad as it felt. I'm guessing that's spillover from everything else going on.
I haven't read Oates in years, but have already put this on hold. She's almost 90! Mind boggling. I can barely string together a sentence now.
I’d say that’s an incredible month of reading! And you definitely have me intrigued by AWAKE IN THE FLOATING CITY.