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’d say that’s an incredible month of reading! And you definitely have me intrigued by AWAKE IN THE FLOATING CITY.
Well you have me intrigued by Fox! I didn’t realize JCO wrote suspense! But, dang, 700 pages!