June Wrap Up

Another month has gone book lovers! Time for my June wrap up. It’s been a funny old month (again) and I’m sure we’ve all been feeling the ups and downs. But don’t worry – we’ll always have books.

Books I Read

I managed to get through 6 books this month. A bit less than in May but I found it a real struggle at the start of the month for some reason. I’m back to picking my book up regularly now though so I’m back in the groove! I thought I’d give a tiny summary of the books I read.

1. The Vegetarian by Han Kang

Short but powerful, this book is unlike anything I’ve read before. Strange and visceral, it tells the story of a woman’s decision to stop eating meat and the following unravelling of her mental health.

2. The Nakano Thrift Shop by Hiromi Kawakami

A quirky, gentle read about Hitomi who works in Mr Nakano’s thrift shop and has fallen in love with her colleague. Full of eccentric characters who never fully reveal themselves yet remain interesting.

3. Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams

There’s a full review here but in a nutshell, I loved it! A funny, sad and hopeful story about Queenie, a twenty-something from London who is on a path of self-destruction following a break-up.

4. Circe by Madeline Miller

Based on the Greek myth, Circe is the daughter of Helios, the sun god, and of the ocean nymph Perse. She is a witch and a bit of a badass who can transform humans into animals. A feminist retelling that I thoroughly enjoyed.

5. Just So You Know edited by Hanan Issa, Durre Shahwar and Özgür Uyanık

I’ve just written a review of this too. This is a great essay collection from writers connected to Wales (my home) covering diverse and underrepresented topics.

6. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

The story of mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby and his enduring, obsessive love for his young sweetheart Daisy Buchanan. I found this to be sadder than I thought it would be however it’s a short one if you’re looking to start reading more classics.

My favourite was probably Queenie, closely followed by Circe. I just love me a strong female character.

Books I Bought

I seem to be in a cycle of buying and reading straight away (weird, right?) so to avoid being boring I won’t repeat those. Here are the books I bought from Hive: An American Marriage by Tayari Jones, White Girls by Hilton Als and Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo.

Books I Want to Read Next Month

Aside from the three listed above (which I can’t wait to get to), I am also thinking of picking up the second in the Shadow of Night. This is the second book in the All Souls Trilogy that I started last year and need to get on with it really.

I hope you enjoyed this month’s June wrap up. Let me know your thoughts on any of these books or what you’ve been reading in the comments.