Summer Lovin’: June Reads

My first month of summer reading did not disappoint. I read five books this month and started two more. I definitely was in a bit of a war streak, with three books taking place during WWII and one taking place in WWI.

My Aunt Sandy asked me how it was possible for me to read so many books, especially with my busy month of attending the Dory premiere, planning Adeline’s party and writing so much here on The Mom Creative. I told her it was because I embraced so many different reading methods – audio book, kindle books and regular paper books. Basically, I always have a book with me and a way to consume a book, no matter where I am.  For more on how I find time to read, click here. 

Here’s what I read in June:

The Perfume Collector: Aunt Sandy gave me her copy to read because she loved it, and then Amy Allen Clark recommended it, so I had a good feeling about this book. Though it is big (450 pages), it is larger type and easy reading. I finished it in just a few days. The story goes back and forth between the 20s and the 40s/50s in the US, France and England and is about Eva d’Orsey, who inspired one of Paris’s greatest perfumers and Grace Monroe, who she left a large inheritance to. Trouble is, Grace has no idea who Eva is. Though the story is a bit predictable at times, it had an unexpected few twists at the end that left me really loving it overall.
4 stars

Dead Wake: I started this audiobook last month, but frankly didn’t enjoy it enough to want to finish it in a timely fashion. This book was recommended to me by Anne Bogel on her podcast What Should I Read Next. The book, which is about the sinking of the Luisitania, is by Eric Larson, who is known for writing non-fiction like fiction about historical events. It was very well researched, but I found it too long and drawn out. I kept thinking, when is the darn ship going to be torpedoed?! That said, if you are a fan of Larson’s writing, the book is well done (its thousands of 5 star Amazon reviews demonstrate that). It just wasn’t my style.
3 stars

Don’t You Cry: I’m a huge fan of Mary Kubica and loved her books The Good Girl and Pretty Baby, so was thrilled to receive an early edition of the now released Don’t You Cry.  A psychological thriller, the book is about a roommate whose roommate has gone missing and her search to find her. It alternates between the roommates point of view and a young man’s perspective who has taken notice of an unusual woman who has come to his small town. A great summer read, it kept me guessing until the end.
4 stars

Secrets of a Charmed Life: This was my second audio book and was a much better experience after listening to Dead Wake. I loved the woman who read the book and the different voices she did throughout the book. The book is about a woman’s life story, with much of it focusing during her time during England’s Blitz in WWII. I read a lot in the WWII genre, but this was a part of the war that I had never read about. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found myself walking around the house with my earbuds in all the time, desperate to finish it. I loved the audio book version.
5 stars

Yellow Star: I bought this when it on sale for Kindle for $1.99 and buying it on Kindle was definitely the way to go because it is EXTREMELY short. Yellow Star is the true story of Syvia Perlmutter, a little girl who survived the Lodz ghetto in WWII. In the book, Syvia recounts, “In 1945 the war ended. The Germans surrendered, and the ghetto was liberated. Out of over a quarter of a million people, about 800 walked out of the ghetto. Of those who survived, only twelve were children. I was one of the twelve.” Syvia’s neiece retells her story in 1st person. Like the Blitz, I had never read about the Lodz ghetto and I found the story of how Syvia’s parents kept her alive and away from the Nazi astonishing. A must-read.
5 stars

I also started Lilac Girls (audio book) and Enchanted Islands (hardback from Book of the Month), so I will report on both of those next month. So far I am REALLY enjoying them both!

I am still loving my Book of the Month subscription. The July selections went live this morning and they are fabulous. I want to read the first three of the five listed below:

Missing, Presumed by Susie Steiner: This is my choice for this month. A thriller set in England, it sounds a bit like the show The Fall, which I loved!
The Girls by Emma Cline : This is a close second choice for me. It takes place in the 60s and is about a girl drawn into a cult during the turbulent era.
Love That Boy by Ron Fournier (selected by Arianna Huffington): This book also sounds fascinating. Matthew especially wants to read it!
Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel
Rich & Pretty by Rumaan Alam

If you haven’t yet subscribed, you can get 30% off a 3-month Book of the Month memberships with code SUMMER30. In the spirit of summer, you’ll also receive a fun tote bag and sunglasses – perfect for the pool or library. It’s a great time to join because the new July selections were just announced and you’ll have wonderful books sent to you all summer long!

Previous book posts
May reads
April reads
February and March reads
January reads

Disclosure: Compensated affiliate links used in this post. Thank you to Book of the Month for sending me their July selections a bit early!