Wow! June was my best reading month as I managed to read 7 books! I don’t know what was going on with me and why I was drawn to read so much in June, but I’m glad I exceeded my expectations! Not only that, but I was able to read two off of my Gemini TBR! I also give you all an update on my reading goals for 2025 because we are already halfway through 2025!
In July, I plan on tackling the mermaid readathon again this year. During the readathon last year, I managed to read 10 books but I won’t be pushing myself too hard this year because after the mermaid readathon last year, I went through a reading burnout and don’t want to repeat that this year. I expect to read a lot this month but my goal is to read at least 5 books for the Mermaid Challenge.
Make sure to follow me on Goodreads to be updated on what I’m reading and on StoryGraph if you’re curious about my book statistics.
My star reading scale
★★★★★/5 – Loved it! Would reread and recommend it to others.
★★★★/5 – Kept me entertained. I would reread.
★★★/5 – Didn’t love or hate but would recommend to others.
★★/5 – Did not enjoy it and probably skimmed through most of it.
★/5 – I hated it and regret wasting my time with this book.
DNF – Did not finish. This will probably be rare because I like to finish every book I start.
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My 2025 Reading Goals
#1. Read 40 books ~ As of right now, I’m at 30 books! So far, I’ve only read one book in July but I expect that to change as the month goes on. However, I will definitely be marking off this goal soon!
#2. Start a book journal ~ Good news! I finally started my book journal (see above). I’ll write a blog post about it later to share more details.
#3. DNF more books ~ I only just now DNF’d my first book but I’ll discuss it more in my ‘What I Read’ July post.
#4. Try not to be so critical of my ratings and reviews ~ Have you noticed that my reviews have been less critical? I’m not sure if I have or haven’t. lol
#5. Read more books off my bookshelf ~ I’ve only read one book off my physical TBR. I need to work on this goal more.
#6. Reread some of my favorite books ~ None yet. This month is going to be a busy reading month, so maybe next month? lol
#7. Attend a used book sale ~ Nope! But I still have time!
Monsters: A Fan’s Dilemma by Claire Dederer ★★★/5
In this unflinching, deeply personal book that expands on her instantly viral Paris Review essay, What Do We Do with the Art of Monstrous Men? Claire Dederer asks: Can we love the work of Hemingway, Polanski, Naipaul, Miles Davis, or Picasso? Should we love it? Does genius deserve special dispensation? Is male monstrosity the same as female monstrosity? Does art have a mandate to depict the darker elements of the psyche? And what happens if the artist stares too long into the abyss?
While I did enjoy a majority of Monsters by Claire Dederer, I feel as though halfway through that the author made it more about herself. I feel like this topic is interesting, as I think everyone has their own thoughts and opinions as to whether we should continue to listen, and watch entertainment created by horrible people. I wasn’t expecting a yes or no answer, and I don’t remember if the author gives one or not. However, I wanted Monsters to be more than what it actually was.
Personally, I will still listen to music or watch films by or starring people who are monsters, but I won’t tell people about it. I feel like the worst thing you could do to an artist is not to spread the word about their work, so I don’t. The work that they tried so hard to create dies with their despicable actions. I’m very curious about how others approach this topic. What do you do?
You can purchase Monsters: A Fan’s Dilemma here
Annie Bot by Sierra Greer ★★★★/5
Annie Bot was created to be the perfect girlfriend for her human owner Doug. Designed to satisfy his emotional and physical needs, she has dinner ready for him every night, wears the pert outfits he orders for her, and adjusts her libido to suit his moods. True, she’s not the greatest at keeping Doug’s place spotless, but she’s trying to please him. She’s trying hard. She’s learning, too. Doug says he loves that Annie’s AI makes her seem more like a real woman, so Annie explores human traits such as curiosity, secrecy, and longing. But becoming more human also means becoming less perfect, and as Annie’s relationship with Doug grows more intricate and difficult, she starts to wonder: Does Doug really desire what he says he wants? And in such an impossible paradox, what does Annie owe herself?
This novel reminded me of Klara and the Sun meets the film Companion. Whilst I did enjoy most of Annie Bot, I felt it dragged in some places, and I wish more stuff had happened. There was potential for a lot more to happen than what did, but overall, I thought it was a very captivating read.
You can purchase Annie Bot here
We Could Be Rats by Emily R. Austin ★★★★★/5
Sigrid hates working at the Dollar Pal but having always resisted the idea of growing up into the trappings of adulthood, she did not graduate high school, preferring to roam the streets of her small town with her best friend Greta, the only person in the world who ever understood her. Her older sister Margit is baffled and frustrated by Sigrid’s inability to conform to the expectations of polite society.
A 5-star read! I loved We Could Be Rats! I connected a lot to the main character and found her struggles very relatable. The mental health struggles that the main character faced also really resonated with me, as I’ve dealt with similar issues. A book hits differently when you feel like the obstacles the character battles are similar to those of your own.
You can purchase We Could Be Rats here
Victorian Psycho by Virginia Feito ★★★★/5
Winifred Notty arrives at Ensor House prepared to play the perfect Victorian governess. She’ll dutifully tutor her charges, Drusilla and Andrew, tell them bedtime stories, and only joke about eating children. But the longer Winifred spends within the estate’s dreary confines and the more she learns of the perversions and pathetic preoccupations of the Pounds family, the more trouble she has sticking to her plan.
This is one of those books that makes you think, What did I just read? If you love unhinged books with an unreliable and strange narrator, Victorian Psycho is just for you! It’s set around Christmas, so if you’re looking for a creepy wintery read, I recommend this one.
You can purchase Victorian Psycho here
Several People Are Typing by Calvin Kasulke ★★★/5
Gerald, a mid-level employee of a New York–based public relations firm has been uploaded into the company’s internal Slack channels—at least his consciousness has. His colleagues assume it’s an elaborate gag to exploit the new work-from home policy, but now that Gerald’s productivity is through the roof, his bosses are only too happy to let him work from … wherever he says he is.
When I first finished Several People Are Typing, I rated it a 4-star, but after thinking about it some more, I deducted a star because I did enjoy it, but I neither loved nor hated this read. There were some parts I thought were entertaining but also parts that I thought weren’t unnecessary. It gives Black Mirror vibes, if that’s your thing.
You can purchase Several People Are Typing here
Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins ★★★★★/5
As the day dawns on the fiftieth annual Hunger Games, fear grips the districts of Panem. This year, in honor of the Quarter Quell, twice as many tributes will be taken from their homes. Back in District 12, Haymitch Abernathy is trying not to think too hard about his chances. All he cares about is making it through the day and being with the girl he loves. When Haymitch’s name is called, he can feel all his dreams break.
Even though I’m not a huge fan of the Hunger Games series, when I heard that Suzanne Collins was going to release a book based on Haymitch’s Hunger Games, I was intrigued! I think reading the perspectives of other winners from the previous Hunger Games is a really interesting concept!
Reading Sunrise on the Reaping felt like I was watching someone purposely leave out puzzle pieces that will be put together by someone later on. As if there was a reason for every action that Katniss does later on in her books, if that makes sense. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy a good Easter egg! But when it’s written in a book released in the present, meant for a story in the future, it feels slightly forced. I also don’t get the whole music connection. I only ever read the first Hunger Games book and then watched the films. One of the reasons I hated The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes was because of all the singing. Does music play a bigger role in the Hunger Games universe that I’m not aware of? If you’ve read all the books in the series, let me know.
You can purchase Sunrise on the Reaping here
Julie Chan Is Dead by Liann Zhang ★★★★/5
Julie Chan has nothing. Her twin sister has everything. Except a pulse. Julie Chan, a supermarket cashier with nothing to lose, finds herself thrust into the glamorous yet perilous world of her late twin sister, Chloe VanHuusen, a popular influencer. Separated at a young age, the identical twins were polar opposites and rarely spoke, except for one viral video that Chloe initiated (Finding My Long-Lost Twin And Buying Her A House #EMOTIONAL). When Julie discovers Chloe’s lifeless body under mysterious circumstances, she seizes the chance to live the life she’s always envied.
This was another book off my Gemini TBR. The first 2/3 of the book kept me engaged but around the last third of the novel, a lot of stuff happened like it was rushed, which made for a sloppy ending. This novel reminded me a lot of Mona Awad’s books so if you’re a fan of Awad’s work, you may enjoy Julie Chan Is Dead.
You can purchase Julie Chan Is Dead here
Have you read any of these books? What did you read in June?
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