I’m sharing the books I read in June and if I recommend adding them to your collection!
Hello friends! I hope you have a wonderful week! I’m so glad you liked the Anniversary Sale picks. While the selection isn’t as large as they’ve had in years past, there’s still plenty of great stuff!
For today’s post, I want to share a recap of recent readings. I haven’t been reading as much as usual as I’ve been focusing on finishing IHP2, but I’m back in the act of reading with a mix of fun fluff + more academic fare. I’ve added so much to my list over the past month, so I’m looking forward to diving into some of the new ones on the list.
Here’s what I read in June!
(The dress is for sale here)
June 2023 Book Recap
Mistress of Rome
I love Kate Quinn and intend to read all her books. This book is part of a 4-part series and it was a pleasant surprise to discover that I am already on the second book. It’s a slower burn than some of her previous novels I’ve read (The Huntress, Rose Code, The Diamond Eye, The Alice Network), But it gradually builds up to a crazy, satisfying ending. Since I usually read WWII-era historical fiction, this was a treat to read about a completely different time period and learn a lot about what it might have been like in first-century Rome. 9/10 recommended and it paired perfectly with our trip and the ability to see the Coliseum again in person.
From Amazon:
First-century Rome: A young woman holds the fate of an empire in her hands.
Captive of Judaea, Thea is a clever and determined survivor hiding behind a mask of slave obedience. Bought as a toy for the spoiled heiress Lepida Polia, Thea avoids her lover’s hatred and develops a secret passion for music. But when Thea wins the love of Rome’s newest and fiercest gladiator and dares to dream of a better life, a jealous Lepida separates the lovers and casts Thea out.
Rome offers many ways to live a resourceful life, and Thea remakes herself as a singer for the Eternal City’s glittering rich. As she fights for success and freedom, her nightingale voice attracts a dangerous new admirer: the Emperor himself. But the passions of an omnipotent figure come with a heavy price, and Thea finds herself fighting for both her soul and her destiny.
Many have tried to destroy the emperor: the vengeful gladiator, the upright senator, the tormented soldier, the vestal virgin. But in the end, the life of Rome’s most powerful man rests in the hands of one woman: the emperor’s mistress.
After every summer
I wanted to like this book a little more than I did, but blew through it during our flight so I could find out what happened. It follows the story of Percy and Sam, who have been friends since their teenage years (and a little more than friends…) until a mysterious event completely changes their relationship. Percy moves home after Sam’s mother’s funeral and pieces of their relationship are slowly revealed, along with what happened to tear them apart. I give it a 6/10.
From Amazon:
They say you can never go home again, and for Persephone Fraser, ever since she made the biggest mistake of her life a decade ago, it felt all too true. Instead of sparkling summers on her childhood lake, she spends them in a stylish apartment in the city, going out with friends and keeping everyone at a safe distance from her heart.
She never thought she’d have to live without it — until she received the call that sent her racing to Barris Bay and into Sam Florek’s orbit.
For six summers, through hazy afternoons on the water and warm summer nights working in his family’s restaurant and with books—his medical textbooks and hers—scary short stories of progress in her work—Percy and Sam were inseparable. Eventually that friendship turned into something more breathtaking before breaking apart spectacularly.
When Percy returns to the lake for Sam’s mother’s funeral, their connection is as undeniable as it always has been. But until Percy confronts the decisions he’s made and the years he’s spent punishing himself for them, he’ll never know if their love is greater than the biggest mistakes of their past.
Told over the course of six years and one weekend, After Every Summer is a grand, sweeping nostalgic tale of love and the people and choices that mark us forever.
Relieve dry eyes
Since I’m dealing with an eye adventure, you can bet your booty that I’m a reading and researching machine, especially since trips to multiple doctors failed to give me enough answers or a real plan of action. (I’m seeing my regular eye doctor + specialist this week. The good news is that my eyes are healed!!! But I’m trying to figure out why this happened so I can prevent it in the future and also the way to wear contacts again, I still have to wait because my doctor told me .I can’t function in my glasses forever.)
I stumbled This book And while it was meant to be an 8-week action plan, I read it in one sitting. (I took breaks every 20 minutes and even did blinking exercises, lol.) It’s full of clear action steps and favorite products if you suffer from dry eye or Meibomian gland dysfunction. I’m still not sure if I actually have one of these or if I’m just allergic to something in the environment that triggered all of this. Either way, these steps are fully intended to help. You can get a copy on Amazon and download a free workbook with the book. The author has lots of free resources on his site.
The Bible Speaks Love Stories
I haven’t finished it yet, but read bits of it every night; It’s the perfect pre-bed read and fills my heart with a warm fuzziness before I drift off to sleep. This book explores various love stories in the Bible, including romantic relationships and deep friendships. I love this book and think it would make a great gift. 10/10
From Amazon:
The Bible is full of “love” stories. But the biblical idea of love is much bigger than we imagine.
Love is at the heart of the Bible. From the moment Adam declared Eve “flesh of my flesh” … to Joseph’s sacrificial love for Mary … to the deep friendship of David and Jonathan … to God’s abundant and never-changing love: the Bible is a love story. But it redefines the way the world tells us we should think about love.
The Bible reveals only butterflies and broken hearts. In scripture, we see God’s beautiful design for the marriage partnership. We witness a friendship that crosses all boundaries. We see families navigating the many seasons of life. Our guiding example for them all is the deepest, most abiding, foundational love ever known: God’s unconditional love for His people.
In The Love Stories of the Bible Speak, Shannon Bream draws lessons from the good, the bad, and the ugly of biblical romances, friendships, and families. She shows how God’s love differs from ours by turning our assumptions about life, relationships, and each other upside down.
The love stories of Bible speak remind us that no matter where we find ourselves, God’s steadfast love sustains and guides us. These insights into biblical relationships will uplift and encourage you and reveal new dimensions to the most central Christian duty: loving God and your neighbor.
Circus Train– DNF
Although the premise is promising, I found the writing to be slow and dull. I read 50 pages before calling. I have several other books on my list, so I don’t feel compelled to read something I haven’t fully read. It had excellent reviews, but wasn’t my favorite.
From Amazon:
When all is lost, how do you find the courage to move forward?
1938. Lena Papadopoulos never finds her place in the circus as the daughter of extraordinary headlining illusionist Theo. Talented and curious, Lena—who uses a wheelchair after a childhood battle with polio—longs for the real-world magic of science and medicine, her mind stronger than the limits society has placed on her. Then her unorthodox life takes an exciting turn when she rescues Alexandre, an orphan with his own secrets and a mysterious past.
As World War II rages around them, their friendship blossoms deeper as Alexandre trains as a magician’s apprentice. But when Theo and Alexandre are arrested and perform in town for Jews set up by the Nazis, Lena is separated from everything she knows. Forced to make her own way, Lena must face her doubts and dare to believe the impossible.
So, tell me, friends: what have you been reading lately? Any favorite summer reads?? This is my #1 of the summer so far.
Thanks so much for stopping by the blog today and I’ll see you soon!
xo
Gina
