Unlike May, June ended up being a pretty great reading month. Instead of sticking to the books I’d picked out, I simply read whatever the hell I felt reading! June was also the month that I fell down the romance novel rabbit hole and I’m not mad about it. Last month the world was intense and it seemed like there was some sort of twisted competition to plunge us deeper into the raging dumpster fire that we’re calling 2020 and I just needed to escape. And if escape is what you need, romance novels whether they be regency, contemporary or anything in between, will provide!
Anyway, my favorite books of last month could not be more different! Get A Life, Chloe Brown, is a contemporary romance. The main character, Chloe, is a plus-size, black Brit from a well off family who has had a bit of a sheltered upbringing. She decides to move out of the family home and get a life. The superintendent of her new building is a tattooed, Scotsman with a heart of gold. This book is sweet, funny, and high key steamy! I love the way the interracial relationship dynamic was handled as well as the depiction of a main character who also suffered from an invisible chronic illness.
My other five star read was the nonfiction book, The Cooking Gene by Michael W. Twitty. This was sort of a reread for me. I started reading it when it was initially published but didn’t get to finish it before it was due back at the library. This was one of my picks to read during the Queer Blackathon-a readathon hosted from June 19-21. I absolutely adored this examination of history and family told through the author’s exploration of food. I cannot recommend this book enough!
As for my(very very late!) July reading plans, I’ve picked up the magical and epic, The Starless Sea. Three lighter reads, the cozy mystery, A Deadly Inside Scoop, The Boyfriend Project, a contemporary romance, and The Bookish Life of Nina Hill. I also picked up two highly anticipated works of literary fiction, Real Life and How We Disappeared.
How is your summer reading? Have you picked up anything you loved yet?