Reading Wrap Up – June 2021 – Susan Lyn Knits and Reads

June was a pretty good reading month for me. I read 9 books which isn’t great but I was on vacation for a week so I’ll take it. I did meet my Whateverthon goal of 8 books so a successful month. Thanks to the scoring system of Whateverthon, I had a very LBGTQ+ reading month for pride reading only LBTQ+ books for the first month ever. Plus I started my blog! And I took public transportation for the first time since March 2020 and got to read while commuting which I’ve definitely missed.

Reading Stats

Books Read: 9
Pages Read: 2,750
Average Rating: 4.00
- 1 – 2.5 star
- 3 – 3.5 stars
- 1 – 4 star
- 2 – 4.5 stars
- 2 – 5 stars
Genre Breakdown
- Fantasy – 3
- Contemporary – 3
- Romance – 1
- Novel in Verse – 1
- Graphic Novel – 1

Picture on right is reading on the Metro!!! So excited to be vaccinated and doing some normal things.

The Books

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

5 Stars – Goodreads Review

I started June with a reread of The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune. This was one of my favorite books of 2020 and I suggest it to everyone. It is such a delightfully quirky little book with a fantastic message. I loved spending time with these characters again and I’m sure I’ll be back. If you’re on the fence because fantasy isn’t your thing, just read it, it’s fantastic. I recommended this to my mom and told her to have an open mind. She’s never read a fantasy except Harry Potter which she DNF’d even though my sister and I were obsessed. She loved it and now is recommending it to all of her friends too! Do it!!

Beneath the Sugar Sky by Seanan McGuire

3.5 Stars (3 on Goodreads) – Goodreads Review

Beneath the Sugar Sky is the third book in McGuire’s Wayward Children series. I loved the first book, Every Heart a Doorway, but haven’t loved the others. This one was a little better than the last one as it explored the worlds a little more but it was still missing that magic of the first book. I plan to keep reading and they are nice and short but disappointed in where this series went.

Saving Seymour by LN Loch

4 Stars – Goodreads Review

This was a NetGalley eARC. Saving Seymour is a cute romance with a hint of fantasy. I thought the fantasy elements were really interesting and used well. The characters were pretty solid and there’s a whale which I loved. It could use a bit of polish but a very solid debut novel.

The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta

5 Stars – Full Review

I really enjoyed this novel in verse. It’s a beautifully told, powerful story. As my second in verse and had me adding more to my TBR. It’s such an interesting way to tell and story and so powerful when done correctly. A quick read with a beautiful cover and awesome main character, it was wonderful.

Skye Falling by Mia McKenzie

2.5 stars (3 on Goodreads) – Goodreads Review

Another eARC from NetGalley, Skye Falling is a contemporary LGBT+ book that is getting a lot of attention as a Book of the Month pick. This one just wasn’t for me. I didn’t like the characters or the plot. There will be people who love this but I’m not one of them.

Heartstopper Volume 1 by Alice Oseman

4.5 stars (4 stars on Goodreads) – Goodreads Review

I decided to listen to Bootube and read Heartstopper. This LGBT+ YA graphic novel is adorable and I totally understand why everyone loves it. I’ll be continuing for sure. I find it hard to give graphic novels 5 stars but it certainly pretty close.

Let’s Talk About Love by Claire Kann

3.5 stars (3 stars on Goodreads) – Prior Review

Let’s Talk About Love is a YA contemporary following an ace main character. I really enjoyed the rep in this one and liked Alice’s story. I hated her best friends entirely which really brought the story down but overall I enjoyed this one.

Flash Fire by TJ Klune

4.5 Stars (4 on Goodreads) – Prior Review

Flash Fire was my last eARC from NetGalley of June and definitely my most exciting NetGalley approval to date. Flash Fire is the second book in the Extraordinaries series. This is an adorable LBTQ+ YA superheroes contemporary/romance series. It’s got serious Smallville vibes (which I love) but with a gay twist and a narrator with ADHD. This series doesn’t get the love it deserves but I loved seeing Nick again, his energy and excitement is infectious and keeps this book super interesting and fast paced.

Hot Dog Girl by Jennifer Dugan

3.5 Stars (4 on Goodreads) – Prior Review

My last read of the month was Hot Dog Girl. This was a fun summery read but I had some issues with the plot, the middle just lagged. Fun overall but I would have preferred if it kept to the rom-com girl dressed as a hot dog trying to find love but it tried to take itself too seriously.

What’s Up Next

I don’t commit to a set TBR but I do have my books in a planned order to read. Hoping to read my normal 10-12 books in July. Here’s what’s at the top of the list: