June Wrap-Up

I haven't done a monthly wrap-up like this since January ... mostly because hardly any reading and no blogging was done during that time. But June was different. June felt like a turning point.  I challenged myself to clearing my Netgalley shelf and then I thought I'd set myself another challenge of reading some summery contemporary books.  And ...it seems to have worked.  I feel like myself again, getting back into reading. And I definitely feel like I'm finding my feet again with the blogging lately too. Though there are still other things I'd like to do more/better in that area and also get back into uploading video content to my channel and to Bookish Brits. But one thing at a time, I think.  But a quiet hooray for right now for what I have accomplished already! (Also? how is it July already?!)

Books read in June

1. The Names They Gave Us by Emery Lord
2. One Italian Summer by Keris Stainton
3. Coming Up For Air by Miranda Kenneally
4. The Jungle by Pooja Puri
5. A Tragic Kind of Wonderful by Eric Lindstrom
6. Girlhood by Cat Clarke
7. Of Mutability by Jo Shapcott
8. White Egrets by Derek Walcott
9. The State of Grace by Rachael Lucas
10. None of the Above by IW Gregorio
11. Been Here All Along by Sandy Hall
12. If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo
13. Highly Illogical Behaviour by John Corey Whaley
14. Geekerella by Ashley Poston
15. Love and Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch
16. Everything Beautiful Is Not Broken by Danielle Younge-Ullman

Total read in June: 16
Total read in 2017: 59

...Look at me go! 16 books read this month is an amazing achievement for me.  I also love the variety of books I've been reading Thought these are all YA books aside from the two poetry books, there is a wide range of subjects that the books have covered from refugees, grief, sexuality, boarding schools and fandom.  I'm happy with what I've read this month and long may it continue.


June Book of the month

The first book I read this month, The Names They Gave Us by Emery Lord, ended up being my favourite.  I loved the diversity included in the book, the development of the characters, the friendships, the family relationships, the unravelling of secrets.  It was a very highly charged emotional read for me and I just plain adored it.

Books reviewed in June


One Italian Summer by Keris Stainton
The Names They Gave Us by Emery Lord
Our Own Private Universe by Robin Talley
Seven Days of You by Cecilia Vinesse
When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon
The Jungle by Pooja Puri

Not bad on the reviewing this month! That's 6 more reviews on this blog than we've seen in awhile, right?! I do have more reviews lined up though, so keep watching this space in July! It's been kind of an uphill struggle getting the right balance between reading books and writing my reviews.  I currently still have 7 book reviews to write and schedule on this blog and sometimes it feels like I'll never get caught up ... but I will. Eventually. 


Other posts in June

Love Month Recap
Netgalley Reading
Happy Father's Day
Happiness List
New Additions to My Netgalley Shelf

These non-review posts are my favourite to write.  I find reviews are ...easy and expected on a book blog. But I am much more interested in finding the time to discuss books in a different way or adding in more of a personal element to my blog posts.  So, again, keep an eye out for some different non-review type posts coming more often on this blog in the future!


Booktube videos in June

Help Michelle With A Reading Challenge

Boo. Had hoped to get around to uploading something MORE this month than just the one video ... alas. Will add that to my to-do list in July. Someone remind me, yeah?

And if you have any specific requests or suggestions for future videos you'd like to see (or the other members of Bookish Brits!) do, then please let me know.


My progress in reading challenges:

British Books Challenge

One Italian Summer by Keris Stainton
The Jungle by Pooja Puri
Girlhood by Cat Clarke
Of Mutability by Jo Shapcott
The State of Grace by Rachael Lucas

Total in June: 5
Total in 2017: 18

Not bad on the British Books Challenge reading this month! I like that it's a mixture of different type of stories included in this list. From grief-stricken Italian adventures to refugees, boarding schools and autism representation.  Because #UKYA is amazing and brings us all the things.  Plus? Poetry. Because I adore my poetry.


Read My Own Books 


I did horrifically on this personal challenge this month as I'm currently still only able to read e-books with any regularity and consistency. So as long as that continues, I'll be putting this challenge on hold. In fact, the only  physical books I read this month was Geekerella and Love and Gelato and both were sent for review. Still, there are more important things in the world and I'm just so happy to be reading and blogging again! Because I'm sappy. 



Netgalley

The Names They Gave Us by Emery Lord
One Italian Summer by Keris Stainton
Coming Up For Air by Miranda Kenneally
The Jungle by Pooja Puri
A Tragic Kind of Wonderful by Eric Lindstrom
The State of Grace by Rachael Lucas
None of the Above by IW Gregorio



I've spent a lot of this month working on my Netgalley shelf! I've raised my feedback ratio percentage quite a bit (It's now at 94%) however I did request three books this month too, which I've already written about previously on this blog. 

What have you been reading and loving in June?