Everything I Read in June 2024
June was a slower month for me, reading-wise, but a few of the books I did read this month stand out as real winners. First and foremost, Husbands & Lovers by Beatriz Williams is a must-read for fans of Emily Henry. For my fellow history lovers, you’ll want to add both Whale Fall by Elizabeth O’Connor and The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo to your TBR — two very different books with beautiful writing and moving stories. Read on for my reviews of each:
Of the eight books I read this month, here are my top favorites:
- Husbands & Lovers by Beatriz Williams
- The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo
- Whale Fall by Elizabeth O’Connor
- The Shadow King Books
Table of Contents
- June 2024 In Books
- Husbands & Lovers by Beatriz Williams
- Whale Fall by Elizabeth O'Connor
- The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo
- The Cruel Prince by Holly Black (The Folk of the Air Book #1)
- The Wicked King by Holly Black (The Folk of the Air Book #2)
- One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig (The Shadow King Book #1)
- Two Twisted Crowns by Rachel Gillig (The Shadow King Book #2)
- The Phoenix Bride by Natasha Siegel
- Shop the Books Featured In This Post
P.S. to track my reading, I started using the StoryGraph website and app. This reading tracker is really cool and gives you all kinds of interesting stats about your reading style. Plus, the app gives great recommendations based on books you’ve previously read and loved. Check out everything I’m currently reading and add me on the app here!
June 2024 In Books
Husbands & Lovers by Beatriz Williams
5/5 Stars
I could not put this book down! There are multiple storylines throughout this book, and I definitely had a favorite (the most contemporary thread), but I appreciate Beatriz Williams’ efforts to weave two sets of lives and stories together. While I still rate this book 5 stars overall, I was a little underwhelmed by the earlier 1951 storyline, which felt too far removed and unnecessary to Mallory’s 2022 storyline. I almost wanted a whole book devoted to the 1951 story, but didn’t care so much about it as it ran next to Mallory’s story. While the women’s stories ultimately tie together, they don’t feel compelling or necessary when viewed against *everything else* that is going on in Mallory’s storyline.
Regardless, the book was fantastic and kept me engaged throughout. Williams’ writing is so lifelike and emotive, you really feel like you know the characters (particularly Mallory and Monk, the protagonist couple). You’ll laugh, you’ll tear up — all the emotions! After finishing this, I am excited to look up more from the author!
Husbands & Lovers by Beatriz Williams is available from Amazon here.
Whale Fall by Elizabeth O’Connor
5/5 Stars
A short but powerful read, Whale Fall tells the story of a young woman on a remote Welsh island, where a dead whale washes up on shore, a folklore-based potent of doom. Manod, the protagonist, is faced with staying on the island or leaving for the mainland, two options that offer their own benefits and risks. She then gets a taste of the mainland, when two English scientists arrive to study the island and its inhabitants. Manod is torn between her devotion for the sheltered community and her drive to see what exists beyond the water. The novel is lyrical and emotive, beautifully written and full of the human experience. I highly recommend checking it out!
Whale Fall by Elizabeth O’Connor is available from Amazon here.
The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo
5/5 Stars
This book was all over Instagram a few weeks ago and I can totally see why. A gripping historical fantasy novel set in the Spanish Golden Age, The Familiar was an incredibly unique novel, so unlike anything I’ve read before. It had all the hallmarks of great historical fiction and fantasy. This was the first book of Leigh Bardugo’s I’d read, and it makes me want to read more!
The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo is available from Amazon here.
The Cruel Prince by Holly Black (The Folk of the Air Book #1)
4/5 Stars
From the start, this series reminded me so much of the Emily Wilde book series, I knew I was going to enjoy it, though it did take a bit for the story to get going. The Cruel Prince follows a human girl, Jude, as she navigates the High Court of Faerie, where she is tormented based on her humanity. Despite this, she wants to belong to the Faerie Court and find her own place in their world, and, in doing so, gets herself all wound up in court intrigue.
The Cruel Prince by Holly Black is available from Amazon here.
The Wicked King by Holly Black (The Folk of the Air Book #2)
5/5 Stars
Picking up where The Cruel Prince leaves off, The Wicked King sees Jude play kingmaker and attempt to run the court from behind the king’s back. She quickly learns she cannot trust…well, anyone…and she has to figure out how to protect herself and those she cares about from a crumbling political situation and a king who may or may not hate her.
The Wicked King by Holly Black is available from Amazon here.
One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig (The Shadow King Book #1)
5/5 Stars
An engaging start to this two-book series, One Dark Window sets the stage for a unique world where the heroine must keep her magic hidden. Elspeth, the protagonist, has a monster trapped inside her, the result of a childhood infection with the magic that enveloped her world. And though the monster protects her, it also drains her, so she cannot live with it forever. It is a dark, gothic story that kept me interested from the start.
One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig is available from Amazon here.
Two Twisted Crowns by Rachel Gillig (The Shadow King Book #2)
5/5 Stars
As much as I enjoyed One Dark Window, Two Twisted Crowns was even better. Picking up right where book one left off, this book embraces the extensive world building from One Dark Window and runs with it. Here, Elspeth and her companions work to rid their world of the dark magic that drains her and others like her. I could hardly put this one down!
Two Twisted Crowns by Rachel Gillig is available from Amazon here.
The Phoenix Bride by Natasha Siegel
3/5 Stars
Set in 1666 London, I expected this to be an engaging historical fiction story, but the setting didn’t play much of a role until the very end. It follows a young widow who is suffering from depression and all but prisoner in her sister’s home as she falls in love with her doctor, who is a Jewish foreigner with his own melancholy and struggles. I wanted to like this book, but the characters were just frustrating and flat to me.
The Phoenix Bride by Natasha Siegel is available from Amazon here.
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What have you been reading lately?
Share your favorites in the comments so I can add them to my TBR pile!
Still searching for your next favorite read?
Check out my May reading journal for more great titles for your TBR!
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*Some of the novels featured here were gifted to me as part of various book review programs that Cats & Coffee is a part of. I was not required to post about the novel in exchange for getting a copy to read. All thoughts and opinions are my honest own.
