June Books 2023
June Books 2023: 8 Books I Read this Month
By: Brittany Shields
June was a weird month for me— I only read one suspense/thriller! Usually I have a few of those.
I fulfilled one prompt for the Shelf Reflection’s 2023 Reading Challenge and two categories for the 2022 Goodreads Choice Awards Reading Challenge,
Two were on my list of Most Anticipated Books of 2023.
This month was 8 pretty different books. I like that I continue to read a diverse selection of genres. I think I would get tired of reading thriller after thriller after thriller. I encourage you to try some new types of books as well— there’s been so many times I think I’ll be bored of a book but find it really compelling!
Spotlight of the Month
My spotlight this month is ‘Rembrandt Is in the Wind’ by Russ Ramsey. As I mention, I think it would be a great book club book because there is so much to think about.
I loved this one particularly because, as an art major, it renewed my interest in art and what art should do or say or not do or say. I learned so much in this book and wish Ramsey would have taught my art history classes in college— I probably would have paid more attention.
Whether you like art or try to avoid it, though, I think this is a great book for all readers and think it will be an engaging read for you!
1. Stars and Smoke by Marie Lu (Stars and Smoke #1)
Genre: YA/ Romance
“‘You may presume that you belong in the spotlight and I operate in a secret world, but perhaps we exist in the same place.’”
A pop star and a spy. Winter and Sydney. On a secret mission to stop a biochemical weapon from getting into terrorist hands. That’s the premise of this book.
As with most YA novels, the characters are young and beautiful, have amazing wisdom and skills, and obviously fall in love with each other.
I liked this book for the action and that it was pretty clean.
Read my full review for more plot details and who I think should be cast as Winter and Sydney if this ever gets optioned for a movie.
2. Do Not Be True to Yourself: Countercultural Advice for the Rest of Your Life by Kevin DeYoung
Genre: Christian Living/Cultural
[On my list of Most Anticipated Books of 2023]
“You should not be true to yourself, unless you have died to your old self and your new self is raised with Christ and seated with him in the heavenly places. The real you is worth letting out if the real you is dead to sin and alive in Christ Jesus.”
A title meant to be provocative. ‘Do not be true to yourself’ is a message you won’t hear on any Disney movie or Taylor Swift album. It’s countercultural and sounds wrong at first, but page after page of this book you’ll be convinced that the statement is true in the context of the Bible.
This is a short book (only 81 pages) that is probably targeted mostly to high school seniors and college graduates, but the principles he relates are beneficial for everyone.
Kevin DeYoung has given many commencement speeches and some of the material in this book is derived from those. His speeches are contrary to the common commencement message of ‘Follow your dreams. March to the beat of your own drummer. Be true to yourself.”
Using Scripture and pop culture references to music and movies, DeYoung does a good job of capturing the interest of the reader while offering countercultural advice.
Read my full review for more on the points he makes and a list of other related books to read.
3. Rembrandt Is in the Wind: Learning to Love Art Through the Eyes of Faith by Russ Ramsey
Genre: Christian Living
“There is beauty in the brokenness. That’s what this book seeks to uncover, because beauty matters.”
I was an art major. Well… graphic design… but I took fine art and art history classes. And I think I learned more reading this book than I did in all of my art classes.
As the blurb on Goodreads says, “The book is part art history, part biblical study, part philosophy, and part analysis of the human experience; but it's all story.”
Russ Ramsey does a phenomenal job of looking at a variety of artists and their work and not only explaining the story, context, and technique of the pieces but helping us see them through the eyes of the gospel.
I think this would be a really good book club book because there are so many things to ponder and think about.
Read my full review for my ponderings, a list of book club discussion questions, and a recommendation for a really cool documentary!
4. These Infinite Threads (This Woven Kingdom #2) by Tahereh Mafi
Genre: YA/Fantasy
[On my list of Most Anticipated Books of 2023]
“Pleasure and torture were often delivered in the same blow.”
This is the sequel to This Woven Kingdom so most of my review won’t make sense unless you’ve read that one.
This book takes place right after the first one so much so that you almost need to reread the last chapter before starting this one. I think I waited too long to read this one and had forgotten some of where we had left off.
Even though there wasn’t much plot movement, I still enjoyed reading this book. It didn’t feel like it was dragging or that I was bored. However, it did feel like a transitional book between the first and whatever comes next.
Read my full review for a plot summary and the things I thought were under-developed.
5. I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
Genre: Memoir
[Winner for ‘Best Memoir/Biography’ for the 2022 Goodreads Choice Awards Reading Challenge]
[Fulfilled ‘A memoir by a celebrity’ for Shelf Reflection’s 2023 Reading Challenge]
“I tried desperately to understand and know my mother— what made her sad, what made her happy— at the expense of ever really knowing myself.”
This is a story that gives us an inside look at the grueling life of acting, especially for kids. It exposes the real struggles of eating disorders and poor body image. It reveals the emotional and physical damage a mother can cause for a daughter. It describes the intense emotional and physical struggle of recovery.
It is hard to read. It is not a really funny book as it is often marketed as, though it has its moments.
The title is intentionally overly simplistic. The book is not a mom-hating book as much as a ‘This is what my life was like. This is what my mom did to me. This is why I am the way I am right now. And even though I hate my mom for it and I’m glad I’m free of her, why do I still feel love and attachment and am protective of her?’
Read my full review for more on how the book is written, quotes, what other reviewers critiqued about it, to see the trigger warnings and my overall recommendation.
6. Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
Genre: Fiction
[Winner for ‘Best Fiction’ for the 2022 Goodreads Choice Awards Reading Challenge]
“This is what time travel is. It’s looking at a person, and seeing them in the present and the past, concurrently. And that mode of transport only worked with those one had known a significant time.”
I’m not sure if I was excited to read this book— I think I was more curious. For some reason I was thinking it would be more sci-fi-ish like Ready Player One since it had to do with video game creation. It is definitely plain old fiction.
The primary story line follows three friends over many years and places (Boston to LA to Tokyo) as they play video games together and then create them.
The secondary story line (at least in my opinion) was the relationship of the characters to the worlds they create. Gaming as a way of escaping the difficulties of life.
I didn’t hate it but it didn’t do much for me. It felt too slow-paced and a bit ‘extra.’ Zevin shoved every major or controversial topic possible into this book instead of just focusing on one or two.
The characters were meant to be flawed but it felt like their flaws overshadowed their strengths and did more to define and drive them. This made them somewhat unlikable and their growth was harder to detect.
Read my full review for more on my critiques, some side notes, and a couple book recommendations I would perhaps recommend over this one.
7. Not By Blood by Christ Narozny
Genre: Psychological Thriller/Suspense
“I’d decided a long time ago that no one would ever take Bill from me again. Bill wasn’t just my brother— he was the only person I’d always known. Every other familiar face disappeared twenty years ago, the day our father killed our mother.”
“The bottom’s never as far from the top as it appears.”
‘Not By Blood’ is a debut psychological thriller from Chris Narozny, a ghostwriter who has coauthored four New York Times bestsellers with James Patterson.
This book definitely had the mystery and suspense, the twists and turns and a satisfying ending, but the language turned me off a bit.
The basic premise is: When Tina gets a distress call from her drug addict brother but arrives at his place to find him missing and his most prized possession still there she is concerned for his safety. Then she finds someone murdered and things get more dangerous and confusing. Who can she trust and is her brother still alive?
Read my full review for a few more plot details and my ultimate recommendation.
8. The Lexicologist’s Handbook by Dane Cobain
Genre: Nonfiction
I've always loved words.
If you follow my reviews, you'll find that I often include a section at the end of some reviews with new words I learned.
This 'fun' dictionary is a cool book to have. While I think 'unusual' is a bit subjective of a word to use and don't think all the words in the book would fit that description (i.e. exponent, depict, etc), there are some I found interesting.
Read my full review for some of my favorite entries and a few notes on the pronunciations of the words.
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