June 2019 Reading List & Reviews

We’re nearing the end of June (can you believe it?!) so it’s time for my monthly reading list! June was jam packed and I was worried I wouldn’t have that much time to read. Well, reading quickly became my reprieve from the crazy days so I was able to read much more than I thought I would! This month I read 8 books – 6 physical books, 1 e-book, and 1 audiobook. Not too shabby! June may have been my favorite reading month yet in terms of the books I read. There were SO many good ones. Among my favorites are The Friend Zone, A Woman is No Man, and The Friends We Keep. So let’s get started with the reviews! P.S. I created an IG page dedicated to ALL THINGS BOOKS!  You can follow along with it @enw_reads! It’s been so fun to share my books on that page & connect with other book nerds like me! 😉

As always you can check out my Amazon Book Page for the latest books that I recommend and for what I’m reading! I would love to hear what you read this month or what’s on your to-read list for July in the comments for all to see! Happy reading y’all!

physical books

THE FRIEND ZONE BY ABBY JIMENEZ | Kristen Petersen doesn’t do drama, will fight to the death for her friends, and has no room in her life for guys who just don’t get her. Planning her best friend’s wedding is bittersweet for Kristen—especially when she meets the best man, Josh Copeland. He’s funny, sexy, and never offended by sarcasm. Even her dog, Stuntman Mike, adores him. The only catch: Josh wants a big family someday. Kristen knows he’d be better off with someone else, but as their attraction grows, it’s harder and harder to keep him at arm’s length. She’s also keeping a big secret: facing a medically necessary procedure that will make it impossible for her to have children. review: I had seen a few of my book friends rave about this book, so I was excited to receive an advanced copy. It’s safe to say this author’s debut book is highly addictive. The characters were quirky, real, and relatable. The book felt extremely authentic – which is sometimes hard to do with contemporary romance books. I also appreciated that while it is a romance book, it’s also a book about love, friendship, life & infertility. I thought the author discussed the subject very well. I HIGHLY recommend this book for anyone that likes contemporary romance, especially if you enjoy books by Colleen Hoover, Taylor Jenkins Reid & Christina Lauren! rating: 5 out of 5 ⭐️

RED, WHITE & ROYAL BLUE BY CASEY MCQUISTON | Alex Claremont-Diaz is the First Son of the President of the United States. When Alex is faced with his rival Prince Henry of Wales and a fight breaks out, damage control is needed for the sake of American/British relations. The plan? Staging a fake friendship between the First Son and the Prince. But beneath Henry’s Prince Charming veneer, there’s a soft-hearted eccentric with a dry sense of humor and more than one ghost haunting him. Soon they find themselves becoming more than just friends and hurtling into a secret relationship that could upend two nations. Everything is put into question. review: I coincidentally started this book during Pride Month & I’m glad I did because it was a great way to kick off the month with a LGBTQ+ story! There was an abundance of plot and character development (the dynamics between the characters is so great!). It was charming and authentic and I thought the author did a great job of evoking the emotions of the reader as she portrays the pressures and the feelings of “coming out.” I thoroughly enjoyed everything about this book – I laughed out loud, sympathized with the characters (who were so lovable) and find myself smiling ear to ear at the end! This is certainly a breakout romance book & I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I did. rating: 5 out of 5 ⭐️

THE UNHONEYMOONERS BY CHRISTINA LAUREN | Olive is always unlucky: in her career, in love, in…well, everything. Her identical twin sister Ami, on the other hand, is probably the luckiest person in the world. Her meet-cute with her fiancé is something out of a romantic comedy and she’s managed to finance her entire wedding by winning a series of Internet contests. Worst of all, she’s forcing Olive to spend the day with her sworn enemy, Ethan, who just happens to be the best man. Olive braces herself to get through 24 hours of wedding hell before she can return to her comfortable, unlucky life. But when the entire wedding party gets food poisoning from eating bad shellfish, the only people who aren’t affected are Olive & Ethan. And now there’s an all-expenses-paid honeymoon in Hawaii up for grabs. After much convincing from her sister, Olive decides to put on a happy face for the sake of a free vacation, even if she does have to spend it with Ethan. Will this week make them change their minds about each other? review: Well, Christina Lauren has done it again! If you’re looking for a cute book to read this summer be sure to pick this one up! It’s filled with witty commentary, enjoyable characters, and hilarious escapades along their journey in Hawaii! I am always a sucker for the enemies-to-lovers kind of romance, so naturally I loved the dynamic between Ethan and Olive. Their relationship was a slow burn, but I really enjoyed getting to know them as individuals and as their friendship blossomed into something more. rating: 4 out of 5 ⭐️

THE FRIENDS WE KEEP BY JANE GREEN | Evvie, Maggie, and Topher have known each other since university. Their friendship was something they swore would last forever. Now years have passed, the friends have drifted apart, and none of them ever found the lives they wanted – the lives they dreamed of when they were young and everything seemed possible. Evvie’s supermodel career that started off promising has been derailed, Maggie’s seemingly perfect marriage is anything but, and Topher is a successful actor living with a secret that is making his chance at love harder than he imagined. By their thirtieth reunion, these old friends have lost touch with each other and with the people they dreamed of becoming. Together again, they have a second chance at happiness… until a dark secret is revealed that changes everything. review: Jane Green has always had a way with words and her newest book reminds me just how well she brings her readers into the story. From the very beginning I felt like all three were my friends and I was sharing in their triumphs and disappointments. I really appreciated that each character was flawed and were each battling their own demons. It felt very real to me as everyone is always dealing with something and sometimes it’s hard to come to terms with those things. This book is a testament to how strong love, family, and friendship is – even when the going gets rough. A great read and incredibly engaging – you’ll definitely want to pick up this one for summer! rating: 4.5 out of 5 ⭐️

THE NIGHT BEFORE BY WENDY WALKER | Laura Lochner has never been lucky in love. She falls too hard and too fast, always choosing the wrong men. Devastated by the end of her last relationship, she fled her Wall Street job and NYC apartment for her sister’s home in the Connecticut suburb where they both grew up. Though still haunted by the tragedy that’s defined her entire life, Laura is determined to take one more chance on love with a man she’s met on an Internet dating site. When Laura does not return home the following morning, Rosie, Laura’s sister, fears the worst. As Rosie begins a desperate search to find her sister, she is not just worried about what this man might have done to Laura. She’s worried about what Laura may have done to him… review: This book was just “ok” to me. It kept me turning the page and was a quick read but I feel like it easily got lost in the sea of other thrillers. There was never a moment where I was totally taken aback or shocked and I think that’s what this book was lacking compared to Wendy Walker’s other books. If you like thrillers, I think you should give this a shot. It’s not overly anxiety-inducing, but it does have a twisty factor that keeps you turning the page. rating: 3 out of 5 ⭐️

THE FLATSHARE BY BETH O’LEARY | Tiffy Moore needs a cheap flat, and fast. Leon Twomey works nights and needs cash. Their friends think they’re crazy, but it’s the perfect solution: Leon occupies the one-bed flat while Tiffy’s at work in the day, and she has the run of the place the rest of the time. But with obsessive ex-boyfriends, demanding clients at work, wrongly imprisoned brothers and, of course, the fact that they still haven’t met yet, they’re about to discover that if you want the perfect home you need to throw the rulebook out the window. Tiffy and Leon begin their relationship through post-it notes. And what starts off as flatmates may just turn into something more. review: I thought this book was absolutely adorable. Tiffy and Leon are both quirky, but highly likeable characters and I found myself rooting for each of them throughout the book. I loved the concept of a flatshare & them communicating through post-it notes without ever meeting. While this is certainly a meet-cute romance it dives into some deeper points like consent and gaslighting in relationships, the broken prison system, and the value of self-care. I enjoyed the alternating POV and the short chapters, making for a cute and quick read! The one thing that did bug me a bit was the script style of writing at some parts – I eventually got over it but at first it was a little frustrating and tough to follow at times. rating: 4 out of 5 ⭐️

audiobooks

A WOMAN IS NO MAN BY ETAF RUM | A Woman is No Man follows three generations of Palestinian women who live in Brooklyn at different times and their struggle to break the mold that generations prior have set before them. Deya is an 18 year old who is starting to meet suitors, although she doesn’t have a desire to get married. Her mother, Isra, had that same desire when she was Deya’s age though she had no choice but to marry Adam in hopes of a better life. Fareeda, Deya’s grandmother, believes a woman’s place is in the home and her duty is to provide children. Each of them struggle in different ways being Palestinian Americans and each one’s story is one that can’t be left untold. review: The book opens so powerfully and that emotion carries on throughout the entirety of the book. It is hard to put into words just how wonderful this book is. This book packs a punch and discusses many different important topics from traditional Palestine culture and oppression to women’s rights. There are so many intricate layers of this book and I simply cannot recommend it enough. I listened to it on audio and I thought the narrator told the story beautifully.This is definitely a book I will buy because I to place it on my bookshelf – it’s that good. This would be a wonderful pick for a book club – there are a lot of different topics that could present great discussion. rating: 5 out of 5 ⭐️

e-books

THE FIRST MISTAKE BY SANDIE JONES | For Alice, life has never been better. With her second husband, she has a successful business, two children, and a beautiful house. Alice knows that life could have been different if her first husband had lived, but Nathan’s arrival into her life gave her back the happiness she craved. Through the ups and downs of life, from celebratory nights out to comforting each other through loss, Alice knows that with her best friend Beth by her side, they can survive anything together. So when Nathan starts acting strangely, Alice turns to Beth for help. But soon, Alice begins to wonder whether her trust has been misplaced. review: Last year I read Sandie Jones’ debut novel, The Other Woman, and I absolutely loved it, so I was looking forward to her newest book. Maybe I did a bit too much comparing to her first book, but this book just didn’t do it for me. I didn’t particularly care for any of the characters and wish they had been developed a bit more so I could take a stance with them. I think my biggest complain though it that the story was a bit slow until about 65% when it started to pick up a bit more. The ending was very twisty and one I didn’t see coming though, which I enjoyed! rating: 3.5 out of 5 ⭐️

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