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This month I read five books, which is a little over my goal of one a week, so that’s a win! Also, all of them were off my physical TBR, so that’s a double win! This brings my YTD to 27, so I’m right on track for reading one book a week for the year.
What I Read
I’ve Got My Mind Set on Brew by Stephanie Jayne
320 pages | Romance | 3 stars
Buy: Bookshop.org
I bought this book last year from a local author event and finally got around to reading it. It is a slow-burn romance, which I’m not the biggest fan of, so it might’ve just not been a good fit for me. It is definitely not spicy at all, which is fine.
The biggest issue I had with it was that Kat is living paycheck-to-paycheck and doesn’t have a car, living in the heart of Chicago, then some billionaire’s son takes over her pub that she’s working at, and I’m supposed to believe they genuinely fall in love? I felt there wasn’t enough interaction between them to form a genuine connection before falling in love.
The Husbands by Holly Gramazio
352 pages | Magical Realism | 5 stars
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I got this book from Book of the Month in 2024! I didn’t realize it was so old; I thought it had come out last year. I absolutely loved this book. Lauren, who is single, comes home from a bachelorette party to find a husband, and every time he goes into the attic, a new husband with a new life comes out. She has to decide when is it enough. I thought it was a unique premise. I also didn’t expect the way the story unfolded, but at the same time, it made sense.
The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
285 pages | Contemporary Fiction | 5 stars
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I heard everyone talking about this book, so I finally checked it out. This book is an epistolary novel, showing different letters and email correspondence between Sybil and the people she keeps in touch with. Slowly over the novel, you realize she has been harboring a guilt for many years, and it eventually comes to light and is forgiven. I thought this was a beautiful book, giving the reader glimpses of Sybil’s life over her final years.
Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman
450 pages | Science Fiction | 3 stars
Buy: Bookshop.org
With Book 8 of the series now out, I decided to see what all the hype was about, and I immediately was hooked. When aliens reclaim all materials on Earth, only those who were outside survive and are offered a choice to be a player in the dungeon or take their chances on the surface of Earth. Carl enters the dungeon with only his ex-girlfriend’s cat as company to try to survive until the end at level 18.
It does read as slop entertainment, but something about the formatting makes it a very quick read, and it is definitely still entertaining. It reminds me a lot of Sword Art Online, and I’m not mad about it, but it was also not that deep of a read, so I can’t give it more than 3 stars. I didn’t appreciate the foot jokes, but I’ve heard those are toned down later in the series, and that the other books are more serious.
Carl’s Doomsday Scenario by Matt Dinniman
371 pages | Science Fiction | 4 stars
Buy: Bookshop.org
This is the second book in the series, and I did like it more than the first one. This one is just on level 3, which I was expecting since they led up to that being a big level. The politics of the different alien groups are starting to come into play with serious consequences, so it added more interest to the series. I also liked the upgrades Carl and Donut received, and I like the way they solved problems through the quests. I think each book is going to be more insane with more serious consequences, and I can’t wait to read them.
Favorite Book of the Month
My favorite book I read in June was The Husbands by Holly Gramazio. I’m going to be telling everyone to read this book for quite a while.
Catch Up on Past 2026 Monthly Wrap-Ups
What was your favorite book you read in June?
I’d love to hear what you’ve been reading so far this year, so leave them in the comments!
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