Friday, July 2, 2021

June Wrap-Up and Summer Reading Plans

June has been another great reading month... I'm definitely on a roll this year!  I mostly stuck to my reading plan but more library holds came in than I was expecting, so I didn't get to listen to Dust Tracks on a Road or read the latest Shelf Subscription, Revival Season.


Books read in June//

Whereabouts by Jhumpa Lahiri - 4.5/5  literary fiction, in translation
Good Company by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney  - 4/5 contemporary fiction, read/listen combo
What Kind of Woman: Poems by Kate Baer  (I don't read enough poetry to rate it, but this was great.)
With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo - 4/5  YA audio
That Summer by Jennifer Weiner  - 4.5/5  contemporary fiction
A Thousand Miles to Freedom by Eunsun Kim  - 3/5 audio, memoir
Last Best Hope: America in Crisis and Renewal by George Packer - 5/5 audio, nonfiction


Favorite June Books//







Summer reading plans//

I'm keeping it simple this summer. Since we will be away from home for at least the next couple of months, most of my reading will be either on my kindle or audio.

JULY

I'll choose a couple of books from this list to read for Paris in July. The rest of the month will be devoted to my remaining library holds.




AUGUST & SEPTEMBER

Right now my plan is to read books already on my kindle. I've purchased so many daily deals over the past few years, and will finally setting aside time to read from my own digital library.  Lately it seems like purchasing a book is the surest way to insure that I don't  read it! You know how it goes once a deadline or due date is removed...

However,
I discovered a wonderful indie book store in Chapel Hill, NC on our trip north. Surprisingly, I managed to leave with just two new books. We'll also be fairly close to another favorite indie while we're in CT... so I may have to make a few exceptions to my kindle reading for new purchases.



What was your favorite June book? Have you made any summer reading plans?



Beaufort, SC

46 comments:

  1. You did have a good June. good Company, That Summer and Whereabouts are on my future TBR list. I was wonder whether you will be near Niantic, CT? If so this is a Book Place (outdoor and indoor) to check out. It's near Rocky Neck Beach. https://www.bookbarnniantic.com/

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    1. Diane - Yes, I'd love to visit Book Barn! Are you nearby, too?

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  2. I think you nailed it when you said that the surest way to ensure that a book remains unread is to buy a copy for yourself. I find that to be the case for me, too, because it's so easy to push aside owned-books in favor of one that's soon due back at the library , or a review copy of something that's just about to be published. And then, if the book is on my Kindle, I tend to forget about it for good. It's all a bit counterproductive sometimes.

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    1. Sam - Definitely... and, as you say, it's even worse if the purchased book happens to be on my kindle! I remember seeing a challenge a couple of years ago where you just read from your kindle library. Didn't participate then, this summer seems like the perfect time try. Who knows what gems will be discovered? ;-)

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  3. I thik I will be sticking to books I have in the house and on my Kinlde as well. It's gettoing too crowded on these shelves.

    I was catching up on the Ann Cleeves books here and even though I fnshed them, they weren't my favorites. Fo June it was News of the World. A ovie we watched in June whohc I liked was called Irrestiable with Steve Carrell. A political movie with comedy and drama written by Jon Stewart. If you watch it let the credits roll and listen to the short "interview" embedded. Really good, surprise at the end

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    1. Tina - I culled my physical shelves before we moved (and have already had a few regrets) but haven't made any effort to read those books on my kindle. Seems like a good time to do it now!

      I've got News of the World on my wish list. I like Steve Carrell, too, so will see if we can find that movie.

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    2. JoAnn, let me know what you think of the movie irresistible. I apologize for all the typos in my comment! My clumsy fingers using a phone have taught me to only comment using my tablet and a keyboard, lol 😂

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    3. Tine - You are braver than I am to even *attempt* to respond to comments on a ohone, lol!!

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  4. I definitely need to start reading more from my Kindle! At least with physical books they're in my face all the time, but on the Kindle, things get lost and forgotten about so easily!

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    1. Angela - Exactly! I'm sure there are books on my kindle I've completely forgotten about.

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  5. My favorite June book was Girl with the Louding Voice, which was evocative of a time and place.

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    1. Helen - I'm hoping to listen to Girl with the Louding Voice before the end of the year!

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  6. I'm glad you had such a good reading month! I'm still listening to 28 Summers and have enjoyed it a lot. Other than that, I haven't done much in the way of reading since late May. My monthly summary is pretty brief. :)

    I'm a bit envious of your trip to N.C. We love Durham, Beaufort and Boone and hope to get back there to see some family in the next few years. I'll bet it was a little muggy, though!

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    1. Les - June was a great reading month for me, but it came to an abrupt stop when we left FL. Don't think I've even opened a book in the past week. We have arrived in NY and are staying with my parents, but I still haven't managed to read.

      We've been to Raleigh a couple of times, but this was our first time in Chapel Hill or Durham... loved it! My cousin recently purchased a house there, so I'm sure we'll be back. We'll likely visit Beaufort again, too, instead of always stopping in Savannah.

      Are you still on your trip? Loved the photos of the park with the wild horses!

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    2. I'll bet you're happy to see your parents and spend some time with them!

      You'll have to see about going up to Boone sometime when you're visiting your cousin in Durham. It's so beautiful up there and the Mast Farm Inn is lovely.

      Yes, we are wrapping up our trip, which is bittersweet. I love RV travel, but it's been so hot this time that it hasn't been as much fun, unless we're with family or friends. I need to start planning another trip, but our big focus will be working on the details for our Alaska adventure next year!

      Enjoy your time in NY and CT.

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    3. Les - It's been so great to be here with my parents! Over the weekend all of my siblings were together, too.. that hasn't happened in way too long.

      I've thought of you often during these unbelievable heat waves... can't imagine being in an RV for that! Alaska sounds very exciting. Can't wait to hear more about it as your plans develop.

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  7. I have the opposite problem: my kindle app is almost the only place I read at all. I have read quite a few books recently (blog-reviewed around 10 in the last month) all on kindle -- and keep thinking I should go to the library, but don't.

    best... mae at maefood.blogspot.com

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    1. Mae - I do most of my reading on the kindle these days, but have ebook collections available from three libraries. I always seems to have holds coming in, lol!

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  8. My Kindle and Nook are loaded with unread books too. I just can't pass up those daily eBook deals. Have fun with Paris in July! Looking forward to your posts.

    Here’s my WEEKEND WRAP-UP POST this week. — Diana

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    1. Diana - Those daily deals have been my downfall for years. But they're all books I still want to read...

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  9. I had a good reading month in June (especially with audio) and really liked just about every book I read. I haven't had many 5 stars yet this year though. I need to read some of the books gathering dust on my Kindle. When I first got it I hit the Daily Deals hard but now it's kind of become a black hole for those books. I mostly read review books on it!

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    1. Katherine - I'm a lot more careful about purchasing daily deals now, but have years of accumulated ebooks... sigh. Glad you had a good reading month in June.

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  10. You are right, JoAnn. Lately it seems as if I do better in reading the books I get in from the library because of the time pressure they put upon me. Why, though, does everything arrive at the same time?!

    I spent June reading from my 1001 Children's Books list, and now I'm planning to read a few books set in Paris for Paris in July. I'm trying to keep my goals modest for July as my son and his family are staying with us while they sell their house and prepare to move.

    I love browsing the daily deals on Kindle, and I have a good number of unread books. I find that I really hit those books when I travel, so I know I will be glad I have them one of these days.

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    1. Deb - The newish feature to deliver library ebooks later has been a real lifesaver for me. Way too many used to disappear before I even got a chance to start them.

      I thought summer travel time would be a perfect opportunity to read some of those accumulated daily deals. There are books there for just about any mood!

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  11. I am forever buying new books on Kindle and I never read any of them! Oh well. There's still time though right.

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    1. Marg - I'm sure amazon counts on people like us who buy ebooks for "another day" lol!

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  12. Enjoy the books already on your Kindle...and have a wonderful week!

    I also loved That Summer and I am eyeing Good Company.

    Thanks for sharing, and for visiting my blog.

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    1. Laurel-Rain Snow - I think you would enjoy Good Company... and her earlier novel The Nest, too, if you haven't read it.

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  13. I only read on my tablet or phone and 99% are loans from the library. But I LOVE to poke in a bookstore.

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    1. Jackie - I love browsing bookstores, too, and really like to support the indies. Sometimes I'll get hard copies of ebooks I borrowed from the library and loved... it makes me happy to see them on my shelf. Occasionally I'll even make an impulse purchase at the bookstore, then get the same ebook from the library to read. Can't beat that adjustable font!

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  14. Great to hear you are on a roll with your reading this year, JoAnn and I hope you enjoy working through some of the books that have piled up on your Kindle - This year, I know I have finally read some real hidden gems, which were hanging around at the back of my Kindle's TBR folder for too long! 😊 My favourite June read was the comforting and insightful The Four Loves by C.S. Lewis, but sadly otherwise it was a very low reading month for me. Take care, safe travelling and happy reading in July! 😃

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    1. Jessica - Several of my blogging friends have discovered hidden gems hiding on their kindles this year... you've all been an inspiration to me!

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  15. I think the law of the uninverse that you never read the books on your Kindle (I was shocked to see how many I have on there!) is part of the same one that says that all your library holds will come in at once! I spent some time last month picking out some books and audiobooks for Paris in July and they're arriving once or twice a day, not to mention my other ebook and audiobook holds. Thank heaven for that "deliver later" feature. On the other hand bookstores are one of my favorite forms of sightseeing. :) Fortunately it's been a cool and rainy long weekend (so far) so I've been enjoying my first Paris in July book -- The Paris Library. Hope you have a good rest of your trip if you're still en route.

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    1. Audrey - Yes, those two are definitely among those pesky bookish rules of the universe! The 'deliver later' features has been a lifesaver for me, too.

      We're in NY with my parents now, and I started listening to my first Paris in July book on my morning walk - My Place at the Table. Think I'm going to enjoy it! I've also been eyeing The Paris Library, so will be interested in your opinion.

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  16. Just added Last Best Hope to my wish list! Happy travels!

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    1. Stacy - I listened to Last Best Hope, but want to buy a hard copy to reread... lots to think about and digest!

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  17. Ahh that Beaufort photo! I often buy a lot of Kindle deals ... and that is a sure way for me Not to read them too ... since I always think I have time ... I totally relate to what you're saying. Who knows what All I have on the Kindle. It's good to see some good bookstores too. Enjoy your trip.

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    1. Susan - Just loved the bookstore we found in Chapel Hill. Surprised I made it out with just two books, but I know I'll be visiting more over the summer. Seems like I'm sabotaging my summer reading plan already!

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  18. I keep ending up with too many books to review to contemplate choosing something from my own shelves , I hope you find a gem or two!

    Wishing you a great reading week, and wonderful travels.

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    1. Shelleyrae - I'm not even reviewing books any more and STILL cannot manage to read my own books! Lol!

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  19. You had a fantastic reading month!!

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    1. Thanks, Erin. My expectations for July will be much lower.

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  20. What a great reading month and I love your goal of focusing on your own library of kindle reads but I think a few little splurges supporting indie stores is totally acceptable :)
    Hope this month will be another one with great reads and enjoy your travels!

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    1. Thanks, Iliana. I've been taking advantage of daily deals for too long without reading many of them... hope that changes a little bit this summer.

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  21. "Lately it seems like purchasing a book is the surest way to insure that I don't read it!" -- this is so true! For me it is more because if I own it, then I like to anticipate reading it forever so I don't even try to read it. Hope your July is just as good or better than June in reading.

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  22. Athira - Isn't it funny how that happens?! I sure hope to get to several of those books on my kindle this summer. Hope your July is off to a good start.

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