I managed to read eight books in June and there were some really great reads in there.
There was a nice mix of genres including romance and thrillers and more than one five star!
Here are all the books I read in June 2022.
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
In the early 1960s, Elizabeth Zott is the only female chemist at Hastings Research Institute. In a workplace full of men, Elizabeth is constantly belittled, despite being brilliant at her job.
Nobody seems to realise what she is really capable of until she meets fellow chemist, Calvin Evans. Calvin is brilliant, his work has been nominated for a Noble prize, and he falls head over heels for Elizabeth. He doesn’t just see her as a pretty face as all his peers do, he falls in love with her mind.
However, a few years later Elizabeth finds herself a single mother. Without Calvin’s protection, her career is in jeopardy. She reluctantly accepts a job as host of a cooking show and instantly becomes a star. She has an unusual approach to cooking, with a heavy focus on chemistry and her revolutionary ideas win her fans across the country.
However, not everyone is a fan, as Elizabeth not only encourages women to cook healthy meals – she’s also encouraging them to challenge the status quo.
Elizabeth Zott is one of those characters that will stay with me. What a woman! She was a feminist icon and I just loved her. She was strong and capable and always stood up for what she believed in, and yet the author still allowed us to see her vulnerable side.
It’s so hard to believe this book is Bonnie Garmus’ debut novel because, honestly, it was just brilliant. Beautifully written with characters you can really care about.
Click here to read my full review of Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus.
The Girls Who Disappeared by Claire Douglas
20 years ago, in a quiet rural town, four girls drive home from a night out. The car crashes and when Olivia, the driver of the car wakes up, her friends have disappeared.
On the 20th anniversary of their disappearance, journalist Jenna is covering the case for an upcoming podcast. Jenna starts to uncover long-held secrets and when she starts to receive threatening notes, she releases that somebody is lying.
Can she find out the truth before the author of the notes finds her?
I really enjoyed this book.
The author created realistic characters and the atmosphere in and around the cabin was really unsettling. The tension at the story’s climax was palpable and I found the ending to be a satisfying one.
Click here to read my full review of The Girls Who Disappeared by Claire Douglas
The Smallest Man by Frances Quinn
It’s the year 1625 and Nat Davy knows he’s different. At ten years old he only stands as tall as a two-year-old. Despite his efforts to grow taller, Nat remains so much smaller than his brother and his peers.
Nat is sold by his father, despite his mother’s pleas, and is gifted to young Queen Henrietta Maria. The gift was meant to amuse The Queen but the two soon strike up an unlikely friendship.
When the English people start to turn on the queen’s husband, King Charles, Nat is right there at the heart of the drama.
Set against the backdrop of the English Civil War, this is a story of friendship, bravery and self-belief.
This book is very much a character-driven story. Despite having the English Civil War as its backdrop, the story focuses heavily on Nat himself rather than the rising tensions of the story. We saw King Charles and Queen Henrietta Marie through Nat’s eyes and I actually thought it was really well done. It showed the reader the history without weighing the story down with too many facts.
Click here to read my full review of The Smallest Man by Frances Quinn.
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
The circus arrived without any warning or fanfare. The black-and-white striped tents just appeared one day offering a unique experience full of breathtaking acts. Although this isn’t a typical circus. This circus only opens at night.
As night falls, tiny lights begin to flicker all over the tents, as though the whole circus is covered in fireflies and the sign lights up – Le Cirque des Rêves. The Circus of Dreams.
Within the circus, a fierce competition is underway between two young magicians, Celia and Marco. They are aware they are competing, but what they don’t know is only one of them can survive. The circus is the stage for this battle of imagination and magic.
As the competition intensifies, along with Celia and Marco’s feelings for each other, the fates of everyone at the circus hang in the balance.
This was such an atmospheric and immersive read. Erin Morgenstern has a real talent for using rich, descriptive prose so you feel like you’re really there. I could almost smell the scents of the circus and feel the heat of the fire. The world the author created was so believable and I felt fully immersed in the story.
Click here to read my full review of The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Dear Mrs Bird by AJ Pearce
In London, 1941, Emmeline Lake dreams of becoming a Lady War Correspondent. In a time when all the men in her life are sacrificing so much for their country, Emmeline is keen to make a difference.
However, instead of finding her dream job, Emmy is employed as a typist for the formidable Henrietta Bird, the renowned agony aunt at Woman’s Friend magazine.
Mrs Bird is very clear: letters containing any form of ‘unpleasantness’ must go straight into the bin. But as Emmy finds herself dismissing problems from lovelorn, grief-stricken and morally conflicted readers, she finds these pleas for help hard to ignore. The thought of these desperate women living through a war becomes too much for Emmy to bear, and so she decides to secretly write back.
What could possibly go wrong?
It was so different to other stories I’ve read about WW2. While this book has some really sad moments, it certainly isn’t as harrowing as others I’ve read. It’s as lighthearted as a book about The Blitz could be.
Click here to read my full review of Dear Mrs Bird by AJ Pearce
Book Lovers by Emily Henry
Nora is a cut-throat literary agent at the top of her game. Charlie, meanwhile, is an editor with a gift for creating bestsellers. He also happens to be Nora’s work nemesis.
Nora has been through enough break-ups to know she’s the one men date before finding their happy-ever-after. Nora’s sister, Libby, persuades her to swap her city desk for a month’s break in Sunshine Falls, in the hope she might enjoy a holiday romance.
Sunshine Falls is a small town straight out of a romance novel, but instead of meeting sexy lumberjacks, handsome doctors or cute bartenders, Nora keeps bumping into…Charlie.
Can the two arch-rivals put aside the differences and find some common ground?
While the enemies to lovers trope isn’t exactly a new one, Emily Henry puts a fresh new spin on it. The dialogue sparkled and I loved Nora and Charlie. Give me all the flirty banter!
Needless to say, I loved this book and will definitely be looking out for more books by Emily Henry.
Click here to read my full review of Book Lovers by Emily Henry.
How To Kill Your Family by Bella Mackie
After losing her beloved mother, Grace Bernard has lost everything. The rest of her family doesn’t even know she exists, as both she and her mother were rejected when she was a baby.
With nothing to lose, Grace turns her mind to revenge.
They say you can’t choose your family. But you can kill them.
This book was so much fun! It was quite dark and chilling in places but also laugh-out-loud funny in others. I found myself guffawing at several points in the book. Worryingly I also found myself understanding some of Grace’s logic, although I will draw the line at mass familicide!
I was slightly disappointed with the ending but as a whole, I really enjoyed this book. It was sharp, witty and memorable and I’d definitely recommend it.
Click here to read my full review of How To Kill Your Family by Bella Mackie.
Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams
Queenie is a 25year old, third-generation Jamaican-British woman trying to find her way in the world. After struggling through a breakup, Queenie’s life starts to unravel. Her issues with her friends and family are exacerbated and her mental health starts to suffer. With her confidence at an all-time low, Queenie finds herself in the arms, and beds, of several unsuitable men.
We follow Queenie as she makes increasingly questionable decisions as she tries to deal with the issues she’s facing.
I really enjoyed this book. Queenie was such a frustrating yet sympathetic central character. I found myself rooting for her and wanting her to be happy. Her flaws, of which she had many, just made her seem more realistic.
Queenie isn’t just a breakup story. It tackles hard-hitting topics such as racism, injustice and mental health. Candice Carty-Williams expertly makes the switch from light-hearted and humorous moments, to grittier more emotional topics.
Click here to read my full review of Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams
You may also be interested in:
The Books I Read In May 2022: A Wrap Up and my other previous monthly reads.
