June in Review

The Boy Next Door by Katie Van Ark – 3 stars
Down to the Wire by Shannon Greenland – 3 stars
The Conspiracy of Us by Maggie Hall – 4 stars
Emmy & Oliver by Robin Benway – 5 stars
Date with a Rockstar by Sarah Gagnon – 3 stars
The Winning Element by Shannon Greenland – 3 stars
Miss Mabel’s School for Girls by Katie Cross – 3 stars
The Kiss by Lucy Courtenay – 3 stars
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews – 4 stars
Native Tongue by Shannon Greenland – 3 stars

June was a pretty huge month for me. I turned 18 and graduated from high school (all in the span of two days 😉 ). My whole family was in town for a week so I had been busy with them and didn’t really read that much.

I love the Swoon Reads community. I think it’s fantastic that writers can post their novels for a chance to be published and that readers have a chance to give feedback. The Boy Next Door has been in my TBR pile, and I was excited to receive it in the Swoon Reads Summer of Swoon package. I really loved the figure skating aspects in the book and liked parts of Maddy and Gabe’s romantic relationship. The ending was a little too much for me.

The Specialists is a younger YA series. They’re quick, fun reads about a group of teenagers with special abilities who have been recruited to work for a government program. I borrowed the first from a friend in May, and then borrowed the next three from the library. I think a younger audience would enjoy these books a lot.

When I first read the premise and saw the cover of The Conspiracy of Us, I knew this was the book for me—I have a weakness for international thrillers and romances. I had high expectations for this book, and even though they didn’t meet all of them, I still enjoyed the book a lot. I will definitely be picking up the next installment.

I loved Emmy & Oliver. Loved it! This book is so much more than a romance—it’s about family, friendship, and moving on. It was such a heartwarming read, and I definitely recommend it! Full review here.

Date with a Rockstar threw me a curve ball when I realized it was dystopian on the second page. I thought this was going to be a modern-day contemporary romance, and I think I would’ve liked it better if it was. I just did not like the dystopian aspects of the book. The world building was interesting, sure, but still could sometimes be confusing. It just seemed out of place for this type of book. Full review here.

I had a rough time with Miss Mabel’s School for Girls. The beginning was interesting, but the middle dragged on for me. I wasn’t really drawn into the book until the last five chapters when the action really picks up. This book was definitely a set up for future storylines and the main plot of a series. Full review here.

The Kiss is a fun, lighthearted read, although it can be a tad bit confusing at times. It’s full of British humor and lots of drama. I liked that the characters had flaws and weren’t perfect, which made them somewhat relatable. The plot moves at a very fast pace, and I ended up reading through the book very quickly. Full review here.

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl was hilarious. I’m not even exaggerating when I say I was laughing out loud for most of the book. A very entertaining read, and I’m excited to see the movie!