June was a good month for reading, a mix of books that were ehhh and palate cleansers, and one that made me think of all my privileges in one sitting. Summer is truly one of the best times to catch up on TBR, and I am looking forward to getting back into the groove of reading just for fun this summer.
Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green 5/5
This book was one of those holy cow, have I been living under a rock all this time? moments. I genuinely don’t think I would have even picked it up if my friend hadn’t recommended it for our book club—and I’m so glad she did.
It’s not a long book, but I absolutely loved it and have been recommending it to everyone I know. It’s incredibly easy to read and uses accessible language—big scientific and medical terms are broken down for the average person to understand and digest, which I really appreciated.
The book explains how tuberculosis has been a part of humankind since the beginning, why it still exists, and how it impacts our lives and the world. I’m going to be completely honest: I didn’t even know—let alone think—that tuberculosis still existed until I started reading it.
Of course, the reality check came within a few pages, when the author wrote, “Nothing is so privileged as thinking history belongs to the past.” It’s astonishing to think that in this day and age—with all our technology, medicine, vaccines, and healthcare workers—people are still getting tuberculosis and dying from it.
Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry 3.5/5
This is one of those Why did I start reading this without realizing it’s a series?!!! moments. I’m so annoyed with myself because this was one of those novels that pleasantly surprised me. I had zero expectations going in. I knew it was a fantasy novel, but the plot was relatively decent, the characters were developing, and it wasn’t an insta-love situation.
Thank God, because I swear every novel these days just focuses on the hate-to-love trope and then jumps into instant smut within two pages.
This book is about a princess who marries a prince from another kingdom, has to travel there, faces death threats every five minutes, and tries not to fall in love with her so-called enemy. It’s a solid fantasy novel, and I’ll definitely be reading the second one when it comes out.
Forged in Blood series by Sadie Kincaid 2/5
This is one of those series where, if you have Kindle Unlimited and need a palate cleanser, sure—go ahead and read it. But go in knowing it’s not a literary novel breaking records. It’s not well-developed, the characters fall short, and the main character herself loses all personality as the series progresses. All she’s known for is being bright, smiley, and good. Okay… and???
I forced myself to read all three books in the series, and I kid you not—I started skipping chapters toward the end. The story could’ve been so much better. The universe needed to be fleshed out more, and the five main characters? Every single one of them needed more depth. Instead, we’re told things like “he’s kind,” “he’s an asshole,” or “he’s intense.” Like ma’am… that’s it?
If you want to escape into the world of vampires and heavy smut (honestly, unnecessary for the majority of the plot and quite annoying), then go ahead.
Deep Dive by Ali Hazelwood 2/5
Honestly, I do not know why I keep picking up books by Ali Hazelwood because they have all been disappointing. She has quite a following on social media, but I do not understand why people rave about her books. I have read quite a few of them, including two last month, and still, I am not loving the lack of character development, the constant inner monologues, and the lack of plot building. All the ingredients of a good romance novel are there, but it just could not finish strong.
This one in particular had a good setting—two divers competing at the college and world levels, both being incredibly intelligent—and then nothing. The main character constantly stays stuck in her thoughts and is oblivious, and her supposed love of her life has wanted her but never made it obvious. Also, what about that list? What was the point of having a sexual preference list and then… whatttttt? I am so confused by the gaps in this particular novel. The side characters were also underdeveloped, and why do we know so much about Penn? All in all, not a fan of this book or author.