I read three books in June and you know what, I’m not beating myself up about it.

While I usually read 8-11 books a month on average, it just wasn’t possible in June. I felt like I lived a full year this June. New job, new routines, too much socialising, cinema dates, late evening events. She was BUSY and although I originally had big hopes for June, nothing seemed to pan out. There just wasn’t really any time leftover to read.

So, to get at least three reads out of a hectic month is pretty good, right?

Right now I’m a little behind on my Goodreads reading goal of 100 books. But, there’s no time like the present to work on it, right?

Follow me on Goodreads to follow my reading in real-time.

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Little Women – Radio 4 Dramatisation

I’ll admit it, I’m very late to the Little Women party. I watched the Greta Gerwig adaptation late last year and have wanted to dive into the Louisa May Alcott classic ever since. But a 19th-century novel at 700+ pages? Absolutely not my jam.

So, I settled for the next best thing – the Radio 4 dramatisation. It’s questionable whether this counts as actually reading Little Women. However, I think the Radio 4 version nailed all the important bits over its ten episodes. So, I’m counting it as a read.

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Half a Soul – Olivia Atwater

I’m obsessed with recency romance. I’m also a huge fantasy fan. So, a novel set in Regency England with romance aspects? Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater was an absolute no-brainer for me.

The curse on Dora Ettings’ renders her unable to feel emotions. That means she often finds herself in hot water with her family and on the marriage mart. When Dora meets the unpleasant Lord Sorcier, she realises her curse could be connected to something bigger than her.

For me, the premise of the plot outweighed the execution. There was too much exposition and it was a little slow, but I loved Atwater’s innovative ideas and settings. Put more magic in regency romances! Here’s looking at you, Julia Quinn.

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Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban – J. K. Rowling

When I’m in a reading slump or nothing is inspiring, Harry Potter is usually my reset. A palette cleanser of sorts, the Harry Potter audiobooks always have my book. Maybe it’s the familiarity of the story? Or, perhaps it’s the soothing style of Stephen Fry’s voice? Whatever it is, it’s always a joy.