June’s reading lineup was packed with fantastic books! From high-energy action adventures to some truly exciting upcoming releases, it felt like every book delivered something memorable this month. There’s nothing better than hitting a streak of great reads, and June definitely delivered—each title earned 4 stars or higher, making it one of my most consistent reading months so far. Action fiction, especially, continues to be a standout favorite for me—there’s just something about the fast pace, high stakes, and edge-of-your-seat moments that keeps me hooked from start to finish. Are you a fan of action-packed reads, too?
All told, I read 9 books in June. Four of these were pre‑release previews, and I’ll link to our full reviews below, along with our Bookshop.org page if you’d like to preorder your own copies. One more review goes live Saturday, so stay tuned for that as well!
5 Stars
- Backtrack, Marc Cameron
- Hidden in Plain View, Jacqueline Tobin & Raymond Dobard
4 Stars
- Both Can Be True, Jessica Guerrieri
- The Mark of Zorro, Johnston McCulley
- Pretty Dead Things, Kelsey Cox
- The Prodigal Daughter, IsabellaValeri
- Rules of Prey, John Sandford
- Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, JRR Tolkien
- Some Like it Lethal, Brynn Kelly
Top Read of June
Our two five-star reads this month couldn’t be more different—one fiction, one nonfiction; one a pulse-pounding thriller, the other a richly detailed work of history. Yet both have lingered with me long after turning the final page.
Hidden in Plain View was a standout, especially for a quilter like me. Growing up in the South, I’ve always heard about the symbolism woven into quilt patterns and colors, but the depth of research in this book truly blew me away. The thoughtfully included interviews and documentation added an extra layer of richness that made the history feel vivid and personal.
Still, it was the drama and nonstop action of Marc Cameron’s upcoming release, Backtrack, that ultimately took the top spot this month. I’ve loved the Arliss Cutter series from the very beginning, and seeing one of my favorite characters finally achieve something he’s long hoped for had me practically cheering as I read. Cameron masterfully weaves together Arliss’s past and present, introducing new layers of family history that give readers a more complete picture of who he really is.
Backtrack hits shelves in just a few weeks—perfect timing for my birthday at the end of July! You can read my full review and find a link to preorder your copy here.
Next Month
With my birthday coming up at the end of July, I chose this month to explore a few of my favorite subgenres around the library. From beach reads to get you ready for vacation, to southern gothic stories that will pull at your heart, I am excited to get started on our books this month!
I am also including what my kids would call a “free space” prompt – something easy to check off your list without it feeling like a real challenge. For us, that is going to be our “favorite author” prompt. One note – it definitely like work trying to narrow down my choice for this prompt – I have too many favorite authors to choose from!
I invite you over to our StoryGraph reading challenges where you can follow along, check off the prompts, and see what the rest of our community is choosing for these challenges. Don’t forget you can also follow along on our social media pages like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Pinterest to continue the conversation!
A few sponsored books I’m reading this month:
- God’s Country, William Kent Krueger
- The Magic of Chamomile Cottage, Heather Webber
- Sex Positive, Brooklyn Rose
I can’t wait to read these great books with you – keep an eye out for the weekly previews on Sundays for what I’m reviewing each week!
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