Read With Keri: Books I Read in June

It’s officially July 1, which means we are smack dab in the middle of 2022.

How is your reading goal coming along? Whether you’re ahead, behind, or right on track, now is the perfect time to reassess the goals you made in January and see what you can adjust to reflect your current lifestyle, mindset, and priorities.

Personally, as of today, I’ve read 29 books in 2022. My yearly goal is 50, which is a bit lower than in previous years, but for good reason. I knew I wanted this year to be different: to read more for pleasure and be less focused on the total number. So far, so good!

June was a much better reading month than April and May. One of my favorite authors (Emily Henry) released her latest book and it helped set my reading game back on track. Whether you had a great reading month or a not-so-great one, give yourself some grace and know that everyone’s reading journey ebbs and flows, and yours will, too! Here are the books I read in June in case you need some good recommendations.

Book Lovers — Emily Henry (5/5 stars)

Emily Henry has quickly become one of my favorite authors. She wrote Beach Read and People We Meet On Vacation, both of which were incredible and two of the best books I’ve read in the last few years. I had high expectations of Book Lovers going into it because I loved Emily’s other books so much. It was adorable and perfect for, you guessed it, book lovers like myself. I heard someone recommend reading it as if Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds play the two main characters, and now I want to re-read it with that in mind. Such a good story about family, relationships, grief, life changes, and of course, books.

Whisper Network — Chandler Baker (4.5/5 stars)

Whisper Network has been sitting on my shelf for far too long, and has been on my To Be Read list for even longer. When I saw it available on Libby, I caved and listened to the audiobook instead, but if you’re reading this blog post and want to borrow it from me, let me know! I have a physical copy. A Reese’s Book Club pick, Whisper Network is a thriller, mystery, who-don-it read. A higher-up at a well-respected law firm suddenly dies and the women in the office try to figure out who did it and why. Secrets are revealed, plot twists arise, and the plot thickens. It wasn’t at all what I was expecting, but it left me guessing until the end, and I love when I can’t predict what happens next.

Disclaimer: The book does mention sexual harassment in the workplace in case that is triggering for you.

Stay Sexy & Don’t Get Murdered: The Definitive How-To Guide — Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark (3/5 stars)

I saw this available on Libby and was intrigued. The hosts of the My Favorite Murder podcast wrote a book and honestly, it’s pretty good. It definitely is more adult that I was expecting, but they share helpful tips and stories from their lives and I thought it was entertaining. This is definitely a book to read or listen to by yourself (and not with young ears around!). I don’t listen to the podcast, but now that I know a bit more about the hosts, I may listen to an episode or two.

The Jetsetters — Amanda Eyre Ward (3.5/5 stars)

I’ve been procrastinating this one for a while, too. I grabbed it at Barnes & Noble over the holidays with the hopes of reading it in the summer (because of the title and vibe). It has a really slow start that gets better over time, but it didn’t start picking up for me until 3/4 of the way in. It’s about a dysfunctional family who wins a trip to an all-expenses-paid European cruise. The book touches on family dynamics, sibling relationships, life crises, aging, and the adventures of travel. The ending threw me for a loop and felt a bit rushed and unfinished, but overall, a lot better than I was expecting.