Read With Keri: Books I Read in June
Hello, hello! I took a week off last week for the holiday but I’m back to share the six books I read in June. We dove headfirst into summer reading and checked off three books that I’ve been wanting to read for a while. Let’s get into the books I read in June.
{ONE} The Better Mom Devotional — Ruth Schwenk (3/5 stars)
I’ve been slowly reading this devotional and finished in June. They are short daily devotions, but nothing groundbreaking. Light and encouraging, designed technically for moms of all ages but I feel like it’s written more for moms of older kids (elementary and teens). I wish some of the devotions got a bit deeper, they were pretty “flowery” for me.
{TWO} Symphony of Secrets — Brendan Slocumb (4.5/5 stars)
The author of The Violin Conspiracy wrote this, but it’s a separate novel. It switches between two timelines, which I loved and didn’t find confusing. The summary: Music professor Bern Hendricks discovers a shocking secret about the most famous American composer of all time—his music may have been stolen from a Black Jazz Age prodigy named Josephine Reed. Determined to uncover the truth that a powerful organization wants to keep hidden, Bern will stop at nothing to right history's wrongs and give Josephine the recognition she deserves.”
I loved Josephine’s POV in this book and honestly this book kept my interest because of her sections of the story. I enjoyed it even though it was a bit long toward the end; great twists that kept me guessing!
{THREE} One in a Millennial — Kate Kennedy (3/5 stars)
This book is nostalgic, funny, kind of cringy, and thought provoking in the best way. There are some parts I didn’t agree with (e.g., some of her religious views) but I still enjoyed this narrative/memoir and all the little nods to the ‘90s unearthed memories I forgot I had.
{FOUR} The Family Upstairs — Lisa Jewell (5/5 stars)
THIS BOOK. Lisa Jewell does it again. I loved this thriller on family drama, cults, secrets, and more — so much suspense!
{FIVE} The Family Remains — Lisa Jewll (4.5/5 stars)
I also read the sequel to The Family Upstairs and it follows some of the characters from the first book but adds a few new ones into the mix. I’m usually wary of sequels because they sometimes don’t live up to the hype of the first book, but this one did it justice. So good!
{SIX} Far Beyond Gold — Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (3.5/5 stars)
I haven’t really followed Sydney’s story but when I saw this available in Libby, I was intrigued. Sydney is an Olympic athletic (running) who became a Christian a few years ago. This book details her running/Olympic journey, her faith, and how she has made her faith her own. I admire her authenticity and enjoyed the behind-the-scenes view of what being an Olympian is like.