June 2025 Book Reviews!
- Christine
- Jul 1
- 12 min read
Happy July! As usual, the summer is flying by. There is never enough time to read all of the books I've got on my list for this summer, but I keep trying.
June was a busy month as we (almost) wrapped up construction on our new lanai, but soon I'll have a great new outdoor space that I can escape to in the evenings after work and read. I missed my weekday evenings and weekend sunrises on the lanai with a good book while we were under construction!
Now that I almost have my "happy place" back for reading, it's a great time to follow me on Goodreads or The Story Graph so you can see what I'm reading real time. I'd love to see you there! In the meantime, check out all of my book reviews from what I read in June. I hope you find some books that interest you!
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My Other Heart by Emma Nanami Strenner
Kit and Sabrina are two best friends who are finishing up their senior year of high school and preparing to go off to college. And while they both share the fact that they are Asian in a neighborhood and school in the Chestnut Hill area of Philadelphia that is predominantly white, their backgrounds couldn't be more different. Kit had been adopted by parents who are white and upper middle class. Sabrina is being raised by her single mom who is Chinese and struggling to make ends meet. Despite their differences, the girls have built a bond over the years, but it is suddenly tested as Kit decides to visit Japan to discover her roots, and Sabrina stays home to work and prepare for college.
Rewind 18 years earlier. Mimi was flying out of Philadelphia to return to her home of Vietnam when she lost her 1 year old daughter in the airport. The baby was not found and Mimi was sent back to Vietnam. In the meantime, she has never lost hope that she would one day find her daughter. When Mimi is finally able to return to the U.S. and the Philadelphia area, 18 years later, will she find the daughter she lost?
I thought this was a very good story and well written. It explored a lot of different issues. I did find Kit's character to be very difficult to like and it was hard to get invested in her story. Having lived in Philly for many years, I appreciated the references to the city and thought that was done well.
As others have mentioned, this is probably more of a YA book than adult fiction. It could also use some tightening. Some characters appear and you think there is going to be more of an impact by them on the story, but then they just kind of fade away.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Four out of five stars!
This book will be published August 5, 2025. To pre-order your copy from Amazon, click here: Kindle, audiobook, paperback or hardcover.
Special Victim: The Devine Trilogy by Tom Coffey
Sheila Devine is a documentary film maker. Her brother is a former prosecutor currently running for DA in New York City. When Sheila is asked by another attorney if she wants to make a film about four men who claim they were wrongly convicted in the case of a woman who was brutally attacked in a park, she knows it's an opportunity of a lifetime. However, she also knows that it's the case her brother prosecuted that jump started his career. And potentially uncovering now that the wrong men were convicted, could ruin her brother's campaign for DA.
This story is loosely based on the Central Park Jogger case that actually occurred. I found the book to be well written and the story to be very intriguing. It was one that kept you guessing through most of the book (although I started figuring things out about 75% of the way in). If you like mysteries and thrillers, this is one worth picking up.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Four out of five stars!
Dealing With Suicide & Depression: Getting Out Of The Pit by Michael Donald Misfeldt
I really hate to give books bad reviews - especially when they are on topics that are as important as this is. But this "book" is just not as advertised.
First, the book (and the summary of the book) state that it's an in depth and personal look into the author's journey through depression and suicide attempts. It's not. The first section of the book vaguely talk about the author's life and the fact that they struggled with depression. But it took me a total of maybe 10 minutes (being generous) to read that section, so you can discern for yourself how little depth it goes into. It's also very poorly written. Very long run on sentences. Jumping randomly from topic to topic. Stating the same thing multiple times.
From there, the book turns into an advertisement for some sort of religious program. I have no issue at all with people having their faith pulling them through depression and talking about that. While it might not be my "thing", I understand and respect that it is something that helps others. But this book was not advertised to be selling some sort of religious program. And it is extremely over the top.
While I appreciate the fact that the author is trying to do something positive by putting this book out there, I'm glad it took me less than 30 minutes to read.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Two out of five stars.
The Passage Of Power (The Years Of Lyndon Johnson, Book 4) by Robert A. Caro
This is one of a series of biographies the author wrote about Lyndon Johnson. This particular book focuses on the time leading up to the nomination of John Kennedy and Johnson being selected as his running mate, through the assassination of JFK, and then through the transition after Johnson becomes President.
While much focus is always on JFK and his presidency, probably less is made of Johnson. And with Johnson's legacy ultimately being stained by the Vietnam War, I don't know that many people focus on the skill it took for Johnson to lead the nation through the death of JFK and into the transition of power. In addition, Johnson was responsible for pushing through legislation related to civil rights and other critical liberal policies that stand to this day. Although Kennedy had started the legislation, he was struggling to get it pushed through prior to his death. Johnson's experience as a former Senator and Majority Leader helped him to get the legislation passed at a time that was still very much the North vs. the South.
I also found the relationship between Johnson and both Kennedy's - JFK and RFK - to be fascinating. In particular was the deep hatred that Johnson and RFK had for each other - both before and after JFK's death.
This is a very dense book and a commitment to read, but extremely well done and definitely recommended if you are interested in this period of history. This book is #73 on the New York Times list of the "Best 100 Books of the 21st Century". Four out of five stars!
Jamaica Road by Lisa Smith
This is the story of Daphne and Connie. Daphne's parents were both Jamaican, but she was born in London. As one of the few Black students in her school during a time in the 1980s when racial tensions were extremely high in England, she's worked hard to fit in and stay under the radar. Then, Connie shows up to school. He recently moved to London from Jamaica to come live with his mother and younger half-brother and stepfather. Their teacher asks Daphne to take Connie under her wing, but in Daphne's mind, Connie doesn't understand the race dynamic and how to fit in. However, the two eventually do become best friends.
The remainder of the book follows the relationship between Daphne and Connie. Interspersed in their personal story are descriptions of the racial tensions of the time, relationships with Connie's abusive stepfather, and relationships each of them have with others.
The book was a bit slow at first. Knowing from the description that there would eventually be a deeper relationship between Connie and Daphne, I kept waiting for it to happen. It didn't happen until close to the end of the book and then felt really rushed. In addition, the author writes the dialogue using the character's accents - Jamaican for many characters and a mix of British and Jamaican for others. While I always understand why authors do that and it's necessary for the authenticity of the characters, it can make the book challenging to read.
Overall, definitely worth your time to read. Well written and you will really feel a part of the lives of these characters.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Four out of five stars!
This book will be published July 15, 2025. To pre-order your copy on Amazon, click here: Kindle, audiobook, paperback or hardcover.
The Unraveling Of David Monk by Henry Terrell
David Monk and Walter Edelstein are two friends growing up in Lawrence, Kansas in the 1960s. Unfortunately for them, they both have unique gifts that make it challenging for them to live "normal" lives. David has the gift of healing - he can help relieve people's pain by holding his hand over the area. Walter is a genius - both academically and musically. While both boys want to just be like other normal teenagers, their fathers push them to use their gifts.
As an adult, Wally has settled into a new city where no one knows him to start fresh. As the story moves forward, however, it's clear that Wally has secrets in his past that he doesn't want to share and that are converging on his current life.
I thought the idea behind this book was really good and intriguing. The story just got a bit convoluted at times. There were characters that played roles in the book - Nicholas and Callie particularly - that didn't quite fit right. The story was told going back and forth between "present" time - 1975 - and when the main characters were teenagers and that made it a little hard to follow. And the whole piece of the story with the rich family that David ends up working for to help heal the wife had a little bit of a creepy feeling to it.
I would probably give this a 3.5 because I liked the story a lot, but the construction of the book could have used a little work.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Three and a half out of five stars.
Secondhand Time: The Last Of The Soviets by Svetlana Alexievich (Translated by Bela Shayevich
This book is a collection of interviews from every day people who lived in the USSR before it broke up, and are reflecting on life there before and after. Definitely eye opening, as most of the people yearn for the time of Stalin and Communist control. They all seem to feel that the capitalism introduced by Gorbachev and the new "democratic" regime only lead to the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer.
While I found this book to be very enlightening, it's a bit difficult to follow some of the stories as they are clearly straight transcriptions of the interviews and very stream of consciousness. I also found it to be a bit repetitive after awhile. Worth a read, but not as engrossing as I would have liked. This book is number 72 on the New York Times list of the "Best 100 Books of the 21st Century". Three out of five stars.
A Clean Mess: A Memoir Of Sobriety After A Lifetime Of Being Numb by Tiffany Jenkins
This memoir tells the story of Tiffany Jenkins and her journey through recovery. The memoir picks up as Jenkins is being released from jail and entering a rehab facility. Despite advice from others to focus on her recovery, Jenkins meets a fellow recovering addict and quickly falls into a relationship with him and becomes pregnant. Jenkins shares her story of navigating through the challenges of addiction, mental health issues, marriage, parenthood and finding a way to become independent again and stay sober.
Jenkins story is definitely one that will captivate you and I think she does a great job of telling it in a way that feels real. My only critique of the book is she spends a lot of time telling the beginning of her story and the birth of her first child, and then it seems to skip straight to present day. I would have loved to have heard more details on how she went from struggling to find a job to her current career of being a comedian, author and podcaster.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Four out of five stars!
The Fortuna Coin by Karen Ann Hopkins
Wendy and her four daughters have finally escaped her abusive relationship with her ex-husband Josh and found a second chance at love with Ben. Just when she believes she's finally found happiness, Josh reappears and the unimaginable happens. But will Wendy get a second chance to change the course of her life because of the fortuna coin her father had given her?
This book gets going right away in Chapter 1, and it's non-stop until the end. I ran out of time or I would have read this in one sitting in one evening. I couldn't wait to pick it back up at lunch today to finish it. This is action packed and well written. You really feel for Wendy and cheer for her throughout the book. Great summer read that you'll want to pick up and not put down.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Four out of five stars!
Long Beach Island: Those Who Dare by Joseph Mezlo
I think the concept of this book is good and it could be quite interesting, but it fell a bit short for me. The author intends to tell the story of Long Beach Island from its very first Native American settlers through the early 1900s. The story focuses on the trials and tribulations of the early inhabitants as they battle everything from hurricanes to the loss of the whaling industry to building for tourism.
Two things made this book tough for me. First, as the ancestors of the first inhabitants grew and the characters expanded, it became really hard to keep track of who was who. Second, there was just way too much unnecessary detail that made the book way too long.
Well written but a struggle to read.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Three out of five stars.
Ancestors: Identity And DNA In The Levant by Pierre Zalloua
This book is likely only interesting for a very specific audience. First and foremost, it is very technical. There is a lot of discussion about DNA and genetics and a lot of it frankly went right over my head. Second, it is specifically focused in the Levant. My personal opinion is that the Middle East - in general - is such a complex part of the world and unless you really study it or come from there, it is very difficult to understand. In this book, I found that lack of in depth knowledge of the area to be a problem in understanding the book.
Well written and researched. Likely very interesting for a specific audience. But just would not cater to a broad audience.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Three out of four stars.
Fuel The Fire (The Runner's Journey Series, Book 3) by Sean Lacow
This is the story of the Churchill High School cross country team. Holly is a senior and is named captain of the team. As the season starts, Holly tries to figure out what it means to be captain and leader of the team, as she struggles with all of the different personalities and skill sets.
This definitely reads for me as more of a YA book. It also feels like it is a leadership book disguised as a novel. Lots of good leadership advice, but it all feels a bit repetitive and contrived at times.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Three out of five stars.
A Dark And Deadly Journey (Evelyn Redfern, Book 3) by Julia Kelly
This book is the third in the series following Evelyne Redfern, who is working in British Intelligence during WWII. In this particular book, Redfern and her partner David head to Lisbon to look for a British Intelligence informant who has disappeared. When Redfern realizes the missing informant is somehow tied to her estranged father, it leads to further intrigue.
I feel like this one started out a little slow, but built momentum. It was well laid out and kept you interested. There is also a cliffhanger at the end, which I am assuming leads into the next book in the series.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Four out of five stars!
That's it for my June reviews! Hope you found something to put on your summer reading list. Happy reading!
What books do you recommend I read next? Let me know! Did you check out any of these books? I'd love to hear what you think! Comment below or e-mail me at tips2livebywriter@gmail.com.
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