BookNotes // vol.15
June books to put on your summer reading list!
One and a half more weeks! That’s my countdown until summer break and I am very excited about it. I don’t have any big plans for the summer beyond driving my kids around to their various activities, but I will never take my summer break for granted! The library has finally slowed down this week, with classes going into final exam/project mode and the seniors gone. We were teaching up until this week, so now it’s time to put the library back together and do the exciting things like inventory of our books.
And I’m obviously looking forward to summer reading, so here’s some books to add to your own list!
What have you been reading this month?
Book Buzz
June 3
The Beautiful Maddening by Shea Ernshaw. “ … a haunting romantic contemporary fantasy about a teen navigating her family’s love curse that blooms with their enchanted tulips every year… causing locals to fall helplessly in love with anyone carrying Goode blood in their veins.”
Under the Neon Lights by Arriel Vinson. “ Sixteen-year-old Jaelyn Coleman lives for Saturdays at WestSide Roll, the iconic neighborhood roller rink… Here, Jae and other Black teens can fully be themselves… [Then] devastating news hits: Westside Roll is shutting down. The gentrification rapidly taking over her predominantly Black Indianapolis neighborhood, filling it with luxury apartments and fancy boutiques, has come for her safe-haven.”
June 10
Always Be my Bibi by Priyanka Taslim . “Clueless meets Jenna Evans Welch in this young adult rom-com about a spoiled American teenager who faces some major culture shock—and potential romance—when she jets off to Bangladesh for her sister’s wedding.”
Breadcrumbs by Kasia Babis . “ A moving graphic memoir in the vein of Almost All American Girl and Persepolis, Breadcrumbs is a coming-of-age story set in Poland as the country transitions from communism to capitalism.
June 17
The Grove by Brooks Whitney Phillips. “ In this tender coming-of-age novel set in the socioeconomic tinderbox of the 1960s, two sisters in a struggling and damaged family only have each other to rely on . . . until an ugly secret tears them apart and threatens the cause of justice in their small town.”
From the Librarian’s Desk
Currently Reading:
The Prince and the Apocalypse by Kara McDowell. I accidentally read the sequel first (Heir, Apparently), as it caught my eye at the library. Don’t let the premise throw you off; these are really charming YA romance books. McDowell strikes the right balance of keeping the story light while also treating these ridiculous situations in a grounded way (in the first book a comet is about to destroy Earth and Wren links up with the future King of England on a European road trip to try to get a flight back to the U.S. The second involves a plane crash on a desert island with a volcano).
I read two adult novels that happen to both deal with the abduction of teenagers. Despite this, neither book is a thriller or “ripped from the headlines”. They are both more character studies and were heartbreaking in the way really good books are.
All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker. “A missing person mystery, a serial killer thriller, a love story, a unique twist on each…”. Wandering in the woods one day, 13 year old Patch intervenes to save a girl and is abducted by a serial killer in the process. His best friend Saint won’t give up on him and is determined to find him alive. There is some mystery but it’s really about the characters, the impact of this trauma on them, and how these events impact them throughout their lives.
The Bombshell by Darrow Farr. Séverine is the spoiled daughter of a French politician, who is kidnapped by three locals who are fighting for Corsican independence. The ransom isn’t paid right away, leaving Séverine to spend more time with the trip and to eventually decide to join their cause. A tense and complex story.
Beyond the Pages
We Were Liars has been made into a tv series, premiering on June 18 on Prime Video. The book by E. Lockhart is the first in a super popular suspense/mystery series. The third book We Fell Apart will be out in November.
Summer always means summer reading lists for me; I have my kids signed up with our local public library already! Here’s some summer reading lists for inspiration:
Recommended book list for kids from the Association for Library Service to Children.
The 2025 Summer Reading Guide from blog Everyday Reading.
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