I know we are now five days into July, and I am a little late, but I am excited to do my first Bookish Wrap Up on the blog. In June, I read seven books. Two were part of a trilogy, one was a memoir of sorts, and four were novels.  So, let’s get into it, shall we?

Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

Siege and Storm is the second book of Bardugo’s Shadow and Bone Trilogy. The average book rating in Goodreads is 4/5 stars, and I rated it four stars. I enjoyed this second book a lot more than the first one for several reasons. (1) I felt it was better written; the characters were far more polished and easier to understand as individuals. (2) The world-building improved. (3) New characters were introduced that made the read a lot more exciting and fun. (4) Alina gains some depth to her, and it helped me like her a little more, lol. I think the only reason I didn’t give it a full five stars is that not a whole lot happened, and the ending left me a little confused. I will be re-reading this entire trilogy at some point. I read it extremely fast, and I am sure I missed some important details.

Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo

Ruin and Rising is the third and final book of the Shadow and Bone Trilogy. Its average rating in Goodreads is 4/5 stars, and I rate it at four stars. Overall, I liked the book, but I couldn’t give it a full five stars because I felt like Alina was too repetitive. There were a lot of filler pages like the pace was slow at times. Overall, I enjoyed the trilogy, and it was an easy, fun read.

Yearbook by Seth Rogen

Yearbook by Seth Rogen was a memoir of sorts. He shared a lot of funny stories throughout his life and career. The average Goodreads rating is 5/5, and I also rated it at five stars. I am a huge fan of Seth’s work and comedy, and this book was indeed a treat. I have never in my life laughed so hard reading a book.

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Malibu Rising is the second book I’ve read by Taylor Jenkins Reid, and from now on, anything she writes I am buying, no questions asked. Its average rating on Goodreads is a 4/5, and I rated it four stars. Malibu Rising follows four famous siblings over twenty-four hours as different events unfold, and their lives are forever changed. I love Taylor’s writing style and the way she can draw you into her stories. The only reason I didn’t give it a full five stars was because, at times, the pace was slow, and I found the pov outside of the four siblings irrelevant. Although the book was great, the ending left me a little unsatisfied.

Skye Falling by Mia McKenzie

Skye Falling by Mia Mckenzie was a simultaneously lighthearted and heavy read. I don’t think I’ve ever read a character like Skye before, and seeing her growth as the book progressed was a joy. Its rating is averaging at 4/5, and I, too, rated it 4/5.  

Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto

I initially rated this book 4/5 because I had a rough start getting into the book, but I upped my rating 5/5. This book was hilarious and a perfect summer read. Its average rating on Goodreads is 4/. I loved the unconditional love themed throughout the entire book. It’s beautifully rich in Indo-Chinese culture, and these aunties are the real ride or die.

The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris

This book was an utter disappointment, by far the lowest rating I’ve given a book all year. The premise was promising, but the plot twist was abysmal. I have issues with the message, I found it problematic. It is averaging 4/5 stars on Goodreads (HOW????), I rated it 2.5/5, and I was quite generous.

Anyways, that concludes my June Bookish wrap up. If you read any of these books leave a comment and tell me what you thought.