June wasn’t the best reading month for me. I had no five-star reads. Plus, there were even a couple of books I didn’t end up finishing because of how boring I found them. I rarely stop reading a book but in these cases I’m glad I did. Thankfully, there were still a number of books I enjoyed this month and you’ll find four new reviews below.
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I had to take a half star away from What the River Knows because the ending left the book on a cliffhanger and I have no intention of reading book number two. It took me forever to get through this book. It’s not that the story is bad. It’s more I felt the author tried too hard. I think too many elements and characters were used. Plus, the number of twists made the story feel childish and it didn’t work for me.
Inez has grown up in Argentina but her parents live most of the year in Egypt, never letting her join them during their expeditions. She receives a letter that her parents have died in the Egyptian desert and her uncle is now her guardian from afar.
Inez needs to know what actually happened to her parents and secretly leaves her aunt and cousins for Egypt. When she arrives, Inez is greeted by a young man who works for her uncle who has orders to send her immediately back to Argentina but she manages to evade him. Inez makes it to Cairo but the secrets, lies, and mysteries surrounding her parents’ disappearance are stacking up.
There’s mystery, tombs, artifacts, and a little infatuation between two young adults. What isn’t being told to Inez about her parents? Will she be able to stay in Egypt until she finds her answers?
Lies and Weddings features the most outrageously wealthy people having extravagant weddings all over the world. The Gresham family is a titled British family led by a former supermodel Hong Kong mother who is determined to marry off her three adult children to titled, wealthy (and white) people as soon as possible.
The mother designs luxury boutique resorts but her husband hasn’t told her that her spending plus generations of debts have caused them to be completely broke. Now he’s concerned that their debts might be called in and they will lose everything.
The other players are Eden Tong and her father (the estate’s doctor and the father’s good friend). Eden grew up on the estate and was the friend of all three children. Rufus the son (and future Earl) has been in love with her forever but his mother will never tolerate a romantic relationship between the two.
Jet-setting, death, wills, secrets, overbearing mothers, disgusting wealth, and more are themes in this book. I love this author’s writing style. But you have to be awake to take this story in, it’s not one you can sleepily digest. Crazy Rich Asians by the same author is still my favorite.
I just read my first hockey romance and I totally now get why they are a genre onto themselves – The Graham Effect is so good!
Gigi Graham is one of the top, if not the top, players in women’s college hockey. Her dad is a famous retired NHL player. She recently broke up with her longtime boyfriend on the college men’s team.
The men’s team is combining with another nearby college that is being shut down. Good players will lose their spots on the team and the guys who make it will have to learn how to see each other as teammates instead of rivals if they want a chance at a great season.
Gigi is hoping to get on the Olympic team but needs to work on certain skills. Ryder the silent “bad boy” coming in from the rival team wants an in with her dad to be considered to help run his hockey camp. They decide to help each other out and sparks fly. Gigi and Ryder decide to keep their relationship secret because her ex (his co-captain) will lose his mind if he finds out about them.
This book has some serious heat. The story sounds cheesier than I actually found it. It has some depth and interesting plot lines. I think this is definitely an author I’ll be keeping in my future rotation.
A sequel that felt forced. I loved The Guncle but I could have skipped The Guncle Abroad.
Patrick (gay uncle = Guncle) is once again watching his niece and nephew now a few years after their mother’s death.
Patrick’s brother is about to get married to a wealthy Italian woman and his niece asks her uncle to stop the wedding. He agrees to at least talk to her father if they travel through Europe on the way to the Italian wedding as Patrick provides lessons about love to his niece and nephew.
There’s travel, a future Launt (lesbian aunt), an aunt who is single and ready to mingle, fashion, and more.
This book wasn’t as funny or as clever to me as the first one though it tried. But I did love all the musical theater references and I was a big fan of the ending.
For more book reviews check out my May Book Reviews!
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