June 2026 Book Reviews and Recommendations
A great month with a few excellent reads! Plus, I read the buzzy book of the year which wasn’t my favorite but I’m glad I read it. Whether you are looking for romance, fantasy, or historical fiction I hope you read a book review below that piques your interest.
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Excellent (4.5 – 5 Stars)
The Book Witch
Published Date: April 2026
Genre: Fantasy
How I Read: Paper
It’s very similar to The Astral Library but so much better!
A book witch can enter books and fix them if a burner tries to destroy them. Book witches must follow the black-and-white rules, or a book might be lost forever.
Rainy March is a book witch who never knew her father or her mother (the best book witch!). Her grandparents raised her.
Rainy gets the opportunity to go into a detective story. Specifically, the detective character she has loved for a long time, but what happens when the character returns your feelings? Now her grandpa has disappeared and it feels like maybe she is in a mystery of her own.
The story is clever. I love all the literary references. I even teared up a bit at the end. It made me want to get out all of my old Nancy Drews (yellow hardbacks) and reread them.
Dolly All The Time
Published Date: May 2026
Genre: Romance
How I Read: Paper
An excellent summer read, probably my favorite book by this author.
Dolly Brick is a single mom returning to Whitfield, Rhode Island, to help her dad out for the summer after there was a small fire at his home. She is there to help with the family business – a fish shop which her father refuses to let her improve. Plus, Dolly assists in taking care of her brother who had a brain injury as a child and mostly sits out front of the house and needs to be reminded to put on pants.
Not knowing how they will be able to afford roof repairs, a solution falls into her lap. The wealthy eligible man in town (a Whitfield) just got dumped by his fiancée and needs to prove to his family that he can balance work and pleasure if he is to be considered for CEO. Insert a fake dating contract and NDAs. There’s sailing, hand-holding, meeting clients, but I promise it’s less cheesy than it sounds. You’ll want a seafood picnic after reading this one.
Our Perfect Storm
Published Date: May 2026
Genre: Romance
How I Read: Paper
Carley does it again. I devoured this best friends-to-lovers romance. The characters meet as children when George moves in with his grandma after his mother dies and Frankie’s mom leaves her family for a year to study her passion, whales – not knowing if she will come back.
The two never date. They never crossed the line of friendship even though Frankie tried sometimes. They were roommates as young adults until George got an amazing opportunity as a journalist and moved out. That’s when their friendship started to drift apart.
Frankie’s career as a chef left her burnt out and now her fast engagement leaves her dumped the night before her wedding and she doesn’t know why. She goes on her honeymoon with George instead and he has a plan to help her move on. You know the rest. Food, amazing scenery, longing, whales, surfing. Little Women. Except Jo finally ends up with Laurie.
Metal Slinger
Published Date: May 2024
Genre: Fantasy
How I Read: Audio
What a twist, I didn’t see that coming!
Brynn finds out she was kidnapped as a young girl and that she has magic. She escapes with the guy on a ship and embarks on a perilous journey across the sea. Once she touches land, it should complete her magical awakening. But she doesn’t know what her magical gift will be.
The story includes alliances, hunger, swords, shifting, blood oaths, matches, etc. It does get a little spicy, which I liked. The pace was consistent throughout. I will definitely be reading book two.
Great (4 Stars)
The Heir Apparent
Published Date: December 2025
Genre: Fiction
How I Read: Kindle
Lexi has split from her British royal family for a couple of years and is living in Tasmania. She’s been training to be a doctor while falling for one of her roommates. But her life gets upended when her father, the Prince, and her twin brother die in a ski accident.
Now Lexi must immediately come home as she is the heir apparent to the throne. The queen gives her one year to decide if she wants the role; otherwise, it will go to her uncle. The story includes flashbacks to what led to her immediate desertion.
There are buried secrets, family backstabbing, and leaks to the press, specifically manipulation of public sentiment between the niece and uncle. Can she give up love and becoming a doctor for duty?
The Secret Wife of Aaron Burr
Published Date: September 2019
Genre: Historical Fiction
How I Read: Audio
This seemed long; I liked My Dear Hamilton better. Much of this story is made up by the author because there aren’t many records. The afterward gives information about what happened to the children, which I appreciated.
Before this book, I knew nothing of Mary Emmons, once a slave in Aaron Burr’s household, then the mother of two of his children.
Mary Emmons was believed to be sold into slavery in India and brought over to Haiti, where she was sold to the British officer who is the husband of Theodosia, who we all know is eventually the wife of Aaron Burr. Mary’s history with the different owners (even if made up) is extremely interesting, albeit horrifying. Her complicated feelings surrounding Aaron Burr, especially after she is set free, are frustrating to read but, as a woman, you can understand.
Seven Days In June
Published Date: June 2021
Genre: Romance
How I Read: Kindle
After reading the first page for book club this month, I realized I had read this book years ago but I couldn’t remember the story so I reread it.
Eva is a single mom with debilitating migraines. She is an author of the spicy witch/vampire series Cursed and needs a director for her movie. She’s currently experiencing writer’s block on book 15. Her amazing preteen daughter is getting in trouble at school for giving therapy advice to fellow students, which is having major consequences.
Shane is also an author who has had major success but has never written sober. After not seeing or speaking to each other for many years, the two are on the same panel and their electricity is undeniable.
Are their main characters based on each other? Second chance love. Creole. Drugs/pain/trauma. Neglect. Mother drama. Flashbacks to their fast and intense love in high school.
The Nine Moons of Han Yu and Luli
Published Date: September 2025
Genre: Middle Grade Historical Fiction
How I Read: Kindle
Han Yu lives in ancient China and travels the Silk Road. First, he goes on the journey to deliver goods for a fee but in the end he goes to a different destination to find healing grasses for his sick family.
Luli lives in 1931 Chinatown, NYC. Her parents own a restaurant and are trying to buy the building in which they live and where the restaurant is located. But it’s the early 30s and everyone is hungry and hurting for business.
The stories intertwine and it made me want a steamed bun the entire time I was reading.
Bad Boy Era
Published Date: May 2026
Genre: Romance
How I Read: Audio
This is book 4 in the series and yes, I have read all the others. I enjoyed this one especially because of the audio (Irish accent).
It’s Everly’s turn. The matchmaker niece now gets her chance at love. Her college roommate turned best friend in Ireland has a twin brother, Wolf, who is a great rugby player but has a reputation. The reputation might keep him from realizing his dreams in Ireland.
Everly is great at finding everyone love except herself. Now she is coming back home to the States and Wolf is coming with her to work and play rugby. You know the rest. Spice.
Good (3.5 Stars)
Yesteryear
Published Date: April 2026
Genre: Fiction
How I Read: Paper
What the crap was that? Now that I have finished the book and understand what happened, I almost want to reread the story but I didn’t like it enough to do that. It would make a good book club pick because there is a lot to discuss. I fully understand why it was buzzy. I actually think the movie will be better.
Natalie marries young and leaves college when she is pregnant with their first child. Her husband has zero motivation to get a job. His political, wealthy father lets him coast. Finally, she comes up with a plan to start a farm and give him something to do, while really it’s the workers they hire that actually do all the work on the farm.
Natalie still needs to make money and starts looking into being an influencer when a right-wing podcast picks up on her Insta account praising how this is what families should be. She latches on to the tradwife ideals to boost her following – making bread, soap, homeschooling, collecting eggs from her chickens, selling merchandise to her followers. What she hides are her two nannies, the farming chemicals, the cows they keep having to replace. When her producer accuses her of assault, everything falls apart.
The time travel really threw me. It’s a crazy book.
Okay (3 Stars)
What the Tide Leaves Behind
Published Date: March 2024
Genre: Fiction
How I Read: Paper
I almost dnf’d it multiple times; it was so SLOW but the ending saved it. Plus, the book is very short so I stuck with it.
A mother dies unexpectedly and an adult son moves into his mom’s house until it sells. He leaves his job and home. He is shocked to learn his mom had a dog. He’s lost and doesn’t know what to do with his life. He has no real passion and no true friends.
He starts taking long walks with the dog, taking the dog’s picture, and posting the images on social media. The pictures showcase the beauty of Ireland’s landscape and the account grows a significant following, including internationally.
The other storyline is that an American company wants to build a fish farm that will bring jobs and help the local economy but it will destroy the scenic bay. Locals are split in opinion.
Want to check out more book recommendations? Take a look at my May book reviews!
