May-June Book Haul: “Summer Reading” Edition

Welcome to another brand new book haul on the blog! This time it’s the “Summer Reading” edition since we are in the Summer season. This year is flying by! I feel like I have had a pretty good reading year so far. A couple of book slumps here and there, but mostly a strong reading year.

I’ve had a continual good balance of my personal TBR, the library holds, and ARC copies. It feels good to tackle my overwhelming bookshelves one by one. This haul is fairly light too. I’ve been trying to buy fewer books rather than an outright ban and it seems to be working. Most of the purchases here are from trips to new local bookstores and bargain finds.

Now onto the book haul!

---

Bought

Getting Dizzy by Shea Fontana, Celia Moscote – This is a find from when I went shopping on FCBD (Free Comic Book Day). The cover art caught my eye, and it looks like a fun new series. The story is about a teenage girl named Dizzy who wants to save the world and in doing so she’s going to have to assemble the coolest skating crew in the ‘Burbs. Seems like an interesting superhero read.

Fangs Vol. 1 by Billy Balibally – I’ve heard some buzz around this series and picked up this title on FCBD. The story is about the sole survivor of a vampire attack, En who gets help from the vampire health and welfare organization FANGS to help with the transition. I heard this manga is pretty spicy? I don’t know too much about it but hoping to read it soon.

Love Like Sky by Leslie C. Youngblood – The artwork by Vashti Harrison caught my eye for this novel and the story as well. It’s a novel that discusses that focuses on illness, teenage years, and family changes through divorce. I haven’t read too many books about blended families lately and this one piqued my interest.

To Me I Wed by K.M. Jackson – I saw this book on my trip to a local indie bookstore on my recent vacation. It’s the second story in the Unconventional Bride series. I remember the first one being a cozy romance read that I enjoyed. Now I can start this series back up again.

With Love From Rose Bend by Naima Simone -Another indie bookstore find. I remember gushing about book two in this series, Christmas in Rose Bend, when I reviewed it on the blog. I adored the small town featured in this series and it’s a good blend of steamy romance and an overall comforting read. I can’t wait to see what happens next in Rose Bend!

The Wrath of Shiva (An Anita Ray Mystery) by Susan Oleksiw – I love a good mystery and this synopsis had me hooked. This series features the main character, Anita Ray, a photographer, who lives in India at her aunt’s tourist hotel and her adventures. It sounds suspenseful and adventurous as the story is set around a missing antique that must be found.

Juneteenth for Mazie by Floyd Cooper – I got this book at a local Juneteenth celebration. It’s so beautifully illustrated. It teaches kids about the origin of Juneteeth and how people celebrate the day.

If I Only Had a Horn by Roxane Orgill – I love to collect and read illustrated books and this one about Louie Armstrong caught my eye. It tells his childhood story of how he became to be a giant of jazz. The illustrations are stunning!

Igniting Darkness by Robin LaFevers – This book is the second book in a duology series that is paired with the is His Fair Assassin books. This series is one of my favorites and it’s so action-packed and suspenseful. I’ll need to read the first book in this duology before I can read Igniting Darkness.

---

ARCs/Review Copies

Only on the Weekends by Dean Atta – I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Pink Flamingo so I was eager to read Atta’s latest novel. This is a coming-of-age novel in verse about the beautiful—and sometimes painful—fallout of pursuing the love we deserve. (Review to come soon!)

Surviving Home by Katerina Canyon – This is a review copy I received which is a book of poems. I’m trying to read more poetry since it’s not my go-to genre. These poems dive into history and discuss the complexity of home and family. (Review to come soon!)

Talli, Daughter of the Moon Vol. 1 by Sourya – Following our main character Talli, she is a nobleman’s daughter who is escaping from the castle due to her magical powers as Summoner. Lord Ulric and his knights determine Talli must be stopped and off she must travel to find refuge along with her knight, Alan, and other companions along the way. (Review)

A Proposal They Can’t Refuse by Natalie Cana – is a Rom-Com with a friends-to-lovers trope. The main characters are Kamilah and Liam, who are close friends but the older they got they grew apart and became frenemies. (Review)

Dreamer by Multimind – Readers follow Vera, who has the ability to “dream travel”. This special ability was passed down through her family in multiple generations. But what happens when dreams turn into a seemingly neverending nightmare? (Review)

---

That concludes my May-June book haul! What books did you buy these past months? What books have you recently added to your TBR? Tell me in the comment section below.