June marks the end of the first half of 2015! To complete the 100 Books Challenge, you should be at 50 books for the year. Unfortunately, I’m not quite there yet — I’m actually falling pretty far behind. But take a look at the books I finished this month.
Upside-Down Magic by Sarah Mylnowski, Lauren Myracle, and Emily Jenkins. A lower middle-grade title about a girl whose magic is “upside-down.” To be frank, I found its constant racial labeling strange, and I didn’t like the style of writing, as it just felt insulting to children’s intelligence. Wouldn’t really recommend for most children. 2 out of 5 stars
The Fifth Season by N. K. Jemisin. An adult fantasy about a woman searching for her daughter during an apocalypse-level event. A perfect fantasy read for lovers of science fiction. Review is forthcoming at Girls in Capes. 5 out of 5 stars
The Witch Hunter by Virginia Boecker. This YA fantasy is to some extent a spiritual successor to Tamora Pierce’s Tortallan universe, featuring a heroine whose problems are surprisingly modern. Not my favorite of YA fantasy, but an interesting read. 3.5 out of 5 stars
Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon. Contemporary YA romance centered around a girl whose immune disorder means she can’t leave the house and the boy next door she falls in love with. Despite what I consider a significant flaw in the book, still well-written and heart-wrenching. 4 out of 5 stars
Fortune’s Pawn by Rachel Bach. I re-read this adult space opera for this month’s Girls in Capes book club. It’s a book I really like, but some of its issues are a little too annoying for me to rate it that high. 3 out of 5 stars
Durarara!! Vol. 1 by Ryohgo Narita. This light novel starts off pretty meandering, and overall, it’s too surrealist for my personal tastes. It starts to pull together about 2/3 through the book. This series doesn’t feel like it’s for me. 2.5 out of 5 stars
What were your favorite books this June?
Feliza Casano 