Number of books read: 10
Number of rereads: 1
Number of physical books: 5
Number of ebooks: 1
Number of audiobooks: 1
5* reviews: 2
4.5* reviews: 0
4* reviews: 5
So, another month is over and I feel like as I’m actually in a good place with my reading. Back up to 10 books but, admittedly, some of those barely had any words. Still, it was good to actually achieve my goals for this month. I read a number of Pride books including 2 that I was desperate to get around to. Hopefully it starts me off on a high before heading into July. Another short month in terms of letters but they’re tricky letters. I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it though.
Yet again, I kicked the month off with an Agatha Christie novel. Not one of my favourites but definitely an appealing concept. I guess I’m learning that I’m not as much of a Miss Marple fan as I used to be. She’s a great character but she’s no Poirot. He’d have absolutely loved this challenge and would have spent much less time walking through graveyards and wasting time.
A book that was shortlisted for the International Booker Prize and one that sounded too good to ignore. Set on a spaceship, the story is presented as the eyewitness accounts of the crew. It’s a bit of an odd one but it works really well. This science fiction novella ends up telling us a lot about what it mean to be human.
JOKES FOR THE GUNMEN BY MAZEN MAAROUF
I don’t read a lot of short story collections but this one sounded pretty great. The fact that it also crossed off the tricky J in my Spell The Month Challenge was just an added bonus. This is a collection focusing on people who live around violence and war. It’s human, it funny and its tragic. There are ups and downs as with all collections. However, this is ultimately a very good selection.
GIOVANNI’S ROOM BY JAMES BALDWIN
This month’s book club pick happened to be a book that I’ve been meaning to read for ages. Since 2016 in fact. Or at least that’s the date when I finally bought the Kindle edition. Unfortunately, the rest of my group didn’t really enjoy it so book club ended up being a little awkward.
This was our book club’s Pride pick and one that I had suggested. Alison Bechdel’s graphic novel has been on my radar for years but I never actually went as far as to read it. It’s such an interesting and sad story about the revelations that came out around her father’s death. It’s a unique LGBTQ+ story and one that is presented incredibly well in graphic novel form.
UNCLE BOBBY’S WEDDING BY SARAH S. BRANNEN
What do you do when it’s Pride and you need to find a book starting with U? Look in the children’s book section. I know that it only took a matter of minutes for me to read this book but that doesn’t make is an insignificant thing. As far as LGBTQ+ representation in children’s books, this book does everything right. It’s part of the story but it’s not the focus. Uncle Bobby being gay is just a fact. Nothing to get worked up.
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF MARLON BUNDO BY JILL TWISS
I’d tried to get a copy of this as soon as it was released but it sold out really quickly. Then I guess I forgot about it because it didn’t register again until this month. Another lovely Pride book for younger readers. Of course, the major appeal of this book is that it was direct competition for Mike Pence’s daughters’ book. It was a beautiful thing that brought a small light to a dark time.
FELIX EVER AFTER BY KACEN CALLENDER
This is a book that everyone seems to be talking about right now, so I knew that I needed to read it for Pride. It’s also an incredibly beautiful book. I was so careful when reading it for fear of ruining the edges. I’m not normally a fan of contemporary YA fiction but this one obviously appealed. Anything that gives a voice to the underrepresented parts of society it worth a read.
INTUITION: THE EXTENDED EXPERIENCE BY DOMINC J. ANTON
I was given the opportunity to review Dominic J. Anton’s Intuition last Summer and really enjoyed it. So, I obviously jumped at the chance to read a copy of the new Extended Experience. It brings together more poems and plenty of beautiful photos. It’s a very sensory experience and the photos really add an extra layer to the poetry. I’d recommend everyone giving this a go.
THE MYSTERY OF LOVE BY ANDREW MEEHAN
TBD
My final book of the month and one that I started quite a while ago. I ended up listening to this via audiobook when I was at work. It’s such an interested story. Great to show Constance Wilde’s side of the story following her husband’s imprisonment. Find out more in my review next week.
Yipee ki-yay, motherbooker 
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