Book of the Month Review: June 2017 Selections

How’s your summer reading list coming along? Thanks to my Book of the Month subscription, I don’t have to worry about which books I’m going to take with me on my beach vacation. Actually, I have the opposite problem; I have TOO many books I want to read. Book of the Month is a subscription box that sends you a list of the latest and greatest new books each month, chosen by a panel of judges who are considered to be somewhat of reading experts. You get to pick (at least) one to be delivered to your doorstep at the beginning of each month. The price depends on how many months you subscribe to at once, but the most you’ll pay is $15 per month — and if you’re a book nerd, you know is a STEAL.

The June Book of the Month selections aren’t making it any easier for me to narrow down which books to squeeze into my carry-on — if I could manage it, I’d bring every single one of these books to read while I’m lounging by the ocean (and maybe I will).

The Sisters Chase by Sarah Healy

Anyone ever read the YA novel Homecoming by Cynthia Voigt? It’s about four children who get abandoned by their mother and find themselves homeless. As soon as I started reading the blurb on The Sisters Chase, I immediately thought of that book (which I haven’t seen or thought of in at least 10 years) — though the storyline is slightly different, the premise is very similar. In The Sisters Chase, two sisters are left homeless when their mother suddenly dies — but they don’t let tragedy hold them back. Instead, they begin a cross-country journey in search of a better life.

White Fur by Jardine Libaire

Ah, forbidden love. If we’ve learned anything from Romeo and Juliet — and the million and one spinoffs that have followed — it’s that this storyline literally never gets old (especially paired with a cocktail on the beach, amirite?). Enter White Fur, a modern(ish)-day version of that tale as old as time. Two young lovers who were never supposed to be together overcome social class restrictions and every other obstacle thrown in their path to achieve their happily ever after in 1980s NYC.

A Million Junes by Emily Henry

Speaking of star-crossed lovers, A Million Junes draws even more parallels to the story of Romeo and Juliet — but with a darker twist. Two families with a history of rivalry, two people with an unexplainable attraction to each other thrown in the middle — sound familiar? Author Emily Henry spices up this seemingly predictable story by mixing in magic, curses, ghosts, and mystery. Not to mention, June does seem like quite a fitting month to read this aptly named novel.

Chemistry by Weike Wang

Moving on to a different kind of “chemistry,” this novel tells the story of a Chinese woman who has done everything according to the plan she is supposed to follow — study chemistry, go to graduate school, date a scientist — until now. For reasons she can’t understand, the unnamed narrator of Chemistry is unsatisfied with her life and unsure about the future she desires. So she sets out to find the answers she is looking for — and takes us along for the ride.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

As a writer, I have always dreamed of getting the opportunity to tell a story that needs to be told. In The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, journalist Monique Grant finds herself in that exact position. Retired Hollywood movie star Evelyn Hugo decides that it’s time to turn her scandalous life into a fascinating biography — and she wants Monique to write it. This novel not only goes through the twists and turns of Evelyn’s life, it also follows the bond that develops between these two women as they go on this journey together.

If any of the June selections seem irresistible to you, it’s not too late to sign up for your own Book of the Month subscription — click here to start your first month!

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