June 2026 Wrap Up
Hello, dear readers!
We are officially halfway through the year. I’m currently 7 books ahead of schedule, having read 47 books toward my goal of 80 books for 2026. I also completed 8 out of the 10 books on my June TBR.
Overall, June was a good reading month. I didn’t have any truly bad books. Instead, I had several mixed reads along with two standout favorites. My rating breakdown for the month was two 4.5-star books, two 4-star books, three 3.5-star books, and one 3-star book.
Books Reviewed from Least Favorite to Favorite
3 Stars
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig is a philosophical, multidimensional novel about life, regrets, and choices. The story asks: what if, at the moment of death after living an unfulfilled life, you could choose a different life where you made different decisions?
Nora no longer wants to live. After taking her own life, she wakes up in a library filled with books containing alternate versions of her life based on different choices she could have made.
The Midnight Library was just okay for me. I knew where the story was heading, and thankfully it delivered with its ending. The journey getting there, however, was much more uneven.
This isn’t a book I can wholeheartedly recommend to all of my followers. If you enjoy philosophy, like my wife does, I think you’ll get much more out of it than I did. We talked about the book afterward, and I told her I thought there was too much philosophy. Her response was, “That’s exactly what I liked about it.”
3.5 Stars
Wolf Land by Jonathan Janz is a horror werewolf novel steeped in blood and guts. It is the most disturbing werewolf novel I have ever read, and possibly the most disturbing horror novel I’ve read, period. If you want relentless werewolf action, this is the book for you.
The basic plot follows a bonfire held the week before a ten-year high school reunion, where a werewolf attacks. Many people die, and the survivors begin turning into werewolves themselves. Everything eventually collides at the reunion, held at a local amusement park.
Wolf Land is a disturbing, blood-soaked gorefest with a surprising amount of heart. If you’re a fan of Jack Ketchum or Brian Keene, two authors Janz credits as influences in the opening, this novel delivers that same level of brutality. Janz also creates a fresh and original werewolf mythology that helps the novel stand out from others in the genre.
I recommend Wolf Land only to followers who enjoy extreme horror. Please check the trigger warnings before picking this one up.
Thrilling Tales of Modern Men by Danny McBride is a short story collection about growing up. Now, this is Danny McBride from Eastbound & Down, Vice Principals, and The Righteous Gemstones, so most of the characters are grown men trapped in the man-child stage who still have some growing up to do.
Thrilling Tales of Modern Men comprises ten short stories and novellas. The lengths vary, but the stories are all very readable and never drag.
The collection is thrilling for the most part and makes for a fast, enjoyable read. I compared McBride’s writing style to Elmore Leonard and the Coen Brothers because of the way they capture flawed people and their obsessions through dialogue and humor.
If you’re already a fan of Danny McBride’s television shows and movies, this collection is an easy recommendation. If you’re unfamiliar with his work, I still think it’s worth giving a chance. The stories are funny, readable, and showcase his unique voice beyond television.
Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke is a mind-bending character study with thriller elements. The premise is genius. A trad-wife influencer wakes up one day to find herself living in the past, where she has no choice but to live the traditional life she promotes online. The catch is that she only knows how to play the role. Behind the scenes, her modern life depends on nannies, personal chefs, and assistants, while her interactions with her children are carefully curated for social media.
The main character, Natalie, is deeply unlikable. She is completely set in her ways and has an ideal version of life in her head. Even when she doesn’t fit that ideal herself, she continues pretending. Life is a competition to her, and every other woman is an opponent. She is a tragic figure who constantly sabotages herself.
Yesteryear is one of the buzziest books of the year and would make an excellent book club selection because there is so much to discuss.
Love her or hate her, Natalie is an intriguing protagonist. I wanted more character growth, but she is certainly memorable.
I recommend my followers check out Yesteryear. It won’t be for everyone, and I’m still a bit mixed on it myself, but I can’t deny what an impressive debut this is from Caro Claire Burke.
The closest comparison I can make is Yellowface by R.F. Kuang, another novel about an unlikable character who continually justifies terrible choices.
4 Stars
Twisted Tales to Tell in the Night: Another Halloween Horror Anthology, edited by Stephanie Rose, is a fun collection inspired by Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz, but written for adults.
The anthology features fourteen writers from diverse backgrounds. Some stories celebrate the magic of Halloween, while others focus on the terror it brings.
Twisted Tales to Tell in the Night is a fantastic Halloween collection that’s perfect for both October and Summerween. There were a few misses for me, but most of the stories landed in the 3-, 4-, or 5-star range. If you’re looking for bite-sized horror with plenty of variety, I highly recommend checking out this anthology to get into the Halloween spirit.
The Other by Annie Neugebauer is a twisted cosmic horror novella that asks how well you really know your significant other. The story centers on doppelgängers attempting to take over, forcing a couple to determine who is the “other.”
This story is a mind trip. It had me dizzy thinking about all the possibilities. After finishing it, I even had a conversation with my wife about how we would tell each other apart. I love stories that get into your head and stay there long after you’ve turned the final page.
The Other is built around a fantastic, creepy premise that will leave readers questioning everything.
Beyond the horror elements, the novella explores the uncertainty many couples feel about bringing a child into the world. Am I doing this to fix my marriage? Am I doing it more for my partner than myself? Can I give up my independence? Those questions add emotional depth to the story.
I recommend my followers check out this short, creepy, and easy-to-read novella.
4.5 Stars
Marion by Leah Rowan is a retelling of Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho where the woman killed in the shower fights back this time. This rip-roaring feminist take on Psycho was something I didn’t know I needed. Rowan respects the source material up to a point before taking the story in a bold new direction with Marion at the center.
Marion takes Psycho, a story rooted in the male gaze and mother issues, and transforms it into a powerful novel about female rage, survival, and refusing to remain a victim.
The themes are meaningful, but Rowan never forgets to entertain. The book balances its message with thrilling twists, memorable characters, and nonstop momentum.
This is Leah Rowan’s debut novel, and it definitely won’t be my last. I had a fantastic time with this book and highly recommend it. It strikes a great balance between thriller and horror while offering a fresh take on a classic story.
Japanese Gothic by Kylie Lee Baker is a twisted fever dream of a novel with dual timelines. One timeline is set in the present day, while the other takes place in the 1800s. The way those timelines eventually merge is a bold masterstroke.
Japanese Gothic is perfect for fans of writer-director David Lynch. The story blends horror, historical fiction, psychological fiction, dark fairy tales, and even a touch of time travel. It attempts a lot, and for the most part, it succeeds.
I was hooked from the start by the time travel elements and the unreliable narrator. The pacing is excellent, with the story switching perspectives at exactly the right moments. The dual timelines provide fresh perspectives and constantly move the story forward. The character work is strong enough that I was never bored.
If you’re a David Lynch fan, I think you owe it to yourself to try this book. If you’re not, the dreamlike storytelling may be frustrating at times. Even so, Baker’s beautiful prose and compelling characters may still win you over.
By the end, most of the dream logic is explained. I still had a few questions, but I was generally satisfied with where the story landed.
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