June Reading Recap
June was my biggest reading month so far in 2018. I read 11 books – 5 fiction and 6 nonfiction. This is closer to what I used to read when I was in my 30's. I could read three books a week easily. Now, it takes a lot of deliberate choices to read close to 12 books a month. So far this year, I've read 41 books. I've already reached my nonfiction goal of 12 books in 2018.
My favorites nonfiction this month was "Invitation to a Journey" by M. Robert Mulholland Jr. I read the updated version with practice exercises and additional commentary by Ruth Haley Barton. I found some of the exercises to be helpful and it was a great dive into a more contemplative approach to spiritual disciplines.
My favorite fiction was Lynn Cahoon's "Guidebook to Murder" from the Tourist Trap series. I read two books from this mystery series this month and while I greatly enjoyed them, I'm not sure I'm going to continue the series. I'm currently about 1/3 of the way through the third book and an occasional flaw of the series is getting more annoying as I read. The main character, Jill, has a terrible habit of being a doormat and letting people take advantage of her. Her boyfriend always assumes the worst of her and she never defends herself. Her aunt is rude and she just rolls over and takes it. Now, her boyfriends ex-wife was rude to her and completely out of line and Jill ends up apologizing! This is actually a common problem in cozy mysteries. To make the main character seem sympathetic she ends up being taken advantage of over and over. The first book was good and the second was a great mystery minus this annoyance, but book 3 has gotten a slow start and I'm not sure I can keep putting up with Jill's "walk all over me" tendencies.
In July, I plan to read the latest two books in the Book Retreat mystery series, Bob Goff's "Everybody Always," and Judah Smith's "How's Your Soul." I am also looking forward to reading Jennifer Ashley's "Scandal Above Stairs" which I pre-ordered right after I finished "Death Below Stairs" and is arriving on July 3 just in time for a long weekend to read. I'd love to get another 11 books crossed off the list this month too, but I'll be very surprised if that happens.
How about you? What was your favorite book in June? Have you ever given up on a series you used to like? How many books have you read so far this year?