Book Roundup for June 2022
Summer + Pride Themed Books from this month
June to me is both LGBTQ+ recognition month and when the first hints of Summer come out and everything feels like it is growing! In honor of pride month and the (official) start of summer, I read books this month that really reminded me of pride (LGBTQ+ subjects, characters) or Summer (plants, travel, general science/summer vibes). Some of my favorites I read this month I have summarized below
Queer Body Power: Finding Your Body Positivity by Essie Dennis
This book was a really interesting book to read. I loved how the author used their own experiences and directly cited research and the experiences of other queer people to talk about many of the same issues queer people face around their bodies and emphasize how and why to heal your relationship with your body. I really incredibly loved this book, and honestly, even if you aren’t queer you would still benefit from reading this book and learning about why it is essential and necessary to love your own body — cis/het people can still have dysmorphia and other body image issues and can benefit from this book.
How to Invent Everything: A Survival Guide for the Stranded Time Traveler by Ryan North
This was highly funny, super informative, and well written book. I enjoyed reading this and learning about the connections between technological systems as well as domesticating animals and plants for food and productivity. A great book, a bit dense sometimes (to be expected), which is why it took me so long to get through, but I’m glad I did! This book will go on my reference shelf for sure.
Ace: What Asexuality Reveals About Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex by Angela Chen
This was a book club pick this month but I am so glad we read it! It is definitely well worth reading and checking out for anyone — even if you aren’t ace-identifying.
In Defense of Witches: The Legacy of the Witch Hunts and Why Women Are Still on Trial by Mona Chollet with Sophie R. Lewis (Translator)
This was a really fantastic read. The layout of the book and the writing were phenomenal, and the author’s tie-in to historical and modern events was really well done. I loved that this book was written primarily from a European (the author is French) viewpoint, but it touches a lot on the American feminist movement and its impact on Europe/France. This book was an incredibly well thought out and well-researched book and I really think everyone should read it to understand better how women have been consistently villanized by not only other men but also by other women as well.
Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses by Robin Wall Kimmerer
This book was a love letter to Moss and all this tiny plant does for the ecosystem worldwide. Filled with personal anecdotes, cultural, and scientific history, this book was a joy to read. I had tears in my eyes reading some of the essays/chapters in this book and joy in my heart at others. I cannot wait to reading RWK’s other book and experience her writing again.
Little Thieves by Margaret Owen
This was such a cool book and I loved reading it! I thoroughly enjoyed this and devoured it in about 2.5 hours. The characters were brilliant, the concept was so cool, and the plot was incredibly well thought out and written. I am looking forward to seeing what comes next from this author/series.
A Lady for a Duke by Alexis Hall
This book made me cry in the best way. It was so sweet, so charming, and so so brilliantly written. Alexis Hall does it again with this book and I cannot wait to see what happens next with this series and author.
Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds & Shape Our Futures by Merlin Sheldrake
I learned so much from this book! It was a fantastic complement to Gathering Moss, but stood on its own in a way that I really enjoyed. I took so many notes from this book, and it has really inspired me to explore Fungi deeper on my own.
Bonus book! That Time I Got Drunk And Saved A Demon by Kimberly Lemming, a sweet romance book that stole my heart!
