I actually read a lot in June – eleven books in all – but only these four really captured my imagination:
Dial A for Aunties – Jesse Sutanto
This is such a fun romantic comedy. Set in California, Meddy Chan is a wedding photographer working in the family business alongside her mum and aunties. When a blind date goes wrong, she turns to her elders for help. Their first job is to hide the body, but when they also have to get through the biggest wedding of the year, it’s not easy to multi-task. And then Meddy realises that her ex is the manager of the wedding venue… It’s a pretty crazy book but a lot of fun.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo – Taylor Jenkins Reid
One of those books you can literally get lost in. If you’ve read Daisy Jones, you’ll be on board with this earlier novel immediately. Monique Grant is trying to get ahead as a reporter when the opportunity of a lifetime presents itself. Evelyn Hugo, the famously reclusive Hollywood icon, finally wants to tell her story. But why, after all these years? And why does she insist on telling it to Monique of all people? This book is a joy of a journey through the decades from ’50s glamour to the present day through Evelyn’s seven marriages.
Perfect for anyone who loves a bit of magical realism alongside their stunning prose. I found this novel a real escape. With no summer holiday abroad this year I went to Popisho instead, a fictional Caribbean island where magic is real. Funny, beautiful and sad, and a book that I think will be up for many awards.
Shadow and Bone – Leigh Bardugo
Having watched the Netflix series I had to catch up on the source material. I found that I did miss the characters from Six of Crows that turn up in the show, but obviously aren’t in this book, but it’s inspired me to carry on reading. I’m not totally in love with the Grishaverse yet, but this is just the first novel set in that world and I do find that it takes a couple of books sometimes to be fully immersed in a fantasy setting.