LIT LIST: The Books I Devoured in June 2025

My father instilled in me the habit of making lists. He had a list for every conceivable occasion, as if life itself was a grand to-do list waiting to be checked off. In his golden years, he turned into a hoarder. His junk was never really organized, but, by golly, he knew what he had because everything was neatly recorded. The man loved making lists. So do I!

I inherited my mother's love of reading. In the last ten years of her life, she read roughly five to six books per week. Of course, they were mostly historical romance novels with a shirtless, burly hero on the cover, but she enjoyed them. I wish she were still around. She would love Readers with Wrinkles.

So, I guess it's in my genes to keep up with my reading journey with utmost precision and respect through lists. It's a nerdy, book-lady thing to do.

I read a lot. This is the procedure I follow when deciding what to read, evaluate, or include in a Book Club Kit for this site:

1. Finding a book to read: I comb through online reading groups to see what's popular, scan the New York Times bestsellers list weekly, and read publisher reports for new releases. If I think RWW readers will like the book, I add it to my TBR (to be read) list. My TBR list currently contains approximately 75 novels.
2. Finding a book to review: After reading a book, I determine if I think other RWW readers would enjoy it. I look for things like cohesiveness, plot consistency, and character depth. If the book makes me cry, laugh out loud, or leaves me wanting more, I will definitely review it. I also include non-fiction books about things that seniors might need to know or find fascinating. Currently, I have 55 books waiting for my review.
3. Finding a book to develop a Book Club Kit: A book must be exceptional for me to devote time to researching and assembling a kit for it. Also, if the book is one of my local Morelia book club selections, I will create a kit for it even if it wasn't one of my personal club picks. Kit creation is a time-consuming process. Currently, 11 books are waiting to be made into kits.

So, you might be wondering why I'm sharing this culling process with you instead of focusing on reading, reviewing, or creating kits.

Here's why.

There are some books I have read that may not be featured on the Readers With Wrinkles site but that you might enjoy. I may overlook them or simply run out of time to dedicate to them. This is why you will start seeing a monthly recap of the books I've read in the previous month, starting with June 2025.

June 2025 ~ One Crazy Month

During the past month, I underwent significant dental work, and there has also been a great deal of political, emotional, and social turmoil in the world. It was a great month to get lost in a good book, so that's what I did. Seven times.

Books Read in June

Here is what I read this past month:

A Manual for Cleaning Women by Lucia Berlin

I don't know how I missed reading any of Lucia Berlin's work until now. The woman was a brilliant writer. This is a collection of her stories, and there are a lot of them. This book would be ideal for a vacation read if you have a few minutes to read between planes or beach excursions. I don't, however, think it would work for a book club meeting because there are so many stories in the collection. On the other hand, Berlin's work would be a great addition to a writing class. These stories get to the nitty-gritty of ordinary women, and they are written magnificently.

The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones

Oh yeah. Scary. Emotionally moving. Epic. Not my ordinary type of read, but I loved this book. Here is the review I wrote for it.

Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall

This book is more than just a romance novel. The ending is superb. Here is the review I wrote for it.

Piglet by Lottie Hazell

If you are trying to lose weight, don't read this book. It tells the story of a woman cookbook editor whose life is falling apart and who uses food to help her get through each crisis. Rather than indulging in occasional snacks, she consumes substantial amounts of food. She is one hot mess and has the food stains to prove it. It's a moving yet disappointing narrative. I think younger readers will enjoy it more than I did.

Mexican Gothic by Sylvia Moreno-Garcia

I couldn't wait to read this book. It had been on my TBR list for a long time. I love to devour a good horror piece every now and then, and because it took place in Mexico, where I live, I had high hopes. But by mid-book, I couldn't wait for it to be over. I thought Mexico had little to do with the plot, and the gore was excessive and pointless. To this book's credit, I love the book's cover, and I'll never look at mushrooms the same way again.

How the Penguins Saved Veronica by Hazel Prior

OMG! I loved this book! Mix a crotchety old woman, her stoner estranged grandson, the desolate tundra of Antarctica, and a flock of adorable penguins, and you have a totally captivating read. I laughed out loud, I cried, and even though I hate cold weather, it made me want to go see penguins in their native habitat. Yes, yes, yes, read this book! Here is the full review:

Happy Land by Dolen Perkins-Valdez

What an intriguing book! This book taught me a lot about the plight of post-Civil War slaves and how they struggle even today to hold on to their land. I had no clue. This book also brilliantly explores the relationships between strong matriarchal figures within a family as well as family estrangement. It's a good, solid read.

So how is your summer reading progressing? I would love to hear what you are currently reading, what you have read and what's on your TBR list. I know most people are not as dweeby as me about making a list of books read, so I appreciate your indulgence. Posting the books I’ve read each month is about accountability, community, reflection, inspiration, and personal fulfillment. It’s a practice that enriches my own reading life and, I hope, encourages you to explore the world of books alongside me.

This past month, via my reads, I was in Appalachia, Montana, England, Scotland, California, West Texas, and Antarctica. I wonder where July will take us. Bring it on!