Monthly/Weekly Wrap Up/What’s On My Plate June/July
6 July 2025
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Book Review, Books, Books Bones & Buffy, fiction, June July, Month in review, Monthly/Weekly Wrap Up, reading, TBR, What's on my Plate
I’m trying to post a wrap up for the end of each month, mainly to help me to keep track of my reading and at the same time look at what I’m intending to read during the month ahead (inspired by Books Bones and Buffy’s What’s on My Plate.
This month’s wrap up post will be a bit messy again like last month’s because I’m combining it with my weekly wrap up.
Weekly Update
The weather has been glorious and with the summer comes more socialising. That being said my weekly reading the past week has been good. I did indeed finish A Far Better Thing by HG Parry and not only loved it but have already posted my review – a Dickens inspired world with wicked fae. I then picked up Paved With Good Intentions by Peter McLean which I also absolutely loved. I also finished listening to Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry. I struggled with this one for at least two thirds of the read but I confess the final chapters definitely piqued my interest and the ending in particular. I then picked up and practically inhaled The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. A bewitching tale, a mystery and witches that feel almost akin to vampires.
Next Week’s reads
I’m happy to say that I’ve also started two new books, both of which I’m enjoying very much so far. The Enchanted Greenhouse which I’m about a third into and The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig which is my current audio book.
Reviews Posted:
- A Far Better Thing by HG Parry
Outstanding Reviews
- Victorian Psycho by Virginia Feito
- Paved With Good Intentions by Peter McLean
- Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry
- The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
My Monthly Wrap Up:
Books read in June:
- The Countdown Killer by Sam Holland
- The Rush by Beth Lewis
- The Bodies by Sam Lloyd
- Swordheart by T Kingfisher
- A Far Better Thing by HG Parry
- Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry
I’ve had a slow reading month for sure and looking back at my last monthly review I had 11 books queued up to read – The Listeners by Maggie Stiefvater was unfortunately a DNF. I also picked up and started With A Vengeance by Riley Sager but it wasn’t working it’s magic – which was a surprise as I’ve been really enjoying this author’s work recently. From the rest of the list I’d already picked up and reviewed We Live Here Now by Sarah Pinborough which was great, the Shield and the Moth by Rachel Gillig I’m now listening to and Paved with Good Intentions by Peter McLean is now complete (I just didn’t manage to fit it into June).
Here’s what I’m hoping to read in July, in fact I’ve already made good progress as I’ve read The Bewitching and started The Enchanted Greenhouse. I’ve carried over The Knight and the Moth and I’m going to try and squeeze in a couple of backlist books if I can:
- Fateless by Julie Kagawa
- The Enchanted Greenhouse by Sarah Beth Durst – current read
- The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia – read and waiting to be reviewed
- Another Fine Mess by Lindy Ryan
- It Was Her First House by Cherie Priest
- The Library at Hellebore by Cassandra Khaw
This month I’m hoping to go back to a couple of books from last October that I really wanted to read but didn’t have the time to fit them in. Let’s see how that goes.
Bookforager‘s Picture Prompt book bingo.
and the text version:
PICTURE PROMPT BOOK BINGO 2025 (TEXT VERSION)
| 1. A prehistoric flint knapped stone knife | 2. A lighthouse | 3. An apple on a leafy branch | 4. An archery target with three arrows in it |
| 5. A very large mechanical telescope | 7. A stag | ||
| 9 |
10. A sheaf of wheat | ||
| 15. A stylized sun with a human face | 16. A Roman helmet |
Today, I’m ticking off another of the prompts. No. 11 – the old mechanical typewriter – I’m using The Bewitching for this one as one of the characters is a writer and is actually gifted a typewriter in the story. The book she writes features prominently in the story so I think it’s a good fit.
The prompts I’ve crossed off so far:
No.8 – The ruins of a temple-like structure – I’m using Daughter of Chaos by A S Webb
No. 12 – A cluster of four mushrooms – I’m using Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales by Heather Fawcett
No. 13 – A fringed umbrella/parasol – I’m using A Fortune Most Fatal by Jessica Bull
No.14 – A chemistry set-up of bottles and tubes – I’m using Wooing the Witch Queen by Stephanie Burgis
No.9 – A Crab – I’m using The Devils by Joe Abercrombie – if you’ve read this already you’ll be able to guess why. There are some very unusual creatures in this story.
No.6 – A Human Skull – I’m using The Man Made of Smoke by Alex North – because this is about a serial killer and there are definite human remains included in this one.
Number of books read this year: 44
Books and travelling with Lynn 
Now I want to read The Bewitching next! July is packed with so many books I’m having trouble picking my next read😁
There are so many good books atm. I hope you get the chance to fit them all in – although your tbr is usually a bit outrageous.
Lynn 😀
Both of your upcoming reads are ones I’d like to read too.
I’m looking forward to your Shield of Sparrows review as I was eager to read the book after so many positive reviews and now I’m wondering whether to wait a while 😀
Well, I’m in the minority with Shield of Sparrows – I’m struggling with my review but eventually I will pin down what didn’t really work for me. I’m definitely preferring The Knight and the Moth.
Lynn 😀
I’m so sorry to hear that the new Riley Sager book was a DNF for you. Although I have seen a couple of disappointed reviews for that one unfortunately. I’m sorry to hear about The Listeners too. It looks like you’ve read some fantastic other books though. Whenever you share your review for The Moth & The Knight I’ll save the email notification to check out once I’ve read the book. It’s probably my most anticipated release so far that I haven’t picked up yet and I want to go into it knowing as little as possible. I can’t wait to catch up and exchange thoughts with everyone once I’ve read it though 😍
It looks like you have some interesting books coming up too. I’ll definitely be checking out your review for The Library At Hellebore. Atm I’m curious but not convinced by its suitability for me (I think it’s going to be too gruesome 😂). I’m also very intrigued by Fateless. Have you read any of the authors other books before?
It looks like you’re doing wonderfully with your challenges too 🥰
I hope you have a fantastic July.
Spoiler alert – I really enjoyed The Moth and the Knight.
The Library at Hellebore, unfortunately, failed to work it’s magic, it just wasn’t for me although I did give it half the book – it was gruesome.
Fateless was a good read – I’ve read The Shadow of the Fox by Kagawa and enjoyed it. YA is a very mixed bag for me and I undoubtedly usually have little issues and this was no exception but I’m curious enough to read the next one.
Lynn 😀
Yay that’s fantastic to hear. Here’s hoping I fall for it too 🤞
I’m sorry to hear that one didn’t work for you. Im pretty wary about its gore level tbh between you DNFing it and another review that I’ve seen for it. I think it’s going to lean way too far into slasher terrority for me.
That’s good to hear, a shame about the issues but it sounds promising overall. I still need to read that series by her but I have the ebooks. I loved her take on the fae previously though.