Writings of a Reader: June 2026 Reading Wrap-up

Tuesday, June 30, 2026

June 2026 Reading Wrap-up

In June I read 6 full length novels, 2 novellas, and a short story. I've also started two that I haven't finished. I didn't end up getting to An Ordinary Sort of Evil by Kelley Armstrong, and honestly I don't feel like reading it right now, so that one is being pushed to an unknown future date. I did end up reading the novella that is set before it.

Kirkyards & Kindness (A Rip Through Time 4.5) by Kelley Armstrong

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Mystery
Content: Strong Language

This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me (Maggie the Undying #1) by Ilona Andrews

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Fantasy, Portal Fantasy
Content: Strong Language, Torture that is mildly descriptive,

I finally made time for this book and I loved it.

Review to come.

The Ether Witch: The Casting Call (He Ether Witch #1) by Delemhach

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Content: Strong Language

This is one of the sequel series to The House Witch. I liked it but not as much as the other two series.

Battletech Legends: Decision at Thunder Rift (The Gray Death Legion #1) by William H. Keith

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Sci-fi, Space Opera
Content: Sex is alluded to but nothing is shown on page.

Review to come.

Backstitched and Stabbed (Grace Designs #2) by Tilly Wallace

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Mystery, Cozy Mystery
Content: Clean

I liked the first book in this series quite a bit. I thought it was a nice light read and I enjoyed the characters. However, I found while reading this book that the main character got on my nerves with the way she sent mixed signals to her brother-in-law. Her husband was killed in the war and her brother-in-law wants a romantic relationship with her. She doesn't really feel that way about him, even though she's still attracted to him in some ways. She kind of goes back and forth about her feelings for him but she doesn't seem to have any real intention of getting into a relationship with him. She should just be straight with him. I'm tired of the wishy-washy stuff. Especially when it's obvious that she's going to end up with someone else anyway.

The other thing that I didn't care for was one part where the characters were supposed to be investigating something on the down low, but they ended up putting a target on themselves by not dressing and acting the part.

There's only one more book, so I'm going to finish the series even though some aspects of it were a little annoying.

Imminent Harm (Cass Leary #6) by Robin James

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Mystery, Suspense, Legal Thriller
Content: Strong Language, Domestic Abuse

So far, I think this is the best book in the series. I liked how the author changed up the formula for the story in this one. Most of these have the same formula where Cass gets a client and then there's a trial where she defends the client, and they look guilty as sin, even though we know they aren't gong to be. I suspected the killer in this one, so I wasn't too surprised by the twists in this book, but it was still a really good one. I also liked that Cass's family played a much smaller role in this one, and when they were around they weren't annoying.