Happy June Book Friends!
Did anyone else’s May just disappear? It felt very much like I blinked and the days were gone. We supposedly had the last of our spring season throughout the month of May too, but it was raining so much, the only ones who got to enjoy it were the turtles and the ducks. It did make for some amazing days to stay in and read some great books though! I love listening to the rain while reading. It is so relaxing and just sets the cozy mood.
This upcoming month has me racing to reach that halfway count of books for my Reading Challenge. Currently sitting at 42 books out of 115 for the year. So 37% accomplished.. Yikes! Not that I have to reach the 57 book count in 30 days and my goodness, 15 books in a month seems like a TON for even me to try and accomplish. Next monthly book list, I’ll be doing another check in to see how that halfway marker is looking. How are you guys doing with your yearly challenge?
I’ve recently heard that Spotify has audiobooks too. I know you’ve heard my love for Libby and my ever-growing library on Audible, but I never knew Spotify was joining the audiobook world. It is very refreshing to see that the audiobook options are expanding. I haven’t tried anything from that platform yet, but I’m looking forward to trying it out! Have any of you given it a try? I know that jumping into this means one more library to keep track of; however, if it is worth it, I’d be up for using it.
I hope everyone has a wonderful month!
P.S. Fun date that is coming up for this month, June 16th is World Sea Turtle day!
Reading Theme: Journey Through June
History is happening all the time! Whether the stories come from times of war, moments long lost in the records, or happened in our very own cities, each event is something to be remembered by someone. It is the month to share some of that reading love with the non-fiction stories and the historic events that have helped shape what we know today (for the good or the bad).
Happy Reading Everyone!
My Reading List for June 2023:
All The Lights Above Us By M.B. Henry
June 6, 1944. Allied forces hit the beaches of Nazi-occupied France. Among the countless lives shattered are those of five spirited women with starkly different lives. As the war reaches its tipping point, each of the women fight for the survival of themselves, their countries, and their way of life during one of the most pivotal days in history.
American expatriate Mildred, better known as Axis Sally, has a thriving career as a Nazi radio propagandist, but her conscience haunts her. Meanwhile, across the English Channel, young medical volunteer Theda is pushed to her limit as shiploads of casualties dock in Portsmouth. Closer to the front, intrepid Flora aids the French resistance, while she seeks out her vanished parents. Iron-willed Emilia has climbed the Gestapo ranks, but she is now bent on betraying them. Finally, dignified Adelaide’s faith is shaken when she is forced to quarter German soldiers.
Now, during the most perilous twenty-four hours of their lives, all five women must summon courage they never knew they had, as they confront the physical dangers of war, alongside treacherous family secrets, heartbreak, and the ability to trust themselves. For these women, their inner strength is their only hope. But is it enough? How far can one person go for the things they believe in?
Born To Be Hanged By Keith Thompson
The year is 1680, in the heart of the Golden Age of Piracy, and more than three hundred daring, hardened pirates—a potent mix of low-life scallywags and a rare breed of gentlemen buccaneers—gather on a remote Caribbean island. The plan: to wreak havoc on the Pacific coastline, raiding cities, mines, and merchant ships. The booty: the bright gleam of Spanish gold and the chance to become legends. So begins one of the greatest piratical adventures of the era—a story not given its full due until now.
Inspired by the intrepid forays of pirate turned Jamaican governor Captain Henry Morgan—yes, that Captain Morgan—the company crosses Panama on foot, slashing its way through the Darien Isthmus, one of the thickest jungles on the planet, and liberating a native princess along the way. After reaching the South Sea, the buccaneers, primarily Englishmen, plunder the Spanish Main in a series of historic assaults, often prevailing against staggering odds and superior firepower. A collective shudder racks the western coastline of South America as the English pirates, waging a kind of proxy war against the Spaniards, gleefully undertake a brief reign over Pacific waters, marauding up and down the continent.
The Murder of King Tut By James Patterson & Martin Dugard
A secret buried for centuries
Thrust onto Egypt’s most powerful throne at the age of nine, King Tut’s reign was fiercely debated from the outset. Behind the palace’s veil of prosperity, bitter rivalries and jealousy flourished among the Boy King’s most trusted advisors, and after only nine years, King Tut suddenly perished, his name purged from Egyptian history. To this day, his death remains shrouded in controversy.
The keys to an unsolved mystery
Enchanted by the ruler’s tragic story and hoping to unlock the answers to the 3,000 year-old mystery, Howard Carter made it his life’s mission to uncover the pharaoh’s hidden tomb. He began his search in 1907, but encountered countless setbacks and dead-ends before he finally, uncovered the long-lost crypt.
The clues point to murder
America’s Hidden History By Kenneth C. Davis
Kenneth C. Davis, author of the phenomenal New York Times bestseller Don’t Know Much About History, presents a collection of extraordinary stories, each detailing an overlooked episode that shaped the nation’s destiny and character. Davis’s dramatic narratives set the record straight, busting myths and bringing to light little-known but fascinating facts from a time when the nation’s fate hung in the balance.
Spanning a period from the Spanish arrival in America to George Washington’s inauguration in 1789, America’s Hidden History details these episodes, among others:
The story of the first real Pilgrims in America, who were wine-making French Huguenots, not dour English Separatists
The coming-of-age story of Queen Isabella, who suggested that Columbus pack the moving mess hall of pigs that may have spread disease to many Native Americans
The long, bloody relationship between the Pilgrims and Indians that runs counter to the idyllic scene of the Thanksgiving feast
The little-known story of George Washington as a headstrong young soldier who committed a war crime, signed a confession, and started a war!
History of Bourbon By Ken Albala
Is bourbon the quintessential American liquor? Bourbon is not just alcohol—the amber-colored drink is deeply ingrained in American culture and tangled in American history. From the early days of raw corn liquor to the myriad distilleries that have proliferated around the country today, bourbon is a symbol of the United States.
This course traces bourbon’s entire history, from the 1700s, with Irish, Scottish, and French settlers setting up stills and making distilled spirits in the New World, through today’s booming resurgence.
On their tour of bourbon’s fascinating, turbulent, and uniquely American evolution, listeners will explore the mysterious origins of the whiskey’s name and meet the men and women who have been championed as its inventors and made it so popular – from Daniel Boone’s cousin and Baptist minister Elijah Craig to Jacob Beam and Evan Williams.
- Hear the stories behind the earliest bourbon whiskies right up to the current “bourbon bubble”
- Learn how a contemplative spirit went from agricultural product to industrial commodity
Explore how – and why – bourbon played such a large role in the years of the early republic - Get the facts on when and why Congress passed whiskey-protection laws
Discover the surprising importance of bourbon distilleries during World War II, when the spirit became war material - Go inside the Golden Age of Bourbon – a remarkable proliferation of new brands and niche markets happening now
- Witness the growth of brands like Jim Beam, Heaven Hill, Bulleit Bourbon, and Old Taylor
- Gain insights into why distilled spirits, like clothes and cars, project a message about who we are and the cultures to which we belong
