Monthly Wrap-Up: June 2023

Who hit fast-forward on 2023, and how are we 6 months through the year already? Lol. Anyway, I read 5 books, 1 novella, and 2 graphic novels in June. That's a total of 8 books and 1847 pages (that's about 320 pages more than last month!)

• 7 were part of a series, 1 was a standalone
• I started 3 series, but finished 1!
• 5 were 4-star reads, and 3-star reads
• 2 were adult, 6 were YA
• 1 sci-fi, 3 horrors, 1 historical fantasy, and 3 mythology retellings
• 6 were from authors I've previously read, and to were new to me

Review: Camp Out (New Fear Street #2) by R.L. Stine

Title: Camp Out

Series: New Fear Street #2 (can be read as a standalone)

Previous book in this series: The Stepbrother

Author: R.L. Stine

Genre: YA, mystery thriller, horror

Publication date: April 1998

Published by: Parachute Press

Source: Purchased paperback

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Buy it: Amazon | Thrift Books

Synopsis: Maria was nervous about going camping from the beginning, but her two best friends manage to persuade her it will be fun. However, it soon turns out that Maria had been right to worry, and the girls' lives are in great danger.

My rating: ★★★★☆

Maria was not entirely looking forward to going on a camping trip with her friends. But things start to look up when they come across some guys that could be potentially fun to hang out with. It’s unfortunate that these guys start acting like complete psychos soon after they meet and the girls realize that their lives are in danger. I guess Maria was right to worry about this trip after all.

Review: The Saha Declination (Colonial Explorer Corps #3) by Julia Huni

Title: The Saha Declination

Series: Colonial Explorer Corps #3

Previous books in this series: The Earth Concurrence (#1) | The Grissom Contention (#2)

Author: Julia Huni

Genre: Adult, sci-fi

Publication date: September 2021

Published by: IPH Media

Source: Purchased ebook

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Buy it: Amazon | B&N

Synopsis: She survived the academy, but did it prepare her for an alien world?

Siti Kassis excelled at the Academy, earning honors and respect. She has one last cadet mission before she graduates, but it should be easy. She'll be the most junior member of an established Explorer Corps team landing on a partially explored planet. With decades of experience and the full support of the corps, what could go wrong?

Then they encounter dangerous aliens, sabotage from within, and a deadly enemy at the gates.

Siti must rely on her friends--and some of her enemies--to survive the final challenge.

My rating: ★★★★☆

Siti and the crew are headed on their senior mission, which is the last mission before they graduate from Colonial Explorer Academy. And if you think things are gonna go easy-peasy for Siti, that she's gonna go explore a planet, learn things, and come back to the academy without issue, well you’d be WRONG. Because just like in the last book, things go all sorts of wrong in this book! And I loved it! Lol.

Review: Only Good Enemies (Galactic Bonds #2) by Jennifer Estep

Title: Only Good Enemies

Series: Galactic Bonds #2

Previous book in this series: Only Bad Options

Author: Jennifer Estep

Genre: Adult, sci-fi, fantasy

Publication date: July 18th 2023

Published by: Jennifer Estep

Source: eARC for review from author

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Buy it: Amazon | B&N | Kobo

Synopsis: A WOMAN ON A MISSION . . .

My name is Vesper Quill. I used to be a lowly lab rat, toiling away in obscurity developing brewmakers and other household appliances. But thanks to my seer magic and my own ingenuity, I’m now a Regal lady and the head of a successful corporation.

My mission? To destroy the Techwave, the dangerous group that has stolen my designs and plans to weaponize them against the Imperium. But when my mission takes an unexpected turn, I’m once again surrounded by enemies and fighting for my life.

Further complicating matters is Kyrion Caldaren, an arrogant Regal lord whose fate is bound to mine. Kyrion doesn’t realize the two of us still have an unwanted connection that puts us both in grave danger . . . or does he?

A MAN SURROUNDED BY ENEMIES . . .

My name is Kyrion Caldaren. As the leader of the Arrows, the Imperium’s elite fighting force, I’ve been tasked with tracking down and destroying the Techwave before they seize control of the Archipelago Galaxy.

My other mission? Find a way to assassinate Lord Callus Holloway, the Imperium ruler who wants to take my psion power for his own. Holloway is also a threat to Vesper Quill, who haunts my thoughts, despite the broken bond and distance between us.

When I realize Vesper is in danger, my priorities change, and I vow to use all my telepathic, telekinetic, and other abilities to help her. I will save Vesper from her enemies and mine—even if I have to burn down the whole bloody galaxy.

My rating: ★★★★★

I have been eagerly anticipating this book ever since I read Only Bad Options last year. As some of you may or may not know, I’ve been really into sci-fi lately—that is all I want to read these days, so this series came at a perfect time. Especially because it’s so good! This is Jennifer Estep’s first foray into the sci-fi genre, and she is doing it so well! Plus, she weaves fantasy elements into it and it made it that much better! It was so good! I can’t get over it!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #322: I'm Making Progress!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Book Date and Unleashing Reads.