Books that feel like June

13 recommendations from romance and fantasy to literary fiction and self-help because growth.

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June is one of my favorite months of the year, and it’s also one of those words that just feels right to me. June.

June is often when the rain starts to go away in favor of the sun, when the air is warm. It’s when everything is green, flowers are blooming, and animals are out of hibernation. These books remind me of that refresh, regrowth, and sense of peace.

• The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston
  Ashley has some of the best magical realism books I’ve read! The genre in and of itself is rather sparse, as it’s rather difficult to create something that is realistic with just enough magic to remind you that it’s real. This is my favorite of hers. Clementine is going through a period of life that we all can relate to as humans — unsure of her path and grief with her loss. That dang apartment is literally and figuratively magical. I want to go there in my dreams. Plus, there’s something about a guy who can cook that’s just *chefs kiss* (lol pun not intended but I like it).

• Drowned In The Name of Love by Rut S Diaz
  I might be a smidge biased that an online friend of mine wrote this, but I love how much this book is really about love. It’s about love for yourself, your purpose, your family, and your friends. It’s about love for the world around us, too. Especially the ocean. I’m so happy that Rut was able to write her fantasy book about pirates before it becomes a booming thing (I said it here first folks). It’s so refreshing and imaginative. Plus, she told me the book is actually set in June, so that’s perfect!

• My Friends by Fredrik Backman
  His newest release. Absolutely broke my heart and then put it back together. Sure, the writing can be flowery, but I love it and Backman has always written like that. If it’s not your thing, no worries. Personally, it gives me goosebumps. This book is so summer coded, and the renewal and refresh and coming back to life of it all screams June. It’s terribly sad and distressingly beautiful and overall about art and friendship.

• It’s A Love Story by Annabel Monaghan
  Her recent release! I got an arc of it a bit ago, and I really enjoyed it. A great intro to summer read. Not going to lie, it took me a moment to get into it. However, once our two main characters start their adventure, I truly fell in love. It’s New England summer, an ex-child star, a movie script, and how shyness can be misconstrued into rudeness. Love.

• Passion Project by London Sperry
  Okay one, love supporting a debut author go you! Two, you will cry. This book has a pretty cover and a happy summary, but gosh it doesn’t hold back punches when it comes to loss. The author does a fabulous job creating characters that you root for, empathize with, and want to shake all in one go. That’s what makes them realistic. The message is such a beautiful one as well. It’s such a good read for June to give you ideas on how to spend your summer and a reminder that life continues on.

• A Million Junes by Emily Henry
  I mean I had to! It’s in the title! This is one of Emily’s pre-Beach Read releases. It’s a magical realism novel about two rival families in a small town. Combine that magic with two teenagers with raging hormones and you get this beautiful thing. I’ve always thought that Emily’s writing is like magic, and here it’s just a bit more obvious.

• Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
  Goodness gracious this book. It completely and utterly destroyed me, but I love it terribly. It is the perfect reminder to never judge someone, that love and discovery doesn’t have to be romantic, and growth never ends. I went in blind to this book and I’m grateful for it, so I’ll leave it there.

• Writers & Lovers by Lily King
  It wasn’t until I finished this book that I realized I liked it. This one is particularly good for my fellow writers out there. Our heroine is a hard worker and going through a tough point in her life. She’s working a ton at her day job while trying to write a book while also reeling from the fallout of her relationship. It’s such a good representation of how dang hard it is to write a novel. It’s also a beautiful tale of how what looks right might not feel right on the inside. The way this ends is stunning — it’s on an optimistic note but with unknowns. And there’s beauty in that uncertainty.

• Once Upon a Broken Heart Trilogy by Stephanie Garber
  A fantasy trilogy for you all. Eva is so June-coded. She’s a lover and someone who always gives her all. The way this series is written reminds me of the stories we were told as kids, like Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty. It’s entirely unique. The second book in the series is hands-down incredible. I can’t wait to reread this series myself — maybe this month?

• Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed
  A collection of her responses from the online column Cheryl ran. It’s such a beautiful collection of Cheryls thoughts, stories, and life. In fact, she raised points that challenged my own way of thinking and points of view. That’s one of my favorite things about reading, widening your perspective. In the spirit of growth and renewal, I urge you to read this in June.

• The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels by India Holton
  This is pure chaos, and I love it. I’ve read this several times at this point. It’s regency era witchery, piracy, dubachery, and general chaos. The writing and banter is absolutely hilarious. This is such a purely fun read, and I know you’ll have fun reading it too. Perfect for a day by the pool. You’ll find yourself smiling the whole time.

• You, With a View by Jessica Joyce
  You all know that I love her work, The Ex Vows, but this is another of hers that was quite lovely. One of my personal hobbies is photography, and I love how that became such a feature of this book. This also provides a perspective on grief, such a universal human experience. It’s a perfect example of growing pains, how growing can be painful, and how it’s always worth it in the end. You grew for a reason.

• Finders Keepers by Sarah Adler
  I just realized that this releases on the 16th! I knew it was a June read. I love Sarah’s novels so much. She combines romances with historical threads that really steal the show. At this point, I think moving home in your twenties is a universal human experience. Her banter in this book was so good, and the portrayal of anxiety so realistic that I thought Sarah read my journal. Such a fun book.

Phew, that was honestly more than I had anticipated adding, but I can’t be stopped. I hope that this array of genres and ideas sparks a read for everyone! Let me know if you’ve read any of this and what you thought.

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1. Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab (Fantasy): June 10, 2025

2. King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby (Mystery/Thriller): June 10, 2025

3. The Life of Chuck by Stephen King (Mystery/Thriller): June 10, 2025

4. With A Vengeance by Riley Sager (Mystery/Thriller): June 10, 2025

5. The River is Waiting by Wally Lamb (Literary Fiction): June 10, 2025

6. The Palace of Illusions by Rowenna Miller (Fantasy): June 10, 2025

7. So Far Gone by Jess Walter (Literary Fiction): June 10, 2025

8. Six Wild Crowns by Holly Race (Fantasy): June 10, 2025

9. Amelia, If Only by Becky Albertalli (YA Romance): June 10, 2025

10. The Nantucket Restaurant by Pamela Kelley (Fiction): June 10, 2025

Books I’ve compiled from a variety of bestseller lists. I add the books I haven’t before, since I’ve caught up to the new additions. If you’re curious, last week’s post can be found here.

1. Never Flinch by Stephen King (Mystery/Thriller)

2. Hidden Nature by Nora Roberts (Fiction)

3. Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood (Romance)

4. Releasing 10 by Chloe Walsh (Romance)

   1. Check trigger warnings before reading.

5. Return to Sender by Craig Johnson (Mystery/Thriller)

6. It’s A Love Story by Annabel Monaghan (Romance)

If you have a book recommendation to share, send me a DM or email me at thesundayreads@gmail.com!

1. Carrying on from last week — I finished Spectacular Things by Beck Dorey-Stein & I love it.

   1. A novel about two sisters, soccer, and never quitting. It challenges your goals and dreams with unexpected problems. It makes you compare the dreams you had when you were a child with the dreams you begin to develop as an adult. It’s a beautiful portrayal of sisterhood and female relationships. I love it, love the writing style, and love how the story is laid out.

That’s all for today. Much love

Izzy