Tag: Monthly update

I read eight books in June, a few more than I managed in May and closer to my customary reading rate. Here are the three I enjoyed the most. Links from each title will take you to my full review or the book description on Goodreads.

Check out all the books I’ve read so far in 2025 here. If we’re not already friends on Goodreads, send me a friend request or follow my reviews.

My thanks to Head of Zeus for my review copy of Kane via NetGalley.

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The Mare by Angharad Hampshire (Northodox Press) – Shortlisted for the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction, the incredibly powerful and unflinching story, told in fictional form, of Hermine Braunsteiner who worked as a concentration camp guard at Ravensbrück and was the first person to be extradited from the Unites States for Nazi war crimes

Kane by Graham Hurley (Head of Zeus) – An action-packed story combining the drama of real historical events – in this case, the aftermath of the bombing of Pearl Harbour – with the excitement and intrigue of a thriller

Queen Macbeth by Val McDermid (Polygon) – A blend of historical fact about Gruoch, the woman known as Lady Macbeth in Shakespeare’s play, and her imagined life afterwards

What were the best books you read last month? Have you read any of my picks?

I’m still reading at a snail’s pace, only managing to finish six books in May. I’m going to blame garden projects, a bathroom refurbishment and a family wedding! Here are the three I really loved. Links from each title will take you to my full review or the book description on Goodreads. I’m behind with reviews as well!

Check out all the books I’ve read so far in 2025 here. If we’re not already friends on Goodreads, send me a friend request or follow my reviews.

My thanks to HarperCollins and Head of Zeus for review copies of Traitor’s Legacy and A Beautiful Way to Die via NetGalley.

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Traitor’s Legacy by S. J. Parris (Hemlock Press) – a compelling historical mystery with a deliciously complex plot, an engaging main character, a varied supporting cast and lots of period detail

A Beautiful Way to Die by Eleni Kyriacou (Head of Zeus) – a brilliant story that exposes the tawdry side of 1950s Hollywood. Think A Star is Born combined with Sunset Boulevard with a helping of All About Eve

Glorious Exploits by Ferdia Lennon (Fig Tree) – Inventive, playful but thought-provoking story set in Syracuse, Sicily during the Peloponnesian War, and told with an Irish lilt

What were the best books you read last month? Have you read any of my picks?