Ahh, yes. Another monthly wrap up.

It feels like the year is flying by. We're already almost in July but I feel like January was just yesterday.

With that being said, June has come to an end and that means we join together and talk about the books I read this month.

I'm very happy with all the books I read in June. I felt like I had a solid reading month and I'm pretty sure I loved most of them.

I read 9 books in June which is amazing, and I'm hoping my reading only picks up from here.

So without further ado, let's get into the books I read in June!

Legendary by Stephanie Garber

This was the very first book I finished in June - literally. I finished it on June 1st. I believe it was released in late May but it did take me a little while to get my hands on it because it was sold out in stores. But I did eventually get my hands on it and the wait was totally worth it because this sequel to Caraval was amazing.

City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare

I think everyone knows my feelings about the previous book City of Bones. If you aren't aware, I didn't like it. Mostly because I didn't like the main character Clary and because the writing wasn't the best. But I finally dived into City of Ashes and i see such improvement in Cassandra Clare's writing. I honestly did enjoy this read.

Watch the Girls by Jennifer Wolfe

Watch the Girls was one of the books I was sent to by Hatchette Book Group in exchange with an honest review and I had very high expectations for this one. But sadly, it didn't exactly meet what I was expecting and so it wasn't a very enjoyable read for me.

Campfire by Shawn Sarles

Campfire is the other book I was sent by Hatchette in exchange for a honest review and unlike Watch the Girls, I really enjoyed this novel. It gave me such 80s/90s slasher movie vibes and I absolutely loved it. If you want to read my review for it, the link will be here.

Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King

One of the books that came out recently is The Outsider by Stephen King and I have been dying to read it. But a lot of people said it included spoilers for King's infamous trilogy, the Bill Hodges trilogy; Mr. Mercedes being the first book. Of course, I had to re-read this before I dived into the other two books so I decided to do so this month. When previously reading Mr. Mercedes, I didn't really enjoy this but I think it was because I was in the wrong mindset. This month, I absolutely fell in love with this book and I cannot wait to dive into the rest.

Heir of Fire by Sarah J Maas

I am finally catching up on my Throne of Glass "re-read" and I'm loving it. I do have about 3 more books left to read until I am all caught up but I'm slowly getting there. Heir of Fire actually took me about a month to finish which was such a bummer to me; when listening to these books on audiobook, Heir of Fire was my favourite. But when reading them, I think the previous book Crown of Midnight might be my favourite so far.

Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay

I absolutely love the show Dexter so when I found out it was based on a book, I decided to dive into the series. I've only read the first book so far - obviously and I unfortunately won't be continuing the series. Not anytime soon, anyways. Don't get me wrong, I loved the book. It's just not as good as the show in my opinion.

Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King

It's been quite a while since I read a short story/novella collection by Stephen King so I was very excited to dive into this one. I really liked Netflix's adaptation of 1922 and I wanted to read and compare the two so I decided to pick this book up. I also realized how little King I've been reading and thought I should dive into it more. I actually loved this collection and loved how dark this was, honestly.

Desperation by Stephen King

The last book I read in June of 2018 is Desperation by Stephen King. I've seen mixed reviews of this novel but have been very eager to dive into this one. I wasn't expecting to like this because of the mixed reviews I've seen and/or heard about but I actually loved this novel. It may be one of my favourite King books as well, I thought it was that amazing. I cannot wait to dive into the companion novel, The Regulators written by King in the pseudonym Richard Bachman.

Watch the Girls by Jennifer Wolfe

This book follows Liv Hendricks who quit her acting career after her sister goes missing at a Hollywood party. Liv escaped but her sister was never heard from ever again. Knowing someone is watching, wanting to finish what they started, Liv returns back into the spotlight fifteen years later on a webseries she started on as a teen to investigate disappearances outside of town. Slowly gathering evidence piece by piece, Liv is dragged into a dark path of disturbing discoveries.

I was sent an Advance Reader Copy of this book by Hatchette Book Group in exchange for an honest review.

If you are interested in owning your own copy, this book comes out on July 10th, 2018.

**There is a major trigger warning for sexual assault and/or rape if you are interested in reading this novel***

I can't say I liked this book. But I also can't say I hated it.

There were a couple of elements in this novel that I did enjoy but others that did make me feel a little iffy.

First off, there are scenes just dedicated to the rape Liv and her sister had to go through, so if you are uncomfortable reading it, I highly suggest looking into it and skipping it (I believe most of them are at the end of the novel and they are in young Liv's perspective.)

I don't usually feel uncomfortable with literature - heck, I love horror and all the gore scenes. But I did have to skip a couple of the scenes because I did feel a little uncomfortable.

One of the other things that I didn't really like about this novel was how abrupt scenes transitioned.

Especially the beginning and especially the end.

The only obvious transitions we get are the chapter intros pre se where it says whether the reader is diving into Olivia's perspective or Liv's. Otherwise, everything is so abrupt.

And I know, people are going to say, "Thats the point of an introduction, Jess. You're supposed to get to know the characters throughout the book."

I know, I get it. But even then, the ending happened way too quickly for me. For those who drive, it felt like I hit the break at a stop light too quick, stayed idle until the light turned green and smashed my foot on the gas.

Did you feel the whiplash as I described it? That's how I felt reading the ending. I wished the scenes flowed better.

I'll have to say, I didn't like how quick the ending came but the ending was quite surprising. It was most definitely a shock factor, although not a huge one that sticks to me. If someone asked me in two weeks what the ending was for Watch the Girls, I probably couldn't say.

Nonetheless, the overall writing was fantastic. I thought it was very quick paced and easy to read - for the most part. I really liked Liv's character as well.

She is so genuinely relatable and felt like someone I personally knew. The character build and overall writing when it came to Liv made her seem so realistic it was terrifying. Terrifying because I felt like I was her going through all of this with her; terrifying because it is a real world thing that anyone could go through.

I think that is one of the aspects of this novel that really got to me, was how realistic this plot-line was. Anyone can be stalked, anyone can be watched or kidnapped or have an overly obsessed fan. The fact that Liv was popular in the media and went through all of this was way too realistic and that is what made this terrifying.

And some parts, I even feel incredibly sorry for Liv because of everything she is going through.

Another thing I really liked is the minor details the author uses to be a little creative with the book.

I love the incorporation of text messages and how she incorporates not only Liv's follower count but also how the numbers increase as she's going through all of this. I found that to be very interesting and one of my favourite details of this novel.

Overall, I liked this book but I didn't love it. It isn't the type of book I would go back to re-read throughout my life but I indeed thought it was well written.

I've watched many BookTube Videos where people recommend books that relate to other books or are similar.

I've tried to search for those relating to King books and so far, I haven't seen any.

But do not fret because look at that, I have gathered up a couple of books that in some way relate to other King books and thought you all would love to read this.

I have a vast variety of readers: some are here for King, some are here for YA, some are here for Mystery/Thriller etc.

I tried to incorporate many different genres to please all my readers!

With that being said, here are some books you might love if you love these Stephen King books!

This book follows our main character Maddie who goes camping with some friends and family. Around the campfire, they all decide to share some scary campfire stories. The next day, their stories come to life - and they are the victims. Filled with horror, Maddie gets the pleasure of finding out how the story ends.

I was sent an Advance Reader Copy of this novel by Hatchette Book Group in exchange for an honest review.

If you are interested in this novel, it comes out in stores on July 17th, 2018.

I absolutely fell in love with this novel.

I am a huge fan of classic slasher movies especially from the 80s and the 90s and this book gave me such huge vibes.

Jason Voorhees is one of my favourite horror icons so I'm very excited and happy that this book revolves around camping with a lot of slasher goodness!

I love the concept of this novel and I'm so happy someone had written it an executed it so well. For those who are interested in reading this, keep in mind it is a Young Adult novel so it definitely won't be as gore-filled as most thriller books are.

I've read a lot of people compared this to the TV show Are You Afraid of the Dark? but I thought this compared more to Scream - the television show, not the movies. And I know what you're thinking, "Don't they have the same concept?" Yes. But I feel like the show is less in depth with it's killings and gore - if that makes sense. It's more viewer friendly. I don't think I've watched Are You Afraid of the Dark? to compare it.

One of my favourite things about this novel was how it's written.

I do enjoy Shawn Sarles' writing very much. I feel like the way he writes flows so well. It's very suspenseful and fast-paced. Every chapter I read made me want to dive deeper into the book and I think that is very important when it comes to mystery/thriller books.

The characters are also very well-written and you start to become attached to them. Not necessarily like a fandom-based thing, but as a genuine care for these characters. Just like slasher movies and shows, you want to make sure certain characters live, and well.. hope others don't.

I know at some parts I felt genuinely bad for Maddie because of how much she has gone through.

Keeping a personal attachment to characters is my thing as it makes it feel so realistic and I love that.

I only had one problem with this novel and that was the prologue. I kind of wished it let off a cliffhanger or was foreshadowing what happens later in the book.

I felt a little disconnected whilst reading the prologue and that kind of bummed me out since it's the first chapter you read when you open this book. 

But, I am very happy I pulled through because I do love this novel so much and I cannot wait to purchase another copy and read it around the bonfire on late summer nights.

Overall, I highly recommend my readers pick up a copy of this book when it comes out on July 17th if you are a huge slasher fan as well! I'm sure you won't regret it!

Legendary by Stephanie Garber

Legendary picks up right after Caraval, except in Scarlett's sister, Tella's point of view. As sisters Scarlett and Tella finally escape from their abusive father and have concluded Caraval; the girls should be celebrating. But Tella has made a promise to the mysterious creator of Caraval and that is to figure out the true identity of Legend, which no one has figured out yet. The only way to find out Legend's true identity is to win Caraval and if she fails to do so, she'll lose everything she loves -- including her life.

I really enjoyed the first book, Caraval which I have already reviewed so if you would like to read that, it will be linked here.

With Caraval, I read that book in maybe less than 48 hours. I truly enjoyed it and savoured every line, every moment of the novel.

It was the exact same for Legendary. Once I picked up the book, it was immediately so difficult to put down.

What I love the most about Stephanie Garber's writing is how easy and fun it is to read yet it is also very detailed and intricate as well.

There has been quite a few books I've reviewed where I thought the writing was too simple, it came off as a fanfiction but this series fits so well in the fantasy genre yet does not overwhelm the reader and I think that is why I love her writing so much.

The main difference between this novel and the last is the point of views. Caraval is in Scarlett's POV while Legendary is in her sister Tella's POV.

There is also a lot more romance in this novel opposed to the previous one and I'm all for it. I know a lot of people don't like a lot of romance when it comes to books but I feel like this series is a good mix of both as the previous book had very little romance.

In fact, this novel may even have a love triangle.

Character-wise, I didn't really like Scarlett too much in the previous novel. And in this novel, I still don't really like her. But, we don't get very many scenes with her in it so if you are feeling the same way as myself, don't fret because it's mostly based on Donatella.

I am very sad we don't get a lot of scenes with Julian though because I actually really liked him from the previous novel. But it wasn't a huge deal since we get introduced to two new male characters that serve as a new romantic ideal.

I didn't really like Tella in the previous book either, I think I was more neutral than hated or liked her. But, in this novel I actually really like her so that is a definite plus!

The ending was absolutely phenomenal in my opinion. It was also a shock factor, but also was not.

I don't want to ruin it though because I think it is worth being a shock factor if you haven't read this book yet.

Regardless, I absolutely loved this book. Possibly a little more than the last one and I am definitely cheering on for a third book!

The Long Walk by Stephen King

The Long Walk is book written by Stephen King's pseudonym, Richard Bachman which is about a race for boys called "The Long Walk" and if you exceed your limit, you have to face brutal consequences.

This is my second Bachman book I've read so far and although I haven't had the best experience with the previous one, I actually really loved this.

This really isn't a long book at all, which is interesting to me since King's books are relatively long and large. But this was a decent sized novel.

Some of Stephen King's longer novels I find to run on a bit, and some I find to be perfect sizes for the plot. Same goes for his shorter novels.

For me, The Long Walk was a little too short -- but very close to perfect. Do I wish there were more back story to the marathon. Yes. Do I wish the ending was so abrupt. Absolutely.

I am okay with it, regardless? Indeed I am.

I do love how easy it is to read, though. I love Stephen King's books so much, mainly because of the writing style and the flow and I found each word and chapter to work so well with the rest of the book.

The plot idea was also very interesting. I would never think of a marathon like this ever and base it on actual fears as well. Stephen King is truly a phenomenal writer for this because of the structure of his plots and the execution.

One of my favourite books by Stephen King is The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon because of the psychological aspect of fear opposed to the actual gore -- which I do still equally love, but the psychological fear makes things even more terrifying to me.

I also love classic Stephen King books The Shining and IT for its gore.

I feel as if The Long Walk is a perfect mix of both.

Not only do you actually feel the pain the contestants are going through, you feel their dread. You can feel and sense their fear or not walking the certain distance in a specific amount of time and their true fear of being shot in the head, or even watching someone else get shot in the head for using up too many warnings.

The game show is brutal, but I think that is what makes it terrifying.

I read a review where someone said, this is truly a life or death situation for these characters. You sense them questioning whether life is worth it or not as these young boys are lifeless and exhausted.

It's heartbreaking. It's depressing. It's dark.

But as sinister as it sounds, it's almost beautiful with it's deeper meaning.

I also loved the characters.

I found them to be very genuine and unique. Very interesting as well.

Personally, I enjoyed The Long Walk and is definitely redeeming the Bachman books for myself.

Stephen King's novels in general are typically very dark, but if you would like an eerie novel that pulls through your psychological fears, The Long Walk is for you!

Four Past Midnight by Stephen King

Four Past Midnight is collection of four novellas which include: The Langoliers, Secret Window, Secret Garden, The Library Policeman, and The Sun Dog.

This collection, I had mixed reviews on. 

I typically love Stephen King's novellas and short stories, I honestly still do. But this collection fell a little short to me. 

Don't get me wrong, there's some novellas from this collection that I really did enjoy; but they probably won't stick to me like The Mist and Mile 81 did. 

The writing was indeed beautiful as always. 

I think The Langoliers was written the best in my opinion. It was quick paced and very easy to read. I also loved the paranormal-almost aspect to it that was very similar to The Mist. Which I actually think might be the reason as to why I love it so much.

I also found it a little more scary than the others. solely because most of the book is based in a plane and I am terrified of planes.

Secret Window, Secret Garden was okay in my opinion. It was still really good but it wasn't my all time favourite.

I think thats how I feel for most of the novellas as I said before. They are great and well-written. But none of them will really stick to me.

The Library Policeman was also okay. Probably one of my favourites in this collection but not of all time.

The only story I had a major problem with was The Sun Dog, not necessarily for it's content, plot-wise but because I found it the least entertaining of them all. I found this last novella to be a little bit dry to me.

But other than that, I'll always love the introductions to every novella that King writes. His insights for his books and stories are always very intriguing to me.

I genuinely wish I enjoyed this books a lot more than I did, but I had such difficulty doing so.

Fortunately, there are other stories written by King that have me able to stick to me more.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series by Rick Riordan

Can you all believe it's already June?!

It feels like 2018 is flying through! Months seem like minutes now.

Well, now that it's a new month, it means it's finally time to do a monthly Wrap Up! 

This month I didn't read as much as I'd like. My goal for 2018, generally is 75 books and I've surpassed the halfway point as I've read 44 books so far, so I suppose I am on schedule; but I was hoping to read a little more this month. 

With that being said, I've only read 5 books in May!

A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J Maas

This was the very first book I read in May -- literally, I read it on it's release day which was May 1st and finished it in a couple of hours. It was indeed one of my most anticipated reads of 2018 although, I didn't provide such a high rating as I would have hoped for. If you want to read my review, it is linked right here.

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

The second book I read in May was Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo. I love the Six of Crows duology and The Language of Thorns which all take place in the same world as the Grisha trilogy, Shadow and Bone being the first book. I love the Grisha World so much and couldn't pass up this book as King of Scars should be released soon as well. I wanted an intake of the Grisha World as much as possible before the new series comes out. 

The Long Walk by Stephen King

I was surprised by how little Stephen King books I've read in the month of May. The Long Walk being the only King book this month really surprises me. The Long Walk was actually really good. I haven't had much luck with King's Bachman Books yet so I was very happy that I actually loved this one.

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon 

Outlander is probably my second favourite read of this month. I started avidly watching the show this month and have been enjoying every episode I've seen so far. I wanted to finally dive into the book and I'll admit, I really loved it. I'm not typically into historical fiction but Outlander has a special place in my heart.

Red Rising by Pierce Brown 

My favourite read in may was definitely Red Rising. I had read a little snippet of the novel last month and truly enjoyed it. I decided to buy the book from there and I was quite in love with it. I haven't read a book where I actually cried.. until Red Rising. I sobbed. A lot.

And there you have it, my May Wrap Up! I didn't read as many books as I'd like to but I'm hoping June really pulls through and I read a lot more!

How many books have you read in the month of May? Let me know in the comments or on Instagram!