Little late, but then I thought I’d already done this post.

I read a LOT of crap I didn’t much like last month. Mostly a mystery series I kept thinking would get better, but didn’t.

Luckily, I also read some really good books. Like:
The Dark Side of The Road by Simon R. Green (8/10) which is a stand-alone urban fantasy. Montalbano’s First Case and Other Stories by Andrea Camilleri translated by Stephen Sartarelli (8/10) is a collection of Montalbano short stories. I re-read two Charles de Lint anthologies, Tapping the Dream Tree (9.5/10) and Muse and Reverie (10/10). And re-reads of Brother to Dragons, Companion to Owls by Jane Lindskold (9/10) and Sabriel by Garth Nix (10/10).

If you haven’t read Charles de Lint, he is one of my all-time favorite authors. He writes marvelous short stories that–despite being full of darkness–are uplifting and usually make me feel better about myself and the world. And Jane Lindskold’s urban fantasy is also strange and wonderful.

Urban Fantasy

Tapping the Dream Tree (2002) Charles de Lint (9.5/10)
Muse and Reverie (2009) Charles de Lint (10/10)
Brother to Dragons, Companion to Owls (1994) Jane Lindskold (9/10)
The Dark Side of The Road (2015) Simon R. Green (8/10)

Mystery

Montalbano’s First Case and Other Stories (2008 (except where noted) / 2016) Andrea Camilleri translated by Stephen Sartarelli (8/10)

YA Fantasy

Sabriel (1995) Garth Nix (10/10)

Historical Romance

Your Scandalous Ways (2008) Loretta Chase (7/10)
The Mystery Woman (2013) Amanda Quick (6/10)

Historical Mystery

Lady of the Ashes (2013) Christine Trent (5.5/10)
In Milady’s Chamber (2006) Sheri Cobb South (6/10)
A Dead Bore (2008) Sheri Cobb South (6.5/10)
Family Plot (2014) Sheri Cobb South (6/10)
Dinner Most Deadly (2015) Sheri Cobb South (5/10)

Audio Book

The Grendel Affair, Audible Version (2013/2014) Lisa Shearin, narrated by Johanna Parker (8/10)
Black Arts audible version (2014) Faith Hunter, narrated by Khristine Hvam (8/10)

I read 15 books in June, which is a lot, but I’ve been having major anxiety issues, so lots of escaping.

Nothing but eBooks and audio books this month–in fact, aside from cookbooks (which I really need to review, but haven’t) I haven’t read a single paper book this year.

Genre was a bit more variety than previous months

Fantasy : 7
Mystery : 6
Romance : 2
YA : 1
Anthology : 2

And male authors caught up a tiny bit this month, with 5 male authors and 9 female authors…and that doesn’t add up to 15. So, 5 and 10. Male authors still haven’t caught up much, since I’m at 15% male and 85% female authors.