#SignedBookSundays: June Monthly Wrap Up, Signed Books, & Personal Reflection

Crushed on by Christy Jane, on June 30, 2021, in Blogging, Feature, It's Personal, New Releases / 2 Comments

#SBS June Monthly Wrap Up

Welcome to our monthly feature where we talk about what we read, adopted into our libraries, and what’s on our minds. After hosting #SignedBookSundays for 4+ years, we are transitioning to this format as a way to share signed books and talk about bookish (and personal) highlights. Join us the last Sunday or last day of every month!

What We Read

Kelly:
I actually read the most in June than any other month this year! Thankfully queer YA is what rocked my reading and there is no letting up for July, so many queer books to read and well if you don’t know this by now, but we read queer all year! Here are a few of the standouts!

Cheer Up: Love & PomPoms by Crystal Frasier & Val Wise (Illustrator) – I read this graphic novel as a digital ARC (does not impact my thoughts today) and wow!!! Just wow! This is a really good representation of not only feeling like an outcast and being queer in High School, but also the trans rep really was something special! This one releases on August 10th from Oni Press and I highly recommend!
The Fell of Dark by Caleb Roehrig – This queer, chosen one, vampire story is just perfection. I laughed, I cried, I contemplated some deep thoughts, and I cheered!! Like seriously this book is a GEM! If you don’t put it on your immediate TBR, especially for some FALL vibes I will be really disappointed!
Lucky Girl by Jamie Pacton – This fast-paced story about the least likely person to win the big lottery in a small town, and what kind of trouble that could bring onto someone who wasn’t even legally allowed to purchase the ticket in the first place. Jane has such a unique story that we don’t hear much in YA and I really appreciated someone who didn’t have it all handed to her easily. Seriously such a good, inspiring, and fun read.

Christy:

We read (tons of) queer books all year round but June is just basically catch up on all the queer stories we haven’t gotten to! My read list this month definitely reflects that! I read 10 books this month, which is low for me but I’m also reading books for two classes so my reading time is being eaten up. Here are a few highlights of what I loved.

Cool for the Summer by Dahlia Adler: You may have seen me screaming about this book on Instagram but I totally saw young me in this book. When I was a young adult, I fell in love with my best friend (a girl) while dating a boy. There were LiveJournal entries lamenting about how much I wanted to be with her, but we didn’t want to ruin our friendship. It was a WHOLE THING. So yeah, I loved this book and I would read it over and over again.
Rebel Robin by AR Capetta: Robin is FINALLY getting her own story and it is excellent, obviously. This story reminds me of what I hoped The Rest of Us Just Live Here would be, with some Hawkins flavor. Of course, I loved the cameos from other characters and being immersed in the 80s. Pick it up now!
Be Dazzled by Ryan La Sala: Kelly said I had to read this book and SHE WAS RIGHT. What a fun dive into the convention scene that is PERFECT for Pride month.

What We Hauled

Kelly’s Highlights:
ARCs:
Paradise, WV by Rob Rufus – expect to see an interview with author & a giveaway (courtesy of Keylight books)
Defy the Night by Brigid Kemmerer (courtesy of Bloomsbury YA)
The Lost Girls: A Vampire Revenge Story by Sonia Hartl (courtesy of Page Street)

Finished Copies:
Just arrived are some recent June releases! I of course bought plenty of signed books, look here for more!
Blackout by Dhonielle Clayton, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nicola Yoon, and Ashley Woodfolk
Witchshadow by Susan Dennard (bought signed from Schuler Books)
Sunny Song will Never be Famous by Suzanne Park (gifted by Sourcebooks Fire)
Rebel Robin: A Stranger Things Novel by A.R. Capetta (gifted by Get Underlined)
My Contrary Mary by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, Jodi Meadows
Broken Web (Shamanborn, #2) by Lori M. Lee (gifted by Page Street YA)
The Sea Is Salt and So Am I by Cassandra Hartt (gifted by Roaring Brook Press)
Every Body Shines: Sixteen Stories About Living Fabulously Fat by various authors (gifted by Bloomsbury YA)

Christy’s Highlights:

I got several really fun books but where I really hauled were comics and graphic novels! I also picked up:

That Weekend by Kara Thomas
Speak for Yourself by Lana Wood Johnson
Paradise, WV by Rob Rufus
Fresh by Margot Wood

On the Top of Our Minds

Kelly: I can hardly believe how June has flown by and although it went fast, I feel as though I am getting some of my groove back. I am reading more, and enjoying the reading process which is more important.

I made some serious progress on my updated library. I have made a section of shelves *the only section built so far* into all queer rainbow shelves! Wow it really takes a lot of time to organize and go through the books and catalog them into the color scheme. I started just putting all books up in color order, then quickly ran out of room, and backtracked to just queer books.

I still need to clear out a lot more of my inventory, and I still need to start sending some books to some SBS winners. I will get my shit together in the next few weeks I can feel the sunshine motivating me, however, this excessive heat is not helping as the library room is hot as hell!

Christy: Wow, June just flew by. I’m officially out of my job and interviewing with multiple early learning nonprofits. I have a preference, for sure, so fingers crossed the next update I send expands on that! Other than that, I’ve been focused on calming my nervous system down and stabilizing my body. People say I’m more like my normal self and I definitely feel that.

I’m also taking two classes this term, Ethics in Education and Strategic Leadership. I’m enjoying both! I’m headed on a 5 day mini vacation and really looking forward to being out in nature. I wish I wasn’t also in school but I’m ahead enough that I only have to do reading and no homework.