June 2026 Monthly Book Wrap Up

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June was a little bit of everything when it came to reading.

I went from classic feminist fiction to contemporary romance to psychological thrillers, and somehow ended up with four books that could not have been more different from one another.

This month I read:

There were things I enjoyed about all four, but one book definitely stood out from the rest.

⭐ Top Pick of the Month: The Divorce by Freida McFadden

My favorite book of June was easily The Divorce.

Freida McFadden is so good at writing the kind of thriller where you think you know what’s happening—and then suddenly you’re questioning absolutely everything.

The story begins with a marriage falling apart, but it quickly becomes much more complicated. There’s betrayal, obsession, jealousy, revenge, and plenty of terrible decision-making.

Basically, exactly what I want from a domestic thriller.

This was also the book I found hardest to put down. The chapters move quickly, the tension keeps building, and every time I thought I had figured out where the story was going, something changed.

If you’re looking for a fast, twisty thriller that you can fly through in a weekend, this would be my recommendation from everything I read this month.

June rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Anna K by Jenny Lee

Anna K was a completely different kind of read.

Inspired by Anna Karenina, the book takes Tolstoy’s classic story and moves it into the world of wealthy teenagers in modern-day New York.

There are extravagant parties, complicated friendships, family expectations, romance, betrayal, and plenty of drama.

And I mean plenty of drama.

What I liked most was seeing such an old story translated into a very modern world. The characters live these unbelievably privileged lives, but underneath all of the glamour they’re still dealing with jealousy, insecurity, heartbreak, and trying to figure out who they are.

It’s definitely one for readers who enjoy character-driven stories filled with complicated relationships.

The Shop Around the Corner by Anne-Marie Meyer

After all that drama, The Shop Around the Corner brought some much-needed cozy small-town romance into my reading month.

This is the second book in Anne-Marie Meyer’s Sweet Tea and a Southern Gentleman series, and it has all of those comforting small-town ingredients I love.

Romance.

Friendship.

Family drama.

People who can’t seem to stop running into each other.

And, of course, characters insisting they absolutely do not have feelings for someone when we all know exactly where this is going.

This was a sweet and easy read and a nice change of pace between some of the heavier books I picked up this month.

If you like Sweet Magnolias-style stories, small towns, interconnected characters, and low-spice romance, this series is worth checking out.

Fear of Flying by Erica Jong

And then there was Fear of Flying.

Originally published in 1973, this was easily the most interesting book of the month from a historical perspective.

It follows Isadora Wing, a writer who is questioning her marriage, her sexuality, her independence, and what she actually wants from her life.

It’s famous for how openly it discussed female sexuality when it was first published, but I actually found the larger questions about identity and freedom more interesting.

What happens when the life you’re supposed to want doesn’t feel quite right?

And how much of your life are you choosing for yourself versus choosing because you’ve been told that’s what happiness is supposed to look like?

Some parts definitely feel very rooted in the 1970s, and Isadora can be frustrating, but I think that’s also what makes the book interesting to read more than fifty years later.

It isn’t necessarily comfortable, but it gives you a lot to think about.

June Reading Ranking

If I had to rank this month’s books:

1. The Divorce — Freida McFadden ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
My clear favorite. Fast, messy, twisty, and impossible to put down.

2. Anna K — Jenny Lee
A fun, dramatic modern spin on a literary classic.

3. The Shop Around the Corner — Anne-Marie Meyer
Sweet, cozy, and perfect when you want something easy and comforting.

4. Fear of Flying — Erica Jong
Interesting, provocative, and definitely worth reading for its place in literary history.

Final Thoughts

June turned out to be a wonderfully random reading month.

I had rich New York teenagers behaving badly, a marriage going completely off the rails, cozy small-town romance, and a 1970s feminist classic.

You really can’t ask for much more variety than that.

But if you’re only going to pick up one book from my June reading list, I’m giving this month to Freida McFadden’s The Divorce.

It was the book that kept me turning pages, made me change my mind about the characters repeatedly, and reminded me exactly why psychological thrillers are so much fun.

Now onto July—and another stack of books that I definitely have every intention of finishing.