June was a pretty light reading month for me! It was super busy with travel, family time, and hanging out in the pool, so I didn’t get as much reading done as usual!
But I did manage to squeeze in 8 books, although a couple of them were pretty short, probably more likely to be novellas than full books. But I feel like I made those pages up with The Butcher’s Masquerade, which is a SUPER hefty book!
My favorite book this month was probably a tie between The Butcher’s Masquerade and the Hacienda, and my least favorite was Wild Dark Shore (sorry y’all, I know this one was HYPED, but I just didn’t love it!).
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Victorian Psycho by Virginia Feito
Grim Wolds, England: Winifred Notty arrives at Ensor House determined to be the model governess—teaching lessons, telling stories, and only half-joking about eating children. But trapped in the suffocating gloom of the estate, she quickly grows resentful of the odious Pounds family: a lecherous husband, a vindictive wife, and their spoiled children. As old violent urges stir beneath her prim exterior, Winifred bides her time. Christmas is coming, after all—and she has some very special gifts planned.
Darkly funny and deliciously twisted, Victorian Psycho unveils a chilling new voice in gothic horror.
A Death in Door County by Annelise Ryan
Morgan Carter runs a quirky bookstore in Door County, Wisconsin—and moonlights as a cryptozoologist. After losing her parents to the same strange obsession, she’s never stopped chasing creatures that might not exist. So when bodies wash up on Lake Michigan’s shores bearing mysterious bite marks, the local police chief asks Morgan to investigate. With her loyal rescue dog Newt by her side, Morgan dives into the mystery.
But as she hunts what may be a legendary lake monster, she realizes the killer might not be a myth—and she could be next.
The Hacienda by Isabel Canas
After her father’s execution and the ruin of her family, Beatriz jumps at a chance for stability by marrying Don Rodolfo Solórzano—despite whispers about his first wife’s mysterious death. But his grand estate, Hacienda San Isidro, offers no peace. Strange voices haunt her sleep, eerie symbols ward the kitchen, and Rodolfo’s sister refuses to enter the house after dark. Desperate, Beatriz turns to Padre Andrés, a priest with forbidden magic, for help.
Together, they must confront the darkness lurking within the hacienda—before it consumes Beatriz completely.
The Butcher’s Masquerade by Matt Dinniman
The sixth floor of the dungeon has arrived—and it’s a bloodbath.
Carl, a Coast Guard vet, and Princess Donut, his ex’s pampered cat turned deadly companion, thought they’d seen everything the galaxy’s most brutal game show had to offer. But now they face The Hunting Grounds: a jungle floor filled with ravenous dinosaurs, vengeful royalty, and a sinister elite event known as The Butcher’s Masquerade.
Worse still? Outsiders can finally enter the game—tourists turned hunters. And one, a legend named Vrah, is hungry for glory.
But this time, the prey is fighting back.
The Love Haters by Katherine Center
Katie Vaughn’s love life is a mess—and her career’s not far behind. Facing a looming layoff, she jumps at a risky opportunity: filming a profile on Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson, a swoon-worthy Coast Guard rescue swimmer in Key West. The only problem? She can’t swim, and she definitely told everyone she could.
Add in Hutch’s grudge-holding brother (also Katie’s coworker), a nosy aunt, a giant rescue dog, and one steamy conga line, and paradise gets complicated fast. With hurricanes, hijinks, and a few too many lies, Katie might just find the courage to be brave—and fall hard.
Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy
Dominic Salt and his three children are the last caretakers of Shearwater, a remote island near Antarctica housing the world’s largest seed bank. When a mysterious woman named Rowan washes ashore during a fierce storm, the isolated family begins to heal. But Rowan hides secrets about her arrival, and Dominic has his own.
As storms rage and tensions rise, they must decide if they can trust each other to protect the precious seeds—and whether they can overcome their pasts to build a new future together.
Hello Stranger by Katherine Center
Things are finally looking up for struggling artist Sadie Montgomery—she’s just been named a finalist in her dream portrait competition. But a rare neurological condition suddenly makes her unable to recognize faces, turning everything upside down. With weeks to deliver her best work yet, Sadie scrambles to adapt while navigating two unexpected distractions: her sweet, swoon-worthy vet and her quirky, irresistible neighbor.
As chaos unfolds, Sadie learns that seeing the world differently might be a gift—and sometimes, the clearest view of love comes straight from the heart.
Thrum by Meg Smitherman
Ami wakes from stasis to find herself stranded in deep space, the sole survivor of her crew and completely cut off from Earth. Desperate, she sends a distress signal—and is stunned when it’s answered by Dorian, an alien who welcomes her aboard his mysterious ship. Though Dorian seems kind, nothing on the vessel is quite right.
As Ami navigates its eerie corridors and the unsettling hum that seems to whisper her name, she begins to question everything—including whether she’s truly alone… or if the ship itself is alive.
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