In June, I read 8 books—a bit of a decline from my normal reading volume. If you keep track, I have completed 77% (85 of 110) of my 2023 reading goal. Definitely a slower reading month, but

We’re Alive A Story of Survival by KC Wayland is actually a podcast. This podcast is available on Audible to listen to. I have just started season three and I am obsessed. This story is centered around the survivors of a zombie apocalypse; you meet Michael, Angel, and Saul as they escape the army base they have just been called back to from their every day lives. From the first moment you turn We’re Alive on you are hit with a full cast of characters who you instantly love and are rooting for. Well, almost everyone. There are people I can’t stand but that just shows the mastery of KC. If you are a fan of zombies, horror movies, full cast stories with sound effects. This podcast will also become your new obsession.

Evil Dies Tonight by Georgia Walker is the first book in the Artemis Blythe series, Artemis is a master chess champion with a father as a serial killer and a twin brother with ties to the mob, maybe. This book felt a little like the show Prodigal Son, but without the interaction with the father. I enjoyed this book and the mystery behind the serial killer haunting the small town nestled within the Cascade Mountains. The only criticism I have is the lack of depth in the backstories provided for the MC.

I finally caved and read Credence by Penelope Douglas. This book started out as a tragic story of Tiernan, a girl emotionally neglected while she lived with her famous parents. Once she goes to live with her step-uncle that is where the weirdness begins. The romance story starts out as a harem, but the ends with her actually choosing one of the guys to be with. The ending to this book didn’t really make sense to me, because I can’t see each of them living together after their experiences. I did enjoy the writing, character building, and the flow of the story. Credence was written beautifully, but the overall story was hard to love.

The Nice Guy by Sarah A. Denzil and SL Harker was a fun read. Watching Laura have her first encounter with Ethan turn from a fun romantic encounter to toxicity in a day and then you watch Laura’s life fall apart and some how not connect it to Ethan was kind of annoying. I enjoyed this book a lot because it showed the depravity that some are willing to accept if you give in to optimism. I as a realist would have no problem cutting someone out of my life who I felt was putting me in danger.