Similar to prior posts, today I’m highlighting the books that I read in June to help with my Project 100 Unread. If this is your first time hearing about this project, essentially, I’m trying to read down my owned unread books to be 100 or less by January 1, 2030. Yes this is an ambitious project, especially since I read a lot of books I don’t own (library, Kindle Unlimited, Kobo+), and because I also like to buy/collect books. I typically have a pretty steady amount of books coming into my home in any given year. However, I am running out of space and this has been a great way to make progress.
As of writing this post (because I’m not tracking months for some of the stats with this project, only years), I’ve added 82 books and removed 68 books either through reading, unhauling or not finishing (soft DNF at this time, may revisit in the future). This takes me to 313 unread, which is down from the start of the project (staring at 318). Given that I had been a significant amount going the wrong direction, I am SO happy with this progress and am hoping to keep the momentum going throughout the remainder of the year.
Without further pontificating, here are the books I read in June to make progress on this project. As a note, there is one title that I preordered and read that falls under an imprint of St. Martin’s Press. In solidarity with the ongoing boycott, I will be withholding the title from this list until the demands of the boycott are met.
Shattered Hearts by Shae Ruby
Series: The Broken #1
Published by Shae Ruby on April 1, 2022
Genres: Fiction / Romance / General
GoodreadsShe is his angel.He is her devil.Hallie Cox was low for a long time, and now she's ready to chase a high? whether she finds it between the sheets or at the bottom of a bottle doesn't matter to her. The only problem is that nothing is enough anymore.Until him.Just when she thinks her path to self-destruction is coming to an end, she meets Zayne.He quickly becomes her newest addiction, but she should know by now that with the best highs come the worst crashes, and he will drag her down to the lowest pits of hell.Zayne Wolfe lives his life in the moment, and he's quickly spiraling out of control. He has a haunting past too, but Hallie believes all of her broken pieces fit perfectly with his, and together they could be whole again.What starts out as an obsession turns into a lifeline for both of them. But it's only a matter of time until their volatile relationship detonates, and the fallout will be catastrophic.Will their love be enough to help them rise from the ashes?Or will the embers left behind incinerate them completely?
Rule of the Aurora King by Nisha J. Tuli
Series: Artefacts of Ouranos #2
Published by Grand Central Publishing on August 15, 2023
Genres: Fiction / Fantasy / Action & Adventure, Fiction / Fantasy / Romance, Fiction / Romance / Fantasy
Pages: 512
GoodreadsFull of pulse-pounding action, steamy enemies-to-lovers romance, and glittering fae magic, the epic second installment of the Artefacts of Ouranos series is perfect for fans of romantasy favorites like A Court of Thorns and Roses and The Fourth Wing.
“I am not his conquest. I am not his to claim. I am my own castle.”
Freed from the golden clutches of the Sun King, Lor now finds herself in the hands of Nadir, the Aurora Prince. Convinced she’s hiding something, he’s willing to do whatever it takes to make her talk. But Lor knows the value of secrets—she’s been keeping them her entire life—and she’s not letting hers go without a fight.
When Lor and Nadir team up to search for a lost item that holds the key to her past and her future, she isn’t sure she can trust him. All she knows is she won’t fall for another royal fae’s promises again.
With the Sun King determined to reclaim her, Lor must keep on the move, but nowhere is safe. Not until she destroys him and the Aurora King. But she soon learns that the future of Ouranos depends on much more than avenging her shattered legacy.
Dark King by C. N. Crawford
Series: Court of the Sea Fae #1
Published by Amazon Digital Services LLC - Kdp on July 19, 2019
Genres: Fiction / Romance / Fantasy
Pages: 294
GoodreadsA snarky fae, a sexy king, and forbidden desire deep as the sea.Once, I was a fae princess with sea-magic at my fingertips. Now? I'm a hunted supernatural in a squalid shop, stripped of my power. My only comforts are stale cookies, Elvis records, and my hula-hoop. Until a lethally sexy fae king arrives and rips even those away. After the brutal king throws me in prison, I strike a bargain with him: my freedom in exchange for helping him find a magic blade. What Lyr doesn't know is that the blade might restore my stolen magic. But as we journey, the gorgeous jerk is starting to make me feel things I've never felt. When Lyr touches me, desire ignites. I see raging passion in his eyes, too. If I give in, I risk losing my chance at reclaiming my power. Even worse... I could be forfeiting my life.*** Readers of Sarah J. Maas, Laura Thalassa, and K.F. Breene. will love the Sea Fae Series
Vampire King by Stacey O'Neale
Series: Vegas After Dark #1
Published by Amazon Digital Services LLC - Kdp on September 26, 2022
Genres: Fiction / Romance / Paranormal / Vampires
Pages: 262
GoodreadsIf you love steamy romance, edge-of-your-seat mystery, and scorching-hot vampires, delve into the dangerous world of Kirion Petrov.
Entertainment reporter Remy Wade has an all-access pass to every sold-out event in Las Vegas, but her plans are put on hold when her brother goes missing. She must use every resource she has to find him, even if that means investigating the hotel-casino where he was last seen and digging into the personal life of the dark, dangerous, and sinfully hot billionaire owner.
Vampire King Kirion Petrov has a lot on his shoulders: keeping the Nevada supernatural factions in line, protecting his family, and solving the mystery of his missing familiar, Brice Wade, before his enemies use the chaos to start a war. Remy is a big problem. The last thing he needs is a reporter sniffing around his hotel-casino and accidentally discovering the supernatural.
But when Remy gets too close to the truth, Kirion must decide whether to let her go or risk exposing everything he's worked so hard to protect.
VAMPIRE KING is the first book in the Vegas After Dark series by USA Today Bestselling Fantasy Author, Stacey O'Neale. This is an adult paranormal romance featuring a powerful vampire king and the determined reporter who will either become his mate or his destruction.
Editorial Note: CW's are available on the author's website.
