Read in June 2025
June was an excellent reading month!
At the beginning of the month, I took some time to review my reading goals and their current status. Based on that, I set a clear TBR, with the aim of keeping my reading statistics for the six months up to par. That focused approach turned out to pay off, because I read a surprising amount!
In total, I read 10 books in June, good for 3637 pages. That brings the average to a solid 364 pages/book.
June was also an interesting month in terms of ratings. My ratings ranged from 2 to 5 stars, with everything in between represented. The average book ultimately scored 3.5 stars.
In terms of target groups, it remained fairly one-sided: only one Young Adult book versus 9 books for adults.
In terms of reading format, there was more variety. The audiobook made its entrance again: I read 1 e-book, 3 audiobooks and 6 physically owned books.
In terms of genres, I stayed within three familiar categories: romance (1), mystery (2) and fantasy (7).
For the first time this year, I also read something in Dutch again – a graphic novel – but it remained with that one book. The rest I read, as usual, in English.
Below is the list of the books I read in June and my rating in stars.
Click on the link to jump to the blurb and my review! As always, be aware that both the blurb and the review may contain spoilers, especially if it concerns sequels in a series!
- Kolk, Hanco – Wat vooraf ging ★★★
- Sutanto, Jesse Q. – Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping [On a Dead Man] (Vera Wong #2) 🎧 ★★★★
- Soria, Destiny – Fire with Fire ★★★★
- Prose, Nita – The Maid’s Secret (Molly the Maid #3) 🎧 ★★★
- Caruso, Melissa – The Last Hour Between Worlds (The Echo Archives #1) ★★
- Bennett, Robert Jackson – The Tainted Cup (Shadow of the Leviathan #1) 🎧 ★★★★★
- Song, K.X. – The Night Ends with Fire (The Night Ends with Fire #1) ★★
- Coldbreath, Alice – An Ill-Made Match (Vawdrey Brothers #3) ★★★★
- Bennett, Robert Jackson – A Drop of Corruption (Shadow of the Leviathan #2) ★★★★★
- Gibson, S.T. – Evocation (The Summoner’s Circle #1) ★★★
Kolk, Hanco – Wat vooraf ging ★★★
Genre: Graphic novel / Fantasy
Is William Shakespeare wel de schrijver van Romeo en Julia?
Welke drijfveren had Assepoester volgens Sigmund Freud?
Wat heeft Mickey Mouse met de slag bij Hastings te maken?
En Frankenstein met Chat GPT?
Welke invloed had Dracula op Victoriaanse vrouwen met wulpse neigingen?
Tekenaar Hanco Kolk reist naar verre oorden en vervlogen tijden voor het antwoord op deze en nog vele andere vragen.
Met een voorwoord van Bart Van Loo.
Not available in English
In Wat vooraf ging (Translation: What came before), Hanco Kolk takes readers on a journey through the origins of various well-known figures and stories. I honestly can’t remember how this comic ended on my radar – but my curiosity was instantly piqued. It also struck me as a great Father’s Day gift, although I couldn’t resist reading it myself first.
Since I rarely read graphic novels, it took me a little while to adjust to both the visual style and the reading flow. Kolk’s style is expressive and loose, which can feel a bit chaotic to the inexperienced reader. But once I found my footing, I quickly became absorbed. The book delivers fun tidbits in a playful, witty manner, making it both educational and enjoyable.
One small omission stood out to me: when discussing Romeo and Juliet, I expected to see a reference to Pyramus and Thisbe from Greek mythology. I’ve always considered that the original template for the romantic tragedy, so its absence surprised me.
Still, that minor quibble doesn’t detract from the fact that this book was an original, entertaining and captivating read.
🎧 Sutanto, Jesse Q. – Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping [On a Dead Man] (Vera Wong #2) ★★★★
Genre: Mystery
Ever since a man was found dead in Vera’s teahouse, life has been good. For Vera that is. She’s surrounded by loved ones, her shop is bustling, and best of all, her son, Tilly, has a girlfriend! All thanks to Vera, because Tilly’s girlfriend is none other than Officer Selena Gray. The very same Officer Gray that she had harassed while investigating the teahouse murder. Still, Vera wishes more dead bodies would pop up in her shop, but one mustn’t be ungrateful, even if one is slightly…bored.
Then Vera comes across a distressed young woman in need of her kindly guidance. The woman is looking for her missing friend Xander. Online, he appeared to have it all: a parade of private jets, fabulous parties with socialites, and a burgeoning career as a social media influencer.
When Xander turns up dead, it seems he isn’t who he claimed to be. The police have no leads, but Vera intends to uncover the truth in the only way that this Chinese mother knows how: by spilling the tea.
I absolutely adored this second Vera Wong book—it’s incredibly entertaining, heartwarming, and yet surprisingly layered, with a dark undertone that worked well for me.
“She only likes acting like a helpless little old lady; she doesn’t actually like being one, for goodness sake.”
Vera Wong is once again an absolute force. Meddling, delightfully direct, but also sharp and brave. The audiobook is an absolute added bonus: her voice really comes to life, in a way that I would never have been able to fill in while reading.
“Vera should be content. And she is, really. But she’s also kind of – dare she say it – bored.
Sometimes, all an old lady wants is a murder to solve. Is that too much to ask for ?”
What starts out as a lighthearted cozy mystery novel quickly unfolds into a story with much more depth. It’s not just about solving a murder, but also about found family, loneliness, generational differences, and the fight for a better life. Vera’s antics made me laugh regularly, but that doesn’t detract from the emotional charge of the book. Themes like greed, loss, and even human trafficking are handled with care and never feel out of place within an otherwise warm and witty story.
With a diverse cast and a main character I’d love to meet in real life, this book is so much more than just a cozy mystery—it’s a story with heart, humor, and substance. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Soria, Destiny – Fire with Fire ★★★★
Genre: YA Fantasy
Until Dani comes face-to-face with one and forges a rare and magical bond with him. As she gets to know Nox, she realizes that everything she thought she knew about dragons is wrong. With Dani lost to the dragons, Eden turns to the mysterious and alluring sorcerers to help save her sister. Now on opposite sides of the conflict, the sisters will do whatever it takes to save the other. But the two are playing with magic that is more dangerous than they know, and there is another, more powerful enemy waiting for them both in the shadows.
What an unexpected delight! Fire with Fire took me completely by surprise—an action-packed, heartfelt urban fantasy that hooked me from the start. I had low expectations going in (YA books have become hit or miss for me), but this story proved to be an absolute gem.
Set in our world where dragons and sorcerers secretly exist, the book blends the familiar with the fantastical in a way that feels both fresh and immersive. The world-building was intriguing—I only wish there had been more of it to explore. At the heart of the story are two sisters with distinct, authentic voices and a complicated, emotionally resonant relationship that felt incredibly real. Their rivalry, while painful at times, was one of the book’s strongest elements.
The side characters were just as compelling, and the writing itself was sharp, engaging, and full of natural, unforced dialogue. Add to that a snarky dragon named Nox (who absolutely stole the show), and you’ve got a story that’s not only thrilling but also surprisingly thoughtful in its exploration of anxiety and mental health.
It’s bittersweet to know this is a standalone—this world and these characters deserve more page time.
🎧 Prose, Nita – The Maid’s Secret (Molly the Maid #3) ★★★
Genre: Mystery
Molly Gray’s life is about to change in ways she could never have imagined. As the esteemed Head Maid and recently promoted Special Events Manager of the Regency Grand Hotel, good things are just around the corner, including her marriage to her beloved fiancé, Juan Manuel, only two months away.
But Molly’s entire existence is upended when a film crew descends upon the hotel to shoot the hit reality TV show Hidden Treasures, starring popular art appraisers Brown and Beagle. On a whim, Molly brings in a shoebox containing a few of her gran’s old things for appraisal, and much to everyone’s surprise, one item turns out to be a rare and priceless treasure. Instantly, Molly is both a multi-millionaire and a media sensation—the world’s rags-to-riches darling—until the priceless piece vanishes from the hotel in the boldest, brashest antiquities heist in recent memory.
The key to the mystery lies in the past, in a long-forgotten diary written by Molly’s gran. For the first time ever, Molly learns about Gran’s true-to-life fairytale, a young girl to the manor born, the only child of a wealthy magnate. But when Gran falls head over heels in love with a young man her parents deem below her station, her life is thrown into turmoil. As fate would have it, the greatest love of Gran’s life is someone Molly knows quite well….
Together with her friends, Molly combs the past and the present to catch the thief before looming threats against her become real.
A spirited heist caper and an epic love story, The Maid’s Secret is a spellbinding whodunnit that will capture and warm your heart.
I’ve never been as charmed by Molly the Maid as many readers seem to be, yet I keep picking up each new installment—and The Maid’s Secret was no exception. These books make for easy audiobooks that require little brainpower, but after reading something as vibrant and engaging as Vera Wong, this felt like a definite step down. The blurb gives away nearly half the plot, and what’s left—particularly Gran’s clichéd backstory and the dull present-day mystery—offered little surprise or emotional pull. It was okay, but unremarkable, and I think this marks a natural stopping point for me. Whether or not more books are planned, I’m ready to part ways with Molly the Maid.
Caruso, Melissa – The Last Hour Between Worlds (The Echo Archives #1) ★★
Genre: Fantasy
Kembral Thorne is spending a few hours away from her newborn, and she’s determined to enjoy herself at this party no matter what. But when the guests start dropping dead, Kem has no choice but to get to work. She is a Hound, after all, and she can’t help picking up the scent of trouble.
She’s not the only one. Her professional and personal nemesis, notorious burglar Rika Nonesuch, is on the prowl. They quickly identify what’s causing the a mysterious grandfather clock that sends them down an Echo every time it chimes. In each strange new layer of reality, time resets and a sinister figure appears to perform a blood-soaked ritual.
As Kem and Rika fall into increasingly macabre versions of their city, they’ll need to rely on their wits—and each other—to unravel the secret of the clock and save their home.
I was genuinely excited to dive into The Last Hour Between Worlds—a multidimensional locked-room mystery. Unfortunately, the execution left me more confused than intrigued. The worldbuilding is vague and poorly explained: guilds, moons, echoes… we’re given concepts with little to no context, and the lack of clarity only deepens as the story progresses.
I initially appreciated the main character being a new mother—a rare and refreshing lens in fantasy—but it quickly became her only defining trait, hammered home to the point of tedium. Her behaviour felt inconsistent too: occasionally logical, but often frustratingly unprofessional, especially compared to how she is viewed by herself and respected by others. The other characters also ended up feeling rather flat, and the central relationship lacked depth or chemistry, reading more juvenile than compelling.
There were moments where I saw the potential—the concept of echoes and alternate worlds is fascinating—but the story read like a sequel without the first book, skipping over key explanations and character development. In the end, I just felt utterly disconnected from both the characters and the plot.
I’m disappointed I didn’t enjoy this more, especially given my excitement of receiving it in an Illumicrate box. But I’m ultimately glad I read it before investing in the sequel.
🎧 Bennett, Robert Jackson – The Tainted Cup (Shadow of the Leviathan #1) ★★★★★
Genre: Fantasy
Assigned to investigate is Ana Dolabra, a detective whose reputation for brilliance is matched only by her eccentricities. Rumor has it that she wears a blindfold at all times, and that she can solve impossible cases without even stepping outside the walls of her home.
At her side is her new assistant, Dinios Kol, magically altered in ways that make him the perfect aide to Ana’s brilliance. Din is at turns scandalized, perplexed, and utterly infuriated by his new superior—but as the case unfolds and he watches Ana’s mind leap from one startling deduction to the next, he must admit that she is, indeed, the Empire’s greatest detective.
As the two close in on a mastermind and uncover a scheme that threatens the Empire itself, Din realizes he’s barely begun to assemble the puzzle that is Ana Dolabra—and wonders how long he’ll be able to keep his own secrets safe from her piercing intellect.
reread
I adored The Tainted Cup just as much on reread as I did the first time. With its brilliantly woven blend of fantasy and mystery, richly imagined world, and the compelling duo of Ana and Din, this story remains a standout. The audiobook narration was excellent—pleasant and perfectly suited to Dinios Kol’s voice. Still a five-star read, and I’m more than ready to dive into A Drop of Corruption!
Song, K.X. – The Night Ends with Fire (The Night Ends with Fire #1) ★★
Genre: Fantasy
The Three Kingdoms are at war, but Meilin’s father refuses to answer the imperial draft. Trapped by his opium addiction, he plans to sell Meilin for her dowry. But when Meilin discovers her husband-to-be is another violent, ill-tempered man, she realizes that nothing will change for her unless she takes matters into her own hands.
The very next day, she disguises herself as a boy and enlists in her father’s place.
In the army, Meilin’s relentless hard work brings her recognition, friendship—and a growing closeness with Sky, a prince turned training partner. But has she simply exchanged one prison for another? As her kingdom barrels toward destruction, Meilin begins to have visions of a sea dragon spirit that offers her true power and freedom, but with a deadly price.
With the future of the Three Kingdoms hanging in the balance, Meilin will need to decide whom to trust—Sky, who inspires her loyalty and love; the sea dragon spirit, who has his own murky agenda; or an infuriating enemy prince who makes her question everything she once knew—about her kingdom and about her own heart.
With a nostalgic opening that is clearly inspired by Disney’s Mulan and a smooth, accessible writing style, The Night Ends with Fire starts off promisingly. Meilin’s character immediately intrigued me – brazenly ambitious, openly jealous, and unapologetically flawed– a refreshing break from the often silent and dedicated female protagonists we so often see. It made me think about my own expectations and prejudices, and at first I truly rooted for her.
Unfortunately, the story fails to deliver on its promise. Although it seems to hint at feminist themes, it end up sending a narrower message – not that women are generally underestimated, but that Meilin is different from all other women.
The plot, the world building, and the supporting characters remain rather superficial. Conflicts are resolved too quickly and easily, which means that the tension never really comes into its own. The magic system is also barely developed, and the romance failed to move me at all.
The ending surprised me and makes me curious about where the story might go, but I’m not invested enough to keep my beautiful Fairyloot edition – no matter how much I love the gorgeous illustrations on the endpapers – or to invest in the sequel in the same edition.
A beautiful book on the outside, but sadly not enough beneath the surface to convince me.
Coldbreath, Alice – An Ill-Made Match (Vawdrey Brothers #3) ★★★★
Genre: Romance (historical)
Eden Montmayne prefers poets to knights, and would rather read a book than watch the jousting. When a betrothal feast goes awry, there is a truly scandalous outcome for Eden and Roland that throws the royal court into chaos. Even more shockingly, people soon start to wonder, could the resulting marriage be the making of them both? Despite the fact it was such an ill-made match?
I actually enjoyed An Ill-Made Match more than its predecessor. There’s something so satisfying about seeing misunderstandings finally cleared up—though I do wish the heroine had shared that clarity with the hero as well. Still, the resolution was comforting in that quietly emotional way this author excels at.
While the marriage situation in the story is arguably a bit questionable, Coldbreath’s writing once again weaved it’s strange magic on me: making me switch off every critical bone in my body and just enjoy. Not much really happens, and what does is often just ordinary life—but it’s soothing, almost hypnotic. Add a hero who ends up completely devoted to his wife, and I’m all in.
Roland, who hadn’t exactly won me over in previous books, was surprisingly likable here. I also found that I preferred the story away from court (the meddling queen really isn’t my favourite element). If anything, I only wish we’d gotten more time with Roland and Eden once all the barriers were down.
Now that I’ve finished this book, I’m a little sad—because I’ve officially read everything Alice Coldbreath has written so far. Her work has become a kind of comfort read for me, especially when I’m in a bit of a slump. Here’s hoping there’s more to come soon.
Bennett, Robert Jackson – A Drop of Corruption (Shadow of the Leviathan #2) ★★★★★
Genre: Fantasy
In the canton of Yarrowdale, at the very edge of the Empire’s reach, an impossible crime has occurred. A Treasury officer has disappeared into thin air—abducted from his quarters while the door and windows remained locked from the inside, in a building whose entrances and exits are all under constant guard.
To solve the case, the Empire calls on its most brilliant and mercurial investigator, the great Ana Dolabra. At her side, as always, is her bemused assistant Dinios Kol.
Before long, Ana’s discovered that they’re not investigating a disappearance, but a murder—and that the killing was just the first chess move by an adversary who seems to be able to pass through warded doors like a ghost, and who can predict every one of Ana’s moves as though they can see the future.
Worse still, the killer seems to be targeting the high-security compound known as the Shroud. Here, the Empire’s greatest minds dissect fallen Titans to harness the volatile magic found in their blood. Should it fall, the destruction would be terrible indeed—and the Empire itself will grind to a halt, robbed of the magic that allows its wheels of power to turn.
Din has seen Ana solve impossible cases before. But this time, with the stakes higher than ever and Ana seemingly a step behind their adversary at every turn, he fears that his superior has finally met an enemy she can’t defeat.
One of my most anticipated books for 2025 was A Drop of Corruption, the sequel to The Tainted Cup, which was a huge hit last year. And I’m thrilled to report that this sequel delivered on all my expectations. From the very first page to the final reveal, I was completely engrossed in the story. Bennett raises the bar even higher without sacrificing worldbuilding, mystery, or character development.
This series continues to be a pitch-perfect blend of fantasy and murder mystery, set in one of the most bizarre and fascinating worlds I’ve ever read. Think: ecological horror meets a biologically based magic system, in a realm that relies entirely on killing and dismembering monstrous giants from the sea. Their remains become the basis for all sorts of (often grotesque) body modifications that are simultaneously horrifying, brilliant, and bizarre.
“It seems we are now in the business of court intrigue!” said Ana. She wrinkled her nose. “How trite.”
In this installment, Ana Dolabra and her assistant Dinios Kol are dispatched to a remote border city to investigate a gruesome locked-room murder. As they peel back the layers of the mystery, we’re given a broader look at the empire’s history, politics, and its tense relationship with the Kingdom of Yarrow. The eerie introduction of the mysterious Shroud adds yet another element of suspense and brilliance.
Not only is the world further explored, the characters also gain more dimension. We got to know Din well in the first book, but in this sequel, surprising and often hilarious sides of him emerge – and it all fits perfectly with the character we already knew. Ana, on the other hand, remains largely an enigma. The revelations about her are both shocking and fascinating. She continues to attract and repel me; I admire her and at times find her downright disgusting – and that makes her all the more fascinating. She is as complex as the mysteries she tries to unravel.
He investigates and remembers; she analyzes, evaluates, and spies hidden truths in all he witnessed.
Together, they bring justice to the Empire.
The dynamic between Ana and Din – often compared to that of Holmes and Watson – remains one of the highlights of the series. Their interaction is sharp, irreverent, funny, but at the same time imbued with an unspoken trust. The new supporting characters are also given enough attention to really come to life; they are all interesting and layered.
The murder plot itself is incredibly well-crafted: twisty, layered, and paced to perfection. Every element is given its place, and the reveals are not only satisfying, but also full of implications for the broader political and social context. It is impressive how everything ultimately fits together.
What I especially love about this series is how it honors both of its genres. The mystery is compelling and clever; the fantasy is unique and expansive. It’s not just a fantasy story with a murder, or a mystery in a vaguely magical setting. This is a true symbiosis: a unique, perfectly interwoven crossover of genres that ticks all the boxes for me.
I hope there are many more instalments to come. There are still so many questions that I would love to see answered: What are the Leviathans really? Do they have a connection to the ancient Khanum people (my current theory)? How exactly did the empire come into being? And who – or what – is Ana anyway? Whether or not there is an overarching goal, I am certainly ready for many more mysteries and adventures with Ana and Din.
Finally, I want to mention the author’s afterword – eloquent, powerful and sharp. It reframed parts of the narrative in a deeper light and left me with a lot to think about.
Gibson, S.T. – Evocation (The Summoner’s Circle #1) ★★★
Genre: Fantasy
As a teen, David Aristarkhov was a psychic prodigy, operating under the shadow of his oppressive occultist father. Now, years after his father’s death and rapidly approaching his thirtieth birthday, he is content with the high-powered life he’s curated as a Boston attorney, moonlighting as a powerful medium for his secret society.
But with power comes a price, and the Devil has come to collect on an ancestral deal. David’s days are numbered, and death looms at his door.
Reluctantly, he reaches out to the only person he’s ever trusted, his ex-boyfriend and secret Society rival Rhys, for help. However, the only way to get to Rhys is through his wife, Moira. Thrust into each other’s care, emotions once buried deep resurface, and the trio race to figure out their feelings for one another before the Devil steals David away for good…
After A Dowry of Blood, my expectations for Evocation weren’t particularly high — and in hindsight, that was probably justified. Gibson once again delivers a book that reads easily and leans heavily into aesthetic and mood, but falls a bit short when it comes to substance.
The premise — a demonic family curse and three emotionally tangled characters trying to break it — is promising, but the execution feels unbalanced. The plot often takes a backseat to the complex and messy relationships between David, Rhys, and Moira. There is a visible attempt to present a respectful view of polyamory, but the chaotic execution detracts from the credibility and emotional impact.
The characters are well-written on paper, with intriguing backstories, but I struggled to feel anything for them — not even negative emotions. The supernatural elements, which should’ve been central, remain too subdued to hold interest. The conflict never truly feels threatening, the climax feels rushed, and the resolution happens almost as an afterthought.
In short: Evocation has style and an intriguing premise, but leans too heavily on relationship drama at the expense of story, tension, and worldbuilding. It reads like a beautiful sketch that never quite develops into a fully realized painting.
