What I Read in June 2021 — Alice Ashcroft

I always seem to read more in the months where I’m busiest. Maybe it’s because I have to make the time for it. Maybe it’s because my brain is already in a state where it’s ready to take things in. Maybe it’s because I’m procrastinating, who can say really?

Anyway, without further ado, here is what I read in June…

1. Snowflake by Louise Nealon (Sent to me by Manilla Press)

Snowflake is a wonderfully real book about a girl who starts college, commuting from her home on a farm to a larger nearby city, but it’s so much more than that. This book focuses on relationships, friendships, what it means to be a daughter, a mother, all whilst tactfully dealing with issues of mental health, class and so much more. This was a beautiful book.

2. The Comfort Book by Matt Haig (sent to me by Canongate)

As you all probably know by now, I am a huge fan of Matt Haig’s writing. Whilst in his fiction, he builds fantastical worlds you can't help but dive into, his non-fiction books, to me, have always been so comforting.

This book is a collection of things that Matt himself finds comforting. It’s full of lists, quotes, thoughts, and it brought me close to tears on a number of occasions whilst I read this.

We all need a little comfort, after the year we’ve had. And this book could not be coming out at a better time.

3. Into the Grey by Margaret Killjoy

This 61 page book, is a queer romance between mermaid and human. It’s short, bittersweet, and beautiful.

4. Assembly by Natasha Brown (sent to me by LoveMyRead)

I had the absolute pleasure of sitting in on an interview between LoveMyRead curator, Vicki and author Natasha Brown, and I was absolutely blown away by the way the two of them spoke about this book, I just had to read it. It’s only 100 pages so I read it in a matter of days.

It’s a literary masterpiece full of so many complex issues surrounding race and class, but written in such a well conceived way. If you’re looking for a book that will inevitably become a classic, this is the book for you.

5. Just Haven’t Met You Yet by Sophie Cousens (sent to me by Cornerstone)

Having absolutely adored Sophie's first book, ‘This Time Next Year’, I was so excited to read this one. This book is everything I hoped it would be; fun, easy, but also incredibly wholesome and cosy. I will be recommending this book closer to its release date, because I think it'll be the perfect book to come up with over winter.

6. Meet Me in Tahiti by Georgia Toffolo (sent to me by Mills & Boon)

Similar to her first two fiction books, this book is everything you expect it to be. Easy, romantic, escapism. The perfect book for reading on a beach this summer.