Welcome friend! It is time for the June wrap up of 2025. How was your month? Read on for ours.
Buddy Read of the Month
Water Moon by Samantha Sotto Yambao| Goodreads
This month, we read Water Moon, a book that had been on our radar for several months, so we were excited to finally get to it! We loved this whimsical adventure and look forward to discussing this on the blog – Ariel, Kriti.
Ariel’s Highlights for June
Favorite read
Countess by Suzan Palumbo | Goodreads
A queer and sci-fi retelling of Count of Monte Cristo? Sign me up! This was a short book that I wish went on for another 500 pages, but overall it was an exciting and quick read.
Noteworthy
Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz | Goodreads
Another anticipated Arc that’s out in August, Automatic Noodle was a cozy dystopian sci fi about a ragtag group of newly-freed robots who decide to open a noodle shop. Light and engaging, I definitely craved some ramen after this book!
Game
Palia– A free-to-play cozy multiplayer game, Palia has been out for awhile and had quite a few bugs to work out upon release. Now that it’s been out for awhile and there’s a lot more content to enjoy, I’ve been having a great time playing this after work to relax!
Kriti’s Highlights for June
Favorite read
Slayers, Every One of Us: How One Girl in All the World Showed Us How to Hold On by Kristin Russo & Jenny Owen Youngs | Goodreads
This book is phenomenal. It didn’t matter that I haven’t watched Buffy nor have I heard the podcast. I picked it up because my best friend loves the TV series and I wanted to discuss this with them. I love this memoir about a creative pursuit that ended and how it changed the creators while also being influenced by them, their perspectives, the community they created around them and so much more. I feel unabashed happiness for their success and felt all the emotions alongside them. Their heartbreak and healing was touching.
Noteworthy
The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han | Goodreads
I have thought about this book on and off over the last few years and finally picked it up. I read it in 2012 during a glorious summer when I read a book a month and blogged about it. It was a different lifetime. I was a first year undergrad though in India we don’t talk in those terms. It’s just college there. Now, almost fifteen years later with a 6 month daughter, this book was true escapism and had some fun things to remind me. Can’t wait to write about it!
Anticipated Reads
Other Updates from June
- Booklist: PRH Editors recently posted 50 Books To Read Before You’re 50. I didn’t know most of these books and don’t plan to read them either. Sometimes I enjoy coming across lists like these that I feel no desire to pursue. How many of these did you know?
- Article from Editor’s Alchemy: This month’s article in Editor’s Alchemy was on how to introduce characters, especially a large cast of people, in a way that is memorable and encourages readers to feel invested in their stories.
Also check out: Want to Read Adult Science Fiction? Here’s Where to Start
Allison Alexander is a freelance book editor, writer, and artist. Her monthly newsletter, Editor’s Alchemy, explores writing, querying, publishing, and how to mix a little magic into your story. She also shares book recommendations from Ariel and I there! Click here to subscribe to the newsletter.
- Registration for the 2025 WriteHive Annual Conference is now open! Registration for the 2025 WriteHive Annual Conference is now open and when you register, you can sign up to give a live pitch to an agent or acquiring editor. To view the agents and acquiring editors who will be at our annual conference for live pitches, please visit https://www.writehivecon.org/live-pitches/ and then don’t forget to register!
Thanks for joining up for this wrap up!
Tell us your favourite and noteworthy read from June in the comments. What are you excited to read in July? What are you currently reading?
What’s been a favorite book for you so far this year?
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