JP’s June Reads
By: Julie Pederson / Southern Hospitality Company
I don’t usually write things like this, and truthfully, I’d rather be curled up on the porch with a book and my golden retriever, Rawley, than behind a keyboard. But here we are. These are the books I picked up in June, pulled straight from the shelves of my local library with no rhyme or reason other than a cover that caught my eye or a title that felt like it had something to say. None of them are brand new. That’s part of the charm. They were new to me, and sometimes that’s the best kind of discovery.
I’ve always been drawn to thrillers, there’s something about the way they carry you along, heart racing, just trying to get to the next page. But lately, I’ve found myself reaching beyond that comfort zone. A little fantasy, a little romance, even a few that blur the lines between genres. I read most nights, usually until I drift off, which means I end up rereading more chapters than I care to admit. Still, I keep coming back. Books make the day feel fuller somehow, especially when they’re shared. So, here’s a peek at what I’ve been reading this month. Nothing fancy, just a few stories that stuck with me.
The Last to Vanish by Megan Miranda
I’ve read a few of Megan Miranda’s books, including All the Missing Girls and The Last House Guest, which I picked up after seeing it was a Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick. Her books are easy to get into, full of suspense, and just twisty enough to keep you guessing without being confusing.
The Last to Vanish takes place in a quiet mountain town in North Carolina called Cutters Pass. Abigail Lovett has been managing the local inn for over ten years, and while everything seems peaceful on the surface, the town has a strange history. Over time, several visitors have disappeared without a trace. When a journalist shows up to investigate one of the cases, it sets something off in Abigail. She starts asking questions and digging into old stories. What she uncovers forces her to take a closer look at the people around her and question how well she really knows the place she calls home.
I liked the moody setting and the way the town itself almost felt like a character. It had a quiet tension that made me want to keep reading. The pacing felt steady, and I didn’t feel lost even when the story moved between past disappearances and present discoveries. It wasn’t too intense, which I appreciated. Just enough to keep me interested without needing to read with all the lights on.
I gave it 4 out of 5 stars. If you like small-town mysteries with secrets just under the surface, it’s a good one to pick up. I’d love to hear your thoughts if you’ve read it, or if there’s another of hers you think I should try next.
I’ve read quite a few of Colleen Hoover’s books and always find them to be easy to read, thought-provoking, and nearly impossible to put down. She has a real talent for weaving together emotional depth with surprising plot twists. Just when you think you know where the story is going, she takes it somewhere else entirely.
Hopeless follows the story of two high school seniors, Sky and Dean, as they navigate love, trust, and the kind of emotional baggage that runs deeper than either of them expects. Sky is quiet and guarded, while Dean has a reputation that usually keeps people at a distance. At first, she’s unsure of him. He’s intense and unpredictable, and yet she feels pulled to him in a way she can’t explain. The connection between them builds slowly and then all at once, and as their relationship deepens, so does the mystery behind Dean’s past and Sky’s own forgotten memories.
Even though it’s not a psychological thriller, it still had that same sense of suspense that kept me flipping pages. I didn’t want to stop reading. I gave it 5 out of 5 stars. It’s emotional, raw, and full of moments that stay with you long after you’ve finished. If you’ve ever written off romance as predictable, this one might surprise you. It definitely surprised me.
The Girl Who Was Taken by Charlie Donlea
This one had me hooked from the first chapter. Set in the coastal town of Emerson Bay, North Carolina, The Girl Who Was Taken follows two high school seniors, Nicole Cutty and Megan McDonald, who vanish from a beach party one summer night. Two girls go missing, but only one comes back. Megan reappears a few weeks later with a terrifying story of escape from a bunker in the woods. Nicole, however, is still missing, and her older sister Livia, a forensic pathology fellow, can’t let the case go cold.
The story shifts between past and present, following Megan as she tries to rebuild her life and Livia as she quietly investigates her sister’s disappearance. As more cases of missing girls come to light, Livia starts to believe they are all connected, and the mystery deepens in unexpected ways.
I liked how Donlea balanced the emotional weight of the story with just the right amount of tension. The forensic details felt realistic without being too technical, and the changing perspectives kept the pace steady. It’s a psychological thriller at heart, but with a lot of emotional depth. Grief, guilt, and the need for answers drive the story forward.
I gave it 5 out of 5 stars. If you enjoy smart thrillers with strong female characters and just enough twists to keep you guessing, this one is worth picking up. It was one of those books that made me say, “just one more chapter,” more times than I care to admit.
This one completely surprised me. I picked it up expecting a dark fantasy romance (which it definitely is), but I wasn’t prepared for how much it would draw me in emotionally. Quicksilver follows Saeris Fane, a sharp, resilient desert thief who gets swept into a world of magic, power struggles, and secrets that have been buried for centuries. She’s tough, guarded, and constantly thinking five steps ahead. I really liked her voice and the way she never let anyone define her.
Then there’s Kingfisher. He’s cold, dangerous, and maddening at first, the kind of character who keeps you guessing every time he’s on the page. Their relationship is built on tension and mistrust, and the push and pull between them had me turning pages late into the night. If you enjoy enemies-to-lovers with a good amount of heat and sharp dialogue, this one definitely delivers.
The worldbuilding is vivid and full of contrast. You’ve got a harsh desert, a frozen fae kingdom, and a lot of magic that’s just as dangerous as the people who use it. The pacing kept things moving quickly, and there were moments that really hit emotionally, especially when you start to understand what these characters have been through. The side characters were also a highlight for me. Carrion in particular brought some much-needed humor and charm to balance out the darker moments.
I gave it 4 out of 5 stars. It’s gritty, emotional, and full of surprises. If you’re in the mood for a fantasy romance that isn’t afraid to go dark but still makes room for hope and connection, this is a great one to add to your list.
If it’s been a while since you’ve stopped by your local library, I really hope you’ll make the time. There’s so much more than just shelves of books. You can take home cookbooks, garden guides, travel magazines, even puzzles. They host all kinds of programs too, like language classes, art workshops, story time for the kids, and book clubs if you’re feeling social. And if you’re more of a homebody like me, you can use apps like Libby to borrow audiobooks or read on your Kindle without leaving the house. It’s all free, and it’s all worth exploring.
If you’ve read any of the books I picked up this month, I’d love to know what you thought. Or if something I liked reminds you of a favorite of yours, send it my way. I’m always looking for my next read, even if I do fall asleep halfway through the chapter.
–JP/ Southern Hospitality Company
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