Books of the Month June 2023

As 2023 reaches its halfway point the number of great books that are available shows no sign of slowing down. Our readers have once again been spoiled for choice across all genres with a great selection of incredible books. Here are the ones that kept everyone entertained enough to earn our accolade for books of the month for June 2023. 

 

Best Romance

Starfish

by Lisa Becker

Starfish is a rock star romance by Lisa Becker featuring a PR firm intern named Marin Collins and reluctant guitarist Brad Osterhauser. Marin sees her new internship with a prestigious PR firm as the first step toward a permanent position, but then she is assigned to go on the road with a rock band called Kings Quarters. During the tour, she forges a friendship and forbidden romance with Brad, who would rather be coding computer games than be a rock star. Bad is grateful for the success that the band has achieved, but also feels trapped on tour out of loyalty. His outlook changes with the arrival of Marin, but their secret passions could destroy both their careers. 

 

Best Mystery & Thriller

The Lady Justice Trilogy

by Robert Thornbill

The Lady Justice Trilogy by Robert Thornhill features the first three volumes in the 45-volume mystery/comedy series. The star of the series is Walt Williams, a sixty-five-year-old retired realtor who decides to become a cop. He turns his dreams into reality by becoming head of the City Retiree Action Patrol and, aided by a band of scrappy seniors, finds very unorthodox ways of bringing criminals to justice. This collection includes Lady Justice Takes a C.R.A.P., Lady Justice and the Lost Tapes, and Lady Justice Gets Lei’d.

 

Best Biography

The Orphans’ Home

by Michal Ben Gal

The Orphan’s Home by Michal Ben Gal features 25 inspiring and heartwarming stories about Janusz Korczak. In Warsaw, during World War II Korczak became known as the father of the orphans for running an orphanage that served as a haven, school, and place to call home for Jewish children with nowhere else to go. Despite having few resources in one of the darkest of times in human history, he build an educational system for the children based on respect, trust, and cooperation. 

 

Best Children’s Book

Southpaw Sully

by Steven Carman

Southpaw Sully by Steven Carman is the story of a fourteen-year-old teenager who is struggling to adjust to life after an accident that cost him his hand and his twin brother’s life. Sully and his brother shared a big dream; that they would bring home a first-ever championship for their town in an annual baseball tournament. To make this dream a reality and honor his brother’s memory Sully is determined to learn how to pitch as a right-hand amputee. However, as Sully leads his team he comes up against a bully from a rival team who will do anything to put a stop to their Cinderella run in the tournament. 

 

Best Young Adult

A Thousand Faces

by Janci Patterson

A Thousand Faces by Janci Patterson is set in a world where shape-shifting spies can alter their faces and bodies to look like anyone. Sixteen-year-old Jory is part of a family with this ability and is in training to become a full member of the family business. However, when her parents go missing on the job Jory finds her training put to the test as she is thrown into a world of secrets, lies, and stolen identities. The only person Jory can rely on is another shifter boy, named Kalif, and together the two try and uncover the truth about what happened to Jory’s parents. 

 

Best Fantasy

The Lightness of Water

by Toni Cabell

The Lightness of Water is the first novel in the romantic fantasy adventure Water Witch series by Toni Cabell. It is the tale of Solace, a water diviner, and Rhees, a brooding, bitter man with a deadly secret. Their paths cross when Rhees kidnaps Solace in an effort to help the thirsty people of his land. However, divining water is against the law and is punishable by death as the king controls access to all the water. Solace has to choose between risking everything to help Rhees or escaping back to the arid hills of her home at the first opportunity she gets. 

 

Best Historical Fiction

The German Dressmaker

by Susan Shalev

The German Dressmaker is a WWII historical novel by Susan Shalev about a talented aspiring seamstress, named Lily, and a major in Hitler’s Wehrmacht, named Heinrich. Lily falls head over heels in love with Heinrich and she dreams of a wonderful future together despite the growing fear of an impending war. Unfortunately, Heinrich has a secret that put his life and Lily’s in grave danger if revealed. Lily and Heinrich are separated in a war-torn world, leaving her alone to try and pick up the pieces of her life. The German Dressmaker is inspired in part by true events and offers a heart-wrenching story of two star-crossed lovers whose romance is cut short by tragedy and war. 

 

Best Horror

I Kept a Piece of You

by Joanna Wolford

I Kept a Piece of You by Joanna Wolford is a novel with a different take on the serial killer trope. The death of his wife, Eleanor, affects Gabe Meier and his sons, Alex and Eric in a big way. Years after her death Gabe continues to struggle with a guilty conscience while Alex sees her everywhere he goes. When Alex moves to a small town called Bridgford many years later two women go missing within months of each other. While nobody suspects the involvement of Alex he attracts the attention of Detective Tamblin due to an unrelated incident. 

 

Best Literary Fiction

Where Orange Blossoms Grow

by Shlomit Miron

Nava Greenberg, a retired widow, is the star of Where Orange Blossoms Grow by Shlomit Miron. She lives a routine, day-by-day life, so when she meets the aging mentalist, Izzy Shapira, she cannot make heads or tails of him and his spontaneous life. However, as her relationship with him flourishes, she slowly leaves the comfort of the small apartment that has kept her safe and isolated from the world and goes on adventures she had never even dared to dream of. Unfortunately, Nava’s newfound independence and blissful hopes for their shared future are threatened by a secret of Izzy that finally bubbles up to the surface.

 

Best Science Fiction

The Female Breeders

by Melanie Bokstad Horev

The Female Breeders by Melanie Bokstad Horev is set in a near-future propaganda-driven society where women control the world. Neen Salvek is a brilliant young scientist of the genetically enhanced Clan Triverser who is tasked with screening imprisoned males of the Dome. Her work involves assessing the mental and emotional fitness of males before breeding season to ensure the protection of the breeding woman and the continued development of their genetic enhancements. However, she discovers more than she bargained for when she meets Tem, a male from the super-strong, super-fast Clan Beglion. Tem and other males must fight in a competition to make the cut for the breeding program or be condemned to death. This leaves Neen with the choice between going against everything she believes or helping usher in the dawn of a new world. 

 

Best Paranormal

Bound

by Julie Embleton

Bound is the first novel in the suspenseful Turning Moon series by Julie Embleton. It is the story of Nyah Morgan, a Lycan who finds that the new alpha of her pack has aligned with dark forces. With her entire pack under her thrall and her own wolf maimed by his magic, she is forced to turn rogue. This causes her to cross paths with Dean Carson, an alpha who is determined to learn the truth she hides. As her bound wolf is killing her Nyah is forced to choose between the two alphas as both can save her, but she needs to figure out which one and at what cost. 

 

Best Non-Fiction

There Are Only 7 Ways to Meditate 

by QC Ellis

There Are Only 7 Ways to Meditate is a book by QC Ellis aimed at everyone who might have tried meditation but did not gain all the wonderful benefits. The book explores the seven mind-technologies of mediation and helps readers to find what is best for their goals and personality. It teaches readers how to engage in the seven ways to meditate, which will allow them to do any mediation, and also informs them about the mistaken urban myths that stop people from meditating.