And that’s a wrap on June – can you believe we can cross the first official month of winter off our calender’s already? Not only that but with tax time and the end of financial sales in full swing the end of June also marks the middle of 2019. It can honestly be scary just how fast time sure does trickle by. The snow will be melting, giving way to spring before we know it.
While the cold might have fully settled over Melbourne, your girl did not go into a Netflix fueled hibernation. There was just too much to do this month which was a welcomed change of pace from an all round mediocre May.
So, let’s get into the highs and lows of June…
My Month In A Nutshell
So what did I get up to this month? Highlights included hitting the town with bright red lips for a much needed catch up with my girls. We opted for a day of retail therapy in Melbourne’s chic shopping districts before grabbing a quick bite and singing along with Disney’s Aladdin. I honestly can’t rave enough guys. Aladdin was everything I needed it to be and more. Empowering and lush, Aladdin had me practically drooling over the exotic pallet.
Speaking of blockbusters of epic proportions, another film I went to this month was Rocketman which I am currently obsessing over. In case you missed my review in which I raved and gushed over the soundtrack and costumes, Rockektman was a tour de force. My brother and I [heck – pretty much the whole cinema] got down to Bennie and the Jets and Crocodile Rock. Suffice to say, we had a blast.
I also ticked a few items off my bucket list this month. For a friend’s birthday we booked out Ace Karts and hit the track for some serious competitive late night pro racing. Let me tell you – it got caty AF on that track with about twenty four of us racing. Spoiler alter: I didn’t take the gold but it was such a rush and even though we were sore for days it was the best night.
And the last thing I should mention is that we welcomed a new member into the family. I picked up Flopsy who is a snow-white baby netherland dwarf rabbit with the most beautiful blue eyes. Don’t let the name fool you though – at about eight weeks old, Flopsy has entered that terrible-twos stage and is quite the little handful.
Books Read
Warriors: Rising Storm by Erin Hunter |★★★☆☆| After starting the Warriors read-a-thon in May I continued with the first series. Rising Storm marks the halfway point of the original arch. Tensions are running as high as the blazing summer sun beats down on the warrior clans. Fireheart has assumed role as deputy but trouble is always lurking. Rising Storm sees the action taking a back seat as we deal with turmoil within Thunderclan making it the slowest of the series.
Warriors: A Dangerous Path by Erin Hunter |★★★☆☆| A Dangerous Path is the beginning of the end; Tigerclaw is back and now more deadly the ever. In terms of charcater arch, A Dangerous Path is Fireheart’s lowest point. With Greystripe absent through the plot, a sense of loneliness is embedded within the prose.
Warriors: The Darkest Hour by Erin Hunter |★★★★☆| The final book of the Prophecies Begin Arch, The Darkest Hour will always remain one of my favorites. This is the book where each plot thread comes full circle. Not to mention the fact that we finally see Fireheart receive his nine lives taking on the name Firestar. It’s bleak, bloody and bittersweet – the perfect ending to the series.
Warriors: Firestar’s Quest by Erin Hunter |★★★½☆|Firestar’s Quest is a stand alone that serves as a bridge between the Prophecies Begin and the New Prophecies and it’s such an underrated installment. We see Firestar and Sandstorm called away for a bleak and seemingly hopeless task that takes them beyond the forest territories. New characters are introduced and the lore/world-building is expanded.
Warriors: Skyclan’s Destiny by Erin Hunter |★★☆☆☆| Yet another standalone set in the Warriors universe, Skyclan’s Destiny is the continuation of the characters introduced and established in Firestar’s Quest. Let me tell you, Skyclan’s Destiny was such a let down. The pacing was off, the action nonexistent and the plot all over the place. The characters were the only aspect that really had potential and were basically what kept me trudging through.
Warriors: Midnight by Erin Hunter |★★★☆☆| You know that feeling when you finish a read-a-thon or a series and realize you have no idea what to do with yourself? So that happened which prompted me to reach for Midnight the beginning of the second arch. In Midnight the narrative moves forward a generation; a new prophecy tells of ominous threats and the quest to save the forest begins.
Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov| ★★★★★| I actually cannot rave enough about this book. Lolita is dark, twisted, unnervingly beautiful and highly disturbing. It’s the story of a man’s obsessive infatuation with his step-daughter and their on-the-road-esque romp across America. Lolita is essentially the jail cell confession of a pedophile – it’s deeply complex and not for the faint of heart.
Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead |★★★★☆| Finally, I finished the month with a re-read of Vampire Academy. Despite what the title may suggest, Vampire Academy is a unique and feminist take on the crowded genre. We have some seriously kick ass punch-first-ask-questions-later heroines and don’t even get me started on the steamy love interest Dimitri Belikov. #stickaforkinmeimdone. layered with wit and snark, Vampire Academy is a modern classic of the YA genre.
Blog Posts
Rainy Days and Chilled Vibes – June 2019 Wrap Up
Review: Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
Final Thoughts and July Plans
July is already shaping up to be a busy month and I’m already hard at work at some interesting new projects. In terms of reading plans I think it’s about dang time I finished the Vampire Academy series so I’ll be continuing with Frostbite and Shadowkiss in July. I also need to play catch up with my TBR pile because I am seriously behind in my reading goals. Not to place too much pressure on myself [because we all know how I am with sticking to TBRs] but I might even pick up Shadow and Bone or a Darker Shade of Magic this month but I guess we’ll see. I’m also planning on reading another classic [Jane Eyre or the Great Gatsby].
What did you get up to this month? Especially all you summer babies out there in the northern hemisphere [I am so jealous]? As always, have a happy reading month and let me know in the comments below what you will be reading in July. I’d love some recommendations too. Until next time…
Reading By Starlight 
[…] Movies & Go Karts: June Wrap-Up […]
LikeLike