I finished a whopping seven books in June. That’s almost two books a week, which is crazy.

I am continuing my goal to read more books by female authors. Of the six unique authors I read this month, four of them were women.

In June I read one collection of comics, one book of poetry, two mysteries, and three non-fiction books on very different topics. Here is the full breakdown:

Poorly Drawn Lines: Good Ideas and Amazing Stories by Reza Farazmand

In a word: hilarious. The kind of book I kept passing to my husband to read so he would understand why I was laughing like a manic. The comic about a bear conflicted about accepting a Facebook friend request was worth the price of the book alone.

Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Dr. Carol S. Dweck

Dr. Dweck’s theories about fixed mindsets versus growth mindsets are compelling, but this book did not do the idea justice. I felt like she tried to dumb it down too much in her attempt to write a popular psychology book. In particular, the book left me wanting more specific strategies for developing a growth mindset.

Monk’s Hood by Ellis Peters

I am continuing to read the Chronicles of Brother Cadfael series this summer. Monk’s Hood is book three in the series. We get some of Cadfael’s backstory in this book as he encounters a lost love from his youth while investigating a poisoning.

St. Peter’s Fair by Ellis Peters

This fourth book in the Cadfael series in set during the abbey’s summer fair and involves murder, spies and the continuing civil war between King Stephen and Empress Maud. I love these books so much. They are such a delight to read.

The Art of Asking; or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Let People Help by Amanda Palmer

I knew very little about Amanda Palmer before I read this book. I knew she was a musician, but I had never listened to any of her work. I knew she had given a popular Ted Talk, which I had watched and found somewhat irritating. And, I knew she was married to the writer Neil Gaiman. So, why did I pick this book up? I’m not sure, but I’m glad I did. Amanda Palmer, in a nutshell, manages to sum up what it means to be a woman in America in the early 21st century. She is polarizing in a way that just would not happen if she were a man. She’s strong, she’s independent, she refuses to play by the rules, and, most damning of all, she’s not afraid to speak her mind. This book was honest in a way you rarely see in memoirs. It was almost too raw, too honest. This book will not be for everyone, but I am glad I read it.

On Jupiter Place: New Poems by Nicholas Christopher

Christopher is one of my favorite authors. If forced to pick my desert island books, I would have a hard time choosing between his novel Veronica and A Trip to the Stars. But, he is also a fantastic poet. This small volume of poetry is his first published poetry collection since Crossing the Equator came out in 2004.

The Librarian’s Nitty-Gritty Guide to Content Marketing by Laura Solomon

I don’t spend as much time as I would like doing reading for professional development. I am glad I made an exception for this book. It is a great introduction to content marketing that, although written with the librarian in mind, could be applied to any business or organization.

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