June's Books - On My Way to 52

I posted last month about my goal of reading at least 52 books this year. The good thing is that I'm well on my way! Here are the books I read in June.

27. Gone Girl: A Novel by Gillian Flynn. I'm not one to go out and read overhyped books (and I've not seen the movie and have purposefully avoided conversation about it in case I decided to read the book or see it) but I received this as a gift and thought I'd dig in. I wasn't really prepared for the emotional rollercoaster it put me on. I think that it was extra disturbing because she masterfully sets the reader up to feel affinity for both characters at the beginning and then you are constantly questioning how much loyalty you should have as you keep reading. The book's ending is definitely a WTF scenario but then again, the whole book is like that!
28. The Witch of Napoli by Michael Schmicker.  This is a fascinating tale based on the true story of controversial Italian medium Eusapia Palladino (1854-1918).  In the book, Alessandra is a powerful medium that could make the spirits shake tables and lift objects. The phenomenon is captured by a photographer, Tomaso, who becomes her dearest friend. Her seances attract the attention of several powerful spiritual societies who are actively looking to show she's a hoax. I greatly enjoyed this book and how it managed to weave history, voice and emotion all into a powerful package.
29. Re Jane by Patricia Park.  I have to admit, I've not typically been a Bronte fan in general. I've read all her books and they haven't grabbed me in the way that it seems they have countless other readers. Re Jane, on the other hand, was a fantastic read for me. Set in Brooklyn and Queens, the book mirrors the structure of Jane Austen but with a modern lens that immediately pulls you in. I highly recommend this book.

I've also been reading Harry Potter e' la Pietra Filosofale, the first book, in Italian. It's a slow go, however, and a bit of a harder read than you might imagine it to be, so it's been taking me awhile.

For July I have a few good books under my belt, but you'll find out more about those next month!

Related articles

• Imagining Jane Austen's Childhood (sarahemsley.com)
• 16 Books To Read If You Loved 'Gone Girl' (rantchic.com)
• Jane Austen and the Pelisse (twonerdyhistorygirls.blogspot.com)

Cover photo used via Creative Commons license, taken by Flickr user Abi Sharma.