Happy Wednesday, and a belated happy Summer Solstice as well! Summer has greeted us here in Pittsburgh with a few thunderstorms, which is some of my favorite reading weather.

Speaking of reading weather… now that the longest day of the year is officially behind us, I find myself surprised to realize I’m a bit excited for fall. I’ve always been a spring and summer kind of girl, and yet… I’m looking forward to lighting all the candles and curling up under a blanket with a good book.

Does this have anything to do with the lack of central AC in our house? Yes, almost certainly, it does.

Still, I love a good summer read, and I’ve been ploughing through books like it’s my job (a girl can dream, am I right?).

We’re going on a road trip out to Acadia National Park in mid-July, and I’m already starting to think about which books I want to take along for the ride. Any recommendations for great road trip vacation reads?

But as that’s week’s away, I’m getting ahead of myself. For now, let’s check in with current and recent reads!

(Full disclosure: Book links that follow are affiliate links, and I may earn a small commission if you choose to purchase. Book of the Month links are referral codes.)

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I finally finished Half Sick of Shadows, Laura Sebastian’s feminist retelling of the Lady of Shalott’s story and broader Arthurian legend. I took this book a little slower since it is heavier with no guarantee of a happy ending unlike the romances I generally use to fill my summer months.

I really enjoyed how Sebastian took the familiar Arthurian legends and shaped them anew, giving the women more agency as the center of their stories.

Watching Elaine struggle through all her visions and try to carve out the best possible future for herself and her friends was definitely stressful at times, but I still highly recommended giving it a read if you’re a fan of Camelot, Shalott, etc. This was a Book of the Month early release, and you can preorder it now ahead of the July 6th release date.

Currently, I’m working my way through One Last Stop, Casey McQuiston’s newest romance with a slightly supernatural twist.

I honestly can’t tell if it is actually a bit slow through the middle or if I only think that because I’d heard other people make that comment. Things do seem to have stalled, plot-wise, and I’m not entirely sure where we’re headed re: happily ever after/happily for now.

But, I’m mostly enjoying the ride, and the writing has a great deal of good humor that makes it fun even when there isn’t a ton actually happening.

I’ve also got a hold on Casey McQuiston’s Red, White, and Royal Blue at the library, since that one is still getting buzz and must be good. But, I have a feeling I may end up floating over to The Wisteria Society for Lady Scoundrels next instead because I have a print copy and it’s calling to me from the table.

Pirates and petticoats with a touch of mischief sounds like a great deal of fun, and I’m hoping this might be a good readalike for These Vicious Masks, which is still one of my favorite books/series.

Audiobook wise, I’m strongly considering paying for another book for this month, instead of waiting on my next LibroFM credit. My commute has become lengthier lately, whether because of some road closures or just people going back into the office, and I find that my podcast rotation isn’t quite enough.

If I do, I’m either going to go with Ashley Ford’s Somebody’s Daughter or my former classmate Brian Broome’s Punch Me Up to the Gods, both of which I’ve heard are excellent on audio as read by the authors.

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Now it’s your turn — what are you reading right now? Great articles online? A good book, or one you might DNF?

Before I go, I’d be remiss if I didn’t remind you that we’re looking for submissions for future What We’re Reading Wednesday features! As much fun as it is for me to show up every week and talk books, it’s much more fun to hear what you all are reading, and I’d like to cultivate space for that!

Next week should be our first guest post, and I’d love to fill the calendar with some other new voices, as well. You can read all about the guidelines here.

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