I had a fab reading run in June, devouring some really fat ‘n juicy books, and discovering the Temeraire series by Naomi Novik.

As for my favourite read of the month, geez. I honestly don’t know. They were all wonderful in their different ways and no matter how I look at the list I can’t seem to decide on a stand out. But decide I must and for the sheer escapist, romantic fun of it my favourite read has to be…

Animal Magnetism by Jill Shalvis

I truly thought this book wouldn’t be my thing. I tend not to go for US set romances featuring alpha males but once I’d started the sample I couldn’t stop. I bought and then devoured Animal Magnetism in a couple of days, and had to hold myself back from buying the next in the series immediately on completion. If it weren’t for my scary to-be-read pile I would have gobbled down Animal Attraction as well.

Sexy vets, a helicopter pilot, cute and naughty animals, a sassy, likeable heroine, gorgeous setting, great humour, witty dialogue, funny sidekicks, and most of all a heartwarming, sighworthy romance. It’s a book with everything. Loved it.

Temeraire by Naomi Novik & Temeraire: Throne of Jade by Naomi Novik

Dragons! The Napoleonic Wars! A brave hero! Much derring-do and adventure!

I’m hooked. So hooked that even though I’m not meant to be buying any new books until my to-be-read pile gets more under control I just had to grab the second in this series as soon as I finished the first. Justifiable because after all my squeals of excitement and dragon love my other half is also now reading the series, which means I can assign any purchase to his to-be-read pile instead of mine. Genius!

I picked this one up purely on the basis of Novik’s stand-alone book Uprooted, which was one of my favourite reads of last year (just thinking about that book makes me want to read it again—loved it). Totally different in premise, but she sure knows how to write an adventure.

A Desperate Fortune by Susanna Kearsley

Susanna Kearsley never lets me down. With its split timeline, A Desperate Fortune was exactly what I expect and love from this auto-buy author. I really enjoyed the contemporary heroine in this one. She’s unusual and extremely clever, and I was barracking so hard for her to reach her happily ever after. The historical heroine’s romance was just as wonderful. As for the heroes … be still my heart!

77 Shadow Street by Dean Koontz

A horror-thriller creepy page-turner from a master of the genre, featuring a weird house with an even weirder history. Admittedly not my favourite Koontz (which is Watchers—adore that book—and, of course, Odd Thomas) but a solid read nonetheless.

The Dry by Jane Harper

You’re probably seeing this book everywhere at the moment. It’s being pushed hard by the publishers and with good reason—the story is a cracker. A murder mystery set in a desiccated town with lots of twists and turns and a fantastically well-evoked atmosphere, it kept me engrossed from start to end. I’ll be keen to read the next from this author.

The Lake House by Kate Morton

How can anyone resist an English country house with a dark mystery? I know I can’t and Morton does them brilliantly. Loved the novelist character in this one—Alice was fab. As always, the setting was so vividly rendered it felt alive.

What were your favourite reads?