July 2025 Reads

The “busy season” of summer has officially arrived and I cannot believe July is already over. 

I feel like I haven’t even gotten to enjoy the outdoors as much this year because it’s just been so freaking hot and offensively HUMID. You can thank the sweaty corn of the midwest for that excessive moisture. Yes, corn sweat. It’s a real thing. Look it up. 

To keep this intro brief so that you don’t skip it like the start of a recipe on Pinterest, I’ll just provide a few highlight photos from this month lol:

From top left: Cails’ Baby Sprinkle, Kate & Dan’s Wedding, Art Fair, and Sare’s Bachelorette!

All righty, let’s get into everything I read in July. 

*All summaries are taken or paraphrased from Goodreads. 

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordon

THE LIGHTNING THIEF by Rick Riordon (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #1)

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: Lately, mythological monsters and the Olympian gods seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Percy Jackson’s Greek mythology textbook and into his life. Zeus's master lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect. Percy and his friends have just ten days to find and return Zeus's stolen property and bring peace to a warring Mount Olympus.

My Thoughts: I had never read this series despite how popular it has become over the years. To complete one of the yearly challenges on Storygraph though, I had to read a book outside of my usual genre. So I decided to lean into some middle grade fantasy with this story. Let me just say, I totally understand why kids and teens love this book. Its format keeps the pace moving quickly, it’s packed with endless action and humor, and Percy’s character makes following him on this quest thoroughly enjoyable. However, allow me to dust off my soap box so that I can properly ROAST some of this book lol. FIRST OF ALL, Percy would be NOTHING without Grover and Annabelle. Percy is the person in your friend group who gets along with literally everyone, but they also have a hard time catching your nonverbal cues when you are trying to get them to leave a conversation because the other person is a little sus or you plainly do not like them lol. Like yeah, Percy, ignore Annabelle, daughter of Athena - goddess of wisdom. She probably won’t know the wisest thing to do in any given situation… ALSO, yer telling me, Poseidon, god of the SEA, can’t get from the Pacific ocean to the Atlantic quicker than 12-year-old Percy can travel across the country to meet with you at the Santa Monica Pier of all places. Like how lazy and also cliche of you?? Anyway, I enjoyed this overall lmao, and definitely recommend it for any young teens in your life. Or if you just enjoy things involving Greek mythology, you might enjoy this!

The Wicked King by Holly Black

THE WICKED KING by Holly Black (The Folk of the Air, #2)

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: You must be strong enough to strike and strike and strike again without tiring. The first lesson is to make yourself strong. After the jaw-dropping revelation that Oak is the heir to Faerie, Jude must keep her brother safe. To do so, she has bound the wicked king, Cardan, to her, and made herself the power behind the throne. Navigating the constantly shifting political alliances of Faerie would be difficult enough if Cardan were easy to control. But he does everything in his power to humiliate and undermine her even as his fascination with her remains undiminished. When it becomes all too clear that someone close to Jude means to betray her, threatening her own life and the lives of everyone she loves, Jude must uncover the traitor and fight her own complicated feelings for Cardan to maintain control as a mortal in a Faerie world.

My Thoughts: Okay, we love it when the already unstable politics get even messier. With Cardan officially crowned King of Elfhame and Jude acting as his power behind the throne, she’s determined to keep him in check until her younger brother is old enough to rule. But she’s juggling a lot as more ruling courts start joining the group chat of power struggle. Jude now has to outmaneuver not only her calculating stepfather, the General, but also the Queen of the Undersea, whose ocean-dwelling faeries are making some serious moves for the crown. What really stood out to me in this book was Jude’s character development. While some of her impulsiveness from the last book still lingers, she’s clearly grown more strategic, more capable, and far better at executing plans now that her secret coup has succeeded. That said, her interpersonal relationships could still use a little work - especially when it comes to Cardan. The tension between them is frustrating. They get so close to being real with each other, only to retreat behind their emotional armor. Every time they take two steps forward, someone flinches and they stumble three steps back. If you’re not big on romance, don’t worry. This book leans more into the political tensions and high-stakes betrayals than love stories. The end portion of this book made my jaw clench so hard, so I’m obvi moving onto the next book ASAP because I have to know how the current situation plays out. If the Cruel Prince left you feeling a little underwhelmed, just know this second book makes up for what that one lacked!

The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black

THE QUEEN OF NOTHING by Holly Black (The Folk of the Air, #3)

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Power is much easier to acquire than it is to hold onto. Jude learned this lesson when she released her control over the wicked king, Cardan, in exchange for immeasurable power. Now as the exiled mortal Queen of Faerie, Jude is powerless and left reeling from Cardan’s betrayal. She bides her time determined to reclaim everything he took from her. Opportunity arrives in the form of her deceptive twin sister, Taryn, whose mortal life is in peril. Jude must risk venturing back into the treacherous Faerie Court, and confront her lingering feelings for Cardan, if she wishes to save her sister. But Elfhame is not as she left it. War is brewing. As Jude slips deep within enemy lines she becomes ensnared in the conflict’s bloody politics. And, when a dormant yet powerful curse is unleashed, panic spreads throughout the land, forcing her to choose between her ambition and her humanity.

My Thoughts: Okay, so the last book left us on a major cliffhanger with Jude getting banished to the mortal realm after agreeing to release her hold on King Cardan. Even though she’s basically a SIMP for the faerie world (and literally its queen), she can’t risk showing her face in Elfhame or she might be executed for treason. But when her twin sister is summoned to testify before the royal court, Jude has to take her place because unlike Taryn, Jude can actually resist fae magic. Unsurprisingly, the second Jude steps back into the faerie world, she’s thrown right back into the political cluster fuck that got her exiled in the first place. I’ve got to be honest, I was a little frustrated with how long it took for Jude’s character development to kick in. It felt like we were pretty deep into the book before she started making smarter choices. She was constantly distrusting the wrong people while totally trusting the ones she absolutely shouldn’t. Also we GOTTA talk about the whole “Cardan turns into a giant worm” situation. Like, WUT LOL?! It’s tied to some old prophecy about the kind of king he’d become, and everyone’s obsessed with it, but I definitely did not have “giant worm” on my faerie fantasy bingo card. All I could picture was that episode of SpongeBob with the Alaskan bull worm where Sandy rides it like she’s back in Texas. Totally unhinged, but also kind of iconic. Anyway, final thoughts on the series: I enjoyed the journey overall. It had the drama, the betrayal, the magic. But I do wish the final book had ended on a stronger note. Still, if you like messy fae politics and slow-burn power plays, this series delivers.

The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon

THE FROZEN RIVER by Ariel Lawhon

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: Maine, 1789: When the Kennebec River freezes, entombing a man in the ice, Martha Ballard is summoned to examine the body and determine cause of death. As a midwife and healer, she is privy to much of what goes on behind closed doors in Hallowell. Her diary is a record of every birth and death, crime and debacle that unfolds in the close-knit community. Months earlier, Martha documented the details of an alleged rape committed by two of the town’s most respected gentlemen—one of whom has now been found dead in the ice. But when a local physician undermines her conclusion, declaring the death to be an accident, Martha is forced to investigate the shocking murder on her own. Over the course of one winter, as the trial nears, and whispers and prejudices mount, Martha doggedly pursues the truth. Her diary soon lands at the center of the scandal, implicating those she loves, and compelling Martha to decide where her own loyalties lie.

My Thoughts: This book absolutely lives up to the hype, and the fact that it’s based on a true story makes it even more powerful. The story follows Martha Ballard, a midwife and healer in the town of Hallowell, who knows all about the private lives of her neighbors. She keeps a meticulous diary of every birth, death, and illness in the community - including a disturbing account of an alleged rape involving the pastor’s wife and two respected men in town. When one of those men, Joshua Burgess, is found dead face down in the icy river, Martha is the first to examine the body and perform an autopsy. Her conclusion is that Joshua was murdered. But when a newly arrived physician (who just so happens to be close with the local judge) questions her findings and authority, Martha decides to take matters into her own hands and uncover the truth herself. This book has so many complex layers. Set during a time when women had little voice or power, it paints a vivid picture of how even someone like Martha, with decades of medical experience, was constantly dismissed and undermined. It was infuriating, heartbreaking, and yet so deeply satisfying to see her refuse to back down. Martha’s fight to advocate for the women in her community and to speak up when others tried to silence her is what makes this story so phenomenal. If you’re looking for a historical fiction novel that’s immersive, moving, and grounded in real-life resilience, this is a must-read. And definitely don’t skip the author’s note! It adds so much context and depth to Martha’s story.

Sounds Like Love by Ashley Poston

SOUNDS LIKE LOVE by Ashley Poston

Rating: 3.75/5 stars

Summary: Joni Lark is living the dream. She’s one of the most coveted songwriters in LA…and she can’t seem to write. There’s an emptiness inside her, and nothing seems to fill it. When she returns to her hometown of Vienna Shores, North Carolina, she hopes that the sand, the surf, and the concerts at The Revelry, her family’s music venue, will spark her inspiration. But when she gets there, nothing is how she left it. Her best friend is avoiding her, her mother’s memories are fading fast, and The Revelry is closing. How can she think about writing her next song when everything is changing without her? Until she hears it. A melody in her head, lyric-less and half-formed, and an alluring and addictive voice to go with it—belonging, apparently, to a wry musician with hangups of his own. Surely, he’s a figment of her overworked imagination. But then the very real man attached to the voice shows up in Vienna Shores. He’s aggravating and gruff on the outside—nothing like the sweet, funny voice in Joni’s head—and he has a plan: They’ll finish the song haunting them both, break their connection, and hope they don’t risk their hearts in the process. Because that song stuck in their heads? Maybe it’s there for a reason.

My Thoughts:  What I love about Ashley Poston’s writing is the way she weaves magical realism into her stories without making it feel far-fetched. It’s subtle, grounded, and blends seamlessly into the emotional core of her books—which is usually romance, and this book carries that same quiet magic. In this story, we follow Joni, a successful and in-demand songwriter in LA who suddenly finds herself creatively blocked after her mom is diagnosed with early-onset dementia. Right before heading home to North Carolina, she crosses paths with Sebastian Fell—a former boy band member and the son of a legendary rocker her parents adore. She’s not impressed and figures that’s the end of it. But once she’s back home, she starts hearing a melody - and a voice - in her head. Not-so-spoiler alert: it’s Sebastian. And the only way to break the mysterious connection between them is to finish writing a song together. I really enjoyed their dynamic. There’s something so moving to me about two characters going through difficult, lonely experiences on their own, slowly finding connection and comfort in each other. It gave the story a lot of heart. Joni’s family and the cast of side characters brought so much personality to the story, too. I could practically hear the noise of one of their chaotic family dinners. Some moments leaned a little cheesy, but overall, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It’s not my favorite Ashley Poston book, so I wouldn’t recommend starting here if you’re new to her writing. But if you already enjoy her blend of heart, magic, and romance, I think you’ll find a lot to love in this one.

The Boyfriend by Freida McFadden

THE BOYFRIEND by Freida McFadden

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: Sydney Shaw, like every single woman in New York, has terrible luck with dating. She’s seen it all: men who lie in their dating profile, men who stick her with the dinner bill, and worst of all, men who can't shut up about their mothers. But finally, she hits the jackpot. Her new boyfriend is utterly perfect. He's charming, handsome, and works as a doctor at a local hospital. Sydney is swept off her feet. Then the brutal murder of a young woman―the latest in a string of deaths across the coast―confounds police. The primary suspect? A mystery man who dates his victims before he kills them. Sydney should feel safe. After all, she is dating the guy of her dreams. But she can’t shake her own suspicions that the perfect man may not be as perfect as he seems. Because someone is watching her every move, and if she doesn’t get to the truth, she’ll be the killer’s next victim...

My Thoughts: This was my second Freida McFadden book, but my first experience with her writing via audiobook and I am pleased to report it did not disappoint. The book bounces between the present where 34-year-old Sydney Shaw is navigating the dating scene and after a few disaster dates, has basically given up on men. A few weeks after her friend and neighbor, Bonnie, is brutally murdered inside her apartment, Sydney hits it off with a handsome, successful doctor and immediately falls head over heels for this unicorn. Meanwhile the police are still trying to figure out who killed her friend and whether it’s part of a recent pattern of murders. Then we also get a glimpse of the past from the perspective of a boy named Tom. A few girls from his high school have gone missing recently and the police are trying to figure out what’s happening. Though Tom definitely has some dark thoughts, he manages never to act on them. Y’all. As a woman dating in her thirties, this book makes me never want to date again lol. I was absolutely reeling trying to figure out the connection between the two timelines and characters mentioned throughout because I KNEW it couldn’t be THAT obvious. However, my jaw was on the FLOOR once the plot twist was revealed. I was just like OH MY GOD HOW DID I NOT SEE THAT?? Needless to say, if you like a quick and twisty thriller, I highly recommend picking this up! 

Beach Read by Emily Henry

BEACH READ by Emily Henry (REREAD)

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: Augustus Everett is an acclaimed author of literary fiction. January Andrews writes bestselling romance. When she pens a happily ever after, he kills off his entire cast. They’re polar opposites. In fact, the only thing they have in common is that for the next three months, they’re living in neighboring beach houses, broke, and bogged down with writer’s block. Until one hazy evening, one thing leads to another and they strike a deal designed to force them out of their creative ruts: Augustus will spend the summer writing something happy, and January will pen the next Great American Novel. She’ll take him on field trips worthy of any rom-com montage, and he’ll take her to interview surviving members of a backwoods death cult (obviously). Everyone will finish a book and no-one will fall in love. Really.

My Thoughts: This was my book club’s summer pick, and although it was a reread for me, it had been about four years since I first picked it up. According to my original review, I gave it five stars, and this time around, I decided to try the audiobook to see how the experience compared. Let me just say: Julia Whelan could read the ingredients off a Campbell’s soup can and I’d still be hooked. So the fact that she narrates this book was a total bonus. My second read was just as fulfilling as the first. Set in a fictional beach town along Lake Michigan, the setting is so vividly written it’s easy to picture yourself right there with the sun on your face and sand inbetween your toes. The characters are beautifully flawed and deeply real, and their emotional arcs hit just as hard this time around. Unsurprisingly, I was obsessed with the banter between January and Gus, and completely swooned over their undeniable connection. That said, now that I’m more familiar with Emily Henry’s writing style, the romance didn’t hit me quite as hard as it did the first time. The magic was still there, but the initial wow factor had naturally worn off a bit - hence the (very gentle) half-star deduction. Still, I’d absolutely recommend this to anyone looking for the perfect summer romance with a lake escape.

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

THE PRIORY OF THE ORANGE TREE by Samantha Shannon

Rating: 3.25/5 stars

Summary: A world divided. A queendom without an heir. An ancient enemy awakens. The House of Berethnet has ruled Inys for a thousand years. Still unwed, Queen Sabran the Ninth must conceive a daughter to protect her realm from destruction – but assassins are getting closer to her door. Ead Duryan is an outsider at court. Though she has risen to the position of lady-in-waiting, she is loyal to a hidden society of mages. Ead keeps a watchful eye on Sabran, secretly protecting her with forbidden magic. Across the dark sea, Tané has trained to be a dragonrider since she was a child, but is forced to make a choice that could see her life unravel. Meanwhile, the divided East and West refuse to parley, and forces of chaos are rising from their sleep.

My Thoughts: Woof. Lately I’ve been second-guessing whether I’m actually a high fantasy girly anymore, but I mean, this was high-high fantasy. The story felt dense, and at over 800 pages, getting through it was a serious slog, especially at the beginning. The narrative jumps not only between the eastern and western regions of the world, but also between different kingdoms within those regions - and then again between multiple characters in those kingdoms. So keeping track of who’s where, what they’re doing, and why felt like mental gymnastics. Add in complex religious systems, layered political hierarchies, and an intricate magic structure, and it’s a lot to juggle. The pacing didn’t help either. The first half of the book was the slowest of slow burns. Things finally picked up around the midpoint with more action, higher stakes, and dangerous quests, which added some much-needed momentum. But then around the 80% mark, the pace dipped again, and the story started to feel disjointed. Honestly, I think this book would’ve worked better split into two. The writing is objectively strong, the premise is original, and there are a lot of compelling elements throughout. Personally though, the juice just wasn’t worth the squeeze on this one (pun very much intended).

The Teacher by Freida McFadden

THE TEACHER by Freida McFadden

Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary: Lesson #1: trust no one. Eve has a good life. She gets up each day, gets a kiss from her husband Nate, and heads off to teach math at the local high school. All is as it should be. Except… Last year, Caseham High was rocked by a scandal involving a student-teacher affair, with one student, Addie, at its center. But Eve knows there is far more to these ugly rumors than meets the eye. Addie can't be trusted. She lies. She hurts people. She destroys lives. At least, that's what everyone says. But nobody knows the real Addie. Nobody knows the secrets that could destroy her. And Addie will do anything to keep it quiet.

My Thoughts: Okay, I’d heard mixed reviews about this one before diving in. Two of my friends have read several of Freida McFadden’s books - one loved this one, the other hated it - so I really didn’t know what to expect going in. Let me just say: if you’re into unlikable characters and unreliable narrators, this book is the ultimate combo meal. The story is told primarily from two perspectives: Eve, a 30-year-old high school math teacher stuck in a miserable marriage and obsessed with designer shoes, and Addie, a junior at the same school who’s become a pariah ever since she got a teacher fired over rumors of an inappropriate relationship. I could NOT stand Addie. She’s so unhinged and naive it made my teeth grind. Eve wasn’t exactly a ray of sunshine either - pretty cold toward her students and not the easiest to root for - but I found her chapters more tolerable overall. The twist comes very late in the book, and I have to admit I did not see it coming. At all. That said, it also felt a bit like a “gotcha!” moment. There weren’t many clues or breadcrumbs to help you piece things together, so while the shock factor was there, it lacked that satisfying “ohhh I had a hunch” feeling. Still, if you’re looking for a mystery/thriller that doesn’t lean too heavily on gore or body count, this one is a solid pick. There’s a bit of darkness, but the real story is about piecing together the character dynamics and figuring out how the prologue fits into it all. Not my favorite Freida book so far, but I’m definitely enjoying her writing.

Savor It by Tarah DeWitt

SAVOR IT by Tarah DeWitt

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: Summer won't last forever. Sage Byrd has lived in the coastal town of Spunes, Oregon (not to be confused with Forks, Washington) her entire life. She's learned to love her small world, with the misfit animals on her hobby farm, and her friendships with the town’s inhabitants. But when her 5-year relationship ends and her ex, town-golden-boy Ian, suddenly gets engaged, Sage needs a win―something that will convince everyone to stop pitying her all the time, and to put Ian in his place. The Festival of Spunes, the town’s annual summer competition, would be the perfect opportunity. She just needs a partner. Fisher Lange was a hotshot chef in New York City until the loss of his sister left him numb, grieving, and responsible for his teenage niece Indy. When Fisher loses his Michelin star along with his love of cooking, his boss sends him and Indy to Spunes on a much-needed summer sabbatical to consult on a restaurant opening. But when clashes with the townspeople threaten his last chance to redeem himself and a kiss with his new neighbor Sage leads to dating rumors, a strategic alliance might just be the best way to turn things around. A deal is struck. Sage will improve Fisher’s image in the eyes of the town and remove the roadblocks he is facing with the restaurant, and Fisher will be Sage’s partner for the competition. But as their pact quickly turns into steamy rendezvous, emotional wounds begin to heal, and the pair tries to savor every moment, they start to realize that summer is racing by much faster than they would like...

My Thoughts: This was such a cute read! It had been a while since I dipped back into a Kindle Unlimited, country-themed romance, but I was craving something comforting and familiar, and this book totally hit the spot. Sage Byrd has spent her whole life in Spunes, Oregon. She’s built a reputation as a beloved teacher, friendly neighbor, and the go-to person for anyone who needs a hand. But after a recent breakup with one of the town’s golden boys, she’s over the pitying looks and comments. Determined to prove she’s doing just fine, Sage decides to enter (and win) the town’s annual summer competition. All she needs now is a partner. Enter Fisher, a James Beard Award–winning chef, who’s spending the summer in Spunes with his teenage niece. Both of them are in need of a break from their lives in New York and Nebraska, and Fisher just so happens to land a sabbatical in the quiet coastal town. He’s staying on the other side of Sage’s farm, so their paths were bound to cross. It started with a bit of a slow burn attraction between Sage and Fisher, but as soon as that spark ignited, you might as well have thrown gasoline over the two. The plethora of quirky side characters is what made this book entertaining though - especially all of Sage’s animals lol. I wouldn’t say this was a mind-blowing romance novel by any means but it gave me what I needed and I enjoyed it overall. 

We Could Be Rats by Emily Austin

WE COULD BE RATS by Emily R. Austin

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: Sigrid hates working at the Dollar Pal but having always resisted the idea of growing up into the trappings of adulthood, she did not graduate high school, preferring to roam the streets of her small town with her best friend Greta, the only person in the world who ever understood her. Her older sister Margit is baffled and frustrated by Sigrid’s inability to conform to the expectations of polite society. But Sigrid’s detachment veils a deeper turmoil and sensitivity. She’s haunted by the pains of her past—from pretending her parents were swamp monsters when they shook the floorboards with their violent arguments to grappling with losing Greta’s friendship to the opioid epidemic ravaging their town. As Margit sets out to understand Sigrid and the secrets she has hidden, both sisters, in their own time and way, discover that reigniting their shared childhood imagination is the only way forward. What unfolds is an unforgettable story of two sisters finding their way back to each other, and a celebration of that transcendent, unshakable bond.

My Thoughts: A few months ago, I read Interesting Facts About Space by Emily R. Austin (review here) and freaking loved how real that character felt and the quirkiness to this author’s writing. So when I saw she was publishing a new book soon, I had to jump on it. This time around I went the audiobook route and was glad I did since the subject matter of this story was a bit heavier than I bargained for. The first portion of the book features many failed attempts at suicide notes written by one of the sisters this book follows, Sigrid. We get a better look inside her brain, what was going on in her life, and what drove her to follow through with it. Then we switch perspectives to her sister Margrit who is grappling with the aftermath of her sister’s decision and how that inflates anxiety, gulit, and more into her everyday life. The plot twist was one I did not see coming and had me glued to the remainder of the book. Though this story was definitely dark, it still incorporated Austin’s signature quirkiness that made the overall tone much lighter than I expected. Obviously check trigger warnings on this one, but I’d recommend it for a reflective read. 

That’s it for July!

Hoping to have some fantasy redemption in August, but we shall see where my mood takes me! In the meantime, I’ll be floating through one of the busiest social seasons I’ve had in a while. Catch me taking regular naps out here lol. 

2025 Book Count: 91

Add me on Goodreads if you haven’t already.

YOUR TURN! What is one of your favorite reads of July?

June 2025 Reads

Listen. This month was absolute chaos between work and moving into my condo, but let me just say, THANK THE LORT for central A/C. 

Can you believe that I haven’t had central A/C for the last nine years? NINE. Do you know how SPOILED I feel not knowing how hot it is outside unless I leave my condo?

I used to have to set up a whole labyrinth of fans in my previous apartments so that I would hopefully get a WISP of cool air across my skin at night lol. Now all ya girl has to do is tap-tap that down button and you can catch me standing underneath the air vent looking like the cover of Flash Dance (without the water or ability to bend my back like that lol.)

This is kind of like how I felt when I got a new car and finally understood the hype behind a back-up camera. Ya girl is LIVING.

Anywho, I didn’t get through as many books this month because I was busy, but most of what I read was definitely worth it!

So let’s get into everything I read in June!

*All summaries are taken or paraphrased from Goodreads.

The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy by Brigitte Knightley

THE IRRESISTIBLE URGE TO FALL FOR YOUR ENEMY by Brigitte Knightley

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Osric Mordaunt, member of the Fyren Order of assassins, is in dire need of healing. Naturally – such is the grim comedy of fate – the only healer who can help is Aurienne Fairhrim, preeminent scientist, bastion of moral good, and member of an enemy Order. Aurienne is desperate for funding to heal the sick - so desperate that, when Osric bribes her to help him, she accepts, even if she detests him and everything he stands for. A forced collaboration ensues: the brilliant Woman in STEM is coerced into working with the PhD in Murders, much to Aurienne's disgust. As Osric and Aurienne work together to heal his illness and investigate the mysterious reoccurrence of a deadly pox, they find themselves ardently denying their attraction, which only fuels the heat between them.

My Thoughts: Okay, so if you’ll remember (you won’t lol), I was heavily into my Dramoine era going into 2025 and was reading a bit of Draco Malfoy/Hermoine Granger fanfic - specifically from the website An Archive of Our Own. One of the fanfic books I read and freaking loved was called Draco Malfoy & the Mortifying Ordeal of Falling in Love (find my review here). What I learned soon after finishing that gem is that the author was offered a traditional book deal by one of the big publishing houses to rewrite that book outside of the Harry Potter world. So you couldn’t get the OG fanfic online anymore. WELL, shout out to my girl Ayse who is a buyer for a nonprofit book store in Chicago called Semicolon (shop local if you’re in the area!!!). They had a collab event with Berkley Romance, and she gave me all of the ARCs she got from it and THIS BOOK WAS IN THAT BATCH OMG. To say I was excited is an understatement. Now onto the actual book review lol. The banter was phenomenal and thank god because the OG had some of the quickest quippy wit I’ve encountered in a MINUTE. While the plot was also very similar, I appreciated that the author put a spin on it so that it genuinely felt like a completely different literary experience. She didn’t cross over the human and magical worlds as much in this one, but the MFC still had one foot in each realm which made Aurienne’s backstory feel much more authentic. The MMC is still a morally gray broody boy that we all love to love, and although Osric has some Draco-parallel qualities, his personality is thoroughly his own. When she says this book is a slow burn though… woooooweee. She means it. While I was thoroughly entertained by the storyline and variety of misfit characters, I did notice that the build-up to any sort of attraction or romance was definitely slow going. Right when we start to see a spark and feel a little heat coming off the fire, the book comes to a close leaving everything on a cliffhanger. So on one hand, I’m freaking pumped this means there will be a second book! On the other hand, COME ON LOL. You made me go THAT LONG without some much-needed palpable sexual tension?? Rude. Just rude. Anyway, I obviously recommend this book once it’s published on July 8th lol.

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

THE CRUEL PRINCE by Holly Black (The Folk of the Air, #1)

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Jude was seven when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King. To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences. As Jude becomes more deeply embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, she discovers her own capacity for trickery and bloodshed. But as betrayal threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.

My Thoughts: I know this series has been circulating in the fantasy lovers’ ether for a while, and I can’t remember why I dug my heels in on reading it until now lol. This wasn’t groundbreaking, but I did appreciate that it was just different enough to make it feel like its own fantasy experience. Jude is a human who was adopted by her half sister’s fey father after he murdered their parents. As a human in the fey world, she gets bullied relentlessly and is always butting heads with this broody boy Prince Cardan. Although she doesn’t want to admit it, Jude is down bad on trying to fit in with the fey lol. While she’s navigating the high school-equivalent woes of being a human teen in a fey world, there are some political shifts happening within the Courts of Faerie that leaves Jude questioning if she wants to stay in this realm or return to the mortal world. The book definitely leaves you on a cliffhanger and with a huge wrench thrown into a relationship that we were only able to root for for like 5 mins lol. So although this wasn’t a groundbreaking plot, I’m itching to read the next book in this series!

Rewind It Back by Liz Tomforde

REWIND IT BACK by Liz Tomforde (Windy City, #5)

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: HALLIE: When I was eleven, my family moved next door to his. When I was thirteen, he was my first crush. When I was sixteen, we fell for each other. And when I was nineteen, we broke each other's hearts. Six years later, I've landed an internship with a big-name interior designer in a new city. Unfortunately, that city just so happens to be the one he plays hockey for. I thought Chicago was big enough to avoid him, until I get the surprise of a lifetime and unknowingly move in right next door. Even worse? The renovation project I'm assigned to in hopes of turning that internship into my full-time dream job… It's his house. But how am I supposed to update his bachelor pad into a family home when we can't even stand to be in the same room? I may have loved Rio DeLuca once, but I'm not that same girl anymore. | RIO: I never thought I'd be the only single one left in my friend group. But after years of trying to find love, I've concluded it may not exist for me anymore. That is, until I accidentally hire Hallie Hart to renovate my house and our jaded history has me rewinding memories I've kept secret for years. You see, there's something that my friends don't know. That connection I've been looking for since I moved to Chicago, that one person some search their entire lives to find . . . I had already found her when I was twelve years old. And now the only girl I've ever loved is moving into the house next door. Again.

My Thoughts: Eeeek! I’m making a strong statement here, but this might’ve been my favorite book of this series… Especially since I was OBSESSED with Kai and Miller’s story (Caught Up), but I don’t know. There’s just something about this second chance romance between two people who have such a beautiful and complicated history. Plus, Rio is the biggest Italian sweetheart a girl could ask for, and I freaking loved that we finally got to know his character on a deeper level in this book. Up until now, he’s been a lovesick, golden retriever-type of character amongst the Windy City friend group. However, through his perspective in this story and learning more about his life before Chicago, it’s clear he is just fiercely loyal, knows what he wants, and is not willing to settle for less. Hallie was the perfect counterpart to Rio. She comes off a little scrappy and standoffish, but this girl has been GRINDING to get where she’s landed in her career. I freaking loved the complexity of her character, and how we got to know who Hallie was in the past and why she is the way she is now. AND CAN WE TALK ABOUT THE TENSION BETWEEN THESE TWO? It was thicc and also so freaking endearing and I could not get over their wholesome dynamics. Liz Tomforde knew she had to go hard in the paint on this last book of the series, and my friends, she did not hold back. If you haven’t dabbled in the Windy City series, I highly recommend it!

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

THE SONG OF ACHILLES by Madeline Miller

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: Achilles, "the best of all the Greeks," son of the cruel sea goddess Thetis and the legendary king Peleus, is strong, swift, and beautiful, irresistible to all who meet him. Patroclus is an awkward young prince, exiled from his homeland after an act of shocking violence. Brought together by chance, they forge an inseparable bond, despite risking the gods' wrath. They are trained by the centaur Chiron in the arts of war and medicine, but when word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, all the heroes of Greece are called upon to lay siege to Troy in her name. Seduced by the promise of a glorious destiny, Achilles joins their cause, and torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus follows. Little do they know that the cruel Fates will test them both as never before and demand a terrible sacrifice.

My Thoughts: I’ve had this book on my shelf since I last visited my friend Ayse in Chicago back in 2021 - which is far too long for both the book and visiting her again lol. I think what maybe put me off from reading it is that I kept seeing it being described as a retelling of Homer’s Iliad which I’ve never read. However, I’m here to say, even if you haven’t read the Iliad, you can read this with no problem. I’m sure you recognize more characters throughout it if you have read the classic, but I just took all the Greek names in stride and treated them like they were just new characters to the story lol. This book was really beautiful though and has so many layers. It really magnified the human experience of being inexplicably in love with someone, knowing that they’re your person, and feeling that in your soul. I will say, the only reason I could not give this book a full five stars is because the plot was a slooooooow burn. It honestly didn’t pick up until later in the book, I know we had to understand both Patroclus as a character and his background with Achilies, but hot damn. That pacing felt a little dragged out. Otherwise, as I’ve said, this shit was really beautifully written and I highly recommend it.

The Three Lives of Cate Kay by Kate Fagan

THE THREE LIVES OF CATE KAY by Kate Fagan

Rating: 3.75/5 stars

Summary: Cate Kay knows how to craft a story. As the creator of a bestselling book trilogy that struck box office gold as a film series, she’s one of the most successful authors of her generation. The thing is, Cate Kay doesn’t really exist. She’s never attended author events or granted any interviews. Her real identity had been a closely guarded secret, until now. As a young adult, she and her best friend Amanda dreamed of escaping their difficult homes and moving to California to become movie stars. But the day before their grand adventure, a tragedy shattered their dreams and Cate has been on the run ever since, taking on different names and charting a new future. But after a shocking revelation, Cate understands that returning home is the only way she’ll be a whole person again.

My Thoughts:  My rating for this book is something I feel the need to explain. Although the book itself is probably a 3.5, my experience with the audiobook was easily 4 stars. I just really looked forward to listening to it and loved that it had a full cast of narrators. So it was a breeze to get through and I enjoyed the story overall. If I take a step back from the ~vibes~ and actually pick apart everything, I’d say it was still solid. It maybe just wasn’t anything super groundbreaking lol. The story is told from multiple perspectives and told mainly in the format of a documentary. So there’s some interviews sprinkled in, sidenotes from the main character interjected, and tabloid headlines read to you. Although all of this could get overwhelming, I thought the author did a great job of making it clear whose perspective you were now listening to. I loved that there was a little bit of low stakes mystery, some romance that leaves you guessing who will end up with who, and a big question mark as to what will happen when Cate Kay returns to the hometown she ran away from almost a decade ago. If you’re looking for a book that will feel like a change of pace, is quick to get through, and has a little bit of sapphic romance in there, I highly recommend this debut novel! I’m excited to see what this author will write next!

Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar

Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: Cyrus Shams is a young man grappling with an inheritance of violence and loss: his mother’s plane was shot down over the skies of the Persian Gulf in a senseless accident; his father’s life in America was circumscribed by his work killing chickens at a factory farm in the Midwest. Cyrus is a drunk, an addict, and a poet, whose obsession with martyrs leads him to examine the mysteries of his past—toward an uncle who rode through Iranian battlefields dressed as the angel of death to inspire and comfort the dying, and toward his mother, through a painting discovered in a Brooklyn art gallery that suggests she may not have been who or what she seemed.

My Thoughts: I’m not sure what I expected going into this book. I didn’t read the premise before starting it which I think may have been a slight detriment to my experience. The start of this book is definitely a slow burn. It’s not that the content isn’t interesting at the beginning, I just feel like the pace made it hard to stay engaged. There were also a few times when the audiobook’s narrator didn’t change the voice of a different character all that drastically, so I was lost on which character’s perspective I was currently listening to. After a little bit of clarifying Googling though, I finally got my footing with the format and the narrator’s different voices and was much more immersed in the story lol. This story was really unique and once I understood what was happening (lol), I felt much more connected to the characters and plot. Although Cyrus had a rough go in life with his mother dying in a plane crash when he was young and his father passing away unexpectedly, with the kicker of being an addict, I also felt like he was pretty selfish? I don’t know. I realize he’s extremely depressed and has been so caught up in this martyr obsession during his sobriety, but I think what he was planning to do was based on a storyline he was telling himself vs. something that was actually real. Overall, I liked this story, but there were just a few things that made it an inconsistent audiobook experience. 

The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai

THE GREAT BELIEVERS by Rebecca Makkai

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: In 1985, Yale Tishman, the development director for an art gallery in Chicago, is about to pull off an amazing coup, bringing in an extraordinary collection of 1920s paintings as a gift to the gallery. Yet as his career begins to flourish, the carnage of the AIDS epidemic grows around him. One by one, his friends are dying, and after his friend Nico's funeral, the virus circles closer and closer to Yale himself. Soon the only person he has left is Fiona, Nico's little sister. Thirty years later, Fiona is in Paris tracking down her estranged daughter who disappeared into a cult. While staying with an old friend, a famous photographer who documented the Chicago crisis, she finds herself finally grappling with the devastating ways AIDS affected her life and her relationship with her daughter. The two intertwining stories take us through the heartbreak of the eighties and the chaos of the modern world, as both Yale and Fiona struggle to find goodness in the midst of disaster.

My Thoughts: I had a couple of friends read this book last year and they raved about it. So I’m not sure why I decided to defer my audiobook hold in Libby so many times before borrowing it, but I’m so glad I finally did! The format switches between two main timelines and POVs. The past is told through the eyes of Yale Tishman who is a gay man living in Boystown Chicago during the build up and height of the AIDs epidemic. The present is told from the perspective of Fiona who is tracking her daughter down through Paris in 2015. She was the younger sister to one of the first men to die from the virus in Yale’s friend group and continued to be a pillar of support - literally as the power of attorney for some of them as their lives were coming to an end. I cannot express the rollercoaster of emotions this book put me through. Watching so many of these young men suffering because there’s no cure or end in sight to the AIDS epidemic was absolutely heartbreaking. However, it was also so beautiful how they rallied around each other when their friends were all they had. The storyline of Fiona looking for her daughter in Paris wasn’t AS impactful, but it kept me invested in her character arc between the 1980s and 2015. I don’t know man, I haven’t read a book that made my throat constrict like this in a while, and I highly recommend it. Not to mention, I learned SO MUCH about what the world was like when that epidemic was starting to hit the queer community and I am FLOORED it’s not talked about more. 

The Wedding People by Alison Espach

THE WEDDING PEOPLE by Alison Espach

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: It’s a beautiful day in Newport, Rhode Island, when Phoebe Stone arrives at the grand Cornwall Inn wearing a green dress and gold heels, not a bag in sight, alone. She's immediately mistaken by everyone in the lobby for one of the wedding people, but she’s actually the only guest at the Cornwall who isn’t here for the big event. Phoebe is here because she’s dreamed of coming for years—she hoped to shuck oysters and take sunset sails with her husband, only now she’s here without him, at rock bottom, and determined to have one last decadent splurge on herself. Meanwhile, the bride has accounted for every detail and every possible disaster the weekend might yield except for, well, Phoebe and Phoebe's plan—which makes it that much more surprising when the two women can’t stop confiding in each other.

My Thoughts: I feel like I’ve been hearing about this book everywhere lately, and I’m so glad I finally downloaded the audiobook. Phoebe is absolutely lost in her life. Her husband left her two years ago, her career has felt like it’s been idling for a while now, and she honestly isn’t sure what she’s doing anymore. Lost in a gaping abyss of “what is life?”, she books herself a room in a hotel that’s full of people there for a wedding and ends up getting incorporated in their full week of activities. I fucking loved Phoebe. She felt so real. Her heartache of a lost identity was palpable, her “I do not care what anyone thinks about me” attitude after she has a self-realization moment was so relatable, and I honestly loved how freaking smart and witty she was. All of the side characters made this story so entertaining. Like they were all SO flawed, but in the most charming ways. I laughed out loud multiple times and appreciated the endearing storylines they wove into this experience. This book does touch on some heavier topics including infertility, suicide, cheating, and more, so please check trigger warnings before jumping in, but I do recommend this book for sure!

Say You’ll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez

SAY YOU’LL REMEMBER ME by Abby Jimenez

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: There might be no such a thing as a perfect guy, but Xavier Rush comes disastrously close. A gorgeous veterinarian giving Greek god vibes—all while cuddling a tiny kitten? Immediately yes. That is until Xavier opens his mouth and proves that even sculpted gods can say the absolute wrong thing. Like, really wrong. Of course, there’s nothing Samantha loves more than proving an asshole wrong… unless, of course, he can admit he made a mistake. But after one incredible and seemingly endless date—possibly the best in living history—Samantha is forced to admit the truth, that her family is in crisis and any kind of relationship would be impossible. Samantha begs Xavier to forget her. To remember their night together as a perfect moment, as crushing as that may be. Only no amount of distance or time is nearly enough to forget that something between them. And the only thing better than one single perfect memory is to make a life—and even a love—worth remembering.

My Thoughts: I’m not sure how to start this review because I felt like every time I pressed play on the audiobook, it was a different experience lol. At the start of this god sent connection between Samantha and Xavier, the only thing that was missing were some crackers because oh my god the CHEESE. I’m not an instant-love trope girl and this isn’t TECHNICALLY instant-love, but it is very quick love. As their situation gets more complicated though, I appreciated that their relationship and the romance between them became more dynamic and complex as well. This book beautifully captures the emotional weight of a long-distance relationship—not just the need for trust, but the aching I wish I could hug them right now or I miss waking up next to them every day kind of longing. It’s that vulnerable yearning in your chest for someone who feels just out of reach. I also felt like the author handled the tougher topics of this book with such care - specifically a parent going through early onset dementia and the hard decisions a family has to make that come with those devastating situations. By the end of their story, I was completely sold on the strength of the chemistry and connection between Xavier and Samantha, and wholeheartedly loved how it wrapped up. This wasn’t my favorite Abby Jimenez book by any means, but she’s a kick ass writer and I think most romance readers would enjoy this book either way. Just please check trigger warnings before diving in!

That’s it for Pride Month!

Hopefully now that I’m a little more settled and am trying to be much more judicious with how I’m spending money, most of my time will be consumed by reading on my new couch in July.

2025 Book Count: 80

Add me on Goodreads if you haven’t already.

YOUR TURN! What is one of your favorite summer reads?

May 2025 Reads

Okay, I know I say this every month (and yes, I am working on freshening up my round-up intros), but this time I truly mean it: May was an absolute whirlwind.

If you read last month’s blog, you might remember I teased some exciting news… and now I can officially share:

I bought a condo!

This level of adulting definitely wasn’t on my 2025 bingo card, but thanks to a surprising turn of events, it just made sense to take the leap into my first-time homebuying era. It’s equal parts thrilling and terrifying, but the thought of my houseplants thriving in all the glorious, south-facing natural light AND having central A/C AND no bats? Worth it.

I just got the keys last week, so I’m still in the thick of moving everything over from my apartment. Fingers crossed I’ll be fully settled by next weekend, and in the meantime, I’m planning to power through some audiobooks while schlepping boxes like it's my latest cardio routine. (Because it is lol)

Anyway, let’s get into everything I read in May!

*All summaries are taken or paraphrased from Goodreads.  

Tale of the Heart Queen by Nisha J. Tuli

TALE OF THE HEART QUEEN by Nisha J. Tuli (Artefacts of Ouranos, #4)

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: After Lor makes the biggest mistake of her life, she finds herself on the run from the Aurora King and decides it's time to end this, once and for all. But when a new enemy emerges to claim her freedom, the entire fate of Ouranos comes to rest on her shoulders. As the land continues to rebel, Lor must admit she is the key to saving the continent, whether she likes it or not. To fight for Nadir, she must lie, steal, and do whatever it takes to hunt down the remaining arks. Growing more and more desperate, she worries her actions are turning her into something she doesn't recognize, dooming her to repeat her grandmother's mistakes. When the Aurora King finally comes for her, Lor ventures into the Underworld's shadowy depths, where, once again, she finds herself at the heart of another deadly test. Only this time, she’s competing for everyone's future, not just a crown. The only thing Lor ever wanted was to be free, but she may soon find she was always destined for a cage.

My Thoughts: YUUUS. A badass ending to an addictive fantasy series? Hell yes! I loved how every character arc and storyline felt satisfyingly wrapped up by the time I turned the last page. The previous book left us on quite the cliffhanger, which thankfully, the author addressed almost immediately in this one. At the start, Nadir is being held hostage in Ouranos’ heaven by the very Goddess everyone worships. To get him back, Lor has to collect the artefacts of all the world’s leaders and return them to the Goddess unharmed. Along the way, she uncovers more about the relics’ history and their deep connection to the Goddess’s own existence. Meanwhile, Gabriel is on a mission to expose the imposter king of Aphelion, and that’s when we start to learn what really happened to the true king - where he’s been all these years and why everyone thought he was dead. There’s action, romance, messy politics, scheming, and just the right amount of humor woven throughout this final installment of the Artefacts of Ouranos series, and honestly, I couldn’t have asked for a better ending!

Babel by R.F. Kuang

BABEL by R.F. Kuang

Rating: 3.25/5 stars

Summary: 1828. Robin Swift, orphaned by cholera in Canton, is brought to London by the mysterious Professor Lovell. There, he trains for years in Latin, Ancient Greek, and Chinese, all in preparation for the day he’ll enroll in Oxford University’s prestigious Royal Institute of Translation—also known as Babel. The tower and its students are the world's center for translation and, more importantly, magic. Silver-working—the art of manifesting the meaning lost in translation using enchanted silver bars—has made the British unparalleled in power, as the arcane craft serves the Empire's quest for colonization. For Robin, Oxford is a utopia dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge. But knowledge obeys power, and as a Chinese boy raised in Britain, Robin realizes serving Babel means betraying his motherland. As his studies progress, Robin finds himself caught between Babel and the shadowy Hermes Society, an organization dedicated to stopping imperial expansion. When Britain pursues an unjust war with China over silver and opium, Robin must decide . . . Can powerful institutions be changed from within, or does revolution always require violence?

My Thoughts: Yeesh. Okay, so I had high hopes for this one. I’ve heard nothing but great things about Babel for years, and I know R.F. Kuang is an incredibly talented author. TBH tho, this just didn’t quite live up to the hype for me. First off, this is a DENSE fantasy read. You really have to pay attention to keep up with all the characters, politics, and world-building. The magic system - based on alchemy and silver bars powered by the meaning and translation of language - is a cool concept, but I felt like it wasn’t as fleshed out as I wanted. It leans heavily into linguistics and etymology, which is interesting, but it also made parts of the book feel more like reading a textbook than a novel. There are even footnotes throughout, which added context but also slowed things down a bit. Where the book really shines is in how it tackles tough themes like racism, classism, misogyny, and the horrors of colonization. Robin and his group of friends each bring a unique perspective to those issues, and their experiences are definitely meaningful. That said, I wish we got more time to really connect with those side characters on a deeper level. Especially when big things start happening later in the story, I didn’t feel as emotionally impacted as I wanted to. Overall, I can see why this book is so highly praised. It’s smart, ambitious, and it has a lot to say. But for me, it just felt like a bit of a slog to get through and didn’t quite hit emotionally the way I hoped. If you’re into dark academia, alchemy-based fantasy, and books that dig deep into language and colonial history, it might be exactly your thing. Otherwise, this one might fall a little short like it did for me.

I Think We’ve Been Here Before by Suzy Krause

I THINK WE’VE BEEN HERE BEFORE by Suzy Krause

Rating: 3.25/5 stars

Summary: In the same week, Marlen and Hilda’s family receives two significant pieces of news: One, Marlen has been diagnosed with a terminal illness. Two, a cosmic blast is set to render humanity extinct within a matter of months. It seems the coming Christmas on their Saskatchewan farm could be everyone’s last. Preparing for the inevitable, they navigate the time they have left together. Marlen and Hilda channel their energy into improbably prophetic works of art. Hilda’s elderly father receives a longed-for visitor from his past. Hilda’s preteen nephew goes missing, and his mother refuses to believe the world is ending. All the while, Hilda’s daughter struggles to find her way home from Berlin with the help of an oddly familiar stranger. For everyone, there’s an unsettling feeling that this unprecedented reality is somehow something they all remember. As the planet holds its collective breath to see what happens next, the family—amid chaos, denial, acceptance, and hope—determines to live every moment as if it is their last. Because, well, it just might be.

My Thoughts: This was my book club’s latest pick, and the vibe was kind of like if The Measure by Nikki Erlick and The Midnight Library by Matt Haig had a baby lol. After the world learns that an unpreventable cosmic blast is about to end life as we know it, everyone is left trying to figure out how to spend their final days. The story follows seven different characters - mostly from the same family - each offering their own perspective on how to cope. Whether it’s through morbid humor, denial, avoidance, or quiet reflection, the book really makes you think about how you might respond to that kind of news. There’s also a bit of a Groundhog Day element, where characters experience intense déjà vu with certain situations or feel like they’ve met before. That said, I felt like the book was trying to juggle a lot of different themes and ideas, and because of that, none of them landed as powerfully as they could have. If you're into speculative fiction and end-of-the-world vibes, this might be up your alley. I just wasn’t totally blown away by it (pun not intended). 

Girl Serpent Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust

GIRL SERPENT THORN by Melissa Bashardoust

Rating: 2/5 stars

Summary: There was and there was not, as all stories begin, a princess cursed to be poisonous to the touch. But for Soraya, who has lived her life hidden away, apart from her family, safe only in her gardens, it’s not just a story. As the day of her twin brother’s wedding approaches, Soraya must decide if she’s willing to step outside of the shadows for the first time. Below in the dungeon is a demon who holds knowledge that she craves, the answer to her freedom. And above is a young man who isn’t afraid of her, whose eyes linger not with fear, but with an understanding of who she is beneath the poison. Soraya thought she knew her place in the world, but when her choices lead to consequences she never imagined, she begins to question who she is and who she is becoming...human or demon. Princess or monster.

My Thoughts: It’s a no from me, unfortunately. Objectively, this author has real talent - the writing itself is solid, and the premise had so much potential. But subjectively? It just didn’t meet my expectations. The story is inspired by Persian lore and centers around Soraya, a girl cursed with poison in her veins and any living thing that touches her bare skin dies. Despite being part of the royal family, Soraya is hidden away to protect others and herself. When she discovers there might be a way to break the curse that’s kept her isolated her whole life, she faces an impossible choice: betray her family and her realm, or stay imprisoned by fear and her own nature. At first, the book was just fine. Not bad, but not blowing me away either. But the deeper I got, the more the cracks started to show. One of my biggest issues was the lack of consistency in Soraya’s character arc. The author couldn’t seem to decide whether she should lean into her darker, braver side post-curse or remain the timid, haunted girl she’s always been. That lack of direction made it hard to connect with her. And to be honest, I didn’t love Soraya as a protagonist, but we also didn’t get to know the supporting characters well enough to really care about them either. A lot of the conflict felt like it could’ve been avoided if the royal family had just communicated better (shocker, right?). The bones of the story were strong, but it needed more depth and refinement to really land for me.

I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith

I CAPTURE THE CASTLE by Dodie Smith

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Summary: I Capture the Castle tells the story of seventeen-year-old Cassandra Mortmain and her family, who live in not-so-genteel poverty in a ramshackle old English castle. Here she strives, over six turbulent months, to hone her writing skills. She fills three notebooks with sharply funny yet poignant entries. Her journals candidly chronicle the great changes that take place within the castle's walls and her own first descent into love. By the time she pens her final entry, she has "captured the castle"-- and the heart of the reader-- in one of literature's most enchanting entertainments.

My Thoughts: BRO, LOL. I cannot with this story. Cassandra and her sister Rose are truly the worst. Their family is completely broke, yet somehow they’re still living in this crumbling old castle like it's no big deal. Then these rich, charming brothers show up, and Cassandra and Rose are immediately like, “Oh bet, let’s court them and solve all our financial problems.” Naturally, Rose goes after the brother Cassandra likes, which sends her spiraling. EVEN THOUGH the family’s stable/errand boy, Stephen, has been nothing but sweet, loyal, and clearly head-over-heels for Cassandra from the start. He is literally right there, heart eyes and all, and she barely notices. The whole book is basically Cassandra wallowing over her sister stealing her man. Then, plot twist, Rose is actually in love with the other brother, cue an enemies-to-lovers situation. Meanwhile, poor Stephen is out here basically on his knees for Cassandra, who continues to give absolutely nothing back. Honestly, if the writing itself wasn’t so charming, I would’ve given this one star. The fact that this book is considered a classic? Wild. I repeat for emphasis though, JUSTICE FOR STEPHEN. OMG.

King of Envy by Ana Huang

KING OF ENVY by Ana Huang (Kings of Sin, #5)

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Dangerous. Powerful. Reclusive. Vuk Markovic is notorious for shunning human interactions. The scarred billionaire rarely talks, and he has no interest in relationships outside his small but trusted circle. His only exception? Her. The beauty to his beast, the object of his obsession. He saw her first. He wanted her first. But now, she’s engaged to his oldest friend—and the closer the wedding looms, the more he’s torn between loyalty and desire. She should be his…and he might just risk it all to have her. | Beautiful. Successful. Glamorous. To the world, supermodel Ayana Kidane leads the perfect life. Her career has skyrocketed, and she’s engaged to one of New York’s most eligible bachelors. What people don't know is that the engagement is only a business arrangement. He gets his inheritance when they marry; she gets the money she needs to leave her abusive agency. Pretending to be in love should be easy—until she finds herself increasingly drawn to her fiancé’s enigmatic best man. Vuk thrills and terrifies her in equal measure. She knows she should stay away, but when her wedding is thrown into chaos, he’s the only person she finds comfort in… Until his past catches up with them and threatens everything they love.

My Thoughts: Ana Huang has a way of taking dark, mafia-esque romances and making them feel unexpectedly swoony - with just the right amount of fuzzy feels. Vuk is easily one of the scariest motherfuckers in this series (lol), and also one of the biggest enigmas. We’ve seen glimpses of him throughout a few of the Kings of Sin books, but up until now, all we really knew was that he’s filthy rich and barely speaks. So going into this, I was ready for his backstory. Ayana, who was introduced as a side character earlier in the series, finally gets her time to shine, and I’m so glad she did. Both she and Vuk are incredibly dynamic, each wrestling with current dilemmas that stem from past choices. Vuk is now the target of a fractured assassination ring, where whoever kills him first will be named king. On top of that, his best friend is marrying the woman he’s in love with, leaving him torn between loyalty and unresolved passion. Ayana, meanwhile, is trying to escape a toxic modeling contract by entering a marriage of convenience with her friend. But lately, she’s developed unexpected feelings for his best man, Vuk, and everything starts to get very complicated, very fast. After an unfortunate event forces their hands, the story leans into some typical tropes: forbidden romance, he-falls-first, and forced proximity. I absolutely love Ana Huang’s writing and have been hooked on this series from the start. While this wasn’t my favorite book in the lineup, it still totally hit the spot and satisfied my sweet smut tooth.

First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison

FIRST-TIME CALLER by B.K. Borison

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Aiden Valentine has a secret: he's fallen out of love with love. And as the host of Baltimore's romance hotline, that's a bit of a problem. But when a young girl calls in to the station asking for dating advice for her mom, the interview goes viral, thrusting Aiden and Heartstrings into the limelight. Lucie Stone thought she was doing just fine. She has a good job; an incredible family; and a smart, slightly devious kid. But when all of Baltimore is suddenly scrutinizing her love life-or lack thereof—she begins to question if she's as happy as she thought. Maybe a little more romance wouldn't be such a bad thing. Everyone wants Lucie to find her happy ending... even the handsome, temperamental man calling the shots. But when sparks start to fly behind the scenes, Lucie must make the final call between the radio-sponsored happily ever after or the man in the headphones next to her.

My Thoughts: THIS SHIT WAS CUTE. I listened to it on audiobook, which honestly felt like the perfect format for a story centered around a late-night romance radio show. The premise alone had me HOOKED, but the banter between Aiden and Lucie? Absolute perfection. Their quick, clever back-and-forths had me cracking up and blushing with secondhand swoony sweats. Their chemistry alone was off the charts, and I couldn't get enough of their dynamic. What really made this story special, though, was how relatable it felt. Lucie’s experience of just wanting to find genuine love in a world of endless dating apps and exhausting options was so honest and heartfelt. And Aiden?? The way he quietly showed up for her WRECKED me. (UM HELLO? He keeps a list of her favorite things in his glove compartment?? Sir. Melt my heart, why don’t you?) Also, I usually don’t gravitate toward single-parent tropes, but this one made me question if I’ve just been reading the wrong ones. Maybe I just needed a single mom representation to change my mind. If you’re in the mood for a romance that’ll have you cheesing and kicking your feet like a love-struck idiot, this is a 10/10 must-read.

Isola by Allegra Goodman

ISOLA by Allegra Goodman

Rating: 3.75/5 stars

Summary: Heir to a fortune, Marguerite is destined for a life of prosperity and gentility. Then she is orphaned, and her guardian—an enigmatic and volatile man—spends her inheritance and insists she accompany him on an expedition to New France. Isolated and afraid, Marguerite befriends her guardian’s servant and the two develop an intense attraction. But when their relationship is discovered, they are brutally punished and abandoned on a small island with no hope for rescue. Once a child of privilege who dressed in gowns and laced pearls in her hair, Marguerite finds herself at the mercy of nature. As the weather turns, blanketing the island in ice, she discovers a faith she’d never before needed.

My Thoughts: The fact that this is based on a true story is wild to me. This book is definitely a slow burn, and honestly, I’m not sure I would’ve made it through without the audiobook. That said, I do think it lives up to the hype. Set in the 16th century, the story follows Marguerite, an orphan whose guardian, Roberval, spends her inheritance on his expeditions for the French crown. During a forced voyage to New France, Roberval discovers Marguerite’s romance with his secretary, and as punishment, abandons her, her lover, and her loyal nursemaid on a remote island. What follows is a harrowing survival story as the three struggle to endure the brutal conditions and isolation of this unknown world. The arc of Marguerite’s character is what really pulled me in. Watching her grow from a naive, privileged girl into a resilient, resourceful woman was so satisfying. I do wish the romance had been given a little more time to build - it kind of appeared out of nowhere - but the emotional payoff still worked for me by the end. If you’re in the mood for an atmospheric, brooding survival story with historical roots, this is absolutely worth a read.

Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry

GREAT BIG BEAUTIFUL LIE by Emily Henry

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Alice Scott is an eternal optimist still dreaming of her big writing break. Hayden Anderson is a Pulitzer-prize winning human thundercloud. And they’re both on balmy Little Crescent Island for the same reason: To write the biography of a woman no one has seen in years--or at least to meet with the octogenarian who claims to be the Margaret Ives. Tragic heiress, former tabloid princess, and daughter of one of the most storied (and scandalous) families of the 20th Century. When Margaret invites them both for a one-month trial period, after which she’ll choose the person who’ll tell her story, there are three things keeping Alice’s head in the game. One: Alice genuinely likes people, which means people usually like Alice—and she has a whole month to win the legendary woman over. Two: She’s ready for this job and the chance to impress her perennially unimpressed family with a Serious Publication. Three: Hayden Anderson, who should have no reason to be concerned about losing this book, is glowering at her in a shaken-to-the core way that suggests he sees her as competition. But the problem is, Margaret is only giving each of them pieces of her story. Pieces they can’t swap to put together because of an ironclad NDA and an inconvenient yearning pulsing between them every time they’re in the same room. And it’s becoming abundantly clear that their story—just like the tale Margaret’s spinning—could be a mystery, tragedy, or love ballad…depending on who’s telling it.

My Thoughts: Okay, so this is the first Emily Henry book I’ve seen get more criticism than usual—but personally, I devoured it. A well-written romance with undertones of historical fiction and Julia Whelan narrating? Say less. What I really appreciated about this one is that Henry finally broke away from her usual formula. Don’t get me wrong, I love her signature approach to a love story, but this one meandered in a way that felt fresh and unexpected. The story centers around the famously reclusive heiress Margaret Ives, who is finally ready to share her life story. Alice, our main character, is one of two writers vying for the job of co-authoring Margaret’s biography. Her competition? Hayden Anderson, whose last co-authored book won a Pulitzer. No pressure though lol. They’re each given private interview time with Margaret, have to sign NDAs, and are forbidden from collaborating or sharing notes. But since they’re both stuck in the same tiny Georgia town for a month, their paths keep crossing. Their repeated run-ins are equal parts comical and brimming with sexual tension, and while both are hesitant to get involved due to the job at stake, the pull between them is undeniable. I was swooning over these two. And while we never fully know what Margaret is revealing to Hayden, it’s clear Alice is uncovering a lot about her past. I loved that this romance had extra layers to it - blending in mystery and historical fiction in a way that felt intentional and engaging. If you’re looking for a great summer read that’s full of heart and heat, this one’s a perfect pick.

Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins

SUNRISE ON THE REAPING by Suzanne Collins

Rating: 4.75/5 stars

Summary: When you’ve been set up to lose everything you love, what is there left to fight for? As the day dawns on the fiftieth annual Hunger Games, fear grips the districts of Panem. This year, in honor of the Quarter Quell, twice as many tributes will be taken from their homes. Back in District 12, Haymitch Abernathy is trying not to think too hard about his chances. All he cares about is making it through the day and being with the girl he loves. When Haymitch’s name is called, he can feel all his dreams break. He’s torn from his family and his love, shuttled to the Capitol with the three other District 12 tributes: a young friend who’s nearly a sister to him, a compulsive oddsmaker, and the most stuck-up girl in town. As the Games begin, Haymitch understands he’s been set up to fail. But there’s something in him that wants to fight . . . and have that fight reverberate far beyond the deadly arena.

My Thoughts: This book is what I wished the last prequel had been. It dives into the origin story of Haymitch - Katniss and Peeta’s mentor from the original series - and finally gives him the depth and backstory he deserves. He grows up in a poor family in District 12 and is completely in love with a girl from the Covey. On Reaping Day (which also happens to be his birthday), chaos breaks out when the boy selected for the Quarter Quell is killed trying to escape. Haymitch’s girlfriend gets caught in the crossfire, and as he tries to save her, he ends up being punished by becoming the replacement tribute. Cue the usual Hunger Games horrors: Capitol parades, training, and then being thrown into an arena to fight to the death. What I appreciated about this installment was how the tributes approached the Games differently. There was a fresh strategy to it that stood out from other books in the series. It also beautifully foreshadowed the events of the Quarter Quell in Catching Fire and gave us more insight into characters like Wiress, Beadie, Mags, and others we’ve met before. There are a lot of heartbreaking moments that really help you understand why Haymitch ends up the way he does by the time we meet him in the original trilogy. Still, it was powerful to see him in his prime when he was innocent, smart, strategic, and deeply empathetic. I highly recommend reading this one, but make sure you read The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes first (or just watch the movie. The adaptation is true to the storyline enough that you can skip the book if you’d rather not read it). Either way, this is a must for Hunger Games fans.

There’s Something About Mira by Sonali Dev

THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT MIRA by Sonali Dev

Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary: Mira Salvi has the perfect life—a job she loves, a fiancé everyone adores, and the secure future she’s always imagined for herself. Really, she hasn’t a thing to complain about, not even when she has to go on her engagement trip to New York alone. While playing tourist in the city, Mira chances upon a lost ring, and her social media post to locate its owner goes viral. With everyone trying to claim the ring, only one person seems to want to find its owner as badly as Mira: journalist Krish Hale. Brooding and arrogant, he will do anything to get to write this story. As Krish and Mira reluctantly join forces and jump into the adventure of tracing the ring back to where it belongs, Mira begins to wonder if she is in the right place in her own life. She had to have found this ring for a reason…right? Maybe, like the owner of the lost ring, her happy ending hasn’t been written yet either.

My Thoughts: Ugh. Okay. Even though this book is rated pretty highly on Goodreads, it was honestly just fine for me. I think the biggest disconnect was that it’s marketed as a rom-com which felt misleading. Yes, there’s romance, but the story also tackles a lot of heavy themes like sexual assault, parental abuse, and homophobia. The writing itself is objectively strong, but at times I found myself stumbling through it. There were moments that just didn’t quite land for me, which made it harder to stay fully immersed in the story. I did like the premise of Mira finding a ring on a NYC sidewalk and setting off to track down its owner while also, in a deeper sense, trying to find herself. Her journey to discover her own voice, especially in the context of her complicated family dynamic, was fulfilling. That said, I didn’t love how she seemed to jump from one relationship to another. It made some of her personal growth feel a little inconsequential or inconsistent. Overall, it’s a well-written book and I can understand why others have connected with it, which is why I gave it 3 stars. But I’m not sure it left enough of an impact for me to read it again or recommend it right away.

Against the Loveless World by Susan Abulhawa

AGAINST THE LOVELESS WORLD by Susan Abulhawa

Rating: 4.75/5 stars

Summary: As Nahr sits, locked away in solitary confinement, she spends her days reflecting on the dramatic events that landed her in prison in a country she barely knows. Born in Kuwait in the 70s to Palestinian refugees, she dreamed of falling in love with the perfect man, raising children, and possibly opening her own beauty salon. Instead, the man she thinks she loves jilts her after a brief marriage, her family teeters on the brink of poverty, she’s forced to prostitute herself, and the US invasion of Iraq makes her a refugee, as her parents had been. After trekking through another temporary home in Jordan, she lands in Palestine, where she finally makes a home, falls in love, and her destiny unfolds under Israeli occupation.

My Thoughts: This book had been sitting on my shelf for at least two years, and honestly, I’m glad I went with the audiobook. I'm not sure I would’ve made it through a physical read. It’s powerful, raw, unfiltered, and haunting in a way that makes it hard to look away. The story shifts between the present, with Nahr imprisoned in a cell, and the past, as she reflects on the winding path that led her there. She recounts her early life in Kuwait, her time as a refugee in Jordan, and her return to her homeland of Palestine. Her story is both heartbreaking and deeply moving. Nahr endures intense physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, yet along the way, she also finds moments of strength, love, and a powerful sense of self. I learned so much about the aftermath of Kuwait’s liberation from Iraq and the long-standing, deeply rooted conflict between Israel and Palestine. The writing reads almost like a memoir wrapped in historical fiction - it’s intimate, reflective, and unapologetically honest. I highly recommend checking the trigger warnings before diving in. It’s intense, but it’s the kind of literary experience that stays with you long after it ends.

That’s it for May!

As I mentioned earlier, I’m in the midst of moving right now, so I’m not sure how much I’ll be reading until I’m fully settled at my new place, but I’m hoping to still crank through some audiobooks during this process. 

2025 Book Count: 71

Add me on Goodreads if you haven’t already.

YOUR TURN! What is one of your favorite books to read during Pride Month?

April 2025 Reads

Somehow, April came and went in a blink and honestly, I’m still trying to figure out where those 30 days went.

Thankfully, spring is finally here. This time of year always fills me with a fresh sense of hope: for summer, for life in general, and for everything my winter brain had been quietly suppressing for the past several months.

One bookish highlight from the month: I had the chance to attend the Midwest Literary Walk in Chelsea, where Shelby Van Pelt, author of Remarkably Bright Creatures, hosted a Q&A. It was really cool hearing her talk about her writing process, the inspiration behind the story, and all the fun facts she learned about octopuses along the way. If you haven’t picked up her book yet, I highly recommend it!

Otherwise, there’s some pretty exciting news I’m not quite ready to share yet, but definitely will in next month’s reading round-up. So stay tuned!

Now, let’s dive into everything I read in April.

*All summaries are taken or paraphrased from Goodreads.

Not Another Love Song by Julie Soto

NOT ANOTHER LOVE SONG by Julie Soto

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Gwen Jackson and Xander Thorne are both musical prodigies, but each has had very different paths to success. Xander was born into classical music royalty, while Gwen had a natural ear for music that was nurtured by a kind shop owner. After Gwen performs at his friend’s wedding, she’s mortified when she realizes Xander has no clue who she is—despite having worked together for a year at the Pops Orchestra. But she’s more furious that he arrogantly critiques her performance. When Gwen is offered the role of First Chair of the orchestra, something Xander had secretly coveted for years, their existing hostility goes up a notch. But their respect for each other's music is undeniable, and their onstage chemistry off the scale. As they begin to explore their feelings for one another, suddenly they're box office dynamite and the fragile romance that's growing between them is in danger of being crushed beneath a publicity stunt...

My Thoughts: After a March filled with non-fiction, thrillers, and a couple of chunky fantasies, the romance reader in me was STARVING, and this book ATE. It was fresh, electric, and completely unlike anything I’ve read in the genre lately. Gwen Jackson is a brilliant violinist with an unconventional background - no fancy training, just raw talent and lessons from the owner of a small local music shop. Now performing with the city orchestra, she’s doing everything by the book… until Xander Thorne enters her life. He’s a musical prodigy and the bassist of one of Gwen’s favorite bands, and from the moment they meet, everything changes. The tension between these two? Absolutely PALPABLE. Every interaction crackles, not just with words but with music. Their connection when they play together had me SCREAMING. The chemistry was unreal, and I could not get enough of watching Xander be so fuckin gone over this woman. This is easily one of the best enemies-to-lovers arcs I’ve read in a hot minute. Even if you’re not musically inclined (I’m not), the way the author conveys emotion through their performances is breathtaking. You feel the music, the longing, the passion in every scene. If you’re a music lover or just want a romance that feels totally different from the usual, this one is a must-read. I loved Julie Soto’s Forget Me Not, but I was salivating over this one. 

Silver in the Bone by Alexandra Bracken

SILVER IN THE BONE by Alexandra Bracken

Rating: 3.75/5 stars

Summary: Born without a trace of magic, Tamsin Lark is no match for the sorceresses and Hollowers who populate the magical underground of Boston. But when the only parent she’s ever known disappears without so much as a goodbye, she has no choice but to join in their cutthroat pursuit of enchanted relics to keep herself—and her brother, Cabell—alive. Ten years later, rumors are swirling that her guardian found a powerful ring from Arthurian legend just before he vanished. A run-in with her rival Emrys ignites Tamsin’s hope that the ring could free Cabell from a curse that threatens both of them. But they aren’t the only ones who covet the ring. As word spreads, greedy Hollowers start circling, and many would kill to have it for themselves. While Emrys is the last person Tamsin would choose to partner with, she needs all the help she can get to edge out her competitors in the race for the ring. Together, they dive headfirst into a vipers’ nest of dark magic, exposing a deadly secret with the power to awaken ghosts of the past and shatter her last hope of saving her brother. . . .

My Thoughts: Okay, I won’t lie. My expectations for this book weren’t super high since I grabbed it for like $4 at an Ollie’s Bargain Outlet in my hometown lol. But once I started the audiobook, I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly it pulled me in. Tamsin and her brother Cabell have only ever known life as Hollowers—magical treasure hunters who retrieve powerful, often cursed artifacts hidden in ancient places. Though most Hollowers are magic-wielders, Tamsin wasn’t gifted with the Sight. Still, her guardian Nash raised her as a Hollower-in-training. Ten years after Nash mysteriously disappears, Tamsin learns he was hunting down a legendary enchanted ring tied to King Arthur lore. That discovery kicks off a dangerous race between her and her rival Emrys to find the ring—a relic that could be the key to breaking a curse threatening her and Cabelll. This book is jam packed with magical constructs—from Arthurian legends to present-day Hollowers and sorceresses—so you have to pay close attention to keep track of everyone’s role. The first third of this story had me hooked. I loved getting to know the characters, watching their dynamics unfold, and tracking the different stages of their treacherous quest. Once the group entered Avalon, though, the pacing dipped for me. There were still battle scenes, some scheming, and solid character development, but I found myself getting a little bored. Thankfully, the final third picked the pace back up with a strong dose of action and emotional turmoil—I may or may not have gotten a little misty-eyed whilst listening in the car lol. Overall, this book felt like a refreshing addition to the fantasy genre. It bounced between a 3.5 and 4-star read for me the whole way through (so let’s call it a 3.75). That ending definitely left me wanting more, and I’m excited to see what the next book brings.

Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera

LISTEN FOR THE LIE by Amy Tintera

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: What if you thought you murdered your best friend? And if everyone else thought so too? And what if the truth doesn't matter? Lucy and Savvy were the golden girls of their small Texas town: pretty, smart, and enviable. Lucy married a dream guy with a big ring and an even bigger new home. Savvy was the social butterfly loved by all and, if you believe the rumors, especially popular with the men in town. But after Lucy is found wandering the streets, covered in her best friend Savvy’s blood, everyone thinks she is a murderer. It’s been years since that horrible night, a night Lucy can’t remember anything about, and she has since moved to LA and started a new life. But now the phenomenally huge hit true crime podcast Listen for the Lie and its too-good looking host, Ben Owens, have decided to investigate Savvy’s murder for the show’s second season. Lucy is forced to return to the place she vowed never to set foot in again to solve her friend’s murder, even if she is the one who did it. The truth is out there, if we just listen.

My Thoughts: If you’re even remotely into audiobooks, do yourself a favor and listen to Listen for the Lie in that format. It is absolutely ADDICTING. Lucy hasn’t set foot in her hometown since rumors started spreading that she was the one who murdered her best friend, Savvy. The case was never solved, but now it’s being picked up by a wildly popular true crime podcast, thrusting Lucy’s name back into the spotlight. As if that wasn’t enough, her grandmother guilt-trips her into coming home for her 80th birthday celebration. Returning to Plumpton, Texas is the last thing Lucy wants, but when the podcast’s host, Ben Owens, reaches out, something shifts. Instead of avoiding the media storm, she agrees to an interview and decides it might finally be time to dig into what really happened that night. Maybe even recover the memories she’s blocked out. This story is unputdownable. The narrative seamlessly switches between Lucy’s present-day perspective, flashbacks from the past, and transcripts from Ben’s podcast episodes. The tension builds beautifully - I never knew who to trust, and the mystery surrounding Savvy’s death kept me hooked until the very end. You also get a deeper look into Lucy and Savvy’s friendship, which adds so much emotional depth. There’s also a light romantic subplot that adds just the right amount of warmth, but I won’t give away any spoilers lol. If you're a fan of true crime podcasts, twisty thrillers, or stories that will live rent-free in your brain, Listen for the Lie is an absolute must-read.

Wild Love by Elsie Silver

WILD LOVE by Elsie Silver (Rose Hill #1)

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: The kind of wild that comes with wanting your best friend's little sister and knowing you can't have her. Forbes may have labeled Ford Grant the World's Hottest Billionaire, but all he cares about is escaping the press and opening a recording studio in gorgeous small town Rose Hill. Something that comes to a screeching halt when he ends up face-to-face with a young girl who claims he's her biological father. Now, he spends his days balancing business with parenting a sullen twelve-year-old, all while trying desperately to keep his hands the hell off his best friend's sister, Rosie Belmont. After living in the city, Rosie came blasting back into town like a storm. Beautiful, messy, and chaotic. And one wide-eyed, desperate plea for a job is all it takes for Ford to hire her. He vows to keep her at arm's length. Tries to stick to scowls and grumpy one-liners. But with her, verbal sparring is a type of foreplay―friction that soon turns to blistering heat. Ford knows damn well he shouldn't cross this line. But shouldn't and can't are two very different things. And the only thing he truly can't do is resist her.

My thoughts: Elsie Silver really knows how to write a swoon-worthy country boy romance. If you've been cowboy curious but aren’t quite ready to go full YEEHAW, this book strikes the perfect Goldilocks balance. At the center of it all is Ford Grant, a billionaire music producer retreating from the spotlight to build a recording studio in the quiet, remote town of Rose Hill. He’s not exactly a grump, but he is all business and tough to crack until his world gets turned upside down. First, a 12-year-old goth girl shows up claiming to be his biological daughter. Then, Rosie Belmont, his childhood crush and the woman he’s been secretly pining for, returns to town after more than a decade away. Suddenly, Ford’s juggling a surprise daughter, his booming business, and unresolved feelings for Rosie, who’s also navigating major life changes of her own. She’s just ended a long-term relationship and is unsure of her next steps, both professionally and personally. Watching Ford and Rosie reconnect was so freaking lovely. Their chemistry is undeniable, and their opposite personalities played perfectly off each other. Rosie’s vibrant, impulsive energy against Ford’s calm, controlled demeanor makes for a compelling and often hilarious dynamic. The spice level? Muy caliente. And Ford’s emo daughter provides top-tier comedic relief throughout. If you're in the mood for a romance with small-town charm, emotional depth, and just a touch of cowboy flavor, this book is a perfect pick.

Wild Eyes by Elsie Silver

WILD EYES by Elsie Silver (Rose Hill, #2)

Rating: 3.75/5 stars

Summary: A rugged mountain town seemed like the perfect escape from a life in shambles. But on day one I ran full tilt into the world’s hottest single dad and now all my plans are ruined. As a chart-topping country singer with a recent streak of bad press, it’s hard to find any peace. But I find it in Rose Hill. With a little boy and a little girl who steal my heart just as thoroughly as their dad. Weston Belmont. The man is a shameless flirt. He oozes confidence and masculinity in a way that’s downright distracting. And in bed? He’s addictive. Everything with him is wild and impulsive and I’m desperate to regain some control. But no one has supported me like West does. And no one has ever made me feel as loved as he does either. So, while my brain says settling down with a small-town horse trainer is impossible… my heart says I’m right where I belong. Still, my life as a celebrity haunts me. It has the power to pull us apart. I can see in his eyes that wants me to stay. And I want that too. But I know better than anyone that we don’t always get what we want.

My Thoughts: I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I’m picky about the single-dad trope. It can either be heart-melting perfection or way too cheesy. This book landed somewhere in between, but in the best way possible. Weston Belmont is the golden retriever of the series. He’s always smiling, endlessly energetic, and beloved by everyone in town. So when country pop star Skylar Stone escapes her high-profile life and ends up in the quiet town of Rose Hill, it’s no surprise that Weston is the first person she meets. While Weston has his own inner struggles, the heart of this story really belongs to Skylar. Having grown up in the spotlight, she’s never had the space to figure out who she is outside of her fame. This book is as much about her self-discovery and confidence-building as it is about the romance. Weston’s two kids completely stole the show for me though. His six-year-old daughter is lovingly referred to as “feral,” and she is pure, tiny chaos in the most enjoyable way. His son, the quiet bookworm, is her complete opposite, and together they bring both sweetness and laugh-out-loud moments that balance out the emotional depth of the story. If you love a good single-dad romance or have a soft spot for horse trainers and country charm, Elsie Silver delivers big time with this one.

Wild Side by Elsie Silver

WILD SIDE by Elsie Silver (Rose Hill, #3)

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: I’d always dreamed of my wedding day. But not like this. Not looking into the eyes of the man who betrayed me. But when my nephew’s guardianship is contested, I decide I’ll do whatever it takes to keep him in Rose Hill. Even if it means marrying the enemy. Rhys Dupris. A man who is secretive, broody, and completely infuriating. A man whose work takes him away for weeks on end and brings him back covered in mysterious bruises—ones he won’t talk about. In fact, we barely talk at all. Which would be fine, except when he’s not talking, he’s staring. And the way he looks at me is borderline indecent. The tension between us has always been palpable. But living under the same roof is a dangerous temptation. I swore I would never forgive him. But that was before I knew the man behind the mask. The one who’s fierce and protective. The one who’s gentle and patient. The one who shows up for us when we need him most. He’s not at all who I thought he was. And that makes hating my husband so much harder… and loving him just a little too easy.

My Thoughts: Okay LOL. This book was wildly unexpected in the best way and so imaginative that at times I wasn’t sure if I was fully on board with what it was doing, but in the end, it won me over. The romance between Tabby, the fiery, no-nonsense local restaurant owner, and Rhys Dupris, the broody but tender-hearted gentle giant, absolutely delivered. It features some of my favorite tropes: enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, fake dating, and he-falls-first, and balances heat, humor, and heart with real vulnerability from both characters. I especially appreciated how their emotional walls came down together, making their trust feel mutual and earned instead of one person "fixing" the other. If you're in the mood for a romance that's off the beaten path (or if you happen to love WWE lol) you should definitely give this one a shot.

James by Percival Everett

JAMES by Percival Everett

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: When Jim overhears that he is about to be sold to a man in New Orleans, separated from his wife and daughter forever, he runs away until he can formulate a plan. Meanwhile, Huck has faked his own death to escape his violent father. As all readers of American literature know, thus begins the dangerous and transcendent journey by raft down the Mississippi River toward the elusive and unreliable promise of the Free States and beyond.

My Thoughts: This book was SO clever. It’s a powerful retelling of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn told from Jim’s point of view. After overhearing that he’s about to be separated from his family and sold to another plantation, Jim escapes, setting off a tense and emotional journey. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, rooting for his survival and hoping he’d make it back to his loved ones. The story closely follows many of the original’s major events but strays where necessary to fully depict the brutal, dehumanizing reality of slavery - something the original, told through the lens of a naive white child, didn’t fully capture. One of the most compelling aspects was Jim’s transformation into James. Initially forced to play the ignorant fool in front of white people as a survival tactic, he gradually reveals himself as a deeply intelligent, self-possessed man and a true leader among his community. The pacing slowed for me in the final third, mostly because the direction of James’s story became a bit unclear. Still, the impact of this novel is undeniable. It’s a thought-provoking read that I highly recommend if you haven’t picked it up yet.

The Favorites by Layne Fargo

THE FAVORITES by Layne Fargo

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Even though she doesn't come from a prestigious background or have a family to support her financially or emotionally, Katarina Shaw has always known she was destined to become an Olympic skating star. When she meets Heath Rocha, a quiet, solitary orphan, the two instantly form a deep connection that makes them a formidable pair—both on the ice and in life. Clinging to skating as a way to escape their troubled lives and rewrite their futures, Kat and Heath quickly rise from promising newcomers to unstoppable champions in ice dance. Beautiful, bold, and unafraid to show their passion even on the ice, the duo wins over audiences with their electric chemistry, rebellious style, and rollercoaster relationship. But everything comes crashing down when a shocking incident at the Sochi Olympics suddenly ends their story. As the tenth anniversary of their final performance approaches, an unauthorized documentary reignites the public’s obsession with Kat and Heath, promising to reveal what really happened between them. Kat wants nothing to do with the documentary—but she also can’t stand the idea of someone else defining her truth. So, after a decade of silence, she decides to tell her side of the story—from the childhood tragedies that forged her all-consuming bond with Heath, to the conflicts and misunderstandings that eventually drove them apart. What are we willing to sacrifice in pursuit of a dream?

My Thoughts: Two words: THE DRAMA. I did not expect this much suspense from a romance centered on ice dancers—and I was hooked. Listening to the audiobook was absolutely the right call; the format felt like a true-crime documentary unfolding in real time, with the careers and personal lives of Katarina Shaw and Heath Rocha at the center. Told through a mix of interviews with people who witnessed the chaos firsthand and flashbacks from both Katarina’s and Heath’s POVs, the story slowly reveals how this unbeatable duo fell apart, became estranged, then came back together years later. I was so invested, even though, honestly, none of the characters are particularly likable. That’s why the writing was so freaking good though. The author leans fully into the drama without turning these very flawed young people into flat-out villains. Their messy, self-sabotaging choices are frustrating, but you still keep wanting more. There are a couple of absolute PEARL CLUTCHING moments, but by the end, they make sense. If you're looking for a book packed with twists, emotional tension, and just enough softness to balance the angst, this is it. It wasn’t at all what I expected, but I’m so glad I picked it up.

A History of Wild Places by Shea Ernshaw

A HISTORY OF WILD PLACES by Shea Ernshaw

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Travis Wren has an unusual talent for locating missing people. Hired by families as a last resort, he requires only a single object to find the person who has vanished. When he takes on the case of Maggie St. James—a well-known author of dark, macabre children’s books—he’s led to a place many believed to be only a legend. Called "Pastoral," this reclusive community was founded in the 1970s by like-minded people searching for a simpler way of life. By all accounts, the commune shouldn’t exist anymore and soon after Travis stumbles upon it… he disappears. Just like Maggie St. James. Years later, Theo, a lifelong member of Pastoral, discovers Travis’s abandoned truck beyond the border of the community. No one is allowed in or out, not when there’s a risk of bringing a disease—rot—into Pastoral. Unraveling the mystery of what happened reveals secrets that Theo, his wife, Calla, and her sister, Bee, keep from one another. Secrets that prove their perfect, isolated world isn’t as safe as they believed—and that darkness takes many forms.

My Thoughts: This book has been sitting on my shelf for a while and I finally decided to grab the audiobook on Libby. It did not go the way I expected it to. At first, I thought it’d follow this famous investigator, Travis Wren, as he looks for a missing woman named Maggie St. James. His search leads him to a remote community called Pastoral. The reclusive co-op has become somewhat of an urban legend to the locals over the years since it was originally settled by some hippies in the 1970s. The book then switches the POVs of three characters, Theo, Calla, and Bee two years later. Theo is curious as to what’s outside of Pastoral. Calla is terrified to cross the border of Pastoral and catch “the pox,” and Bee has a dark secret she’s had to keep for years from the entire community. I can’t say I wasn’t hooked on the big mystery of where Maggie St. James and Travis Wren went after they entered Pastoral. The plot twist hit like 0.2 seconds after I realized what it was going to be, but I loved that there was still so much more to explore before the book came to an end. If you like mysteries, but not necessarily thrillers, this would be a great book. It does have a couple of gross scenes, but nothing that will haunt your dreams or anything lol. 

Good Material by Dolly Alderton

GOOD MATERIAL by DOLLY ALDERTON

Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary: Andy loves Jen. Jen loved Andy. And he can't work out why she stopped. Now he is. . . Without a home. Waiting for his stand-up career to take off. Wondering why everyone else around him seems to have grown up while he wasn't looking. Set adrift on the sea of heartbreak, Andy clings to the idea of solving the puzzle of his ruined relationship. Because if he can find the answer to that, then maybe Jen can find her way back to him. But Andy still has a lot to learn, not least his ex-girlfriend's side of the story…

My Thoughts: Let me just say, I both loved and loathed this book (in the best way possible). If you’re curious about what it feels like to be trapped inside the spiraling mind of a 35-year-old man post-breakup, this is the book for you. Andy is absolutely lost after Jen, the woman he’s loved for two years, abruptly ends their relationship. He’s grieving not only the relationship itself, but also the future he imagined with her. And though he doesn’t fully understand what triggered the breakup, he clings to the hope that the door isn’t fully closed. Y’ALL. Andy’s spiral is both hilarious and painfully relatable. There are so many laugh-out-loud moments born from his desperation and chaos as he tries to rebuild his life. Major kudos to the author for taking us on this emotional ride without ever villainizing Jen. In fact, the final section from Jen’s perspective is so important because it reframes the story, showing that neither character is perfect, but also that no one is necessarily at fault. This book offers some phenomenal commentary: how many men don’t have healthy outlets for their emotions, the flawed belief that women must be unhappy unless they’re in a relationship, and the misguided expectation that all women want a family. Even though I gave it 3 stars, that rating doesn’t reflect a lack of depth or quality, just that the characters are intentionally unlikable, which can be a lot. But if you enjoy British humor, emotional messiness, and character-driven narratives, definitely give this one a try.

Trial of the Sun Queen by Nisha J. Tuli

TRIAL OF THE SUN QUEEN by Nisha J. Tuli (Artefacts of Ouranos #1)

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: Ten women. A deadly contest. Only one can win the Sun King's heart. Lor has endured twelve long years of torment under the Aurora King’s rule. Her only desire is to escape and pay him back for every moment of misery she's endured. When a surprise release finds her in the hands of the rival Sun King, Lor is thrust into the spotlight as she competes against nine other Tributes for the role of queen. If she wins his heart, she'll earn her freedom and finally get her revenge. But Lor doesn't belong in the Sun Queen Trials. Not only does she not understand why she was freed, she isn’t a citizen of the Sun King’s court. The other Tributes resent her presence and will stop at nothing to ensure Lor is removed from the competition, permanently. Now Lor must win, because if she loses, she dies. Or worse, she'll be returned to the evil—and now vengeful—Aurora King.

My Thoughts: This book felt like The Selection and Throne of Glass had a love child — with a healthy dash of smut thrown in for good measure. Lor was thrown into the toughest prison on the continent of Ouranos by the Aurora King when she was just a child. After enduring twelve years of torment, starvation, and abuse, she’s unexpectedly “released” to compete in the Trials of the Sun Queen, hosted by Aphelion’s Sun King. As the only human competing against nine Fae women, Lor faces impossible odds at every turn. She’s one of the scrappiest and most resilient characters I’ve read in a while — brash, sure, but honestly, that’s exactly the attitude needed to survive the trials and rescue her siblings still trapped in Aurora. After spending most of her life behind bars, it’s no surprise Lor doesn’t trust easily. And as more secrets come to light about the real reason the Sun King wants her to compete, it becomes clear that keeping people at arm’s length might just save her life. This book was such an easy, bingeable read without sacrificing quality. The magic system isn’t overly complicated, the stakes are clear from the start, and the author smartly weaves in different character POVs to give a broader view of what’s happening across Ouranos beyond just the Sun Trials. Was this book perfect? No. Was it everything I needed it to be? Absolutely.

Rule of the Aurora King by Nisha J. Tuli

RULE OF THE AURORA KING by Nisha J. Tuli (Artefacts of Ouranos, #2)

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: “I am not his conquest. I am not his to claim. I am my own castle.” Freed from the golden clutches of the Sun King, Lor now finds herself in the hands of Nadir, the Aurora Prince. Convinced she’s hiding something, he’s willing to do whatever it takes to make her talk. But Lor knows the value of secrets—she’s been keeping them her entire life—and she’s not letting hers go without a fight. When Lor and Nadir team up to search for a lost item that holds the key to her past and her future, she isn’t sure she can trust him. All she knows is she won’t fall for another royal fae’s promises again. With the Sun King determined to reclaim her, Lor must keep on the move, but nowhere is safe. Not until she destroys him and the Aurora King. But she soon learns that the future of Ouranos depends on much more than avenging her shattered legacy. 

My Thoughts: Okay, yaaaass!! We love when the second book in a series holds its own instead of just feeling like a fluffy bridge between books one and three. Now that Lor is out of the Sun King's grasp, she finds herself back in Aurora — this time under the watchful eye of Prince Nadir. He's determined to figure out why she’s so valuable to both his father (whom he loathes) and the Sun King, while Lor is just trying to keep her past under wraps because #trustissues. Even though they butt heads like nobody’s business, it quickly becomes clear they’ll have to work together to find something Lor needs to unlock her magic. I absolutely loved the tension simmering between these two — it was visceral in every interaction. Plus, with the story mainly split between Lor’s and Nadir’s POVs, we got a much deeper look into Nadir’s character, which made their dynamic even better. We also get a few chapters from the perspective of the legendary Heart Queen, shedding light on how the world of Ouranos was shaken and what really happened before its magic disappeared for half a century. Overall, this was such a strong second installment, and I cannot wait to dive into the third book!

Fate of the Sun King by Nisha J. Tuli

FATE OF THE SUN KING by Nisha J. Tuli (Artefacts of Ouranos, #3)

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: With the Heart Crown now in her possession, Lor must navigate the dangers of being an heir on the run, knowing more than one power-hungry ruler is after her blood. When she returns to Aphelion to unlock her magic and recover her family's legacy, it becomes clearer than ever that all that’s gold doesn’t sparkle. No stranger to battles, she continues to fight her attraction to the Aurora Prince, understanding this might be the one she finally loses. As the past mixes with the present, Lor uncovers the truth about the Artefacts and their role in shaping her destiny. Now, her future hangs in the balance, leaving her closer than ever to getting everything she's ever wanted... or losing it all forever.

My Thoughts: Y’all. I FLEW through this book. Now that Lor has managed to unlock her magic a little bit and find the Crown of Heart, it’s finally time for her to take back the kingdom and legacy that rightfully belong to her. With the help of a motley crew made up of her siblings, the Prince and Princess of Aurora, and a few others, Lor starts to see the bigger picture of what’s truly at stake when it comes to reclaiming her throne and her future. While trying to stay under the radar of both the Sun King and the King of Aurora, the group works to uncover who knew about Lor’s existence, why it feels like every High Fae royal is trying to use her, and the deeper truths behind each kingdom’s artefacts. Not to spoil anything, but the author finally gave us the payoff we’ve been waiting for since book one, and it was so satisfying. I absolutely loved seeing a softer side of Lor in this book, and the character development across the board was fantastic — even a character I was convinced I didn’t like made a redemption arc that completely won me over. And THE ENDING?? I cannot believe the author had the audacity to leave us hanging like that. Obviously, I’ll be diving straight into the final book.

Alex & Eliza by Melissa de la Cruz

ALEX & ELIZA by Melissa de la Cruz

Rating: 2.5/5 stars

Summary: 1777. Albany, New York. As battle cries of the American Revolution echo in the distance, servants flutter about preparing for one of New York society’s biggest events: the Schuylers’ grand ball. Descended from two of the oldest and most distinguished bloodlines in New York, the Schuylers are proud to be one of their fledgling country’s founding families, and even prouder still of their three daughters—Angelica, with her razor-sharp wit; Peggy, with her dazzling looks; and Eliza, whose beauty and charm rival that of both her sisters, though she’d rather be aiding the colonists’ cause than dressing up for some silly ball. Still, she can barely contain her excitement when she hears of the arrival of one Alexander Hamilton, a mysterious, rakish young colonel and General George Washington’s right-hand man. Though Alex has arrived as the bearer of bad news for the Schuylers, he can’t believe his luck—as an orphan, and a bastard one at that—to be in such esteemed company. And when Alex and Eliza meet that fateful night, so begins an epic love story that would forever change the course of American history.

My Thoughts: Okay, it’s not that this book was bad or poorly written — I just found myself getting really bored and zoning out more than once. It might’ve been a victim of my mood reading, because a low-stakes, Revolutionary War romance just wasn’t hitting for me right now. I’m pretty sure if I had picked it up during one of those phases where I’m obsessed with 1700s -1800s romances, I would’ve enjoyed it a lot more. The story basically follows Alexander Hamilton and Eliza Schuyler circling each other for years. While they both start developing feelings, Alexander comes from nothing and has no fortune, making him a less-than-ideal match — especially once Eliza’s family falls into poverty after events during the Revolutionary War. To no one’s surprise though, love obviously prevails, and despite his lack of money, Eliza chooses him anyway. Overall, this would be a great introduction to romances in that era for anyone new to the genre or looking for a PG-rated love story. Otherwise, for me, it’s probably not a book I’ll remember a few months from now.

The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali

THE LION WOMEN OF TEHRAN by Marjan Kamali

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: In 1950s Tehran, seven-year-old Ellie lives in grand comfort until the untimely death of her father, forcing Ellie and her mother to move to a tiny home downtown. Lonely and bearing the brunt of her mother’s endless grievances, Ellie dreams of a friend to alleviate her isolation. Luckily, on the first day of school, she meets Homa, a kind, passionate girl with a brave and irrepressible spirit. Together, the two girls play games, learn to cook in the stone kitchen of Homa’s warm home, wander through the colorful stalls of the Grand Bazaar, and share their ambitions for becoming “lion women.” But their happiness is disrupted when Ellie and her mother are afforded the opportunity to return to their previous bourgeois life. Now a popular student at the best girls’ high school in Iran, Ellie’s memories of Homa begin to fade. Years later, however, her sudden reappearance in Ellie’s privileged world alters the course of both of their lives. Together, the two young women come of age and pursue their own goals for meaningful futures. But as the political turmoil in Iran builds to a breaking point, one earth-shattering betrayal will have enormous consequences.

My Thoughts: This is a story that will stay with me for a long time. Spanning from the 1950s through several decades, it follows the lives of Ellie Soltani and Homa Roozbeh - two girls from very different backgrounds who become fast friends at age seven, after Ellie and her mother are forced to move to Homa’s neighborhood following the death of Ellie’s father. Though the girls are inseparable for a few years, their lives begin to diverge when Ellie and her mother return to the wealthier part of Tehran to live with her uncle. This cycle of connection and separation continues as their lives unfold against the backdrop of the Iranian Revolution. The novel explores a wide range of themes including classism, feminism, political activism, immigration, and more, through deeply personal and emotional storytelling. While the book is primarily told through Ellie’s perspective, I was glad we also got chapters from Homa’s point of view because it added much more depth to both characters. Personally, I found myself connecting more with Homa, but her perspective also made it clear why Ellie would remain such an important person in her life. Beyond the story of friendship and identity, I learned SO much about Iran’s political history, from the unrest that mirrored the West’s “Red Scare” to the rise of the country’s current oppressive regime. This was one of the most powerful coming-of-age stories I’ve ever read, and I truly can’t recommend it enough.

The Circus Train by Amita Parikh

THE CIRCUS TRAIN by Amita Parikh

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: Lena Papadopoulos has never quite found her place within the circus, even as the daughter of the extraordinary headlining illusionist, Theo. Brilliant and curious, Lena yearns for the real-world magic of science and medicine, despite her father's overprotection and the limits her world places on her because she is disabled. Her unconventional life takes an exciting turn when she rescues Alexandre, an orphan with his own secrets and a mysterious past. Over several years, as their friendship flourishes and Alexandre trains as the illusionist's apprentice, World War II escalates around them. When Theo and Alexandre are contracted to work and perform in a model town for Jews set up by the Nazis, Lena becomes separated from everything she knows. Forced to make her own way, Lena must confront her doubts and dare to believe in the impossible--herself.

My Thoughts: I am genuinely mad at myself for waiting so long to read this book. It sat untouched on my shelf for years and how dare I neglect it like that? This story was magical, addictive, and so thoughtfully crafted. We follow three main characters: Theo, a world-renowned illusionist who travels with the World of Wonders circus; Lena, his brilliant, fiercely driven daughter; and Alexandre, an orphan who stumbles upon the circus after losing his parents and quickly forms a bond with Lena. I loved that the narrative is split between their POVs, giving us a deeper understanding of each character’s emotions, motivations, and personal growth. Set against the backdrop of WWII Europe, the story carries a constant undercurrent of tension and chaos that kept me on edge. The character arcs are phenomenal, with flawed, dynamic, and deeply human choices. Lena had me gritting my teeth at times, but the emotional payoff and depth of the story more than made up for it. If you loved The Night Circus or Water for Elephants, this book is 100% for you. The circus setting is enchanting and immersive, and you can’t help but root for each of these characters as they try to navigate a world full of uncertainty.

That’s it for April! I can’t wait to share my big news with y’all next month, but in the meantime, catch me knee deep in an audiobook or walking my happy ass around a golf course somewhere lol. 

2025 Book Count: 59

Add me on Goodreads if you haven’t already.

YOUR TURN! What was your favorite book in April?

March 2025 Reads

Did March last five years for anyone else?

Despite feeling like the longest month ever, my reading pace slowed down a lot. Part of that was because I was eye-ball reading a nonfiction book—those always take me forever. But honestly, I was just focused on other things this month.

For one, I’m considering entering the homebuyer market, which is… mildly terrifying lol. And yes, I know what you’re thinking: In this economy?? Yes. I’m hoping it’s a smart financial move, but we’ll see how this adulting adventure unfolds. I’ll report back!

On the sports front, my March Madness bracket went up in flames on day one thanks to Clemson losing by two points (lol, love that for me). But on a brighter note, I finally made it to my first Pistons game! I’d seen every other Detroit pro team play, so this had been on my bucket list for a hot minute—shoutout to Steph for coming with me!

Pistons Game!

I think that’s it for my March updates— let’s talk books!

**All summaries are taken or paraphrased from Goodreads.

Rebel Witch by Kristen Ciccarelli

REBEL WITCH by Kristen Ciccarelli (REREAD)

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: A WITCH... Rune Winters is on the run. Ever since the boy she loved, Gideon Sharpe, revealed who she was and delivered her into enemy hands, everyone wants her dead. If Rune hopes to survive, she must ally herself with the cruel and dangerous Cressida Roseblood, who’s planning to take back the Republic and reinstate a Reign of Witches—something Cressida needs Rune to accomplish. A WITCH HUNTER... Apparently it wasn’t enough for Rune to deceive Gideon; she’s now betrayed him by allying herself with the witch who made his life a living hell. Gideon won’t allow the Republic to fall to the witches and be plunged back into the nightmares of the past. In order to protect this new world he fought for, every last witch must die—especially Rune Winters. AN IMPOSSIBLE CHOICE... When Rune makes Gideon an offer he can’t refuse, the two must pair up to accomplish dangerous goals. The more they’re forced into each other’s company, the more Gideon realizes the feelings he had for Rune aren’t as dead and buried as he thought. Now he’s faced with a terrible choice: sacrifice the girl he loves to stop a monster taking back power, or let Rune live and watch the world he fought so hard for burn.

My Thoughts: Did I just eyeball read this book in February? Yes. Did I proceed to listen to the audiobook two weeks later? Also, yes lol. Honestly, no notes. You can read my review about it from last month here. This book is 10/10 for me and I am still so sad that it’s the end of the Crimson Moth duology. Best believe I’m keeping an eye out for any and all future books from KC now though! As I said in my review about the audiobook for Heartless Hunter, the narrator put her whole heart into this book and did it nothing but justice. You honestly can’t go wrong with whatever format you decide to read this in and I probably will not shut up about it for a while lol. 

The Princess Bride by William Goldman

THE PRINCESS BRIDE by William Goldman

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: What happens when the most beautiful girl in the world marries the handsomest prince of all time and he turns out to be...well...a lot less than the man of her dreams? As a boy, William Goldman claims, he loved to hear his father read the S. Morgenstern classic, The Princess Bride. But as a grown-up he discovered that the boring parts were left out of good old Dad's recitation, and only the "good parts" reached his ears. Now Goldman does Dad one better. He's reconstructed the "Good Parts Version" to delight wise kids and wide-eyed grownups everywhere. What's it about? Fencing. Fighting. True Love. Strong Hate. Harsh Revenge. A Few Giants. Lots of Bad Men. Lots of Good Men. Five or Six Beautiful Women. Beasties Monstrous and Gentle. Some Swell Escapes and Captures. Death, Lies, Truth, Miracles, and a Little Sex. In short, it's about everything.

My Thoughts: I only recently realized this book is considered a classic—and a children’s book at that. I remember watching the movie in after-school care in elementary (shoutout to Extended Day kids), but I hadn’t revisited the story since. Controversial take: the audiobook is better than the movie. Rob Reiner pours his whole fuckin heart into the narration, making the three-hour experience an absolute delight. The book is utterly ridiculous, a masterclass in satire with sharp wit, plenty of humor, and just the right amount of heart and romance. If you haven’t read it in a while or listened to the audiobook yet, I can’t recommend Reiner’s version enough!

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb

MAYBE YOU SHOULD TALK TO SOMEONE: A THERAPIST, HER THERAPIST, AND OUR LIVES REVEALED by Lori Gottlieb

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: One day, Lori Gottlieb is a therapist who helps patients in her Los Angeles practice. The next, a crisis causes her world to come crashing down. Enter Wendell, the quirky but seasoned therapist in whose office she suddenly lands. With his balding head, cardigan, and khakis, he seems to have come straight from Therapist Central Casting. Yet he will turn out to be anything but. As Gottlieb explores the inner chambers of her patients' lives -- a self-absorbed Hollywood producer, a young newlywed diagnosed with a terminal illness, a senior citizen threatening to end her life on her birthday if nothing gets better, and a twenty-something who can't stop hooking up with the wrong guys -- she finds that the questions they are struggling with are the very ones she is now bringing to Wendell. With startling wisdom and humor, Gottlieb invites us into her world as both clinician and patient, examining the truths and fictions we tell ourselves and others as we teeter on the tightrope between love and desire, meaning and mortality, guilt and redemption, terror and courage, hope and change.

My Thoughts: I may be late to this book, but I’m so glad I finally picked it up. It reads like fiction, with well-developed characters and an engaging, immersive plot—I had to keep reminding myself it’s nonfiction. This book explores what it means to be human, diving into the complexities of our emotions, both conscious and unconscious. I loved how the format alternates between therapy sessions with her three clients and the author’s own experiences in therapy. Each person’s struggles and breakthroughs felt incredibly relatable. While I wished for a bit more resolution in the author’s personal story, her vulnerability throughout was truly admirable. She shares so many insightful, highlight-worthy moments from both sides of the therapy room. The pacing slowed a bit in the middle, which is why I’m docking a half star, but the mix of laughter, tears, and raw honesty made it well worth the read. If you haven’t picked this one up yet, I definitely recommend it!

Educated by Tara Westover

EDUCATED by Tara Westover (REREAD)

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Tara Westover was 17 the first time she set foot in a classroom. Born to survivalists in the mountains of Idaho, she prepared for the end of the world by stockpiling home-canned peaches and sleeping with her "head-for-the-hills bag". In the summer she stewed herbs for her mother, a midwife and healer, and in the winter she salvaged in her father's junkyard. Her father forbade hospitals, so Tara never saw a doctor or nurse. Gashes and concussions, even burns from explosions, were all treated at home with herbalism. The family was so isolated from mainstream society that there was no one to ensure the children received an education and no one to intervene when one of Tara's older brothers became violent. Then, lacking any formal education, Tara began to educate herself. She taught herself enough mathematics and grammar to be admitted to Brigham Young University, where she studied history, learning for the first time about important world events like the Holocaust and the Civil Rights Movement. Her quest for knowledge transformed her, taking her over oceans and across continents, to Harvard and to Cambridge. Only then would she wonder if she'd traveled too far, if there was still a way home.

My Thoughts: I first read this memoir during the 2020 lockdowns and even then I remember being FLOORED by Tara Westover’s story. I knew about the hyper-religious, anti-government communities out west, but this was my first detailed glimpse into what life within them is truly like. The jaw-dropping effect of this book has held true my second read through. Revisiting it on audiobook - read by Julia Whelan - gave the memoir an almost fictional quality which made the shocking stories even more immersive. It still blows my mind that Tara and some of her siblings managed to escape such a challenging and abusive upbringing. If you haven’t read this memoir yet, I can confidently say you are missing out. 

The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean

THE RETURN OF ELLIE BLACK by Emiko Jean

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Detective Chelsey Calhoun’s life is turned upside down when she gets the call Ellie Black, a girl who disappeared years earlier, has resurfaced in the woods of Washington state—but Ellie’s reappearance leaves Chelsey with more questions than answers. It’s been twenty years since Detective Chelsey Calhoun’s sister vanished when they were teenagers, and ever since she’s been searching: for signs, for closure, for other missing girls. But happy endings are rare in Chelsey’s line of work. Then a glimmer: local teenager Ellie Black, who disappeared without a trace two years earlier, has been found alive in the woods of Washington State. But something is not right with Ellie. She won’t say where she’s been, or who she’s protecting, and it’s up to Chelsey to find the answers. She needs to get to the bottom of what happened to Ellie: for herself, and for the memory of her sister, but mostly for the next girl who could be taken—and who, unlike Ellie, might never return.

My Thoughts: This book was dark, clever, and thoroughly gripping. What begins as a missing person case quickly unfolds into a multi-layered psychological thriller. The story shifts between multiple POVs and timelines, following Ellie Black—the abducted teen who returns forever changed—and Chelsey, the detective still haunted by her own sister’s disappearance. Some scenes are tough to stomach, as the emotional weight of Ellie’s trauma is palpable. After enduring captivity, she’s no longer the girl she once was—her identity is reshaped by survival, making her return home even more disorienting. This book doesn’t shy away from its darkness, but if you’re looking for a psychological thriller with unexpected turns and real emotional depth, it’s worth the read.

All This Twisted Glory by Tahereh Mafi

ALL THIS TWISTED GLORY by Tahereh Mafi (This Woven Kingdom #3)

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: As the long-lost heir to the Jinn throne, Alizeh has finally found her people—and she might’ve found her crown. Cyrus, the mercurial ruler of Tulan, has offered her his kingdom in a twisted exchange: one that would begin with their marriage and end with his murder. Cyrus’s dark reputation precedes him; all the world knows of his blood-soaked past. Killing him should be easy—and accepting his offer might be the only way to fulfill her destiny and save her people. But the more Alizeh learns of him, the more she questions whether the terrible stories about him are true. Ensnared by secrets, Cyrus has ached for Alizeh since she first appeared in his dreams many months ago. Now that he knows those visions were planted by the devil, he can hardly bear to look at her—much less endure her company. But despite their best efforts to despise each other, Alizeh and Cyrus are drawn together over and over with an all-consuming thirst that threatens to destroy them both. Meanwhile, Prince Kamran has arrived in Tulan, ready to exact revenge. . . .

My Thoughts: LMAO, y’all—this book was more of the same as the second. Lots of telling, not much showing, but the vibes? Immaculate. Cyrus remains utterly gone for Alizeh, yearning for her on a visceral level. While she spends about a quarter of the book in a coma, I loved watching her perspective on him shift as she peels back the layers of his complicated character. We finally uncover the truth about his father’s rumored murder and why Cyrus defies every royal stereotype. Meanwhile, Prince Kamran and his ragtag crew have arrived in Tulan, determined to rescue Alizeh. But when their mission takes an unexpected turn, they’re forced to stay at their enemy’s palace much longer than planned. The growing tension between Kamran and Huda tho? Absolutely palpable—I cannot wait to see where that goes. This book didn’t blow me away, yet somehow, I need the next one ASAP.

Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister

FAMOUS LAST WORDS by Gillian McAllister

Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary: 13 hours, 5 minutes. It is June 21st, the longest day of the year, and new mother Camilla’s life is about to change forever. After months of maternity leave, she will drop her infant daughter off at daycare for the first time and return to her job as a literary agent. Finally. But, when she wakes, her husband Luke isn’t there, and in his place is a cryptic note. Then it starts. Breaking news: there's a hostage situation developing in London. The police arrive, and tell her Luke is involved. But he isn't a hostage. Her husband—doting father, eternal optimist—is the gunman. What she does next is crucial. Because only she knows what the note he left behind that morning says...

My Thoughts: This book was fine! It’s definitely got a unique premise that I haven’t encountered before. The story starts with an intense hostage situation that immediately pulled me in. However, the pacing started to falter a bit towards the middle which made it hard to stay invested in everything going on. While the story eventually picked up again towards the end, a mildly predictable plot twist kept it from fully regaining its original momentum for me. Overall, it’s a decent mystery/thriller, but the uneven pacing definitely holds it back from being something better. 

Our Infinite Fates by Laura Steven

OUR INFINITE FATES by Laura Steven

Rating: 4.25/5 stars

Summary: They've loved each other in a thousand lifetimes. They've killed each other in every one. Evelyn remembers all her past lives. She also remembers that in every single one, she’s been murdered before her eighteenth birthday by Arden, a supernatural being whose soul―and survival―is tethered to hers. The problem is that she’s quite fond of the life she’s in now, and her little sister needs her for bone marrow transplants in order to stay alive. If Evelyn wants to save her sister, she’ll have to: 1. Find the centuries-old devil who hunts her through each life―before they find her first. 2. Figure out why she’s being hunted and finally break their curse. 3. Try not to fall in love.

My Thoughts: Okay, as soon as I started this book, I thought it was going to be one of my favorite fantasies for this year. The author’s poetic, almost whimsical writing completely immerses you in the intricate bond between Evelyn and Arden. The story alternates between the present and multiple past timelines, following the two across different eras, countries, and lifetimes. As their pattern of rebirth unfolds, the mystery of why they must die before turning 18 slowly comes to light - which kept me trying to piece together every clue. While the plot twist was admittedly a little lackluster, the journey itself was thoroughly enjoyable and put me through an emotional wringer. If you’re looking for a quick, unconventional fantasy with a unique premise, this one should be on your radar!

Dinner for Vampires by Bethany Joy Lenz

DINNER FOR VAMPIRES: LIFE ON A CULT TV SHOW by Bethany Joy Lenz

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: In the early 2000s, after years of hard work and determination to breakthrough as an actor, Bethany Joy Lenz was finally cast as one of the leads on the hit drama One Tree Hill. Her career was about to take off, but her personal life was slowly beginning to unravel. What none of the show’s millions of fans knew, hidden even from her costars, was her secret double life in a cult. An only child who often had to fend for herself and always wanted a place to belong, Lenz found the safe haven she’d been searching for in a Bible study group with other Hollywood creatives. However, the group soon morphed into something more sinister—a slowly woven web of manipulation, abuse, and fear under the guise of a church covenant called The Big House Family. Piece by piece, Lenz began to give away her autonomy, ultimately relocating to the Family’s Pacific Northwest compound, overseen by a domineering minister who would convince Lenz to marry one of his sons and steadily drained millions of her TV income without her knowledge. Family “minders” assigned to her on set, “Maoist struggle session”–inspired meetings in the basement of a filthy house, and regular counseling with “Leadership” were just part of the tactics used to keep her loyal. Only when she became a mother did Lenz find the courage to leave and spare her child from a similar fate. After nearly a decade (and with the unlikely help of a One Tree Hill superfan), she finally managed to escape the family’s grip and begin to heal from the deep trauma that forever altered her relationship with God and her understanding of faith.

My Thoughts: Yoooo. I never watched One Tree Hill, but after reading this memoir, I definitely want to. This story is wild and a stark reminder of why hyper-religious groups can be so unsettling (and quite frankly freak me out lol). Bethany Joy Lenz, new to the L.A. scene, was looking for community when she joined a Bible study led by fellow actors. What started as a casual weekly social group slowly evolved into years of grooming, emotional and mental abuse, financial manipulation, and more—all orchestrated by a controlling religious leader. I admire Lenz for recognizing the toxicity of this cult and finding the strength to escape with her daughter. Whether or not you watched the show that made her famous, this is a gripping, eye-opening memoir that deserves more attention. Highly recommend the audiobook!

Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn

BLOODMARKED by Tracy Deonn (The Legendborn Cycle, #2)

Rating: 4.25/5 stars

Summary: The shadows have risen, and the line is law. All Bree wanted was to uncover the truth behind her mother’s death. So she infiltrated the Legendborn Order, a secret society descended from King Arthur’s knights—only to discover her own ancestral power. Now, Bree has become someone new: A Medium. A Bloodcrafter. A Scion. But the ancient war between demons and the Order is rising to a deadly peak. And Nick, the Legendborn boy Bree fell in love with, has been kidnapped. Bree wants to fight, but the Regents who rule the Order won’t let her. To them, she is an unknown girl with unheard-of power, and as the living anchor for the spell that preserves the Legendborn cycle, she must be protected. When the Regents reveal they will do whatever it takes to hide the war, Bree and her friends must go on the run to rescue Nick themselves. But enemies are everywhere, Bree’s powers are unpredictable and dangerous, and she can’t escape her growing attraction to Selwyn, the mage sworn to protect Nick until death. If Bree has any hope of saving herself and the people she loves, she must learn to control her powers from the ancestors who wielded them first—without losing herself in the process.

My Thoughts: I first read Bloodmarked in December 2022 after finishing Legendborn earlier that year, and my one regret was not rereading the first book beforehand. So, with Oathbound releasing in March, I knew I had to revisit the first two books before diving in. After relistening to Legendborn in January, I picked up Bloodmarked’s audiobook this month—and wow. This doesn’t feel like a typical second book in a series. Where many sequels act as a bridge with minimal development, Tracy Deonn completely defies that expectation. Bloodmarked is layered, diving deep into the origins of each aether group, magical constructs, and more, all while delivering nonstop action. Bree remains one of the most stubborn yet strongest protagonists I’ve ever read, staying true to her heart despite the pressures around her. And Selwyn Kane? STILL BAE. His character growth through the chaos of this book made me love him even more. Now, I’m beyond excited to tackle Oathbound (even if it does look like it’s gonna be a thicc gal). If you haven’t read this series yet or want a refreshing take on fantasy, I highly recommend giving it a shot!

Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari

MODERN ROMANCE by Aziz Ansari, Eric Klinenberg

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: At some point, we all search for love—meeting people, dating, and hoping for a deep connection. But today’s romantic landscape is vastly different from the past. Technology has given us more options than ever, yet frustration runs high. While apps and texting have changed how we connect (and overanalyze pizza emojis), the shift in romance isn’t just about technology. Decades ago, people married young, often choosing partners from their immediate surroundings. Now, the quest for a "soul mate" extends for years, with marriage happening later than ever. In Modern Romance, comedian Aziz Ansari teams up with NYU sociologist Eric Klinenberg for a deep dive into modern dating. Through global interviews, surveys, and expert insights, they explore how love and relationships have evolved.

My Thoughts: This book may be a decade old, but it’s fascinating to see how many of the dating trends emerging in 2015 have now become the norm. Specifically online dating and the types of behaviors people tend to exhibit while looking for a partner. I appreciated the wealth of qualitative research, featuring interviews with people across generations, cultures, and genders. If you're currently navigating the dating world and feeling disheartened or uninspired, this book offers valuable perspective—reminding you that your experiences aren’t so uncommon. I’d love to see an updated edition exploring how the past decade, especially the pandemic and the polarizing political climate, has reshaped dating and relationships worldwide.

That’s it for March! Hopefully I’m feeling a little more reading inspiration going into April and cannot wait to see more sun soon!

2025 Book Count: 43

Add me on Goodreads if you haven’t already.

YOUR TURN! What was your favorite book in March?

February 2025 Reads

I know February is most people’s least favorite month of the year. It’s usually cold, gray, and provides more precipitation than anyone wants in the form of snow, sleet, or gross rain. The latter turning the two former into sheets of slick ice or dirty mounds of slush on the sidewalk. 

Personally, though, I don’t mind February. I’m probably a little biased as it is my birth month, but it’s also the shortest and one of the last sprints of true winter. 

This year, February was the beginning of a new chapter for me professionally. I recently transitioned into a new role at a supply chain design tech company and could not be happier! It’s definitely a different speed of marketing than what I’m used to, but that means there’s so much for me to learn and I am loving it so far. 

As for my birthday, I got a new tattoo (see below) and also went roller skating with some friends because if you can’t be childish and silly at 31, then what’s the point of your 30s?? P.S. Thank you for all of the birthday wishes!

It’s a monstera leaf!

On the book front, ya girl went pretty hard in the paint for the first half of February lol. I was riding out the fantasy wave I caught in January, followed that up with some cowboy romances and then slowed down substantially towards the last two weeks of the month. Which is how I somehow got through 18 books lol. 

So with that said, let’s get into everything I read in February. 

*All summaries are taken or paraphrased from Goodreads. 

All The Sinners Bleed by S.A. Cosby

Rating: 4.75/5 stars

Summary: A Black sheriff. A serial killer. A small town ready to combust. Titus Crown is the first Black sheriff in the history of Charon County, Virginia. In recent decades, Charon has had only two murders. After years of working as an FBI agent, Titus knows better than anyone that while his hometown might seem like a land of moonshine, cornbread, and honeysuckle, secrets always fester under the surface. Then a year to the day after Titus’s election, a school teacher is killed by a former student and the student is fatally shot by Titus’s deputies. Those festering secrets are now out in the open and ready to tear the town apart. As Titus investigates the shootings, he unearths terrible crimes and a serial killer who has been hiding in plain sight, haunting the dirt lanes and woodland clearings of Charon. With the killer’s possible connections to a local church and the town’s harrowing history weighing on him, Titus projects confidence about closing the case while concealing a painful secret from his own past. At the same time, he also has to contend with a far-right group that wants to hold a parade in celebration of the town’s Confederate history.

My Thoughts: I flew through almost this entire audiobook in one sitting thanks to a long cleaning day. Let me tell you—S.A. Cosby’s writing feels like witnessing a heated confrontation between strangers on the street. You don’t want to watch, but it’s impossible to look away. This book follows Titus Crown, the first Black sheriff of a small town in Virginia. When a school shooting leaves a beloved teacher and the teenage shooter dead, an investigation begins to uncover the motive behind the attack. But what they discover is far more disturbing than they ever expected—something that will haunt them for years to come. I was completely hooked as Titus and his team worked to solve the case while trying to avoid bringing in the state police. Despite his background as a former FBI agent and the fact that he was elected sheriff by the people of Charon County, the racism running through much of the white community made his authority constantly questioned. At the same time, some members of the Black community doubted his loyalty now that he wore the badge. He’s caught in an impossible balancing act—maintaining respect and authority while upholding the law. The only reason I docked 0.25 stars is that the culprit wasn’t really introduced or hinted at in a way that allowed for any real guessing. Instead, you’re left suspecting every character who enters the story. That said, S.A. Cosby is a phenomenal writer, and this book forces you to confront some of society’s ugliest realities. Just a heads-up—the plot is really dark, so be sure to check the trigger warnings before diving in.

Quicksilver by Callie Hart

QUICKSILVER by Callie Hart

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Do not touch the sword. Do not turn the key. Do not open the gate. In the land of the unforgiving desert, there isn’t much a girl wouldn’t do for a glass of water. Twenty-four-year-old Saeris Fane is good at keeping secrets. No one knows about the strange powers she possesses, or the fact that she has been picking pockets and stealing from the Undying Queen’s reservoirs for as long as she can remember. But a secret is like a knot. Sooner or later, it is bound to come undone. When Saeris comes face-to-face with Death himself, she inadvertently reopens a gateway between realms and is transported to a land of ice and snow. The Fae have always been the stuff of myth, of legend, of nightmares… but it turns out they’re real, and Saeris has landed herself right in the middle of a centuries-long conflict that might just get her killed. The first of her kind to tread the frozen mountains of Yvelia in over a thousand years, Saeris mistakenly binds herself to Kingfisher, a handsome Fae warrior, who has secrets and nefarious agendas of his own. He will use her Alchemist’s magic to protect his people, no matter what it costs him… or her. Death has a name. It is Kingfisher of the Ajun Gate. His past is murky. His attitude stinks. And he’s the only way Saeris is going to make it home. Be careful of the deals you make, dear child. The devil is in the details...

My Thoughts: Listen, going off of vibes alone, this book is solidly a 5-star rating for me. If I was rating it more objectively, it’d probably be more like a 4.25 because this book was nowhere near perfect, but good LORT did I enjoy the ride. Saeris lives in the poorest section of her city. She basically keeps herself and brother alive by pick-pocketing and stealing water from the Undying Queen’s reservoirs. When she steals the wrong thing from a palace guard, she’s taken to the castle where the Queen sentences her to death. While that process is underway, she accidentally opens a portal between realms that has been closed for centuries and is transported to a winterland of Fae. Although they’re figures of lore back home, Saeris figures out they are very real and are in the middle of a huge war that she ends up being their key to winning. Cue Kingfisher, the hottest, mildly unhinged Fae who her survival in this new world depends on. Y’ALL. When I tell you I could not put this book down. It had me in a mf chokehold. I LOVED how scrappy and resilient Saeris is - almost to a fault. She’s never had to depend on anyone and was not inclined to start. Kingfisher has PLENTY of demons he’s dealing with from his past in addition to a few other magically-induced issues, but by god this man is GONE for her. The tension was thicc. The plot and pacing was spot on. I also appreciated the tenets surrounding Fae and their culture paralleled what you’d find in ACOTAR or Throne of Glass. So it’s easy to follow if you’ve read those. Also, imagine how upset I was to find out that the sequel to this book won’t be published until later this year… DISTRAUGHT, I TELL YOU. Anyway, if you’re looking for an absolutely fantastic escape or something to bring you out of a book hangover from a different fantasy series, you definitely need to pick this up!

Spiral by Bal Khabra

SPIRAL by Bal Khabra (Off the Ice #2)

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Elias Westbrook, a newly drafted hockey player for the Toronto Thunder, is facing the challenges of fame and media scrutiny. With a growing fan base and too many expectations on his shoulders, he’s struggling to make his first career goal. The tabloids are reporting on his every move, including which woman he was last seen with, but all he wants to do is escape the spotlight. Enter from stage left Sage Beaumont, an aspiring ballerina with dreams of joining the Aurora Ballet Theatre, but her lack of popularity online leaves her at a major disadvantage for securing the lead role. When Sage finds herself with the perfect opportunity to make her dreams come true by fake dating Elias, she takes her shot. Soon enough, the flimsy fake-dating rules they set in place fall away in the face of their sizzling connection. But before things spiral out of control, Sage and Elias will have to decide if they’re willing to take the leap together or if they'll call it quits.

My Thoughts: I read the first book in this series back in November (Collide review here) and absolutely loved it. So, of course, I preordered this one so that it’d hit my Kindle the moment it was published. This book was so freaking cute, fun, flirty, and had the perfect amount of spice. Elias Westbrook is a newer player to the professional hockey scene and the media has been following the new golden boy’s every move. With all of the pressure from them reporting that he’s an absolute player off the ice, Elias can’t seem to make any goals on it, and he cannot wait to get out of this spotlight. Sage Beaumont is an older ballerina who is still aspiring to make it big with a professional ballet company. However, she’s realizing dancers with bigger social media clout are making it farther in their career. Cue a convenient fake-dating agreement that is beneficial for both parties: Elias and Sage will act like they’re in a relationship which will put the playboy rumors to rest and boost Sage’s popularity online. Listen, this book has some of my favorite tropes: fake dating, forced proximity, he-falls-first, etc. Although I didn’t LOVE Sage’s character at first, she definitely grew on me as this romance started to build. I was an absolute SIMP for how protective and caring Elias was for her and her little brother, even when she never asked for it. In the grand world of the hockey romance subgenre, Bal Khabra knows how to write some quality characters and smut. I definitely recommend checking out this book if you haven’t already!

One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig

ONE DARK WINDOW by Rachel Gillig (The Shepherd King #1)

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Elspeth needs a monster. The monster might be her. Elspeth Spindle needs more than luck to stay safe in the eerie, mist-locked kingdom of Blunder—she needs a monster. She calls him the Nightmare, an ancient, mercurial spirit trapped in her head. He protects her. He keeps her secrets. But nothing comes for free, especially magic. When Elspeth meets a mysterious highwayman on the forest road, her life takes a drastic turn. Thrust into a world of shadow and deception, she joins a dangerous quest to cure Blunder from the dark magic infecting it. And the highwayman? He just so happens to be the King’s nephew, Captain of the most dangerous men in Blunder…and guilty of high treason. Together they must gather twelve Providence Cards—the keys to the cure. But as the stakes heighten and their undeniable attraction intensifies, Elspeth is forced to face her darkest secret yet: the Nightmare is slowly taking over her mind. And she might not be able to stop him.

My Thoughts: We love a gothic fantasy! This premise was so refreshing. Not that I’m not as equally obsessed with all of the fantastical storylines involving hot fae men, but I do applaud authors who can break out of that trend. In the kingdom of Blunder, there is magic controlled by a deck of Providence Cards. As legend has it, anyone who collects all twelve cards has the ability to save Blunder from a deadly encroaching mist and heal those who caught a specific fever as a child. This sickness leaves the kids touched with a different kind of magic - one not controlled by the cards. Those found with infected blood are immediately sentenced to death. Which is why most people who have been infected try to hide their infection and the magical abilities it’s blessed them with. Elspeth Spindle has been hiding her magical abilities for almost a decade. After a chance encounter reveals her secret, she’s recruited into a group of rebels who are secretly trying to collect all 12 cards behind the King’s back in order to prevent him from gaining endless power. Listen, I was absolutely hooked throughout this entire story. The world-building was simple yet vivid, the plot was fast-paced and kept me on my toes, there was a touch of romance that had me SWOONING, and don’t get me started on that MAJOR cliffhanger… I’m incredibly interested in how the next book will pan out based on how this one ended but I can’t wait to dive into it. If you’re looking for a solid high fantasy that’s a little off the beaten path, I highly recommend giving this one a read!

The House of Eve by Sadeqa Johson

THE HOUSE OF EVE by Sadeqa Johnson

Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary: 1950s Philadelphia: fifteen-year-old Ruby Pearsall is on track to becoming the first in her family to attend college, in spite of having a mother more interested in keeping a man than raising a daughter. But a taboo love affair threatens to pull her back down into the poverty and desperation that has been passed on to her like a birthright. Eleanor Quarles arrives in Washington, DC, with ambition and secrets. When she meets the handsome William Pride at Howard University, they fall madly in love. But William hails from one of DC’s elite wealthy Black families, and his par­ents don’t let just anyone into their fold. Eleanor hopes that a baby will make her finally feel at home in William’s family and grant her the life she’s been searching for. But having a baby—and fitting in—is easier said than done.

My Thoughts: Where to start? This book was well written and I enjoyed it enough for the most part. The audiobook narrators were great, and I liked that the format of the story was split into three parts between two POVs. It’s the 1950s in Philadelphia and teenage Ruby is on her way to becoming the first person in her family to attend college despite her home life circumstances. That is, until a heated moment with a forbidden love interest leaves her pregnant and her dreams of becoming an optometrist in shambles. She has to decide if she wants to follow in her mother’s footsteps, keep the baby, and end up working low-paying jobs, or if she wants to give up her baby and keep pursuing that college diploma. Meanwhile in Washington DC, Eleanor is a college sophomore with the ambition of becoming a historian and archivist. When she falls for a soon-to-be doctor, she’s introduced to DC’s elite wealthy Black society. One thing the women in that world make clear: she is not welcome. This book does an exceptional job of portraying the types of discrimination and adversities that Black women, even well-educated, faced repeatedly in society. The colorism present in wealthy Black society was also a topic I don’t think I’ve come across often and thought was very interesting. Despite being empathetic to the struggles these women were facing, there was just something missing for me. It was clear how Ruby’s and Eleanor’s paths were going to cross eventually, but it wasn’t as impactful of a crossover as I was hoping for. I also felt like although some scenes touched on tenser, emotional situations, the story didn’t dive in as deep as I was expecting it to. I haven’t read this author’s other, more popular book, Yellow Wife. However, I did appreciate her writing style enough to want to read that soon too. Side note: do not sleep on the author’s note! She touches on her research for this book related to the Baby Scoop Era, limited resources for families dealing with infertility, and the dangerous situations young women faced looking for safe abortion services. 

Rebel Witch by Kristen Ciccarelli

REBEL WITCH by Kristen Ciccarelli (The Crimson Moth #2)

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: A WITCH… Rune Winters is on the run. Ever since the boy she loved, Gideon Sharpe, revealed who she was and delivered her into enemy hands, everyone wants her dead. If Rune hopes to survive, she must ally herself with the cruel and dangerous Cressida Roseblood, who’s planning to take back the Republic and reinstate a Reign of Witches—something Cressida needs Rune to accomplish. A WITCH HUNTER… Apparently it wasn’t enough for Rune to deceive Gideon; she’s now betrayed him by allying herself with the witch who made his life a living hell. Gideon won’t allow the Republic to fall to the witches and be plunged back into the nightmares of the past. In order to protect this new world he fought for, every last witch must die—especially Rune Winters. AN IMPOSSIBLE CHOICE… When Rune makes Gideon an offer he can’t refuse, the two must pair up to accomplish dangerous goals. The more they’re forced into each other’s company, the more Gideon realizes the feelings he had for Rune aren’t as dead and buried as he thought. Now he’s faced with a terrible choice: sacrifice the girl he loves to stop a monster taking back power, or let Rune live and watch the world he fought so hard for burn.

My Thoughts: THE WAY THIS BOOK HAD ME. I started it in the morning on a lowkey Saturday, realized quickly that if I wanted to be productive at all, that I needed to put it down and run some errands. (Which I somehow managed to do.) Then as soon as I got home, I settled in for about a 5-6 hour BINGE on the final book of The Crimson Moth duology. Where to even start?? The book’s format is split into three parts and bounces between Rune’s and Gideon’s POVs. Part one immediately reunites the Crimson Moth and the witch hunter on the mainland where the recently returned evil witch queen Cressida and her followers have taken refuge from the New Republic. Gideon has been dispatched to kill Rune and wreck an alliance between the crowned prince and the witches so that they can’t use the royal family’s army against the New Republic. To literally NOBODY’S surprise, Gideon chokes when it comes to actually pulling the trigger, and Rune has her own agenda outside of what Cressida has planned for her. Cue a whole mess of lying and deceiving between Rune and Gideon, neither knowing if they can trust the other and trying to suss out any alternative motives. I fucking loved this entire experience. I could not put this book down and I couldn’t have asked for better character arcs. ALSO GIDEON BE DROPPING LINES THAT MADE MY INSIDES MELT AND TOES CURL. I cannot express how much I was SWOONING over this man. Mildly proud to say I did guess one of the bigger plot twists earlier on, but did not see where this ending was going AT ALL. Needless to say, this is still one of my all time favorite fantasy duologies and you best expect me to recommend it to EVERYONE. If you read and liked Heartless Hunter, you MUST continue onto Rebel Witch. 

Done and Dusted by Lyla Sage

DOWN AND DUSTED by Lyla Sage (Rebel Blue Ranch #1)

Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary: She’s off-limits, but he’s never been good at following the rules. For the first time in her life, Clementine “Emmy” Ryder has no idea what she’s doing. She’s accomplished everything on her to-do list. She left her small hometown of Meadowlark, Wyoming; went to college; and made a career for herself by doing her favorite thing: riding horses. But after an accident makes it impossible for her to get back into the saddle, she has no choice but to return to the hometown she always wanted to escape. Luke Brooks is Meadowlark’s most notorious bad boy, bar owner, and bachelor. He’s also the unofficial fifth member of the Ryder family. As Emmy’s older brother’s best friend, Luke spent most of his childhood antagonizing her. It’s been years since he’s seen her, but when she walks into his bar and back into his life, he can’t take his eyes off her. Despite his better judgment, he wants to do a whole lot more than just look at her. Emmy’s got too much on her mind to think about romance. And Luke knows he should stay away from his best friend’s younger sister. But what if Luke is just what Emmy needs to get her spark back? Or will they both go up in flames?

My Thoughts: This book was super cute! I’ve heard great things about this series and since I was listening to a horror story audiobook, I figured a little cowboy romance on my Kindle would be a nice balance. I loved the premise of this book and the visuals the author provided painted such a beautiful picture of this family ranch surrounded by mountains in rural Wyoming. Emmy is the youngest of the Ryder kids and after living in Denver for the last decade, she surprises everyone by moving back home. She’s a professional barrel racer, but after a recent bad fall, she hasn’t been able to muster up the courage to get back on the horse (figuratively and literally). Luke Brooks is Emmy’s older brother’s best friend and the local bar owner. Growing up on Rebel Blue Ranch, he’s basically a part of the Ryder family. Although they used to butt heads when they were younger, Emmy and Luke quickly fall into an easy, comfortable rhythm as friends - which leads to Luke helping Emmy face her fears. As they spend more time together, this effortless connection turns into something more and the sexual tension grows THICC. I loved their dynamics and truly appreciated what the side characters added to this story, but now for the rust on my spurs lol. It just felt like there was SOMETHING missing. The pacing moves at a quicker clip which was great, but also made me wonder when we were going to get around to resolving a few obvious issues when there’s only 20% of the book left. There’s also a scene towards the end that feels kind of surface level, when its purpose is to reemphasize how strong Emmy’s and Luke’s connection is. So yeah idk. I definitely liked this book and will for sure be moving onto the next book in the series. It just didn’t have enough kick in its boots, yanno? ;)

The Changeling by Victor Lavalle

THE CHANGELING by Victor Lavalle

Rating: 2/5 stars

Summary: When Apollo Kagwa’s father disappeared, all he left his son were strange recurring dreams and a box of books stamped with the word IMPROBABILIA. Now Apollo is a father himself–and as he and his wife, Emma, are settling into their new lives as parents, exhaustion and anxiety start to take their toll. Apollo’s old dreams return and Emma begins acting odd. Irritable and disconnected from their new baby boy, at first Emma seems to be exhibiting signs of postpartum depression, but it quickly becomes clear that her troubles go even deeper. Before Apollo can do anything to help, Emma commits a horrific act–beyond any parent’s comprehension–and vanishes, seemingly into thin air. Thus begins Apollo’s odyssey through a world he only thought he understood, to find a wife and child who are nothing like he’d imagined. His quest, which begins when he meets a mysterious stranger who claims to have information about Emma’s whereabouts, takes him to a forgotten island, a graveyard full of secrets, a forest where immigrant legends still live, and finally back to a place he thought he had lost forever.

My Thoughts: I reeeeally wanted to like this book. I won it in a Goodreads giveaway a few years ago and just never picked it up. However, since it’s a genre outside of my comfort zone (horror), I decided to listen to it on audiobook instead. For starters, I must admit, I had no idea where any of this book was going for basically a majority of it. A lot of it felt extremely random and disjointed. I learned later that it’s based off of changeling folklore where fairies are stealing human babies and replacing them with fairy babies. However, even knowing that didn’t really clear up the parts of this book that felt a little out of left field. In addition to the jumbled plotline, the pacing of this story was sooooo slow. It absolutely DRAGGED. I don’t know if it’s because as soon as scenes felt like they were ramping up, they ended just as abruptly or if it’s because I was getting impatient to finish the book lol. Mind you, I was listening to it at 1.5x speed, then kicked it up to 1.75x speed, and then by the time I was about 70% in, I was ready for it to be DONE. So I hate-listened to the rest of the book at 2x lol. I also never felt super connected to any of the characters - even Apollo - which did not help my attention span. Thinking back, I don’t even remember there being that much foreshadowing or like plot connection points? It also wasn’t so much a horror book as it was magical realism mixed with mystery/thriller. I don’t know. I can tell the author is a talented writer, and there is great messaging about the potential dangers of sharing too much about yourself on the internet and social media, parental anxieties, etc. The bones for a great book were there, I just don’t think this was executed as well as it could’ve been. 

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

THE GOD OF THE WOODS by Liz Moore

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Early morning, August 1975: a camp counselor discovers an empty bunk. Its occupant, Barbara Van Laar, has gone missing. Barbara isn’t just any thirteen-year-old: she’s the daughter of the family that owns the summer camp and employs most of the region’s residents. And this isn’t the first time a Van Laar child has disappeared. Barbara’s older brother similarly vanished fourteen years ago, never to be found.

My Thoughts: Okay I 10,000% understand the hype behind this book now lol. It took a quick minute to get into it because I had to understand the format and cadence of the story before I could fully immerse myself. However, once I found my footing, everything took off at full speed. The book mainly takes place in the Adirondacks of upstate New York at a summer camp called Camp Emerson. It cycles through the POVs of different characters and on a few different timelines. So you slowly start collecting nuggets of information from every person’s perspective to try to figure out not only where 13-year-old Barbara Van Laar has disappeared to in the present day, but also what happened to her brother 14 years prior. When I tell you I was suspicious of literally every person at this camp lol. The wealthy Van Laar family that lived up on the hill above Camp Emerson were the most eyebrow raising. Especially during the flashbacks to the days when Bear Van Laar went missing. This book was full of flawed, complex characters, vivid details that brought this camp to life, and a twisty plot that had me second guessing every proclamation I made until literally the last 10%. If you’re looking for a rich people/summer camp vibe mystery that’s mixed with a dash of historical fiction, The God of the Woods is the perfect book to dive into! 

Interesting Facts About Space by Emily Austin

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT SPACE by Emily R. Austin

Rating: 3.75/5 stars

Summary: Enid is obsessed with space. She can tell you all about black holes and their ability to spaghettify you without batting an eye in fear. Her one major phobia? Bald men. But she tries to keep that one under wraps. When she’s not listening to her favorite true crime podcasts on a loop, she’s serially dating a rotation of women from dating apps. At the same time, she’s trying to forge a new relationship with her estranged half-sisters after the death of her absent father. When she unwittingly plunges into her first serious romantic entanglement, Enid starts to believe that someone is following her. As her paranoia spirals out of control, Enid must contend with her mounting suspicion that something is seriously wrong with her. Because at the end of the day there’s only one person she can’t outrun—herself.

My Thoughts: This book won’t be for everybody but I thoroughly enjoyed it. It follows half-deaf  20-something Enid throughout her day-to-day life where she listens to true crime podcasts for comfort, navigates a new relationship with her previously estranged half-sisters, impulsively serial dates via apps, tries to figure out if she’s being followed, and struggles with an irrational phobia of bald men. There was something so endearing and relatable about this book. You get to see both Enid’s interactions with the world around her but also what her internal dialogue looks like. Although it’s clear from the beginning that Enid is neurodivergent (she talks a lot about masking and copying the behaviors of others in social situations), there are so many layers to her character the deeper you get into the book. It was impossible not to empathize with her, especially in the moments of high anxiety. I don’t know if I’d consider the content as dark humor necessarily, but there are plenty of situations Enid gets herself into that added comedic relief to this story. There are also some bigger topics covered such as PTSD behavior, parent-child relationships, depression, disabilities, etc. so please check trigger warnings before starting. However, I would totally recommend adding this book to your arsenal if you like extremely relatable characters. Also, all of the fun facts about space that she shares with her mom throughout the book were just a pleasant bonus to the rest of the experience. 

Swift and Saddled by Lyla Sage

SWIFT AND SADDLED by Lyla Sage (Rebel Blue Ranch #2)

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: The last thing Ada Hart needs is a man to take care of her. Not anymore. After failing out of her interior design program and the disaster that was her short-lived marriage, Ada clawed her way up from her rock bottom. Now, the only person she trusts is herself, and that has gotten her further than ever before. She has her own business, and one of the largest ranches in Wyoming just hired her for the most important project of her career. When Ada arrives in Meadowlark, she finds herself in a dive bar where she can’t seem to shake the eyes of a handsome cowboy. When she leads him to the back of the bar, he leaves her with a kiss that most people can only fantasize about. She almost regrets that she’ll never see him again . . . except it turns out he’s her new boss. Weston Ryder is a happy guy. Even happier now that the mystery woman from the bar is the interior designer for his dream project on his family’s ranch. He feels like he hit the jackpot. It’s too bad she wants absolutely nothing to do with him outside of work. Ada is convinced the pull she feels toward Wes will go away, but Wes can’t stop thinking about her. Even though walls are coming down around Rebel Blue, Ada’s walls are firmly in place. Can they make it through this project without giving in? Or will they both put their dreams on the line for a chance at love?

My Thoughts: I have to say, I’m not usually the biggest fan of the golden retriever characters, but Wes Ryder has my heart. <3 Since he’s always been seen as the “nice guy” who can fit in anywhere, he’s having a bit of an identity crisis. He’s not sure where he fits into the dynamics of his family and wants to prove himself by creating a B&B by restoring the old farm house on Rebel Blue Ranch. That’s where Ada comes in. She’s an interior designer looking for a big break in her career and anything that will take her away from her current situation in California. Although the connection between Ada and Wes is instant, it isn’t until the next day that they realize who each other really is. I freaking loved how patient Wes was with Ada. She had much more trauma to work through than he did, but he never faltered in his feelings for her. They were also the perfect tag team for breathing new life into this dilapidated house. My only complaint about this book is that although Ada’s character arc felt complete, it didn’t feel like Wes’s inner turmoil was completely resolved. It just wasn’t addressed again, IMO. Otherwise, I thoroughly enjoyed the second book of this series and say it is definitely worth the read!

Lost and Lassoed by Lyla Sage

LOST AND LASSOED by Lyla Sage (Rebel Blue Ranch #3)

Rating: 3.75/5 stars

Summary: Teddy Andersen doesn't have a plan. She's never needed one before. She's always been more of a go with the flow type of girl, but for some reason, the flow doesn't seem to be going her way this time. Her favorite vintage suede jacket has a hole in it, her sewing machine is broken, and her best friend just got engaged. Suddenly, everything feels like it's starting to change. Teddy's used to being a leader, but now she feels like she's getting left behind, wondering if the life she lives in the small town she loves is enough for her anymore. Gus Ryder has a lot on his plate. He doesn't know what's taking care of his family's 8,000 acre ranch, or parenting his spunky six-year-old daughter, who is staying with him for the summer. Gus has always been the dependable one, but when his workload starts to overwhelm him, he slips up, and he has to admit that he can't manage everything on his own. He needs help. His little sister's best friend, the woman he can't stand, is not who he had in mind. But when no one else can step in, Teddy's the only option he's got. Teddy decides to use the summer to try and figure out what she wants out of life. Gus, on the other hand, starts to worry that he'll never find what he needs. Tempers flare, tension builds, and for the first time ever, Gus and Teddy start to see each other in a different light. As new feelings start to simmer below the surface, they must decide whether or not to act on them. Can they keep things cool? Or will both of them get burned?

My Thoughts: Listen, of all of the tropes I can get behind, age-gap and single-dad are the two that I am the pickiest about. If they’re not done well and within reason, you will not get my sign off. I’m pleased to share that this book passed the test, and I was obsessed with watching Teddy and Gus slowly fall in love. Especially after watching them bicker so much in the previous two books. This was an enemies-to-lovers story through and through. Teddy is a little firecracker whose light has been feeling a little dimmer lately after the boutique she’s been working at for years shuts down, and she starts realizing the dynamics with her best friend have started to change now that Emmy is engaged. Gus is the grumpiest cowboy you will ever meet and is trying to prove that he can be everything, everywhere, all at once. However, when the co-parenting arrangement with his baby momma goes temporarily awry, his family has to intervene to say he needs help. Unfortunately for Gus, the only person available to help out with his kid this summer is his arch nemesis, Teddy. I wasn’t sure how believable this story was going to feel because there was so much animosity between these two characters. However, once their softer sides came out and they became so much more vulnerable with each other, I couldn’t imagine them with anyone else. Not to mention, Gus’s 6-year-old daughter, Riley, adds an extra shot of sunshine into the story which makes the dynamics of this trio so much more believable. The fourth book of this series comes out in the spring and I cannot wait to get my hands on it! 

When I Think of You by Myah Ariel

WHEN I THINK OF YOU by Myah Ariel

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: Kaliya Wilson has paid her dues. But all the years behind the reception desk at a flashy film studio have only pushed her movie-making dreams further out of reach. That is, until a surprise reunion presents an opportunity that could make her career, or break her heart…a second time. It’s been seven years since Kaliya’s whirlwind college romance with Danny Prescott went up in flames. While her passions have stalled, his career is taking off. So when the hot shot director reappears to offer her a job on his next production, it’s a shock to the system. Working with Danny may recapture the intensity of their film school days, but trusting him again won’t come as easily. As the pair allows themselves the openness and vulnerability to entrust their deepest truths to each other, the possibility of a true connection draws ever closer. But when Hollywood politics and scandal threaten to sink the production and her career, Kaliya may have to risk everything to do what’s right—even if it means letting go of the second chance love of a lifetime.

My Thoughts: The fact that this is a debut novel is beyond impressive. The story follows Kaliya, a 26-year-old hustling to break into the film industry. For now, that means paying her dues at the reception desk of one of L.A.’s biggest studios—where she’s been stuck for years, constantly undervalued and overlooked. She’s more than ready for her big break. What she doesn’t expect is for that opportunity to come from the man who shattered her heart seven years ago. Danny Prescott is the son of one of the most legendary film directors in recent history. Now that his father has passed, he’s determined to tell the story of his parents’ extraordinary romance—a love that defied all odds in the face of racial injustice between a white man and a Black woman. But this book is so much more than just a romance. It shines a light on the discrimination people of color face in the film industry, and the relentless challenges of making it in that world. That being said, the romance? You feel it in your gut. The tension between Kaliya and Danny is palpable in every interaction. With so much left unsaid from their past, I was itching for them to finally lay it all on the table. And without giving anything away, I loved that their happily-ever-after didn’t unfold in the typical, predictable way. If you’re looking for a romance with complex characters, raw emotions, and a powerful storyline, this book is a must-read!

Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi

TRANSCENDENT KINGDOM by Yaa Gyasi

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: Gifty is a fifth-year candidate in neuroscience at Stanford School of Medicine studying reward-seeking behavior in mice and the neural circuits of depression and addiction. Her brother, Nana, was a gifted high school athlete who died of a heroin overdose after a knee injury left him hooked on OxyContin. Her suicidal mother is living in her bed. Gifty is determined to discover the scientific basis for the suffering she sees all around her. But even as she turns to the hard sciences to unlock the mystery of her family's loss, she finds herself hungering for her childhood faith and grappling with the evangelical church in which she was raised, whose promise of salvation remains as tantalizing as it is elusive. 

My Thoughts: I read Homegoing a few years ago and really enjoyed it, so I was excited to pick up Transcendent Kingdom. Even though I own a physical copy, I opted for the audiobook and I’m glad I did. This story took me by surprise. Religion played a much bigger role than I expected—so much so that I almost considered DNFing it. But I felt I wouldn’t be giving it a fair shot if I stopped, so I pushed through. This isn’t an uplifting story in the traditional sense, but it’s a deeply moving one. As a child, Gifty’s mother moved her and her brother, Nana, from Ghana to the U.S., settling in a white, rural town in Alabama. Religion became a cornerstone of their lives as her mother devoted herself to a Pentecostal church. The family struggles to fit in, and while Nana finds success in sports, an injury leads him to painkiller addiction, eventually resulting in his overdose. His death shatters the family—Gifty’s mother sinks into a deep depression, her father returns to Ghana to start a new life, and Gifty is left to pick up the pieces, trying to forge her own path in this so-called "land of opportunity." As an adult, Gifty is still grappling with her identity—not just as a Ghanaian-American, but as a Christian. Through her research at Stanford, she searches for answers, both scientific and personal, while also attempting to reconnect with her mother, who continues to battle grief and suicidal thoughts. This book is deeply poignant and thought-provoking. If you’re open to exploring themes of faith, loss, and identity, you’ll likely find it incredibly impactful. But if heavy religious themes aren’t your thing, this may not be the right read for you.

The Unmaking of June Farrow by Adrienne Young

THE UNMAKING OF JUNE FARROW by Adrienne Young

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: In the small mountain town of Jasper, North Carolina, June Farrow is waiting for fate to find her. The Farrow women are known for their thriving flower farm—and the mysterious curse that has plagued their family line. The whole town remembers the madness that led to Susanna Farrow’s disappearance, leaving June to be raised by her grandmother and haunted by rumors. It’s been a year since June started seeing and hearing things that weren’t there. Faint wind chimes, a voice calling her name, and a mysterious door appearing out of nowhere—the signs of what June always knew was coming. But June is determined to end the curse once and for all, even if she must sacrifice finding love and having a family of her own. After her grandmother’s death, June discovers a series of cryptic clues regarding her mother’s decades-old disappearance, except they only lead to more questions. But could the door she once assumed was a hallucination be the answer she’s been searching for? The next time it appears, June realizes she can touch it and walk past the threshold. And when she does, she embarks on a journey that will not only change both the past and the future, but also uncover the lingering mysteries of her small town and entangle her heart in an epic star-crossed love.

My Thoughts: I tried to read this book at least three times, but the small print kept throwing me off, so I kept putting it down. Recently, though, I’ve been reading more physical books, and I think my eyes have finally adjusted—because this time, I was able to dive in without a hitch. The vibe of this book is a mix between The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger and Weyward by Emilia Hart. In Jasper, NC, the Farrow women are known for two things: their thriving flower farm and the mysterious curse that haunts them. June, raised by her grandmother, has always heard the rumors about her family and the madness that plagues its women. When she starts experiencing strange visions and voices, she fears the curse is catching up to her. Then, a year later, her grandmother dies—leaving behind more questions than answers. But just days after her passing, a letter arrives, revealing secrets about the curse and giving June a rare chance to break the cycle. This book was an absolute page-turner. With overlapping timelines, high-stakes choices, and small clues leading June closer to breaking the curse, I couldn’t put it down. And that final plot twist? I never saw it coming—I was floored by how well the author wove everything together. While it’s not exactly groundbreaking, I really enjoyed it. If you're looking for a book that’s not full-fledged fantasy but still has strong female leads and a touch of magical realism, this one’s worth picking up!

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

LITTLE WOMEN by Louisa May Alcott

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: The four March sisters—Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy—navigate love, loss, and personal growth during the American Civil War. Raised by their strong and compassionate mother, Marmee, while their father is away serving as a chaplain, the sisters experience the challenges of womanhood, societal expectations, and their own dreams. Each sister has a distinct personality: Meg, the responsible and traditional eldest; Jo, the ambitious and rebellious writer; Beth, the gentle and selfless musician; and Amy, the artistic and sometimes vain youngest. Their close-knit family faces financial struggles, heartbreak, and personal triumphs, all while staying grounded in their love for each other. As the years pass, the sisters forge their own paths—Jo pursues a literary career, Meg embraces domestic life, Amy chases artistic success, and Beth’s quiet strength deeply impacts them all.

My Thoughts: Admittedly, the only interaction I’d had with Little Women in my life is seeing the 2019 adaptation in theaters because I am an absolute SIMP for any movie Saiorse Ronan is in lol. Although I had made it a goal a couple of years ago to integrate more classics into my reading list every year, last year I didn’t read any. So we’re going to try to incorporate more in 2025, starting with LW. I went the audiobook route and it was an absolute delight! It’s a sweet coming-of-age story following the four March sisters. Each one is so different, and yet they all just kind of make sense as a whole. It felt like Jo’s and Amy’s characters were a little more fleshed out than Beth and Meg, but I still appreciated the role the latter sisters played in the overall story. The format of the book is interesting as well. I’d say the first half is entirely character driven as you get to know not only the March sisters, but those in their close orbit as well such as Laurie, Laurie’s grandfather, Hannah, etc. Then the story jumps about 3-5 years into the future between the first and second half. Once we get into part two, a plot slowly starts to form. I’m sure this isn’t a new book to anyone, but if you haven’t read it, I highly recommend it. The writing read much more modern than I was expecting and it was just all around such a pleasant experience lol. 

Poverty, By America by Matthew Demond

POVERTY, BY AMERICA by Matthew Desmond

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: The United States, the richest country on earth, has more poverty than any other advanced democracy. Why? Why does this land of plenty allow one in every eight of its children to go without basic necessities, permit scores of its citizens to live and die on the streets, and authorize its corporations to pay poverty wages? In this landmark book, acclaimed sociologist Matthew Desmond draws on history, research, and original reporting to show how affluent Americans knowingly and unknowingly keep poor people poor. Those of us who are financially secure exploit the poor, driving down their wages while forcing them to overpay for housing and access to cash and credit. We prioritize the subsidization of our wealth over the alleviation of poverty, designing a welfare state that gives the most to those who need the least. And we stockpile opportunity in exclusive communities, creating zones of concentrated riches alongside those of concentrated despair. Some lives are made small so that others may grow.

My Thoughts: Wow—this book was a total mic drop. If Evicted by Matthew Desmond left my jaw on the floor, this one had it plunging straight into Middle-earth. Everyone should read this. It’s not a long book, but the insights are so eye-opening that the impact is huge. As usual with nonfiction, I went with the audiobook, and I’m so glad I did. The narrator’s delivery is both conversational and powerful, making the data-heavy content easier to digest. Compared to other countries, it’s clear that poverty in America isn’t just an unfortunate reality—it’s almost systematically designed. What I really appreciated about this book is that it doesn’t just blame the obvious culprits (the wealthy); it also examines how the middle class plays a role, especially in resisting changes that could genuinely help those most affected by poverty. With our current administration being completely unhinged, this book should be required reading. It left me absolutely floored, reflecting on just how much we’ve failed this nation’s poor. If you haven’t read it yet, I highly recommend it.

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride

THE HEAVEN & EARTH GROCERY STORE by James McBride

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: In 1972, when workers in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, were digging the foundations for a new housing development, the last thing they expected to uncover was a human skeleton. Who the skeleton was and how it got buried there were just two of the long-held secrets that had been kept for decades by the residents of Chicken Hill, the dilapidated neighborhood where immigrant Jews and African Americans lived side by side, sharing ambitions and sorrows. Chicken Hill was where Moshe and Chona Ludlow lived when Chona ran the Heaven & Earth Grocery Store, which served the neighborhood's quirky collection of blacks and European immigrants, helped by her husband, Moshe, a Romanian-born theater owner who integrated the town's first dance hall. When the state came looking for a deaf black child, claiming that the boy needed to be institutionalized, Chicken Hill's residents—roused by Chona's kindness and the courage of a local black worker named Nate Timblin—banded together to keep the boy safe.

My Thoughts: I absolutely loved this book! I went in knowing nothing about it, but after seeing it everywhere, I decided to dive in—and I’m so glad I did. If you enjoy audiobooks, this one is a must. The narrator’s performance is pure art—he flawlessly delivers different accents, dialects, and even reads dialogue in multiple languages, making the experience incredibly immersive. The book’s structure is complex, and the first part may feel a bit aimless at first, but that’s because it’s so deeply character-driven. And trust me—there are a lot of characters. What impressed me most about the author’s writing is how distinct and well-developed each one feels. Every character plays a unique role in the tight-knit Chicken Hill community, making it easy to keep track of who’s who. The story begins with a Jewish couple, Moshe and Chona Ludlow. Moshe, a Romanian-born theater owner, and Chona, the outspoken owner of the Heaven & Earth grocery store, live in a predominantly Black and Jewish neighborhood. Chona is a bold, unconventional woman who often clashes with the local white Christian community that looks down on Chicken Hill’s residents. But her unwavering dedication to those she cares about earns her fierce loyalty from her neighbors. Things take a dramatic turn when word spreads that the state is searching for an orphaned deaf Black boy, Dodo, to place in a “special school.” Under Chona’s leadership, the community comes together to hide him for months—until tragedy strikes, leading to his capture. Now institutionalized, it’s up to the people of Chicken Hill to figure out a way to break him out. Y’all. This book is so compelling. It tackles heavy themes like racism, religious discrimination, and ableism, yet still manages to weave in humor and hope. If you’re looking for an unconventional historical fiction novel that will make you laugh and cry, I highly recommend this one!

That’s it for February!

I have a feeling I’m going to be reading a little bit slower in March because most of my weekends are already jam-packed with various plans. However, I have my eye on a few books already, so I’m sure by this time next month I’ll have some decent recs for y’all. 

2025 Book Count: 32

Add me on Goodreads if you haven’t already.

YOUR TURN! What’s a book that’s been on your radar lately?

January 2025 Reads

January. January. January.

Somehow you manage to make one month feel like a full year lol. 

Given everything happening in the world right now, it’s probably no surprise that my go-to escape this month was reading. Not that I totally disassociated from knowing the main headlines every day, but based on the chaotic nature of the atrocious man leading our country right now, it was always a toss up as to what I was muttering “what the actual fuck?” about while I sipped my morning coffee. 

So I had a tendency to go immediately from NPR’s Up First Podcast to an audiobook everyday for a little bit of fictional reprieve. 

With so many series releasing new installments in the coming months, I mainly stuck to fantasy/romantasy, but I also squeezed in a few historical fiction reads and one mystery thriller.  

ALSO, I finally signed up for Storygraph! It’s a Black woman-owned platform that not only helps you track your reading, but gives you some solid insights and data related to the books you’ve been reading. (See a couple of examples below for my January reading!)

Storygraph Stats for January 2025

You have to do some manual entry to find the correct book format and what not, but I’m thoroughly enjoying it so far and recommend you check it out!

Anyway, let’s get into everything I read in January.

**All summaries are taken or paraphrased from Goodreads.

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES by Shelby Van Pelt

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: After Tova Sullivan's husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, mopping floors and tidying up. Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she's been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in Puget Sound over thirty years ago. Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn't dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors--until he forms a remarkable friendship with Tova. Ever the detective, Marcellus deduces what happened the night Tova's son disappeared. And now Marcellus must use every trick his old invertebrate body can muster to unearth the truth for her before it's too late.

My Thoughts: It is absolutely BONKERS to me that this book is a debut novel. It is so beautifully written and really explores the human connection in a way that reminds me of Fredrik Backman’s style - where everyone’s lives end up perfectly intertwined. This book primarily follows two characters: Tova, a retired widow who works the night shift as a cleaning lady at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, and Cameron Cassmore, a bit of a burnout who blames everything that goes wrong in life on anything but his own actions. While working at the aquarium, Tova forms an unlikely friendship with a wily octopus named Marcellus, who manages to escape his tank every night. Meanwhile, after losing his job, Cameron decides to track down the father he’s never met and ends up in Sowell Bay, living in an RV parked in the driveway of the local grocer’s house. The book mainly switches POVs between Tova and Cameron, but you also get brief chapters from Marcellus’s perspective as he watches these two navigate their current season of life. He sees the obvious connection between them long before they do. This book was so freaking endearing and I totally get the hype behind it. Not to mention, Marin Ireland is the audiobook narrator, and I honestly couldn’t ask for a better voice to bring this story to life. If you haven’t experienced the magic of this book yet, it’s the perfect pick to uplift your spirit during these drab winter days. 

Draco Malfoy & the Mortifying Ordeal of Being in Love by Brigitte Knightley

DRACO MALFOY AND THE MORTIFYING ORDEAL OF BEING IN LOVE by Brigitte Knightley

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Hermione straddles the magical and non-magical worlds as a medical researcher and Healer about to make a Big Discovery. Draco is an Auror assigned to protect her from forces unknown -- to both of their displeasure.

My Thoughts: I am a 30-year-old woman officially in her Dramoine era and I don’t care who knows it! There is something inexplicably alluring about reading alternative storylines involving romance between Hermoine Granger and Draco Malfoy. Does it make sense why I’m so invested in this niche genre? Absolutely not. Did that stop me from finding a whole curated list of Dramoine fanfictions on Goodreads? Absolutely not. After getting emotionally wrecked by Manacled in December, one of my best friends recommended this title as my next venture into Draco/Hermoine fanfiction. Y’all. The banter alone was a work of art. In this Dramoine tale, Hermione is a highly successful medical researcher and doctor in the Muggle world, while in the wizarding world, she is a renowned healer. Draco, an incredibly talented Auror, is assigned to protect Hermione while she works on a top-secret project for the Ministry of Magic. Though they initially begrudge their forced partnership, subtle shifts in their dynamic begin to happen as emerging threats to Hermione and her work grow more dangerous. I was such a SIMP for this slow burn romance. It was so much fun watching them evolve from reluctant allies to friends—and then into something more. If you’re looking for a cure to your Manacled hangover and want a more lighthearted take on these characters, this is the perfect “book.” The writing was lovely, the plot solid, and the character development spot on. Honestly, you wouldn’t even know it’s fanfiction—especially when you’re giggling like a fool at their quick quips lol. 

The Perfect Couple by Elin Hilderbrand

THE PERFECT COUPLE by Elin Hilderbrand

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: It's Nantucket wedding season, also known as summer - the sight of a bride racing down Main Street is as common as the sun setting at Madaket Beach. The Otis-Winbury wedding promises to be an event to remember: the groom's wealthy parents have spared no expense to host a lavish ceremony at their oceanfront estate. But it's going to be memorable for all the wrong reasons after tragedy strikes: a body is discovered in Nantucket Harbor just hours before the ceremony-and everyone in the wedding party is suddenly a suspect. As Chief of Police Ed Kapenash interviews the bride, the groom, the groom's famous mystery-novelist mother, and even a member of his own family, he discovers that every wedding is a minefield-and no couple is perfect.

My Thoughts: The only Elin Hilderbrand books I’ve read were part of her Winter series and, to me, those exuded more of a romance genre feeling than anything else. I also never looked into what the Netflix adaptation of this book was about, I just knew I wanted to read it before watching that. So imagine my surprise when, within the first few minutes of this audiobook, I realize it’s more of a murder mystery than anything else lol. This book had a slow start, but once I got into it, I was hooked. In the early morning hours of a lavish Nantucket wedding, the maid of honor is found floating facedown in the harbor. Cue an ongoing investigation into how she died. The story alternates between multiple POVs, shifting between the present—where police are interviewing everyone involved in the wedding—and the months leading up to the big event. All of these characters are a little morally gray, if you ask me. So it was hard to pinpoint who had the strongest motive for killing the maid of honor. On the surface, they seem polished and put together, but as the story progresses, you quickly realize their lives are anything but perfect. This wasn’t a mind-blowing premise, but I did thoroughly appreciate how seamlessly everyone’s stories wove together leading up to this tragedy. If you’re looking for a beachy murder mystery with a touch of romance and a heavy helping of family dysfunction, this book is a must!

Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros

IRON FLAME by Rebecca Yarros (The Empyrean, #2) (REREAD)

Rating: 5/5 stars (but objectively 4/5 stars)

Summary: Everyone expected Violet Sorrengail to die during her first year at Basgiath War College—Violet included. But Threshing was only the first impossible test meant to weed out the weak-willed, the unworthy, and the unlucky. Now the real training begins, and Violet’s already wondering how she’ll get through. It’s not just that it’s grueling and maliciously brutal, or even that it’s designed to stretch the riders’ capacity for pain beyond endurance. It’s the new vice commandant, who’s made it his personal mission to teach Violet exactly how powerless she is–unless she betrays the man she loves. Although Violet’s body might be weaker and frailer than everyone else’s, she still has her wits—and a will of iron. And leadership is forgetting the most important lesson Basgiath has taught her: Dragon riders make their own rules. But a determination to survive won’t be enough this year. Because Violet knows the real secret hidden for centuries at Basgiath War College—and nothing, not even dragon fire, may be enough to save them in the end.

My Thoughts: Listen, listen, listen, listen lol. I eyeball read this book the first time through last year and wanted to reread it again before Onyx Storm dropped on January 21st. However, I wanted to listen to it this time around and one of my friends recommended the dramatized audiobook… Y’ALL LOL. I wish you could see the fucking CHEESE dripping from my smile right now as I type. This version of this audiobook was soooo dRAmaTiC and I fucking loved every minute of it lmfao. It felt as though I was watching one of my mom’s weekday 12:30PM soap operas (Young & the Restless, anyone? IYKYK). It’s also FULL CAST *chef’s kiss*. Anyway, if I thought I couldn’t be anymore OBSESSED with the dragons in this series, give those scaly suckers an actual voice. Adolescent Andarna still served a full helping of sass while Tairn’s voice was lowkey giving James Earl Jones (RIP) Darth Vader. I have to say, reading this through a second time, I definitely picked up on a few things a little bit quicker than I did my first time through. Even some parts of the plot that I originally thought were a little messy were definitely brought up earlier in the book than I realized. That being said, knowledge is power, so I’m not sure if I found it easier to see those things because I already knew they were coming or if I was paying better attention to the details instead of INHALING the book as a whole. My biggest recommendation if you’ve never read this book and are a visual learner is to eyeball-read it first. Then try out the graphic audiobook afterwards. If you’re more of an auditory learner, then starting with the audiobook will be perf. As a side note, more so that you don’t judge me than anything I actually need to point out, some of the sounds the voice actor of Xaden makes during the salacious scenes are SO FUCKING CRINGE OMG LOL. So just be aware that you may want to tap that “skip forward 15 seconds” button until you’re on the other side of it lmao. At one point he literally sounded like he was chowing down on some hella good food but they were supposed to be making out and I simply could not. Otherwise, I’m ready to make Onyx Storm my entire personality once that book comes out. 🙂

The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters

THE BERRY PICKERS by Amanda Peters

Rating: 3.25/5 stars

Summary: July 1962. A Mi’kmaq family from Nova Scotia arrives in Maine to pick blueberries for the summer. Weeks later, four-year-old Ruthie, the family’s youngest child, vanishes. She is last seen by her six-year-old brother, Joe, sitting on a favorite rock at the edge of a berry field. Joe will remain distraught by his sister’s disappearance for years to come. In Maine, a young girl named Norma grows up as the only child of an affluent family. Her father is emotionally distant, her mother frustratingly overprotective. Norma is often troubled by recurring dreams and visions that seem more like memories than imagination. As she grows older, Norma slowly comes to realize there is something her parents aren’t telling her. Unwilling to abandon her intuition, she will spend decades trying to uncover this family secret.

My Thoughts: This book was a lot slower and darker than I anticipated. When they were kids, Norma (then Ruthie) went missing, and her brother, Joe, was the last person to see her. The story follows each sibling, showing how their lives unfold after that tragic event, with both facing their own types of adversity. Joe struggles with deep self-loathing rooted in the trauma of his sister’s disappearance. That pain manifests in self-destructive behavior—alcoholism, domestic violence, decades of estrangement from his family, and more. I have to be honest, I didn’t really like Joe’s character. I understood that he had a lot of healing to do after everything he’d been through, but he had a frustrating habit of telling others what they needed from him instead of actually listening to what they were saying. Norma, on the other hand, was a much more likable character, though her life ended up being incredibly sheltered and saturated in secondhand grief from her mother’s struggles with infertility. She eventually managed to break free from her overprotective parents, but I hated that they gaslit her her entire life—especially in childhood. It was no surprise that she developed a habit of second-guessing herself. This book was definitely impactful and explores how the bonds of family can remain strong, even after unimaginable tragedy.Overall, it was a good book, but it may have been a victim of its own hype for me.

West With Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge

WEST WITH GIRAFFES by Lynda Rutledge

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Woodrow Wilson Nickel, age 105, feels his life ebbing away. But when he learns giraffes are going extinct, he finds himself recalling the unforgettable experience he cannot take to his grave. It’s 1938. The Great Depression lingers. Hitler is threatening Europe, and world-weary Americans long for wonder. They find it in two giraffes who miraculously survive a hurricane while crossing the Atlantic. What follows is a twelve-day road trip in a custom truck to deliver Southern California’s first giraffes to the San Diego Zoo. Behind the wheel is the young Dust Bowl rowdy Woodrow. Inspired by true events, the tale weaves real-life figures with fictional ones, including the world’s first female zoo director, a crusty old man with a past, a young female photographer with a secret, and assorted reprobates as spotty as the giraffes.

My Thoughts: I originally heard about this book through my mom and although I was intrigued when she told me about it last summer, I didn’t have a desire to pick it up right away. However, now that this gem is on Kindle Unlimited, I couldn’t help myself. There was something so endearing about it that made it easy to return to each night. Woody Nickel is currently 105, living his last years in a nursing home. He knows his days are numbered when he starts seeing a giraffe at his window—a sign that it’s time to finally write down a story he hasn’t told anyone in full for decades. Switch to 1938 and Woody has just made his way to New York from rural Texas after losing his family in the Dust Bowl. During his first week there, a hurricane hits, destroying most of the harbor and tragically killing his cousin—his last known relative. As he struggles to figure out where to go next, a freighter glides into the harbor carrying two giraffes. Woody has never seen anything like them and, on impulse, decides to follow them on their cross-country journey to the San Diego Zoo. Through a series of unexpected events, he ends up driving the truck carrying these majestic animals, forming a bond not just with the giraffes but also with a few unforgettable characters along the way.  Between Woody’s innocence and naivety, the Old Man’s deep love for animals, and Red’s whimsical appearances, my empathy cup had runneth over. This crew of misfits had me hanging on every mile of their once-in-a-lifetime voyage across the country. I haven’t felt this cozy with a book in a while, and I highly recommend it as your next historical fiction read!

Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

LEGENDBORN by Tracy Deonn (REREAD) (The Legendborn Cycle, #1)

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: After her mother dies in an accident, sixteen-year-old Bree Matthews wants nothing to do with her family memories or childhood home. A residential program for bright high schoolers at UNC–Chapel Hill seems like the perfect escape—until Bree witnesses a magical attack her very first night on campus. A flying demon feeding on human energies. A secret society of so called “Legendborn” students that hunt the creatures down. And a mysterious teenage mage who calls himself a “Merlin” and who attempts—and fails—to wipe Bree’s memory of everything she saw. The mage’s failure unlocks Bree’s own unique magic and a buried memory with a hidden connection: the night her mother died, another Merlin was at the hospital. Now that Bree knows there’s more to her mother’s death than what’s on the police report, she’ll do whatever it takes to find out the truth, even if that means infiltrating the Legendborn as one of their initiates. She recruits Nick, a self-exiled Legendborn with his own grudge against the group, and their reluctant partnership pulls them deeper into the society’s secrets—and closer to each other. But when the Legendborn reveal themselves as the descendants of King Arthur’s knights and explain that a magical war is coming, Bree has to decide how far she’ll go for the truth and whether she should use her magic to take the society down—or join the fight.

My Thoughts: The third book in this series, Oathbound, comes out in March. When the second book was released, I made the mistake of not rereading the first one and felt absolutely fucking LOST while trying to keep up. So, I promised myself I’d reread both Legendborn and Bloodmarked before the third book drops—and what better way to do that than with the audiobook? :) I didn’t LOVE this narrator tho. She kept pronouncing it “King AUTHOR” instead of “ARTHUR,” and it drove me up a wall—but I liked her enough to stick with it. It’s been a few years since I eyeball-read this book back in 2022 (OG review here). However, its excellence stood the test of time and I am still gobsmacked at how amazing this story is. SO MUCH HAPPENS. As an urban fantasy set at UNC, there isn’t a ton of time needed for world-building. Instead, Tracy Deonn puts all her energy into crafting a full roster of incredibly well-developed characters and a multi-layered plot, which results in nothing less than an all-consuming book. Between the secret society recruitment process, the mystery of who keeps opening gates to let demons through, and Bree uncovering more about her magic, this story straps you in and does not let go. If you’re looking for a fantasy series that will not disappoint, I highly recommend getting your hands on this one! 

Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli

HEARTLESS HUNTER by Kristen Ciccarelli (The Crimson Moth, #1) (REREAD)

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: On the night Rune’s life changed forever, blood ran in the streets. Now, in the aftermath of a devastating revolution, witches have been diminished from powerful rulers to outcasts ruthlessly hunted due to their waning magic, and Rune must hide what she is. Spending her days pretending to be nothing more than a vapid young socialite, Rune spends her nights as the Crimson Moth, a witch vigilante who rescues her kind from being purged. When a rescue goes wrong, she decides to throw the witch hunters off her scent and gain the intel she desperately needs by courting the handsome Gideon Sharpe – a notorious and unforgiving witch hunter loyal to the revolution – who she can't help but find herself falling for. Gideon loathes the decadence and superficiality Rune represents, but when he learns the Crimson Moth has been using Rune’s merchant ships to smuggle renegade witches out of the republic, he inserts himself into her social circles by pretending to court her right back. He soon realizes that beneath her beauty and shallow façade, is someone fiercely intelligent and tender who feels like his perfect match. Except, what if she’s the very villain he’s been hunting?

My Thoughts: I realized in mid-January that the second book in this duology comes out on February 18th and when I tell you I gasped because HOW DID I NOT KNOW THAT?? This was one of my absolute favorite fantasies from last year and I think about it all the time because it now lives rent free in my brain (see the OG review here). So, per my usual move, I decided to listen to the audiobook this time around for my reread, and y’all, it did not disappoint. The narrator’s voice was PERFECT for this book—it completely engrossed me in the story. I still love how the format switches between Rune and Gideon as they play this high-stakes cat-and-mouse game with each other. Rune is a vigilante known as the Crimson Moth, smuggling witches to the mainland—where magic is still accepted—before the Red Guard can capture and kill them. Gideon, captain of the Red Guard, has one priority: figuring out who the Crimson Moth is. Cue Rune and Gideon courting each other with ulterior motives—Rune, to rescue a recently captured, highly powerful witch; Gideon, to unmask the Crimson Moth. Watching them dance around each other as their dynamics shift was everything. As I said in my original review, the tension between them is THICC, and that DEFINITELY translated through the audiobook, too. If you’re looking for a fantasy that’s fast paced and has a jaw-dropping plot twist, I cannot recommend this book enough!

Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney

BEAUTIFUL UGLY by Alice Feeney

Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary: Author Grady Green is having the worst best day of his life. Grady calls his wife to share some exciting news as she is driving home. He hears Abby slam on the brakes, get out of the car, then nothing. When he eventually finds her car by the cliff edge the headlights are on, the driver door is open, her phone is still there. . . but his wife has disappeared. A year later, Grady is still overcome with grief and desperate to know what happened to Abby. He can’t sleep, and he can’t write, so he travels to a tiny Scottish island to try to get his life back on track. Then he sees the impossible – a woman who looks exactly like his missing wife.

My Thoughts: This book started off strong and had me hooked for the most part. There was a creepy undertone to everything happening to Grady on this remote Scottish island that had me second-guessing everything. But around the middle, things started to feel repetitive—to the point where I kept hoping there was still a purpose behind all these so-called "new" developments. So, I stuck it out. There’s a strong unreliable narrator element here, as Grady begins losing his sanity due to intense insomnia and the way the island’s residents treat him. You feel like they’re gaslighting him, but at the same time, you’re not sure if those passive fronts are real or just in his head. One thing Alice Feeney does exceptionally well? Slapping you in the face with a plot twist—and holy hell, if I didn’t have a metaphorical handprint on my face after this one hit. I literally went, WAIT, WHAT?? Despite that banger of a twist, though, the book as a whole was just fine. You don’t really get to build a connection with any of the other characters enough to form an opinion on who’s the lesser of two evils. The premise is clever, but I think it could’ve been fleshed out a little more.

These Infinite Threads by Tahereh Mafi

THESE INFINITE THREADS by Tahereh Mafi (This Woven Kingdom #2)

Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary: With the heat of a kiss, the walls between Alizeh, the long-lost heir to an ancient Jinn kingdom, and Kamran, the crown prince of the Ardunian empire, have crumbled. And so have both of their lives. Alizeh, the heir to the Jinn throne, is destined to free her people from the half-lives they’ve been forced to live under human rule. When Kamran, the heir to the human throne, falls in love with her, he’s forced to question everything he’s been taught about Jinn. Kamran’s grandfather lays dead at the hand of Cyrus, ruler of the neighboring kingdom of Tulan. Cyrus has stolen Alizeh away to his homeland and plans to marry her there, giving her everything she needs to become the Jinn queen—and when she assumes the throne he will have fulfilled his own bargain with the devil. Alizeh wants nothing to do with Cyrus’s deal or the devil. But without a way to escape Tulan, and with the fulfillment of her own destiny tantalizingly close, she’ll have to decide whether she can set aside her emotions to become the queen her people need. Kamran, meanwhile, is picking up the pieces in Ardunia. Facing betrayal at every turn, all he knows is that he must go to Tulan to avenge his grandfather. He can only hope that Alizeh will be waiting for him there—and that she hasn’t yet become the queen of Tulan.

My Thoughts: The way this book was no plot, just vibes… lol. Like actually, the meter barely moved in terms of progressing the story or giving us a clear idea of what’s next. The book mainly focused on Alizeh and Cyrus now that they’re in the kingdom of Tulan. He kidnapped her with the intent of convincing her to marry him and use his kingdom as a launch point to reclaim her throne. She knows she can’t trust him, but the tension between them? THICC. After witnessing him in an extremely vulnerable situation, Alizeh finds herself battling some serious inner turmoil—because this morally gray boy is absolutely GONE for her. While these two dance around each other in Tulan, Kamran is dealing with the aftermath of his grandfather’s death and the appearance of Cyrus back in Ardunia. This side of the story was a mess lol. He’s apparently disfigured from some bad kickback from magic, there are people doubting he’s the true heir to the throne, and he doesn’t know who he can trust anymore after everything that went down with Alizeh. All the while, the most random rag-tag group of misfit toys including a former street urchin, the local apothecarist, an air-headed debutante, and his best friend are all determined to help him find Alizeh and bring her back. Y’all. There really wasn’t any clear purpose to this book lmao, but I did enjoy it overall - if only for the Cyrus content. <3

The Girls We Sent Away by Meagan Church

THE GIRLS WE SENT AWAY by Meagan Church

Rating: 3.75/5 stars

Summary: It's the 1960s and Lorraine Delford has it all – an upstanding family, a perfect boyfriend, and a white picket fence home in North Carolina. Yet every time she looks through her father's telescope, she dreams of the stars. It's ambitious, but Lorraine has always been exceptional. But when this darling girl-next-door gets pregnant, she's forced to learn firsthand the realities that keep women grounded. To hide their daughter's secret shame, the Delfords send Lorraine to a maternity home for wayward girls. But this is no safe haven – it's a house with dark secrets and suffocating rules. And as Lorraine begins to piece together a new vision for her life, she must decide if she can fight against the powers that aim to take her child or submit to the rules of a society she once admired.

My Thoughts: This book was truly beautiful, heart-breaking, and thought-provoking. Through a fictional lens, it sheds light on the Baby Scoop Era when young, unwed women were coerced or gaslit into giving their babies up for adoption. This story follows Lorraine, a high school senior on her way to becoming valedictorian with dreams of going to college. However, all of that comes crashing down when she gets pregnant from her boyfriend. He decides he “just can’t deal” with all of it because he’s a freshman in college and “has more important things to focus on”, which leaves her picking up the pieces. It was gut-wrenching to watch the challenges faced by the young women at the home Lorraine was sent to. They were alone with no guidance or emotional support, and their choices were ripped away from them by people they should have been able to trust. The amount of character development we witnessed Lorraine experience within those nine months is heartbreaking as she goes from that innocent girl next door to a young woman forced to face the reality of her situation. It would be a missed opportunity not to mention that the Baby Scoop Era began to decline in the 1970s with the rise of the women’s rights movement, better access to contraception, and the legalization of abortion… Just some important issues our society still feels the need to debate these days…???? Anyway, if you’re looking for a historical fiction novel that will light your fire as a woman or put yourself in a woman’s shoes as a man, this one will do it lol.

Sword Catcher by Cassandra Clare

SWORD CATCHER by Cassandra Clare

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: In the vibrant city-state of Castellane, the richest of nobles and the most debauched of criminals have one thing in common: the constant search for wealth, power, and the next hedonistic thrill. Kel is an orphan, stolen from the life he knew to become the Sword Catcher—the body double of a royal heir, Prince Conor Aurelian. He has been raised alongside the prince, trained in every aspect of combat and statecraft. He and Conor are as close as brothers, but Kel knows that his destiny is to die for Conor. No other future is possible. Lin Caster is one of the Ashkar, a small community whose members still possess magical abilities. By law, they must live behind walls within the city, but Lin, a physician, ventures out to tend to the sick and dying of Castellane. Despite her skills, she cannot heal her best friend without access to forbidden knowledge. After a failed assassination attempt brings Lin and Kel together, they are drawn into the web of the mysterious Ragpicker King, the criminal ruler of Castellane’s underworld. He offers them each what they want most; but as they descend into his world of intrigue and shadow, they discover a conspiracy of corruption that reaches from the darkest gutters of Castellane to the highest tower of its palaces. As long-kept secrets begin to unravel, they must ask themselves: Is knowledge worth the price of betrayal? Can forbidden love bring down a kingdom? And will their discoveries plunge their nation into war—and the world into chaos?

My Thoughts: Who am I and why did I not realize Cassandra Clare wrote a brand new regency-era fantasy series?? I devoured every inch of her Shadow Hunters world and could not wait to see what this one is about. The first thing I have to say about this book is, Cassie Clare woke up and chose chaos the day she sat down to write a 70-page prologue lol. I listened to the audiobook and saw that the prologue was NINETY minutes long and when I tell you I did a double take. Everything explained in the prologue is definitely necessary, but I’ve just never run into one as long as that. The story itself was nothing groundbreaking but still managed to suck me in. Kel was plucked from an orphanage when he was just 10-years-old to become the Sword Catcher for Prince Conor Aurelian. The Sword Catcher’s life purpose is to be a body double and protect the prince at all costs. Which means he can’t really plan for any sort of future. Lin Caster is an Ashkari physician which is the only community left able to do lesser magic. Her best friend is very sick and Lin’s main focus is to find a cure. Kel and Lin are both given offers they can’t refuse from the city’s main criminal lord. However, once they start getting deeper into his underworld of crooks and liars, things start going sideways. This book was definitely a little slower than I anticipated, but I can’t say I wasn’t invested in each and every scene. It helped that the format switched between Lin’s and Kel’s POVs and that they aren’t each other’s love interest. At first, I was hoping they would be, but their lack of romance actually gave the plot more room to breathe and allowed for additional subplots and side characters. The second book in this series comes out in February and I’ve already set a notification in Libby to alert me when the audiobook is available lol. If you’re a fan of Cassandra Clare’s writing, I definitely recommend giving her new venture a try!

Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros

ONYX STORM by Rebecca Yarros (The Empyrean, #3)

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: After nearly eighteen months at Basgiath War College, Violet Sorrengail knows there’s no more time for lessons. No more time for uncertainty. Because the battle has truly begun, and with enemies closing in from outside their walls and within their ranks, it’s impossible to know who to trust. Now Violet must journey beyond the failing Aretian wards to seek allies from unfamiliar lands to stand with Navarre. The trip will test every bit of her wit, luck, and strength, but she will do anything to save what she loves—her dragons, her family, her home, and him. Even if it means keeping a secret so big, it could destroy everything. They need an army. They need power. They need magic. And they need the one thing only Violet can find—the truth. But a storm is coming...and not everyone can survive its wrath.

My Thoughts: Y’ALLLLLLLL. I gave it all of exactly one hour before I sat down to write this review because OH MY GOD. I’d like to start by making a bold statement that this is my favorite book of the series by far. Onyx Storm makes Iron Flame look like a MESSY 2-star read, okay? Rebecca Yarros said, “give me time to write,” and my friends, she WROTE. You had a well developed, complex plot that served to answer multiple questions we’ve all been asking. You had some refreshing, vivid world building as the quest squad traveled from isle to isle looking for Andarna’s kind. The character arcs were a thing of beauty and quenched the thirst we were all feeling after Iron Flame. Although complicated politics were still prevalent in this book, I appreciated that there wasn’t SUCH a frustrating focus on it. Similarly, the angsty romance line that plagued our ever-waking thoughts throughout the last book was finally put to rest in this one, and I honestly couldn’t have asked for anything else. Romance definitely maintained a presence, but instead of driving the car, it took somewhat of a back seat to the endless action and adventure we experienced in this war-simmering world. I already know I’m going to have to reread it again later this year because THAT ENDING? Left me with more questions than I can even begin to express which is just RUDE. Anyway, if you need me, I’ll be chest deep in some Onyx Storm theories and threads lol. Closing thoughts: the boys whose names end with c’s need awards for being absolute scene stealers in this one - aka Aaric and Ridoc. <3

The Briar Club by Kate Quinn

THE BRIAR CLUB by Kate Quinn

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary:  Washington, D.C., 1950. Everyone keeps to themselves at Briarwood House, a down-at-the-heels all-female boarding house in the heart of the nation’s capital, where secrets hide behind white picket fences. But when the lovely, mysterious widow Grace March moves into the attic, she draws her oddball collection of neighbors into unlikely friendship: poised English beauty Fliss whose facade of perfect wife and mother covers gaping inner wounds; police officer’s daughter Nora, who is entangled with a shadowy gangster; frustrated baseball star Bea, whose career has ended along with the women’s baseball league of WWII; and poisonous, gung-ho Arlene, who has thrown herself into McCarthy’s Red Scare. Grace’s weekly attic-room dinner parties and window-brewed sun tea become a healing balm on all their lives, but she hides a terrible secret of her own. When a shocking act of violence tears apart the house, the Briar Club women must decide once and for all: Who is the true enemy in their midst?

My Thoughts: Kate Quinn is an “auto-read” author for me. I cannot say enough good things about her historical fiction books, and when I heard there was a mystery/thriller twist to this story, I couldn’t wait to dive in. The beginning takes place on Thanksgiving in 1954 at the Briarwood House - an all-female boarding house in Washington D.C. There’s been a murder and the cops are trying to figure out what’s happened while the tenants and their guests quietly try to process the events of the day. From there, the book’s chapters focus on each individual tenant. I absolutely loved this format. It was impossible not to develop a connection with each character, and you really get a clear sense of the role they play in the house’s dynamics. One woman, in particular, acted as the glue holding everyone together and started what they called "The Briar Club"—a weekly Thursday dinner gathering. After their nosy and overbearing landlady left to play bridge each week, the tenants would crowd into the fourth-floor apartment, taking turns cooking dinner. A few of their recipes are sprinkled throughout the book, which was such a fun touch. The theme of found family was felt so viscerally throughout this group. Even the landlady’s kids were a part of this hodge podge bunch where they all looked out for each other. Although I definitely should have seen the plot twist coming lol, I appreciated that it didn’t quite give everything away that happened on Thanksgiving in 1954. It gave room for the last few chapters to suss out the mystery and what came after. This novel will probably live rent free (pun not intended) in my brain for a while and I highly recommend it if you’re looking for an unconventional historical fiction book.

That’s it for January! 

I’ve already got a few books on my radar for February, but we shall see what my mood pushes me towards. 

2025 Book Count: 14

Add me on Goodreads if you haven’t already.

YOUR TURN! What was your favorite book in January? OR if you read Onyx Storm, what are some of the best theories you’ve encountered?

My Favorite Books of 2024

Ahh a new year means new reading goals and creating a brand new list of “Want to Read” books for 2025. 

Personally, I’m a pretty big mood reader. Meaning the books I pick up depend on how I’m feeling at that moment. So although I have some books in mind that I want to read, I don’t usually have a solid decision made as to which book I will be reading next. We’re making “game time” decisions over here lol. 

I know not everyone is a mood reader though. So whether you’re looking to get back into reading or have already (re)started your reading journey, I figured I’d provide some of my favorite books that I read in 2024 to give you some ideas as to what your next book could be. 

A couple of notes: 

• To be clear, these books weren’t necessarily published in 2024. I just read them in 2024.

• I’ll link each book to the respective blog post on my website in which it was reviewed. That way, if you want to see a more elaborate explanation as to why I loved a book, you can. :)

FANTASY/ROMANTASY

Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Törzs

• Basic premise: Raised to protect their family’s collection of magical books,the Kalotay sisters are brought back together after their father’s mysterious death reveals hidden dangers within their legacy. As they unravel secrets spanning generations and continents, they confront a world of magic that threatens everything they treasure.

• Read this if you like: phenomenal storylines, multiple POVs, fantastic character arcs, and a dash of blood magic. 

• Find my full review here.

Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross

• Basic premise: Two young rival journalists develop a connection through a magical wardrobe. As they are thrust into a divine war with mystical typewriters, their connection becomes key to battling fate, saving humanity, and discovering love amidst chaos.

• Read this if you like: fantasy that also feels like historical fiction, dual POV format, war and magic, a slow burn romance, duologies (Ruthless Vows is already out!)

• Find my full review here.

Manacled by SenLinYu

• Basic Premise: Harry Potter is dead. In the aftermath of the war, in order to strengthen the might of the magical world, Voldemort enacts a repopulation effort. Hermione Granger has an Order secret, lost but hidden in her mind, so she is sent as an enslaved surrogate to the High Reeve until her mind can be cracked.

• Read if you like: fan-fictions or retellings, an incredible Dramoine ship, multiple timelines, darker content, slow burn romances, spice.

• Side notes: please check content and trigger warnings before diving into this one. Also, the author of this took it down from Archive of Our Own because they’re publishing it into an actual book - just outside of the Wizarding World because copyright lol. So you may have to wait until it’s officially published as its own book before being able to get your hands on it. Alternatively, hit me up, and I may be able to share the ePub document with you.

• Find my full review here. 

Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli

• Basic premise: In a post-revolution world where witches are hunted, Rune hides her magic by day as a frivolous socialite and by night as the Crimson Moth, a vigilante rescuing her kind. When her path collides with Gideon Sharpe, a witch hunter posing as her suitor, their dangerous game of deception sparks a forbidden connection that could expose them both.

• Read if you like: regency era romances, enemies-to-lovers, a badass female main character, simpler magic structures, a bit of “cat and mouse,” duologies (the second one isn’t out yet but it will be this year!), quick pacing.

• Find my full review here.

Bride by Ali Hazelwood

• Basic premise: Misery Lark, the outcast daughter of a powerful Vampyre councilman, reluctantly agrees to a marriage of convenience with Werewolf Alpha Lowe Moreland to uphold a fragile peace. While Lowe watches her with suspicion, Misery hides her own secret agenda—one that could upend their alliance and her solitary life among the Weres.

• Read if you like: slow burn romance, enemies-to-lovers, plot with politics, simpler magical/societal constructs, BOAT LOADS of humor, spice.

• Find my full review here.

YA FANTASY (YOUNG ADULT)

Heir by Sabaa Tahir

• Basic premise: In a fractured empire, Aiz, a vengeful prisoner, Sirsha, a magical tracker chasing a child killer, and Quil, a reluctant crown prince, find their fates intertwined. As a deadly new enemy rises, each must confront their past and decide what they are willing to sacrifice to protect their people and their future.

• Read if you like: An Ember in the Ashes series, high fantasy, militaristic world with social hierarchy, politics, adventure, multiple POVs.

• Find my full review here.

Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young

• Basic premise: Seventeen-year-old warrior Eelyn’s world shatters when she discovers her presumed-dead brother fighting for the enemy clan. Forced to endure a brutal winter among her foes, she must confront betrayal, forge unexpected alliances, and unite warring clans to face a legendary threat—or risk losing everything she holds dear.

• Read if you like: fantasy mixed with historical fiction, Vikings (like the Slavic fighters, not the Minnesota team lol), slow burn romance, enemies-to-lovers, tough and scrappy female main character. 

• Find my full review here.

This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi

• Basic premise: Alizeh, a hidden Jinn queen masquerading as a servant, crosses paths with Crown Prince Kamran, who is haunted by prophecies of his king's death. Drawn together by fate, their connection threatens to unravel kingdoms and reshape the world.

• Read if you like: djinn-based magic, regency era, feuding kingdoms, prophecies, enemies-to-lovers, an underdog.

• Find my full review here. 

What The River Knows by Isabel Ibañez

• Basic premise: In nineteenth-century Buenos Aires, Inez Olivera inherits a fortune, a mysterious guardian, and an ancient golden ring after her parents' tragic deaths. Traveling to Cairo, she unravels a web of old-world magic tied to the ring and her parents’ disappearance, forcing her to rely on her wits—and a frustratingly charming assistant—to survive a deadly conspiracy.

• Read if you like: historical fiction, magical realism, Egypt, treasure hunting, red herrings, archaeology, adventure.

• Find my full review here.

MYSTERY/THRILLER

First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston

• Basic premise: Evie Porter, a fabricated identity created for mysterious assignments, faces her most challenging job yet when her target, Ryan Sumner, begins to feel like more than just a mark. As her carefully constructed life unravels and her true identity resurfaces, Evie must outwit her past while risking everything for a future she never imagined.

• Read if you like: mystery/thrillers that don’t involve a bunch of creepy content, spy movies, somewhat morally gray characters, TONS of plot twists, fast paced storylines.

• Find my full review here

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

• Basic premise: White lies. Dark humor. Deadly consequences… Bestselling sensation Juniper Song is not who she says she is, she didn’t write the book she claims she wrote, and she is most certainly not Asian American.

• Read if you like: the movie Get Out, satires, morally gray/unreliable narrators, bigotry called out.

• Find my full review here.

The Sundown Motel by Simone St. James

• Basic premise: In 1982, Viv Delaney takes a job as the night clerk at the eerie Sun Down Motel in Fell, New York, where secrets lurk in every shadow. As strange occurrences mount, Viv becomes determined to uncover the motel’s dark mysteries—no matter the cost.

• Read if you like: true crime podcasts, a little bit of paranormal activity, multiple POVs, dual timelines. 

• Find my full review here.

Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll

• Basic premise: In 1978, Pamela Schumacher survives a sorority massacre in Florida, while Tina Cannon in Seattle is driven to seek justice for a friend who disappeared under eerily similar circumstances. United by their pursuit of truth, these two women challenge the glorified narrative of a notorious serial killer, shining a light on the exceptional lives of the victims he sought to erase.

• Read if you like: true crime podcasts, stories involving serial killers, strong women leads, multiple POVs, dual timelines.

• Find my full review here,

ROMANCE

The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston

• Basic Premise: After the worst day of her life, Clementine vows to protect her heart by sticking to her plan: work hard, dream big, and avoid getting too close to anyone. But when she meets a kind Southern man living seven years in the past, she must decide whether love can defy the boundaries of time—or if it’s doomed by timing.

• Read if you like: dual timelines, the movie The Lake House, a little whimsy, getting your heart ripped apart then slowly sewn back together lol.

• Find my full review here.

Seven Days in June by Tia Williams

• Basic premise: Single mom and bestselling erotica author Eva Mercy is stunned when reclusive literary star Shane Hall reenters her life at a New York literary event, reigniting the chemistry—and heartbreak—they shared during a torrid week 20 years ago. Over seven steamy Brooklyn days, they confront their shared past, buried traumas, and lingering questions that could change everything.

• Read if you like: second chance romances, slow burns, dual timelines, a little spice.

• Find my full review here.

Play Along by Liz Tomforde

• Basic premise: Kennedy, a determined athletic trainer for the Windy City Warriors, finds her career and professional reputation at risk after a drunken Las Vegas night leaves her married to Isaiah Rhodes, the team’s charming shortstop. Bound by a scheme to save her job, they agree to a temporary marriage, but Isaiah is set on proving to Kennedy that their accidental union could be the real deal.

• Read if you like: sports romances, fake dating, forced proximity, he-falls-first, SPICE.

• Find my full review here.

Funny Story - Emily Henry

• Basic premise: After being left by her fiancé for his childhood best friend, Daphne starts over in Waning Bay, Michigan, as a children’s librarian and reluctantly becomes roommates with Miles, her ex’s fiancée’s ex. Despite their differences, a shared heartbreak leads to an unexpected friendship—and a fake summer fling—that might just become something real.

• Read if you like: phenomenal banter, dual POV, forced proximity, friends-to-lovers, spice, quality Michigan references lol. 

• Find my full review here. 

Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan

• Basic Premise: After heartbreak tore their marriage apart, Yasmen and Josiah Wade have settled into a new normal, co-parenting their kids and running a successful business. But as lingering sparks reignite into something undeniable, they must decide if their love deserves a second chance—or if the past will keep them apart for good.

• Read if you like: second chance romance, stories about overcoming grief, dual POV, strong main characters, men who go to therapy (lol), and SPICE.

• Find my full review here.

FICTION (CONTEMPORARY/LITERARY)

Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson

• Basic Premise: Lillian agrees to care for her old friend's stepchildren, who have an unusual problem: they burst into flames when upset. As an unconventional summer unfolds, she forges a surprising bond with the fiery twins and discovers a new sense of purpose in her once aimless life.

• Read if you like: laugh-out-loud books, Marin Ireland as an audiobook narrator <3, absolutely ridiculous plots, unreliable narrators in that the main character’s life is a mess lol, people watching over kids who have no experience with kids.

• Side note: this really was one of, if not my top, favorite audiobook from 2024. 

• Find my full review here.

Honor by Thrity Umrigar

• Basic premise: Indian American journalist Smita returns to India to cover the harrowing case of Meena, a Hindu woman brutally punished for marrying a Muslim man, forcing Smita to confront both societal traditions and her own painful past. Amidst the turmoil, Smita’s growing connection with Mohan offers a tender exploration of love, identity, and the courage to bridge cultural divides.

• Read if you like: plots that explore other cultures, resilient women, the complexities of relationships, generational divides, or if you liked the vibes of The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi.

• Find my full review here.

Shark Heart by Emily Habeck 

• Basic premise: Newlyweds Lewis and Wren face an unimaginable reality when Lewis is diagnosed with a condition that will slowly transform him into a great white shark. As Lewis grapples with his fading humanity, Wren must confront her own past and decide if their love can endure the impossible.

• Read if you like: stories about metamorphosis and letting go, short chapters, some magical realism, multiple POVs, odd, yet beautifully written books that will stick with you for a long time.

• Find my full review here.

YA (YOUNG ADULT) FICTION 

All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir

• Basic premise: In Lahore, Pakistan, Misbah and Toufiq seek a fresh start in America after tragedy strikes, opening the Cloud’s Rest Inn Motel to build a new life. Years later in Juniper, California, best friends-turned-strangers Salahudin and Noor must confront their fractured bond while grappling with family struggles, personal dreams, and the weight of their shared past.

• Read if you like: heart wrenching stories of friendship, forgiveness and resilience, multiple POV format, dual timelines, stories that explore the complexities of immigrant families in the US, generational narratives and grappling with cultural identity.

• Find my full review here.

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

• Basic premise: Simon Snow is the Chosen One, but he's terrible at magic, his life is falling apart, and a dangerous creature is wreaking havoc while wearing his face. To make matters worse, his vampire roommate and sworn nemesis, Baz, is mysteriously missing during their final year at Watford School of Magicks.

• Read if you like: a variety of magical beings, top notch banter, boarding school vibes, enemies-to-lovers, queer romances, laugh-out-loud one-liners, a British narrator (if audiobooks are your jam).

• Find my full review here.

Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood

• Basic premise: Mallory Greenleaf swore off chess after it shattered her family, but one unexpected win against world champion Nolan Sawyer drags her back into the high-stakes world she left behind. As Mallory rises through the ranks and navigates her rekindled passion for the game, she must balance her love for chess, the pull of an enigmatic rival, and the need to protect her family from its fallout.

• Read if you like: Netflix’s The Queen’s Gambit (but with less alcohol and drugs lol), enemies-to-lovers, he-falls-first, thicccc romantic tension, quality comedic relief from side characters. 

• Find my full review here.

HISTORICAL FICTION

Husbands & Lovers by Beatriz Williams

• Basic premise: In 2022, single mother Mallory Dunne must confront painful secrets from her past while searching for a kidney donor to save her son, all while reconnecting with a lost love and unearthing a family mystery. In 1951 Cairo, Hungarian refugee Hannah Ainsworth embarks on a passionate affair amidst political turmoil, unknowingly setting off events that will echo through generations and impact Mallory's life decades later.

• Read if you like: dual timelines and POVs, rich family secrets, second chance romances, emotionally charged stories, historical fiction writing similar to Kate Quinn or Kristin Hannah.

• Find my full review here.

Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate

• Basic premise: In 1939 Memphis, twelve-year-old Rill Foss must protect her siblings after they are forcibly taken from their home and sent to a cruel orphanage, where they discover dark secrets about their future. Decades later, Avery Stafford uncovers a shocking family history that leads her to a long-buried truth about her own roots, revealing connections to a notorious child trafficking scandal.

• Read if you like: dual timelines, historical fiction stories based on real events, stories of family bonds and resilience, emotional journeys uncovering hidden truths, light romance subplots.

• Find my full review here.

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

• Basic premise: This book follows the life of a boy born into poverty in southern Appalachia, navigating foster care, child labor, addiction, and personal loss. With a sharp wit and a will to survive, he faces the challenges of a world that ignores rural communities and their struggles.

• Read if you like: raw and gritty coming-of-age stories, books that explore themes of poverty, survival and resilience, the books Educated by Tara Westover or The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls, stories that shine a light on social issues and overlooked communities. 

• Find my full review here.

SCIENCE FICTION

The Measure by Nikki Erlick

• Basic premise: When people around the world receive a mysterious wooden box containing the answer to how long they will live, it sparks a global crisis. Faced with the choice to learn their lifespan, each person must decide whether to open the box and how this knowledge will reshape their lives.

• Read if you like: multiple POVs, character stories that intertwine, books that explore deep moral dilemmas, plots that involve the complexities of fate and free will, the book The Midnight Library by Matt Haig, stories that will spark endless conversation with your friends who also read this book lol. 

• Find my full review here.

Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng

• Basic premise: In a dystopian future where America enforces strict cultural conformity, twelve-year-old Bird Gardner lives with his father, a former linguist, in a world that punishes dissent. When Bird receives a cryptic letter, he embarks on a journey to uncover the truth about his mother, a Chinese American poet whose disappearance is tied to the oppressive regime.

• Read if you like: dystopian settings, thought-provoking narratives, explorations of culture and identity, plots involving societal control and the power of literature, books that will spark deep conversation.

• Find my full review here.

Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel

• Basic premise: In this intricately woven tale, an exiled young man in 19th-century Canada, a bestselling author from a moon colony, and a detective from a futuristic city become entangled in a mysterious anomaly that could alter the course of time itself. Their interconnected stories explore the consequences of a single moment's impact, the blurred lines between reality and fiction, and the possibility of changing the universe’s fate.

• Read if you like: multiple POVs and timelines, interconnected stories, time-travel mysteries, her other book Station Eleven, books that explore the human connection.

• Find my full review here.

NON-FICTION

Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City by Desmond Matthew

• Basic premise: In Evicted, Princeton sociologist Matthew Desmond follows eight families in Milwaukee as they struggle to keep a roof over their heads. Evicted transforms our understanding of poverty and economic exploitation while providing fresh ideas for solving one of 21st-century America's most devastating problems. Its unforgettable scenes of hope and loss remind us of the centrality of home, without which nothing else is possible.

• Read if you like: a raw look at the flaws and ugliness of the “American Dream,” powerful accounts of systematic poverty, unapologetic anecdotes showing how, specifically, people of color are dealt the short end of the stick generation after generation, investigative journalism.

• Find my full review here.

Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell

• Basic premise: This book explores the power of language in shaping and sustaining cult-like groups, from notorious organizations like Jonestown to modern phenomena like SoulCycle and social media influencers. Through vivid storytelling and original research, Montell uncovers how language manipulates belief systems, creates intense communities, and influences our everyday lives, even outside of traditional cults.

• Read if you like: learning how language shapes our behaviors, beliefs, and communities, dissecting the darker sides of modern trends and social movements, how fucking bonkers some of these cult-following groups are and like real-life cults lol. 

• Find my full review here.

All righty. Those are my recommendations based on my favorite books from the 150+ I read in 2024 lol. Hopefully, you found something that sparked your interest!

Let me know if you read any of these! Otherwise, I’ll be posting my reviews from the books I read this month towards the end of January!

And if you haven’t already… add me on Goodreads. ;)

December 2024 Reads

As I write this intro, we are officially in that week between Christmas and New Year’s where you’re not really sure what day it is, let alone the date. We’re all basically mowing down on holiday treats, counting down the days until we have to go back to work. (booooo lol)

What I do know is that December absolutely FLEW by, as did 2024. Am I right?

This year felt like it was a growing year for me. I turned 30 in February, went through a rough breakup shortly after, spent most of this summer focusing on myself and being outside with my people, took a 950 mile road trip through California in the fall, started making moves in my career, and finally decided to get bangs for the winter lol. 

Throughout all of that, I had books to keep me company, and December was no exception. I read some absolute BANGERS this month and just hope that momentum carries into 2025. Specifically in the fantasy category, but we’ll get into that later. 

For now, let’s get into everything I read at the end of 2024. 

*All summaries are taken or paraphrased from Goodreads. 

Heir by Sabaa Tahir

HEIR by Sabaa Tahir (Heir Duology #1)

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: An orphan. An outcast. A prince. And a killer who will bring an empire to its knees. Growing up in the Kegari slums, AIZ has seen her share of suffering. An old tragedy fuels her need for vengeance, but it is love of her people that propels her. Until one hotheaded mistake lands her in an inescapable prison, where the embers of her wrath ignite. Banished from her people for an unforgivable crime, SIRSHA is a down-on-her-luck tracker who uses magic to trace her marks. Destitute, she agrees to hunt down a killer who has murdered children across the Martial Empire. All she has to do is carry out the job and get paid. But when a chance encounter leads to an unexpected attraction, Sirsha learns her mission might cost her far more than she's willing to give up. QUIL is the crown prince of the Empire and nephew of a venerated empress, but he’s loath to take the throne when his aunt steps down. As the son of a reviled emperor, he, better than anyone, understands that power corrupts. When a vicious new enemy threatens the survival of the Empire, Quil must ask himself if he can rise above his tragic lineage and be the heir his people need.

My Thoughts: BLEEDING SKIES! I do not know what rock I crawled under to not realize this book is a spin-off from Sabaa Tahir’s An Ember in the Ashes series!! Needless to say, I was fucking STOKED to be back in this world with the next generation of characters. The start was a little bit of a slow burn, but once I got my footing with who each character was, I was absolutely ENTRANCED. We follow Aiz, a super pious orphan from a country that is cut off from most of the world and under control of a tyrant. She sets off on a pilgrimage to find her people’s deity that will free them from poverty, starvation, and a controlling government. There’s Sirsha who was banished from her people and now uses her magic to make a living as a tracker for people. Her latest job is to hunt down a killer who has been murdering children across the Martial Empire. Last, we follow Quil who is the crown prince of the Empire, A.K.A MY GIRL HELENE’S NEPHEW (*cue fangirl screaming omgggg*). He doesn’t really want to take the throne but when a ruthless new enemy threatens the Empire, Quil has to flee to find the one thing that can save his people and reflect on whether he can be the future ruler they need. Listen, Linda. SO MUCH HAPPENS in this book and I was absolutely SQUEALING any time a character from the OG series makes an appearance (i.e. Helene, Elias, Laia, Tas, and more.) I loved how each character’s journey started to intersect one another and once that plot twist hits… oooo-wee. You’re not even ready for it. I just BARELY figured out what the twist was right before it was revealed. Not to mention the ABSOLUTELY RUDE cliffhanger this book leaves you on at the end. I need the next book in this duology like yesterday lol. If it’s unclear, I was obviously in love with this book and highly recommend reading it if you’ve read An Ember in the Ashes. If you haven’t read that series, I recommend reading that FIRST then reading Heir.

Funny Story by Emily Henry

FUNNY STORY by Emily Henry

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Daphne always loved the way her fiancé, Peter, told their story. How they met (on a blustery day), fell in love (over an errant hat), and moved back to his lakeside hometown to begin their life together. He really was good at telling it... right up until the moment he realized he was actually in love with his childhood best friend Petra. Which is how Daphne begins her new story: stranded in beautiful Waning Bay, Michigan, without friends or family but with a dream job as a children’s librarian (that barely pays the bills), and proposing to be roommates with the only person who could possibly understand her predicament: Petra’s ex, Miles Nowak. Scruffy and chaotic—with a penchant for taking solace in the sounds of heart break love ballads—Miles is exactly the opposite of practical, buttoned-up Daphne, whose coworkers know so little about her they have a running bet that she’s either FBI or in witness protection. The roommates mainly avoid one another, until one day, while drowning their sorrows, they form a tenuous friendship and a plan. If said plan also involves posting deliberately misleading photos of their summer adventures together, well, who could blame them? But it’s all just for show, of course, because there’s no way Daphne would actually start her new chapter by falling in love with her ex-fiancé’s new fiancée’s ex... right?

My Thoughts: I know some people are over Emily Henry because her writing tends to feel like it’s all following the same formula. Which it is. However, what I appreciate about her as an author is that she makes every character and their story feel so incredibly unique. So even if all of her books share a similar rom-com DNA, I don’t think they feel the same at all. This gem was one of my favorites. Daphne and Miles are such fun, messy characters and the fact that they have to move in together after their exes break up with them to date each other is literally a chef’s kiss premise. You’ve already got a forced proximity trope mixed with friends-to-lovers, opposites attract, AND fake dating? Say less. I was obsessed with this audiobook. It was so much fun. The banter was top notch, and don’t get me started on all the comedic relief that the side characters provided. I loved the dynamics between Daphne and Miller as they completed each adventure they planned that summer before Daphne’s deadline. Their relationship felt so genuine and grew so organically, you couldn’t help but root for them. If you’re looking for a rom-com that won’t disappoint, you should definitely give this one a try! BONUS: this story takes place in a fictional town in Michigan and all of the Mitten State references are incredible lol. 

Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice by Elle Cosimano

FINLAY DONOVAN ROLLS THE DICE by Elle Cosimano (Finlay Donovan #4)

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Finlay Donovan and her nanny/partner-in-crime Vero are in sore need of a girls’ weekend away. They plan a trip to Atlantic City, but odds are―seeing as it’s actually a cover story to negotiate a deal with a dangerous loan shark, save Vero’s childhood crush Javi, and hunt down a stolen car―it won’t be all fun and games. When Finlay’s ex-husband Steven and her mother insist on tagging along too, Finlay and Vero suddenly have a few too many meddlesome passengers along for the ride. Within hours of arriving in their seedy casino hotel, it becomes clear their rescue mission is going to be a bust. Javi’s kidnapper, Marco, refuses to negotiate, demanding payment in full in exchange for Javi’s life. But that’s not all―he insists on knowing the whereabouts of his missing nephew, Ike, who mysteriously disappeared. Unable to confess what really happened to Ike, Finlay and Vero are forced to come up with a new plan: sleuth out the location of Javi and the Aston Martin, then steal them both back. But when they sneak into the loan shark’s suite to search for clues, they find more than they bargained for―Marco's already dead. They don’t have a clue who murdered him, only that they themselves have a very convincing motive. Then four members of the police department unexpectedly show up in town, also looking for Ike―and after Finlay's night with hot cop Nick at the police academy, he’s a little too eager to keep her close to his side. If Finlay can juggle a jealous ex-husband, two precocious kids, her mother’s marital issues, a decomposing loan shark, and find Vero’s missing boyfriend, she might get out of Atlantic City in one piece. But will she fold under the pressure and come clean about the things she’s done, or be forced to double down?

My Thoughts: Okay as I mentioned in recent reviews of books in this series, the shit Finlay and Vero keep accidentally getting involved with has become progressively unhinged and this book is no exception lol. Basically, they’re in Atlantic City trying to settle some debts for Vero while also looking for her childhood crush, Javi, who was “allegedly” kidnapped by the Russian mob. Per usual, throw any and every wrench into their plans for making a “girls’ weekend away” cover harder to maintain. Including adding Finlay’s ex-husband into the mix, two dead guys, police stakeout on their hotel floor, Finlay’s new police boyfriend, her kids, and more. It’s a weekend full of chaos and sticky situations these women just BARELY eke their way out of. Although some of their shenanigans felt pretty unrealistic (i.e. keeping two dead guys on ice in a hotel room until they were ready to move them??) I still appreciated that there were plenty of laugh-out-loud moments and that everything happening is a continuation of the previous books in this series. It was also fun getting to see the storylines of side characters progress a little further as well since they’ve been on this journey with us since the beginning. I wouldn’t say the formula of this book was very different from the previous books; however, I still thoroughly enjoyed it and plan to continue this series once the next book comes out. 

One Last Gift by Emily Stone

ONE LAST GIFT by Emily Stone

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Sometimes the best gifts in life are the ones you don't expect. Cassie and Tom lost their parents at a young age and relied on each other--as well as a community of friends--to get through it. Especially Tom's best friend, Sam, who always made sure Tom and Cassie were surrounded with love. But now, twenty years later, Cassie has lost Tom as well. And in a way, she's also lost Sam; over the years they've drifted apart, and now the man she always had a crush on is someone she doesn't even recognize anymore. She's never felt more alone. Then she finds an envelope with her name on it, written in Tom's terrible handwriting, and she knows immediately what it is. It's the first clue in the Christmas scavenger hunt Tom made for her every year; he'd promised her for months that this year's would be the grandest one yet. At first, she's too scared to open it--what if she can't figure out the clues without his help? Or what if she does figure them all out, and her last connection to Tom is gone? Tom's clues set Cassie on a heart-wrenching and beautiful journey that will change her life--if she lets them. And as she travels from London to the Welsh mountains to the French countryside, she reconnects with old friends, rekindles a lost love, and most importantly, rediscovers herself. But once she's solved the final clue, will she be brave enough to accept the gift her brother has given her--and the love it's led her to?

My Thoughts: Listen, I have never been so in touch with the angsty side of the romance reader that I am until I started reading Emily Stone. She truly has a gift of taking your heart, ripping it into teeny tiny pieces, and then ever so slowly, sewing it back together. It’s like getting punched in the gut and saying “thank you” afterwards. I had a consistent lump in my throat this entire audiobook. The main characters, Cassie and Sam, are just STEEPED in grief after they lose her brother and his best friend, Tom. Both handle the blow of his death in different ways, but neither wants to lean on the other after a riff in their early twenties left them somewhat estranged. Growing up, Tom always made Cassie’s Christmas gift into a scavenger hunt and this year was going to be the hunt of all hunts. And, it just so happens, Tom was able to put it together prior to his death. I loved watching Cassie dig her way out of grief and truly step outside of her comfort zone as she completed each task in Tom’s last scavenger hunt. It allowed her to learn not only more about Tom, but also about herself and how complacent she had become in life. Inevitably, Tom’s death and dealing with his grief led Sam down a path he didn’t expect: running out on his wedding, quitting his high-paying job to do something he was more passionate about even though it made next to nothing, and realizing his feelings for Cassie. I think the format truly allowed me to make deeper connections with Cassie and Sam as individuals, which was so important since there’s so much animosity between their characters for a majority of the book. I wasn’t inclined to pick one person’s side because I could see how they each were hurting and why they couldn’t give into the feelings that had been brewing between them for years. Needless to say, Emily Stone did me dirty again and had me crying on multiple occasions lol. Then she kindly turned it around and handed me metaphorical tissues for an ending I could be happy about. If you’ve read/enjoyed her book Always, In December then I highly recommend giving this one a try. 

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter

THE MOST WONDERFUL CRIME OF THE YEAR by Ally Carter

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: The bridge is out. The phones are down. And the most famous mystery writer in the world just disappeared out of a locked room three days before Christmas. Meet Maggie Chase and Ethan Wyatt: She’s the new Queen of the Cozy Mystery. He’s Mr. Big-time Thriller Guy. She hates his guts. He thinks her name is Marcie (no matter how many times she’s told him otherwise.) But when they both accept a cryptic invitation to attend a Christmas house party at the English estate of a reclusive fan, neither is expecting their host to be the most powerful author in the world: Eleanor Ashley, the Duchess of Death herself. That night, the weather turns, and the next morning Eleanor is gone. She vanished from a locked room, and Maggie has to wonder: Is Eleanor in danger? Or is it all some kind of test? Is Ethan the competition? Or is he the only person in that snowbound mansion she can trust? As the snow gets deeper and the stakes get higher, every clue will bring Maggie and Ethan closer to the truth—and each other. Because, this Christmas, these two rivals are going to have to become allies (and maybe more) if they have any hope of saving Eleanor. Assuming they don’t kill each other first.

My Thoughts: This book was so entertaining. It’s very fast paced and makes you hit the ground running right from the start. Also, as a side note, I highly recommend the audiobook because it switches POVs between Maggie Chase and Ethan Wyatt, as well as mixing in recordings from their interview with the police. The plot was “And Then There Were None” adjacent in that someone goes missing, someone is unexpectedly poisoned, and there’s clearly a killer amongst those stuck at the snowed-in mansion of famed author Eleanor Ashley. As mystery/thriller writers themselves, Maggie and Ethan feel like it’s up to them to figure out where elderly Eleanor Ashley disappeared to during a snowstorm on Christmas Eve. I liked that there was an unreliable narrator element to this story because it really kept me guessing as to whose perspective I could trust and made it hard to keep facts straight. There’s also a very sweet, light romance subplot in this book that did an amazing job of getting you more invested in the characters, but didn’t overshadow the bigger picture mystery. Honestly, this book is Christmas-themed, but I think it’s a fun book to pick up at any time of the year - and I recommend you do! :)

My December Darling by Lauren Asher

MY DECEMBER DARLING by Lauren Asher

Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary: Catalina: Playing the part of my sister’s maid of honor is easy even if she’s marrying my ex. But playing nice with the best man? An impossible task given our history. Sure, Luke Darling may be suspiciously kind, incredibly handsome, and stubborn to a fault, but regardless of how hard he tries to make me see otherwise, I’m not interested. It’s on me to remind him that he’s my ex-boyfriend’s best friend. And the one I’m secretly starting to wish I met first. Luke: My job as the best man is a simple one, except for one minor issue. I’ve spent so much time avoiding my best friend’s ex that I didn’t consider what could happen if I started craving Catalina Martinez’s company instead. She is only in Lake Wisteria for the winter wedding, but her January departure date won’t stop me from pursuing her. Getting her to date me would be nothing short of a Christmas miracle, but I’m determined to make her mine. ‘Tis the season to fall in love…even if I’m the only one taking the risk.

My Thoughts: This was cute. Simply that. It didn’t give me the usual swoony, romance tingles that I’ve experienced with other Lauren Asher books, but it was still a cute story. To be fair, I think this was supposed to be an abbreviated story for the holiday season because it’s less than 300 pages. So we didn’t get to go as deep as usual with the characters. We got a high level view of their backgrounds, traumas, feelings, etc. but I wasn’t able to develop a strong connection with them. Don’t get me wrong. Luke is a doctor with the body of an underwear model who also happens to be the friendliest person you will ever cross paths with. So OBVI, it was easy to have a crush on him while he slowly built trust with Catalina until he could convince her to move home. The basic facets behind Catalina’s character is that she’s a traveling NICU nurse home for the holidays because her sister gets married the night before NYE. Her sister’s husband is technically her ex (which, debatable in my opinion. They never slept together and apparently went on like four dates, but whatever), so Catalina is feeling a little awkward around the happy couple. She’s also super lonely and feels like her mom judges her. That’s basically it lol. That’s Catalina’s character. I liked her enough but didn’t fall in love with her by any means. As I said, this story was cute, but I doubt I’d ever go back to it. If you’re looking for a quick holiday read that keeps it pretty light and has just a dash of spice (like cinnamon, not pepper), this could be for you!

Realm Breaker by Victoria Aveyard

REALM BREAKER by Victoria Aveyard

Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary: A strange darkness is growing in the Ward. Even Corayne an-Amarat can feel it, tucked away in her small town at the edge of the sea. Fate knocks on her door, in the form of a mythical immortal and a lethal assassin, who tell Corayne that she is the last of an ancient lineage—with the power to save the world from destruction. Because a man who would burn kingdoms to the ground is raising an army unlike any seen before, bent on uprooting the foundations of the world. With poison in his heart and a stolen sword in his hand, he'll break the realm itself to claim it. And only Corayne can stop him. Alongside an unlikely group of reluctant allies, Corayne finds herself on a desperate journey to complete an impossible task, with untold magic singing in her blood and the fate of the world on her shoulders.

My Thoughts: Okay to be fair, this is your quintessential first book in a YA fantasy series. There’s a TON of world building, character introductions including their backgrounds, magic systems to establish, politics to untangle, etc. So I don’t feel like we had the time to truly develop quality relationships with the characters because all of that other subject matter needed to be squeezed into this book to set us up for the rest of the series. Plus, each chapter switched to a different character’s POV, so you really had to pay attention to keep up with who you’re now hearing the internal dialogue for. The plot is quite the adventure and I think it would’ve been helpful to have a map, but alas, I listened to it on audiobook and couldn’t refer to anything. I was engaged with this book enough to want to read the next book in the series. However, I think what was missing in this one were stronger relationships between this hodge podge of characters - especially romantic ones. Like there was a crush brewing between Coryane and the squire, but I just need more from it. Similarly, the assassin and the elder kept sniping at each other with snarky remarks, which to me would be the PERFECT opportunity for an enemies-to-lovers moment, but we’ll see if that actually comes to fruition. Not that every book I read needs romantic relationships, but even platonic connections weren’t all that strong by the time I finished this book. So yeah. I liked it enough to keep going, but if the next book is kind of mid, I probably won’t continue this series. 

Everyone in My Family has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson

EVERYONE IN MY FAMILY HAS KILLED SOMEONE by Benjamin Stevenson

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Everyone in my family has killed someone. Some of us, the high achievers, have killed more than once. I'm not trying to be dramatic, but it is the truth. Some of us are good, others are bad, and some just unfortunate. I'm Ernest Cunningham. Call me Ern or Ernie. I wish I'd killed whoever decided our family reunion should be at a ski resort, but it's a little more complicated than that. Have I killed someone? Yes. I have. Who was it? Let's get started. EVERYONE IN MY FAMILY HAS KILLED SOMEONE. My brother. My stepsister. My wife. My father. My mother. My sister-in-law. My uncle. My stepfather. My aunt. Me.

My Thoughts: If you’re a fan of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, I think this book could be up your alley. I went the audiobook route and to my delight, the narrator has an Australian accent, so that was a huge bonus lol. This book is from the perspective of a guy named Ernie. His family is a little more than dysfunctional after his brother committed murder a few years ago and Ernie is the one who testified in court to put him in prison. Fast forward to when the brother is getting out, and the family is celebrating with a little reunion at a remote ski resort up in the mountains. After a man is found dead near the resort, and in a very mysterious manner, everyone is on high alert as to who the killer could be. Ernie walks us through everyone’s relationships, their secrets, backgrounds, and more as we piece together who the killer might be. There are HELLA twists in this story that I did not expect. The most unique part of this book, though, was the format. It was told as though Ernie is writing a letter or in his journal. So he tells you right off the bat which chapters have a murder in them and what to expect, but it doesn’t make seeing the plot twists any easier. The only reason I docked it a star is because the big reveal at the end where Ernie explains how he figured everything out felt like it was a little abrupt for how in-depth the connections are. Overall though, I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook and highly recommend it if you’re looking for a cozy murder mystery perfect for the winter season. 

This Could Be Us by Kennedy Ryan

THIS COULD BE US by Kennedy Ryan (Skyland #2)

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Soledad Barnes has her life all planned out. Because, of course, she does. She plans everything. She designs everything. She fixes everything. She’s a domestic goddess who's never met a party she couldn't host or a charge she couldn't lead. The one with all the answers and the perfect vinaigrette for that summer salad. But none of her varied talents can save her when catastrophe strikes, and the life she built with the man who was supposed to be her forever, goes poof in a cloud of betrayal and disillusion. But there is no time to pout or sulk, or even grieve the life she lost. She's too busy keeping a roof over her daughters' heads and food on the table. And in the process of saving them all, Soledad rediscovers herself. From the ashes of a life burned to the ground, something bold and new can rise. But then an unlikely man enters the picture—the forbidden one, the one she shouldn't want but can't seem to resist. She's lost it all before and refuses to repeat her mistakes. Can she trust him? Can she trust herself? After all she's lost . . . and found . . .can she be brave enough to make room for what could be?

My Thoughts: I just read the first book in this series, Before I Let Go, in October and loved it. When I saw This Could Be Us was a nominee for the 2024 Goodreads Choice Awards, I knew I wanted to read it before the year was out. Kennedy Ryan really does have a way of writing characters at their rawest level of vulnerability and making it so beautiful. Soledad is going THROUGH it. She’s in an incredibly toxic marriage where her asshole husband gaslights her constantly and then it turns out he’s going to prison for embezzlement at work. As a stay-at-home mom, she has to quickly pivot to figure out how to keep a roof over her three daughters’ heads and maintain their lifestyle without their main breadmaker in the picture anymore. The man who put Soledad’s husband in prison? Judah Cross. He’s the walking definition of SWOON and is nothing but green flags. Although there’s instant chemistry between him and Soledad, he respects that she’s taking the time to date herself and nourish her self love journey before she’s ready to commit to a new relationship. This whole story was so much more than your typical romance and I cannot recommend it enough. Side note: you don’t HAVE to read Before I Let Go first before reading this book. However, I recommend reading them in order because you have better insight into all characters involved. 

The Measure by Nikki Erlick

THE MEASURE by Nikki Erlick

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Eight ordinary people. One extraordinary choice. It seems like any other day. You wake up, pour a cup of coffee, and head out. But today, when you open your front door, waiting for you is a small wooden box. This box holds your fate inside: the answer to the exact number of years you will live. From suburban doorsteps to desert tents, every person on every continent receives the same box. In an instant, the world is thrust into a collective frenzy. Where did these boxes come from? What do they mean? Is there truth to what they promise? As society comes together and pulls apart, everyone faces the same shocking choice: Do they wish to know how long they’ll live? And, if so, what will they do with that knowledge?

My Thoughts:  Okay this is hands down one of the most thought provoking books I’ve read this year. It follows eight different people as the world navigates a new normal where anyone 22 or older receives a mysterious box one night on their doorstep. Inside the box is a string whose length indicates the lifetime of that person. Cue absolute chaos as the world is divided into long stringers and short stringers. People can decide if they want to open their box or if they’d rather leave knowing how long they’ll live to fate. There were SO many commonalities between this book and our society in reality. It was a very “them vs. us” narrative. Especially when it comes to who deserves health care, how people treat each other, what is seen as acceptable to talk about in school, etc. Not to mention, although this book was published in 2022, the similarities between the presidential election in this book and the election season we just had was absolutely CHILLING. There’s one scene that literally made me stop to check if she had based some of the events in this book off of what happened this year or if it was published prior. Anyway, needless to say, I HIGHLY recommend picking up this book as soon as you can. It is one of those stories that is going to stick with me for years to come.

This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi

THIS WOVEN KINGDOM by Tahereh Mafi (This Woven Kingdom #1)

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: To all the world, Alizeh is a disposable servant, not the long-lost heir to an ancient Jinn kingdom forced to hide in plain sight. The crown prince, Kamran, has heard the prophecies foretelling the death of his king. But he could never have imagined that the servant girl with the strange eyes, the girl he can’t put out of his mind, would one day soon uproot his kingdom—and the world.

My Thoughts: The last series I read by Tahereh Mafi was her Shattered series, and when I tell you I was absolutely OBSESSED, I am not exaggerating. I think I finished the entire series, plus the novellas in between each novel, in the matter of a month or something like that. Her writing has a way of sucking you in unexpectedly and this book is no exception. Although it has a little bit of a slow burn, I appreciated that the pacing provided enough time for me to develop individual relationships with Alizeh and Kamran before their paths truly crossed. Alizeh is a djinn woman who has finally scored a job as a servant in a noble house. The key to survival and to maintaining her incredibly low paying job is to keep her head down and off everyone’s radars. She manages to do this successfully until the crown prince, Kamran, returns to the capitol after spending a year away and witnesses her disarm a street rat who’s holding her at knife point. Kamran immediately reports what he suspects to the king which sparks a manhunt for this supposed djinn spy infiltrating the human kingdom. I loved that the format of this book switched between Alizeh’s and Kamran’s POVs, so that you can not only see what each character is up to, but also get their internal dialogue as the story progresses. The end of this book leaves you on QUITE the cliffhanger, so needless to say I will be continuing onto the next book in this series because I need MORE.

How My Neighbor Stole Christmas by Meghan Quinn

HOW MY NEIGHBOR STOLE CHRISTMAS by Meghan Quinn

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: Every Kringle in Kringletown celebrated Christmas a lot. But Cole Black on Whistler Lane, unfortunately, did not. As his fellow citizens decorate their quaint town, brimming with carols and glad tidings, Cole wants nothing more than to hibernate the winter away. But his dreary plans are thwarted when his Christmas nemesis, Storee Taylor, moves in next door to care for her Aunt Cindy. Immediately, the new neighbor turns his life into a real nightmare before Christmas, especially when she decides to enter the town Christmas Kringle contest in honor of Cindy. And better yet, Storee is determined to win. Over Cole's dead body, she will. With help from his friend Max, Cole decides to enter the competition as well, to beat Storee at her own game by pretending that this hometown grump's heart has grown three sizes this season and he's fallen for the girl next door. And unfortunately for Storee, she has to follow his lead to have a chance at the Christmas Kringle title. But the competition isn't the only thing that heats up. Cole and Storee's fake relationship becomes very real, and before they know it, they're attempting to hide it from Aunt Cindy. Things get complicated, the competition gets tough, and all it takes is one single night for someone to steal it all…

My Thoughts: It’s been a minute since I read a Meghan Quinn novel, but I do appreciate that her writing is easily distinguishable and consistent across all of her books. This was a quirky, holiday romance set in a small town that basically celebrates Christmas year-round. It was giving Frankenmuth meets Christmas, MI (in the UP, IYKYK) but with a little Hallmark charm. Basically, Storee’s great Aunt Cindy convinces her to enter the town’s Christmas Kringle contest in her stead since Aunt Cindy just broke a hip. Cole, Aunt Cindy’s nextdoor neighbor and the town’s Grinch, basically says “the audacity,” and ends up entering the contest just to spite Storee. This is a pretty long holiday romance (I think about 450 pages), and it took me a minute to get into because although I love a grumpy/sunshine trope, I didn’t love Storee’s or Cole’s characters right away. So I wasn’t rooting for either of them to win the Christmas Kringle. As the holiday shenanigans commenced and the story deepened, it was easier to get invested in the multiple plotlines happening here. There’s plenty of banter, cheesy Christmas-related jokes, and some quality spice to balance out all of the sweet. If ya know what I mean. ;) Of recent holiday books I’ve read, this one was definitely enjoyable, but didn’t knock my stockings off lol. 

Blade Breaker by Victoria Aveyard

BLADE BREAKER by Victoria Aveyard (Realm Breaker #2)

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: The fate of the world rests on a blade's edge. Fighting beside her band of unlikely companions, Corayne is learning to embrace her ancient lineage and wield her father's powerful sword. But while she successfully closed one of the Spindles, her journey is far from over. Queen Erida's army marches across Allward with her consort, Taristan, right beside them, opening more portals into nightmarish worlds, razing kingdoms to the ground. Corayne has no choice but to assemble an army of her own if she's to save the realm as she knows it. But perilous lands await her and the companions, and they face assassins, otherworldly beasts, and tempestuous seas all as they rally a divided Ward to fight behind them. But Taristan has unleashed an evil far more wicked than his corpse armies. Something deadly waits in the shadows; something that might consume the world before there's any hope for victory.

My Thoughts: Okay, I will say. I was lukewarm on the first book of this series (see Realm Breaker above), but wanted to give the second book a chance to see if the author dug a little deeper now that she’s established the world building, character stories, and magic system. This was definitely a little bit of a slow burn to start. I was honestly torn between pausing this audiobook and trying it again later or powering through. Since the characters and plot were fresh in my brain though, I decided to stick with it and I’m pleased to say it was better than I expected! We’re still following this hodge podge group of unlikely companions as they try finding all of the open spindles that are allowing dark magic into their realm. Although I still wish we got a TOUCH deeper with the character relationships, they were definitely taken to the next level. Even the elder and assassin who usually cannot stand each other had some emotionally vulnerable moments that strengthened their bond. I gotta say, the evil queen Erida CLEARLY was not hugged enough as a child lol. However, I was oddly rooting for her and Taristan as much as I was rooting for the group of protagonists because this couple is so unhinged but also work really well as a team. This book was still an enjoyable adventure and it left us on quite the cliffhanger, but I probably won’t continue with the series if I’m being honest. So take that as you will. 

First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston

FIRST LIE WINS by Ashley Elston 

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Evie Porter has everything a nice, Southern girl could want: a perfect, doting boyfriend, a house with a white picket fence and a garden, a fancy group of friends. The only catch: Evie Porter doesn’t exist. The identity comes first: Evie Porter. Once she’s given a name and location by her mysterious boss Mr. Smith, she learns everything there is to know about the town and the people in it. Then the mark: Ryan Sumner. The last piece of the puzzle is the job. Evie isn’t privy to Mr. Smith’s real identity, but she knows this job will be different. Ryan has gotten under her skin, and she’s starting to envision a different sort of life for herself. But Evie can’t make any mistakes—especially after what happened last time. Because the one thing she’s worked her entire life to keep clean, the one identity she could always go back to—her real identity—just walked right into this town. Evie Porter must stay one step ahead of her past while making sure there’s still a future in front of her. The stakes couldn't be higher—but then, Evie has always liked a challenge…

My Thoughts: Hands down this is one of my favorite books that I read in 2024. It gives the vibes of a spy movie like Kingsman or Salt, and took so many turns, I couldn’t tell which way was up. Considering I went into this book without reading the synopsis, I thought it was going to be your typical mystery thriller and assumed she was some type of stalker. However, I was quickly put to shame and instead sucked into one of the most fast-paced stories I’ve experienced in a while. I could not stop listening to it. I loved that the format switched between present day, on Evie Porter’s current job, and the last few jobs she’s had spanning back eight years. It provided insight not only into her personal past, but also her line of work and how she landed such a dangerous job. As I said before, this book had SO MANY TWISTS and had my heart beating double time as Evie worked her way out of some sticky situations. There is a light romance storyline in this book that I thoroughly appreciated because the love interest is just as morally gray as Evie, and we love when two mildly questionable characters find each other. I feel like my review doesn’t give this book the justice it deserves, but holy hell. If you’re looking for an ADDICTING mystery thriller, you MUST pick this one up.

The Mistletoe Bet by Maren Moore

THE MISTLETOE BET by Maren Moore

Rating: 1.5/5 stars

Summary: Everyone says “there’s no place like home”… well not for me. When I’m forced to spend the holidays at home with my family in Strawberry Hollow, I have no idea how I’m even going to survive the week, let alone make it through my least favorite holiday… Christmas. That is until I run into my childhood crush, and my brother’s best friend, Parker Grant. Now, he’s the sexy, off-limits doctor in our small town, and nothing like the man I left behind six years ago. While I hate the holidays, there is nothing that he loves more. Well, other than a good bet. Which is exactly what happens when we end up together under the mistletoe. A bet that changes everything. He asks for the next seven days to change my mind about Christmas. But seven days alone with Parker is more than either of us bargained for. Now, there’s much more at stake than a silly mistletoe bet.

My Thoughts: Ugh okay. As I was reading this book, I literally told myself “you gotta stop reading Christmas-themed novellas” because I’ve been mildly disappointed with them in the past. This book is no exception. Although most of the writing was fine, there were some parts of it that felt tone deaf or just took me out of the story. It almost felt like a man was behind some of the writing, if that makes sense lol. Especially from a female perspective. For example, this girl says she shaved her entire body before a date one night and then shaved her entire body AGAIN the next night. First off, if the guy can’t handle your body hair, he ain’t it. Secondly, THE RAZOR BURN?? There’s no way you can do an “everything” shower two days in a row and not irritate your skin. Holy hell. I also didn’t love the main guy in this. There wasn’t anything super unique about him to make me swoon or buy into this romance. He’s a hot doctor and that’s basically it. I don’t know. If this book was any longer, I probably would’ve DNF’ed it, but since it was only about 120 pages, I powered through. However, I do not recommend it lol. 

The Christmas Orphans Club by Becca Freeman

THE CHRISTMAS ORPHAN’S CLUB by Becca Freeman

Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary: Hannah and Finn have spent every Christmas together since college. Neither has anywhere else to go—Hannah’s parents died, and Finn’s disowned him when he came out. Their tradition of offbeat holiday adventures only grows more outrageous with time. When the pair starts their adult lives in New York City, they add stylish Priya and mysterious Theo to the group, solidifying a found family and sense of belonging they’ve always craved. But now, when Finn announces a move to L.A., this Christmas may be their last. Hannah is terrified of losing the family she’s built for herself, even as her boyfriend nudges her toward commitment. Meanwhile, Finn struggles with the things he’s about to leave behind—namely, his unexpressed feelings for Theo. Does growing up mean growing apart? This Christmas the changes these friends fear may be exactly what they need. . . .

My Thoughts: I’ve been listening to the “Bad on Paper” podcast since 2018, and last year one of the hosts (Becca Freeman) published her own Christmas-themed novel, but I was waiting for this holiday season to roll around before diving into it. I knew from her talking about it on the podcast that this isn’t necessarily a rom-com, but has those same vibes. This book is definitely more about found family and friendships even though there are some light romance subplots mixed into it. Basically, Hannah and Finn started a Christmas tradition in college where they spend the holiday together every year. After eventually adding two friends, Priya and Theo to the mix, this group of hodge podge friends become a family of sorts. However, Finn just announced he’s moving to L.A., so this could be the last year they celebrate Christmas together. Which throws Hannah, specifically, into a tizzy about making this year the best Christmas they’ve ever had. The book oscillates between past Christmases and the present December. What I quickly picked up on is that clearly Hannah sees her friends as the family she never really had since her parents died when she was so young. However, it also felt extremely codependent. It was almost like she expected her friends to be all or nothing without having to make any compromises herself. I also didn’t love Finn. He was giving a little bit of “manic pixie dream boy” and was way too in his head about things. Priya and Theo were fine as side characters, but I don’t think they added a ton to the dynamics of the group. I don’t know. It was a solid debut novel and if you’re looking for a holiday-themed book that centers more on friendship than romance, this is a great option for that. However, I don’t think I’ll ever pick this one up again. 

Manacled by SenLinYu

MANACLED by SenYinLu

Rating:  5/5 stars

Summary: Harry Potter is dead. In the aftermath of the war, in order to strengthen the might of the magical world, Voldemort enacts a repopulation effort. Hermione Granger has an Order secret, lost but hidden in her mind, so she is sent as an enslaved surrogate to the High Reeve until her mind can be cracked.

My Thoughts: Y’all. Okay. This is ~technically~ a Harry Potter fanfiction but it’s 925 pages lol and so many people have read it that it has more than 100K ratings on Goodreads. A 4.6 rating, if you must know. This is definitely a darker book and intended for 18+ readers. There are scenes that depict sexual assault, rape, self-harm, torture, character death, and more. So please be vigilant about the content and trigger warnings before diving in. This story takes place after the second Wizarding War from Hermoine Granger’s perspective, but it’s as if Voldemort and the Death Eaters won instead of Harry Potter and Dumbledore’s Army. When I say I could not put this book down, I am not exaggerating. I kept thwarting minor responsibilities just so I could keep reading. Manacled is a beautifully written reimagined story that explores the complex relationship that Hermoine and Draco Malfoy develop during the war and in its aftermath. To put it plainly, this was incredibly immersive and, I think, nailed who these characters would be in their mid-20s after experiencing such deep, haunting trauma. It was an emotional rollercoaster as the book transitioned from present day in the Malfoy Manor to flashbacks from two years ago during the war where we learn how Hermoine and Draco became connected. Despite such a haunting journey, I was glad the ending provided an a-typical happy ending. Honestly, this book will be living rent free in my brain for years to come.

That’s it for December!

The third book in the Fourth Wing series comes out in January, so I’m planning to reread the second book again (Iron Flame) before my copy of Onyx Storm comes on the 21st. HOPEFULLY, my luck with good fantasy books bleeds into next month, but in terms of Iron Flame specifically, I was a little disappointed. So cheers to manifesting a kick ass Onyx Storm (and 2025)!

2024 Final Book Count: 153

Add me on Goodreads if you haven’t already.

YOUR TURN! What book are you looking forward to most in 2025?

November 2024 Reads

Listen. I don’t know what to say, other than my go-to escape from reality is books. So when you start the month with a less than ideal election, compounded by the sun setting by literally 5PM due to daylight savings, and top everything off with the weather turning to shit, ya girl was knee deep in a book at every turn lol. 

So although we all thought I was a bit unhinged for reading 20 books in October, I said “hold my mocktail,” and did us one better at 21 books in November lol. 

I partially blame it on being back in my “hockey romance era” (IYKYK) for a majority of this month, followed by an unexpected itch for mystery/thrillers, and an arbitrary goal of reading as many books nominated for the 2024 Goodreads Choice Awards as I could before the voting window closed lol. 

All of that to say, I think there’s a little something for everyone in this month’s reviews. So I appreciate you if you make it to the end, if not though, no worries lmao. I understand. 

**All summaries are taken or paraphrased from Goodreads.

My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Otessa Moshfegh

MY YEAR OF REST AND RELAXATION by Ottessa Moshfegh

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: From one of our boldest, most celebrated new literary voices, a novel about a young woman’s efforts to duck the ills of the world by embarking on an extended hibernation with the help of one of the worst psychiatrists in the annals of literature and the battery of medicines she prescribes. Our narrator should be happy, shouldn’t she? She’s young, thin, pretty, a recent Columbia graduate, works an easy job at a hip art gallery, lives in an apartment on the Upper East Side of Manhattan paid for, like the rest of her needs, by her inheritance. But there is a dark and vacuous hole in her heart, and it isn’t just the loss of her parents, or the way her Wall Street boyfriend treats her, or her sadomasochistic relationship with her best friend, Reva. It’s the year 2000 in a city aglitter with wealth and possibility; what could be so terribly wrong?

My Thoughts: Okay let me start out by saying, if you do not like unlikable, morally gray, unreliable narrators then this book is not for you lol. The main character of this book is absolutely insufferable, but if you can get past that, then this story is kind of addictive. Pun not intended. It follows an unnamed narrator who decides to beat her insomnia by taking a year of rest and relaxation by way of prescription cocktails, over the counter sedatives, alcohol, and a variety of drugs - most provided by an eccentric therapist she found in the phone book. She hates her best friend who seems to be the only person who cares about her. Self-care is essentially non-existent and her lifestyle would put anyone in an early grave. She’s gorgeous and well-off with the fortune left behind from her deceased parents, so getting things to go her way isn’t hard. However, between losing track of time during drug-induced black outs and experimenting with way more substances than you’d find in a pharmacy, the narrator’s goal of finding sweet release via sleep becomes more and more difficult. Outside of the obvious that she clearly needs some in-depth therapy and probably a proper sleep test, this book douses you in dark humor and sets you on fire with the spark of its unpredictable nature. Like I said, it’s not going to be for everyone, but if you like a morally gray main character without a solidly-planned plot, this could be for you.

The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren

THE TRUE LOVE EXPERIMENT by Christina Lauren (DNA Duo, #2)

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Felicity “Fizzy” Chen is lost. Sure, she’s got an incredible career as a beloved romance novelist with a slew of bestsellers under her belt, but when she’s asked to give a commencement address, it hits her: she hasn’t been practicing what she’s preached. Fizzy hasn’t ever really been in love. Lust? Definitely. But that swoon-worthy, can’t-stop-thinking-about-him, all-encompassing feeling? Nope. Nothing. What happens when the optimism she’s spent her career encouraging in readers starts to feel like a lie? Connor Prince, documentary filmmaker and single father, loves his work in large part because it allows him to live near his daughter. But when his profit-minded boss orders him to create a reality TV show, putting his job on the line, Connor is out of his element. Desperate to find his romantic lead, a chance run-in with an exasperated Fizzy offers Connor the perfect solution. What if he could show the queen of romance herself falling head-over-heels for all the world to see? Fizzy gives him a hard pass—unless he agrees to her list of demands. When he says yes, and production on The True Love Experiment begins, Connor wonders if that perfect match will ever be in the cue cards for him, too.

My Thoughts: It’s been a while since I’ve read the first book in this duology, The Soulmate Equation, but I remember liking it for the most part. So when I saw the audiobook for this one was available on Libby, I knew I had to jump on it. This story follows the best friend from the first book, Fizzy. She’s a successful romance author who suddenly realizes that she has hit a slump in her own love life and starts to feel like a sham. When she’s offered the chance to be the star of a new dating show, she decides to use this opportunity to her own advantage and convinces the director, Connor, to agree to her long list of demands. Honestly, the sparks between these two were obvious from the start. Fizzy is such a little spitfire and Connor was the perfect compliment to her lowkey chaos. The premise was really fun as it played on the concept of cult dating shows like The Bachelorette, but added a bookish twist that I think any romance reader would appreciate. There was a healthy mix of humor, cute and swoony moments, and THICC sexual tension that made their growing relationship feel much more realistic as time went on. By the end of it, I found myself SCREAMING that these two better end up together for the HEA we all deserve. If you read and liked The Soulmate Equation, then I definitely recommend continuing onto its successor!

The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat by Edward Kelsey Moore

THE SUPREMES AT EARL’S ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT by Edward Kesley Moore

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat diner in Plainview, Indiana is home away from home for Odette, Clarice, and Barbara Jean. Dubbed "The Supremes" by high school pals in the tumultuous 1960s, they’ve weathered life’s storms for over four decades and counseled one another through marriage and children, happiness and the blues. Now, however, they’re about to face their most challenging year yet. Proud, talented Clarice is struggling to keep up appearances as she deals with her husband’s humiliating infidelities; beautiful Barbara Jean is rocked by the tragic reverberations of a youthful love affair; and fearless Odette is about to embark on the most terrifying battle of her life. With wit, style and sublime talent, Edward Kelsey Moore brings together three devoted allies in a warmhearted novel that celebrates female friendship and second chances.

My Thoughts: I saw the preview for this movie within the last couple of months when it was about to hit Hulu. So I decided to listen to the audiobook before watching the movie and I’m so glad I did. Not to sound like a snooty book nerd, but the book was definitely better than the movie. There are just so many nuanced things that are much easier to portray and explain via internal dialogue and some of that just did not translate visually to the screen. The characters in this book felt so real to me though. Especially the three women who make up The Supremes: Odette, Clarice, and Barbara Jean. The format of this story switches between the past when their friendship starts to grow throughout the 1960s and the present which is set in the mid-late 1990s. In the present, these three women are each navigating personal challenges: a recent cancer diagnosis, marital infidelity, and alcoholism brought on by loss—all struggles they choose to face alone. It’s only as their demons start getting too big to handle that they realize relying on each other will actually help carry the burden. I was personally obsessed with Odette’s character within this trio’s dynamics. She definitely had a tendency to provide the most comedic relief including the ability to see and chat with ghosts. This really was such a beautiful book about friendship, found family, standing up for yourself, and second chances. I highly recommend it if you’re looking for something that will pull at a multitude of emotional strings. Sidenote: I’m not saying I didn’t like the movie. I just liked the book much more. 

Where the Library Hides by Isabel Ibañez

WHERE THE LIBRARY HIDES by Isabel Ibañez (Secrets of the Nile #2)

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: 1885, Egypt | Inez Olivera is left reeling from her cousin Elvira’s murder, and her mother’s betrayal, and when Tío Ricardo issues an ultimatum about her inheritance, she’s left with only one option to consider. Marriage to Whitford Hayes. Former British soldier, her uncle’s aide de camp, and one time nemesis, Whit has his own mysterious reasons for staying in Egypt. With her heart on the line, Inez might have to bind her fate to the one person whose secret plans could ruin her.

My Thoughts: After absolutely DEVOURING What the River Knows earlier this year, and the absolutely RUDE cliffhanger it ended on, I could not wait for this book. Of course, I preordered a physical copy (because just look at that cover art 😍) then proceeded to use my Book of the Month credit on the audiobook because I am who I am lol. This book picked up right where the last one left off and didn’t slow down for a second. Basically, after being swindled by her mom in the last book, Inez is determined to stop whatever black market sales of various artifacts they found in Cleopatra’s tomb that her mom has planned. However, literally everyone in this book has ulterior motives, even my boy Whit, so you never know who you can trust. I loved that this story had the same spirit of action and adventure we experienced in the first book. There was so much suspense and so many things that could’ve gone wrong; I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. The plot twists were THICC and I did not see a few of them coming. That said, one of the plot twists that involved a character from the last book was SOOOO convenient, I kind of rolled my eyes at it. Otherwise, the rest of this Egyptian adventure was thoroughly enjoyable. I don’t think this book was as strong as the first one, but I liked it just as well. If you haven’t dabbled in this series yet, I highly recommend because it’s unlike anything else I’ve read in a while!

Good Boy by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy

GOOD BOY by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy (WAGs #1)

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Hosting her brother's wedding for an MVP guest list is the challenge of Jess Canning's life. Already the family screw-up, she can't afford to fail at this, too. Especially after the colossal mistake she made with the best man during a weak moment last spring. Nobody—absolutely nobody—can find out about that, and there will not be a repeat. Absolutely not. No matter how devastatingly sexy his smile, he's a giant manchild who's never been serious in his life. And if Jess wants to prove herself to her family, serious is what she has to get. For Blake Riley, this wedding is a gift from fate itself. The girl he has his eye on is the maid of honor, and he's the best man? Let the games begin. So what if Jess is giving him a little—fine, a lot—of resistance? He just needs to convince the stubborn blonde that he's really a good boy with a bad rap. Beneath the flirty jokes and goofy smile, he's got layers—even if Jess doesn't want to see them. Luckily, every professional hockey player knows that you've got to make an effort if you want to score. And Jess is just the girl he wants to win.

My Thoughts: Eeeek! Okay so I didn’t realize until after I started this book that it’s a spin-off of this author team’s Him series (Him and Us). So I was PUMPED to see that they’re now writing the stories of the side characters from that duology. I have to admit, since Blake Riley’s character is meant to feed into the Golden Retriever trope, I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to put up with his obnoxiousness the entire book. However, the more we got to know him and the more Jess peeled back his layers, it felt like one of the most tasteful portrayals of a Golden Retriever character that I’ve read in a while. Their fling started within the Him series, so I was already decently familiar with who Jess and Riley were at the surface. Getting to know them at a deeper level though was so much fun. There was a lot of push and pull between these two, even after they started having feelings for each other. I loved that Riley felt safe enough to let his guard down and his smile slide when he was around Jess. It made him much more real to me as a reader trying to root for him in this relationship. He really stole my heart by giving Jess the unconditional validation she needed to have confidence in her new career path, and be proud of herself for finding something she’s good at. If you’ve read a Sarina Bowen/Elle Kennedy collab before, then you also know the spice in these stories is PRIME. Some of those scenes will definitely have you hot and bothered, so if you’re more of a “fade to black” type of romance reader, then this won’t be for you lol. Otherwise, I highly recommend this!

The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James

THE SUN DOWN MOTEL by Simone St. James

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: Upstate NY, 1982. Every small town like Fell, New York, has a place like the Sun Down Motel. Some customers are from out of town, passing through on their way to someplace better. Some are locals, trying to hide their secrets. Viv Delaney works as the night clerk to pay for her move to New York City. But something isn't right at the Sun Down, and before long she's determined to uncover all of the secrets hidden…

My Thoughts: This book was CREEPY. Like, the hair on my arms were standing on end for half of this audiobook lol. Basically, Viv Delaney disappeared in upstate New York back in 1982. The case went cold and there hasn’t been any new information about her for decades. Fast forward to 2017 and Carly Kirk’s mom just passed away without ever talking about her sister who disappeared 35 years ago. So, Carly decides to take a trip out to the small town and unsettling motel where her Aunt Viv was last seen before she disappeared. This book had me hooked from the start, honestly. The format switches perspectives between Carly in 2017 while she’s digging up clues that might point to what happened to her Aunt Viv all those years ago, and 1982 when Viv was working the front desk at the Sun Down Motel. The formula for this story incorporated some of my favorite mystery elements like paranormal activity, questionable characters, murder plot points, and even just a DASH of budding romances. I honestly had no idea what the big plot twist was going to be until I was literally tripping over it, and even then, there was so much more that needed to play out. This was my second experience with a Simone St. James audiobook and there’s no way it will be my last. I definitely recommend this book if you like something decently creepy with a lot of mystery, but won’t keep you up at night lol. 

The Wingman by Stephanie Archer

THE WINGMAN by Stephanie Archer (Vancouver Storm #3)

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: He’ll teach me to be a player, but convinces me to practice with him. We’ve been friends for years, but our flirting lessons and practice kisses push the bounds of friendship. We’re roommates, but sleeping in the same bed. He buys me a toy as a favor… but helps me use it. All that relationship stuff he’s always avoided? He doesn’t seem to mind it anymore. Rule number one of being a player is no attachments, but when Hayden sees me picking up other guys, he’s jealous enough that I wonder… Maybe my wingman's been waiting for me all along.

My Thoughts: All right y’all. I gotta say, I’m not USUALLY a huge fan of the friends-to-lovers trope. Like I don't actively seek it out, nor does it tend to be an automatic “yes” for me when I’m skimming through the premise of a possible next book. HOWEVER, Stephanie Archer told me to hold my beer and holy hell did she make me a convert. I was obsessed with the dynamics between Hayden and Darcy. Since they had the foundation of an incredibly healthy and strong friendship, their dynamics were so refreshing and believable, and they truly brought out the best in one another. Darcy just got out of a long-term relationship with a guy who minimized her personality and chipped away at her self confidence. She was determined to figure out who she was as an individual again, and I loved that Hayden was there to encourage, and lift her up in any way she needed. Although she was shy, Darcy was not afraid to tell Hayden what she needed. And, y’all, this boy was PINING. But respectfully. He didn’t want to push Darcy into anything she wasn’t ready for, so he patiently waited for her to be ready to experience the undeniable chemistry popping off between them. This author has a gift at writing stories that are both laugh-out-loud and habanero pepper SPICY. This book is for all the girlies in their hockey romance era that can appreciate an incredibly well-written friends-to-lovers trope. 

Stay by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy

STAY by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy (WAGs #2)

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Can you fall in love with someone you've never even met? Hailey Taylor Emery has a hunch that her favorite client at Fetch—an anonymous virtual assistant service—is actually hockey star Matt Eriksson. Although it's against the rules for her to check his file, she's 95% sure she spends at least part of each day texting with her lifelong crush and catering to his every need. Still nursing a wounded heart thanks to her recent breakup, Hailey is perfectly content with some harmless online flirting... until she has to meet her client. Face to face. Cue: utter panic. Matt Eriksson is no stranger to heartbreak. He's still not over the destruction of his marriage, and it sucks to be the only guy on the team who knows the truth—that hockey and long-term relationships are a toxic mix. He barely sees his kids, and dealing with his ex makes him feel insane. The only person in his life who seems to understand is someone who won't show her pretty face. But it's nothing that a pair of fourth row hockey seats can't fix. Hailey can't resist the offer. Matt can't resist Hailey. Good thing he doesn't have to. Fire up the kiss cam!

My Thoughts: I might be biased because the MFC’s name is Hailey (terrible spelling tho lol), but like, this book had my eyes GLUED to my Kindle. Firstly, I loved the premise. It’s obvi still a hockey romance, but the meet cute for Hailey and Matt is unlike any other I’ve stumbled upon. Basically, Hailey runs a virtual assistant service, Fetch, that’s pretty similar to Postmates, but focuses on high profile clients and not just shopping for things. Matt, a famous Toronto hockey player, is a regular user of Fetch, and although both of their profiles remain anonymous in the Fetch platform, Matt and Hailey both suss out who the other person is. Which leads to some flirtations from Matt’s end and an internal meltdown for Hailey. I kind of loved that he fell for her first while she tried to maintain a professional relationship with him, even though it was clear as fucking day she was head over heels for this guy. The way their relationship grew was literally so sweet, and I could not get over how much they supported each other. We love partners who validate each other when they’ve exposed their rawest vulnerabilities. <3 There was a single-dad trope incorporated in this one, and to my surprise, it fuckin worked lol. Matt is not just a single dad, he is a ZADDY. Needless to say, if you’re in your hockey romance era, you gotta put this one on your list. 

Hello Stranger by Katherine Center

HELLO STRANGER by Katherine Center

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Sadie Montgomery never saw what was coming . . . Literally! One minute she’s celebrating the biggest achievement of her life—placing as a finalist in the North American Portrait Society competition—the next, she’s lying in a hospital bed diagnosed with a “probably temporary” condition known as face blindness. She can see, but every face she looks at is now a jumbled puzzle of disconnected features. Imagine trying to read a book upside down and in another language. This is Sadie’s new reality with every face she sees. But, as she struggles to cope, hang on to her artistic dream, work through major family issues, and take care of her beloved dog, Peanut, she falls into—love? Lust? A temporary obsession to distract from the real problems in her life?—with not one man but two very different ones. The timing couldn’t be worse. If only her life were a little more in focus, Sadie might be able to find her way. But perceiving anything clearly right now seems impossible. Even though there are things we can only find when we aren’t looking. And there are people who show up when we least expect them. And there are always, always other ways of seeing.

My Thoughts: Katherine Center truly has a gift at writing incredibly quirky, yet incredibly relatable characters and this book is no exception. For starters, apparently face blindness is a very real medical condition (you can Google it), and I cannot imagine waking up from a surgery and not being able to see people’s faces in their entirety. What a shock to the system! It was super easy to empathize with Sadie once she realizes she has to start identifying people through other contexts. Her character was so much fun to follow through this rom-com. She’s just imperfect enough and has a ~fatal flaw~, but it doesn’t make her unlikable. Especially as she starts interacting with her neighbor Joe who sees her in less than ideal situations. This guy is literally GOALS in terms of thoughtfulness, patience, and reliability. He does everything with intention behind it, and I cannot express enough how much I was swooning. The plot twist to this book was pretty predictable, but it didn’t make me enjoy it any less. Some people compare this premise to Shallow Hal, which yes, they are similar adjacent, but I wouldn’t say it’s 100% comparable. Either way, if you’re looking for a fun rom-com with a unique premise, I highly recommend picking this one up!

Fake Dates and Mooncakes by Sher Lee

FAKE DATES AND MOONCAKES by Sher Lee

Rating: DNF @ 51%

Summary: Dylan Tang wants to win a Mid-Autumn Festival mooncake-making competition for teen chefs—in memory of his mom, and to bring much-needed publicity to his aunt’s struggling Chinese takeout in Brooklyn. Enter Theo Somers: charming, wealthy, with a smile that makes Dylan’s stomach do backflips. AKA a distraction. Their worlds are sun-and-moon apart, but Theo keeps showing up. He even convinces Dylan to be his fake date at a family wedding in the Hamptons. In Theo’s glittering world of pomp, privilege, and crazy rich drama, their romance is supposed to be just pretend . . . but Dylan finds himself falling for Theo. For real. Then Theo’s relatives reveal their true colors—but with the mooncake contest looming, Dylan can’t risk being sidetracked by rich-people problems. Can Dylan save his family’s business and follow his heart—or will he fail to do both?

My Thoughts: Womp, womp. I can’t remember how I discovered this book, but I feel like I’ve been seeing its cover a lot lately, so I figured I’d give it a try. It’s fine. Basically, this guy Dylan works at his aunt’s Chinese takeout place in Brooklyn and they’ve been struggling financially for a while. In order to make some money and rejuvenate their business, Dylan wants to enter a Mid Autumn Festival mooncake making competition because they’ll get hella publicity from it. While doing a takeout delivery, he meets this hot, rich kid named Theo, and things start to quickly progress between them. I got to the part where Theo takes Dylan to a family wedding where Dylan feels incredibly out of his league. However, I’m just kind of bored? Like I never find myself wanting to open this on my Kindle. Mainly because Dylan feels like the only wellthought-out character in this book. Theo is super surface-level and some parts of his personality feel like they exist for the convenience of pushing the plot forward. Idk. I’m not saying I’ll never give this book a second chance, but it won’t be any time soon.

Always in December by Emily Stone

ALWAYS IN DECEMBER by Emily Stone

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: Every December, Josie posts a letter from her home in London to the parents she lost on Christmas night many years ago. Each year, she writes the same three words: Missing you, always. But this year, her annual trip to the postbox is knocked off course by a bicycle collision with a handsome stranger--a stranger who will change the course of Josie's life. Josie always thought she was the only one who avoided the Christmas season, but this year, Max has his own reasons for doing the same--and coincidence leads them to spending the holiday together. Aglow with new love, Josie thinks this might be the start of something special. Only for Max to disappear without saying goodbye. Over the course of the next year, Max and Josie will find that fate continues to bring them together in places they'd never expect. New York City. Edinburgh. The quiet English countryside. And it turns out, Max had every reason to leave and every reason to stay. But what does fate hold for Josie and Max as Christmas approaches again?

My Thoughts: Not me tryna keep my shit together at work right now because I decided it’d be a grand idea to finish this audiobook during the morning office grind. OH MY GOD. Talk about both a slow burn and whirlwind romance. I was WHOLE HEARTEDLY invested in this audiobook from the very first little smirk Max gave Josie after she ran him down with her bike by accident. God my heart was torn back and forth between these two characters. There was a perpetual lump in my throat every time they couldn’t exactly articulate what they meant to one another. Then every time Josie and Max fell into the same wavelength where their connection was undeniable, it was like the lump melted into a gush of warmth that permeated throughout my chest. There is so much grief in this book in so many forms while providing just the right amount of hope. It keeps you invested in how this thing between Josie and Max was going to play out. I honestly did not see the plot twist coming, but after it did, I was so surprised I hadn’t clued into it before. If you’re looking for a Christmassy romance that will rip your heart out and sew it back together repetitively, this book will give you all the feels. 

Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q Sutanto

VERA WONG’S UNSOLICITED ADVICE FOR MURDERERS by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Put the kettle on, there’s a mystery brewing… Tea-shop owner. Matchmaker. Detective? Sixty-year-old self-proclaimed tea expert Vera Wong enjoys nothing more than sipping a good cup of Wulong and doing some healthy ‘detective’ work on the internet (AKA checking up on her son to see if he’s dating anybody yet). But when Vera wakes up one morning to find a dead man in the middle of her tea shop, it’s going to take more than a strong Longjing to fix things. Knowing she’ll do a better job than the police possibly could – because nobody sniffs out a wrongdoing quite like a suspicious Chinese mother with time on her hands – Vera decides it’s down to her to catch the killer. Nobody spills the tea like this amateur sleuth.

My Thoughts: I’ve been LOVING some cozy mysteries lately, and this book was basically at the top, if not near the top, of every list I Googled for my next cozy mystery. Luckily, my book club was also on board for making this our book for this month. I decided to go the audiobook route and am really glad I did. The number of voices this narrator delivered was insane. Especially since this book covers multiple POVs from about five different characters. There was a lot of comedic relief, specifically related to Vera. When she finds a man dead in her tea shop one morning, she’s convinced it’s a murder and that the police won’t be much help at proving that, so it’s up to her to solve this mystery. There’s a few parts where Vera sounds a little delu-lu lol, but I loved her unabashed behavior to pull people out of their comfort zone and reveal their secrets so that she can check them off her suspects list. There’s a big theme of found family that was incredibly endearing, and I found myself much more invested in the relationships growing between these different characters than the actual mystery itself. Also, I never would’ve predicted who the actual killer was lol. Like I guess if I had been paying more diligent attention to the entirety of the book, I would’ve made a couple of connections quicker. That said, I’m honestly glad I didn’t because I don’t think I would’ve enjoyed my time with this audiobook as much as I did if I already knew who killed the guy lol. If you’re looking for a fun, cozy read for the winter that also has plenty of comedic relief and relatable characters, I highly recommend adding this to your bookshelf. 

Home is Where the Bodies Are by Jeneva Rose

HOME IS WHERE THE BODIES ARE by Jeneva Rose

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: After their mother passes, three estranged siblings reunite to sort out her estate. Beth, the oldest, never left home. She stayed with her mom, caring for her until the very end. Nicole, the middle child, has been kept at arm’s length due to her ongoing battle with a serious drug addiction. Michael, the youngest, lives out of state and hasn’t been back to their small Wisconsin town since their father ran out on them seven years before. While going through their parent’s belongings, the siblings stumble upon a collection of home videos and decide to revisit those happier memories. However, the nostalgia is cut short when one of the VHS tapes reveals a night back in 1999 that none of them have any recollection of. On screen, their father appears covered in blood. What follows is a dead body and a pact between their parents to get rid of it, before the video abruptly ends. Beth, Nicole, and Michael must now decide whether to leave the past in the past or uncover the dark secret their mother took to her grave.

My Thoughts: I’ve been on a mystery thriller kick lately, and after looking through what books were nominated for Goodreads Choice Awards for 2024, I somehow managed to get this audiobook on Libby before a waiting list started. This was my first Jeneva Rose book and it will not be my last. It was creepy, twisty, had multiple unreliable narrators, and had me on my toes until the very end. It’s been years since they’ve all been in the same room, but after their mom passes away, estranged siblings Beth, Nicole, and Michael all return to their childhood home to sort out her estate. They stumble upon a VHS tape that has much more than just their old home videos on it - there’s accidental footage showing a secret both of their parents took to their graves. Cue a larger search into what happened that dark night all those years ago and seeing their parents in a new light. Since this book is from the POV of each sibling, it was impossible to know whose perspective you could trust. Especially when some of their individual narratives aligned with one another, while others provided contradictions. Although I did guess the plot twist right before it happened, there was still a moment of second guessing that I had it figured out due to the strategically placed, well-executed red herrings. If you love a little murder in your mystery lead by some unreliable narrators, you MUST add this book to your TBR pile!

Husbands & Lovers by Beatriz Williams

HUSBANDS & LOVERS by Beatriz Williams

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: New England, 2022. Three years ago, single mother Mallory Dunne received the telephone call every parent dreads—her ten-year-old son, Sam, had been airlifted from summer camp with acute poisoning from a toxic death cap mushroom, leaving him fighting for his life. Now, searching for the donor kidney that will give her son a chance for a normal life, Mallory’s forced to confront two harrowing secrets from her past: her mother’s adoption from an infamous Irish orphanage in 1952, and her own all-consuming summer romance fourteen years earlier with her childhood best friend, Monk Adams— one of the world’s most beloved singer-songwriters—a fairy tale cut short by a devastating betrayal. Cairo, 1951. After suffering tragedy beyond comprehension in the war, Hungarian refugee Hannah Ainsworth has forged a respectable new life for herself—marriage to a wealthy British diplomat with a coveted posting in glamorous Cairo. But a fateful encounter with the enigmatic manager of a hotel bristling with spies leads to a passionate affair that will reawaken Hannah’s longing for everything she once lost. As revolution simmers in the Egyptian streets, a pregnant Hannah finds herself snared in a game of intrigue between two men . . . and an act of sacrifice that will echo down the generations.

My Thoughts: This book was like making your favorite recipe from memory and absolutely NAILING it. It had historical fiction, a dash of mystery, and a healthy serving of romance for the perfect, well-rounded story I was craving. The format switches between three major time eras. The present (2022) when Mallory Dunne is taking it one day at a time after her young son accidentally ate a poisonous mushroom that has left him with kidney failure, the recent past (2008) when Mallory first spent her summer with Monk Adams, and the past (1952) in Cairo, Egypt where a woman named Hannah Ainsworth is living with her wealthy British diplomat husband after WW2. This whole experience had so many layers to it, and I appreciated that although Mallory and Hannah both had their own flaws, it was clear these flaws were forged from resiliency after adversity. There were a few mystery elements to this book, including how Hannah and Mallory are connected, but I thought the pacing of how everything was revealed panned out perfectly in alignment with what was going on in all three timelines. I honestly went into this book not knowing what to expect and ended it as one of my favorite historical fiction books of this year. If you’re a fan of Kate Quinn or Elizabeth Gilbert’s book The City of Girls, I definitely recommend putting this one on your To Be Read list. 

No One Can Know by Kate Alice Marshall

NO ONE CAN KNOW by Kate Alice Marshall

Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary: Fourteen years ago, the Palmer sisters―Emma, Juliette, and Daphne―left their home in Arden Hills and never returned. But when Emma discovers she’s pregnant and her husband loses his job, she has no option but to return to the house that she and her estranged sisters still own . . . and where their parents were murdered. Emma has never told anyone what she saw the night her parents died, even when she became the prime suspect. But her presence in the house threatens to uncover secrets that have stayed hidden for years, and the sisters are drawn together once again. As they face their memories of the past, rivalries restart, connections are forged, and, for the first time, Emma starts to ask questions about what really happened that night. The more Emma learns, the more riddles emerge. And Emma begins to wonder just what her siblings will do to keep the past buried, and whether she did the right thing staying quiet about what was whispered that night: “No one can know.”

My Thoughts: I gotta admit, the start of this book is a little bit of a slow burn, but once the plot starts plotting, and the twists start twisting, you better buckle up. Basically, fourteen years ago, three sisters - Emma, Juliette, and Daphne - left their childhood home after their parents were brutally murdered there. Now estranged, none of them have returned until Emma and her husband find themselves in a bit of a financial bind and have to move in as a temporary housing solution. Being back in her old stomping grounds stirs up the 14-year-old rumors and brings some people out of the woodwork that Emma hoped she’d never have to see again. Including Juliette and Daphne. This book was pretty fuckin twisty. Like there were MULTIPLE times when I was like “oh. Duh. No question, so-and-so did it.” Then the story would take a hard left and leave me looking like a clown lol. I mean even after finishing this book, I’m still not even sure I know “whodunnit” lmao. That said though, if you’re a big mystery/thriller fan who likes a book that isn’t easily predictable, then I definitely recommend giving this one a try.

The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren

THE PARADISE PROBLEM by Christina Lauren

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: Anna Green thought she was marrying Liam “West” Weston for access to subsidized family housing while at UCLA. She also thought she’d signed divorce papers when the graduation caps were tossed, and they both went on their merry ways. Three years later, Anna is a starving artist living paycheck to paycheck while West is a Stanford professor. He may be one of four heirs to the Weston Foods conglomerate, but he has little interest in working for the heartless corporation his family built from the ground up. He is interested, however, in his one-hundred-million-dollar inheritance. There’s just one catch. Due to an antiquated clause in his grandfather’s will, Liam won’t see a penny until he’s been happily married for five years. Just when Liam thinks he’s in the home stretch, pressure mounts from his family to see this mysterious spouse, and he has no choice but to turn to the one person he’s afraid to introduce to his one-percenter parents—his unpolished, not-so-ex-wife. But in the presence of his family, Liam’s fears quickly shift from whether the feisty, foul-mouthed, paint-splattered Anna can play the part to whether the toxic world of wealth will corrupt someone as pure of heart as his surprisingly grounded and loyal wife. Liam will have to ask himself if the price tag on his flimsy cover story is worth losing true love that sprouted from a lie.

My Thoughts: This book is one of the Goodreads Choice Awards nominees and when my request for it finally came through in Libby, I jumped on the audiobook. Listen, these authors have a fucking GIFT at writing one-liners for quirkier characters and this book was no exception. Anna Green had me LAFFIN for a majority of this story. She’s just so ridiculous, yet incredibly relatable in a feisty and flawed sense, I couldn’t help but audibly chuckle every time she said something off-handed. Liam was the perfect love interest for her too. As a quiet, put-together guy with his life planned out, he was basically the complete opposite of Anna, yet they fit together OBJECTIVELY well. I loved the easy rhythm they fell into on this extravagant trip for Liam’s younger sister’s destination wedding. There was just enough chaos and healthy conflict to test the strength of their connection, which made it that much more believable. If you’re looking for a fun, sweet, and steamy romance set in a tropical location (hello, literary vitamin C during the winter months), this is the perfect story to get sucked into. 

Collide by Bal Khabra

COLLIDE by Bal Khabra (Off the Ice #1)

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: An ultimatum from Summer Preston’s thesis advisor thrusts her into an unexpected collision with the hockey team’s captain, Aiden Crawford. She’s caught between conflicting desires of fulfilling her lifelong dream of becoming a sport psychologist and staying as far away as possible from the god-awful sport. And once she meets Aiden—well, let’s just say he confirms all her worst assumptions about hockey players. Being the captain of the college hockey team has its perks, except when a reckless mistake by Aiden’s team threatens to jeopardize their entire season. As punishment, Aiden’s coach nominates him as the subject of a student research project. Participating is the last thing he wants to do, especially since the girl leading the project looks like she could wield his skates as a weapon. Summer can’t stand Aiden’s blasé approach to life, and Aiden doesn’t understand why she’s twenty years old with a twenty-five-year plan. But their bickering soon turns to bantering—and once they let their guards down, there’s nothing to check their feelings.

My Thoughts: Continuing to feed my hockey romance era heart, I stumbled upon this gem and am so glad I did. Overall, I really loved it! I loved Summer and Aiden as individual characters, and was obsessed with them together. We love enemies-to-lovers and he-falls-first tropes sprinkled into a book about the school-serious girl ending up with the super star athlete. It was definitely a bit of a slow burn, but as soon as those sparks flew, things got SPICY. In addition to all of the super sweet things Aiden does for Summer that had me drooling with swoon! That said, there are just a couple of things that bothered me and caused me to dock it a star. The first is that it felt like Summer was resistant to her connection with Aiden for a touch too long. Like even after they were already showing relationship behaviors and had opened up to each other, she all of a sudden was like “NOPE. WAIT. I need to go on a date with other people!” So it gave me some whiplash and felt like her resistance was just getting old. The other thing I didn’t love is a flimsy plot point regarding how a certain situation gets pinned on Summer that might cause her to be expelled. Not to give any spoilers, but someone finds something of hers near the scene of the crime, but that location is literally the entrance to a busy academic building on campus that students are walking in and out of all day every day. So I gave it some side eye because I’m sure PLENTY of students drop personal belongings all the time and it wouldn’t be THAT conspicuous to find something of hers in that specific building. Anyway, those things aside, if you’re in your hockey romance era or are looking for something outside of the typical sports romance authors, I definitely recommend checking this one out. 

Betting On You by Lynn Painter

BETTING ON YOU by Lynn Painter

Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary: When seventeen-year-old Bailey starts a new job at a hotel waterpark, she is less than thrilled to see an old acquaintance is one of her coworkers. Bailey met Charlie a year ago on the long flight to Omaha, where she moved after her parents’ divorce. Charlie’s cynicism didn’t mix well with Bailey’s carefully well-behaved temperament, and his endless commentary was the irritating cherry on top of an already emotionally fraught trip. Now, Bailey and Charlie are still polar opposites, but instead of everything about him rubbing Bailey the wrong way, she starts to look forward to hanging out and gossiping about the waterpark guests and their coworkers—particularly two who keep flirting with each other. Bailey and Charlie make a bet on whether or not the cozy pair will actually get together. Charlie insists that members of the opposite sex can’t just be friends, and Bailey is determined to prove him wrong. Bailey and Charlie keep close track of the romantic progress of others while Charlie works to deflect the growing feelings he’s developed for Bailey. Terrified to lose her if his crush becomes known, what doesn’t help his agenda is Bailey and Charlie “fake dating” in order to disrupt the annoying pleasantries between Bailey’s mom and her mom’s new boyfriend. Soon, what Charlie was hoping to avoid becomes a reality as Bailey starts to see him as not only a friend she can rely on in the midst of family drama—but someone who makes her hands shake and heart race. But Charlie has a secret—a secret that involves Bailey and another bet Charlie may have made. Can the two make a real go of things…or has Charlie’s secret doomed them before they could start?

My Thoughts: This book was cute! It’s been a while since I’ve read a YA romance, let alone Lynn Painter. The last book I read by her was Better Than the Movies, and that book was super fun. So I had high hopes for this one. Bailey and Charlie’s origin story actually started about a year prior on a long flight from Alaska to Nebraska. It was Bailey’s first solo flight after her parents’ divorce and all she wanted was a seamless experience. However, her irritating seatmate made that nearly impossible, not to mention they mixed like oil and water. Especially on the opinion as to whether men and women can be friends (taking a page from When Harry Met Sally). Fast forward a year when Bailey realizes one of the people she’ll be working with at her new job pretty regularly turns out to be the disgruntled Charlie. Although some of Bailey’s inner dialogue felt a little cringey, I thoroughly enjoyed watching these two come together to be friends and confidantes (even if Charlie refuses to call her a friend and instead refers to her as a coworker). Even more so watching them help each other through the vulnerable parts of life, specifically related to what one another was going through at home. Although most of this was pretty predictable, I still enjoyed my second go with Lynn Painter’s writing. I gotta say, some of the things Bailey pulled though, there’s no way I would’ve ever gotten away with as a teenager lol. If you’re looking for a quick YA romance that’s easy to read, I’d definitely recommend grabbing this one!

Five Survive by Holly Jackson

FIVE SURVIVE by Holly Jackson

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: Eighteen year old Red and her friends are on a road trip in an RV, heading to the beach for Spring Break. It’s a long drive but spirits are high. Until the RV breaks down in the middle of nowhere. There’s no mobile phone reception and nobody around to help. And as the wheels are shot out, one by one, the friends realise that this is no accident. There’s a sniper out there in the dark watching them and he knows exactly who they are. One of the group has a secret that the sniper is willing to kill for. A game of cat-and-mouse plays out as the group desperately tries to get help and to work out which member of the group is the target. Buried secrets are forced to light in the cramped, claustrophobic setting of the RV, and tensions within the group will reach deadly levels. Not everyone will survive the night.

My Thoughts: LOL. Okay so like if I’m being honest, I almost DNF’ed this book. I was in one of those weird moods where I couldn’t figure out what book I wanted to listen to next. So I had paused this one and started a different book, but ended up coming back to it anyway. Although this story only takes place over the span of eight hours, it was definitely a slow burn to start for me. None of the characters are THAT likable. Red is fine and I ended up liking her much more than I expected by the end of it, but it took a hot minute to get there. Let me rant about Oliver though. This is the type of guy who would mansplain your area of expertise to you because he watched a documentary about the field once like five years ago lol. He’s the type of guy who has all the money he could ever want, but would suggest you pay the bill on a date out of his ~solidarity for feminism~. He’s FOR SURE the type of guy who you’d fake an orgasm with just to get it over with lmfao. Basically, he is the WORST, and he becomes more unhinged as this long night goes on. I was chanting for the group just to throw him outside of the RV for the sake of their sanity. As for the plot, I correctly guessed one of the main plot twists basically within the first 20% of the book. I almost considered not continuing on because I assumed I had it all figured out. To my pleasant surprise, although I guessed that plot twist correctly, I did not see the other ones coming. The last portion of this book is a whirlwind and definitely took my, what was going to be, a flat three rating up to a 3.5. If you’re looking for a high-tension book with some mystery, unreliable characters, and a surprise ending, I definitely recommend giving this one a try.

The Plight Before Christmas by Kate Stewart

THE PLIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS by Kate Stewart

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Clark Griswold was onto something, at least with his annual holiday meltdown. And since the last three weeks of my life have been riddled with humbug—another breakup, a broken toe, an office promotion I deserved and didn’t get—I’m not at all in the mood to celebrate nor have the happ, happ, happiest Christmas EVER. When Mom insisted that we all gather at my Grandparent’s ancient cabin for an old school family Christmas, I fully intended to get into the holiday spirit with the help of the three wise men, Johnnie Walker, Jack Daniels, and Jim Beam. But those boys did absolutely nothing to offset the shock or temper the sting of seeing my EX on our doorstep the first day of our holiday soiree. Apparently, Santa missed the memo, and this elf is pissed. Stuck for a week with the man who obliterated my heart nearly two decades ago, I did the only thing I could do and put on my game face, thankful for the home advantage. I knew better than to drink that last cup of eggnog. I knew better than to get tongue tangled beneath the mistletoe with the only man to ever break my heart. I knew better than to sleep with Satan’s wingman on the eve of the Lord’s birthday. I could blame the nog. I could blame the deceitful light blue eyes, thick, angelic hair, and panty evaporating smirk…but mostly, I blame Eli because he always knew exactly which of my buttons to push. I foolishly thought a family Christmas filled with nostalgia was going to turn my inner Scrooge around, but this year’s festivities went up in flames. Leave it to the ghost of my Christmas past to be the one to light the match. Fa la la la la, la FML.

My Thoughts: Okie doke. I haven’t read a Kate Stewart book since I FLEW through her Ravenhood trilogy back in April of 2022, even though I had been absolutely obsessed with her writing throughout all three of those books. So, when I saw she had a Christmas-themed standalone, I figured what better way to get into the spirit of the season than a spicy little romance? Basically, Sloane’s life is not going to plan. Especially now after she worked her ass off for a promotion at work only to be passed up for her male counterpart. As a career woman, she hasn’t had much time for romance or to get serious with anyone, so she’s heading home for Christmas with the family by herself. Only to find out her brother has brought a coworker who didn’t have anyone to celebrate the holiday with and who also ends up being the ex who broke her heart and ruined romance for her almost 20 years ago. Listen, this may be a lowkey slow burn romance, but the TENSION between Sloane and Eli was palpable. I loved that the format is dual POV so that we could see what was going on in each of their heads throughout this entire week. It was just really, really sweet how after 17 years apart, all of the undeniable chemistry these two shared all those years ago easily surfaced again. Also, Kate Stewart has a way of making you care not only about the main characters, but everyone around them too, and WHEW. The side characters in this story had me in a chokehold. Not to mention, obliterate my ovaries with Sloane’s youngest nephew Payton having a sunrise date with Eli every morning. Like shit. Hit me square in the heart with relentless cuteness, why don’t you? Anyhoo, all of that is to say, if you’re looking for a well-written, spicy holiday romance, this book is a must read!

Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson

PINEAPPLE STREET by Jenny Jackson

Rating: 3.25/5 stars

Summary: Darley, the eldest daughter in the well-connected, old money Stockton family, followed her heart, trading her job and her inheritance for motherhood but giving up far too much in the process; Sasha, a middle-class New England girl, has married into the Brooklyn Heights family, and finds herself cast as the arriviste outsider; and Georgiana, the baby of the family, has fallen in love with someone she can’t have and must decide what kind of person she wants to be.

My Thoughts: Okay so I know when I rate books a three, I usually have several issues with the book. And like, I do have a couple of issues with this book, but I also genuinely enjoyed it. I probably won’t ever read it again, and I don’t know if it’s because Marin Ireland was the narrator for the audiobook, but I just really appreciated my experience with this story. It was a bit of a slow burn to get into, but once I started developing my own relationships with Darley, Sasha, and Georgiana, despite their flaws, I was hooked. Although they all try to portray a flawless lifestyle, it was the messier parts of their personalities and situations that had me invested in their stories. Particularly Darley and Sasha because they seemed a bit more mature than Georgiana. However, even by the end of the book, I think I was most satisfied with how Georgiana’s storyline wrapped up. There’s also an uncomfortability factor that plays into the overarching theme because you’re following three very well-off women, two of whom come from hella money and one who married into it. So there was a bit of “oh boo hoo, you’re still rich. Now what?” moments for me. Once their lives started getting messy though, it was easier to find empathy for each of them. This book wasn’t perfect, but I definitely enjoyed my time listening to it. I recommend it if you're a fan of multi point of view books that expose the intricacies of how imperfect people’s lives can be even when they seem to have it all. 

Check and Mate by Ali Hazelwood

CHECK & MATE by Ali Hazelwood

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Mallory Greenleaf is done with chess. Every move counts nowadays. After the sport led to the destruction of her family four years earlier, Mallory's focus is on her mom, her sisters, and the dead-end job that keeps the lights on. That is, until she begrudgingly agrees to play in one last charity tournament and inadvertently wipes the board with notorious "Kingkiller" Nolan Sawyer: current world champion and reigning bad boy of chess. Nolan's loss to an unknown rook-ie shocks everyone—especially Mallory. What's even more confusing? His desire to cross pawns again. What kind of gambit is Nolan playing? The smart move would be to walk away. Resign. Game over. But Mallory's victory opens the door to sorely needed cash prizes and, despite everything, she can't help feeling drawn to the enigmatic strategist.... As she rockets up the ranks, Mallory struggles to keep her family safely separated from the game that wrecked it in the first place. And as her love for the sport she so desperately wanted to hate begins to rekindle, Mallory quickly realizes that the games aren't only on the board, the spotlight is hotter than she imagined, and the competition can be fierce(-ly attractive. And intelligent...and infuriating...)

My Thoughts: The five stars this book received is unapologetically due to vibes more so than the objective quality of plot and characters lol. The audiobook narrator was fantastic and I was sooo much more invested in this chess-themed romance than I ever expected to be. It was almost like settling into my Queen’s Gambit obsession circa 2020, but make it a young adult romance. Mallory is the prodigy of a Grand Master chess player, but hasn’t touched a board in three years until she’s coerced into playing in a charity tournament where she unexpectedly beats the world champion, Nolan Sawyer. This turns into a whirlwind of chess weaseling its way back into her life and exposes all of the things Mallory has deprived herself of ever since ~something~ went down with her dad that left her family to struggle. I was OBSESSED with the connection between Nolan and Mallory. Even just the way their brains worked and how they anticipated the other’s moves on and off the chess board. Although there was a patch of plot where Mallory decides to be a petty, selfish little punk that left me incredibly frustrated, I still couldn’t help rooting for her to put the misogyny of the chess world to shame. Also, shoutout to Oz for his endless comedic relief and blatant honesty lol. If you haven’t given this book a try, it’s a super quick read and definitely different from any other YA romance I’ve ever read.

That’s it for November! Thank you so much for pushing through if you’ve made it to the end lol. I hope you had a great Thanksgiving and an even better holiday season!

I don’t know where my mood will take me in terms of books next month, but hopefully it will include some recommendations for you to start off the new year with. 

2024 Book Count: 136

Add me on Goodreads if you haven’t already.

YOUR TURN! What’s your favorite audiobook of 2024?

October 2024 Reads

Y’all. I had so much fun reading this month!

I honestly don’t remember the last time I’ve kicked my feet so many times while reading in such a consistent pattern! Mostly, I tried to read books that incorporated a theme related to spooky szn, and hot damn did I manage to pick up some bangers. (And a few stinkers that I ended up not finishing.)

Since this month’s review post is about to be much longer than usual, I’m just going to keep the intro short and sweet. You’re welcome. :) 

*All summaries are taken or paraphrased from Goodreads.

Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan

BEFORE I LET GO by Kennedy Ryan (Skyland, #1)

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Their love was supposed to last forever. But when life delivered blow after devastating blow, Yasmen and Josiah Wade found that love alone couldn’t solve or save everything. It couldn’t save their marriage. Yasmen wasn’t prepared for how her life fell apart, but she is finally starting to find joy again. She and Josiah have found a new rhythm, co-parenting their two kids and running a thriving business together. Yet like magnets, they’re always drawn back to each other, and now they’re beginning to wonder if they’re truly ready to let go of everything they once had. Soon, one stolen kiss leads to another…and then more. It's hot. It's illicit. It's all good—until old wounds reopen. Is it too late for them to find forever? Or could they even be better, the second time around?

My Thoughts: This was my first Kennedy Ryan book and it will not be my last. I loved her writing so much. This book deals with a few heavy topics (please see content warnings below), the main one being grief, and I just felt like she handled not only those topics but also these characters who are working through some deep trauma with so much care and grace. Although they’ve been divorced for two years after an unexpected death left their family in shambles, the connection between Yasmen and Josiah is clear as fucking day. Even from the start of the book when they’re still on the outs with each other and navigating being co-parents and business partners, there’s an undeniable energy coursing between them. The book alternates between the POVs of Yasmen and Josiah and I think experiencing this story through both of their eyes was so important. Especially as Josiah starts to realize what he had been suppressing for so long and understanding Yasmen’s previous behavior and why she has been championing therapy ever since. It was also incredible to watch Yasmen regain her confidence as a strong, beautiful woman and say what she wanted with her whole damn chest. This romance novel is not your typical feel-good story, but I think showing the uglier parts of relationships is just as important as the happy/swoony ones. If you haven’t picked up this book yet, I cannot recommend it enough!  CW: depression, still birth, divorce, suicidal ideation.

Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare

CHAIN OF GOLD by Cassandra Clare (The Last Hours, #1)

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: Cordelia Carstairs is a Shadowhunter, a warrior trained since childhood to battle demons. When her father is accused of a terrible crime, she and her brother travel to London in hopes of preventing the family’s ruin. Cordelia’s mother wants to marry her off, but Cordelia is determined to be a hero rather than a bride. Soon Cordelia encounters childhood friends James and Lucie Herondale and is drawn into their world of glittering ballrooms, secret assignations, and supernatural salons, where vampires and warlocks mingle with mermaids and magicians. All the while, she must hide her secret love for James, who is sworn to marry someone else. But Cordelia’s new life is blown apart when a shocking series of demon attacks devastate London. These monsters are nothing like those Shadowhunters have fought before—these demons walk in daylight, strike down the unwary with incurable poison, and seem impossible to kill. London is immediately quarantined. Trapped in the city, Cordelia's friends discover that a dark legacy has gifted them with incredible powers—and forced a brutal choice that will reveal the true cruel price of being a hero.

My Thoughts: God Cassandra Clare knows how to write an ADDICTING YA fantasy series. Like I am SUCH a SIMP for this Shadowhunters world and I’m not even mad about it. For context, this book follows the kids of the characters from The Infernal Devices trilogy, which are all related to the OG series the Mortal Instruments (which is followed by the Dark Artifices). Still with me? Lol. Anywho, so Cordelia Carstairs is in London with her mom and brother trying to redeem their family’s reputation before it goes south due to her father messing up a recent mission from the Clave. After demons start randomly attacking during the daytime, Cordelia and her Shadowhunter friends take it upon themselves to figure out which Prince of Hell is sending these demons and how to end it. I could not get enough of this audiobook. The pacing of it was spot-on with slower moments where characters like James and Cordelia are making deeper connections to fast-paced action scenes where they’re all fighting demons. I also fucking loved the one liners these characters manage to spit out whilst in the throes of chaos and danger. As I said before, I am WEAK for this particular fantasy world and cannot wait to keep getting into this trilogy.

The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James

THE BOOK OF COLD CASES by Simone St. James

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: In 1977, Claire Lake, Oregon, was shaken by the Lady Killer Murders: Two men, seemingly randomly, were murdered with the same gun, with strange notes left behind. Beth Greer was the perfect suspect--a rich, eccentric twenty-three-year-old woman, seen fleeing one of the crimes. But she was acquitted, and she retreated to the isolation of her mansion. Oregon, 2017. Shea Collins is a receptionist, but by night, she runs a true crime website, the Book of Cold Cases--a passion fueled by the attempted abduction she escaped as a child. When she meets Beth by chance, Shea asks her for an interview. To Shea's surprise, Beth says yes. They meet regularly at Beth's mansion, though Shea is never comfortable there. Items move when she's not looking, and she could swear she's seen a girl outside the window. The allure of learning the truth about the case from the smart, charming Beth is too much to resist, but even as they grow closer, Shea senses something isn't right. Is she making friends with a manipulative murderer, or are there other dangers lurking in the darkness of the Greer house?

My Thoughts: I feel like I’ve been in my mystery/thriller era this year and I have no intentions of stopping. This book was equally creepy as it was exciting. Shea Collins runs a true crime website where she basically does her own research on closed cold cases and publishes what she thinks really happened based on her findings. When she meets the woman who was accused and acquitted of a murder spree back in the 70s, she cannot resist asking for an interview. Beth Greer agrees to the interview, but Shea has to come to her for it. However, while Shea starts asking Beth questions, weird unexplainable things also start happening throughout the house. Y’all. I was holding my breath through multiple parts of this story. It switches between Shea’s and Beth’s POV which was absolutely KEY to connecting the dots on this mystery. There’s a little bit of a paranormal element to this book that I haven’t encountered before, but I didn’t hate it. Although there is a part towards the end where I was like “mmmm I’m not sure this is super realistic for someone who just went through that much physical distress.” However, it didn’t ruin my overall experience with this story either. If you’re looking for a quick, makes-you-shiver read, this is the perfect book.

Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead by Elle Cosimano

FINLAY DONOVAN KNOCKS ‘EM DEAD by Elle Cosimano (Finlay Donovan, #2)

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Finlay Donovan is―once again―struggling to finish her next novel and keep her head above water as a single mother of two. On the bright side, she has her live-in nanny and confidant Vero to rely on, and the only dead body she's dealt with lately is that of her daughter's pet goldfish. On the not-so-bright side, someone out there wants her ex-husband, Steven, out of the picture. Permanently. Whatever else Steven may be, he's a good father, but saving him will send her down a rabbit hole of hit-women disguised as soccer moms, and a little bit more involvement with the Russian mob than she'd like. Meanwhile, Vero's keeping secrets, and Detective Nick Anthony seems determined to get back into her life. He may be a hot cop, but Finlay's first priority is preventing her family from sleeping with the fishes... and if that means bending a few laws then so be it. With her next book's deadline looming and an ex-husband to keep alive, Finlay is quickly coming to the end of her rope. She can only hope there isn't a noose at the end of it…

My Thoughts: Okay okay, so it’s been a while since I read the first book in this series Finlay Donovan is Killing It. Although I did enjoy that, I think I read a not-so-great review about this one that deterred me from starting it right away. So here I am. Two years later. Tucking my tail and saying that I thoroughly disagree with that review and wish I would’ve picked this up sooner! I listened to the audiobook (to no one’s surprise lol) and oh my god what a wild fucking ride. For starters, the narrator does suuuuuch a phenomenal job. It literally felt like I was watching a movie in my brain every time I popped my AirPods on. The plot of this book picks up right where the first one left off, and you hit the ground running from the start. Although there are some obvious similarities between what happened in book one, I think this one held its own ground with the absolute absurdity that played out. Finlay and Vero are trying to figure out who is trying to kill Finlay’s ex-husband and who posted the hit job on a women’s “mommy” online forum. Chaos ensues as they get deeper into the weeds with their investigation, all while staying clean and off the radar of both cops and a Russian mob. I am not exaggerating in the slightest when I say I was laughing out loud as much as I was grasping my pearls throughout this book. Also, why am I so invested in the love triangle Finlay currently finds herself in, and why am I rooting for the person most people probably are not?? Honestly, if you haven’t been introduced to this series yet, I highly recommend. It’s giving “your favorite cozy mystery but pump it full of quality comedic relief.” I cannot wait to start the next one!

The Taking of Jake Livingston by Ryan Douglass

THE TAKING OF JAKE LIVINGSTON by Ryan Douglass

Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary: Jake Livingston is one of the only Black kids at St. Clair Prep, one of the others being his infinitely more popular older brother. It’s hard enough fitting in but to make matters worse and definitely more complicated, Jake can see the dead. In fact he sees the dead around him all the time. Most are harmless. Stuck in their death loops as they relive their deaths over and over again, they don’t interact often with people. But then Jake meets Sawyer. A troubled teen who shot and killed six kids at a local high school last year before taking his own life. Now a powerful, vengeful ghost, he has plans for his afterlife–plans that include Jake. Suddenly, everything Jake knows about ghosts and the rules to life itself go out the window as Sawyer begins haunting him and bodies turn up in his neighborhood. High school soon becomes a survival game–one Jake is not sure he’s going to win.

My Thoughts: Okay I will say admittedly, I do not think I realized this was a YA horror book and not just a YA mystery/thriller. Yes, there is a difference. I would say horror usually involves more gore and this book definitely did not hold back on details during the gory scenes. It kind of had Get Out vibes to it that make your skin crawl while you’re reading it. I don’t really have a ton to say about this book if I’m being honest. It was kind of hard to connect with the main character because you don’t learn all that much about his past beyond what’s needed for this story until the very end. The format bounces between the POV of Jake (the MC) and diary entries from a school shooter who was alive within the last decade. I’ve seen some people saying they did not like getting the background story of the school shooter because you have the potential to empathize with the character - which leads to the discussion of being an apologist. However, that dude was a TERRIBLE person, so all I ever really felt is that he needed some serious help. There were some really great themes touched on such as found family, grief, queer identity, and more. I’m rating it three stars because I think the book did what it sought out to do, but I just don’t think I was in the mindset for something I wasn’t expecting. If that makes sense?

Bride by Ali Hazelwood

BRIDE by Ali Hazelwood

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: Misery Lark, the only daughter of the most powerful Vampyre councilman of the Southwest, is an outcast—again. Her days of living in anonymity among the Humans are over: she has been called upon to uphold a historic peacekeeping alliance between the Vampyres and their mortal enemies, the Weres, and she sees little choice but to surrender herself in the exchange—again… Weres are ruthless and unpredictable, and their Alpha, Lowe Moreland, is no exception. He rules his pack with absolute authority, but not without justice. And, unlike the Vampyre Council, not without feeling. It’s clear from the way he tracks Misery’s every movement that he doesn’t trust her. If only he knew how right he was…. Because Misery has her own reasons to agree to this marriage of convenience, reasons that have nothing to do with politics or alliances, and everything to do with the only thing she's ever cared about. And she is willing to do whatever it takes to get back what’s hers, even if it means a life alone in Were territory…alone with the wolf.

My Thoughts: Y’all. I don’t know WHY it took me a year to pick up this book but holy hell was that a mistake on my part because I freaking loved this book. Misery has JOKES. Like I fucking loved her snarky comments and how easily she could knock someone down a peg with a dry-humored comment. This premise was really unique for a romance book, I will not lie. Honestly though? It worked. I was enthralled in this story and could not put it down. The tension between Lowe and Misery was INSANE. I also loved watching them slowly let their walls down for each other until they could see every vulnerability. The plot has a lot of politics to follow but they’re easy to understand and really helped push the pace of this book, so I thoroughly enjoyed them. Lowe is obviously super fucking hot. He’s an Alpha werewolf with a body that won’t quit so like duh, but what I liked most about his character is how grounding his energy was. He just had this very steady and consistent vibe to him and did everything with intention behind it, and my single self was SWOONING. This wasn’t like a groundbreaking romance novel by any means but got damn I hope she keeps writing books in this world because I am HOOKED.

The Wild Huntress by Emily Lloyd-Jones

THE WILD HUNTRESS by Emily Lloyd-Jones

Rating: 3.75/5 stars

Summary: Every five years, two kingdoms take part in a Wild Hunt. Joining is a bloody risk and even the most qualified hunters can suffer the deadliest fates. Still, hundreds gamble their lives to participate—all vying for the Hunt’s life-changing prize: a magical wish granted by the Otherking. BRANWEN possesses a gift no other human has: the ability to see and slay monsters. She’s desperate to cure her mother’s sickness, and the Wild Hunt is her only option. GWYDION is the least impressive of his magically-talented family, but with his ability to control plants and his sleight of hand, he’ll do whatever it takes to keep his cruel older brother from becoming a tyrant. PRYDERI is prince-born and monster-raised. Deep down, the royal crown doesn’t interest him—all he wants is to know is where he belongs. If they band together against the monstrous creatures within the woods, they have a chance to win. But, then again, nothing is guaranteed when all is fair in love and the Hunt.

My Thoughts: Okay, this was not a groundbreaking fantasy story by any means, but I did thoroughly enjoy my experience with it. To everyone’s surprise, I actually read the physical copy of this book lol. The story starts by following Branwen who was gifted with the ability to see magic after her mother accidentally wiped one of her eyes with an enchanted tincture when she was a baby. Now an adult, Branwen spends her day slaying magical monsters regular people cannot see and has earned somewhat of a name throughout the realm known as the Huntress. Gwydion is the nephew of a King who plans to pass on the throne to Gwydion’s ruthless brother. To prevent this from happening, he decides to enter the annual Wild Hunt which grants the winner anything they desire, but first he enlists Branwen to help him in this venture. She has her own motives for joining, and eventually, they also absorb Pryderi who is a prince with a dark past. The dynamics of this trio in the Wild Hunt was so fun - for the most part. They fall into an easy rhythm of looking out for one another and their friendship slowly grows. I loved all of the characters, especially Branwen’s cat who everyone seems to be afraid of lol, and thoroughly enjoyed venturing through the Wild Hunt with them. The plot kept me glued to the page and, admittedly, I did not see some of the twists coming. Although something VERY SAD happens towards the latter part of the book, I felt like the ending was tied up in a satisfying bow. If you’re looking for an easy fantasy to cuddle up with as the weather gets cold, I highly recommend adding this to your arsenal. 

You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi

YOU MADE A FOOL OF DEATH WITH YOUR BEAUTY by Akwaeke Emezi

Rating: DNF @ 52%

Summary: Feyi Adekola wants to learn how to be alive again. It’s been five years since the accident that killed the love of her life and she’s almost a new person now—an artist with her own studio, and sharing a brownstone apartment with her ride-or-die best friend, Joy, who insists it’s time for Feyi to ease back into the dating scene. Feyi isn’t ready for anything serious, but a steamy encounter at a rooftop party cascades into a whirlwind summer she could have never imagined: a luxury trip to a tropical island, decadent meals in the glamorous home of a celebrity chef, and a major curator who wants to launch her art career. She’s even started dating the perfect guy, but their new relationship might be sabotaged before it has a chance by the dangerous thrill Feyi feels every time she locks eyes with the one person in the house who is most definitely off-limits. This new life she asked for just got a lot more complicated, and Feyi must begin her search for real answers. Who is she ready to become? Can she release her past and honor her grief while still embracing her future? And, of course, there’s the biggest question of all—how far is she willing to go for a second chance at love?

My Thoughts: I have a few feelings about this book and why I shelved it as “did not finish” after getting halfway through. For starters, I’m not a fan of age-gap tropes nor instant love and this book has both. If the age gap isn’t that dramatic then it usually doesn’t bother me, but this gap was about 18 years, so I immediately had some big ick towards it. Then because I had my ick-tinted glasses on, there was no hope for me to believe that the instant love was actually believable.It seemed like a very superficial connection driven by lust (because literally everyone in this book is described as insanely beautiful) rather than an actual genuine emotional connection. I also didn’t feel like the main characters were giving that much depth outside of the grief they carried with them after the loss of their previous partners. Besides the main character’s best friend, Joy, the only other character I genuinely liked was Nasir. However, even his character development felt like it was regressing as a second thought or to better fit the romantic narrative between the other two characters. Also, after reading Before I Let Go which handled the topic of grief so beautifully, it just felt like using it as a plot driver in this book wasn’t as thought out. I don’t know. A lot of people I’m friends with on Goodreads loved this book. I just wasn’t enjoying this nearly enough to keep listening to it. I will say though I’ve read one other book by this author, Pet, and thought that was more impactful.

Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun by Elle Cosimano

FINLAY DONOVAN JUMPS THE GUN by Elle Cosimano (Finlay Donovan, #3)

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Author and single mom Finlay Donovan has been in messes before―after all, she's a pro at removing bloodstains for various unexpected reasons―but none quite like this. When Finlay and her nanny/partner-in-crime Vero accidentally destroyed a luxury car that they had "borrowed" in the process of saving the life of Finlay's ex-husband, the Russian mob did her a favor and bought the car for her. And now Finlay owes them. Mob boss Feliks is still running the show from behind bars, and he has a task for Finlay: find and identify a contract killer before the cops do. The problem is, the killer might be an officer themself. Luckily, hot cop Nick has just been tasked with starting up a citizen's police academy, and combined pressure from Finlay's looming book deadline and Feliks is enough to convince Finlay and Vero to get involved. Through firearm training and forensic classes (and some hands-on research with a tempting detective), Finlay and Vero use their time in police academy to sleuth out the real contract killer to free themselves from the mob's clutches―all the while dodging spies, confronting Vero's past, and juggling the daily trials of parenthood.

My Thoughts: Listen, Finlay and Vero get fuckin MESSY in this one lmao. Like my god. Half of the decisions they make in this book are so unhinged. My teeth were grinding soooo hard in a static cringe. This book picks up right where the last one left off and dives right into the action and scheming. Due to some money trouble Vero got into recently and Finlay’s current mission to find a dirty cop for a Russian mob boss, they decide signing up for the weeklong citizen police academy is the best decision. Throughout the week of various classes and workshops they have to attend, Finlay and Vero make some RISKY moves as they start collecting clues and making deeper connections in this criminal world. Like my anxiety was HIGH. I did love all of the newer characters that were introduced at the police academy and how I couldn’t really trust who I suspected was the dirty cop. The romance storyline was a very welcomed reprieve from the scheming madness and I’m kind of glad the love triangle from the last two books seems like it’s been laid to rest. True to this author’s writing and the audiobook narrator’s sheer talent, the comedic dialogue had me LAUGHIN’. Like y’all. This book is FUNNY. I thoroughly enjoyed it and am so glad I’ve started into this series again.

The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston

THE DEAD ROMANTICS by Ashley Poston

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Florence Day is the ghostwriter for one of the most prolific romance authors in the industry, and she has a problem—after a terrible breakup, she no longer believes in love. It’s as good as dead. When her new editor, a too-handsome mountain of a man, won’t give her an extension on her book deadline, Florence prepares to kiss her career goodbye. But then she gets a phone call she never wanted to receive, and she must return home for the first time in a decade to help her family bury her beloved father. For ten years, she’s run from the town that never understood her, and even though she misses the sound of a warm Southern night and her eccentric, loving family and their funeral parlor, she can’t bring herself to stay. Even with her father gone, it feels like nothing in this town has changed. And she hates it. Until she finds a ghost standing at the funeral parlor’s front door, just as broad and infuriatingly handsome as ever, and he’s just as confused about why he’s there as she is. Romance is most certainly dead... but so is her new editor, and his unfinished business will have her second-guessing everything she’s ever known about love stories.

My Thoughts: I think Ashley Poston has officially become an auto-buy author for me. After reading The Seven Year Slip a few months ago and absolutely LOVING that one, I was excited to jump into The Dead Romantics. I’ve actually had this book downloaded on my Kindle for a while now and I’m so mad at myself for taking this long to read it because oh my god did I freaking love this story. Florence Day is a ghostwriter for a popular romance author, but after a terrible breakup, her faith in true love has been diminished. Her new editor, Benji, won’t give her an extension on the novel’s deadline, so she’s mildly screwed. Meanwhile, she has to return home unexpectedly for a funeral. She hasn’t been home in about 10 years after she helped solve a murder when she was a teen because she can see ghosts - just like her dad could. While making preparations for her dad’s funeral, a ghost appears in the foyer of her family’s funeral home, and to Florence’s surprise, it’s Benji. Now it’s up to Florence to figure out what unfinished business Benji has that’s preventing his ghost from passing on. Listen, never have I been so serious about finishing a book in one sitting. I HAD TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. I was obsessed with Florence and her somewhat awkwardly quirky personality. She’s dealing with so many emotions as she mourns her father, reconciles with her family, tries to meet the looming novel’s deadline, and solve what’s holding back ghost-Benji, and let me tell you. I was sucked into every scene. Especially as she and Benji start falling for each other. Their connection is so natural, it’s hard not to root for them even if he is a ghost. That said, the plot twist was SUUUPER easy to guess from the beginning, but I honestly wasn’t even mad about it. This was the perfect mix of emotional, funny, steamy, and everything I could’ve wanted out of this paranormal romance. I definitely recommend reading this as soon as you can! It’s perfect for the fall!

The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling

THE EX HEX by Erin Sterling (The Ex Hex, #1)

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Nine years ago, Vivienne Jones nursed her broken heart like any young witch would: vodka, weepy music, bubble baths…and a curse on the horrible boyfriend. Sure, Vivi knows she shouldn’t use her magic this way, but with only an “orchard hayride” scented candle on hand, she isn’t worried it will cause him anything more than a bad hair day or two. That is until Rhys Penhallow, descendent of the town’s ancestors, breaker of hearts, and annoyingly just as gorgeous as he always was, returns to Graves Glen, Georgia. What should be a quick trip to recharge the town’s ley lines and make an appearance at the annual fall festival turns disastrously wrong. With one calamity after another striking Rhys, Vivi realizes her silly little Ex Hex may not have been so harmless after all. Suddenly, Graves Glen is under attack from murderous wind-up toys, a pissed off ghost, and a talking cat with some interesting things to say. Vivi and Rhys have to ignore their off the charts chemistry to work together to save the town and find a way to break the break-up curse before it’s too late.

My Thoughts: I was a little hesitant to read this book initially because I’ve heard the author is actually a pen name for a thriller author. So I think people weren’t buying into her romance writing, but I’m here to say, they’re full of shit because I absolutely adored this story. It’s got second-chance romance, enemies-to-lovers, a tight-knit group of witches, a little ghost hunt, an attractive Welsh man - what else do you need? I appreciated that the plot was well thought out and complimented the growing romance between Vivienne and Rhys instead of getting overshadowed by it. There is plenty of humor sprinkled throughout the dialogue that left me cackling like the wannabe Sanderson sister I am. Honestly, I couldn’t have asked for more in a witchy romance for spooky szn and definitely recommend putting this book on your TBR for next October. 

The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo

THE FAMILIAR by Leigh Bardugo

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: In a shabby house, on a shabby street, in the new capital of Madrid, Luzia Cotado uses scraps of magic to get through her days of endless toil as a scullion. But when her scheming mistress discovers the lump of a servant cowering in the kitchen is actually hiding a talent for little miracles, she demands Luzia use those gifts to better the family's social position. What begins as simple amusement for the bored nobility takes a perilous turn when Luzia garners the notice of Antonio Pérez, the disgraced secretary to Spain's king. Still reeling from the defeat of his armada, the king is desperate for any advantage in the war against England's heretic queen—and Pérez will stop at nothing to regain the king's favor. Determined to seize this one chance to better her fortunes, Luzia plunges into a world of seers and alchemists, holy men and hucksters, where the line between magic, science, and fraud is never certain. But as her notoriety grows, so does the danger that her Jewish blood will doom her to the Inquisition's wrath. She will have to use every bit of her wit and will to survive—even if that means enlisting the help of Guillén Santangel, an embittered immortal familiar whose own secrets could prove deadly for them both.

My Thoughts: Okay I’ve said this before when I reviewed the first Alex Stern book Ninth House, and I’m going to say it again: The Shadow and Bone Series is not the best representation of how good Leigh Bardugo’s writing can be, in my opinion. I honestly was not blown away by the Grisha Verse, but when she ventures out of the high fantasy world, that’s her bread and butter. This book takes place during the Spanish Inquisition and has that perfect shade of gothic to it that makes everything a little darker. It’s almost like if a historical fiction and fantasy had a baby, but the baby came out only wanting to wear black velvet and never smiled. There’s also a small Hunger Games vibe to it, but stick with me on this. Luzia is a scullery maid who gets by using a sprinkle of magic just to make life more tolerable but not enough to attract attention. Until one day her mistress susses out what Luzia has been doing and basically wants to exploit her magic and tricks to make their family look better in society. Putting Luzia on a more-public stage ends up attracting the attention of a very dangerous man who has been disgraced by Spain’s king and wants to regain the crown’s favor. To do this, he enters Luzia into a competition with other people with “gifts sent from the heavens” like clairvoyance, alchemy, etc. They are to compete in a series of trials and the one left standing will serve the king directly. Cue a winding road of chaos and backwards politics as Luzia tries to survive this new world she’s been thrusted into. I honestly had to keep double checking how long this audiobook was because SO MUCH HAPPENED. Like there was not a portion of this book that was wasted on non plot-driving material. You never knew who to trust or what Luzia’s next move should be, especially when it came to her closest confidante and trainer, Guillén Santangel. I was hooked from the start and although it was a little confusing for me to get my footing with who is who at first (hence the deducted rating), but for sure recommend it.

The Kiss Curse by Erin Sterling

THE KISS CURSE by Erin Sterling (The Ex Hex, #2)

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: Gwyn Jones is perfectly happy with her life in Graves Glen. She, her mom, and her cousin have formed a new and powerful coven; she’s running a successful witchcraft shop, Something Wicked; and she’s started mentoring some of the younger witches in town. As Halloween approaches, there’s only one problem—Llewellyn “Wells” Penhallow. Wells has come to Graves Glen to re-establish his family’s connection to the town they founded as well as to make a new life for himself after years of being the dutiful son in Wales. When he opens up a shop of his own, Penhallow’s, just across the street from Something Wicked, he quickly learns he’s gotten more than he bargained for in going up against Gwyn. When their professional competition leads to a very personal—and very hot—kiss, both Wells and Gwyn are determined to stay away from each other, convinced the kiss was just a magical fluke. But when a mysterious new coven of witches comes to town and Gwyn’s powers begin fading, she and Wells must work together to figure out just what these new witches want and how to restore Gwyn’s magic before it’s too late.

My Thoughts: This is the second book in the The Ex Hex series and focuses on side characters we were introduced to in the first book. Gwyn is the sassiest witch and also the most free spirited. I loved her vibe and her “do not mess with me” demeanor. Wells is the grumpy brother from the first book and he’s sent to Graves Glen to keep an eye on his brother (Rhys) and the town as it’s now powered by Gwyn’s family of witches instead of the Penhallow’s. Listen, you combine sass and grump and this book was GIVING the snark. I freaking loved the quick quips between these two main characters as their shops compete in town. However, after things start to go awry in terms of Gywn’s magic, they’re forced to work together to figure out what’s happening. So all of that snarky tension turns into sexual tension and I was not mad lol. The plot of this book wasn’t as strong as the last one and I felt like the characters could’ve gotten a little deeper in their connection. That said though, I still really enjoyed it and would say it’s worth the read.

Fragments of the Lost by Megan Miranda

FRAGMENTS OF THE LOST by Megan Miranda

Rating: 3.75/5 stars

Summary: Jessa Whitworth knew she didn't belong in her ex-boyfriend Caleb's room. But she couldn't deny that she was everywhere: in his photos, his neatly folded T-shirts, even the butterfly necklace in his jeans pocket . . . the one she gave him for safe keeping on that day. His mother asked her to pack up his things, even though she blames Jessa for his accident. How could she say no? And maybe, just maybe, it will help her work through the guilt she feels about their final moments together. But as Jessa begins to box up the pieces of Caleb's life, they trigger memories that make Jessa realize their past relationship may not be exactly as she remembered. And she starts to question whether she really knew Caleb at all. Each fragment of his life reveals a new clue that propels Jessa to search for the truth about Caleb's accident. What really happened on the storm-swept bridge?

My Thoughts: This book got me MAD. For the main character that is, but dear Lort Caleb and his mom can GTFO. Basically, Jessa’s ex-boyfriend Caleb recently died and his mother has asked her to clean out his room. As she’s packing up his things, she starts uncovering some inconsistencies that make her question what she really knew about Caleb and how she remembers their relationship. Naturally, Jessa becomes invested in figuring out what really happened in the days leading up to Caleb’s accident. The pacing of this book started out a little slower, but it helped that it switched between the past as Jessa reflected on their relationship and the present where she’s packing up Caleb’s room. Although there is a large theme of dealing with grief, I don’t feel like that overshadowed the mystery part of the plot. Especially after Jessa starts connecting dots as to what Caleb was hiding from her. As a YA mystery/thriller, I appreciated how this story took a turn and how the ending wrapped up. However, I was so mad on behalf of Jessa lol. Caleb’s mom is fucking unhinged and had me questioning what kind of grown woman makes her son’s teenage ex-girlfriend clean out his room and then gets suspicious of her every time she’s trying to leave their house?? It all makes sense eventually, but I was chanting Justice for Jessa for a majority of this book. I wasn’t expecting to like this as much as I did and definitely recommend it if you’re looking for a mystery/thriller that doesn’t follow the usual formula.

Chain of Iron by Cassandra Clare

CHAIN OF IRON by Cassandra Clare (The Last Hours, #2)

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Cordelia Carstairs seems to have everything she ever wanted. She’s engaged to marry James Herondale, the boy she has loved since childhood. She has a new life in London with her best friend Lucie Herondale and James’s charming companions, the Merry Thieves. She is about to be reunited with her beloved father. And she bears the sword Cortana, a legendary hero’s blade. But the truth is far grimmer. James and Cordelia’s marriage is a lie, arranged to save Cordelia’s reputation. James is in love with the mysterious Grace Blackthorn whose brother, Jesse, died years ago in a terrible accident. Cortana burns Cordelia’s hand when she touches it, while her father has grown bitter and angry. And a serial murderer is targeting the Shadowhunters of London, killing under cover of darkness, then vanishing without a trace. Together with the Merry Thieves, Cordelia, James, and Lucie must follow the trail of the knife-wielding killer through the city’s most dangerous streets. All the while, each is keeping a shocking secret: Lucie, that she plans to raise Jesse from the dead; Cordelia, that she has sworn a dangerous oath of loyalty to a mysterious power; and James, that he is being drawn further each night into the dark web of his grandfather, the arch-demon Belial. And that he himself may be the killer they seek.

My Thoughts: HOW DARE SHE? Cassie Clare really wanted me to feel some type of way with this book and I CANNOT. First of all, I am still utterly and unapologetically obsessed with this entire Shadowhunter world and the characters in this trilogy. Cordelia? A queen. I cannot get over how much I like her. There’s a wholesome, well-rounded essence to Cordelia that feels like sinking into your favorite comfy chair any time we’re in her head or interacting with her from a different character’s POV. She is such a smart, strong character and the resilience she showed throughout this book was wild. I would not have had as much chill. She does go through a deep phase of imposter syndrome (relatable lol), but this is all obviously a part of her character arc. A lot of the characters go through the downswing of their arcs in this book actually. Without giving spoilers, there were some foreshadowing events that felt a little inconsistent for those involved, but set up some support beams for the plot later in the book. Which is FINE, but I didn’t love it because I didn’t fully believe those specific characters would be that impulsive or easily fooled. The plot overall is an extension of the first book and definitely took a different angle on the demonic goings-on plaguing London. It was nice too that this book dealt with some deeper themes like identity, alcoholism, grief, family and platonic bonds, and more. I absolutely do not cosign on how this book ended and will absolutely be starting the next thicc girl in this series ASAP.

Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver

BUTCHER & BLACKBIRD by Brynne Weaver (The Ruinous Love Trilogy, #1)

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: When a chance encounter sparks an unlikely bond between rival murderers Sloane and Rowan, the two find something elusive—the friendship of a like-minded, pitch-black soul. From small town West Virginia to upscale California, from downtown Boston to rural Texas, the two hunters collide in an annual game of blood and suffering, one that pits them against the most dangerous monsters in the country. But as their friendship develops into something more, the restless ghosts left in their wake are only a few steps behind, ready to claim more than just their newfound love. Can Rowan and Sloane dig themselves out of a game of graves? Or have they finally met their match?

My Thoughts: Okay hear me out, this book was fantastic and it was about two serial killers falling in love lol. It’s definitely got some gore to it (so if you have a weak stomach, just beware), but the overall story reads more like a rom-com. The book starts with them crossing paths while Sloane has been locked in a cell in this other serial killer’s basement after she killed him and he kicked the door shut. Rowan finds her because he was there to kill the guy she already killed, lets her out, they grab food, and over some barbecue a competition is created and a bet is waged. Every year, they’ll each receive a text of the location for their target. They have a limited number of days to figure out who they’re supposed to kill and successfully complete the job in order to have bragging rights against the other person. As the competitions heat up, so does their connection. I was obsessed with their slow burn romance. It didn’t feel like your traditional slow burn because so much happens and you get both POVs, so you know who is PINING BAD for who. Obviously, as serial killers who kill serial killers, they both have some past demons they have to deal with in order to truly open their heart to the other person. I was obsessed with Sloane and Rowan as individual characters, so OBVIOUSLY I was screaming at the top of my lungs the entire time for them to work out. This is unlike any other romance I’ve read and I highly recommend it unless you’re squeamish with some gore. Then do not read it lol. 

Leather & Lark by Brynne Weaver

LEATHER & LARK by Brynne Weaver (The Ruinous Love Trilogy, #2)

Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary: Contract killer Lachlan Kane wants a quiet life working in his leather studio and forgetting all about his traumatic past. But when he botches a job for his boss’s biggest client, Lachlan knows he’ll never claw his way out of the underworld. At least, not until songbird Lark Montague offers him a deal: use his skills to hunt down a killer and she’ll find a way to secure his freedom. The catch? He has to marry her first. And they can’t stand each other. Indie singer-songwriter Lark is the sunshine and glitter that burns through every cloud and clings to every crevice that Lachlan Kane tries to hide inside. The surly older brother of her best friend’s soulmate, Lachlan thinks she’s just a privileged princess, but Lark has plenty of secrets hiding in the shadows of her bright light. With her formidable family in a tailspin and her best friend’s happiness on the line, she’s willing to make a vow to the man she’s determined to hate, no matter how tempting the broody assassin might be. As Lachlan and Lark navigate the dark world that binds them together, it becomes impossible to discern their fake marriage from a real one. But it’s not just familiar dangers that haunt them. There’s another phantom lurking on their doorstep. And this one has come for blood.

My Thoughts: This is the second book within the serial killer rom-com series and it definitely had a touch darker tone to it. Lark comes from a super wealthy family who has connections within the underworld, but you would never guess based on her bubbly personality and the way she wins every room she walks into. However, there’s a darker side to her she’s hiding from everyone. Lachlan works for an unhinged guy that basically “cleans up” messes caused by his super wealthy clients - including Lark’s family who terminated their contract with them. When someone starts killing people off in Lark’s family’s circle, they assume it’s got to be Lachlan. However, if Lachlan is on their radar, then so is his brother, Rowan, and Lark’s best friend Sloane. To save Sloane (and Rowan), Sloane proposes a fake marriage to Lachlan, so that her parents don’t try to kill him. Cue the trifecta of tropes: enemies-to-lovers, grumpy-sunshine, and forced-proximity. I loved watching the connection between Lark and Lachlan grow as each one slowly let their walls down. I wouldn’t say the plot was as intriguing as the first book, but overall I enjoyed this one and would say it’s worth the read.

Chain of Thorns by Cassandra Clare

CHAIN OF THORNS by Cassandra Clare (The Last Hours, #3)

Rating: objectively - 3.5, subjectively 4

Summary: Cordelia Carstairs has lost everything that matters to her. In only a few short weeks, she has seen her father murdered, her plans to become parabatai with her best friend, Lucie, destroyed, and her marriage to James Herondale crumble before her eyes. Even worse, she is now bound to an ancient demon, Lilith, stripping her of her power as a Shadowhunter. After fleeing to Paris with Matthew Fairchild, Cordelia hopes to forget her sorrows in the city’s glittering nightlife. But reality intrudes when shocking news comes from home: Tatiana Blackthorn has escaped the Adamant Citadel, and London is under new threat by the Prince of Hell, Belial. Cordelia returns to a London riven by chaos and dissent. The long-kept secret that Belial is James and Lucie’s grandfather has been revealed by an unexpected enemy, and the Herondales find themselves under suspicion of dealings with demons. Cordelia longs to protect James but is torn between a love for James she has long believed hopeless, and the possibility of a new life with Matthew. Nor can her friends help—ripped apart by their own secrets, they seem destined to face what is coming alone. For time is short, and Belial’s plan is about to crash into the Shadowhunters of London like a deadly wave, one that will separate Cordelia, Lucie, and the Merry Thieves from help of any kind. Left alone in a shadowy London, they must face Belial’s deadly army. If Cordelia and her friends are going to save their city—and their families—they will have to muster their courage, swallow their pride, and trust one another again. For if they fail, they may lose everything—even their souls.

My Thoughts: LOL okay. So as I said above, this book was objectively a 3.5 if I was rating it honestly. HOWEVER, subjectively and solely because I was SO INVESTED in Thomas and Alastair’s storyline, it’s a 4 for me lol. This was a thicc book. Like the audiobook was 30 hours, so you gotta strap in and get ready for some Shadowhunter Shenanigans. I gotta say though, this is probably the least invested in a plot within this world that I’ve ever been. I just didn’t really care that Belial was still tryna torment James and take over London or that Lucie had the power to talk to the dead. After she uses her power to connect one of the side character’s souls back with his body, I just kind of didn’t care that she could control ghosts anymore lol. Cordelia was still being such a little shit and it was because she was too proud. Then James doubled down and wouldn’t tell her something that would literally resolve EVERYTHING between them, but he was also too proud. So it was just a freaking mess. Baby boi Matthew was going THROUGH it, but thankfully his friends circled the wagon and helped him get through the multiple heartbreaks that were driving him to drink. Something happens to a different character that literally had me screaming “THIS IS WHY WE CAN’T HAVE NICE THINGS, CASSIE,” but otherwise, I was more invested in where everyone’s relationships ended up vs. caring about whether they defeat the demons in London. Spoiler alert: they usually do lol. After finishing this trilogy, I’d say this is probably my least favorite series within the Shadowhunters world, but I appreciated my time with it nonetheless. 

Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

GODS OF JADE AND SHADOW by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Rating: DNF @ 45%

Summary: The Jazz Age is in full swing, but Casiopea Tun is too busy cleaning the floors of her wealthy grandfather’s house to listen to any fast tunes. Nevertheless, she dreams of a life far from her dusty small town in southern Mexico. A life she can call her own. Yet this new life seems as distant as the stars, until the day she finds a curious wooden box in her grandfather’s room. She opens it—and accidentally frees the spirit of the Mayan god of death, who requests her help in recovering his throne from his treacherous brother. Failure will mean Casiopea’s demise, but success could make her dreams come true. In the company of the strangely alluring god and armed with her wits, Casiopea begins an adventure that will take her on a cross-country odyssey from the jungles of Yucatán to the bright lights of Mexico City—and deep into the darkness of the Mayan underworld.

My Thoughts: uuuuughhhhh. It absolutely killed me to DNF this book, especially when I am a SMG stan, but oh my god I could not get into this story. I listened to the audiobook and was, for lack of a better description, painfully bored. Basically, Casiopea is the black sheep cousin who nobody really likes, so she’s stuck doing all the bitch work around the house and is treated like dookie. When she finds the key to a mysterious trunk in her grandfather’s room, she opens it and ends up freeing the spirit of the Mayan god of death. This dude is missing an ear, a finger (?), and some other random body part. So he’s like oh sweet, thanks for letting me out of that box. Now you’re indebted to me and have to go on this crazy adventure while we go collect my missing extremities which will allow me to return to full power. I don’t know. At first, I was like okay maybe I’m missing some info to the backstory of this book? Maybe it’s a retelling of some other story, and essentially, it’s based on some Mexican folklore. So it’s not a full retelling, but having no previous knowledge of the folklore that’s being referred to here, it was hard to keep up. Also Casiopea sucked lol. As did the god of death. He was bland as hell. They were not likable characters. Which meant getting invested in them AND this plot was a feat. Idk. Maybe I just wasn’t in the right mood for this book or maybe it really was just the biggest miss I wasn’t expecting from this author. Either way, I’m not going to be recommending this one to anyone as a must-read from Slivia Moreno Garcia. :/ Maybe I’ll give it another try in the future, but I’m not holding my breath for that happening any time soon.

The Striker by Ana Huang

THE STRIKER by Ana Huang

Rating: 3.25/5 stars

Summary: Asher Donovan is a living legend—the darling of the Premier League, the (arguably) greatest footballer in the world. But his reckless antics and recent team transfer have caused much controversy, and when his feud with his rival-turned-teammate costs them a championship, they’re forced to “bond” during off-season cross-training. Surviving the summer shouldn’t be hard…until Asher meets their new trainer. She’s beautiful, talented, and no matter how hard he tries, he can’t take his mind off her. The only problem? She’s his rival’s sister—and completely off limits. | Scarlett DuBois is a former prima ballerina whose career was cut short by a tragic accident. Now a teacher at a prestigious dance academy but still haunted by the ghosts of her past, the last thing she wants is to spend the summer cross-training Asher Donovan, of all people . She swore she would never date a footballer, but when her brother leaves town for an emergency, she finds herself thrown into dangerously close proximity with the gorgeous, charming striker. Training, she can deal with. But falling in love? That’s out of the question—especially when he’s the only person with the power to break her heart.

My Thoughts: This rating kills me because I freaking LOVE Ana Huang and the other series she’s written. She definitely has a formula she follows with every book, but for whatever reason, it just didn’t work its full magic here. Everything was fine! It was the same type of “fine” that you feel after going on a first date where nothing egregious happened, but also you’re really indifferent towards going on a second date. It just felt like SOMETHING was missing and I still cannot put my finger on it. I enjoyed the book enough though. Asher was head over heels for Scarlett and it was sweet how thoughtful he was towards her needs. That said, there were a few instances that involved other people where he was just SOOOO selfish and reactive, and it hit a point where I felt like fixing that behavior DEFINITELY should have been part of his character arc much sooner. Scarlett was a great MFC for this book as well. She’s very resilient after facing some adversity five years prior, but HOT DANG, this ballerina is proud. Specifically, too proud to ask for help. Which got super old. I don’t know. As I said, I liked it overall. It was cute and had great spice, but it just felt like Ana Huang forgot to add her secret ingredient to the fail-proof recipe. You know what I mean? The next book in this specific series comes out next October, so I’ll probably still read that one, but idk. This was just fine lol. 

Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young

SKY IN THE DEEP by Adrienne Young

Rating: 5/5

Summary: Raised to be a warrior, seventeen-year-old Eelyn fights alongside her Aska clansmen in an ancient rivalry against the Riki clan. Her life is brutal but simple: fight and survive. Until the day she sees the impossible on the battlefield—her brother, fighting with the enemy—the brother she watched die five years ago. Faced with her brother's betrayal, she must survive the winter in the mountains with the Riki, in a village where every neighbor is an enemy, every battle scar possibly one she delivered. But when the Riki village is raided by a ruthless clan thought to be a legend, Eelyn is even more desperate to get back to her beloved family. She is given no choice but to trust Fiske, her brother’s friend, who sees her as a threat. They must do the impossible: unite the clans to fight together, or risk being slaughtered one by one. Driven by a love for her clan and her growing love for Fiske, Eelyn must confront her own definition of loyalty and family while daring to put her faith in the people she’s spent her life hating.

My Thoughts: Listen, I literally picked this book up on a whim at an Ollie’s Bargain Outlet like three years ago and never cracked it open. Frankly, I kind of forgot about it lol. So when I saw this book sitting on my bookshelf, I decided to give its audiobook a try. I didn’t know a historical fiction/YA fantasy set in the Vikings era is exactly what I needed, but y’all. This book breathed life back into me after DNFing the last audiobook I tried (cough, cough, looking at you Gods of Jade and Shadow). This story hits the ground running right from the very beginning and the plot never really slows down. As hard-headed as Eelyn was initially after being kidnapped and “bought” by her brother’s new family from the rival Viking clan, I freaking loved her as the main character for this. She gets the literal shit kicked out of her and still somehow musters the energy to say “bet” to anyone who threatens her. I appreciated that although Eelyn feels THOROUGHLY betrayed by her brother, the author still made it possible to empathize with the reasoning behind his actions. The plot thickens at the exact right moment after the village is raided by a third, much more ruthless clan which forces the Aska (Eelyn’s clan) and the Riki (her brother’s new clan) to set aside their ancient rivalry to defeat the bloodthirsty Herja. To no one’s surprise, I was an absolute SIMP for Fiske. He had a strong, quiet-type of energy to him. Like he’s not going to tell you how good of a person he is, but everyone else will tell you unsolicited. It was impossible not to trust him and made it that much easier to believe the connection that slowly forms between him and Eelyn. Honestly, if you’re into historical fiction and YA fantasy, and don’t mind a little gore (vikings can get violent), I highly recommend picking up this book!

Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson

NOTHING TO SEE HERE by Kevin Wilson

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Lillian and Madison were unlikely roommates and yet inseparable friends at their elite boarding school. But then Lillian had to leave the school unexpectedly in the wake of a scandal and they’ve barely spoken since. Until now, when Lillian gets a letter from Madison pleading for her help. Madison’s twin stepkids are moving in with her family and she wants Lillian to be their caretaker. However, there’s a catch: the twins spontaneously combust when they get agitated, flames igniting from their skin in a startling but beautiful way. Lillian is convinced Madison is pulling her leg, but it’s the truth. Thinking of her dead-end life at home, the life that has consistently disappointed her, Lillian figures she has nothing to lose. Over the course of one humid, demanding summer, Lillian and the twins learn to trust each other—and stay cool—while also staying out of the way of Madison’s buttoned-up politician husband. Surprised by her own ingenuity yet unused to the intense feelings of protectiveness she feels for them, Lillian ultimately begins to accept that she needs these strange children as much as they need her—urgently and fiercely. Couldn’t this be the start of the amazing life she’d always hoped for?

My Thoughts: Literally, one of my favorite books that I’ve read this year. No notes. This audiobook was fucking amazing. ALL THE AWARDS to Marin Ireland who put her WHOLE ass foot into this narration. I was invested from the START. Lillian is kind of a burnout living in her mom’s attic and works at two grocery stores. The only friend she’s really ever had from boarding school when she was younger, Madison, asks her out of the blue for some help. It turns out Madison’s step kids have to move in with her family and they need a caretaker. However, the caveat is they catch on fire anytime they’re upset or mad. Cue the funniest, most heartwarming summer of Lillian figuring out how to not only take care of kids, but kids who have a tendency to ignite when agitated. Their dynamics were so freaking endearing and after all of the trauma Roland and Bessie have been through, Lillian is determined to make sure they’re seen as kids instead of monsters. I was BARKING laughs throughout this entire book. There are so many one liners and just chaotic conversations that made me want to squeeze these three misfits into a giant hug and never let them go. I’m obsessed with Lillian’s character and found her pretty relatable in that she has no prior experience with kids and was basically winging everything. This book is a MUST read if you have not already. Even if you never take any of my other book recommendations, please take this one. You won’t regret it. 

Okie! Congrats if you made it to the end and also THANK YOU lol. I know this month’s reading wrap-up post was a DOOZY, but I sincerely appreciate it if you made it this far. 

I feel like as we’re headed into the holiday season, I’ll be gravitating more towards cozy reads, but alas. I am a mood reader, so we shall see!

2024 Book Count: 115

Add me on Goodreads if you haven’t already.

YOUR TURN! What’s your favorite holiday-themed book?

September 2024 Reads

Does anyone else’s brain immediately revert to playing Earth Wind and Fire any time you think of the word “September?”

This month flew by and I think that’s mainly because I was traveling through California for almost a week and a half. I joined my friend who is on an extensive road trip for the Golden State leg of it.

We managed to fit eight cities (Sacramento, Santa Rosa, San Francisco, Monterey, Carmel, Three Rivers, Santa Clarita, and Palm Springs) into nine days, driving about 939 miles in total. Sequoia National Park was definitely my favorite part of this trip. If you haven’t been out there to see nature’s giant beauties, they are a MUST. I have never felt smaller being surrounded by the mountains and trees 250-300 ft tall. It was truly a magical experience. 

Joshua Tree was also cool, but Sequoia has my heart. <3 Shout out to Lindsey (and Apollo) for letting me join them on this adventure! Enjoy these snapshots from my trip:

From top left to right: Me next to a Joshua Tree (which is actually from the aloe family), Lindsey and I in front of Monterey Bay, us in front of a wine vineyard in Santa Rosa, me standing amongst the GIANT Sequoias.

One great thing about so much travel though is that I was able to fly through some books on the plane rides and we managed to listen to about 1.5 audiobooks throughout our longer drives. So, I did much better on the reading front this month than I expected to in September and definitely got through multiple genres. 

With that, let’s get into everything I read in September!

**All summaries are taken or paraphrased from Goodreads. 

Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley

WARRIOR GIRL UNEARTHED by Angeline Boulley

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Perry Firekeeper-Birch was ready for her Summer of Slack but instead, after a fender bender that was entirely not her fault, she’s stuck working to pay back her Auntie Daunis for repairs to the Jeep. Thankfully she has the other outcasts of the summer program, Team Misfit Toys, and even her twin sister Pauline. Together they ace obstacle courses, plan vigils for missing women in the community, and make sure summer doesn’t feel so lost after all. But when she attends a meeting at a local university, Perry learns about the “Warrior Girl”, an ancestor whose bones and knife are stored in the museum archives, and everything changes. Perry has to return Warrior Girl to her tribe. Determined to help, she learns all she can about NAGPRA, the federal law that allows tribes to request the return of ancestral remains and sacred items. The university has been using legal loopholes to hold onto Warrior Girl and twelve other Anishinaabe ancestors’ remains, and Perry and the Misfits won’t let it go on any longer. Using all of their skills and resources, the Misfits realize a heist is the only way to bring back the stolen artifacts and remains for good. But there is more to this repatriation than meets the eye as more women disappear and Pauline’s perfectionism takes a turn for the worse. As secrets and mysteries unfurl, Perry and the Misfits must fight to find a way to make things right – for the ancestors and for their community.

My Thoughts: Okay so I freaking LOVED this author’s first book, Firekeeper’s Daughter, and was extremely excited when I learned she was publishing a spinoff from that one. This book follows the niece of the main character from the other book. Perry wrecks her car, which changes the course of how she originally planned to spend her summer as she works to pay back her Aunt Daunis for the repairs. She’s forced to join a summer internship program where she’s placed under the recluse archivist at the local reservation museum in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. As she starts to get acclimated with her tribe’s ancestral remains and sacred items, she learns a local university has been using workarounds to avoid returning some of the tribe’s artifacts. This leads to Perry and some friends from her internship program planning a heist to return what rightfully belongs to the tribe. True to the writing style of the last book, this plot has plenty of twists and turns, and keeps you on your toes as some conspicuous figures start popping up. I can’t say I loved this book as much as I loved Firekeeper’s Daughter, and the end portion felt a little rushed, but I would recommend reading it if you liked FD.

Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate

BEFORE WE WERE YOURS by Lisa Wingate

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Memphis, 1939. Twelve-year-old Rill Foss and her four younger siblings live a magical life aboard their family’s Mississippi River shantyboat. But when their father must rush their mother to the hospital one stormy night, Rill is left in charge—until strangers arrive in force. Wrenched from all that is familiar and thrown into a Tennessee Children’s Home Society orphanage, the Foss children are assured that they will soon be returned to their parents—but they quickly realize the dark truth. At the mercy of the facility’s cruel director, Rill fights to keep her sisters and brother together in a world of danger and uncertainty. Aiken, South Carolina, present day. Born into wealth and privilege, Avery Stafford seems to have it all: a successful career as a federal prosecutor, a handsome fiancé, and a lavish wedding on the horizon. But when Avery returns home to help her father weather a health crisis, a chance encounter leaves her with uncomfortable questions and compels her to take a journey through her family’s long-hidden history, on a path that will ultimately lead either to devastation or to redemption. Based on one of America’s most notorious real-life scandals—in which Georgia Tann, director of a Memphis-based adoption organization, kidnapped and sold poor children to wealthy families all over the country—Lisa Wingate’s riveting, wrenching, and ultimately uplifting tale reminds us how, even though the paths we take can lead to many places, the heart never forgets where we belong.

My Thoughts: Oh my lord. I have not been this invested in a historical fiction novel in a MINUTE. I found the physical copy in a Little Free Library near me, but decided to listen to the audiobook, per usual lol. Let me just say, the narrators do such a phenomenal job that it feels like you’re watching a movie in your brain while listening to this story. The format alternates between current day from the perspective of the current Tennessee senator’s daughter, Avery, and the late 1930’s from the perspective of a 12-year-old girl named Rill who has been kidnapped by the Tennessee Children’s Home Society. While visiting her grandmother in assisted living, her grandma makes a comment that has Avery curious about her family’s history and leads to her digging deeper into uncovering some well-buried secrets. At the same time, we watch Rill try to keep her family together in this new personal hell that is the Tennessee Children’s Home Society where children are being kidnapped and basically sold for adoption to some of the wealthiest families in America. This book was so impactful and beautifully written. I cried multiple times and y’all know I’m not a crier. Hats off to the author on this one and definitely pick it up if you’re looking for a historical fiction that will simultaneously devastate you and bring your soul back to life lol. 

Upgrade by Blake Crouch

UPGRADE by Blake Crouch

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: At first, Logan Ramsay isn’t sure if anything’s different. He just feels a little . . . sharper. Better able to concentrate. Better at multitasking. Reading a bit faster, memorizing better, needing less sleep. But before long, he can’t deny it: Something’s happening to his brain. To his body. He’s starting to see the world, and those around him—even those he loves most—in whole new ways. The truth is, Logan’s genome has been hacked. And there’s a reason he’s been targeted for this upgrade. A reason that goes back decades to the darkest part of his past, and a horrific family legacy. Worse still, what’s happening to him is just the first step in a much larger plan, one that will inflict the same changes on humanity at large—at a terrifying cost. Because of his new abilities, Logan’s the one person in the world capable of stopping what’s been set in motion. But to have a chance at winning this war, he’ll have to become something other than himself. Maybe even something other than human. And even as he’s fighting, he can’t help wondering: what if humanity’s only hope for a future really does lie in engineering our own evolution?

My Thoughts: This was another audiobook that read like you were watching a movie. Blake Crouch has become one of my favorite sci-fi authors. The way his writing sucks you into a story makes it impossible not to be engrossed in all of the technical and scientific nuances that come with the plot. Do I understand all of the equations and whatnot? Not a chance lol. However, he writes them in a way that is easy to understand they’re important even if you’re not savvy to the minutiae. This book hits the ground running fast from the start. Right away, Logan Ramsay is on a mission with his team when the entire science lab blows up and he’s left feeling a little different. He’s better at memorizing things, reading much faster than usual, and turning up the volume on his ability to multitask. His body is also seeing some enhancements he hadn’t noticed before. Cue an action-packed adventure as Logan figures out what’s happening to his body, who’s behind the changes, and why. The pace of this book was quick yet lingered where it needed to, and definitely threw in some plot twists I wasn’t expecting. The overall story and ending didn't necessarily blow my mind, but I did really like this book after finishing it. 

The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

THE BEAUTIFUL ONES by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: They are the Beautiful Ones, Loisail’s most notable socialites, and this spring is Nina’s chance to join their ranks, courtesy of her well-connected cousin and his calculating wife. But the Grand Season has just begun, and already Nina’s debut has gone disastrously awry. She has always struggled to control her telekinesis—neighbors call her the Witch of Oldhouse—and the haphazard manifestations of her powers make her the subject of malicious gossip. When entertainer Hector Auvray arrives to town, Nina is dazzled. A telekinetic like her, he has traveled the world performing his talents for admiring audiences. He sees Nina not as a witch, but ripe with potential to master her power under his tutelage. With Hector’s help, Nina’s talent blossoms, as does her love for him. But great romances are for fairytales, and Hector is hiding a truth from Nina—and himself—that threatens to end their courtship before it truly begins.

My Thoughts: Okay one of the main reasons I love Silvia Moreno-Garcia as an author is because she doesn’t box herself into one genre. This is the first romance novel I’ve read by her and though it carries her signature gothic theme, I loved exploring this different side of her writing. The book is split into two parts. In part one, almost every character was annoying af to me lol. Nina was a little too naive, Hector was pathetically lovesick over a horrible person, and Valerie was said horrible person lol. Personally, I favored Nina out of all of them in this first part. It basically laid the background for who these characters are to each other and how they’re connected in the present. Skipping to part two, I was much more invested in what was going on and the relationship growing between Nina and Hector. Their character arcs also gave me everything I wanted in contrast to who they were in Part 1. Valerie remains to be the fucking worst, but karma’s a bitch babe, and that’s all I’ve gotta say about that. I don’t know if I read many love-triangle trope romances, but I definitely enjoyed how this one played out. 

Evicted by Matthew Desmond

EVICTED: POVERTY AND PROFIT IN THE AMERICAN CITY by Matthew Desmond

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: In Evicted, Princeton sociologist Matthew Desmond follows eight families in Milwaukee as they struggle to keep a roof over their heads. Evicted transforms our understanding of poverty and economic exploitation while providing fresh ideas for solving one of 21st-century America's most devastating problems. Its unforgettable scenes of hope and loss remind us of the centrality of home, without which nothing else is possible.

My Thoughts: I’ve had this book on my radar for a while, and considering I hadn’t read a non-fiction book in a minute, I figured it was time to give this one a try. I think one of the strongest points of how this book is written is that it follows the stories of eight different families and their experiences with renting, landlords, and more. So instead of throwing a bunch of numbers and stats at you like most non-fiction books do, this was told much more narratively and made me much more invested in learning about the twisted world of housing in the United States. Some of the things I learned through this book had my jaw on the floor. The way rental properties are managed, with everything from duplexes and apartments to trailer parks, is so thoroughly corrupt. It’s actually unreal, and of course the people who are suffering the most from these unscrupulous practices are the people who need the most help. On top of that, those same people are then penalized for having an eviction on their record which makes it EVEN harder to find a safe place for their families to live. Not to mention, most of these cases affect young children. Needless to say, this book was one of those most eye-opening and impactful that I’ve encountered in a while and I truly think everyone should read it. 

The Rom Commers by Katherine Center

THE ROM-COMMERS by Katherine Center

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Emma Wheeler desperately longs to be a screenwriter. She’s spent her life studying, obsessing over, and writing romantic comedies―good ones! That win contests! But she’s also been the sole caretaker for her kind-hearted dad, who needs full-time care. Now, when she gets a chance to re-write a script for famous screenwriter Charlie Yates―The Charlie Yates! Her personal writing god!―it’s a break too big to pass up. Emma’s younger sister steps in for caretaking duties, and Emma moves to L.A. for six weeks for the writing gig of a lifetime. But what is it they say? Don’t meet your heroes? Charlie Yates doesn’t want to write with anyone―much less “a failed, nobody screenwriter.” Worse, the romantic comedy he’s written is so terrible it might actually bring on the apocalypse. Plus! He doesn’t even care about the script―it’s just a means to get a different one green-lit. Oh, and he thinks love is an emotional Ponzi scheme. But Emma’s not going down without a fight. She will stand up for herself, and for rom-coms, and for love itself. She will convince him that love stories matter―even if she has to kiss him senseless to do it. But . . . what if that kiss is accidentally amazing? What if real life turns out to be so much . . . more real than fiction? What if the love story they’re writing breaks all Emma’s rules―and comes true?

My Thoughts: I feel like I was extremely late to the Katherine Center game, but her last few books have not disappointed. This book was so cute, funny, swoony, and everything I could’ve wanted for my 4-hour flight out to California. True to KC’s writing, these characters were uniquely quirky and so original. She has a way of creating people you feel like you’ve never encountered in a romance novel before and can truly connect with. They’re just imperfect enough to make it clear it’s going to take a very specific person to fall in love with them. And, let me tell you, it was effortless to fall in love with Emma and Charlie. As they work on rejuvenating Charlie’s latest book, they start peeling back each other’s layers and falling into a routine that makes it so obvious there’s more here than just a working relationship. There were multiple laugh-out-loud moments and even one or two that made my eyes a little misty lol. All in all, this book definitely lives up to its title and is a “finish in one sitting” type of rom com.

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

PROJECT HAIL MARY by Andy Weir

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Ryland Grace is the sole survivor on a desperate, last-chance mission—and if he fails, humanity and the earth itself will perish. Except that right now, he doesn’t know that. He can’t even remember his own name, let alone the nature of his assignment or how to complete it. All he knows is that he’s been asleep for a very, very long time. And he’s just been awakened to find himself millions of miles from home, with nothing but two corpses for company. His crewmates dead, his memories fuzzily returning, Ryland realizes that an impossible task now confronts him. Hurtling through space on this tiny ship, it’s up to him to puzzle out an impossible scientific mystery—and conquer an extinction-level threat to our species. And with the clock ticking down and the nearest human being light-years away, he’s got to do it all alone. Or does he?

My Thoughts: With long hours between cities, we decided to listen to this audiobook during the road trip around California. Let me just say, it was nothing I expected it to be. Not that that’s a bad thing by any means. I was actually pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the direction this book ended up going. The book follows two timelines, the present where Ryland is the sole survivor on the spaceship that’s currently drifting somewhere outside of the solar system, and the past where he’s a junior high school science teacher getting recruited for the space mission. Clearly Andy Weir tries to stay as scientifically accurate in his books as possible because the scientific minutiae involved was complex, but it was done in a very strategic way. The depth of detail in Ryland’s experiments made it impossible for me to question whether what he was saying was correct. It truly made this storyline that much more believable. I think I was a bit more invested in this book character-wise, but I appreciated the experience of this plot nonetheless. I totally get why people RAVE about this book, and I highly recommend doing the audiobook because it gives voices to some select characters that I don’t think would have had the same impact if I had eyeball-read it. 

The Housemaid by Freida McFadden

THE HOUSEMAID by Freida McFadden

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: “Welcome to the family,” Nina Winchester says as I shake her elegant, manicured hand. I smile politely, gazing around the marble hallway. Working here is my last chance to start fresh. I can pretend to be whoever I like. But I’ll soon learn that the Winchesters’ secrets are far more dangerous than my own… Every day I clean the Winchesters’ beautiful house top to bottom. I collect their daughter from school. And I cook a delicious meal for the whole family before heading up to eat alone in my tiny room on the top floor. I try to ignore how Nina makes a mess just to watch me clean it up. How she tells strange lies about her own daughter. And how her husband Andrew seems more broken every day. But as I look into Andrew’s handsome brown eyes, so full of pain, it’s hard not to imagine what it would be like to live Nina’s life. The walk-in closet, the fancy car, the perfect husband. I only try on one of Nina’s pristine white dresses once. Just to see what it’s like. But she soon finds out… and by the time I realize my attic bedroom door only locks from the outside, it’s far too late. But I reassure myself: the Winchesters don’t know who I really am. They don’t know what I’m capable of…

My Thoughts: When I tell you this book has been HYPED… It’s not that I’ve intentionally put this book off even though it’s been extremely popularized as of late. It’s just that I’m not a big thriller girly, so I wasn’t dying to pick it up even though I’ve only heard great things. Surprisingly, I scored this book from a Little Free Library right before my trip and decided to dive in. For the most part, I was into it during Part 1. It was a little slower and built the scene for this psychological thriller. We get to know the main character and the complexities of her background that have created some circumstances that make it almost impossible to turn down this maid job with a family who seems a little dysfunctional. Then it hit a point where, without giving spoilers, something very predictable happened and it was mildly eye-rolly. At which point I put the book down for a few days and didn’t pick it back up until I was on the plane ride back. However, as soon as I turned the page and started Part 2 of the book, I was pleasantly surprised by where this plot went. It was much quicker paced than Part 1 and involved some characters I didn’t think would play such a prominent part in this plot’s outcome. By the end, I was like “ohh okay. I get why this book is popular.” That said though, I think it was a little bit of a victim to its own hype. I haven’t decided whether I’ll continue onto the next book, but I do think this is a pretty strong psychological thriller. 

The Happy Ever After Playlist by Abby Jimenez

THE HAPPY EVER AFTER PLAYLIST by Abby Jimenez (The Friend Zone #2)

Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary: Two years after losing her fiancé, Sloan Monroe still can't seem to get her life back on track. But one trouble-making pup with a "take me home" look in his eyes is about to change everything. With her new pet by her side, Sloan finally starts to feel more like herself. Then, after weeks of unanswered texts, Tucker's owner reaches out. He's a musician on tour in Australia. And bottom line: He wants Tucker back. Well, Sloan's not about to give up her dog without a fight. As their flirty texts turn into long calls, Sloan can't deny a connection. There's no telling what could happen when they meet in person. The question is: With his music career on the rise, how long will Jason really stick around? And is it possible for Sloan to survive another heartbreak?

My Thoughts: Abby Jimenez has become an auto-read author for me over the last year or so, and although I’ve read most of her latest books, I had been procrastinating on dabbling in her back log of novels. Mainly because I did read The Friend Zone (the first book in this series) a few years ago and found it extremely mid. Like I just did not love it at all. So obviously I wasn’t itching to dive into this one. However, I saw it on Kindle Unlimited and was looking for something a little lighter to read on my plane ride out to California, so I decided to give it a go. Let me just say, I never have been and never will be a fan of the “instant love” trope in a romance novel. However, this book somehow made it work in a way that didn’t take me out of the story. I loved that Sloan and Jason connected via Jason’s loose dog, Tucker. It also helped that Sloan was much more reserved in their initial conversations which kind of off-balanced the love-bombing vibe I was getting from Jason. But alas, as a romance novel does, Sloan ends up diving head first into this relationship as things start to heat up. There was a decent amount of drama mixed into this storyline from outside forces that test their connection (lol Love Island), and although some of it felt a little ~much~ for me, I still wanted to see this book through. By the time I ended it, I was satisfied with my experience, but this series still doesn’t hold a candle to Abby Jimenez’s Part of Your World series. 

The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray

THE PERSONAL LIBRARIAN by Marie Benedict & Victoria Christopher Murray

Rating: 3.75/5 stars

Summary: In her twenties, Belle da Costa Greene is hired by J. P. Morgan to curate a collection of rare manuscripts, books, and artwork for his newly built Pierpont Morgan Library. Belle becomes a fixture on the New York society scene and one of the most powerful people in the art and book world, known for her impeccable taste and shrewd negotiating for critical works as she helps build a world-class collection. But Belle has a secret, one she must protect at all costs. She was born not Belle da Costa Greene but Belle Marion Greener. She is the daughter of Richard Greener, the first Black graduate of Harvard and a well-known advocate for equality. Belle's complexion isn't dark because of her alleged Portuguese heritage that lets her pass as white—her complexion is dark because she is African American.

My Thoughts: Okay, I gotta say, I was a big dummy and didn’t fully realize that this book is based on a real person. So I was skeptical for basically the first half of the book as to whether I was going to like it. The pace was a little slow for me to start and then Belle ends up having a couple of romantic stints with two men who are 20 and 40 years older than her. Of course my therapy-attending ass was like “Oh she’s trying to fill a void her father left when he dipped out on their family when she was younger.” Which, I mean, might mildly be true lol, but after I Googled Belle da Costa Greene, I realized these romances weren’t just to make the story more interesting, they actually (allegedly) happened. From there, I was much more invested in this incredible woman’s story about living her life as white-passing during the Jim Crow era and becoming one of the most prominent figures in the art collection world. Her life was balancing on a knife’s edge at any given moment because if her secret got out that she has Black heritage, the successful career and life she’s worked so hard to build would’ve come crumbling down. I’m honestly so glad I encountered this story and was introduced to Belle - even if through a semi-fictional lens - because more people need to know about women like her. 

Okie that’s it for September!

I cannot express how excited I am for some cooler temps to come with the fall, so that I don’t feel guilty cozying up on the weekend with a book instead of being outside in some beautiful weather. Either way, I’ll be hitting that 100-book goal next month. :)

2024 Book Count: 95

Add me on Goodreads if you haven’t already.

YOUR TURN! How close are you to reaching your 2024 reading goal?

August 2024 Reads

Y’all. August came and went in a BLINK, and I did not get much reading done lol. 

I was traveling much more than usual, and although I brought a book on every trip, the success rate of me actually reading mentioned books was LOW. 

However, I’m happy to share that after having lived in the Mitten State for 30 years, I finally made it up to the other peninsula! :) Yes, yes. I know. How have I lived in Michigan my entire life and yet have never been to the UP? 

Well, for multiple reasons, but I made the most of this maiden voyage. Activities included but were not limited to: exploring Tahquamenon Falls, hiking Sugarloaf Mountain, stopping by Presque Isle, jumping from the Black Rocks, visiting Michigan’s only romance bookshop in Marquette, kayaking Pictured Rocks, seeing the natural wonders of Kitch-iti-kipi, and of course, eating a pasty while drinking a Faygo pop. (IYKYK.)

I truly went “Michigandering,” eh? See what I did there? Anyhoo, pics or it didn’t happen, amiright? 

From top to bottom and left to right: me and my friends posted up at the top of Sugarloaf Mountain, me standing at the upper Tahquamenon Falls, the POV from the seat behind me as we kayaked Pictured Rocks, and of course, the most Michigan lunch you’ve ever seen: a fresh pasty with a Faygo to wash it down lol.

Moving onto what I read this month. Unfortunately, I had a weak start in terms of picking bangers. The starting line-up was a bit meh in the first half. Luckily, the second string managed to put the team on their backs and finish out the month stronger than it started.

You can obviously read my thoughts on everything I read below, so let’s get into it!

**All summaries are paraphrased or taken from Goodreads.

The Women by Kristin Hannah

THE WOMEN by Kristin Hannah

Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary: An intimate portrait of coming of age in a dangerous time and an epic tale of a nation divided. Women can be heroes. When twenty-year-old nursing student Frances “Frankie” McGrath hears these words, it is a revelation. Raised in the sun-drenched, idyllic world of Southern California and sheltered by her conservative parents, she has always prided herself on doing the right thing. But in 1965, the world is changing, and she suddenly dares to imagine a different future for herself. When her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she joins the Army Nurse Corps and follows his path. As green and inexperienced as the men sent to Vietnam to fight, Frankie is over- whelmed by the chaos and destruction of war. Each day is a gamble of life and death, hope and betrayal; friendships run deep and can be shattered in an instant. In war, she meets—and becomes one of—the lucky, the brave, the broken, and the lost. But war is just the beginning for Frankie and her veteran friends. The real battle lies in coming home to a changed and divided America, to angry protesters, and to a country that wants to forget Vietnam.

My Thoughts: Woof. I love Kristin Hannah as a writer and thoroughly enjoyed The Four Winds, The Great Alone, and The Nightingale. This book, unfortunately, was a victim of its hype and the high expectations I had for it. I’ll start with all of the positives. This book really opened my eyes to what veterans of Vietnam went through during that brutal war. I also wouldn’t have even thought about the women who went over there as nurses and aids, so I’m grateful to have learned so much about their experiences, even through a fiction-based lens. I’ve read plenty of WW2-focused historical fiction books but never a Vietnam War one, and it made me realize how little this war is talked about in general. No wonder so many soldiers came back with severe PTSD. Not to mention, how terribly most of them were received and treated once they returned to U.S. soil after experiencing some devastating and traumatic shit whilst fighting for their country. Now for my main critiques. For starters, I guess I assumed from the title and my experience with other KH books that this story was going to be told from multiple POVs. Specifically, multiple women. That was not the case. Second, there was a lot of grief dumping going on in order to emotionally provoke the reader and it just felt a little manipulative. Like yes, what the main character is experiencing and going through is terrible, but the number of extremely sad things that happened one after another felt a little excessive. Additionally, all of the romance storylines throughout Frankie’s experience felt like afterthoughts and not well-planned out. I also called one of the very last plot twists of the book right from the beginning and was like okay I bet X is going to happen though. Sure as shit it did. Which felt a little too on-the-nose and predictable for me. Was this book impactful? Sure. Was it everything people praised it to be? Not in my opinion. I had high hopes, but I’m sad to conclude that this is my least favorite KH book thus far. 

The Pairing by Casey McQuiston

THE PAIRING by Casey McQuiston

Rating: 2.5/5 stars

Summary: Theo and Kit have been a lot of things: childhood best friends, crushes, in love, and now estranged exes. After a brutal breakup on the transatlantic flight to their dream European food and wine tour, they exited each other's lives once and for all. Time apart has done them good. Theo has found confidence as a hustling bartender by night and aspiring sommelier by day, with a long roster of casual lovers. Kit, who never returned to America, graduated as the reigning sex god of his pastry school class and now bakes at one of the finest restaurants in Paris. Sure, nothing really compares to what they had, and life stretches out long and lonely ahead of them, but—yeah. It's in the past. All that remains is the unused voucher for the European tour that never happened, good for 48 months after its original date and about to expire. Four years later, it seems like a great idea to finally take the trip. Solo. Separately. It's not until they board the tour bus that they discover they've both accidentally had the exact same idea, and now they're trapped with each other for three weeks of stunning views, luscious flavors, and the most romantic cities of France, Spain, and Italy. It's fine. There's nothing left between them. So much nothing that, when Theo suggests a friendly wager to see who can sleep with their hot Italian tour guide first, Kit is totally game. And why stop there? Why not a full-on European hookup competition? But sometimes a taste of everything only makes you crave what you can't have.

My Thoughts: Okay this is a very flat 2.5-star rating. Which pains me to say because I really do love Casey McQuiston’s writing. I’ve read a couple other books by them like One Last Stop and then the popular, Red White and Royal Blue. However, this book just kind of missed its mark for me. Theo and Kit broke up four years ago right before taking this European food and wine tour. They haven’t spoken since, but both received a voucher for the trip and with the expiration date looming, both decide to finally cash in as individual travelers. Cue being stuck on a weeks’ long trip with your ex trying to pretend like everything is fine and nothing bothers you. After calling truce, they decide to enter a friendly wager to see who can sleep with the most people while on this tour. Y’all. CM did not hold back on the detailed salacious scenes in this book and there are at least one or two in each city they stopped at. You know I love all levels of smut, but this was getting a little out of hand IMO. It was like everyone they encountered in these cities were insanely hot and thought Theo and Kit were also insanely hot, and they could flirt their way into any situation. It started taking the term “food porn” to an entirely new level lol. It was cool to hear all the sommelier and culinary references throughout the book for each specific region. However, so much of what was happening kind of diluted the overall experience for the story for me. So although this audiobook was enjoyable enough to finish, I doubt I’ll ever recommend it to someone. 

Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel

SEA OF TRANQUILITY by Emily St. John Mandel

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: Edwin St. Andrew is eighteen years old when he crosses the Atlantic by steamship, exiled from polite society following an ill-conceived diatribe at a dinner party. He enters the forest, spellbound by the beauty of the Canadian wilderness, and suddenly hears the notes of a violin echoing in an airship terminal--an experience that shocks him to his core. Two centuries later a famous writer named Olive Llewellyn is on a book tour. She's traveling all over Earth, but her home is the second moon colony, a place of white stone, spired towers, and artificial beauty. Within the text of Olive's best-selling pandemic novel lies a strange passage: a man plays his violin for change in the echoing corridor of an airship terminal as the trees of a forest rise around him. When Gaspery-Jacques Roberts, a detective in the black-skied Night City, is hired to investigate an anomaly in the North American wilderness, he uncovers a series of lives upended: The exiled son of an earl driven to madness, a writer trapped far from home as a pandemic ravages Earth, and a childhood friend from the Night City who, like Gaspery himself, has glimpsed the chance to do something extraordinary that will disrupt the timeline of the universe.

My Thoughts: Okay this book felt like a remix/mash-up of How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu, Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr, and Recursion by Blake Crouch. The plot included themes of time travel, deadly pandemics, and touches of post-apocalyptic space colonization. All of which tangled into each other through the POVs of multiple characters like a man in the 1800’s relocating from Europe to Canada, a famous writer 200 years later whose best-selling pandemic novel has her traveling all over Earth on a book tour when all she really wants to do is return home to the moon colony, and Gaspery-Jacques Roberts who is a detective working for a time traveling agency from even farther in the future. Although I was a little confused as to what was happening in the very beginning, as soon as it switched to Olive Llewellyn’s (pandemic author) perspective, things started to click into place. I appreciated how much was packed into this sci-fi story in such a short amount of time (the audiobook was literally only 6 hours long) and how easily the author connected all of the dots at the end. Any lingering questions I had about where things fit into the plot were completely answered by the time everything wrapped up. Just like her other book, Station Eleven, Emily St. John Mandel effortlessly sucked me into her writing and it was a breeze getting through this book. The only reason I’m docking it in rating is because the content didn’t feel like anything groundbreakingly new. If you read any of the books I mentioned above though and are looking for something quick, this book definitely fits the bill!

None of This is True by Lisa Jewell

NONE OF THIS IS TRUE by Lisa Jewell

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Celebrating her forty-fifth birthday at her local pub, popular podcaster Alix Summers crosses paths with an unassuming woman called Josie Fair. Josie, it turns out, is also celebrating her forty-fifth birthday. They are, in fact, birthday twins. A few days later, Alix and Josie bump into each other again, this time outside Alix’s children’s school. Josie has been listening to Alix’s podcasts and thinks she might be an interesting subject for her series. She is, she tells Alix, on the cusp of great changes in her life. Josie’s life appears to be strange and complicated, and although Alix finds her unsettling, she can’t quite resist the temptation to keep making the podcast. Slowly she starts to realize that Josie has been hiding some very dark secrets, and before she knows it, Josie has inveigled her way into Alix’s life—and into her home. But, as quickly as she arrived, Josie disappears. Only then does Alix discover that Josie has left a terrible and terrifying legacy in her wake, and that Alix has become the subject of her own true crime podcast, with her life and her family’s lives under mortal threat. Who is Josie Fair? And what has she done?

My Thoughts: Lisa Jewell is quickly becoming one of my favorite thriller authors. I just read another one of her bangers last month, Then She Was Gone, and also loved that twisty novel. So I was excited when this audiobook hold finally came through for me on Libby after months of waiting. If you’re going to read this book, I cannot recommend listening to it enough. There’s a podcast element to the plotline and conversations from various episodes and later new interviews are sprinkled throughout the story. So it was incredibly engaging and fun to hear the format change up every few chapters. As for the actual story, this shit was creepy, twisty, and gave me the body shivers on multiple occasions. Literally, this is why I don’t mind that my social awkwardness can come off as rude to some strangers because NOPE. One minute, Alix Summers is just trying to be polite to a woman named Josie who she “randomly” bumps into at a restaurant, and the next moment, she’s in over her head with this unhinged person. Unreliable narrator doesn’t even BEGIN to describe the winding journey this book takes you on. Even after everything is wrapped up at the end, I’m STILL questioning who I can truly believe and who is telling lies. Needless to say, this is definitely a mystery/thriller I will be recommending to everyone for the foreseeable future and, if you’re going to read it, do it via audiobook. 

A Love Song for Ricki Wilde by Tia Williams

A LOVE SONG FOR RICKI WILDE by Tia Williams

Rating: 3.75/5 stars

Summary: Leap years are a strange, enchanted time. And for some, even a single February can be life-changing. Ricki Wilde has many talents, but being a Wilde isn’t one of them. As the impulsive, artistic daughter of a powerful Atlanta dynasty, she’s the opposite of her famous socialite sisters. Where they’re long-stemmed roses, she’s a dandelion: an adorable bloom that’s actually a weed, born to float wherever the wind blows. In her bones, Ricki knows that somewhere, a different, more exciting life awaits her. When regal nonagenarian, Ms. Della, invites her to rent the bottom floor of her Harlem brownstone, Ricki jumps at the chance for a fresh beginning. She leaves behind her family, wealth, and chaotic romantic decisions to realize her dream of opening a flower shop. And just beneath the surface of her new neighborhood, the music, stories and dazzling drama of the Harlem Renaissance still simmers. One evening in February as the heady, curiously off-season scent of night-blooming jasmine fills the air, Ricki encounters a handsome, deeply mysterious stranger who knocks her world off balance in the most unexpected way.

My Thoughts: Y’all. I don’t know how to feel about this book. It took me FOREVER (like almost the entire month) to read it and although I definitely thoroughly enjoyed it, I can’t say it’s a solid four-stars for me. It’s definitely better than a 3.5 though. SO I’m meeting those two in the middle and giving it a 3.75. The premise of this book was so unique outside of the regular romance story tropes lol. Ricki Wilde is the black sheep of her family and wants to prove to them that she can be successful whilst following her dreams to open a flower shop. She flees to NYC where she meets a sweet old woman, Della, who owns a large brownstone with an empty space at street level. While she’s unwinding from the stress of a new business one evening, she runs into the most handsome man she’s ever seen, Ezra. From that day forward, they keep randomly running into each other and can’t get the other person off their minds. However, Ezra’s life is a little complicated. Not to spoil anything, but he’s been 28-years-old since 1928 and every Leap Year returns to NYC to find his one true love. Although I’m not super sold on the instant love trope, the connection between these two characters was undeniable. Both felt so naturally safe with the other and let their vulnerabilities show without a second thought. The plot kept me hooked and although I figured out how it would end, I still enjoyed reading it nonetheless. The author also incorporates a lot of cool information about Black influence in our culture, specifically music, throughout the ages. Overall, I really liked this book. I just wish I liked it more?

The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich

THE NIGHT WATCHMAN by Louise Erdrich

Rating: 4/5 stars (with a grain of salt)

Summary: Thomas Wazhashk is the night watchman at the jewel bearing plant, the first factory located near the Turtle Mountain Reservation in rural North Dakota. He is also a Chippewa Council member who is trying to understand the consequences of a new “emancipation” bill on its way to the floor of the United States Congress. It is 1953 and he and the other council members know the bill isn’t about freedom; Congress is fed up with Indians. The bill is a “termination” that threatens the rights of Native Americans to their land and their very identity. How can the government abandon treaties made in good faith with Native Americans “for as long as the grasses shall grow, and the rivers run”? Since graduating high school, Pixie Paranteau has insisted that everyone call her Patrice. Unlike most of the girls on the reservation, Patrice, the class valedictorian, has no desire to wear herself down with a husband and kids. She makes jewel bearings at the plant, a job that barely pays her enough to support her mother and brother. Patrice’s shameful alcoholic father returns home sporadically to terrorize his wife and children and bully her for money. But Patrice needs every penny to follow her beloved older sister, Vera, who moved to the big city of Minneapolis. Vera may have disappeared; she hasn’t been in touch in months, and is rumored to have had a baby. Determined to find Vera and her child, Patrice makes a fateful trip to Minnesota that introduces her to unexpected forms of exploitation and violence, and endangers her life. Thomas and Patrice live in this impoverished reservation community along with young Chippewa boxer Wood Mountain and his mother Juggie Blue, her niece and Patrice’s best friend Valentine, and Stack Barnes, the white high school math teacher and boxing coach who is hopelessly in love with Patrice.

My Thoughts: Okay I’ve been seeing this book everywhere over the last few months and finally decided to dive into it. I have to start with a disclaimer that this audiobook was four stars with a grain of salt. It was objectively good writing. The stories this author managed to tell were thought provoking and deep, it just took a minute to understand her writing style. The beginning portion of this book was a slow burn for me. There are multiple character POVs and you have to really grasp onto the current storyline to understand what’s going on. I did feel lost for a little bit in the middle, but as the main two plots started to intertwine a bit more in the second half, it was easier to stick with it. It kind of reminds me of how Fredrik Backman incorporates many characters’ perspectives within one book. However, I feel like it’s usually very clear as to how those storylines connect. Erdich’s writing took a bit longer to click with. Nonetheless, the stories told in this book were beautiful and I love that it’s based on a true story from Erdich’s grandfather who worked as a night watchman and led the fight against Native dispossession from rural North Dakota all the way to Congress in Washington D.C. You probably have to have a genuine interest in these characters and the narratives behind them to stick with this novel, but I think it’s so important to hear stories from Native American perspectives and understand how poorly they’ve been treated by our government since our ancestors literally stepped foot onto their land. With that being said, I know this won’t be for everyone, but if you’re even mildly interested in this book, I definitely recommend giving it a try. 

That’s it for August!

I’m joining my friend for nine days in California on her 7-week road trip in September and she has already expressed interest in listening to some audiobooks in the car while we make our way across the golden state. So between that, three long flights and one layover in Atlanta coming home, I’ll knock out a few books during Virgo szn lol. 

2024 Book Count: 85

Add me on Goodreads if you haven’t already.

YOUR TURN! What was the last audiobook you listened to?

July 2024 Reads

July both flew by and felt like it lasted 5ever. 

It was just a jam-packed month. Not that I’m not complaining since we’re in the final stretch of summer now. :’( 

As I’ve mentioned before, I’m quite the mood reader and, going into July, I felt like I just needed some easy, low-stakes reads. Throughout the first half of the year, I read a few heavier books and although I loved and learned a lot from them, I just wanted a little mental breather. So, I switched gears back to my guilty pleasure genre and read a lot of smutty romance with some fantasy, a thriller, and a contemporary fiction mixed in.

One good thing to come out of this transition is that I was able to get back into eyeball reading some physical books. Don’t get me wrong, audiobooks were/are still my main and preferred format, but bringing a book with me to the beach was definitely a game changer. Peep me reading in the middle of a birthday beach party lol:

Reading on the beach lol.

Outside of reading, I’ve been binge watching the latest season of Love Island, the Olympics have been a regular fixture on my TV as of late, and... BIG BROTHER IS BACK. :D IYKYK that I’m a huge fan of Big Brother. To those who think it’s a dating show, it’s not. It’s like Survivor but in a house instead of on a deserted island somewhere. There’s a lot of social game and physical game involved and you have to balance both. It’s amazing and I highly recommend.

Okie I think that’s it for my intro. Let’s get into everything I read in July.

**All summaries are taken or paraphrased from Goodreads.

Love Redesigned by Lauren Asher

LOVE REDESIGNED by Lauren Asher (Lakefront Billionaires #1)

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Julian - If I ever caught on fire, Dahlia Muñoz would fan the flames with a smile. So, when she returns to Lake Wisteria, I fully intend to avoid the interior designer. At least until my meddling mother exploits my savior complex. The faster I help Dahlia find her creative spark, the sooner she will leave town. But while I was busy getting rid of Dahlia, I overlooked one potential issue. What happens if I want her to stay? | Dahlia - People say the devil has many faces, but I know only one. Julian Lopez—my childhood rival and family frenemy. I vow to steer clear of him while recovering from my broken engagement, but then the billionaire makes an irresistible offer. Renovate a historic house together and triple our profits. Our temporary truce becomes compromised as we face years’ worth of denied attraction and mixed emotions. Giving into our desire is inevitable…but falling in love? That isn’t part of the plan.

My Thoughts: It’s been a while since I’ve read a Lauren Asher romance, but I was excited to learn she has a newer series out. This book takes place in a fictional lakeside town in Michigan where Julian Lopez has become a billionaire real estate construction mogul. He built his business from the ground up which means his love life hasn’t been a priority for a long time. His last romantic tangle was when he kissed his childhood rival, Dahlia, during their freshman year in college. Fast forward a decade and Dahlia hasn’t heard from Julian since he unexpectedly dropped out after his dad’s death to take over the family business. After graduating, Dahlia ended up staying out west with her wealthy college boyfriend (Julian’s old college roommate) to pursue interior design. However, after ending her flashy romance and losing her home design tv show, the only place she wants to be is home and out of the media spotlight. Although these two still have an enemies-to-lovers vibe to their relationship, they decide to partner up on a renovation project for one of the town’s historic homes. One thing leads to another and a deal is struck to be friends-with-benefits. As we can all guess, these characters start to develop some very real feelings for one another, but they also have to face all of the insecurities they haven’t dealt with before moving forward. This book was super cute. I thought the characters were really well developed and extremely relatable, even if their lifestyles are not lol. This story also examines grief and anxiety in a way that shows it’s possible to move forward when you’re supported by those who you love and trust. There’s plenty of comedic relief throughout as well, so it’s not all serious. I definitely think this book is worth the read if you’re a Lauren Asher fan. If you haven’t read her yet, I recommend starting with either her F1 series OR her Dreamland Billionaire series. There are characters from both of those that make an appearance in this book. 

Happy Place by Emily Henry

HAPPY PLACE by Emily Henry

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: Harriet and Wyn have been the perfect couple since they met in college—they go together like salt and pepper, honey and tea, lobster and rolls. Except, now—for reasons they’re still not discussing—they don’t. They broke up six months ago. And still haven’t told their best friends. Which is how they find themselves sharing the largest bedroom at the Maine cottage that has been their friend group’s yearly getaway for the last decade. Their annual respite from the world, where for one vibrant, blue week they leave behind their daily lives, have copious amounts of cheese, wine, and seafood, and soak up the salty coastal air with the people who understand them most. Only this year, Harriet and Wyn are lying through their teeth while trying not to notice how desperately they still want each other. Because the cottage is for sale and this is the last week they’ll all have together in this place. They can’t stand to break their friends’ hearts, and so they’ll play their parts. Harriet will be the driven surgical resident who never starts a fight, and Wyn will be the laid-back charmer who never lets the cracks show. It’s a flawless plan (if you look at it from a great distance and through a pair of sunscreen-smeared sunglasses). After years of being in love, how hard can it be to fake it for one week… in front of those who know you best?

My Thoughts: This book has been on my radar since it came out last year, but as I’ve mentioned over the last few months, it’s been difficult for me to read physical books lately. However, thanks to a couple of beach days planned at the beginning of July, I was forced to put down my kindle and pick up this beauty. Per usual with Emily Henry’s writing, these characters instantly had a chokehold on my feelings lol. Harriet and Wyn broke up six months ago, and for various reasons, haven’t told their friends yet. However, that secret gets harder to keep when they’re invited to one final hoo-rah at a cottage in Maine that has served as this friend group’s yearly getaway for the last decade. Cue the tropes of forced proximity and fake dating with an overall theme of second chance romance. I was obsessed with the dynamics between Harriet and Wyn, and the TENSION? Thicc, my friends. It was impossible not to root for this couple, especially as the book dove deeper into their origin story and how they came to be. The various personalities of the other two couples in the friend group added so much depth to the experience and I loved how everything played out. Honestly? This was the perfect summer read and exactly what I needed to break my physical book dry spell lol.

One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid

ONE TRUE LOVES by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: In her twenties, Emma Blair marries her high school sweetheart, Jesse. They build a life for themselves, far away from the expectations of their parents and the people of their hometown in Massachusetts. They travel the world together, living life to the fullest and seizing every opportunity for adventure. On their first wedding anniversary, Jesse is on a helicopter over the Pacific when it goes missing. Just like that, Jesse is gone forever. Emma quits her job and moves home in an effort to put her life back together. Years later, now in her thirties, Emma runs into an old friend, Sam, and finds herself falling in love again. When Emma and Sam get engaged, it feels like Emma’s second chance at happiness. That is, until Jesse is found. He’s alive, and he’s been trying all these years to come home to her. With a husband and a fiancé, Emma has to now figure out who she is and what she wants, while trying to protect the ones she loves. Who is her one true love? What does it mean to love truly?

My Thoughts: Listen, the first line of this book was a ZINGER. “I’m finishing up dinner with my family and my fiancé when my husband calls.” Like WHAT? Our MFC, Emma, marries her high school sweetheart and love of her life, Jesse. However, when he disappears in a helicopter accident on their first wedding anniversary, she’s left reeling with the grief of losing her person. True to TJR’s poetic writing style, this portion of the book had me in an absolute CHOKEHOLD. I don’t cry much in general (we’re working on that in therapy lol), but even I couldn’t fight the giant lump in my throat while watching Emma pick up the pieces of her sanity after losing Jesse. Although the healing process takes time, Emma does find love again in a guy from her past named Sam whom she never really gave a chance to when they were younger. Fast forward when they are now engaged and the miracle phone call comes through announcing that Jesse is alive. Emma is left to decide if she wants to continue in this new life she’s built with Sam or if she wants to pick up where she and Jesse left off four years ago before the crash. Although the writing in this book is fantastic, I wasn’t AS SOLD on the second half of it which is where I docked 1.5 stars. I can’t imagine being put through a situation like this, but it felt safely fictional and that kind of took me out of the story a little bit. That said though, I definitely recommend picking up this book if you’re looking for the sensation of pushing on an emotional bruise for a bit. 

Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell

THEN SHE WAS GONE by Lisa Jewell

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: THEN She was fifteen, her mother's golden girl. She had her whole life ahead of her. And then, in the blink of an eye, Ellie was gone. NOW It’s been ten years since Ellie disappeared, but Laurel has never given up hope of finding her daughter. And then one day a charming and charismatic stranger called Floyd walks into a café and sweeps Laurel off her feet. Before too long she’s staying the night at this house and being introduced to his nine year old daughter. Poppy is precocious and pretty - and meeting her completely takes Laurel's breath away. Because Poppy is the spitting image of Ellie when she was that age. And now all those unanswered questions that have haunted Laurel come flooding back. What happened to Ellie? Where did she go? Who still has secrets to hide?

My Thoughts: Okay this book was TWISTED. It started a little slow, but as soon as it started gaining momentum, we were full steam ahead. Although the main story is told from the POV of Laurel whose daughter Ellie went missing ten years ago, you eventually get the POVs from other characters involved in the bigger mystery of Ellie’s disappearance. I never knew who to trust and did not see the various connections between characters coming. I was even highly sus of the young girl Poppy, whose character was supposedly sweet and innocent. There are so many facets to this psychological thriller and I was INVESTED in every moment of it. Especially as Laurel starts doing her own digging into the past of her new boyfriend Floyd and some WILD realizations start to surface. I did appreciate how the story ended because it took a character who had been villainized the entire book and shed a not-so terrible light on them. If you’re looking for a quick, creepy read, I highly recommend trying this audiobook!

Love Unwritten by Lauren Asher

LOVE UNWRITTEN by Lauren Asher (Lakefront Billionaires #2)

Rating: 2.5/5 stars

Summary: Rafael - Ellie Sinclair is a hopeless romantic who writes love songs. I’m a struggling workaholic who could inspire a hundred breakup albums. On paper, we have nothing in common except for my son. For eight months, I avoid her until our summer trip. Fourteen days. Two islands. And one nanny I shouldn’t be attracted to. Spending time with Ellie is expected, but enjoying her company? That isn’t part of our travel plans. After my divorce, I swore to protect my heart at all costs. Even if it means breaking hers in the process. | Ellie - What’s worse than working for a grumpy single dad? Admitting that I once had a secret crush on him in high school. Thankfully, Rafael Lopez and I have changed since we graduated from Wisteria High. He is a billionaire with a company to run and a child to take care of. I’m an unemployed songwriter he hired to watch his son and teach music. We coexist without any issues until a vacation changes everything. Lines blur and old feelings for Rafael return with vengeance as I face a new dilemma. Being his son’s nanny is one thing, but wishing for more? Sounds like a heartbreak song waiting to be written.

My Thoughts: Ugh okay. So I very recently have gotten on board with the single father/nanny trope in romances, but they have to be done SO RIGHT for me to fully buy in. Unfortunately, I think this one missed the mark a little bit. However, I really appreciated the amount of care that the author showed these characters’ previous traumas. This book was mildly disappointing for a couple of reasons. For starters, this book was fucking LONG. It had no business being longer than 400 pages and I think it was almost 600 pages. So the end of it started to DRAG. Another factor is that I have loved Lauren Asher’s other books and this one felt like she was rushing while trying to write a slow burn - which was just a contradictory experience in itself. Ellie was a solid MFC for this story and I really enjoyed the depth of her character arc. In contrast, Rafael was a little bit harder to like. It seemed like he tended to react rather than respond to any perceived adversities, and it didn’t make me swoon for him - especially with my red flag radar beeping in the background. The timeline of this story also felt a little bit unrealistic. They supposedly fell in love over a two-week vacation that had literally like three cute moments and the rest of the time they were fighting. So like? ALSO, you know I am a SIMP for some well-written salacious scenes and this book was just not it. As I said, it felt like a slow burn because they didn’t do anything until more than halfway through the book, and even then, they just jumped right into it. There was no heady lead-up to get the blood flowing. It was just like BOOM. DONE. And, if that doesn’t feel unrealistic, idk what does. Anywho, although this book was not my cup of tea, I’m sure anyone who loves a single dad/nanny trope would appreciate it. I still love Lauren Asher and will probably continue with this series after she publishes the next book. 

The Queen’s Assassin by Melissa De La Cruz

THE QUEEN’S ASSASSIN by Melissa de la Cruz

Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary: Caledon Holt is the Kingdom of Renovia's deadliest weapon. No one alive can best him in brawn or brains, which is why he's the Guild's most dangerous member and the Queen's one and only assassin. He's also bound to the Queen by an impossible vow--to find the missing Deian Scrolls, the fount of all magical history and knowledge, stolen years ago by a nefarious sect called the Aphrasians. Shadow has been training all her life to follow in the footsteps of her mother and aunts--to become skilled enough to join the ranks of the Guild. Though magic has been forbidden since the Aphrasian uprising, Shadow has been learning to control her powers in secret, hoping that one day she'll become an assassin as feared and revered as Caledon Holt. When a surprise attack brings Shadow and Cal together, they're forced to team up as assassin and apprentice to hunt down a new sinister threat to Renovia. But as Cal and Shadow grow closer, they'll uncover a shocking web of lies and secrets that may destroy everything they hold dear. With war on the horizon and true love at risk, they'll stop at nothing to protect each other and their kingdom in this stunning first novel in the Queen's Secret series.

My Thoughts: I actually won this book in a giveaway the publisher was doing on Instagram a few years ago, but I still opted for the audiobook when it came down to it. Although I was pretty lukewarm overall about this book, it was still a decent YA fantasy! I can’t say I understand why it’s titled “The Queen’s Assassin.” One of the main characters, Caledon, is the head assassin for the queen, yes. However, he didn’t do much assassinating in the actual story. I was hoping to see a little more action or, at the very least, get more insight into Caledon’s life as the assassin. However, it was basically just his occupational title and that’s really the only impact it had on this experience lol. Shadow’s character was a bit more complex. She’s the Queen’s daughter who hasn’t been seen by the public in years as she’s raised by her aunts in the countryside. Magic has been outlawed in their world since the last war, but Shadow has been working on powers in private. There is a romance aspect to this story that I didn’t TOTALLY buy into, but it does add an entertaining element nonetheless. The plot was decent and well thought out, but it wasn’t anything groundbreaking tbh. I own the second book in this duology and will probably continue onto it at some point this year, but it definitely won't be right away.

The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston

THE SEVEN YEAR SLIP by Ashley Poston

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Sometimes, the worst day of your life happens, and you have to figure out how to live after it. So Clementine forms a plan to keep her heart safe: work hard, find someone decent to love, and try to remember to chase the moon. The last one is silly and obviously metaphorical, but her aunt always told her that you needed at least one big dream to keep going. And for the last year, that plan has gone off without a hitch. Mostly. The love part is hard because she doesn’t want to get too close to anyone—she isn’t sure her heart can take it. And then she finds a strange man standing in the kitchen of her late aunt’s apartment. A man with kind eyes and a Southern drawl and a taste for lemon pies. The kind of man that, before it all, she would’ve fallen head-over-heels for. And she might again. Except, he exists in the past. Seven years ago, to be exact. And she, quite literally, lives seven years in his future. Her aunt always said the apartment was a pinch in time, a place where moments blended together like watercolors. And Clementine knows that if she lets her heart fall, she’ll be doomed. After all, love is never a matter of time—but a matter of timing.

My Thoughts: Okay, this book? FREAKING CUTE. I can’t believe it took me this long to pick up an Ashley Poston book, but I’m so glad this was my first taste of her writing. I was INVESTED. Starting with how unique the premise is. Basically, Clementine had kind of an eccentric aunt growing up who said her apartment was magic, and would sometimes take you back in time. Because she absolutely adored her aunt and loved her stories, Clementine assumed she was just exaggerating or being facetious. However, after Clementine moves into her late aunt’s apartment and finds a strange man there, she starts to consider that maybe her aunt wasn’t just telling stories. Inside her apartment, Clementine is seven years in the past getting to know this aspiring chef and the sweetest man ever, Iwan. He’s currently subleasing the apartment for the summer while Clementine’s aunt is on a trip to Europe. When Clementine walks out of her front door though, she’s back in the present. She has no idea where the current-day Iwan is or if he would even remember her, but as she starts falling for the Iwan of seven years ago, she realizes she wants to know where he is now. This book had me giggling, blushing, and kicking my feet like a giddy idiot. The plot had so many complex layers to it and the characters each had so much depth, it was impossible not to buy into their connection. It was so freaking heartwarming. Grief is a large topic in this book, but it was handled with the utmost care. I honestly couldn’t put this book down and highly recommend it!

The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty

THE CITY OF BRASS by S.A. Chakraborty

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Nahri has never believed in magic. Certainly, she has power; on the streets of 18th century Cairo, she’s a con woman of unsurpassed talent. But she knows better than anyone that the trade she uses to get by—palm readings, zars, healings—are all tricks, sleights of hand, learned skills; a means to the delightful end of swindling Ottoman nobles. But when Nahri accidentally summons an equally sly, darkly mysterious djinn warrior to her side during one of her cons, she’s forced to accept that the magical world she thought only existed in childhood stories is real. For the warrior tells her a new tale: across hot, windswept sands teeming with creatures of fire, and rivers where the mythical marid sleep; past ruins of once-magnificent human metropolises, and mountains where the circling hawks are not what they seem, lies Daevabad, the legendary city of brass, a city to which Nahri is irrevocably bound. In that city, behind gilded brass walls laced with enchantments, behind the six gates of the six djinn tribes, old resentments are simmering. And when Nahri decides to enter this world, she learns that true power is fierce and brutal. That magic cannot shield her from the dangerous web of court politics. That even the cleverest of schemes can have deadly consequences. After all, there is a reason they say be careful what you wish for...

My Thoughts: Okay this book has been on my radar for a MINUTE and I’m so lucky Hoopla had the audiobook because I don’t think the experience would’ve been as immersive had I eyeball read it. Let me start by saying, this book is your quintessential “world building, scene setting, background providing” first book in a trilogy. The author really makes a point to walk you through the different types of magic beings, the politics of their world, and more. Although this book is a large information dump, it was still easy to follow and enjoy the story. It starts by mainly following Nahri who is a young con woman in Cairo. She uses tactics she’s learned throughout the years surviving alone in the streets of the city to trick tourists out of money, pick pocket unsuspecting bystanders, and more. Until one of her cons takes a turn when she accidentally summons a dark and powerful djinn. She’s forced to face the fact that maybe the magical world people talk about in kids’ stories might actually exist, and it just so happens she’s the descendant of a powerful healing family that was believed to be extinct. Cue a long journey to the capital of this magical world (The City of Brass) with her djinn travel partner. The politics they walk into are much trickier to navigate than she could’ve ever expected. The story is eventually told in a dual POV format that switches between Nahri and Ali, the second prince in line to the throne. Although I didn’t fully buy into the romance storyline in this book, I was invested in the complexities surrounding the politics and how those influence so many characters’ actions. I’ve never read a book where the main characters are djinn, efrit, etc., only books where they interact with those creatures. So that alone was a refreshing take on this type of folklore. I don’t plan to start the second book right away, but I do plan to continue on with this trilogy overall.

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

RED QUEEN by Victoria Aveyard

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: This is a world divided by blood—red or silver. The Reds are commoners, ruled by a Silver elite in possession of god-like superpowers. And to Mare Barrow, a seventeen-year-old Red girl from the poverty-stricken Stilts, it seems like nothing will ever change. That is until she finds herself working in the Silver Palace. Here, surrounded by the people she hates the most, Mare discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy the balance of power. Fearful of Mare's potential, the Silvers hide her in plain view, declaring her a long-lost Silver princess, now engaged to a Silver prince. Despite knowing that one misstep would mean her death, Mare works silently to help the Red Guard, a militant resistance group, and bring down the Silver regime. But this is a world of betrayal and lies, and Mare has entered a dangerous dance—Reds against Silvers, prince against prince, and Mare against her own heart.

My Thoughts: Okay, for starters, I want to say I didn’t LOVE the narrator of this audiobook, but that factor didn’t bother me the entire book. So, I wouldn’t say the audiobook isn’t the way to go, but if you’re picky about narrators, that might impact your opinion if you decide to listen to it. I would say this book is as if Shatter Me and The Selection had a love child and then that kid hung out around the kids of Hunger Games, Red Rising, etc. pretty regularly lol. There’s a dystopian element to it and people’s hierarchy is dependent on the color of their blood - silver or red. Most people who have silver blood also have a hidden magical ability. Whether that’s wielding fire, manipulating metal, reading/controlling minds, etc. Reds are normal humans and because they have no special abilities, they’re at the bottom of the totem pole - often in occupations that involve serving the Silvers. However, once our main red blooded character, Mare, unexpectedly shows the ability to control electricity, all hell breaks loose. The royals quickly sweep her powers under the rug by creating a fake background story for her, and she is absorbed into their world. Cue Mare scheming with a rebel Red group by giving inside information to take down the silvers and get justice for her dead brother. All the while, she is dealing with a love triangle between her betrothed, the young prince Maven, and his older brother/future king, Prince Cal. I think this book had great legs to it and it ended on a cliffhanger that was interesting enough for me to keep going in the series. I might not jump into it right away, but I think I’ll be continuing on regardless. I just need to decide if that will be via audiobook still since I don’t love the narrator, or if I will be eyeball reading it. If you’re looking for a YA fantasy with a little bit of everything, I highly recommend giving this one a try.

Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez

JUST FOR THE SUMMER by Abby Jimenez (Part of Your World #3)

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Justin has a curse, and thanks to a Reddit thread, it's now all over the internet. Every woman he dates goes on to find their soulmate the second they break up. When a woman slides into his DMs with the same problem, they come up with a plan: They'll date each other and break up. Their curses will cancel each other’s out, and they’ll both go on to find the love of their lives. It’s a bonkers idea… and it just might work. Emma hadn't planned that her next assignment as a traveling nurse would be in Minnesota, but she and her best friend agree that dating Justin is too good of an opportunity to pass up, especially when they get to rent an adorable cottage on a private island on Lake Minnetonka. It's supposed to be a quick fling, just for the summer. But when Emma's toxic mother shows up and Justin has to assume guardianship of his three siblings, they're suddenly navigating a lot more than they expected–including catching real feelings for each other. What if this time Fate has actually brought the perfect pair together?

My Thoughts: To roughly quote Maddy (the FMC’s best friend), Justin is the epitome of “if he wanted to, he would.” Like holy hell this man… we must protect sweet Justin at all costs. After posting to Reddit about his “Good Luck Chuck” type of curse, a woman named Emma slides into his DMs saying she has the same problem. Clearly, the only way to break this curse is for them to cancel it out by dating each other and breaking up afterwards. As a travel nurse, Emma is able to move to Minnesota where Justin lives so they can see this thing through. Once they start getting to know each other though, it’s clear this fake dating thing feels very real and definitely shouldn’t end. I was obsessed with how easy and natural their relationship felt. They were so silly with each other while still being able to develop a deeper connection. Both are dealing with some family issues and I appreciated how those played into where this story went. It isn’t your typical path for a romance novel, but I absolutely loved it. This is a bold claim, but I’m pretty sure this was my favorite book of the Part of Your World series. 

Play Along by Liz Tomforde

PLAY ALONG by Liz Tomforde (WINDY CITY, #4)

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: Kennedy- I’m the only woman on staff for the Windy City Warriors, and after years of putting up with a sexist lead doctor, I’m desperate to land my dream job with a new team next year. All I have to do is maintain my professional reputation for my final season in Chicago. But a Las Vegas run-in with the team’s shortstop threatens it all, leaving me with a fuzzy memory and a ring on my left hand. Now, not only am I legally bound to the most persistent man I’ve ever met, but thanks to Isaiah’s scheme to save my job, I have to pretend the whole thing was a planned elopement and not a drunken mistake. Isaiah Rhodes is reckless, impulsive, and frustratingly charming. He’s also my brand-new husband. They got the saying wrong. What happens in Vegas doesn’t always stay in Vegas… sometimes it follows you right back home. Isaiah - As the shortstop for Chicago’s professional baseball team, I’ve had my fair share of fun. But that all ended the day Kennedy Kay became a single woman. I’ve crushed on the team’s athletic trainer for years. I’ve flirted to no avail, so imagine my surprise when I woke up in Sin City with a ring on my finger and my favorite redhead in my bed. We agree to stay married for one baseball season, just long enough to keep her job safe, but in my mind, I’m using our time together to prove to her I’m husband material. Kennedy might be reluctant to join in on our game, but it’s one I refuse to lose. So come on, wife… play along.

My Thoughts: I’ve been WAITING for Isaiah’s story in this series and was so excited when this book finally made it to my Kindle. I think this may be my favorite book of the Windy City series tbh. Isaiah and Kennedy were such different people, and although on paper they’d never work, they took the time to peel back each other’s layers and get to know their depths. It was so heartwarming to watch them be truly vulnerable and love one another so uniquely. There are plenty of comedic moments to balance the serious ones and, not to mention, high quality steamy salacious scenes lol. I can’t say I recommend reading this as a standalone because you really do feel a kinship with the other characters in this series that continue to make an appearance throughout this book. Plus you also get more background on Isaiah and Kennedy’s characters. So in conclusion lol, I definitely recommend this book, but also advise reading the rest of the series first. 

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

DEMON COPPERHEAD by Barbara Kingsolver

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Set in the mountains of southern Appalachia, this is the story of a boy born to a teenaged single mother in a single-wide trailer, with no assets beyond his dead father's good looks and copper-colored hair, a caustic wit, and a fierce talent for survival. In a plot that never pauses for breath, relayed in his own unsparing voice, he braves the modern perils of foster care, child labor, derelict schools, athletic success, addiction, disastrous loves, and crushing losses. Through all of it, he reckons with his own invisibility in a popular culture where even the superheroes have abandoned rural people in favor of cities. Many generations ago, Charles Dickens wrote David Copperfield from his experience as a survivor of institutional poverty and its damages to children in his society. Those problems have yet to be solved in ours. Dickens is not a prerequisite for readers of this novel, but he provided its inspiration. In transposing a Victorian epic novel to the contemporary American South, Barbara Kingsolver enlists Dickens' anger and compassion, and above all, his faith in the transformative powers of a good story. Demon Copperhead speaks for a new generation of lost boys, and all those born into beautiful, cursed places they can't imagine leaving behind.

My Thoughts: Y’ALL. I had only heard good things about this book before going into it and let me say, every single bit of praise this story receives is ridiculously well-earned. I was ENTHRALLED in this audiobook. Hats off to the narrator because his voice put me into a trance every time I popped my AirPods in to keep listening. Demon is one of the most dynamic characters I’ve come across in a very long time. Life has dealt him a rough hand and after he ends up in the foster care system, the curveballs just keep coming. Despite all of the adversity Demon faces throughout this story, there is still just enough hope and optimism that keeps you cheering for him to make it out of the circumstances he was born into. Although they weren’t all your traditional forms of support, the people who Demon had on his side making sure he could have a better life was so incredibly heartwarming. There are also HELLA comedic relief moments throughout this book that make swallowing the hard parts a little easier to wash down. I am THOROUGHLY impressed by the way Barbara Kingsolver’s mind works because the number of layers to this complex story was incredible and the execution of her writing is honestly inspiring. If you haven’t read Demon Copperhead yet, I highly recommend it, but definitely go for the audiobook if that’s a format you jive with.

Okieee. That’s it for July!

I have two trips coming up in August - one to Bellaire and one to the UP - so although I’m going to bring a book, I’m sure those might slow down my reading a touch this month. 

I promise to switch up my genres a little bit next month as well lol. 

2024 Book Count: 79

Add me on Goodreads if you haven’t already.

YOUR TURN! What was the last book you took on a long trip or vacation with you?

June 2024 Reads

Well June came in HOT, amiright??

Don’t get me wrong, I adore Michigan summers and wouldn’t trade them for anything. But, SHEESH, can we TONE DOWN THE HUMIDITY PLZ?

Also that week of 90+ degree days was just rude. 

It was so hot and humid in my apartment the other day that even my bath towels were struggling to dry out from the shower I took THE NIGHT BEFORE. Wild. 

Otherwise, June was pretty cool. More figuratively than literally. 

One of my best friends got married to her person and their wedding day was absolutely beautiful and full of love for the happy couple. 

I started doing Pilates again at a new studio and it has been great. All of the memes you see on Instagram about Pilates instructors are completely accurate btw lol. “And we’re here for four… *ten seconds later* three……… *long pause” two…… *longer pause* one.” :)

I even tried unpausing my Hinge profile this month, but lol… After about one day, I paused it again because that shit was overwhelming. 

As a fresh 30-year-old, I also tweaked my neck this month. How, you ask? Well, I’m glad you’re curious. I, in fact, tweaked my neck in KICKBALL while I was running between bases. Freaking kickball. The grass was kind of wet, I had to quickly pivot and sprint back to first, and I think I just braced my body too hard to avoid slipping. Instead I basically gave myself whiplash lol. 

#ThisIs30

On a reading note, I upgraded my audiobook game with Hoopla. If you haven’t heard about it, go get it and then connect your library card to it. They have SOOOO many great audiobooks and ebooks readily available that I would have to wait MONTHS to get through Libby. Not that I’m shit talking about my girl Libby. Y’all know I love that app. But real talk, Hoopla has better options lol. 

Anywho. Let’s get into everything I read in June. Shall we?

*All summaries are taken or paraphrased from Goodreads.

Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn

THE DIAMOND EYE by Kate Quinn

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: In 1937 in the snowbound city of Kyiv, wry and bookish history student Mila Pavlichenko organizes her life around her library job and her young son--but Hitler's invasion of Ukraine and Russia sends her on a different path. Given a rifle and sent to join the fight, Mila must forge herself from studious girl to deadly sniper--a lethal hunter of Nazis known as Lady Death. When news of her three hundredth kill makes her a national heroine, Mila finds herself torn from the bloody battlefields of the eastern front and sent to America on a goodwill tour. Still reeling from war wounds and devastated by loss, Mila finds herself isolated and lonely in the glittering world of Washington, DC--until an unexpected friendship with First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and an even more unexpected connection with a silent fellow sniper offer the possibility of happiness. But when an old enemy from Mila's past joins forces with a deadly new foe lurking in the shadows, Lady Death finds herself battling her own demons and enemy bullets in the deadliest duel of her life. Based on a true story, The Diamond Eye is a haunting novel of heroism born of desperation, of a mother who became a soldier, of a woman who found her place in the world and changed the course of history forever.

My Thoughts: Okay this wasn’t my favorite Kate Quinn book, but I still gave it four stars, so if that doesn’t tell you how much I love her writing, idk what will. Similar to her other books, this was based on a true story and real person. It follows Mila Pavlichenko, a history nerd and university student, who becomes a deadly sniper for the Soviet Army after Germany invades Russia and Ukraine. Mila’s unmatched skills and kill count earn her a respect not many women receive - especially as gunmen. The timeline bounced between the present where Mila is on a media tour in the United States and the past where Mila is fighting in the war. I loved that although her reputation within the Soviet Army gives her almost a mythical quality, we truly get to see the woman behind the gun through the interactions with her son, her subordinates, her lovers, and even Eleanor Roosevelt. Kate Quinn has a way of writing female leads that gives you no choice but to root for them and this book is no exception. I cannot believe the strength and bravery Mila exuded throughout the endless adversity she experienced. She was such a badass and although this is historical fiction based on a real person, I highly recommend giving it a read because more people should know about women like Mila Pavlichenko.

The Dixon Rule by Elle Kennedy

THE DIXON RULE by Elle Kennedy

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: Diana Dixon has a lot going on this summer. She’s rehearsing for a ballroom dance competition, juggling two jobs, and dealing with an ex-boyfriend who can’t take the hint it’s over. Yet despite all that, she still has plenty of time and energy to tell Shane Lindley to screw off. Shane just moved into her apartment building and seems dedicated to sleeping his way through her entire cheerleading squad. Sure, he’s a tall, gorgeous hockey player, but he’s messing with her turf. This calls for some ground rules: no parties in her apartment, leave her teammates alone, and—most importantly—leave her alone. What Diana doesn’t realize is that Shane’s sick of hookups and tired of being on the rebound after his long-term girlfriend called it quits. He wants a relationship. And when his ex comes back into the picture, he pretends he has one to make her jealous…and who better to play the girlfriend role than his sassy new neighbor? Despite Diana’s reluctance to break her rule, a fake relationship is the perfect solution for her own ex issues, and soon she can’t deny something is sizzling between her and Shane. Something hot and completely unexpected. And it might just be getting a little too real.

My Thoughts: Okay, so I love Elle Kennedy’s writing and have enjoyed plenty of her sports romance novels. This one, however, scored kind of low on my favorites list. I enjoyed Diana and Shane as main characters. Plus, we were dealing with an enemies-to-lovers, fake-dating, forced-proximity trope mash-up and, quite frankly, those are my FAVORITE. So I could get down with the plot as well. I think my main hang ups with this book are that it was just SO LONG and that I couldn’t TOTALLY buy into their romance. I won’t lie though, I didn’t write this review until like 2 weeks after I finished this particular book lol. So although I can’t remember EXACTLY what it was about their relationship that I was a little meh about, I do know that I wasn’t endlessly traipsing through Swoon City like I usually do with Elle Kennedy’s stories. This was a hockey romance for Pete’s sake. I am a SIMP for the hockey romances, but even that couldn’t carry this one to a 4-star rating. If you’ve started this new generation series then I definitely recommend reading this book, but lower your expectations a touch and I think you’ll enjoy it more than I did.

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: Authors June Hayward and Athena Liu were supposed to be twin rising stars. But Athena’s a literary darling. June Hayward is literally nobody. Who wants stories about basic white girls, June thinks. So when June witnesses Athena’s death in a freak accident, she acts on impulse: she steals Athena’s just-finished masterpiece, an experimental novel about the unsung contributions of Chinese laborers during World War I. So what if June edits Athena’s novel and sends it to her agent as her own work? So what if she lets her new publisher rebrand her as Juniper Song—complete with an ambiguously ethnic author photo? Doesn’t this piece of history deserve to be told, whoever the teller? That’s what June claims, and the New York Times bestseller list seems to agree. But June can’t get away from Athena’s shadow, and emerging evidence threatens to bring June’s (stolen) success down around her. As June races to protect her secret, she discovers exactly how far she will go to keep what she thinks she deserves.

My Thoughts: This book was brilliant, thought-provoking, a little cynical, and a lot satirical. Told from the perspective of June Hayward, an amateur author who is driven by intense insecurities and the incessant need for power. After a freak accident that leaves her much more successful friend and author dead, June manages to steal the notes for Athena’s never-before-seen book concept and publishes it as her own. June is one of the most unlikable, morally-gray main characters I’ve encountered in I don’t know how long. The motive behind every decision she makes has so many layers to it. She’s so flawed and complex, but through stories of her own, we also learn her late friend Athena wasn’t a saint either. The story manages to touch on racism, plagiarism, the dark side of the publishing industry, dealing with internet trolls, and more. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time and wracked with a light anxiety that coated every page. All of the awards to R.F. Kuang because this book was thrilling while maintaining a realistic quality to it that unapologetically pulled me in. If you haven’t read this one yet, I highly recommend picking it up because you won’t find another book like it. 

Exit West by Mohsin Hamid

EXIT WEST by Mohsin Hamid

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: In a country teetering on the brink of civil war, two young people meet—sensual, fiercely independent Nadia and gentle, restrained Saeed. They embark on a furtive love affair and are soon cloistered in a premature intimacy by the unrest roiling their city. When it explodes, turning familiar streets into a patchwork of checkpoints and bomb blasts, they begin to hear whispers about doors—doors that can whisk people far away, if perilously and for a price. As the violence escalates, Nadia and Saeed decide that they no longer have a choice. Leaving their homeland and their old lives behind, they find a door and step through.

My Thoughts: This was my book club book for the month and although I have a physical copy, I decided to opt for the audiobook (to no one’s surprise). It was only 5-hours long which was great, but I didn’t LOVE the author as the narrator of this book mainly because he tended to be a little monotone. Whether that was for dramatic effect or just his natural reading voice, who’s to say? It’s not that he did a terrible job or anything. Besides, his writing was phenomenal. I think the way he portrayed the struggles and adversity people face when fleeing from their country due to war or unlivable circumstances. The desperation to find normalcy and safety in their new day-to-day was so real. I could feel it in my bones how badly I just wanted the main characters to land in a place they could call their new home. This book was super eye-opening and I highly recommend reading it if you’re trying to get a better understanding of what it’s like to flee the only home you’ve ever known.

Spitting Gold by Carmella Lowkis

SPITTING GOLD by Carmella Lowkis

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Paris, 1866. When Baroness Sylvie Devereux receives a house call from Charlotte Mothe, the sister she disowned, she fears her shady past as a spirit medium has caught up with her. But with their father ill and Charlotte unable to pay his bills, Sylvie is persuaded into one last con. Their marks are the de Jacquinots: dysfunctional aristocrats who believe they are haunted by their great aunt, brutally murdered during the French Revolution. The scheme underway, the sisters deploy every trick to terrify the family out of their gold. But when inexplicable horrors start to happen to them too, the duo question whether they really are at the mercy of a vengeful spirit. And what other deep, dark secrets may come to light?

My Thoughts: Okay I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook. It follows two sisters, Sylvie and Charlotte, who offer their services to people as spiritual mediums to help families connect with their departed loved ones. The only catch is that they’re complete frauds, and they know every trick in the book to make their ~spiritual connections~ convincing. The book is split into two halves with Sylvie’s point of view being first. She left her family’s fraudulent practice after she married a baron who helped cover up her scandalous past. However, when Charlotte shows up on Sylvie’s doorstep begging for her help to do one more job, Sylvie finds herself agreeing. As the sisters get deeper into this last family, things start getting really weird and even Sylvie is wondering if there isn’t a presence tormenting people in this family. The second half of the book is from Charlotte’s point of view and sheds new light on the plot. It was interesting to see how differently everything played out by the end because it was nothing like I expected. I can’t say I LOVED either sister because they both had their secrets and faults, but I was thoroughly invested in this storyline and thought it was a great book for it being the author’s debut. Definitely give it a try if it’s been on your radar or if you like a mystery that has some dark, gothic undertones. 

Queen of Thieves by Bezzy Marsh

QUEEN OF THIEVES by Beezy Marsh 

Rating: 2/5 stars

Summary: An electrifying historical adventure about a ring of bold and resourceful women thieves in post-World War II London. Gangland was a man's world. Or so they thought. The women knew different. London, 1946 . The city struggles to rebuild itself after the devastation of the Blitz. Food is rationed, good jobs are scarce, and even the most honest families are forced to take a bit of "crooked" just to survive. Alice Diamond, the Queen of Thieves, rules over her all-female gang with a bejeweled fist. Her "hoisters" are expert shoplifters, the scourge of London's upscale boutiques and department stores. Their lucrative business stealing and fencing luxury goods always carries the threat of violence; Alice packs a razor, and has been known to use her heavy rows of diamond rings like brass knuckles. Young Nell is a teenager from the slums, hiding a secret pregnancy and facing a desperately uncertain future when Alice takes her under her wing. Before long, Nell is experiencing all the dangers -- and glamourous trappings -- that come with this underworld existence. Alice wants Nell to be a useful weapon in her ongoing war against crime boss Billy Sullivan's gang of rival thieves. But Nell has a hidden agenda of her own, and is not to be underestimated. The more she is manipulated by both Alice and Billy, the more her hunger for revenge grows. As Nell embraces the rich spoils of crime and the seedy underbelly of London, will she manage to carve out her own path to power and riches? Might she even crown herself the Queen of Thieves?

My Thoughts: I don’t know how this author wrote a whole ass book only using characters that are incredibly unlikable, but she did it lol. I will say, although I own a physical copy, I opted for the audiobook and I’m glad I did. That narrator put her WHOLE heart into this story. She made it feel like I was watching a play vs. listening to an audiobook. Like every tactic she learned in theater school as a voice actor was FULLY utilized in the various character accents, and she was the sole source of motivation to finish this book. I honestly don’t know if I would’ve finished it had I read it to myself. Mostly because, as I mentioned, all of these characters are so unlikable lol. They’re so self-absorbed. Even Nell, who I wanted to cheer for because she’s the underdog in this story, was so annoying. It was a lot of the same where Nell got used by either the 40 Thieves or by the mob boss of SoHo, and any slight rebellion was received with consequences. Also, as a trigger warning, there was quite a bit of sexual assault in this book. To the point of where I was getting really uncomfortable with how many times it was happening and then the book would just move on from it. I get that it was to emphasize the misogyny during this period of time, but it left a bad taste in my mouth. The ending and climax of the story happened very quickly and abruptly, so it felt like I almost missed it lol. So in conclusion, I do not recommend this book lol, but the narrator deserves all the awards.

Infinite Country by Patricia Engel

INFINITE COUNTRY by Patricia Engel

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: At the dawn of the new millennium, Colombia is a country devastated by half a century of violence. Elena and Mauro are teenagers when they meet, their blooming love an antidote to the mounting brutality of life in Bogotá. Once their first daughter is born, and facing grim economic prospects, they set their sights on the United States. They travel to Houston and send wages back to Elena’s mother, all the while weighing whether to risk overstaying their tourist visas or to return to Bogotá. As their family expands, and they move again and again, their decision to ignore their exit dates plunges the young family into the precariousness of undocumented status, the threat of discovery menacing a life already strained. When Mauro is deported, Elena, now tasked with caring for their three small children, makes a difficult choice that will ease her burdens but splinter the family even further.

My Thoughts: Another shorty, but a goodie. This audiobook was about 5 hours and I was truly sucked into every minute of it. The book mainly switches between the present where Talia, the youngest daughter of this Colombian family, has escaped from a girls’ correctional facility, and the past when her parents, Elena and Mauro, emigrate to the United States where they struggle to create a better life for themselves and stay under the radar to avoid deportation. Although in much smaller doses, you also get the perspective of Talia’s older siblings who are both living in the United States with their mother. The brother is a U.S. citizen while the oldest sister is undocumented and much more vigilant about staying out of the government’s eye. There was such hope and heartbreak written throughout these pages. The author had a frankness to her writing that didn’t have to be overly emotional for you to feel the pain of this family who has been torn apart while trying to build a better life for themselves. I think this book is such a powerful, empathetic example of what people go through trying to build a better life for themselves in the U.S. and I highly recommend giving it a read.

A Short Walk Through a Wide World by Douglas Westerbeke

A SHORT WALK THROUGH A WIDE WORLD by Douglas Westerbeke

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: Paris, 1885: Aubry Tourvel, a spoiled and stubborn nine-year-old girl, comes across a wooden puzzle ball on her walk home from school. She tosses it over the fence, only to find it in her backpack that evening. Days later, at the family dinner table, she starts to bleed to death. When medical treatment only makes her worse, she flees to the outskirts of the city, where she realizes that it is this very act of movement that keeps her alive. So begins her lifelong journey on the run from her condition, which won’t allow her to stay anywhere for longer than a few days nor return to a place where she’s already been. From the scorched dunes of the Calashino Sand Sea to the snow-packed peaks of the Himalayas; from a bottomless well in a Parisian courtyard, to the shelves of an infinite underground library, we follow Aubry as she learns what it takes to survive and ultimately, to truly live. But the longer Aubry wanders and the more desperate she is to share her life with others, the clearer it becomes that the world she travels through may not be quite the same as everyone else’s...

My Thoughts: I got this audiobook through Book of the Month and was pleased to discover that Saskia Maarleveld is the narrator. I don’t know if I would’ve been as drawn into the story had I read a physical copy, but the audiobook was easy to get into. The story follows Aubry Tourvel, a French woman who hasn’t been able to stay in the same place for more than three days since she was nine-years-old. She also can never return to a place she’s already been. If she does, she becomes severely ill within seconds and runs the risk of dying a gruesome death. Although this is a lonely way of living, Aubry manages to create deeper connections with people everywhere she travels. I really enjoyed her as the main character. She had a childlike curiosity that made people gravitate towards her everywhere she went. As she travels the world, she learns something new about herself and her mysterious illness that has no cure. Never being able to stay in one place was exhausting, but I admired Aubry’s will to make the best of it until she could find a place to call home. The writing was vividly descriptive and truly brought every adventure in this book to life. I will say, the ending was really unexpected and I’m still not sure if I’m totally satisfied with it, but I also don’t know how else I would’ve preferred this story to end. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and recommend it if you’re looking for something a little different. 

Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Törzs

INK BLOOD SISTER SCRIBE by Emma Törzs

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: For generations, the Kalotay family has guarded a collection of ancient and rare books. Books that let a person walk through walls or manipulate the elements--books of magic that half-sisters Joanna and Esther have been raised to revere and protect. All magic comes with a price, though, and for years the sisters have been separated. Esther has fled to a remote base in Antarctica to escape the fate that killed her own mother, and Joanna's isolated herself in their family home in Vermont, devoting her life to the study of these cherished volumes. But after their father dies suddenly while reading a book Joanna has never seen before, the sisters must reunite to preserve their family legacy. In the process, they'll uncover a world of magic far bigger and more dangerous than they ever imagined, and all the secrets their parents kept hidden; secrets that span centuries, continents, and even other libraries . . .

My Thoughts: Y’ALL. I freaking loved this book. I don’t know what it was, but the plot was so dynamic, the characters were so unique and likable; I just thoroughly enjoyed it. The story follows two sisters, Esther and Joanna. They grew up with a father who collected magical books that allowed people to manipulate the elements. Both sworn to protecting these books, each sister finds herself in a very different situation. Esther hasn’t been able to stay in one place for more than a year ever since she turned 18. Whereas Joanna still lives at their childhood home as the main protector of the collection after their father recently passed from an accident with a book that emanates dark magic. After Esther decides to stay where she is this time, it’s clear someone has been tracking her and will do anything to kill her although she doesn’t know why because her sister is the one who can sense the magical books. Esther has never shown any magical abilities at all. Meanwhile, there’s a third main character whose storyline starts to intertwine with the sisters and secrets that have been kept hidden for YEARS finally come to light. I was absolutely obsessed with this book and got excited every time I started listening to it again. Although I’m sad this book is a standalone, I would definitely reread it in the future. If you’re looking for something fantastical with a phenomenal storyline and incredible characters, I highly recommend picking this one up.

The Woman in Me by Britney Spears

THE WOMAN IN ME by Britney Spears

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: In June 2021, the whole world was listening as Britney Spears spoke in open court. The impact of sharing her voice—her truth—was undeniable, and it changed the course of her life and the lives of countless others. The Woman in Me reveals for the first time her incredible journey—and the strength at the core of one of the greatest performers in pop music history. Written with remarkable candor and humor, Spears’s groundbreaking book illuminates the enduring power of music and love—and the importance of a woman telling her own story, on her own terms, at last.

My Thoughts: Y’all know I’m a big fan of celebrity memoirs and I’ve had Britney’s on my radar for a while now. Sadly, B doesn’t read the book, but she does read the introduction. That said, although I didn’t get to hear the book from her voice, it didn’t take away from the experience. Similar to what we’ve seen in other memoirs from celebrities who grew up and came into fame during the 90s and early 2000s, Britney’s experience was not easy. She was objectified and sexualized from a young age, was incessantly followed by the media during some of her most formative years as a celebrity, and had some not-so-great relationships along the way. The conservatorship part of her story is absolutely WILD. Her family was manipulative, saw that she was paying all of their bills, and needed a way to control her as their “cash cow.” They used her kids as pawns to keep her under their thumb and for YEARS she didn’t know she could find her own lawyer to represent her through all of this. This memoir was super eye opening to see Britney’s side of all the media stories we’ve seen over the years trashing her reputation. I highly recommend giving it a read if you’ve had interest in it. 

Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor

AKATA WITCH by Nnedi Okorafor

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: Born in New York, but living in Aba, Nigeria, twelve-year old Sunny is understandably a little lost. She is albino and thus, incredibly sensitive to the sun. All Sunny wants to do is be able to play football and get through another day of school without being bullied. But once she befriends Orlu and Chichi, Sunny is plunged into the world of the Leopard People, where your worst defect becomes your greatest asset. Together, Sunny, Orlu, Chichi and Sasha form the youngest ever Oha Coven. Their mission is to track down Black Hat Otokoto, the man responsible for kidnapping and maiming children. Will Sunny be able to overcome the killer with powers stronger than her own, or will the future she saw in the flames become reality?

My Thoughts: Per usual, although I own a physical copy of this book, I decided to listen to the audiobook and am really glad I did. There are a few languages included in this book that are spoken in Nigeria and I think having the narrator accurately pronouncing things made the story so much more immersive. The book follows Sunny, a twelve-year-old girl who moved from New York to Nigeria with her family when she was nine. She doesn’t have many friends at school and kids don’t make it easy for her to fit in because she’s albino. As soon as she befriends some neighborhood kids, Orlu and Chichi, Sunny is introduced to the world of Leopard People. Their friend group is put to the test with their juju skills and is eventually recruited to help track down a man they call Black Hat. He’s been kidnapping and killing children to access their powers. I really enjoyed this story overall. Some parts of it definitely could’ve been shorter and I kept getting confused as to what audience this book was trying to relate to. For example, there is an innocent, cheesy quality to it as Sunny and her friend start making a name for themselves within the Leopard community. They try to show off and make themselves look cool, and I just felt kind of removed from that aspect of this story. Additionally, one of the characters keeps dropping F-bombs and swear words, and I was confused as to why those were so frequent in a YA fantasy. Otherwise, I liked it well enough. The plot also leaves you on a cliffhanger at the end, but I’m not sure if I’ll continue on to the second book or not. That said, if you’re looking for a fantasy based on African folklore, I highly recommend this book!

Okiee that’s it for June. 

I hope everyone’s summer is going well so far! I have a couple of weekend trips coming up in July and August that I’m super excited for, and hopefully might be able to get me back into the swing of reading physical books lol. 

If you haven’t tried it yet, I highly recommend getting Hoopla and following the process I explained above. Especially if you’re into audiobooks or ebooks. 

Cheers to the second half of 2024! 

2024 Book Count: 67

Add me on Goodreads if you haven’t already.

YOUR TURN! What’s your go-to summer read?

May 2024 Reads

I feel like we went from seeing endless N’SYNC memes to Memorial Day in two seconds and I literally do not remember what happened in between lol. 

You could say May was a blur for me. I started a summer golf league, bought another houseplant (see that beauty below), caught up with friends I haven’t seen in a while, and watched way too many Instagram reels about how to take my millennial outfit and make it more trendy lol. 

I’ve mildly gotten on board with wearing higher socks when I’m wearing my white sneakers, but I refuse to jump on that train at the gym. You can catch me at PF in ankle socks. 

My new office calathea. :) Brought to you by the local farmer’s market!

On the reading front, audiobooks truly carried me through again. I think of the 13 books I read this month, eight of them were audiobooks. I’ve finally gotten to the point where I’m able to listen to them at x1.75 speed, so I think that’s why I’m flying through them so quickly.

If you’re getting into that method, I recommend starting at 1.25 and going up from there. In my opinion, it’s actually easier to process things when the narrator is reading more quickly.

I digress though. Let’s get into everything I read in May!

*All summaries are taken or paraphrased from Goodreads.

Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng

OUR MISSING HEARTS by Celeste Ng

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Twelve-year-old Bird Gardner lives a quiet existence with his loving but broken father, a former linguist who now shelves books in a university library. Bird knows to not ask too many questions, stand out too much, or stray too far. For a decade, their lives have been governed by laws written to preserve “American culture” in the wake of years of economic instability and violence. To keep the peace and restore prosperity, the authorities are now allowed to relocate children of dissidents, especially those of Asian origin, and libraries have been forced to remove books seen as unpatriotic—including the work of Bird’s mother, Margaret, a Chinese American poet who left the family when he was nine years old. Bird has grown up disavowing his mother and her poems; he doesn’t know her work or what happened to her, and he knows he shouldn’t wonder. But when he receives a mysterious letter containing only a cryptic drawing, he is pulled into a quest to find her. His journey will take him back to the many folktales she poured into his head as a child, through the ranks of an underground network of librarians, into the lives of the children who have been taken, and finally to New York City, where a new act of defiance may be the beginning of much-needed change.

My Thoughts: This was my book club’s pick for AAPI month and per usual, Celeste Ng knows how to write a stunner. This was unlike any of her other books, but her unique storytelling still held true. The book takes place in what I would describe as almost a dystopian United States after an obscure economic crisis occurred that involved China. There is a new governmental entity called PACT that everyone supports, either willingly or reluctantly, because they provide the laws and ideals needed to unite the country again after the recent tragedies. There are consequences to those seen, heard, or suspected of not supporting PACT, including the government relocating children from their families - specifically those of Asian origin. Most of the book is from the perspective of 12-year-old Bird. His mother is Chinese American and the book of poems she recently published is banned after it sparks a movement of rebellion. Bird hasn’t seen his mother in almost three years, but when he receives a mysterious letter from her, he goes on a journey to find her. What he uncovers is a new America he wasn’t prepared to see. This book was so captivating as it explored extremely complex yet timely issues in a world that hits very close to the reality of our post-pandemic one. Ng uses libraries, books, and storytelling as a main focus of this book to emphasize the power of words, shared stories, and marginalized voices. As I said, Celeste Ng knows how to write a stunning book and this one is no exception. I highly recommend giving it a read if you haven’t already.

The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

THE INHERITANCE GAMES by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Avery Grambs has a plan for a better future: survive high school, win a scholarship, and get out. But her fortunes change in an instant when billionaire Tobias Hawthorne dies and leaves Avery virtually his entire fortune. The catch? Avery has no idea why -- or even who Tobias Hawthorne is. To receive her inheritance, Avery must move into sprawling, secret passage-filled Hawthorne House, where every room bears the old man's touch -- and his love of puzzles, riddles, and codes. Unfortunately for Avery, Hawthorne House is also occupied by the family that Tobias Hawthorne just dispossessed. This includes the four Hawthorne grandsons: dangerous, magnetic, brilliant boys who grew up with every expectation that one day, they would inherit billions. Heir apparent Grayson Hawthorne is convinced that Avery must be a conwoman, and he's determined to take her down. His brother, Jameson, views her as their grandfather's last hurrah: a twisted riddle, a puzzle to be solved. Caught in a world of wealth and privilege, with danger around every turn, Avery will have to play the game herself just to survive.

My Thoughts: Okay I read this book back in 2021 before the other two books in the trilogy came out. So now that the entire series is published, I decided to go back and give this one a reread via audiobook. I gotta say, I think the narrator did me dirty on this one because I honestly just could not buy into the various types of southern accents she kept switching between throughout the book. If these four brothers are all from the same area, don’t you think their southern dialect would be consistent across the board? Kind of like how British people have different sounding accents depending on where they’re from in England. It just annoyed me lol. The cleverness of the plot still holds water from the last time I remember reading this. I wouldn’t say Avery is my favorite main character ever, but I do like her for this specific story. She’s quite the underdog and everyone underestimates her because she went from living in her car to inheriting billions of dollars from a rando old guy. The riddles and puzzles Tobias Hawthorne left behind for these five to figure out were believable enough and made sense once they were solved. I do appreciate that this book leaves you on a cliffhanger, and although the narrator’s southern accents gave me the ICK, I still think I’m going to continue rereading this series via audiobook. 

Honor by Thrity Umrigar

HONOR by Thrity Umrigar

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Indian American journalist Smita has returned to India to cover a story, but reluctantly: long ago she and her family left the country with no intention of ever coming back. As she follows the case of Meena—a Hindu woman attacked by members of her own village and her own family for marrying a Muslim man—Smita comes face to face with a society where tradition carries more weight than one’s own heart, and a story that threatens to unearth the painful secrets of Smita’s own past. While Meena’s fate hangs in the balance, Smita tries in every way she can to right the scales. She also finds herself increasingly drawn to Mohan, an Indian man she meets while on assignment. But the dual love stories of Honor are as different as the cultures of Meena and Smita themselves: Smita realizes she has the freedom to enter into a casual affair, knowing she can decide later how much it means to her.

My Thoughts: Wowow what an absolutely COMPELLING story. I remember this book getting a lot of hype when it first came out and it is definitely deserved. Told from the perspectives of two women: Meena, a Hindu woman who was disfigured by people in her own village for marrying a Muslim man and is now suing those responsible, and Samita, an Indian American journalist who has returned to India to cover Meena’s court case. The clash of cultures is instantly recognizable through almost every encounter Samita has in India. The misogyny is REAL in these small villages scattered throughout the country. Women are not valued, they do not have a voice, and their freedoms lie with whichever man is seen as the head of the house. Violent and humiliating actions are seen as an acceptable way to react to someone’s honor being disgraced. This novel was extremely thought provoking, heart wrenching, stomach clenching, and moving. The stories of both women were beautifully written and portrayed even if sometimes hard to read. I haven’t had a book impact me like this one did in a very long time. It’s a book that will live rent free in my brain for years to come, and I highly recommend giving it a read if you’re looking for ways to step outside of your comfort zone and settle into that discomfort for a while. 

King of Sloth by Ana Huang

KING OF SLOTH by Ana Huang (King of Sin #4)

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Charming, easygoing, and rich beyond belief, Xavier Castillo has the world at his fingertips. He also has no interest in taking over his family’s empire (much to his father’s chagrin), but that hasn’t stopped women from throwing themselves at him…unless the woman in question is his publicist. Nothing brings him more joy than riling her up, but when a tragedy forces them closer than ever, he must grapple with the uncertainty of his future—and the realization that the only person immune to his charms is the only one he truly wants.  |  Cool, intelligent, and ambitious, Sloane Kensington is a high-powered publicist who’s used to dealing with difficult clients. However, none infuriate—or tempt—her more than a certain billionaire heir, with his stupid dimples and laid-back attitude. She may be forced to work with him, but she’ll never fall for him…no matter how fast he makes her heart beat or how thoughtful he is beneath his party persona. He’s her client, and that’s all he’ll ever be. Right?

My Thoughts: OKIE DOKE WELL. I think this is probably my favorite installment in the King of Sin series thus far. There’s something about the MFC being perceived as a frigid ice queen with no ability to show emotion only to have the MMC bust through that barrier and melt her heart. Ana Huang has teased Sloane and Xavier’s story in the last two books in this series, so I was incredibly excited when I saw it was finally out! Sloane is a self-made, incredibly successful publicist who specializes in dealing with difficult clients. One of her hardest clients has been Xavier, the billionaire heir who has a reputation for partying and making very poor decisions that can reflect badly on his father’s corporate empire. Although Sloane has perfected a chilly RBF with zero hints as to what emotions are roiling beneath the surface, Xavier seems to be the only one who can push her over the edge enough to find cracks in that facade. This book has all of my favorite tropes: enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, fake-dating, etc. I loved the dynamics between Sloane and Xavier. Their banter was everything I could’ve wanted. The way they found a safe space within one another turned me into an absolute PUDDLE. Also, this author knows how to write a HIGH QUALITY salacious scene. ;) I think I also related to Sloane a lot because one of her main character quirks is that she can never cry, and if you know me, I’m definitely not a crier. (Me and my therapist are working on it, I swear lol). Either way, if you’ve been dabbling in the King of Sin series, this installment is definitely worth the read!

The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley

THE MINISTRY OF TIME by Kaliane Bradley

Rating: 2.5/5 stars

Summary: In the near future, a civil servant is offered the salary of her dreams and is, shortly afterward, told what project she’ll be working on. A recently established government ministry is gathering “expats” from across history to establish whether time travel is feasible—for the body, but also for the fabric of space-time. She is tasked with working as a “bridge”: living with, assisting, and monitoring the expat known as “1847” or Commander Graham Gore. As far as history is concerned, Commander Gore died on Sir John Franklin’s doomed 1845 expedition to the Arctic, so he’s a little disoriented to be living with an unmarried woman who regularly shows her calves, surrounded by outlandish concepts such as “washing machine,” “Spotify,” and “the collapse of the British Empire.” But he adjusts quickly; he is, after all, an explorer by trade. Soon, what the bridge initially thought would be, at best, a seriously uncomfortable housemate dynamic, evolves into something much more. Over the course of an unprecedented year, Gore and the bridge fall haphazardly, fervently in love, with consequences they never could have imagined. Supported by a chaotic and charming cast of characters—including a 17th-century cinephile who can’t get enough of Tinder, a painfully shy World War I captain, and a former spy with an ever-changing series of cosmetic surgery alterations and a belligerent attitude to HR—the bridge will be forced to confront the past that shaped her choices, and the choices that will shape the future.

My Thoughts: I super duper wanted to like this book because the premise sounds so unique and fun, but I was SORELY disappointed. I almost DNF’ed it (did not finish), but because I got the audiobook through a Book of the Month subscription, I didn’t want to waste my monthly credit. The writing at the start was decently strong and kept me engaged. It was the entirety of the middle that made this book crash and burn. The plot started trying to do SO MANY THINGS that it wasn’t doing any one thing well. Thankfully, the writing got better towards the end, but at that point, I had just trudged through so many “wait, wtf is happening rn?” moments that my attitude towards this book was basically unredeemable. Also the sheer number of metaphors used throughout the narrative was WILD. They are PACKED into every paragraph. Like I can appreciate a good metaphor every now and then to really make a sentence impactful, but this author fuckin LOVES them. Which led to nothing feeling that insightful. Anywho, no I don’t recommend reading this lol. 

The Exception to the Rule by Christina Lauren

THE EXCEPTION TO THE RULE by Christina Lauren (The Improbable Meet-Cute #1)

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: One typo, and a boy and girl connect by chance. Wishing each other a happy Valentine’s Day isn’t the end. In fact, it becomes a friendly annual tradition—with rules: no pics, no real names, nothing too personal. As years pass, the rules for their email “dates” are breaking, and they’re sharing more than they imagined—including the urge to ask…what if we actually met?

My thoughts: This was really freaking cute! What starts out as a young man accidentally sending an email to a fellow high school student instead of a teacher, turns into a 10-year tradition of the two emailing each other every year on Valentine’s Day for a decade. Although they never reveal personal identifying details about themselves, their connection and friendship slowly starts to grow every year. Even after they’ve both graduated and headed to college, they continue checking in on their email pen pal to see what’s new in life. Their exchanges include everything from details about their lives in college, their current relationships, losing a parent during the pandemic, moving across the country away from home, and more. Until finally they decide it’s the perfect time for them to both meet in person. This story was so much fun, the banter was delightful, and I absolutely adored the way it ended. If you’re looking for a quick, sweet read, I highly recommend this short story!

Any Way the Wind Blows by Rainbow Rowell

ANY WAY THE WIND BLOWS by Rainbow Rowell (SIMON SNOW #3)

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: In Carry On, Simon Snow and his friends realized that everything they thought they understood about the world might be wrong. And in Wayward Son, they wondered whether everything they understood about themselves might be wrong. In Any Way the Wind Blows, Simon and Baz and Penelope and Agatha have to decide how to move forward. For Simon, that means deciding whether he still wants to be part of the World of Mages -- and if he doesn't, what does that mean for his relationship with Baz? Meanwhile Baz is bouncing between two family crises and not finding any time to talk to anyone about his newfound vampire knowledge. Penelope would love to help, but she's smuggled an American Normal into London, and now she isn't sure what to do with him. And Agatha? Well, Agatha Wellbelove has had enough. Any Way the Wind Blows takes the gang back to England, back to Watford, and back to their families for their longest and most emotionally wrenching adventure yet. This book is a finale. It tells secrets and answers questions and lays ghosts to rest.

My Thoughts: It is bittersweet that I have officially finished the Simon Snow trilogy, but I’m so glad I discovered this series because it was everything I needed and didn't even know it. As this was the last book in the series, of course this misfit gang of mages couldn’t go out with a banger without getting into more shenanigans first. Penelope manages to smuggle a “normal” who they met in the last book during their trip to America back into the UK with her. He admitted to having sold his soul to a demon and she is determined to figure out how to get that contract canceled. Simon and Baz are still in a bit of a gray area when it comes to their relationship. This is mostly due to Simon’s self sabotaging tendencies, but they’re trying to work through it (at least Baz is.)  All the while, they’re trying to crack the code on a new cult in town that Baz’s stepmother recently joined. Agatha is back at Watford as well helping with her dad’s veterinarian business while she tries to figure out what she wants to do with her life. Cue a vet technician who she played field hockey with back in the day dragging Agatha along to figure out why the Goats of Watford keep straying from the school grounds. I can’t emphasize enough how many times this audiobook made me giggle like an idiot. These characters are all so unique, their development arcs over the last three books have been such an adventure, and this author has a mf GIFT for writing quick-witted banter and one-liners. As we head into June, this would be a great Queer YA Fantasy series to read for Pride Month. I promise you’re going to love it.

Worst Wingman Ever by Abby Jimenez

WORST WINGMAN EVER by Abby Jimenez (The Improbable Meet-Cute #2)

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: Holly is dealing with the impending death of her grandmother and still reeling from a bad breakup. One bright spot: a Valentine’s Day card on Holly’s windshield—even if it wasn’t meant for her. An amusing mistake soon turns into a lovely exchange of anonymous notes, little acts of kindness, and a growing affection between two strangers. What happens when one of them has to say goodbye?

My Thoughts: True to Abby Jimenez, this cute little novella had complex characters who come from two totally different places and yet fit together perfectly in each other’s lives. Holly is a hospice nurse taking care of her grandmother at her condominium complex. With the tough job of watching her grandmother’s health deteriorate and recovering from a recent breakup, she hasn’t been openly looking for new romance. Until one day a random Valentine’s Day card is left on her windshield that wasn’t meant for her and an anonymous exchange of random notes begins. I loved that these characters really were just doing kind things for each other without any ulterior motive behind them until they realized who they’d been exchanging notes with. This was a super cute, short romance if you’re looking for a quick read.

Vaampires of El Norte by Isabel Cañas

VAMPIRES OF EL NORTE by Isabel Cañas

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: As the daughter of a rancher in 1840s Mexico, Nena knows a thing or two about monsters—her home has long been threatened by tensions with Anglo settlers from the north. But something more sinister lurks near the ranch at night, something that drains men of their blood and leaves them for dead. Something that once attacked Nena nine years ago. Believing Nena dead, Néstor has been on the run from his grief ever since, moving from ranch to ranch working as a vaquero. But no amount of drink can dispel the night terrors of sharp teeth; no woman can erase his childhood sweetheart from his mind. When the United States attacks Mexico in 1846, the two are brought abruptly together on the road to war: Nena as a curandera, a healer striving to prove her worth to her father so that he does not marry her off to a stranger, and Néstor as a member of the auxiliary cavalry of ranchers and vaqueros. But the shock of their reunion—and Nena’s rage at Néstor for seemingly abandoning her long ago—is quickly overshadowed by the appearance of a nightmare made flesh. And unless Nena and Néstor work through their past and face the future together, neither will survive to see the dawn.

My Thoughts: This book was not what I expected it to be. I thought it was going to be more along the lines of Isabel Cañas’s other book, The Hacienda, which is a mystery/thriller (you can read my review for that book here). Although that genre is included in this plot, it’s not the sole focus. It mixed in a little bit of historical fiction, supernatural, and romance as well which made the story feel so much more dynamic. Instead of reading my physical copy, I opted for the audiobook via Libby and am glad I did because hearing the Spanish dialect from Spanish-speaking narrators made this experience very immersive. The book follows Nena and Nestor who were inseparable growing up, but after something attacked Nena when they were teens, Nestor ran thinking it was his fault she’s dead. Fast forward nine years and Nestor is back to help an auxiliary cavalry fight in the US Mexico war. He realizes Nena, in fact, is not dead and that she’s joining the cavalry as a healer. Nena is livid with Nestor because she’s been under the impression for almost a decade that her best friend left without saying goodbye. The two get separated from the group during a gruesome battle and have to rely on each other to get home safely. I loved that although they were both grieving their friendship in different ways, the raw, undeniable connection they formed years ago continued to surface. Due to poor communication and stubbornness, it took a while for either to act on their feelings, but I still found myself mentally yelling at them “just kiss already!!” lol. There was a subtle plot twist towards the end involving the vampire creatures in this story that I couldn’t have predicted, but I appreciated that’s the route the author ended up taking. Honestly, if you’re looking for a book with great writing, multiple genres, and solid main characters, I highly recommend giving this one a try!

Divine Rivals by Rebeca Ross

DIVINE RIVALS by Rebecca Ross (Letters of Enchantment #1)

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: When two young rival journalists find love through a magical connection, they must face the depths of hell, in a war among gods, to seal their fate forever. After centuries of sleep, the gods are warring again. But eighteen-year-old Iris Winnow just wants to hold her family together. Her mother is suffering from addiction and her brother is missing from the front lines. Her best bet is to win the columnist promotion at the Oath Gazette. To combat her worries, Iris writes letters to her brother and slips them beneath her wardrobe door, where they vanish―into the hands of Roman Kitt, her cold and handsome rival at the paper. When he anonymously writes Iris back, the two of them forge a connection that will follow Iris all the way to the front lines of battle: for her brother, the fate of mankind, and love. 

My Thoughts: Okay admittedly, I previously tried reading this book two other times and couldn’t get into it. However, now that I’ve finished it, I honestly have no idea what my problem was during those attempts because I was absolutely ENTRANCED this time around. This book was fantastic. It follows two young rival journalists, Iris and Roman. Iris’s brother left to fight in the gods war six months ago, and after receiving no response to her letters, she starts putting them into their magically touched wardrobe. The wardrobe then whisks the letters away to none other than Iris’s main competition at the newspaper, Roman Kitt. Until one day, he finally (anonymously) responds to her. The two of them slowly start to build a connection through their letters that leads to Roman following Iris 600 kilometers away to the war front. I was OBSESSED with their relationship. Although for a while only Roman knows that it’s Iris he’s been corresponding with, the sexually and emotionally charged tension between them was undeniable. Don’t get me started on the vibe change once they were actually on the same page about their feelings. I WAS SOLD. Also, romance aside, the premise of this book? So unique. The writing? Chef’s kiss. The plot twist towards the end? Caught me by surprise. My only complaint and the reason I docked it a half star is that I could’ve used a little more world building and I wished we learned more about the gods. There’s a gods war going on and although we learn a high-level origin story of it, the author really didn’t go into a satisfactory amount of detail. So hopefully there’s more of that to come in the sequel which I will be starting ASAP, because I NEED to know what happens since we’re left on a cliffhanger with the first one. Anywho, I highly recommend this book!

The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware

THE TURN OF THE KEY by Ruth Ware

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: When she stumbles across the ad, she’s looking for something else completely. But it seems like too good an opportunity to miss—a live-in nannying post, with a staggeringly generous salary. And when Rowan Caine arrives at Heatherbrae House, she is smitten—by the luxurious “smart” home fitted out with all modern conveniences, by the beautiful Scottish Highlands, and by this picture-perfect family. What she doesn’t know is that she’s stepping into a nightmare—one that will end with a child dead and herself in prison awaiting trial for murder. Writing to her lawyer from prison, she struggles to explain the unraveling events that led to her incarceration. It wasn’t just the constant surveillance from the cameras installed around the house, or the malfunctioning technology that woke the household with booming music, or turned the lights off at the worst possible time. It wasn’t just the girls, who turned out to be a far cry from the immaculately behaved model children she met at her interview. It wasn’t even the way she was left alone for weeks at a time, with no adults around apart from the enigmatic handyman, Jack Grant. It was everything. She knows she’s made mistakes. She admits that she lied to obtain the post, and that her behavior toward the children wasn’t always ideal. She’s not innocent, by any means. But, she maintains, she’s not guilty—at least not of murder. Which means someone else is.

My Thoughts: Okay, so I read Woman in Cabin 10 a few years ago and really enjoyed it, but haven’t read a Ruth Ware book since. So I was excited to jump into this one. Although I own a physical copy, I opted for the audiobook. This story’s format is really unique as it’s from the perspective of the main character, Rowan, who is writing a letter to her lawyer from prison. She’s trying to explain what led up to her incarceration and why he must believe she is innocent. Rowan becomes a nanny for an extremely wealthy family who is in the AI/technology industry and has converted a historical mansion in the countryside into a Smart House. Although the family seems very picturesque and cookie-cutter, as soon as the parents leave for a business trip and Rowan is alone with the youngest girls, she realizes they’re anything but perfect. I’ve said it before, but I’m not classically a mystery/thriller girly because I get creeped out easily, and let me tell you, the kids Rowan was a nanny for gave me the jeebies. In addition to all of the weird surveillance cameras placed around this giant mansion, Rowan is given the only room in the house that connects to the attic. Per usual with old houses, this one came with its fair share of past tragedies, including the death of the young daughter of the previous homeowner. So many things happen that would have driven me out of that house SO FAST. The only reason I cannot give this book five stars is because I felt like there were like SEVEN plot twists stuffed into the last 10%, which was a little jarring. It also didn’t feel like this is what I was being led to conclude the entire time, so some of it felt a little out of left field. I enjoyed it overall, I just wouldn’t say it was AMAZING.

Ruthless Vows by Rebecca Ross

RUTHLESS VOWS by Rebecca Ross (Letters of Enchantment #2)

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: Two weeks have passed since Iris Winnow returned home bruised and heartbroken from the front, but the war is far from over. Roman is missing, and the city of Oath continues to dwell in a state of disbelief and ignorance. When Iris and Attie are given another chance to report on Dacre’s movements, they both take the opportunity and head westward once more despite the danger, knowing it’s only a matter of time before the conflict reaches a city that’s unprepared and fracturing beneath the chancellor’s reign. Since waking below in Dacre’s realm, Roman cannot remember his past. But given the reassurance that his memories will return in time, Roman begins to write articles for Dacre, uncertain of his place in the greater scheme of the war. When a strange letter arrives by the wardrobe door, Roman is first suspicious, then intrigued. As he strikes up a correspondence with his mysterious pen pal, Roman will soon have to make a decision: to stand with Dacre or betray the god who healed him. And as the days grow darker, inevitably drawing Roman and Iris closer together…the two of them will risk their very hearts and futures to change the tides of the war.

My Thoughts: Well to absolutely NO ONE’S surprise, I fuckin DEVOURED this book. Coming off my high from finishing Divine Rivals, I decided to immediately dive into its successor. This book picks up two weeks after where we left off in the last one. Iris is back in Oath living with her brother in the apartment they grew up in. She’s still writing for the Inkridden Tribune, covering the war between the gods, Dacre and Enva. Although she doesn’t know his exact location, Iris knows Dacre took Roman and most likely wiped his memories after healing his life threatening injuries. It isn’t until the rival newspaper in town publishes an article written by Roman Kitt that Iris’s suspicions are confirmed. This book was a WILD ride. It had me on the edge of my seat constantly as Roman and Iris kept making the ballsiest of moves to find each other and help end this war. The writing was nothing short of beautiful, and I loved that the author stuck to the same format of changing POVs, sprinkling in letters between typewriters, and the occasional news article. My heart was ripped open so many times during this one and I felt the passion in these characters to my core. The only reason I’m not giving it five stars is because one of the “keys” to ending the war felt like it came out of nowhere. I couldn’t remember them mentioning it in the first book, but to be fair, I may have been reading so fast that I didn’t clock it as well as I should have. Either way, I feel like the ending, although mildly heartbreaking, was the perfect for this series. If you haven’t given this a try yet, I highly recommend doing so!

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

THE NIGHTINGALE by Kristin Hannah

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: In love we find out who we want to be. In war we find out who we are. FRANCE, 1939 | In the quiet village of Carriveau, Vianne Mauriac says good-bye to her husband, Antoine, as he heads for the Front. She doesn’t believe that the Nazis will invade France…but invade they do, in droves of marching soldiers, in caravans of trucks and tanks, in planes that fill the skies and drop bombs upon the innocent. When a German captain requisitions Vianne’s home, she and her daughter must live with the enemy or lose everything. Without food or money or hope, as danger escalates all around them, she is forced to make one impossible choice after another to keep her family alive. Vianne’s sister, Isabelle, is a rebellious eighteen-year-old, searching for purpose with all the reckless passion of youth. While thousands of Parisians march into the unknown terrors of war, she meets Gaëtan, a partisan who believes the French can fight the Nazis from within France, and she falls in love as only the young can…completely. But when he betrays her, Isabelle joins the Resistance and never looks back, risking her life time and again to save others.

My Thoughts: Y’all know I love historical fiction and although I’ve had this book on my shelf for a couple of years, I decided to go the audiobook route for the most part. Kristin Hannah has a gift at writing characters who you can’t help but vicariously feel all of their struggles and adversities in your chest. This story was not a pretty one to read, but it was also so beautiful. Per usual for KH, there is romance woven into the story, but that’s not what it’s about at all. This book is about the women, children, wives, etc. who were left behind during WW2, and what they endured during those dark years. Told from the perspective of two sisters, Vianne and Isabelle both experience this war in two totally different ways, but the struggle to survive in a world that is falling apart remains consistent for them both. The younger, spitfire sister, Isabelle, joins the Resistance almost immediately. She starts with small tasks such as stealthily handing out anti-Nazi propaganda to townspeople, and eventually starts taking on much more dangerous missions such as smuggling more than 80 English and American pilots out of France into Spain by completing treacherous hikes through the Pyrenees mountains. Although Vianne lives out the war from her countryside home in Carriveau, her experience is no less dangerous as Nazis billet from her home and take over governing her city. My heart was in absolute PIECES for both of these women as they bravely faced the horrors this war brought to them time and time again. Although this book wasn’t perfect, with some slow parts that could’ve been shortened or character arcs that could’ve happened sooner, it’s one I won’t soon forget. As I said, Kristin Hannah has a gift at writing heart wrenching historical fiction novels from various time periods and this book is no exception. 

Okieeee that’s it for May!

Don’t forget to incorporate some Queer stories into your TBR for June a.k.a Pride Month! (SIMON SNOW SHOULD BE ONE OF THEM!! <3)

I’m still locked out of my Facebook account, but at least the Attorney General of Michigan got back to me, so I will keep you posted on whether I regain access lol. 

2024 Book Count: 56

Add me on Goodreads if you haven’t already.

YOUR TURN! What’s been your favorite read of 2024 so far?

April 2024 Reads

I won’t lie. I was on the struggle bus the entire month of April. 

Especially when it came to sitting down to read. Almost all of the books I read were via audiobook because it was the only avenue I had the energy for. It was almost like every night I would get into bed with every intention to read one of the physical or ebooks I was working through, and instead I’d pass out. 

Not to mention I was playing a lot of fucking sudoku for whatever reason lol. I just couldn’t stop. I’d grab my phone and say “just one more game before I start reading” and then one game would lead to the next, and it’d be too late for me to trade the phone for a book. So I’d just go to sleep instead. 

There was also a pattern of being drawn to genres I don’t usually gravitate towards or, rather, avoiding romance novels more than usual. After going through a breakup in the second half of March, I wasn’t really in the mood to read about people’s HEA (happily ever afters) when my relationship recently ended. 

So naturally mostly mystery/thrillers and a new fantasy series piqued my interest in April. There was SOME romance mixed in, but honestly, the books where romance was the main focus took me the longest to read.

ALSO side note to anyone who usually finds my monthly reviews through Facebook: I am currently locked out of my account lol. It’s a long story, but FB doesn’t offer customer support in human form. It’s all run by bots, so I’m STRUGGLING to get back in because the bots think I’m being suspicious when really, they’re just dumb. Which is why I haven’t posted my monthly reviews in a hot second, but I’m going to keep trying. *eyeroll*

Anyway, I digress. Let’s get into everything I read in April.

**All summaries are taken or paraphrased from Goodreads.

The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley

THE PARIS APARTMENT by Lucy Foley

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Jess needs a fresh start. She’s broke and alone, and she’s just left her job under less than ideal circumstances. Her half-brother Ben didn’t sound thrilled when she asked if she could crash with him for a bit, but he didn’t say no, and surely everything will look better from Paris. Only when she shows up – to find a very nice apartment, could Ben really have afforded this? – he’s not there. The longer Ben stays missing, the more Jess starts to dig into her brother’s situation, and the more questions she has. Ben’s neighbors are an eclectic bunch, and not particularly friendly. Jess may have come to Paris to escape her past, but it’s starting to look like it’s Ben’s future that’s in question. The socialite – The nice guy – The alcoholic – The girl on the verge – The concierge. Everyone’s a neighbor. Everyone’s a suspect. And everyone knows something they’re not telling.

My Thoughts: I remember reading The Guest List a few years ago and thought it was fantastic because I did NOT see the plot twist coming in that one. The Paris Apartment was Lucy Foley’s next big book after The Guest List and I remember seeing mixed reviews right after it came out in 2022. I wasn’t sure what to expect going into this book, but I’m pleased to report it didn’t disappoint. The main character, Jess, is going to Paris to stay with her half-brother Ben after she runs into some trouble back in England. However, when she gets to his apartment, he’s nowhere to be found. It’s almost like he disappeared. Cue the hunt for Ben and a cast of various peculiar characters who are the tenants living in the same building. I liked that the format switched between POVs of all the characters because you truly didn’t know who you could trust. Even Jess’s character seemed a bit flaky and paranoid at times, even though she’s the one I was mainly rooting for. The plot twist in this book wasn’t AS shocking as The Guest List, but I definitely didn’t see it coming until it was fully spelled out for me. The narrator of this audiobook did a great job and if you’re looking for a quick mystery/thriller, I definitely recommend giving this one a try!

The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz

THE WRITING RETREAT by Julia Bartz

Rating: 2.5/5 stars

Summary: Five attendees are selected for a month-long writing retreat at the remote estate of Roza Vallo, the controversial high priestess of feminist horror. Alex, a struggling writer, is thrilled. Upon arrival, they discover they must complete an entire novel from scratch, and the best one will receive a seven-figure publishing deal. Alex’s long-extinguished dream now seems within reach. But then the women begin to die. Trapped, terrified yet still desperately writing, it is clear there is more than a publishing deal at stake at Blackbriar Estate. Alex must confront her own demons – and finish her novel – to save herself.

My Thoughts: Okay lol. So I don’t know the best way to explain my feelings about this book. Although I own a physical copy, I decided to listen to the audiobook and I’m really glad I did. I don’t know if I would’ve made it through had I chosen a different avenue. The writing, characters, plot, etc. in the first half of the book are ALL over the place. It was just pure chaos and the main character, Alex, seemed obsessed with some trivial things that I got annoyed hearing about. Once the story gets to the writing retreat, things KEEP getting weirder. Also, there were a few scenes that felt like they should’ve been scarier and ended up just kind of falling flat?? Then after I got through the mess that was the first half of the book, the second half finally started sorting itself out and the writing felt much more intentional. I wouldn’t say it got exponentially better, but there was an even flow to it, the characters started feeling more solid, and the plot finally started making sense. The plot twist wasn’t super surprising and although I wasn’t entirely satisfied with how it ended, I do think the book finished better than it started lol. Would I recommend this? Not necessarily. I wouldn’t consider myself a connoisseur of mystery/thrillers by any means, but even I know there are better books out there to read than this one. 

Beyond the Wand by Tom Felton

BEYOND THE WAND by Tom Felton

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Tom Felton’s adolescence was anything but ordinary. His early rise to fame in beloved films like The Borrowers catapulted him into the limelight, but nothing could prepare him for what was to come after he landed the iconic role of Draco Malfoy, the bleached blonde villain of the Harry Potter movies. For the next ten years, he was at the center of a huge pop culture phenomenon and yet, in between filming, he would go back to being a normal teenager trying to fit into a normal school. Speaking with great candor and his signature humor, Tom shares his experience growing up as part of the wizarding world while also trying to navigate the muggle world. He tells stories from his early days in the business like his first acting gig where he was mistaken for fellow blonde child actor Macaulay Culkin and his Harry Potter audition where, in a very Draco-like move, he fudged how well he knew the books the series was based on (not at all). He reflects on his experiences working with cinematic greats such as Alan Rickman, Sir Michael Gambon, Dame Maggie Smith, and Ralph Fiennes (including that awkward Voldemort hug). And, perhaps most poignantly, he discusses the lasting relationships he made over that decade of filming, including with Emma Watson, who started out as a pesky nine-year-old whom he mocked for not knowing what a boom mic was but who soon grew into one of his dearest friends. Then, of course, there are the highs and lows of fame and navigating life after such a momentous and life-changing experience.

My Thoughts: As a former Harry Potter fan, I was so excited to hear about Tom Felton’s experience growing up on the set of such an iconic movie franchise. Plus, I feel like Tom has always kind of been the overlooked actor who played such a staple character in the series, so this was me paying my respect to our favorite Slytherin boi. The audiobook is read by Tom which is so much fun because his Surrey accent truly sucks you into his incredibly entertaining anecdotes. It was really interesting to learn he lived a pretty down-to-earth lifestyle as a kid into his teens even as a child actor who had played in a number of popular movies outside of the Harry Potter films (ex: The Borrowers - circa 1997). I loved that he was a huge troublemaker on the set of Harry Potter and hearing about his relationship with all of the adult actors and actresses. It was cool to get a behind the scenes look at who those people are in real life. Although he had a lot of humorous tales to tell, he also shared vulnerable stories about his battle with addiction, hitting rock bottom, checking himself into rehab, etc. This memoir was well written and I loved that I got a taste of who Tom Felton truly is through this experience. If you were an HP fan or still are, I definitely recommend giving this book a listen!

The Huntress by Kate Quinn

THE HUNTRESS by Kate Quinn

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Bold and fearless, Nina Markova always dreamed of flying. When the Nazis attack the Soviet Union, she risks everything to join the legendary Night Witches, an all-female night bomber regiment wreaking havoc on the invading Germans. When she is stranded behind enemy lines, Nina becomes the prey of a lethal Nazi murderess known as the Huntress, and only Nina’s bravery and cunning will keep her alive. Transformed by the horrors he witnessed from Omaha Beach to the Nuremberg Trials, British war correspondent Ian Graham has become a Nazi hunter. Yet one target eludes him: a vicious predator known as the Huntress. To find her, the fierce, disciplined investigator joins forces with the only witness to escape the Huntress alive: the brazen, cocksure Nina. But a shared secret could derail their mission unless Ian and Nina force themselves to confront it. Growing up in post-war Boston, seventeen-year-old Jordan McBride is determined to become a photographer. When her long-widowed father unexpectedly comes home with a new fiancée, Jordan is thrilled. But there is something disconcerting about the soft-spoken German widow. Certain that danger is lurking, Jordan begins to delve into her new stepmother’s past—only to discover that there are mysteries buried deep in her family . . . secrets that may threaten all Jordan holds dear.

My Thoughts: It’s been a hot minute since I’ve read a Kate Quinn book. I listened to The Alice Network and The Rose Code a couple summers ago and both of those books live absolutely rent free in my head to this day. She has a knack for writing captivating historical fiction novels and The Huntress was no exception. I want to start with how much research must’ve gone into the background story of each character - and even the book’s various settings - before she ever put words to a page. Between the nuances of how each country included in this narrative experienced WW2 and being able to name real landmarks within those regions, it  was incredible. It breathed life into everything the characters went through during the war and gave clarity to their perspectives in the current day. True to her usual style, the format of the book bounces between different characters: a former British war correspondent, a former Russian woman pilot, and a young American woman living in Boston. The story also switches timelines between the present and various memories from time during the war and further back. I was equally invested in each character and it was impossible not to root for them all. Also, I thought the author did a PHENOMENAL job of humanizing the antagonist just enough to the point where I second guessed if she was still a horrible person or if she had truly reconciled for all the previous horrors she caused. The plot was just as addicting as the characters and I couldn’t wait to see where their individual paths would inevitably cross. I feel like I’m rambling, but needless to say, I’m adding another 5-star Kate Quinn book to my “read” shelf.

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

CARRY ON by Rainbow Rowell (SIMON SNOW #1)

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Simon Snow is the worst Chosen One who's ever been chosen. That's what his roommate, Baz, says. And Baz might be evil and a vampire and a complete git, but he's probably right. Half the time, Simon can't even make his wand work, and the other half, he starts something on fire. His mentor's avoiding him, his girlfriend broke up with him, and there's a magic-eating monster running around, wearing Simon's face. Baz would be having a field day with all this, if he were here — it's their last year at the Watford School of Magicks, and Simon's infuriating nemesis didn't even bother to show up.

My Thoughts: Okay I randomly bought this book from a local bookstore last fall, and I can’t remember the exact reason I picked it up, but hot dang I’m glad I did. Although I have the physical copy, I opted for the audiobook and Y’ALL. This was one of the most entertaining fantasies I’ve ever read. The narrator does a phenomenal job of really capturing the sass belonging to each character while not overdoing it. I gotta start by saying this is one of the easiest magical structures to follow that I’ve ever come across. There’s only a few types of magical beings you have to be aware of and they’re all pretty mainstream. The spells these mages cast are sooooo silly. They’re mostly based on nursery rhymes or modern day lyrics, idioms, etc., which honestly added some comedic relief to almost all of the intense battle scenes. Plus, don’t get me started on the top notch BANTER these characters were serving up. I was OBSESSED with the back and forth between Simon and Baz, but Penelope had a few one-liners in there that had me cackling. Though the climax of the book wasn’t a huge shock, the plot had me hooked from the very beginning. I will say, Part 1 was a little slow because Baz’s character hadn’t been introduced yet. However, I can respect that you need to know the background on Simon Snow and Watford first before adding another dynamic character into the mix. Honestly, if you’re new to fantasy or are in a fantasy slump, I highly recommend giving this book a try. It was exactly what I needed when I needed it. 

The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris

THE OTHER BLACK GIRL by Zakiya Dalila Harris

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: Twenty-six-year-old editorial assistant Nella Rogers is tired of being the only Black employee at Wagner Books. Fed up with the isolation and microaggressions, she’s thrilled when Harlem-born and bred Hazel starts working in the cubicle beside hers. They’ve only just started comparing natural hair care regimens, though, when a string of uncomfortable events elevates Hazel to Office Darling, and Nella is left in the dust. Then the notes begin to appear on Nella’s desk: LEAVE WAGNER. NOW. It’s hard to believe Hazel is behind these hostile messages. But as Nella starts to spiral and obsess over the sinister forces at play, she soon realizes that there’s a lot more at stake than just her career.

My Thoughts:  I remember this book being described as having a “Get Out meets Stepford Wives” vibe to it. So I was excited to see what it was all about since it also was recently adapted by Hulu. We experience most of this book through the main character, Nella, who is an editorial assistant at a publishing company called Wagner Books and happens to be the only person of color in the office as well. She’s tired of the way she’s treated and is very excited when she learns another Black woman, Hazel, was just hired and will be sitting in the cubicle next to her. Although their rapport starts off well enough, some very uncomfy things start happening that pushes Hazel into the spotlight and leaves Nella second guessing everything going on around her. This book has some very WTF IS HAPPENING moments in it that even left me feeling a little gaslit. So, naturally, Nella becomes pretty paranoid and I started wondering if she was always an unreliable narrator or if her paranoia is just making it seem that way. I will say, this book felt a little longer than it needed to be and the big reveal at the end felt kind of abrupt, but I definitely did not see it coming. I haven’t watched the Hulu adaptation yet, but I’ll be interested to see how closely they followed the book. If you haven’t read this one and are looking for a non-gruesome psychological thriller, I recommend giving this one a try!

Forget Me Not by Julie Soto

FORGET ME NOT by Julie Soto

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: Ama Torres loves being a wedding planner. But with a mother who has been married more times than you can count on your fingers, Ama has decided that marriage is not the route for her. But weddings? Weddings are amazing. As a small business owner, she knows how to match her clients with the perfect vendor to give them the wedding of their dreams. Well, almost perfect… Elliot hates being a florist, most of the time. When his father left him the flower shop, he considered it a burden, but he’s stuck with it. Just like how he’s stuck with the way he proposed to Ama, his main collaborator and girlfriend (or was she?) two years ago. But flowers have grown on him, just like Ama did. And flowers can’t run off and never speak to him again, like Ama did. When Ama is hired to plan a celebrity wedding that will bring her business national exposure, there's a catch: Elliot is already contracted to design the flowers. Things are not helped by the two brides, who see the obvious chemistry between Ama and Elliot and are determined to set them up, not knowing their complicated history. Add in a meddling ex-boss, and a reality TV film crew documenting every step of the wedding prep, and Ama and Elliot's hearts are not only in jeopardy again, but this time, their livelihoods are too.

My Thoughts: Although this book took me almost two weeks to get through, I totally understand the hype behind it! Ama is a wedding planner and has zero interest in having a wedding of her own. Elliot is a florist who wasn’t necessarily intending to become a florist, but after his father passed away, he took over the family’s flower shop. It’s clear Ama and Elliot have a history, but what happened two years ago between them is a mystery. I loved that the book flipped between the present in Ama’s POV and the past in Elliot’s POV. It gave me a chance to not only understand Ama better, but also Elliot’s character and how their previous connection affected him. The plotline of this book was really solid and kept me invested in addition to the second-chance romance brewing between Ama and Elliot. Not to mention, Elliot’s tattoos??? Ooooweee don’t get me started on how attractive they were. If you’re looking for a romance that’s pretty on theme with wedding szn right around the corner, I definitely recommend giving this one a try!

Only and Forever by Chloe Liese

ONLY AND FOREVER by Chloe Liese (BERGMAN BROTHERS #7)

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: Viggo Bergman, hopeless romantic, is thoroughly weary of waiting for his happily ever after. But between opening a romance bookstore, running a romance book club, coaching kids' soccer, and adopting a household of pets—just maybe, he’s overcommitted himself?—Viggo’s chaotic life has made finding his forever love seem downright improbable. Enter Tallulah Clarke, chilly cynic with a massive case of writer’s block. Tallulah needs help with her thriller’s romantic subplot. Viggo needs another pair of hands to keep his store afloat. So they agree to swap skills and cohabitate for convenience—his romance expertise to revive her book, her organizational prowess to salvage his store. They hardly get along, and they couldn’t be more different, but who says roommate-coworkers need to be friends? As they share a home and life, Tallulah and Viggo discover a connection that challenges everything they believe about love, and reveals the plot twist they never saw happily ever after is here already, right under their roof.

My Thoughts: Ugh. Okay. So let me start by saying, I have absolutely ADORED the Bergman Brothers series ever since reading the first book (Only When It’s Us) back in 2021. The Bergman family has seven kids, hence a seven-book series to follow. Thus far, we know Viggo as the brother who is obsessed with romance novels and has convinced characters in the other books to utilize the fail-proof romance book tactic of a grand gesture to express their feelings in an impactful way. SO OBVIOUSLY, I’ve been THOROUGHLY looking forward to his book for the last six installments. Especially since he’s the last sibling in the series. Although I did enjoy this book, it sadly did not blow me away as I was anticipating. I mean like, true to Chloe Liese’s MO with this series, I obviously had some big feels during the heartwarming scenes and LOVED that these two characters supported one another in such a unique way. The banter was pretty decent as well, which you know I take seriously. The pace of their connection-building felt organic enough, but there were a couple of things that came up where I was like “really tho?” For example, Viggo has yet to deal his V-card. Which is TOTALLY FINE, but didn’t feel like it fit the narrative here or the character we’ve gotten to know over the series?? I don’t know. Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It just wasn’t the series ender that I hoped for. If you’ve read the Bergman Brothers series then I obviously recommend reading this one. Just keep your expectations lower than I set mine going into it. 

Wayward Son by Rainbow Rowell

WAYWARD SON by Rainbow Rowell (SIMON SNOW #2)

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: The story is supposed to be over. Simon Snow did everything he was supposed to do. He beat the villain. He won the war. He even fell in love. Now comes the good part, right? Now comes the happily ever after… So why can’t Simon Snow get off the couch? What he needs, according to his best friend, is a change of scenery. He just needs to see himself in a new light… That’s how Simon and Penny and Baz end up in a vintage convertible, tearing across the American West. They find trouble, of course. (Dragons, vampires, skunk-headed things with shotguns.) And they get lost. They get so lost, they start to wonder whether they ever knew where they were headed in the first place…

My Thoughts: Okay so I thought the last book was entertaining, but I wasn’t ready for the number of times this second installment had me LAFFIN. Simon, Baz, and Penny are up to some shenanigans yet again, but this time their adventure takes them to the United States. Their friend Agatha moved to California after graduating from their magic school back in England and they’re here to visit. When they realize she might be in a bit of trouble, a cross-country road trip from Chicago to California commences. Cue a number of hilarious obstacles they run into trying to reach their friend who has been kidnapped by a weird vampire science cult. I loved that the magical rules and politics were different from state to state, and that they had to modify their usual spells to reflect American pop culture. I will say, Simon is a bit of a broody boi throughout this book and there was a bit of self sabotaging going on that I didn’t love. However, I can see that his character arc is going to change once again in the third book, so I’m excited to see where that goes. If you haven’t dabbled in the Simon Snow series yet, I can’t recommend it enough!

Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney

DAISY DARKER by Alice Feeney

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: After years of avoiding each other, Daisy Darker’s entire family is assembling for Nana’s 80th birthday party in Nana’s crumbling gothic house on a tiny tidal island. Finally back together one last time, when the tide comes in, they will be cut off from the rest of the world for eight hours. The family arrives, each of them harboring secrets. Then at the stroke of midnight, as a storm rages, Nana is found dead. And an hour later, the next family member follows… Trapped on an island where someone is killing them one by one, the Darkers must reckon with their present mystery as well as their past secrets, before the tide comes in and all is revealed.

My Thoughts: I got this book through Book of the Month back in 2022 and it had soooo much hype around it right after it was published. I honestly had no idea what it was about going into it, and I ended up opting for the audiobook because it happened to be available through Libby. As soon as I started reading it, I recognized that the author was giving a huge nod to “And Then There Were None” as a poem about how the Darker family dies shows up in chalk on the wall at Seaglass, their nana’s house. We experience this gruesome Halloween night through the eyes of the youngest Darker sister, Daisy. In attendance are her parents, her two older sisters, her nana, niece, and a neighbor they grew up with. Since the house is in the middle of the sea on a hill, the family can’t leave until the tide goes back out in the morning. One by one, each member of the family is mysteriously killed in a way that is similar to their death in the poem on the wall, and no one knows who is doing it. For most of the book, I was trying to guess whodunnit. I assumed it was someone in the house if this plot was following the “And Then There Were None” blueprint, but I was NOT READY for the plot twist at the end. It made sense once it was revealed, but it was still so unexpected. The writing was great, the characters were all dislikeable lol, and my conclusion is that this book deserved the hype it got back in 2022.

Shark Heart by Emily Habeck

SHARK HEART by Emily Habeck

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: For Lewis and Wren, their first year of marriage is also their last. A few weeks after their wedding, Lewis receives a rare diagnosis. He will retain most of his consciousness, memories, and intellect, but his physical body will gradually turn into a great white shark. As Lewis develops the features and impulses of one of the most predatory creatures in the ocean, his complicated artist’s heart struggles to make peace with his unfulfilled dreams. At first, Wren internally resists her husband’s fate. Is there a way for them to be together after Lewis changes? Then, a glimpse of Lewis’s developing carnivorous nature activates long-repressed memories for Wren, whose story vacillates between her childhood living on a houseboat in Oklahoma, her time with a college ex-girlfriend, and her unusual friendship with a woman pregnant with twin birds. Woven throughout this bold novel is the story of Wren’s mother, Angela, who becomes pregnant with Wren at fifteen in an abusive relationship amidst her parents’ crumbling marriage. In the present, all of Wren’s grief eventually collides, and she is forced to make an impossible choice.

My Thoughts: I know what you’re thinking because I was thinking the same thing going into this book: how could a story about a guy being diagnosed with a mutation that he will turn into a shark turn out to be so beautiful? Let me tell you. This writing was stunning. I don’t know how the author did it, but she captures you and doesn’t let you go. The format was refreshing because it flips between normal dialogues and storytelling, screenplays, and more, as well as switching between a few character POVs. I loved that although the first half of the book focuses on Lewis and Ren’s relationship and their coping as Lewis slowly transformed into a great white shark, the second half pivots to Wren’s childhood and the relationship with her mother (who was also diagnosed with a type of mutation). Although romance is a theme in this book, it’s not the primary one. There is a lot of messaging in this story related to grieving people who have changed, learning how to become a caretaker for someone, the relationships between parents and children, and more. If you haven’t read this book yet, put it on your TBR list for this year ASAP. It’s a book I will think about often and will definitely be recommending to people for the foreseeable future. 

Okie doke! That’s it for April.

Cheers to a lovely spring and let the countdown to summer begin! 🙂

2024 Book Count: 43

Add me on Goodreads if you haven’t already.

YOUR TURN! What’s on your radar for summer reads?

March 2024 Reads

Ah, March. You fickle gal. 

You teased us with Spring 1, only to bring back Winter 2. Then you gaslit us into Spring 2, only to pull the rug out from under us with Winter 3. Now you’re teetering between the two and have us out here with our hopes up, but expectations down. 

March was not my favorite month. Not just because of the swing diet weather, but something happened in my personal life that was pretty sad. However, I guess it’s kind of fitting that something ended right before the season of rebirth begins. The universe has such a unique sense of humor, I will say that. 

On the reading front, I have officially entered my “cowboy romance” era. Which came to fruition in the form of binge reading a five-book smut-smothered Kindle unlimited series. Can I get a yee-haw? ;)

Fear not if that genre isn’t up your alley though, because I read a plethora of other books this month as well. 

And, with that, let’s get into everything I read in March!

*All summaries are taken or paraphrased from Goodreads.

Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse

BLACK SUN by Rebecca Roanhorse (Between Earth and Sky #1)

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: A god will return. When the earth and sky converge. Under the black sun.

In the holy city of Tova, the winter solstice is usually a time for celebration and renewal, but this year it coincides with a solar eclipse, a rare celestial event proscribed by the Sun Priest as an unbalancing of the world. Meanwhile, a ship launches from a distant city bound for Tova and set to arrive on the solstice. The captain of the ship, Xiala, is a disgraced Teek whose song can calm the waters around her as easily as it can warp a man’s mind. Her ship carries one passenger. Described as harmless, the passenger, Serapio, is a young man, blind, scarred, and cloaked in destiny. As Xiala well knows, when a man is described as harmless, he usually ends up being a villain.

My Thoughts: All right y’all. I can tell you right now, this is not for the faint of heart nor the fantasy novice. This book has so many layers, characters, and storylines to follow that you cannot go into this half-assed. You have to commit to paying attention - especially when you’re listening to the audiobook. I ended up getting the physical book from the library to supplement whenever I felt lost or needed to see a word in print. For example, they use some non-binary pronouns throughout the book for a few characters: xe and xir. However, I thought they were saying a name, so until I looked it up, it wasn’t clicking right away. Overall though, I really enjoyed this story. Although there are a few different characters and storylines to follow, it’s easy to see how they start to connect the further you get into the book. The politics of this world are a prominent driver of the plot and although they’re not spelled out incredibly clearly at first, by the end of the book I felt like I had gotten my footing with them. The writing was full of vivid descriptions that I thought truly brought this world to life, and I appreciated that characters’ backgrounds were given the attention they deserved so that you could connect with each person. As an introduction to the Between Earth and Sky trilogy, I thought this was a solid first installment and will definitely be continuing onto book two. 

The Color Purple by Alice Walker

THE COLOR PURPLE by Alice Walker

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: A powerful cultural touchstone of modern American literature, The Color Purple depicts the lives of African American women in early twentieth-century rural Georgia. Separated as girls, sisters Celie and Nettie sustain their loyalty to and hope in each other across time, distance and silence. Through a series of letters spanning twenty years, first from Celie to God, then the sisters to each other despite the unknown, the novel draws readers into its rich and memorable portrayals of Celie, Nettie, Shug Avery and Sofia and their experience. The Color Purple broke the silence around domestic and sexual abuse, narrating the lives of women through their pain and struggle, companionship and growth, resilience and bravery. Deeply compassionate and beautifully imagined, Alice Walker's epic carries readers on a spirit-affirming journey towards redemption and love.

My Thoughts: Okay, I know I live under a rock and cannot believe it took me this long to read The Color Purple, but I’m so glad I did! Admittedly, I’ve never seen either movie, nor have I ever looked into what this book is about. So this was truly my first time experiencing this gem. Personally, I liked that it’s formatted in letters from Celie to God, Celie to Nettie, and Nettie to Celie. It made connecting with the characters so effortless and kept the pacing of the book decently quick. The adversity these women go through is absolutely unreal. Specifically Celie, who is the protagonist of this tale. She’s been abused her entire life (sexually, emotionally, and physically) by her step-father, husband, and step-kids. The narrative she’s always been given is that because she’s under-educated and not as pretty as her sister, she doesn’t have as much value. It isn’t until she meets and starts developing a friendship with Shug that her self-realization journey begins. There are so many strong female characters in this book and the theme of sisterhood amongst them gave this story a certain type of magic. I cannot recommend this book enough if you haven’t read it yet.

Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez

YOURS TRULY by Abby Jimenez

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Dr. Briana Ortiz’s life is seriously flatlining. Her divorce is just about finalized, her brother’s running out of time to find a kidney donor, and that promotion she wants? Oh, that’s probably going to the new man-doctor who’s already registering eighty-friggin’-seven on Briana’s “pain in my ass” scale. But just when all systems are set to hate, Dr. Jacob Maddox completely flips the game . . . by sending Briana a letter. And it’s a really good letter. Like the kind that proves that Jacob isn’t actually Satan. Worse, he might be this fantastically funny and subversively likeable guy who’s terrible at first impressions. Because suddenly he and Bri are exchanging letters, sharing lunch dates in her “sob closet,” and discussing the merits of freakishly tiny horses. But when Jacob decides to give Briana the best gift imaginable—a kidney for her brother—she wonders just how she can resist this quietly sexy new doctor . . . especially when he calls in a favor she can’t refuse.

My Thoughts: If there’s anything I’ve learned about Abby Jimenez as an author, it’s that she truly has a gift of making her characters feel so real. The number of emotions I rotated through while reading this book is immeasurable. I was OBSESSED. Jacob has officially been added to the book boyfriend roster because that man has my whole heart. He is the sweetest, most altruistic man candy who is dealing with some severe anxiety - which I thought was handled with such care in the writing. I found his experience dealing with social anxiety so relatable and the way his internal dialogue was depicted truly put you in the shoes of someone whose brain is firing from all cylinders. Not to mention, he had an entire room dedicated to his house plants which is a choice I can FULLY get behind lol. The way he kept showing up for Briana despite her doubts and traumas affecting the way she saw their relationship was truly admirable. Briana is strong, independent, brave, and I had a total friend crush on her. The banter and rapport they had as friends made this romance so much more believable and you could tell they truly felt for each other with their whole hearts. I highly recommend this book if you haven’t dabbled yet. It will probably be one of my favorite romances this year.

Cultish by Amanda Montell

CULTISH: THE LANGUAGE OF FANATICISM by Amanda Montell

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: What makes “cults” so intriguing and frightening? What makes them powerful? The reason why so many of us binge Manson documentaries by the dozen and fall down rabbit holes researching suburban moms gone QAnon is because we’re looking for a satisfying explanation for what causes people to join—and more importantly, stay in—extreme groups. We secretly want to know: could it happen to me? Amanda Montell’s argument is that, on some level, it already has . . . Our culture tends to provide pretty flimsy answers to questions of cult influence, mostly having to do with vague talk of “brainwashing.” But the true answer has nothing to do with freaky mind-control wizardry or Kool-Aid. In Cultish, Montell argues that the key to manufacturing intense ideology, community, and us/them attitudes all comes down to language. In both positive ways and shadowy ones, cultish language is something we hear—and are influenced by—every single day. Through juicy storytelling and cutting original research, Montell exposes the verbal elements that make a wide spectrum of communities “cultish,” revealing how they affect followers of groups as notorious as Heaven’s Gate, but also how they pervade our modern start-ups, Peloton leaderboards, and Instagram feeds. Incisive and darkly funny, this enrapturing take on the curious social science of power and belief will make you hear the fanatical language of “cultish” everywhere.

My Thoughts: Listen, I started this audiobook at the start of one of my “cleaning weekends” and was able to finish it within two days. It was so interesting. The book mainly focuses on cults and the language they use to thrive. Although she does touch on actual cults such as Jonestown and Heaven’s Gate, she also delves into religion as a cult (specifically Scientology), multi-level marketing schemes (i.e. Mary Kay, Lula Roe, etc.), exercise cults (Peloton, cross-fit, etc.), how social media contributes to the growth of cults, and more. It was a quick listen, super informative, and I’m not usually a non-fiction girly, but this was thoroughly intriguing to me. I definitely recommend picking it up!

My Sister, The Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

MY SISTER, THE SERIAL KILLER by Oyinkan Braithwaite 

Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary: When Korede's dinner is interrupted one night by a distress call from her sister, Ayoola, she knows what's expected of her: bleach, rubber gloves, nerves of steel and a strong stomach. This'll be the third boyfriend Ayoola's dispatched in, quote, self-defense, and the third mess that her lethal little sibling has left Korede to clear away. She should probably go to the police for the good of the menfolk of Nigeria, but she loves her sister and, as they say, family always comes first. Until, that is, Ayoola starts dating the doctor where Korede works as a nurse. Korede's long been in love with him, and isn't prepared to see him wind up with a knife in his back: but to save one would mean sacrificing the other...

My Thoughts: I listened to this on audiobook and although it was a super fast read, it felt a little jerky. It starts with Korede’s sister calling her flustered because Ayoola just killed her boyfriend. Cue Korede’s clean-up process. From there, I was expecting more of a thriller vibe, but although it did continue to talk about Ayoola’s patterns with murdering her significant others, I think this book was more about the relationship between the two sisters and how those dynamics affected life. Since Ayoola is the younger, more beautiful sister, Korede feels obligated to protect her in any way possible. However, Ayoola doesn’t always reciprocate the loyalty nor loving nature. The plot was kind of all over the place. Each chapter would jump to a different short anecdote with no real common connection between them, so you’re left trying to connect the dots yourself. Overall, if you’ve had this on your radar, I’d say read it because it’s very short. Otherwise, I doubt I’ll ever pick this up again.

Flawless by Elsie Silver

FLAWLESS by Elise Silver (CHESTNUT SPRINGS #1)

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: I’m the face of professional bull riding—the golden boy. Or at least I was, until it all blew up in my face. Now my agent says I have to clean up my image, so I’m stuck with his ball-busting daughter for the rest of the season as my “full-time supervision.” But I don’t need a goddamn babysitter, especially one with skin-tight jeans, a sexy smirk, and a mouth she can’t stop running. A mouth I can’t stop thinking about. Because Summer isn’t just another conquest. She sees the man behind the mask, and she doesn’t run—she pulls me closer, even when she shouldn’t. She says this means nothing. I say this means everything. She says there are boundaries we shouldn’t cross. That my reputation can’t take any more hits—and neither can her damaged heart. I say I’m going to steal it anyway.

My Thoughts: Okay Rhett and Summer and the quintessential characters to kick off a great romance series. Rhett is the bull riding cowboy with a bad reputation that threatens his career. Cue Summer, a quick-witted, no nonsense sports agent assigned to babysit Rhett for the upcoming season to make sure he doesn’t step out of line and lose more sponsors than he already has. I loved their dynamics and how much each resisted their attraction and connection. The way their relationship developed felt so natural and I loved that they showed up for each other in a way neither had experienced before. The salacious scenes provided the perfect amount of spice and it made my heart melt to see how quickly the Eaton clan (Rhett’s family) absorbed Summer into it. This wasn’t a groundbreaking romance by any means, but it was definitely addicting enough to make me want to continue with this cowboy romance journey lol.

The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix

THE FINAL GIRL SUPPORT GROUP by Grady Hendrix

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: In horror movies, the final girls are the ones left standing when the credits roll. They made it through the worst night of their lives…but what happens after? From chainsaws to summer camp slayers, The Final Girl Support Group pays tribute to and slyly subverts our most popular horror films—movies like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, A Nightmare on Elm Street, and Scream. | Lynnette Tarkington is a real-life final girl who survived a massacre. For more than a decade, she’s been meeting with five other final girls and their therapist in a support group for those who survived the unthinkable, working to put their lives back together. Then one woman misses a meeting, and their worst fears are realized—someone knows about the group and is determined to rip their lives apart again, piece by piece. But the thing about final girls is that no matter how bad the odds, how dark the night, how sharp the knife, they will never, ever give up.

My Thoughts: This book was really clever. It pays homage to the final girls from cult-favorite horror films and what happens after the movie ends. If you’re into unreliable narrators, Lynnette is your gal. There were so many times where I was convinced she was absolutely crazy and imagining the things that were going on because this plot is fucking bonkers. What starts as the Final Girl Support Group potentially dissolving after 15 years of companionship turns into a whirlwind of events that no one saw coming. There was a satirical quality to the writing that I appreciated, like these women basically getting beat to shit in different situations that people most definitely wouldn’t be able to walk away from, but they ~somehow~ muster the strength to keep going and save their friends. As I mentioned, the plot is completely unpredictable and the pacing is mostly fast, but also erratic at points. Since Lynnette is the main driver of your experience, you get to hear her inner dialogue which all sounds extremely paranoid and irrational, but at the same time, you can’t discount anything she says. I was thoroughly entertained the entire time, but I think it lasted a little bit longer than I thought it would. So by the end, I was ready for it to be over lol. Otherwise, for my first Grady Hendrix book, I definitely enjoyed it and recommend the audiobook. 

Heartless by Elsie Silver

HEARTLESS by Elsie Silver (CHESTNUT SPRINGS #2)

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Working as a nanny for the world’s grumpiest single dad should have been simple. Except I can’t keep my eyes off him. And he can’t keep his hands off of me. Cade Eaton is thirteen years older than I am and barely looks my way. Until I get him into the hot tub one night for a game of truth or dare. Then all bets are off—and so are our clothes. He’s gruff, a little rough around the edges. But broad-shouldered ranchers with calloused hands and filthy mouths are this city girl’s kryptonite. So who am I to resist? But it’s in our quiet moments together that he softens. It’s when he takes care of me that I realize his hardened exterior is just a façade. It’s when I watch him go all sweet with his little boy that I really fall for him. Someone convinced him once that his best wasn’t good enough. But I’ve never felt more cherished than I do in his arms. My contract may say this arrangement is only for two months. But my heart says this is forever.

My Thoughts: Y’all. I was not ready for this. There are a few tropes in this one including age-gap (which I don’t usually like, but this wasn’t terrible), enemies-to-lovers, nanny-single dad, and forced proximity. Basically, Cade Eaton, the oldest of the Eaton boys, needs a nanny for his 5-year-old son this summer while he tends to the family ranch. Summer, his younger brother’s new girlfriend, has the perfect person. Willa is the complete opposite of who you’d expect to be a great nanny. She’s spent the last few years bartending at her brother’s bar, she’s got tattoos, red hair, and no filter. She’s spunky and takes shit from no one. So naturally, Willa and Cade initially bump heads, but as they slowly get to know each other, their connection is undeniable. Also the connection that Willa builds with Cade’s son turned me into a puddle of heartwarming mush. On the smut front, the filth that came out of Cade’s mouth was so far from his usual southern gentleman vibe. It was WILD and spicy and I wouldn’t change a thing about it lol. Needless to say, I flew through this romance and think it was a great change of pace from the first book in this series. 

Powerless by Elsie Silver

POWERLESS by Elsie Silver (CHESTNUT SPRINGS #3)

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Two childhood friends. Two broken hearts. One impromptu road trip to get away from everything. That’s all this was supposed to be. Afterall, I’ve been living in the friend zone for years now. But hockey heartthrob Jasper Gervais isn’t looking at me like a friend anymore. And he isn’t touching me like one either. To his fans, he’s the handsome, talented athlete on TV. But to me he’s still the lost boy with sad eyes and a heart of gold. The man I’ve loved in secret for years. So when my life falls apart on my wedding day, it only makes sense that he’s the one to swoop in and save me. And when his world comes crashing down around him, I’m there to return the favor. But the more time we spend alone, the more Jasper doesn’t feel like a friend at all. He feels like everything I’ve ever wanted and thought I could never have. Our feelings aren’t straight forward though. They twist and turn around the pain of his past and the reality of my present. Jasper Gervais acts like he wants me. But after years of turning me away, he’s going to need to prove it.

My Thoughts: Okay, okay. We love a friends-to-lovers trope with a little bit of grumpy/sunshine and forced proximity sprinkled in. Although I saw other reviews say they found this book boring, I was fully invested. I’m not sure if it’s because Jasper is actually a hockey player and not a cowboy even though this is in the cowboy romance series, who’s to say? Either way, I was obsessed with the dynamics between Jasper and Sloane. They’ve known each other since they were kids and have been one another’s biggest rock ever since. So when Sloane needs Jasper’s help escaping her wedding to the literal worst man you could ever imagine, he asks zero questions. It was super sweet how protective Jasper was over Sloane and how much he was fighting his feelings for her. Whereas Sloane knew she’s been in love with Jasper since they were young, but never acted on her feelings for him. Once everything was out on the table though, all bets were off. Also, y’all, the spice in this book??? *Chef’s kiss**. It was like these two had been holding their breath for the last 10 years and once their feelings were out there, they could finally breathe. I personally really liked this book and definitely recommend reading it if you’ve started the Chestnut Springs series. 

Age of Vice by Deepti Kapoor

AGE OF VICE by Deepti Kapoor

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: This is the age of vice, where money, pleasure, and power are everything, and the family ties that bind can also kill. New Delhi, 3 a.m. A speeding Mercedes jumps the curb and in the blink of an eye, five people are dead. It’s a rich man’s car, but when the dust settles there is no rich man at all, just a shell-shocked servant who cannot explain the strange series of events that led to this crime. Nor can he foresee the dark drama that is about to unfold. Deftly shifting through time and perspective in contemporary India, Age of Vice is an epic, action-packed story propelled by the seductive wealth, startling corruption, and bloodthirsty violence of the Wadia family — loved by some, loathed by others, feared by all. In the shadow of lavish estates, extravagant parties, predatory business deals and calculated political influence, three lives become dangerously intertwined: Ajay is the watchful servant, born into poverty, who rises through the family’s ranks. Sunny is the playboy heir who dreams of outshining his father, whatever the cost. And Neda is the curious journalist caught between morality and desire. Against a sweeping plot fueled by loss, pleasure, greed, yearning, violence and revenge, will these characters’ connections become a path to escape, or a trigger of further destruction?

My Thoughts: This book is absolutely WILD. Like I was not prepared for what it was going to put me through lol. Although I own the physical book, I decided to listen to the audiobook instead and I am so glad I did. The narrator does a phenomenal job with character voices. He sucks you in and makes it so easy to build a connection with each of the characters. The book is split into five parts with each part focusing primarily on a specific character’s perspective. It wasn’t until I finished part two did I start seeing how the thread of each person’s experience in this world woven into the bigger picture of what was happening. That particular part was freaking BONKERS. It was almost like having whiplash trying to keep up with the chaos that was life orbiting these Indian oligarchs. The writing was incredibly unique and I was awed at how this author’s mind works to be able to create such a complex story. Overall, I definitely recommend this book if you’re looking for something with a little suspense, a little romance, and a lot of action. 

Reckless by Elsie Silver

RECKLESS by Elsie Silver (CHESTNUT SPRINGS #4)

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Theo Silva. Rowdy bull rider. Notorious ladies’ man. Scorching hot trouble wrapped up in a drool-worthy package. And he’s looking at me like I might be his next meal. But I’m almost free of my toxic marriage and have sworn off men entirely. So all I see when I look back is temptation served up with a heaping side of heartbreak. The man is hard to trust—and even harder to resist. Make that impossible. Because Theo is persistent. And no matter how hard I try to freeze him out, he melts my icy exterior and pulls apart all my defenses. Over a drink in a small town bar, I blurt out my deepest, darkest secrets. Then I spend the singular hottest night of my life with him. He worships my body. He makes me blush. I come alive beneath his hands. Then I tell him to forget it ever happened. I want simple, and with him it all feels complicated. It was supposed to be a one-time thing. A secret. But that little plus sign is going to make this secret impossible to keep.

My Thoughts: This has got to be my favorite book in the series, handsdown. Theo is an absolute KING and we love that he knows just how to melt the ice princess that is Winter. I was obsessed with their dynamics and how one hot night turns into a relationship for the ages. Winter is Summer’s half sister and has always been perceived as this closed off, cold hearted person. However, Theo sees right through that facade and knows how to bring out the best parts of Winter. He gives her a safe space to be vulnerable and that’s where the magic happens. In contrast, although he’s usually all smiles, Winter can see the cracks in Theo’s easy-going mask and makes him feel safe enough to show the sides of him not everyone wants to see. I was OBSESSED with how quickly he was all in on their situation. I don’t want to ruin anything, although you can probably guess from the summary of the book, but Winter and Theo are connected for the rest of their lives whether they like it or not. (Spoiler, they like it lol). I would be remiss to not mention the smut. THE SPICE WAS SCORCHING. Like get ready to pull on the neck of your shirt to get some more air because you are in for some heat. I wouldn’t change a thing about this book. I tore through it in like two days because I could not put it down.

Hopeless by Elsie Silver

HOPELESS by Elsie Silver (CHESTNUT SPRINGS #5)

Rating: 3.5/5

Summary: Beau Eaton is the town prince, a handsome military hero with a tortured past. I’m the outcast bartender, a shy girl from the wrong side of the tracks. He’s thirty-five and all man, and I’m twenty-two and all… virgin. He’s also my fiancé. Correction: my fake fiancé. We start out as a bet. He doesn’t believe that anyone holds my last name against me. So he offers me his to prove a point. It’s win-win. He gets a break from his concerned family’s prying, and I get a chance to shed my family’s reputation while I save up to ditch this small town. He says all I have to do is wear his ring, follow his lead, and pretend I can’t keep my hands off of him in public. But it’s what happens between us in private that blurs all those carefully drawn lines. It’s what transpires behind closed doors that doesn’t feel like pretending at all. This engagement was supposed to be for show. This agreement? It has an end date. He once told me he’d never fall in love. And yet here I am, head over heels for my fake fiancé.

My Thoughts: Ugh okay. So I usually love a fake fiancé trope, but the age difference between these two characters (Beau - 35 and Bailey - 22) didn’t sit well with me lol. The dynamics between them were really cute. It felt like they became friends first as they played out this fake fianceé situation until Bailey could find a new job and make enough money to move out of their hometown where she’s treated like a pariah due to her last name. Her family has a bad reputation of being trashy and destructive, so people just assume she’s the same way when that couldn’t be further from the truth. Beau is trying to deal with some PTSD after he went missing during his last deployment. He’s back home healing some injuries he experienced and has no idea what he wants to do with his life. However, for whatever reason, he finds peace when he’s sitting at the local dive chatting with the bartender, Bailey. The overall premise and idea of this book was cute, but I just felt like it had some holes for me. Even when the big conflict occurs due to Beau lying by omission, I was like “was I supposed to pick up on that from previous conversations??” I don’t know. This book had its fair share of spice and I liked the experience of it overall, I just mainly couldn’t get past the age gap.

Okay that’s it for March!

I’m not sure if I’ll continue with the cowboy romance smut, but no promises in either direction lol. ;) Sometimes you just need a smutty Kindle Unlimited escape from life, yanno?

2024 Book Count: 32

Add me on Goodreads if you haven’t already.

YOUR TURN! What’s on your TBR for April?

February 2024 Reads

Happy Leap Year!

How the heck was your February and what’d you do with your extra day?

This month was kind of a blur to me until the last two weeks. I turned 30 on the 27th, and had a delightful time celebrating with friends, family, and my partner.

My friends really nailed my birthday celebration with Thai food, carrot cake, make-your-own-bookmark crafting, AND I was home by 9pm. Like come on. Tell me you know me incredibly well without telling me you know me incredibly well lol. 

Not to mention, I now know what it’d be like to have a summer birthday because it hit 70 on mine this year. If I ignore the nagging worry about global warming in the back of my mind, then I really enjoyed the change in climate to ring in three decades lol.

My bf also did a swell job with birthday activities. I’ve been wanting to visit the John King Used and Rare Books store in Detroit ever since I learned it’s the largest used and rare bookstore in Michigan. So he took me to downtown Detroit and we explored the organized chaos that is John King for about an hour and a half. It was insanely fun and if you ever go, I highly recommend paying attention to all of the signs and labels - they are truly the stars of the show lol.

Not to be confused with the category two shelves up labeled “Oversize horses.”

So anyway, cheers to 30 years for me and let’s get into everything I read in February!

**All summaries are taken or paraphrased from Goodreads.

Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert

HIGHLY SUSPICIOUS AND UNFAIRLY CUTE by Talia Hibbert

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: Bradley Graeme is pretty much perfect. He's a star football player, manages his OCD well (enough), and comes out on top in all his classes . . . except the ones he shares with his ex-best friend, Celine. Celine Bangura is conspiracy-theory-obsessed. Social media followers eat up her takes on everything from UFOs to holiday overconsumption--yet, she's still not cool enough for the popular kids' table. Which is why Brad abandoned her for the in-crowd years ago. (At least, that's how Celine sees it.) These days, there's nothing between them other than petty insults and academic rivalry. So when Celine signs up for a survival course in the woods, she's surprised to find Brad right beside her. Forced to work as a team for the chance to win a grand prize, these two teens must trudge through not just mud and dirt but their messy past. And as this adventure brings them closer together, they begin to remember the good bits of their history. But has too much time passed . . . or just enough to spark a whole new kind of relationship?

My Thoughts: This was a super cute audiobook! I haven’t read a Talia Hibbert novel in a while, and it was so refreshing to fall back into her witty writing style. Celine and Bradley are such fun characters to follow. They used to be best friends until Bradley became popular and left Celine behind talking about her conspiracy theories. The betrayal cut deep for Celine and she now sees Bradley as her arch nemesis. That is until they both end up signing up for a survival course that could end with a full-ride scholarship to college. The format of the experience forces them to work together, which in return, forces them to work on their lost friendship. Their banter was top notch. It was kind of chaotic at some points, but truly entertaining. I loved how the author incorporated more sensitive topics like what it’s like living with OCD and how people cope with family dysfunction. I thought she handled both with the utmost care. I really liked this book and enjoyed my time with it. However, it didn't necessarily blow my socks off. I also thought it lasted much longer than I was expecting it to, which made getting through the last 15% of it a little tough. Otherwise, if you’ve had this on your radar, I think it’s definitely worth the read!

House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J Maas

HOUSE OF FLAME AND SHADOW by Sarah J Maas (CRESCENT CITY #3)

Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary: Bryce Quinlan never expected to see a world other than Midgard, but now that she has, all she wants is to get back. Everything she loves is in Midgard: her family, her friends, her mate. Stranded in a strange new world, she's going to need all her wits about her to get home again. And that's no easy feat when she has no idea who to trust. Hunt Athalar has found himself in some deep holes in his life, but this one might be the deepest of all. After a few brief months with everything he ever wanted, he's in the Asteri's dungeons again, stripped of his freedom and without a clue as to Bryce's fate. He's desperate to help her, but until he can escape the Asteri's leash, his hands are quite literally tied. In this sexy, breathtaking sequel to the #1 bestsellers House of Earth and Blood and House of Sky and Breath, Sarah J. Maas's Crescent City series reaches new heights as Bryce and Hunt's world is brought to the brink of collapse-with its future resting on their shoulders.

My Thoughts: *MILD SPOILERS AHEAD, BUT I DIDN’T GIVE DETAILS*  Listen. I was ITCHING to dive into this thicc gal as soon as she came out on January 30th. Though I definitely got sucked ALL the way into this adventure, it just kind of felt like it fell short of my expectations. It didn’t have the ol’ Sarah J Maas ~rAzZLe dAZzlE~ if you know what I mean. Starting with the good, she incorporated the world and characters of ACOTAR (A Court of Thorns and Roses) into this storyline just the perfect amount. I didn’t think she overdid it, nor did she leave us wanting more. I also loved that there seemed to be a bit of a red herring as to what’s coming next for some of the ACOTAR characters. Moving on, I was absolutely OBSESSED with Ruhn’s and Lidia’s storyline. There were so many elements that felt fresh and kept me curious as to what was coming next for them. In contrast, Hunt and Bryce started to bore me. Like cool cool, you’re mates and obsessed with each other, but you’re also bickering this entire book and it’s getting old. On that note, a few other things I wished were much better: first off, Ithan’s character arc was a fucking JOKE. He was soooooo annoying and none of the progress he made towards the end was intentional. Like yeah, he made the choice to go in that direction but only because his hand was forced. So I felt like he didn’t really improve all that much due to his own initiatives. Secondly, and let me say again, I was fully invested in everyone’s adventures, however, this was a book of convenience. Everything these characters needed to fight the Asteri or get out of a current sticky situation just oh so conveniently appeared in their paths. The band needs to get back together but they’re scattered all over Midgard? Oh well now Ithan needs to go to Avallen to retrieve a body which conveniently also happens to be where Bryce and everyone else is currently located. Like where is the struggle? Where are the cunning plans from the lowkey strategic main characters that we love to see in the SJM Universe?? ALSO (and lol I’m really reconsidering my rating at this point), the ending seemed TOTALLY wrapped up to me. Don’t get me wrong, I know they had to sort out some things soon, but nothing life-threatening or detrimental or fourth-book worthy. So I was like wait, why have four houses if you’re only going to write three books?? (A refresh if you need it: House of Earth and Blood (book 1), House of Sky and Breath (book 2), House of Flame and Shadow (this book) and House of Many Waters.) So then I got to Googling and apparently there is a fourth book coming out, but not for a long while…? I don’t know. I just don’t see what else could happen in a fourth book that could really be THAT interesting and warrant another 800-page-baddie. You know? Anyways. Apologies that this review turned into a rant lol. I still think it’s worth reading if you’ve started down the Crescent City road, but this was my least favorite book in the series so far.

Ties That Tether by Jane Igharo

TIES THAT TETHER by Jane Igharo

Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary: When a Nigerian woman falls for a man she knows will break her mother’s heart, she must choose between love and her family. At twelve years old, Azere promised her dying father she would marry a Nigerian man and preserve her culture even after emigrating to Canada. Her mother has been vigilant about helping--forcing--her to stay well within the Nigerian dating pool ever since. But when another match-made-by-mom goes wrong, Azere ends up at a bar, enjoying the company and later sharing the bed of Rafael Castellano, a man who is tall, handsome, and white. When their one-night stand unexpectedly evolves into something serious, Azere is caught between her growing feelings for Rafael and the compulsive need to please her mother who will never accept a relationship that threatens to dilute Azere's Nigerian heritage. Azere can't help wondering if loving Rafael makes her any less of a Nigerian. Can she be with him without compromising her identity? The answer will either cause Azere to be audacious and fight for her happiness or continue as the compliant daughter.

My Thoughts: Okay let me just say, the content of this book was good. The execution just fell a little flat for me. It was interesting watching Azere, who emigrated to Canada when she was younger, grappling between maintaining her Nigerian culture while still forging her own path. I also enjoyed learning more about Nigerian traditions and the family dynamics in that culture. The main issue I had with this book, though, is that things felt unfinished. We only got to see Azere’s character as her mother’s daughter. We didn’t get to know what truly made her come alive as a person. What are her aspirations? Does she like her job? What are her dreams? Etc. There was just a lot of depth missing to Azere as the main character. Similarly, Rafael didn’t really do much for me as the main love interest. Besides being instantly obsessed with Azere, the only things we learn about him are that he’s originally from Spain and is hiding a huge secret. So I don’t know if I ever fully bought into the relationship between them. The interactions we got to see unfold were all pretty surface level. Nothing significant happened that convinced me these two are truly connected in a deeper way - not enough for Azere to give up a part of herself anyway. The plot really skipped ahead during the pregnancy too. All of a sudden, the story had fast forwarded a few months and we missed any pivotal moments that may have occurred in their relationship. This book was a good mix of serious topics and feel-good content, but I don’t think I’ll ever read it again. *NOTE: I listened to this on audiobook.

Caught Up by Liz Tomforde

CAUGHT UP by Liz Tomforde (WINDY CITY #3)

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Kai - I’m a single dad and starting pitcher for Chicago’s MLB team. I’m stretched too thin, but I don’t want help raising my son. Each of his previous nannies only lasted a few weeks before I let them go. Now, my coach is putting his foot down by hiring the one person I can’t fire—his daughter. Miller Montgomery is the last woman I should fall for. Too wild, too young, and too unattached. Chicago is just a quick stop for her. I thought I’d be counting down the days until she left, but summer feels too short when I start thinking about forever. | Miller - As a high-end pastry chef who recently won the most prestigious award in my industry, I’m desperate to prove I deserve it. But with a new title comes new pressure, and I can’t create a fresh and inspiring dessert to save my life. With only two months to get back on track, I should be focusing in the kitchen, but instead, I let my dad talk me into using my time off to nanny for his star player’s kid. Kai Rhodes forgot how to have fun, and I’m eager to jog his memory. But when he and his son start to feel like home, I have to remind us both that my time in Chicago ends with the summer. Besides, I’ve always been a runner, and the last thing I want is to get caught.

My Thoughts: Y’ALL. This book had me sobbing as much as I was swooning. I didn’t know what to expect because I liked the first book in this Windy City series (Mile High) and really liked the second book (The Right Move), but this third book?? It had my heart in an absolute chokehold the entire time, and I could not put it down. I’ve never been one for the single-dad and nanny trope, but Kai and Miller did it for me. Their banter was absolutely unmatched. The quick quips and sexual innuendos added the perfect amount of snark to their flirty dynamics. Miller’s character was so entertaining to me. She had zero filter and a badass vibe that gave me an instant friend crush on her. Kai was the most thoughtful guy, always trying to take care of everyone in his life. I loved how Miller was able to breathe some life back into him, so that he saw himself as so much more than just a dad. Also, the way they both loved Kai’s son with their entire beings had me in a puddle of emotion throughout the entire book. Seriously, I don’t know what else to say to convince you to read this. It has hot baseball players, a ton of professionally crafted pastries, the perfect amount of salacious scenes, and a WHOLE lotta emotions that will take you high and low. This is probably one of my favorite sports romances of all time. There. I said it. So now you definitely have to pick it up!

Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli

HEARTLESS HUNTER by Kristen Ciccarelli

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: On the night Rune’s life changed forever, blood ran in the streets. Now, in the aftermath of a devastating revolution, witches have been diminished from powerful rulers to outcasts ruthlessly hunted due to their waning magic, and Rune must hide what she is. Spending her days pretending to be nothing more than a vapid young socialite, Rune spends her nights as the Crimson Moth, a witch vigilante who rescues her kind from being purged. When a rescue goes wrong, she decides to throw the witch hunters off her scent and gain the intel she desperately needs by courting the handsome Gideon Sharpe - a notorious and unforgiving witch hunter loyal to the revolution - who she can't help but find herself falling for. Gideon loathes the decadence and superficiality Rune represents, but when he learns the Crimson Moth has been using Rune’s merchant ships to smuggle renegade witches out of the republic, he inserts himself into her social circles by pretending to court her right back. He soon realizes that beneath her beauty and shallow façade is someone fiercely intelligent and tender who feels like his perfect match. Except, what if she’s the very villain he’s been hunting?

My Thoughts: This gem really saved me from a fantasy funk this month. After the disappointment that was Crescent City, I wasn’t sure I wanted to dive into another fantasy right away. However, the cover art on this is absolutely stunning and I haven’t read many books involving witches and witch hunters. So I decided to give this one a go. Y’ALL. This is a bold statement, but I think this is probably going to be one of my favorite fantasies for 2024. I WAS ABSOLUTELY BEWITCHED. I don’t even know where to begin. The pacing was fantastic. As soon as you step into this regency world of ball gowns, spell books, horses, and more, you are swept away into a quickly paced storyline that provides the perfect amount of slow moments to catch your breath. Rune was a kick ass main character. She’s a vigilante known as the Crimson Moth who helps smuggle witches out of The New Republic to prevent their death by the Red Guard. She’s brilliant, cunning, and so freaking badass. Gideon is the perfect counterpart in this enemies-to-lovers romantasy. He’s a broody boy who leads the Red Guard in the hunt for witches in hiding. His current focus? Capturing the Crimson Moth. Cue Rune and Gideon courting each other with alternative motives involving rescuing a recently captured, highly powerful witch and unmasking the Crimson Moth. Don’t get me started on the chemistry between these two characters. The tension was THICC. I was wholeheartedly invested in their relationship and swooned at every interaction. There’s a plot twist at the end that I didn’t see coming, but feel like I should have lol. The very ending is incredibly unexpected and the cliffhanger it left me on was just RUDE. Needless to say, I’ll be on the lookout to pre-order the sequel in this duology ASAP.

Seven Days in June by Tia Williams

SEVEN DAYS IN JUNE by Tia Williams

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Brooklynite Eva Mercy is a single mom and bestselling erotica writer who is feeling pressed from all sides. Shane Hall is a reclusive, enigmatic, award-winning literary author who, to everyone's surprise, shows up in New York. When Shane and Eva meet unexpectedly at a literary event, sparks fly, raising not only their past buried traumas, but the eyebrows of New York's Black literati. What no one knows is that twenty years earlier, teenage Eva and Shane spent one crazy, torrid week madly in love. They may be pretending that everything is fine now, but they can't deny their chemistry - or the fact that they've been secretly writing to each other in their books ever since. Over the next seven days in the middle of a steamy Brooklyn summer, Eva and Shane reconnect, but Eva's not sure how she can trust the man who broke her heart, and she needs to get him out of New York so that her life can return to normal. But before Shane disappears again, there are a few questions she needs answered...

My Thoughts: Oh my gosh I don’t know why it took me so long to pick up this book, but I’m so glad I finally did! It was so freaking good! Shane and Eva originally met in high school where they had a whirlwind weeklong romance. Their chemistry was undeniable from the first interaction, and they just continued to click from there. Fast forward 20 years, and they’re both incredibly successful fiction writers who have been using their books as letters to the other. I loved how complex Eva’s character was and her resiliency after facing so much adversity growing up. Not to mention, the relationship with her daughter was so freaking heartwarming. They were truly best friends and understood each other at the core. Shane’s character was also perfectly imperfect. After years of binge drinking and drug use, he has finally maintained his sobriety for two years and is ready to right some wrongs in his life. When these two unexpectedly reconnect at an author’s panel in New York the sparks fly immediately like no time has passed. Their relationship, though complicated, was so full of love, my cup runneth over. I was obsessed with their dynamics and how they slowly explored this ~thing~ that’s still between them even as adults. The writing was brilliant, the banter was phenomenal, and I cannot recommend this romance novel enough.  

The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead

THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD by Colson Whitehead

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Cora is a slave on a cotton plantation in Georgia. Life is hell for all the slaves, but especially bad for Cora: an outcast even among her fellow Africans, she is coming into womanhood--where even greater pain awaits. When Caesar, a recent arrival from Virginia, tells her about the Underground Railroad, they decide to take a terrifying risk and escape. Matters do not go as planned--Cora kills a young white boy who tries to capture her. Though they manage to find a station and head north, they are being hunted. In Whitehead's ingenious conception, the Underground Railroad is no mere metaphor--engineers and conductors operate a secret network of tracks and tunnels beneath the Southern soil. Cora and Caesar's first stop is South Carolina, in a city that initially seems like a haven. But the city's placid surface masks an insidious scheme designed for its black denizens. And even worse: Ridgeway, the relentless slave catcher, is close on their heels. Forced to flee again, Cora embarks on a harrowing flight, state by state, seeking true freedom. Like the protagonist of Gulliver's Travels, Cora encounters different worlds at each stage of her journey--hers is an odyssey through time as well as space. As Whitehead brilliantly re-creates the unique terrors for black people in the pre-Civil War era, his narrative seamlessly weaves the saga of America from the brutal importation of Africans to the unfulfilled promises of the present day. The Underground Railroad is at once a kinetic adventure tale of one woman's ferocious will to escape the horrors of bondage and a shattering, powerful meditation on the history we all share.

My Thoughts: This is my second Colson Whitehead book and it’s definitely worth the read. His writing style is so unique and has a way of highlighting absolute atrocities that you cannot look away from. For that, this was sometimes an uncomfortable read, but a necessary one. It was really interesting how every new state Cora went to, the attitude towards the underground railroad, slavery, etc. was so different. I recently read an article about this book in which Whitehead said he based Cora’s experiences on those written in autobiographies by slaves, such as hiding in an attic crawl space for multiple years in fear of getting caught, which gave so much more insight into what slaves, free people, and people on the run had to endure in the 1800s. The format was easy to follow even as we learned more of Cora’s back story throughout the book, including what happened to her mother after she tried running away from the plantation in Georgia and essentially disappeared when Cora was only 11. As I said, this isn’t an easy read, but it’s an incredibly necessary one and I highly recommend you pick it up if you haven’t already.  *NOTE: I listened to this on audiobook.

A Lady for a Duke by Alexis Hall

A LADY FOR A DUKE by Alexis Hall

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: When Viola Carroll was presumed dead at Waterloo she took the opportunity to live, at last, as herself. But freedom does not come without a price, and Viola paid for hers with the loss of her wealth, her title, and her closest companion, Justin de Vere, the Duke of Gracewood. Only when their families reconnect, years after the war, does Viola learn how deep that loss truly was. Shattered without her, Gracewood has retreated so far into grief that Viola barely recognises her old friend in the lonely, brooding man he has become. As Viola strives to bring Gracewood back to himself, fresh desires give new names to old feelings. Feelings that would have been impossible once and may be impossible still, but which Viola cannot deny. Even if they cost her everything, all over again.

My Thoughts: Let me just say, this book was just a touch longer than I needed it to be, but otherwise, I really enjoyed it. It put me through a variety of emotions. Viola is a transwoman who found the freedom to be the woman she always wanted to be when she was presumed dead after the war at Waterloo. Her best friend growing up, Gracewood, left the war severely injured and drowning in grief at the loss of his closest companion. Years later, their families reconnect and Viola sees just how far Gracewood has gotten away from himself. As she tries to bring him back to the man she used to know, deeper feelings start to stir between the two and the secret about her identity is revealed. It was really sweet how much Gracewood accepted Viola right away instead of trying to see his old comrade in her. Their connection was so natural and though it seemed their dynamics would never work, they fought to find a way. There are a lot of entertaining side characters that bring this story to life, but the conflict towards the end felt a little dRamAtiC and drawn out to me. Other than that, I really enjoyed this queer regency romance and recommend giving it a try!

Okie that’s it for February!

What seems to be my trend this year is flying through books at the beginning of a new month and then slowing down substantially towards the end. So we shall see how March goes lol.

2024 Book Count: 20

Add me on Goodreads if you haven’t already.

YOUR TURN! What was your favorite book of February?

January 2024 Reads

Hello. Hello. Is it too late to say Happy New Year?

How’s 2024 treatin’ ya?

It’s been a pretty decent year for me so far. Between football and books anyway. 

Football: Michigan won the CFP National Championship and the Lions made it to the NFC championship game for the first time in 30 years… I’m still mourning the results of that game, so we don’t need to go into details on it. 

Books: I was flying through books for a majority of the month (thank you, audiobooks). Like I think I cranked out 5-6 books within the first two weeks of January? However, as the days closed in on January 30th - a.k.a. House of Flame and Shadow release date - I started to slow down substantially. Mainly because I knew that I wouldn’t have the attention span to focus on any other book after I received my copy of the third Crescent City. Like good luck getting me to do anything social once that beauty hits my Kindle at midnight and my doorstep via Amazon later that day (because I obvi need it in both formats lol). 

Just to stay consistent, I set my 2024 Goodreads Reading Challenge goal to 100 books again this year. I feel like it’s a big enough number to be challenging for me, but also attainable enough that I can always increase it if I achieve it earlier than expected. :) 

On that note, let’s get into everything I read in January! 

*All summaries are taken or paraphrased from Goodreads. 

House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J Maas

HOUSE OF SKY AND BREATH by Sarah J. Maas (Crescent City #2)

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Bryce Quinlan and Hunt Athalar are trying to get back to normal―they may have saved Crescent City, but with so much upheaval in their lives lately, they mostly want a chance to relax. Slow down. Figure out what the future holds. The Asteri have kept their word so far, leaving Bryce and Hunt alone. But with the rebels chipping away at the Asteri’s power, the threat the rulers pose is growing. As Bryce, Hunt, and their friends get pulled into the rebels’ plans, the choice becomes clear: stay silent while others are oppressed, or fight for what’s right. And they’ve never been very good at staying silent.

My Thoughts: Y’ALL. Y’aaaaaallllll. I reread the first book of the Crescent City series right before the New Year and immediately jumped into this one because I hadn’t read it before. Also, by some miracle, I had avoided all spoilers about it up to this point. However, I knew something WILD happens at the end, so I was ITCHING to dive in. Let me just say, this book did not disappoint. SO MUCH HAPPENS, and I don’t even know where to begin. The mystery of what Danika was looking into from the first book catches a second breath as more information surfaces. This time though, it feels a lot more dangerous because all eyes are on Bryce and Hunt both from a public perspective and the Asteri leaders. Plus, they’re getting involved in an aspect of the human rebellion which is the LAST place you want to be if you’re trying to lie low. True to Bryce’s character though, she can’t turn a blind eye to an innocent being in danger. Cue the whirlwind that is this book. I freaking LOVED that we got the POVs from multiple characters including Bryce, Hunt, Ruhn (Prince of the Fae), Cormac (also a Prince of the Fae), Ithan (wolf), Tharion (merman), and more. I swear my blood pressure was abnormally high while I tore through this thicc fantasy. It was almost like watching a car crash or something else that’s stressful but for some reason you can’t look away? AND LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT THAT ENDING OMG. PEOPLE DID NOT LIE. WHAT A MF pLoT tWiST. January 30th honestly cannot come quick enough. I am SOOOO excited to dive into House of Flame and Shadow.

**Also side note: I do not think you have to read Throne of Glass before reading the Crescent City series, but I highly recommend reading A Court of Thorns and Roses beforehand. Like the whole series. Not just the first book. The ending of this book won’t make you hyperventilate to the full extent of which you definitely should if you don’t read ACOTAR in its entirety.

Iron Gold by Pierce Brown

IRON GOLD by Pierce Brown (Red Rising Saga #4)

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: They call him father, liberator, warlord, Reaper. But he feels a boy as he falls toward the pale blue planet, his armor red, his army vast, his heart heavy. It is the tenth year of war and the thirty-second of his life. A decade ago, Darrow was the hero of the revolution he believed would break the chains of the Society. But the Rising has shattered everything: Instead of peace and freedom, it has brought endless war. Now he must risk everything he has fought for on one last desperate mission. Darrow still believes he can save everyone, but can he save himself? And throughout the worlds, other destinies entwine with Darrow’s to change his fate forever: A young Red girl flees tragedy in her refugee camp and achieves for herself a new life she could never have imagined. An ex-soldier broken by grief is forced to steal the most valuable thing in the galaxy—or pay with his life. And Lysander au Lune, the heir in exile to the sovereign, wanders the stars with his mentor, Cassius, haunted by the loss of the world that Darrow transformed, and dreaming of what will rise from its ashes.

My Thoughts: Okay I took a one audiobook break between the third book in the Red Rising Saga and this one just so that I wouldn’t get burned out on the series, and I’m really glad I did. This book takes place ten years after Morning Star and Darrow and those who rebelled with him have established a new government called the Republic. There are representatives from all different colors in the Senate and Virginia (Darrow’s wife) is the overseeing Sovereign. Due to a recent war decision Darrow made against the Senate’s wishes, people are calling for his arrest. It’s a tricky situation, but Darrow decides this war that has been going on for the last decade can only be ended if he kills the Ash Lord. So instead of following their new justice system, he decides to resist arrest and heads to the Outer Rim. This book follows more than Darrow though. You also get chapters from the perspectives of three other people - Lysander (the last Sovereign’s grandkid), a Red named Lyria, and a Gray named Ephraim. It’s unclear, at first, how they’re all connected, but eventually you begin to connect the dots. I will say, this book was a slow burn to start. It took a minute to get my footing with whether I was invested in the new generation of this plot and storyline. However, as time went on, it was easy to get emotionally invested in what each of these characters are going through. I regularly listen to audiobooks in the morning while I’m getting ready for work and there were multiple moments throughout this book where I looked in the mirror only to see my eyes wide and my jaw dropped. In my opinion, I would say this book started as a 3-star, quickly shifted to a 3.5-star, and then slid home to being a 4-star read. If you’re debating picking up the last three books in the Red Rising saga, I’d recommend giving this book a go as a temperature check. 

What the River Knows by Isabel Ibañez

WHAT THE RIVER KNOWS by Isabel Ibañez

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Bolivian-Argentinian Inez Olivera belongs to the glittering upper society of nineteenth century Buenos Aires, and like the rest of the world, the town is steeped in old world magic that’s been largely left behind or forgotten. Inez has everything a girl might want, except for the one thing she yearns the most: her globetrotting parents—who frequently leave her behind. When she receives word of their tragic deaths, Inez inherits their massive fortune and a mysterious guardian, an archeologist in partnership with his Egyptian brother-in-law. Yearning for answers, Inez sails to Cairo, bringing her sketch pads and an ancient golden ring her father sent to her for safekeeping before he died. But upon her arrival, the old world magic tethered to the ring pulls her down a path where she soon discovers there’s more to her parent’s disappearance than what her guardian led her to believe. With her guardian’s infuriatingly handsome assistant thwarting her at every turn, Inez must rely on ancient magic to uncover the truth about her parent’s disappearance—or risk becoming a pawn in a larger game that will kill her.

My Thoughts: Oh my gosh. I did not know what to expect with this audiobook, but I could not stop listening to it! This story had adventure, mystery, magic, a touch of romance, and was everything I could have asked for. The writing was stunning and the vivid setting descriptions of Egypt were absolutely transportive. Especially as their archeological group started sorting through various tombs and treasures, and Inez had to record their findings by painting each artifact in her sketchbook. I appreciated how real all of the characters felt, specifically Inez and Whit. They were unapologetically imperfect and each was dealing with traumas from their past, yet they remained resilient and strong in the face of adversity. Additionally, their banter was top notch. I loved the verbal jousting matches they constantly fell into as they fought the clear chemistry between them. The pacing of this book was a great mix of slow emotional, reflective moments and fast action-packed scenes. Although I felt some parts were mildly predictable, the plot was definitely twisty and kept me guessing. THE ENDING HOWEVER?? I never saw it coming and cannot believe the author has the AUDACITY to leave me on such a cliffhanger. Needless to say, I cannot wait to see where book two takes us when it comes out in November and I highly recommend you add this to your “Need to Read” list for 2024.

Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll

BRIGHT YOUNG WOMEN by Jessica Knoll

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: January 1978. A serial killer has terrorized women across the Pacific Northwest, but his existence couldn’t be further from the minds of the vibrant young women at the top sorority on Florida State University’s campus in Tallahassee. Tonight is a night of promise, excitement, and desire, but Pamela Schumacher, president of the sorority, makes the unpopular decision to stay home—a decision that unwittingly saves her life. Startled awake at 3 a.m. by a strange sound, she makes the fateful decision to investigate. What she finds behind the door is a scene of implausible violence—two of her sisters dead; two others, maimed. Over the next few days, Pamela is thrust into a terrifying mystery inspired by the crime that’s captivated public interest for more than four decades. On the other side of the country, Tina Cannon has found peace in Seattle after years of hardship. A chance encounter brings twenty-five-year-old Ruth Wachowsky into her life, a young woman with painful secrets of her own, and the two form an instant connection. When Ruth goes missing from Lake Sammamish State Park in broad daylight, surrounded by thousands of beachgoers on a beautiful summer day, Tina devotes herself to finding out what happened to her. When she hears about the tragedy in Tallahassee, she knows it’s the man the papers refer to as the All-American Sex Killer. Determined to make him answer for what he did to Ruth, she travels to Florida on a collision course with Pamela—and one last impending tragedy.

My Thoughts: This book is unlike any other I’ve ever read. It’s almost a retelling of sorts from the POVs of women who were friends with the victims of Ted Bundy back in the 70s. It does an amazing job of peeling back the curtain on famous serial killers to show that they are not brilliant, charismatic, good-looking men, and instead exposes them as insecure, unstable losers who got away with things due to their favorable image and incompetence within the courts. The writing is stunning and so raw and vulnerable. It took me a minute to get through just because I felt the characters’ distress so thoroughly throughout every chapter. The format bounces between two different characters as well as timelines. First it follows Pamela, who is the president at the FSU sorority house that was traumatized by Ted Bundy’s attack. She was the only eye-witness to see him as he was leaving through the front door. Her best friend Denise was one of the victims who didn’t survive that night. We get to see her perspective in the 70’s as a college student navigating the impossible situation of picking up the pieces after the brutal attack, and her perspective in the present as a lawyer who is still dealing with fallout from the case. The other perspective we follow is Ruth who disappeared in 1979 and her partner, Tina, has been fighting ever since to prove she was also a victim of this disgusting serial killer. Although I’m a big wuss and was worried this was going to be scary, it was totally palatable and hard to put down once I got into it. I highly recommend it and suggest Googling Kathy Kleiner whose personal story is what this book is based on before jumping in.

The Bodyguard by Katherine Center

THE BODYGUARD by Katherine Center

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: She's got his back. He's got her heart. They've got a secret. What could possibly go wrong? Hannah Brooks looks more like a kindergarten teacher than somebody who could kill you with her bare hands. But the truth is, she's an elite bodyguard and she's just been hired to protect a superstar actor from his stalker. Jack Stapleton's a Hollywood heartthrob - captured by paparazzi on beaches the world over, rising out of the waves in clingy board shorts and glistening like a Roman deity. When Jack's mom gets sick, he comes home to the family's Texas ranch to help out. Only one catch: He doesn't want his family to know about his stalker. Or the bodyguard thing. And so Hannah - against her will and her better judgment - finds herself pretending to be Jack's girlfriend as a cover. Protecting Jack should be easy. But protecting her own heart? That's the hardest thing she's ever done...

My Thoughts: This book was so cute! Hannah is a huge workaholic and a 5’5” bodyguard. She lives to work and uses it as an escape from her personal life which is currently less than ideal. Her mother just died, her boyfriend just dumped her, and she’s ready to get TF out of Texas. Cue Hollywood heartthrob Jack Stapleton. He’s returning home to Texas to help out with his sick mom and Hannah has been assigned to be his primary bodyguard. This was such a fun rom-com. Hannah’s character is the epitome of quirky and imperfect, and I absolutely loved her. She breaks all of her own rules as a professional with Jack starting from the moment he challenges her by questioning whether or not she could actually take a guy his size down if they’re being attacked. She quite literally lays his ass out in the backyard to win his approval. Jack is also such a sweetheart and I loved how quickly his walls fell around Hannah even though he’s been keeping to himself over the last few years since his younger brother died. The chemistry between these two was undeniable and the friendship they developed first was so freaking enjoyable. Also, THE BANTER? You know I love some quality banter and this storyline had some 4K-high quality banter. The epilogue is everything I could’ve hoped for, and although this is definitely more of a PG-rated romance, there was still unavoidable sexual tension throughout. I definitely recommend giving this book a try if you’ve had it on your radar!

All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir

ALL MY RAGE by Sabaa Tahir

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Lahore, Pakistan. Then. Misbah is a dreamer and storyteller, newly married to Toufiq in an arranged match. After their young life is shaken by tragedy, they come to the United States and open the Cloud’s Rest Inn Motel, hoping for a new start. Juniper, California. Now. Salahudin and Noor are more than best friends; they are family. Growing up as outcasts in the small desert town of Juniper, California, they understand each other the way no one else does. Until The Fight, which destroys their bond with the swift fury of a star exploding. Now, Sal scrambles to run the family motel as his mother Misbah’s health fails and his grieving father loses himself to alcoholism. Noor, meanwhile, walks a harrowing tightrope: working at her wrathful uncle’s liquor store while hiding the fact that she’s applying to college so she can escape him—and Juniper—forever. When Sal’s attempts to save the motel spiral out of control, he and Noor must ask themselves what friendship is worth—and what it takes to defeat the monsters in their pasts and the ones in their midst.

My Thoughts: OOoo wee. Sabaa Tahir has a gift for writing and that could not be any clearer after reading this book. The emotions I felt while listening to the audiobook were absolutely visceral. It was gut-wrenching to see these characters go through some of the hardest moments of their lives while feeling like nobody truly sees them. Sal just lost his mom to a kidney disease and is trying to keep the family business afloat while his dad drinks his grief away to the point of being absent. To cover the growing expenses and overdue bills, he turns to a side hustle he knows his mother wouldn’t be proud of but has to to keep her dream alive. Noor lives with her uncle who quit college over a decade ago in order to raise her after her family was tragically killed in an earthquake back in Pakistan. She’s at the top of her class and yet is struggling hard when it comes to college admissions. Her hope to escape the podunk, racist town of Juniper, California dims a little more with every rejection letter she receives. The friendship between Sal and Noor had ruptured a few months back, but as they struggle through their current situations, it was impossible not to root for their undeniable connection. I was so wholeheartedly invested in these characters that the plot definitely took me by surprise towards the end. I did not see any of it coming, but it was wrapped up so well. If you haven’t picked this one up yet, I highly recommend giving it a read.

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

AND THEN THERE WERE NONE by Agatha Christie 

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: First, there were ten—a curious assortment of strangers summoned as weekend guests to a little private island off the coast of Devon. Their host, an eccentric millionaire unknown to all of them, is nowhere to be found. All that the guests have in common is a wicked past they're unwilling to reveal—and a secret that will seal their fate. For each has been marked for murder. A famous nursery rhyme is framed and hung in every room of the mansion: "Ten little boys went out to dine; One choked his little self and then there were nine. Nine little boys sat up very late; One overslept himself and then there were eight. Eight little boys traveling in Devon; One said he'd stay there then there were seven. Seven little boys chopping up sticks; One chopped himself in half and then there were six. Six little boys playing with a hive; A bumblebee stung one and then there were five. Five little boys going in for law; One got in Chancery and then there were four. Four little boys going out to sea; A red herring swallowed one and then there were three. Three little boys walking in the zoo; A big bear hugged one and then there were two. Two little boys sitting in the sun; One got frizzled up and then there was one. One little boy left all alone; He went out and hanged himself and then there were none." When they realize that murders are occurring as described in the rhyme, terror mounts. One by one they fall prey. Before the weekend is out, there will be none. Who has choreographed this dastardly scheme? And who will be left to tell the tale? Only the dead are above suspicion.

My Thoughts: Okay so I started this audiobook on a drive home one morning. A drive that usually takes me 55 minutes, but thanks to unexpected snow the night before, it ended up pushing my ETA back to 2.5 hours. Needless to say, I binge listened to this mystery and thoroughly enjoyed it. This is only my second Agatha Christie novel, but her writing style was easy to jump into. I loved all of the quirky characters that were rounded up on Soldier Island and hearing their internal dialogue about the current drama was incredibly entertaining. I don’t know if I’m just really bad at guessing the outcomes of mysteries like this one, but I had no idea who the killer was until it was explained at the end lol. I understand why this book is considered a classic and although I probably won’t ever read it again, I’m glad I finally did.

The Graham Effect by Elle Kennedy

THE GRAHAM EFFECT by Elle Kennedy

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Gigi Graham has exactly three goals: qualify for the women’s national hockey team, win Olympic gold, and step out of her famous father’s shadow. So far, so good, except for two little things. Fine–a little thing and a big, grumpy thing. She needs to improve her game behind the net, and she needs help from Luke Ryder. Ryder is six-foot five, built, opinionated, rude…and sexy as hell. But he’s still the enemy. | Briar’s new hockey co-captain has his reasons, though. The men’s team just merged with a rival program, leaving Ryder with an angry roster where everyone hates one another’s guts. To make matters worse, the summer coaching spot he’s angling for with the legendary Garrett Graham is out of reach after he makes the worst possible first impression on his hero. So, really, this compromise with Gigi is win-win. He helps her make the national team, she puts in a good word with her dad. The only potential snag? This bone-deep, body-numbing, mind-spinning chemistry they’re trying to ignore. It’s a dangerous game they’re playing, but the risks just might be worth it.

My Thoughts: Okay, so y’all know I am an absolute SIMP for a hockey romance, and I was obsessed with Elle Kennedy’s OG Off-Campus series back in 2022. Well, The Graham Effect follows the kids of the characters in the Off-Campus series. I won’t lie, I was kind of hesitant going into this one. Mainly because I’ve found that the next generation of a series can be either a hit or miss, and I didn’t want to taint my experience with those characters if this absolutely bombed. However, I am THRILLED to announce that it did not disappoint. I was an ooey gooey swoony mess over this next-gen romance. Gigi is one of the best rom-com main characters I’ve come across in a while. She felt so down to earth and really relatable in the sense that she wasn’t over the top, was quirky yet endearing, had a sweet personality, and overall was just someone I’d want to be friends with. Ryder was my favorite type of main character love interest. He was broody, self aware, patient, and had the perfect amount of flaws to make him even more attractive. Their story was absolutely addicting and I couldn’t get enough of their enemies-to-lovers story arc. There are some really deep topics woven into this story that made their relationship feel so much more real. Also, true to Elle Kennedy’s writing style, the salacious scenes were everything I could’ve wanted lol. Needless to say, I cannot wait for the next book in this series!

Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo

HELL BENT by Leigh Bardugo (Alex Stern #2)

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: Find a gateway to the underworld. Steal a soul out of hell. A simple plan, except people who make this particular journey rarely come back. But Galaxy “Alex” Stern is determined to break Darlington out of purgatory―even if it costs her a future at Lethe and at Yale. Forbidden from attempting a rescue, Alex and Dawes can’t call on the Ninth House for help, so they assemble a team of dubious allies to save the gentleman of Lethe. Together, they will have to navigate a maze of arcane texts and bizarre artifacts to uncover the societies’ most closely guarded secrets, and break every rule doing it. But when faculty members begin to die off, Alex knows these aren’t just accidents. Something deadly is at work in New Haven, and if she is going to survive, she’ll have to reckon with the monsters of her past and a darkness built into the university’s very walls.

My Thoughts: UGH. I REALLY wanted to rate this book higher because I truly did enjoy it, but it just fell short for me in some places. I am still obsessed with the dark academia meets urban fantasy aesthetics of this series. Alex and Dawes are still looking for a way to save Darlington from purgatory while remaining inconspicuous from the board of Lethe. For a good chunk of this book, I kept hoping the plot wasn’t going to be “more of the same.” The cadence of the story and the mischief Alex gets herself into felt like mild whiplash from Ninth House. However, as time went on, things started taking various turns and I could confidently let out a sigh of relief that this book has its own independent legs to stand on. Alex and Dawes uncover some shocking discoveries about Yale’s past and realize they’re up against something much worse than they initially anticipated. Between appeasing new leadership so that they wouldn’t look into what these two girls were planning (aka opening the gates of hell) and dealing with some demons from the past, it constantly felt like they were in over their heads. I never knew what was going to happen next or what hurdle they’d need to jump. What was done absolutely perfectly in this story was the character development. Specifically, Dawes. She goes from being the timid bookkeeper to a confident badass who never questions fighting alongside Alex. Although I didn’t love this book as much as the first one, I will definitely continue the series once the third installment comes out. If you haven’t read this yet, I highly recommend the audiobook!

The Fake Out by Stephanie Archer

THE FAKE OUT by Stephanie Archer

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: The best way to get back at my horrible ex? Fake date Rory Miller--my ex's rival, the top scorer in pro hockey, and the arrogant, flirtatious hockey player I tutored in high school. Faking it is fun and addictive, though, and beneath the bad boy swagger, Rory’s sweet, funny, and protective. He teaches me to skate and spends way too much money on me. He sleeps in my bed and convinces me to break my just-one-time hookup rule. He kisses me like it’s real. And now I wonder if Rory was ever faking it to begin with.

My Thoughts: Because I was in a hockey romance mood, I decided to continue down that Kindle Unlimited path and landed on this gem. I actually read the first book in the Vancouver Storm series last September and remembered enjoying it. So I figured I’d give the sequel a try. Listen, Rory is described as a golden retriever type of guy by other characters, but I honestly disagree. He is literally the sweetest guy ever with quick quips and unrelenting flirting, and I couldn’t get enough of him. Hazel was his perfect counterpart. She was self reliant, also quick witted, intelligent, and so incredibly patient. Although their relationship started as a fake-dating agreement to get back at her ex, the line between real and fake got blurry V quickly. I absolutely loved how much fun these two had together. The foundation of their romantic relationship was so clearly balanced on a solid friendship, and that only made me buy into them as a couple even more. I must note, this book is SPICY lol. It starts off with just a dash of heat and ends with a rating of at least 4 chili peppers. I also felt like it was just a TOUCH longer than it needed to be, but loved it all the same. Definitely give it a shot if you’re in your hockey romance era too lol. 

Instructions for Dancing by Nicola Yoon

INSTRUCTIONS FOR DANCING by Nicola Yoon

Rating: 3.8/5 stars

Summary: ​​Evie Thomas doesn't believe in love anymore. Especially after the strangest thing occurs one otherwise ordinary afternoon: She witnesses a couple kiss and is overcome with a vision of how their romance began . . . and how it will end. After all, even the greatest love stories end with a broken heart, eventually. As Evie tries to understand why this is happening, she finds herself at La Brea Dance Studio, learning to waltz, fox-trot, and tango with a boy named X. X is everything that Evie is not: adventurous, passionate, daring. His philosophy is to say yes to everything--including entering a ballroom dance competition with a girl he's only just met. Falling for X is definitely not what Evie had in mind. If her visions of heartbreak have taught her anything, it's that no one escapes love unscathed. But as she and X dance around and toward each other, Evie is forced to question all she thought she knew about life and love. In the end, is love worth the risk?

My Thoughts: Don’t let this bright, colorful, upbeat cover fool you into thinking this is a sweet, innocent YA rom-com! This book is thought provoking, heart wrenching, magical, and more. Evie is doubting the concept of true, happy love after her parents’ divorce. She caught her father cheating on her mother and has had a cynical outlook on the core emotion ever since. While unloading her collection of romance novels into a Little Free Library, the woman who owns the LFL tells her she can’t just leave a book. She has to take one too. The only other book available is “Instructions for Dancing” which gives her the power to see the demise of any kissing couple’s relationship. There’s a return address on the book to a local dance studio and when she goes to drop it off to its rightful owner, she enters the world of ballroom dancing and meets a dapper young guy, X. I loved that this book didn’t just hone in on romantic relationships. It touched on how friendships can shift and change, familial relations can ebb and flow, and how grief can affect people’s belief in the concept of love. It also reflected on the fact that no love is perfect, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth it. Evie was a very likable main character and her character arc is really beautiful. I can’t say this book blew me away, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and definitely think it’s worth the read if it’s been on your radar.

The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson

THE SPACE BETWEEN WORLDS by Micaiah Johnson

Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary: Multiverse travel is finally possible, but there’s just one catch: No one can visit a world where their counterpart is still alive. Enter Cara, whose parallel selves happen to be exceptionally good at dying—from disease, turf wars, or vendettas they couldn’t outrun. Cara’s life has been cut short on 372 worlds in total. On this Earth, however, Cara has survived. Identified as an outlier and therefore a perfect candidate for multiverse travel, Cara is plucked from the dirt of the wastelands. Now she has a nice apartment on the lower levels of the wealthy and walled-off Wiley City. She works—and shamelessly flirts—with her enticing yet aloof handler, Dell, as the two women collect off-world data for the Eldridge Institute. She even occasionally leaves the city to visit her family in the wastes, though she struggles to feel at home in either place. So long as she can keep her head down and avoid trouble, Cara is on a sure path to citizenship and security. But trouble finds Cara when one of her eight remaining doppelgängers dies under mysterious circumstances, plunging her into a new world with an old secret. What she discovers will connect her past and her future in ways she could have never imagined—and reveal her own role in a plot that endangers not just her world, but the entire multiverse.

My Thoughts: Ugh okay. This is an OBJECTIVELY good book. It’s written really well, I liked the premise a lot, and it touched on some impactful topics that were depicted in a meaningful way, including privilege between races, classism, etc. That said, I just never fully connected to the story. I mainly listened to it on audiobook and although it was easy enough to follow along, there was never a burning need to get back into it. It was more like “oh yeah, that’s the audiobook I’m listening to right now” any time I grabbed my AirPods. Cara is a kick ass main character and I truly admired how resilient she remained whilst facing multiple adversities across multiple worlds. For whatever reason though, I never felt fully emotionally invested in her. This sci-fi also serves up the science part very mildly. Although there is some parallel world traveling, most of the content was related to politics amongst leaders and philosophical debates related to the ethics of traversing other worlds. I liked this book overall and think it’s worth the read if you’ve had it on your radar. I just don’t think I’ll continue on to the sequel (which comes out in March) nor will I ever really think about this book again. :/

All righty folks!

That’s it for January!

I hope you found at least one book to add to your TBR list for this year.

As I mentioned in my review, but just to reemphasize: for anyone interested in reading the Crescent City series, I highly recommend reading the A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) series first and foremost. THEN you can dive into Crescent City. Just trust me on this. You won’t regret it. 

2024 Book Count: 12

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YOUR TURN! What book are you looking forward to most in 2024?