July 2026 Reads

LOL. The last two months have been such a blur, I just simply did not have the energy to sit down and write reviews for the books I read in July. 

To be honest, this is the first time since I started doing these monthly reading review blogs that I considered skipping it. 😬 But, alas, I did read a lot of really great books in July as I finished working on my deck and far be it from me to not record my thoughts on each one. 

(Also peep the unsolicited before and after photos of my now-painted deck. 🙂)

Personally I like it more without paint, but alas, HOA rules and all that.

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

**All summaries are taken or paraphrased from Goodreads.

Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro

Rating: 2.5/5 stars

Summary: From her place in the store, Klara, an Artificial Friend with outstanding observational qualities, watches carefully the behavior of those who come in to browse, and of those who pass on the street outside. She remains hopeful that a customer will soon choose her, but when the possibility emerges that her circumstances may change forever, Klara is warned not to invest too much in the promises of humans.

My Thoughts: Ugh. Okay y’all. Although this book started just a touch slow, it quickly grabbed me in a bear hug. Klara is an Artificial Friend who has been waiting patiently on a shelf at the store for a customer to come in and choose her. Although Manager warns her not to put too much stock in a human child’s promise, Klara can’t help but be hopeful. When she’s finally taken home to be the AI friend of an ailing girl named Josie, she is beyond excited. The entire book is from Klara’s perspective, so as she’s learning new things like how to interpret human emotions, the nuances to teenage behaviors, and Josie’s dysfunctional family dynamics, you’re also getting hints as to what the reality of this situation actually entails. It’s clear there’s something weird going on related to Josie’s sickness and all arrows are pointing towards something nefarious. However, then the author takes a VERY bland turn with the plot and it was kind of like “...wait, wut?” Idk y’all. I’m definitely going to watch the show or movie or whatever kind of adaptation is coming out for this book, but the plateaued plot and ending just didn’t make sense to me. 

Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe

MARGO’S GOT MONEY TROUBLES by Rufi Thorpe

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: As the child of a Hooters waitress and an ex-pro wrestler, Margo Millet's always known she’d have to make it on her own. So she enrolls at her local junior college, even though she can’t imagine how she’ll ever make a living. She’s still figuring things out and never planned to have an affair with her English professor—and while the affair is brief, it isn’t brief enough to keep her from getting pregnant. Despite everyone’s advice, she decides to keep the baby, mostly out of naiveté and a yearning for something bigger. Now, at twenty, Margo is alone with an infant, unemployed, and on the verge of eviction. She needs a cash infusion—fast. When her estranged father, Jinx, shows up on her doorstep and asks to move in with her, she agrees in exchange for help with childcare. Then Margo begins to form a plan: she’ll start an OnlyFans as an experiment, and soon finds herself adapting some of Jinx’s advice from the world of wrestling. Like how to craft a compelling character and make your audience fall in love with you. Before she knows it, she’s turned it into a runaway success. Could this be the answer to all of Margo’s problems, or does internet fame come with too high a price?

My Thoughts: So although I’ve heard great things about it, I don’t have AppleTV and thus cannot watch this show. However, Elle Fanning is the narrator for the audiobook anyway, so I honestly feel like I’m not missing out on anything because this experience was so much fun! After getting pregnant from an affair with her English professor, nineteen-year-old Margo decides to go through with having the baby. Even though everyone is advising against it and she’s not really sure what this whole “becoming a parent” experience will entail, she’s confident it’s what she wants. Turns out, it’s pretty expensive lol, and she is in dire need of some quick cash to prevent getting evicted. Luckily, there’s this new website called OnlyFans that gives her the opportunity to charge people for “exclusive” content. While Margo endeavors on this lucrative journey of building a brand for herself in a salacious space, she’s also rebuilding a relationship with her ex-pro wrestler, formerly-estranged father, and fighting a custody battle that’s initiated by her baby daddy. This book was an absolute HOOT. I listened to a majority of it while deep into my deck cleaning project and found myself cackling like a squawking bird multiple times. It’s funny, raunchy, wholesome, refreshing, and honestly just a fantastic “rooting for the underdog” story. If you haven’t watched the show yet, I highly recommend reading the book first!

Best Offer Wins by Marisa Kashino

BEST OFFER WINS by Marisa Kashino

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: Eighteen months and 11 lost bidding wars into house-hunting in the overheated Washington, DC suburbs, 37-year-old publicist Margo Miyake gets a tip about the perfect house, in the perfect neighborhood, slated to come up for sale in one month. Desperate to escape the cramped apartment she shares with her husband Ian — and in turn, get their marriage, plan to have a baby, and whole life back on track — Margo becomes obsessed with buying the house before it’s publicly listed and the masses descend (with unbeatable, all-cash offers in hand). A little stalking? Harmless. A bit of trespassing? Necessary. As Margo infiltrates the homeowners’ lives, her tactics grow increasingly unhinged—but just when she thinks she’s won them over, she hits a snag in her plan. Undeterred, Margo will prove again and again that there’s no boundary she won’t cross to seize the dream life she’s been chasing. The most unsettling part? You’ll root for her, even as you gasp in disbelief.

My Thoughts: For anyone who has experienced the frustrations and woes of the current housing market recently, this book is for you. Margo and her husband have been looking for a house for more than a year. They’ve lost countless bidding wars and cannot wait to get out of their tiny DC apartment. When they find the perfect house to raise a family in, Margo is determined to make it theirs. Even if that means doing some pretty unhinged shit and creating a lie so deep, she’d have to crawl her way out of it lol. Listen, Margo isn’t necessarily a likable character and she is FOR SURE morally gray, but I thoroughly enjoyed watching just how far she’d go to get this house. There were several times where things started going south or the situation became a little too creepy for comfort, and I was hoping that’d be the moment Margo would ease up on her convoluted plans. However, homie just doubled down on them every time. As I said, if you’ve experienced some recent homebuying woes or are looking for a story that leans into how far people are willing to go to get their dream home, this book is definitely worth it.

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab

BURY OUR BONES IN THE MIDNIGHT SOIL by V.E.Schwab

Rating: 4.25/5 stars

Summary: This is a story about hunger. 1532. Santo Domingo de la Calzada. A young girl grows up wild and wily—her beauty is only outmatched by her dreams of escape. But María knows she can only ever be a prize, or a pawn, in the games played by men. When an alluring stranger offers an alternate path, María makes a desperate choice. She vows to have no regrets. This is a story about love. 1827. London. A young woman lives an idyllic but cloistered life on her family’s estate, until a moment of forbidden intimacy sees her shipped off to London. Charlotte’s tender heart and seemingly impossible wishes are swept away by an invitation from a beautiful widow—but the price of freedom is higher than she could have imagined. This is a story about rage. 2019. Boston. College was supposed to be her chance to be someone new. That’s why Alice moved halfway across the world, leaving her old life behind. But after an out-of-character one-night stand leaves her questioning her past, her present, and her future, Alice throws herself into the hunt for answers . . . and revenge. This is a story about life—how it ends, and how it starts.

My Thoughts: I’m lowkey embarrassed to say that the only other book I had read by V.E. Schwab before this was The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. Like I know this author has some absolute bangers, but they just haven’t come across my “desk” as much as you’d think. After reading this though, I’m obsessed with her writing. This story follows three women from different centuries, with a timeline hopping between eras and eventually converging in the present (2019) where Alice wakes up feeling a bit off after a one-night stand with a woman she met at the first American college party she attended as a Scottish expat. She’s looking for answers, and the only way to get them is to find the girl who left nothing behind except a single Post-it note on Alice’s lamp as a goodbye. We also get to know Maria who is living in the 1500s and trapped in a loveless arranged marriage. After meeting a woman who claims she can help her escape her monster of a husband, Maria’s life takes a turn she never expected and gives her the opportunity to completely reinvent herself. The way the writing had me absolutely invested in these women’s lives, especially as the story moved between different eras and revealed what happened when their paths crossed. Not to mention, you’re also trying to figure out how they’re all connected in the present. Small spoiler, but some of these characters turn out to be absolute asshole narcissists lol. Overall though, I haven’t felt this immersed in a story in a while. 

ANNIE BOT by Sierra Greer

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Annie Bot was created to be the perfect girlfriend for her human owner, Doug. Designed to satisfy his emotional and physical needs, she has dinner ready for him every night, wears the cute outfits he orders for her, and adjusts her libido to suit his moods. True, she’s not the greatest at keeping Doug’s place spotless, but she’s trying to please him. She’s trying hard. She’s learning, too. Doug says he loves that Annie’s artificial intelligence makes her seem more like a real woman, but the more human Annie becomes, the less perfectly she behaves. As Annie's relationship with Doug grows more intricate and difficult, she starts to wonder whether Doug truly desires what he says he does. In such an impossible paradox, what does Annie owe herself?

My Thoughts: This book has been on my radar for a few years and since I’ve been so into sci-fi this year, I figured it’d be a perfect time to get it from the library. Annie is a robot designed to be the perfect romantic partner for her owner Doug. He’s trained her to cater to his emotional and physical needs, and satisfying Doug is Annie’s primary goal in life. It helps that her artificial intelligence makes her feel more like a real woman, but the more human Annie becomes, the more mistakes she makes. In a role where she’s expected to be perfect, these new flaws cause tension in her relationship with Doug, and Annie starts to wonder where his heart truly lies. This book was so interesting to read. The entire story is told from Annie’s perspective which means you’re along for the ride as she pieces together what it means to be more human, how to ensure Doug’s satisfaction, and the pivotal moments that have her questioning her purpose and existence. At less than 300 pages with a very likable protagonist, this book was such an easy read despite the parts of this world that are saturated with misogyny. If you’re looking for a short sci-fi with a different flair from the usual, I definitely recommend picking this up!

The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt

THE ANXIOUS GENERATION: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Caused an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: After more than a decade of stability or improvement, the mental health of adolescents plunged in the early 2010s. Rates of depression, anxiety, self-harm, and suicide rose sharply, more than doubling on many measures. Why? In The Anxious Generation, social psychologist Jonathan Haidt lays out the facts about the epidemic of teen mental illness that hit many countries at the same time. He then investigates the nature of childhood, including why children need play and independent exploration to mature into competent, thriving adults. Haidt shows how the play-based childhood began to decline in the 1980s, and how it was finally wiped out by the arrival of the phone-based childhood in the early 2010s. He presents more than a dozen mechanisms by which this great rewiring of childhood has interfered with children’s social and neurological development, covering everything from sleep deprivation to attention fragmentation, addiction, loneliness, social contagion, social comparison, and perfectionism. He explains why social media damages girls more than boys and why boys have been withdrawing from the real world into the virtual world, with disastrous consequences for themselves, their families, and their societies.

My Thoughts: Okay, so although there wasn’t anything particularly SHOCKING in this book, it was still ridiculously interesting. Obviously we’ve become a culture heavily dependent on technology, but the demographic suffering the most from its negative mental health effects are children and teens. It was honestly fascinating to hear about the different parenting styles that have emerged as social media and technology have become more prominent in childhood. The author also touches on how fewer daily face-to-face interactions has contributed to a decline in their ability to build deeper interpersonal relationships, read other people’s body language, and more. As a millennial who grew up with a “family computer” in the “den,” it was really interesting to think about how my relationship with tech, social media, etc. has evolved over the years, specifically in my personal life. It also solidified how freaking glad I am that social media wasn’t AS prominent during my key developmental years as it is now. Like ya girl wore a choker, had transition lenses, and was no stranger to snacks. So while that era of my life is now safe to reflect on and cringe at, I cannot imagine what it would’ve been like to be chronically online and comparing myself to influencers through that phase of life. Anyways, I thought this book was really fascinating, well-researched and written, and I highly recommend it. 

The Radium Girls by Kate Moore

THE RADIUM GIRLS: The Dark Story of America’s Shining Women by Kate Moore

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: The Curies' newly discovered element of radium makes gleaming headlines across the nation as the fresh face of beauty, and wonder drug of the medical community. From body lotion to tonic water, the popular new element shines bright in the otherwise dark years of the First World War. Meanwhile, hundreds of girls toil amidst the glowing dust of the radium-dial factories. The glittering chemical covers their bodies from head to toe; they light up the night like industrious fireflies. With such a coveted job, these "shining girls" are the luckiest alive—until they begin to fall mysteriously ill. But the factories that once offered golden opportunities are now ignoring all claims of the gruesome side effects, and the women's cries of corruption. And as the fatal poison of the radium takes hold, the brave shining girls find themselves embroiled in one of the biggest scandals of America's early 20th century, and in a groundbreaking battle for workers' rights that will echo for centuries to come.

My Thoughts: If you have no idea who the Radium Girls are, stop what you’re doing and request this book from the library. I had never heard of them before reading this and I am in AWE that more people aren’t talking about it. This book is about the hundreds of women who worked in the clock painting factories in the early to mid 1900s. Their job was to put the numbers onto watch faces with a special paint containing radium which would make the numbers glow. The technique many of them followed was to put the paint brush in their mouth to wet the bristles and bring them to a point, then dip the brush into the paint, apply it to the watch face and then bring it to their lips again. They were told radium is completely safe and they have nothing to worry about. Some of the girls would even paint their faces after their shift so that they’d be glowing when they headed out into the night. It wasn’t until later that the radium poisoning started to manifest in sarcoma cancer, dental necrosis, issues with their joints, and much more. I cannot believe I had never heard of their decades-long legal fight against the big radium companies trying to get retribution for the health issues their clock painting jobs caused when they were led to believe it was completely safe. Although this book is technically a non-fiction, the writing is incredibly narrative, so it feels like you’re reading a historical story. Also, if you’re into audiobooks, I highly recommend listening to it because the narrator deserves all the awards for how well she did. Seriously though, if you’ve never heard of The Radium Girls, this has to be on your TBR list!

Wild Dark Shores by Charlotte McConaghy

WILD DARK SHORES by Charlotte McConaghy

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Dominic Salt and his three children are caretakers of Shearwater, a tiny island not far from Antarctica. Home to the world’s largest seed bank, Shearwater was once full of researchers, but with sea levels rising, the Salts are now its final inhabitants. Until, during the worst storm the island has ever seen, a woman mysteriously washes ashore. Isolation has taken its toll on the Salts, but as they nurse the woman, Rowan, back to strength, it begins to feel like she might just be what they need. Rowan, long accustomed to protecting herself, starts imagining a future where she could belong to someone again. But Rowan isn’t telling the whole truth about why she set out for Shearwater. And when she discovers sabotaged radios and a freshly dug grave, she realizes Dominic is keeping his own secrets. As the storms on Shearwater gather force, they all must decide if they can trust each other enough to protect the precious seeds in their care before it’s too late―and if they can finally put the tragedies of the past behind them to create something new, together.

My Thoughts: If you’ve never heard of this book, I’d be genuinely surprised. I feel like it has been plastered across all of the “top books of 2026” lists since it came out earlier this year. I wasn’t sure what to expect going into it, but I ended up being MUCH more invested in the characters than I anticipated. The Salt family has been overseeing the global seed bank located on a tiny island off of Antarctica for the last eight years. With sea levels rising, less researchers have been visiting the island and the Salt family is closing in on their final months before it’s completely washed away by the ocean. When a woman named Rowan washes ashore, they nurse her back to strength but hold her at arms length to keep the secrets of this island locked down. Mirroring their reluctance to trust quickly, Rowan has an agenda of her own: find out what happened to her husband who was on a research mission in Shearwater just last month. This book completely sucked me in and carried a tension that made me feel like someone was about to snap at any moment. As it changes the POV of each character throughout the book, you’re forced to figure out who’s actually telling the truth and what everyone is hiding. Though the kids were much easier characters to like due to their innocence, I kept side-eyeing Dominic Salt (their father) and Rowan. I can’t lie, a majority of this book, I was so set on rating it 3.5 stars, but then the last 10-15% JOLTED it up to a 4-star with a plot twist I did NOT see coming. 😭 If you’re looking for something incredibly atmospheric, with some mildly unreliable narrators and an ending that will sucker punch you in the heart, this would do the trick lol. 

I See You’ve Called In Dead by John Kenney

I SEE YOU’VE CALLED IN DEAD by John Kenney

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Bud Stanley is an obituary writer who is afraid to live. Yes, his wife recently left him for a “far more interesting” man. Yes, he goes on a particularly awful blind date with a woman who brings her ex. And yes, he has too many glasses of Scotch one night and proceeds to pen and publish his own obituary. The newspaper wants to fire him. But now the company’s system has him listed as dead. And the company can’t fire a dead person. The ensuing fallout forces him to realize that life may be actually worth living. As Bud awaits his fate at work, his life hangs in the balance. Given another shot by his boss and encouraged by his best friend, Tim, a worldly and wise former art dealer, Bud starts to attend the wakes and funerals of strangers to learn how to live.

My Thoughts: Listen, as sad as this book’s description might be, it had me bird-squawk cackling the entire time. Bud Stanley is an obituary writer who has kind of hit a low point in life. After another failed blind date, Bud gets blackout drunk, writes his own obituary and then proceeds to publish it on his newspaper’s website. The next morning is a bit of a mess, but the company technically can’t fire him because the system has registered him as dead. So Bud is now stuck in life limbo waiting to see what happens with his job. In the meantime, he and his bestie, Ted, start attending the wakes and funerals of strangers in an attempt to find a new definition of what it means to live. If you love dark, dry, quippy, perfectly-timed, sometimes self deprecating humor, then this book will be your jam as much as it was mine. I loved how effortlessly the author managed to make me laugh throughout a story that really should do anything but. It’s not just the humor though, the relationships between Bud and those around him add such a wholesome and endearing element to this entire experience. I borrowed this book off of Libby on a whim and I’m pleased to report that I was not disappointed in the slightest. If you’re looking for something off the beaten path, I definitely recommend giving this one a try. 

Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman

THUNDERHEAD (Arc of a Scythe #2) by Neal Shusterman

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Rowan has gone rogue, and has taken it upon himself to put the Scythedom through a trial by fire. Literally. In the year since Winter Conclave, he has gone off-grid, and has been striking out against corrupt scythes—not only in MidMerica, but across the entire continent. He is a dark folk hero now—“Scythe Lucifer”—a vigilante taking down corrupt scythes in flames. Citra, now a junior scythe under Scythe Curie, sees the corruption and wants to help change it from the inside out, but is thwarted at every turn, and threatened by the “new order” scythes. Realizing she cannot do this alone—or even with the help of Scythe Curie and Faraday, she does the unthinkable, and risks being “deadish” so she can communicate with the Thunderhead—the only being on earth wise enough to solve the dire problems of a perfect world. But will it help solve those problems, or simply watch as perfection goes into decline?

My Thoughts: Okay I was excited to get into this after finishing the first installment of Arc of a Scythe earlier this summer. This book gives you a much deeper understanding of how the Thunderhead operates within the rules of not interfering with the Scythedom, how much it can control, and we even get some inner dialogue from the Thunderhead itself. Rowan is still on the run after the end of the first book literally went up in flames for him. He’s now taken it upon himself to become a vigilante known as Scythe Lucifer, killing fellow Scythes based on their corrupt morals. Meanwhile, Citra is coming into her own as a newly established junior Scythe. She sees the corruption and cracks running through the Scythe bureaucracy and is working to change it from the inside out with some “new age” thinking. However, her movement has started drawing a line in the sand within the Scythe community and everyone is basically forced to choose which future for the organization they want to support. Not everyone is loving the direction Citra is taking though and now someone is trying to kill her. I love how easily this audiobook pulled me into it. I was already invested in Rowan and Citra from the first book, but it was also interesting to see where their character arcs took them as the story continued to unfold. With the politics of the Scythedom thrown into a tizzy, I cannot wait to see how the last book in this trilogy plays out!

Happy Ending by Chloe Liese

HAPPY ENDING by Chloe Liese

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: Thea and Alex have three things in common—they love food, they hate where they live, and they’re both divorced. Otherwise, they couldn’t be more different. Thea’s never cooked a day in her life. Alex is a world-class chef. Alex resents feeling stuck in his hometown. Thea resents the town for not feeling more like home. Thea and her ex are in a contentious custody battle for their dog. Alex and his ex amicably coparent their daughter. Beyond a few friends in common, a couple small-world connections (welcome to life in a mid-size city), their lives look nothing alike. Fast forward two years, and they’re truly the best of friends. No one would ever know their friendship began as a lie… Two years ago, their exes got together immediately following their divorces, and somehow, Thea and Alex found themselves spinning a spite-fueled story about being old friends and first loves. Two years later, what began as a ruse has grown into real friendship—just friendship, despite what friends and family seem to think. But when their exes invite them on a two-week, “two family” beach vacation—daughter and dog included—Alex and Thea start to wonder if this story they’ve spun might have gotten away from them, and if it’s led them to the last place they ever thought it could: a happy ending.

My Thoughts: This was cuuuute! It’s been a minute since I’ve read a Chloe Liese book but what I’ve loved about her writing in the past is how humanly imperfect her characters are. This book had all the best tropes for Thea and Alex’s situation: grumpy/sunshine, friends-to-lovers, forced proximity, and a frustratingly slow burn. Both are recently divorced and end up diving into a friendship after finding out their exes quickly moved on to start sleeping together. What I liked about their dynamics is that this friendship felt like it progressed so authentically and created a really solid foundation for what would inevitably become a romantic relationship. Idk what else to say you guys, this isn’t necessarily a groundbreakingly new romance story by any means, but the characters are older/more mature, it involves a really freaking cute kid, and of course a perfectly charismatic dog with a farting problem lol. It was just a really easy read if you’re looking for something predictable yet enjoyable nonetheless.

Parable of the Sower by Octavia E Butler

PARABLE OF THE SOWER by Octavia E. Butler

Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary: In 2024, with the world descending into madness and anarchy, one woman begins a fateful journey toward a better future. Lauren Olamina and her family live in one of the only safe neighborhoods remaining on the outskirts of Los Angeles. Behind the walls of their defended enclave, Lauren’s father, a preacher, and a handful of other citizens try to salvage what remains of a culture that has been destroyed by drugs, disease, war, and chronic water shortages. While her father tries to lead people on the righteous path, Lauren struggles with hyperempathy, a condition that makes her extraordinarily sensitive to the pain of others. When fire destroys their compound, Lauren’s family is killed and she is forced out into a world that is fraught with danger. With a handful of other refugees, Lauren must make her way north to safety, along the way conceiving a revolutionary idea that may mean salvation for all mankind.

My Thoughts: As a girl deep into her sci-fi era, I knew I had to incorporate one of the genre’s classics into my reading rotation. Although this book definitely scratched that dystopian itch for me, I have to say, it kind of fell short of my expectations. 😬 No doubt, this story had me gripped from the start. We get to know 17-year-old Lauren who lives with her family in one of the few gated neighborhoods left in Los Angeles. Outside those gates, people are killing each other over basic resources, and you never know who might turn on you. It’s not until her neighborhood is raided by a cult of pyromaniacs that Lauren is forced to flee her home. In the aftermath of the chaos and murder that ensues, she and two of her surviving neighbors set out on the open road, heading north towards safety. Listen, this novel is not for the faint of heart. It’s gory, unapologetically obscene at some points, and DRIPPING with tension. It does not shy away from the very ugly things people will do when they’re desperate and clinging to life. That said, I felt like the plot got just a little bit messy. One major part of the story revolves a new religion Lauren creates called Earthseed, which manifests in her basically trying to convert people to being a believer. Then there’s the somewhat random plot point that Lauren has a condition that causes her to experience hyper-empathy, specifically by feeling the physical pain of others. I understood how both elements fit into the larger story, but at the same time, they just felt a little random? I also have to say had I not read this via audiobook, I don’t know if I would’ve made it through. Lauren felt almost emotionless in such an emotionally-charged situation that it sometimes came across cold-hearted. The narrator did a fantastic job of portraying Lauren’s stoic personality, but I’m not sure it would’ve translated for me if I had read it on paper. Am I glad I read it? Yes, Octavia Butler was a FANTASTIC writer and this book is no exception. Will I read the second book? No, probably not. 

That’s it for July! Hopefully I’m a little bit quicker for my August reviews, but honestly, no promises. I will have some exciting updates in my August blog though. 🙂

2026 Book Count: 71

And if you haven’t already… add me on Goodreads or StoryGraph.

April 2026 Reads

Listen, April flew by so quickly I didn’t even catch all the usual seasonal memes this year. 

Shout out Miss Congeniality for April 25th and JT the entire last week of the month. Sorry I missed y’all! 

Of the most mundane updates I have to report, I finally have a sliding screen door on my back deck. I felt like I was missing out on some PRIME fresh air coming from the east all last summer, so I decided to take the leap and install one myself.

My next venture: a porch goose. I don’t have an actual porch, but I still want a goose that I can dress in fun little outfits. 🤗

Otherwise, this was a SOLID month of reading for me. Even a book I didn’t have high expectations for ended up being incredibly entertaining. What more could I ask for?

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

*All summaries are taken or paraphrased from Goodreads.

The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow

The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: Sir Una Everlasting was Dominion’s greatest hero: the orphaned girl who became a knight, who died for queen and country. Her legend lives on in songs and stories, in children’s books and recruiting posters―but her life as it truly happened has been forgotten. Centuries later, Owen Mallory―failed soldier, struggling scholar―falls in love with the tale of Una Everlasting. Her story takes him to war, to the archives―and then into the past itself. Una and Owen are tangled together in time, bound to retell the same story over and over again, no matter what it costs. But that story always ends the same way. If they want to rewrite Una’s legend―if they want to tell a different story--they’ll have to rewrite history itself.

My Thoughts: This was my first experience with an Alix E. Harrow book, but I can promise you it won’t be my last. Owen Mallory is struggling. He’s a defunct soldier turned scholar, and completely obsessed with the tale of Una Everlasting, Dominion’s greatest hero. When his boss hands him a book that literally sucks him into Sir Una’s story, it becomes Owen’s responsibility to make sure the tale plays out as it should, for the sake of the country’s safety and legacy. Cue a somewhat Groundhog Day-esque quest, as Owen and Una relive the same story over and over again. It’s not until Owen starts remembering that he’s been through Una’s journey before that he realizes someone is manipulating Dominion’s history to play out in their favor. Though the pacing leans a little slower, it was an absolutely lovely reading experience. There’s something hard to describe about it, but because of the repetition within Una’s story, it’s easy to settle into the rhythm of the plot and understand how Owen and Una begin trying to shift it. Not to mention, I freaking LOVED their love story. It felt pure yet messy, delayed yet natural, impossible yet inevitable, like nothing else could possibly be more right. If you love fantasy with a strong quest, a touch of time travel, multiple timelines, and various POVs, this book has all of that and more. 

This Story Might Save Your Life by Tiffany Crum

THIS STORY MIGHT SAVE YOUR LIFE by Tiffany Crum

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Benny Abbott and Joy Moore host one of the most beloved podcasts in the world. Each week, they delight listeners with a different “against all odds” survival story, gleefully finding the weird, life-affirming humor in near-death experiences. Since their first episode on Joy’s experience with severe narcolepsy, they’ve been the best friends everyone wants to befriend—and thanks to the meticulous management of Joy’s husband, Xander, they’ve built a lucrative empire. The problem is, their next survival story may be their own. When Benny arrives at Joy and Xander’s one morning to record, he finds shattered glass and an empty house. The one clue shedding light on the couple’s disappearance is the incomplete, previously unseen first draft of Joy’s memoir. Benny will stop at nothing to find them, even as the police zero in on him as their prime suspect. Millions of devoted listeners think they know the “real” Benny and Joy. But as the hours tick by, and the odds seem increasingly stacked against Joy and Xander being found alive, not even the most devoted fans could guess the terrible secrets their favorite famous BFFs have hidden from the world—and from each other.

My Thoughts: I had a friend ask if I’d read this yet, and since I hadn’t by the time Audible’s huge sale was going on, I decided just to buy it on a whim. To be totally transparent, I never actually read the premise before purchasing it, but to my absolute delight, one of the main characters happens to have narcolepsy. AND the way the author writes about it is actually incredibly accurate to the experience of having the chronic sleep disorder. 👏 Joy’s narcolepsy is only part of the story though. After she and her fiancé mysteriously go missing, the messiest search for them commences and Joy’s best friend, Benny will stop at nothing to find her. Even if that causes the police to look at him as the main suspect… Y’ALL. The audiobook is the way to go with this one. For starters, it’s a FULL CAST featuring multiple POVs, excerpts from podcast recordings, messages from the police hotline, snippets of Joy’s memoir, and more. To say I was lost on whodunnit is an understatement. The author does a fantastic job of making you suspicious of literally everyone at one point or another, but even then, the ending has a few plot twists that had me rewinding the audiobook just to make sure I heard it correctly. This is a mystery/thriller that I challenge aficionados of the genre to try because I HIGHLY doubt you will be able to suss out the truth. 🙃

Daggermouth by H.M. Wolfe

DAGGERMOUTH by H.M. Wolfe

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: The first thing you’ll learn in New Found Haven is that mercy doesn’t exist. The second thing is that, from the highest glass atrium in the Heart to the windowless slums of the Boundary, the Veyra are always watching. The last lesson is the hardest, but you must remember it: Love outside of your ring is a death sentence. The city is carved into rings of privilege and poverty, ruled by the masked elite who will do whatever it takes to hold onto power. Obedience is demanded. Rebellion is crushed. Greyson Serel has spent his life caught between two worlds. Publicly, he’s the flawless heir to the presidency. Privately, he’s entangled in secrets that could topple the regime. But when he’s forced into a political marriage meant to bind him tighter to the government’s brutal laws, he finds himself shackled to a bride as lethal as she is unwilling. Shadera Kael is a mercenary raised to kill, not to wed. Yet when her bullet misses its mark, survival leaves her tied to the very man she was sent to eliminate. Trapped inside the corrupt heart of the city, she becomes both prisoner and wife, her every step watched, her every move tested. Their union is no love story—it’s a battlefield. As secrets come to light and betrayals fester within the walls of power, Greyson and Shadera must decide between annihilating each other or burning the city to the ground together. In a world where passion has consequences and loyalty is paid for in blood, their forced bond may be the spark that ignites a revolution. Or the fire that consumes them both.

My Thoughts: When I tell you this is what I want out of a dystopian romance… I could not put my Kindle down. This book was absolutely addicting. It has all the perfect elements: enemies-to-lovers, multiple POVs, forced proximity, complicated politics, high stakes, slow-burn romance, thicc sexual tension, and, to top it all off, main characters in their 30s. 🤌 I kind of loved how unhinged Shadera’s character was. She’s obviously got some inner demons to address, but she’s faced endless adversity living alone in the impoverished Boundary and has learned a myriad of skills to stay alive as a Daggermouth and contract assassin. Her latest assignment requires her to break into the heart of the city’s authoritarian regime to kill its heir, Greyson Serel. Meanwhile, Greyson absolutely loathes his father (the high ruler) and his own role as the Executioner. Unfortunately, his family built the metaphorical soul sucking cage he’s currently trapped in, and he can’t seem to find a way out without being accused of treason. I loved the contrast between the hypothetical mask Greyson wears for everyone else and the softy he is underneath. (I say hypothetical because they wear literal masks in the capital city. It’s a law lol).  When Shadera and Greyson are forced into a political marriage, they slowly and reluctantly start peeling back each other’s layers, realizing they’ll have to rely on one another if they want to get out of this hellhole alive. There are a ton of action scenes, dynamic well developed side characters, and AND Y’ALL. THE AUDACITY OF THE NUMBER OF PLOT TWISTS IN THE LAST 5% OF THIS BOOK?? I was audibly gasping every other paragraph. Although I do highly recommend checking trigger warnings before going into this, I cannot even begin to describe how much I’m ITCHING for the next book in this series.

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans

THE CORRESPONDENT by Virginia Evans

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Every morning, Sybil Van Antwerp sits down to write letters – to her brother, to her best friend, to the president of the university who will not allow her to attend a class she desperately wants to take, to her favourite authors to tell them what she thinks of their latest books, and to one person to whom she writes often yet never sends the letter. Because at seventy-three, Sybil has used her correspondence – witty and wise – to make sense of the world. But beyond the page, she has spent the last thirty years keeping the people who love her at arms’ length... Until letters from someone in her past force her to examine one of the most painful periods of her life. Now, Sybil must send the letter she has been writing for all these years - and find forgiveness within herself in order to move on.

My Thoughts: This book has gotten a lot of hype lately and although initially I didn’t really understand why, the more I settled into it, the more charming it became. Sybil Van Antwerp has preferred written communication for as long as she can remember. Whether it’s a letter to her pen pal or an email to a customer service person she’s taken an interest in, Sybil will undoubtedly be writing what she wants to say. Now at 73, with her eyesight deteriorating, it’s time to face some painful years from her past and write a letter she’s been putting off for decades. This story is told through the correspondence between Sybil and several other characters including her lifelong best friend, her brother living in Italy, the local judge’s son who is on the Autism spectrum, an older Jewish gentleman who happens to be her neighbor, her doctor, and more. I absolutely loved figuring out the dynamics of her relationship with each individual character through their communications. You not only get to know what’s going on in everyone’s lives directly from their firsthand reports, but also what’s happening in between the correspondences based on what Sybil is writing in her letters to others. This really was such a unique way to tell Sybil’s story. Although I listened to the audiobook (it’s a full cast!), I think this would be just as enjoyable as a physical read. 

This Earl of Mine by Kate Bateman

THIS EARL OF MINE by Kate Bateman

Rating: 3.75/5 stars

Summary: Shipping heiress Georgiana Caversteed is done with men who covet her purse more than her person. Even worse than the ton’s lecherous fortune hunters, however, is the cruel cousin determined to force Georgie into marriage. If only she could find a way to be . . . widowed? Georgie hatches a madcap scheme to wed a condemned criminal before he’s set to be executed. All she has to do is find an eligible bachelor in prison to marry her, and she’ll be free. What could possibly go wrong? | Benedict William Henry Wylde, scapegrace second son of the late Earl of Morcott and well-known rake, is in Newgate prison undercover, working for Bow Street. Georgie doesn’t realize who he is when she marries him―and she most certainly never expects to bump into her very-much-alive, and very handsome, husband of convenience at a society gathering weeks later. Soon Wylde finds himself courting his own wife, hoping to win her heart since he already has her hand. But how can this seductive rogue convince brazen, beautiful Georgie that he wants to be together…until actual death do they part?

My Thoughts: I’m doing a reading challenge on Storygraph and one of the prompts is “A book whose cover you would be embarrassed to read in public” lol, and when I went to the John K. King Used Bookstore in Detroit a few years ago, my goal was to find a couple of romances with cringey, dramatic covers. So OF COURSE I had to read one of those for this prompt. I gotta say, I was pleasantly surprised with how much I genuinely enjoyed this story! As the wealthy heiress of a shipping fleet her late father left her, Georgiana is determined to make sure her cousin has zero chance of getting his hands on her money. The solution? Marry a dying sailor in prison and make him sign a prenup. Once the man is actually deceased, she’s a free widow! However, those plans go awry when the man she set out to marry dies before she can get to the prison and she’s forced to choose a different lowly soul. Enter Benedict Wylde, a well-known rake and man who has his hands in less-than-appropriate dealings around town. Listen, I loved their dynamics. Georgiana was clearly an intelligent, independent woman, and unlike many other men who would try to “tame” her, Benedict admired those traits and let her do her thing. They had fantastic banter, just enough yearning to make it believable, and I LOVED that when the time came, there was no gray area to be found. Not to mention, all of the action that happens in the last portion of the book! What a refreshing twist to a romance plot! If you’ve already binged the latest season of Bridgerton and are looking for something to scratch that itch, I highly recommend giving this book a try. 

Scythe by Neal Shusterman

SCYTHE by Neal Shusterman (Arc of Scythe #1)

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: Thou shalt kill. A world with no hunger, no disease, no war, no misery. Humanity has conquered all those things, and has even conquered death. Now scythes are the only ones who can end life—and they are commanded to do so, in order to keep the size of the population under control. Citra and Rowan are chosen to apprentice to a scythe—a role that neither wants. These teens must master the “art” of taking life, knowing that the consequence of failure could mean losing their own.

My Thoughts: This book has been sitting on my shelves for a few years now, and I’m honestly upset it took me that long to finally pick it up! Old age, disease, war—none of it exists anymore, which sounds great in theory, but to prevent overpopulation, there are Scythes. Their job is to “glean,” or kill people to keep nature’s balance. Every Scythe has their own methodology for who they choose and how they carry it out. After separate encounters with Scythe Faraday, Citra and Rowan are chosen as his apprentices. Unfortunately, since no Scythe has ever taken on two apprentices at once, the Scythe council rules that they’ll train together with the understanding that, at the end, one must glean the other before they can ascend to become a true Scythe. With that hanging over them, they’re forced to learn the craft of taking a life while grappling with the consequences of going against their own morals and the Scythe code of conduct. I loved how uncomfy and introspective this book made me feel. It gave me a similar vibe to The Measure by Nikki Erlick in that I kept asking myself what I would do in these scenarios. How does it feel to be a Scythe if it goes against your foundational beliefs? What happens when you disagree with how another Scythe operates? And how does the council make sure no Scythe becomes too power-hungry? I also loved the constant tension woven into Citra and Rowan’s relationship as they grow closer during their training. Even when they’re split up and sent down very different paths to scythedom, they keep quietly sabotaging themselves in competitions to protect each other from the later consequences. I already know this is going to be one of my top sci-fi reads of the year, and I cannot wait to dive into the rest of the series.

Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead

GREAT CIRCLE by Maggie Shipstead

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: After being rescued as infants from a sinking ocean liner in 1914, Marian and Jamie Graves are raised by their dissolute uncle in Missoula, Montana. There--after encountering a pair of barnstorming pilots passing through town in beat-up biplanes--Marian commences her lifelong love affair with flight. At fourteen she drops out of school and finds an unexpected and dangerous patron in a wealthy bootlegger who provides a plane and subsidizes her lessons, an arrangement that will haunt her for the rest of her life, even as it allows her to fulfill her destiny: circumnavigating the globe by flying over the North and South Poles. A century later, Hadley Baxter is cast to play Marian in a film that centers on Marian's disappearance in Antarctica. Vibrant, canny, disgusted with the claustrophobia of Hollywood, Hadley is eager to redefine herself after a romantic film franchise has imprisoned her in the grip of cult celebrity. Her immersion into the character of Marian unfolds, thrillingly, alongside Marian's own story, as the two women's fates--and their hunger for self-determination in vastly different geographies and times--collide.

My Thoughts: This book wasn’t what I was expecting, but in the best way possible. Marian Graves disappeared during her around-the-world flight crossing over the North and South Poles in 1950, leaving behind only a flight journal wrapped in a safety vest somewhere near Antarctica. Fast forward to 2014, and actress Hadley Baxter is determined to redefine herself and her career after some recent poor choices landed her in the tabloids. When she’s offered the role of Marian in a film about the pilot’s disappearance, Hadley sees it as the perfect chance to turn things around. The story alternates timelines and POVs between Marian’s origin, growing up in Missoula, Montana, falling in love with flying, and everything that follows, and Hadley, who is trying to understand who Marian truly was in order to portray her authentically. The majority of the book lives in the past, mainly following Marian, while also giving insight into her twin brother Jamie and, at times, their neighbor Caleb. Which is honestly where I found myself wanting to stay. It’s not that I didn’t care about Hadley’s story, but for more than half the book, she felt less important and less compelling to me. It wasn’t until she started uncovering clues about where Marian might have landed during her final, iconic flight that I became more invested in her storyline. What I loved most about this novel is how completely transportive the writing is. Marian’s story isn’t a pretty one, and I appreciate that the author never tried to make it so. From a rough start in life, to chasing her dream of becoming a pilot, to a toxic marriage, growing up too fast, flying in WWII, and more, Marian had it anything but easy. But she never came across as entitled. Her goal was simply to fly, because that’s where she felt most like herself, and she remained honest and unapologetic about that. If you’re looking for an all-encompassing historical fiction with layered characters and a fantastic plot twist, I definitely recommend picking this one up.

Rites of the Starling by Devney Perry

RITES OF THE STARLING by Devney Perry (Shield of Sparrows #2)

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Calandra’s five kingdoms are on the verge of destruction. The crux migration is coming. And in the wake of a devastating attack, I’ve been separated from the man who owns my heart. I’m lost. Terrified. Homesick. Hunted by monsters, driven to exhaustion, and kidnapped by a powerful priest, the only thing keeping me going is the little girl counting on me to keep her safe. It’s my turn to become the Guardian. Our lives change one fateful night. A night of death. A night of monsters. A night of truths. That night, I learn the real meaning of fear—and the depth of my own strength. Everyone wants me to be something I’m not—a queen, a spy, a sacrifice. But what if I embrace my crown? What if the secrets I uncover save our realm? What if my sacrifice means salvation for the man I love? For too long, I’ve feared the monsters we make. It’s time to discover the monster within.

My Thoughts: This book picks up right where Shield of Sparrows left off, with Odessa and Evie escaping the ruins of the recent crux attack in Alder. Unfortunately for Odessa, their journey is being guided by a Voster, which means she has to trust where he’s taking them as she tries to make it back to her home kingdom of Quentis. I honestly can’t give too many details without spoiling a ton from the first book, but oh my god, I am so satisfied with the direction the author took this story. The narrative splits between Odessa’s POV and a new character, Caspia. Caspia’s storyline, along with a few other new faces, gives us deeper insight into what’s happening in Calandra, how long things have been going wrong, and who knows more than they’re letting on. ALSO, there’s a plot twist at the end that I definitely didn’t see coming, but now I’m wondering if anyone else picked up on it earlier than I did. So if you’ve read Rites of the Starling, please let me know because I NEED someone to talk about it with lol. 

Helpful Tip: I read Shield of Sparrows last July and vaguely remembered some of the major plot points, so I was debating on rereading it before jumping into this one. However, someone recommended I just look up a Shield of Sparrows recap on tiktok and when I tell you that was a genius suggestion! In just five minutes I was caught up on the first book and could dive right into the second. 

How To Read A Book by Monica Wood

HOW TO READ A BOOK by Monica Wood

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Our Reasons meet us in the morning and whisper to us at night. Mine is an innocent, unsuspecting, eternally sixty-one-year-old woman named Lorraine Daigle… Violet Powell, a twenty-two-year-old from rural Abbott Falls, Maine, is being released from prison after serving twenty-two months for a drunk-driving crash that killed a local kindergarten teacher. Harriet Larson, a retired English teacher who runs the prison book club, is facing the unsettling prospect of an empty nest. Frank Daigle, a retired machinist, hasn’t yet come to grips with the complications of his marriage to the woman Violet killed. When the three encounter each other one morning in a bookstore in Portland—Violet to buy the novel she was reading in the prison book club before her release, Harriet to choose the next title for the women who remain, and Frank to dispatch his duties as the store handyman—their lives begin to intersect in transformative ways.

My Thoughts: This was absolutely delightful! I binge-listened to the whole thing in a single day while tackling a few to-dos around my condo because it’s such an easy, engaging read. The vibe felt very Remarkably Bright Creatures with a skosh of Fredrik Backman. Just incredibly wholesome and endearing, with a full cast of perfectly imperfect characters that hit you right in the heart. Violet has just been released from prison. She was only 19 when she went in, and three years later, she’s basically starting her life from scratch. With a conviction record working against her, she struggles to find a job, her family blames her for her mother’s untimely death, and more than anything, she’s just looking for a little kindness. Which she finds in Harriet Larson, a 60-something retired English teacher who runs the women’s prison book club. What begins as Harriet helping Violet adjust to life on the outside slowly grows into an unlikely but beautiful friendship. And then there’s Frank. He’s the man whose wife was killed in the car accident that sent Violet to jail and who just so happens to be the local bookstore’s new handyman and Harriet’s biggest secret admirer. Let me just say, hats off to Frank. His empathy, forgiveness, and understanding toward Violet’s situation were beyond heartwarming. I absolutely loved watching the dynamics between this trio evolve and seeing them become such a strong support system for one another. The only reason I docked it one star is because there’s a plotline in Violet’s story that had me audibly saying, “NOPE. RED FLAG.” I get that it’s essential to her character arc, but I was still cringing from it the entire time lol. Otherwise, if you’re looking for a story that feels like a giant hug, full of found family, second chances, and a lot of heart, this is definitely a must-read.

Watch Me by Tahereh Mafi

WATCH ME by Tahereh Mafi (Shatter Me: The New Republic, #1)

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: James Anderson had a plan. Or half of one. All that matters is that he managed to do what his older brother, the famous Aaron Warner Anderson, never did: infiltrate Ark Island, the last refuge of The Reestablishment. In the past decade no outsider has breached the stronghold of the authoritarian regime, but James is in. In a prison cell, sure, but as far as James is concerned, a win is a win. It’s been ten years since the fall of The Reestablishment. Ten years since the notorious duo — Juliette Ferrars and Aaron Warner Anderson — led a worldwide rebellion and established the New Republic of the West. But after a decade of unsettling quiet, The Reestablishment is ready to make a devastating move, and they have the perfect person for the job. Rosabelle Wolff had a plan. She always has a plan. On Ark Island, where constant surveillance is packaged as security, even emotions must be experienced with caution. A trained assassin, her every movement is monitored by synthetic intelligence—and when she’s given an order to kill, she never hesitates.

My Thoughts: Y’ALL. You CANNOT imagine the absolute THRILL that zipped through my entire being when I walked past this book in Target. I had no idea Ms. Mafi was planning a spin-off series to Shatter Me??? Not to mention, she’s already on book 2 of 3?? Where tf have I been? I freaking LOVED the Shatter Me series and basically binge-read all eleven books in that series INCLUDING the novellas within like 3 weeks lol. So naturally, I ran home and downloaded the first book of this spin-off series to my Kindle. Taking place ten years after the fall of The Reestablishment, this book follows James, the younger brother of Adam Kent. He’s breached the boundary of what’s left of The Reestablishment and lived, which is a feat unheard of in the New Republic. After being captured by the authoritarian regime, Rosabelle Wolff is tasked with killing James. What happens after that is an absolute whirlwind. To say I DEVOURED this book does not do it justice. I was obsessed with the dynamics between Rosabelle and James. They want to loathe one another, and yet seem to keep getting drawn back together. There’s a lot we’re still learning about Rosabelle, so it’s hard to trust her in-full, but I still found myself rooting for her anyway. Not to mention, it was an absolute TREAT getting to revisit some of my favorite characters from the Shatter Me series and seeing where they are now. If you were also high key obsessed with that series, this spin-off does not disappoint.

Release Me by Tahereh Mafi

RELEASE ME by Tahereh Mafi (Shatter Me: The New Republic #2)

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Rosabelle Wolff had a plan. Now she wants revenge. To save her sister she needs to get back home and destroy the system that created her. Rosabelle’s greatest strength is her ability to deaden her mind and body; it’s the only way to survive the surveillance state of Ark Island. But lately her heart has been beating harder; her thoughts are spiraling; her defenses are coming undone. And there’s only one person to blame. James Anderson had a plan. Now he has nothing but problems. Rosabelle might be the ally they need in a fight against The Reestablishment, but no one wants to trust an enemy assassin. It doesn’t help that Rosabelle’s not much of a talker, doesn’t work well in groups, and kills people on instinct. Taking her side has cost James nearly everything—but keeping her alive might help save his world. If only he could convince his older brother. Aaron Warner Anderson has a headache. Something dark is coming, and Rosabelle’s arrival is just a prelude. In her, he sees shades of himself he can’t trust, and he can no longer get a read on the girl. She’s a dead battery, emanating no emotional feedback. At least not until James walks into a room…

My Thoughts: This book seamlessly hits the ground running right where the first one left off and immediately dives into the action. Now that Rosabelle knows what the Reestablishment is planning for the New Republic, she knows she has to get home. Not only to save her sister, but to turn the authoritarian regime’s weapon back on them. The only thing stopping her, annoyingly, is James Anderson. For whatever reason, he makes her feel more alive than she can ever remember, and the thought of him suffering because of her actions has become unfathomable. Meanwhile, James is still out here trying to convince everyone they can trust Rosabelle. Yanno, the assassin who literally tried to kill him lol. Needless to say, no one is especially sold on that argument. This book delivers just as much, if not more, action and suspense as the first. It also had my stomach swooping and my heart swooning in an embarrassingly giddy way that I wanted more of. Also the absolute AUDACITY of that ending?? It cuts off so abruptly, right in the middle of a pivotal scene, and on a deadly cliffhanger. So RUDE. That said, the third book drops later this year, so if nothing else, I’m already excited to reread this one in the fall and experience all of its dystopian romance magic again. 🥹

Writers & Lovers by Lily King

WRITERS & LOVERS by Lily King (Casey Peabody #1)

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Blindsided by her mother's sudden death, and wrecked by a recent love affair, Casey Peabody has arrived in Massachusetts in the summer of 1997 without a plan. Her mail consists of wedding invitations and final notices from debt collectors. A former child golf prodigy, she now waits tables in Harvard Square and rents a tiny, moldy room at the side of a garage where she works on the novel she's been writing for six years. At thirty-one, Casey is still clutching onto something nearly all her old friends have let go of: the determination to live a creative life. When she falls for two very different men at the same time, her world fractures even more. Casey's fight to fulfill her creative ambitions and balance the conflicting demands of art and life is challenged in ways that push her to the brink.

My Thoughts: Okay this is a book I had to let settle for a few days before I could solidly decide what I wanted to rate it. Primarily because I can’t say I loved the main character throughout all of this. She had some unlikable characteristics, but she wasn’t necessarily unlikable, and I think that was the point. At 31, Casey Peabody doesn’t really have a plan for life other than pursuing her dream to become a writer. She’s currently DRIPPING with grief from the loss of her mother a few months ago, and it kind of feels like her life has both hit a rough patch and become a bit stagnant. It only gets a little more complicated as she enters a relationship with two men in very different stages of their lives. Listening to this audiobook was like watching a close friend go through a rough patch that never seems to end. Although I had to endure a few consistent poor choices and self sabotage behavior from Casey, I was also still rooting for her. It was like getting sips of fresh air every time a bright moment in her day punched through the perpetual storm cloud that had been hanging over her head. Naturally since the main character is a writer, this book was beautifully written with almost a lyrical quality to it, and I absolutely LOVED that it did not end the way I expected it to. If you’re looking for something that’s character driven, has relatable aspects, and you can enjoy at a slower pace, I think this book would be perfect. 

Heart the Lover by Lily King

HEART THE LOVER by Lily King (Casey Peabody #2)

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: You knew I’d write a book about you someday. Our narrator understands good love stories—their secrets and subtext, their highs and their free falls. But her greatest love story, the one she lived, never followed the simple rules. In the fall of her senior year of college, she meets two star students from her 17th-Century Lit class: Sam and Yash. Best friends living off-campus in the elegant house of a professor on sabbatical, the boys invite her into their intoxicating world of academic fervor, rapid-fire banter and raucous card games. They nickname her Jordan, and she quickly discovers the pleasures of friendship, love and her own intellectual ambition. Youthful passion is unpredictable though, and she soon finds herself at the center of a charged and intricate triangle. As graduation comes and goes, choices made will alter these three lives forever. Decades later, Jordan is living the life she dreamed of, and the vulnerable days of her youth seem comfortably behind her. But when a surprise visit and unexpected news brings the past crashing into the present, Jordan returns to a world she left behind and is forced to confront the decisions and deceptions of her younger self.

My Thoughts: I’m not crying, you’re crying. This was as beautiful as it was heartbreaking. The story is told in first person from the perspective of a college senior named Jordan. During her fall semester, she meets two guys in her 17th Century Lit class, Sam and Yash. They’re both star students and best friends. Inevitably, a lowkey love triangle ensues as Jordan gets swept up in their world. This coming-of-age story is absolutely dripping in poignancy as Jordan navigates these new, addictive friendships and loves that pull her into an undertow of pure joy and sadness. The latter half of the book shifts to the present, decades later, after Jordan has lost touch with the two boys who defined that year of college for her. It’s one of those stories that’s so beautifully written you don’t want to put it down (even as it keeps tightening the knot in your throat that’s been there since like 10 chapters ago lol.) I completely understand the hype behind this one, and while you could read it as a standalone, I do think it hits deeper if you’ve read Writers & Lovers first. It adds an extra layer of understanding to Jordan’s character that makes everything land even harder.

Okieee that’s it for April!

May is a BUSY month for me at work, so I’m not sure if that will cause my reading to slow down due to lack of time or increase due to the visceral urge to escape real life lol, but I’ll report back.

2026 Book Count: 40
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