February 2023 Reads

February. What a month.

It’s the shortest month of the year, but tends to feel like one of the longest because it’s smack dab in the middle of winter. 

Personally, I enjoy February because it’s my birthday month. :) This year, I celebrated 29 by taking a trip out to Arizona and thoroughly enjoyed my time amongst the rocks. I highly recommend doing a Pink Jeep Tour if you’re ever in Sedona! Tucson just has the coolest vibes and I would definitely head back there during warmer months to experience it again. 

On the reading front, I have to admit, I was a little slow again. Nothing was really holding my attention that well and I think it’s because I was choosing books I felt that I should be reading vs. books I actually really wanted to read. That said, the sci-fi audiobooks, Kindred and Binti, pulled me out of a listening slump and I finally started the Zodiac Academy series on Kindle Unlimited with which I have been on a binge-reading marathon lol. 

So the latter half of the month was much better than the start. 

All righty. Let’s get into everything I read in February!

*All summaries are taken or paraphrased from Goodreads.  

Opposite of Always by Justin A. Reynolds

OPPOSITE OF ALWAYS by Justin A. Reynolds

Rating: 2.5/5 stars

Summary: When Jack and Kate meet at a party, bonding until sunrise over their mutual love of Froot Loops and their favorite flicks, Jack knows he’s falling - hard. Soon she’s meeting his best friends, Jillian and Franny, and Kate wins them over as easily as she did Jack. But then Kate dies. And their story should end there. Yet Kate’s death sends Jack back to the beginning, the moment they first meet, and Kate’s there again. Healthy, happy, and charming as ever. Jack isn’t sure if he’s losing his mind. Still, if he has a chance to prevent Kate’s death, he’ll take it. Even if that means believing in time travel. However, Jack will learn that his actions are not without consequences. And when one choice turns deadly for someone close to him, he has to figure out what he’s willing to do to save the people he loves. 

My Thoughts: Okay so I don’t know if I just wasn’t in the mood for this book or what, but I dragged ass through it. It’s basically a Groundhog’s Day type of scenario where Jack lives through a series of events and when they don’t go the way he intended, he ends up waking up right where they originally started. The biggest theme is how he balances the relationships with his friends, family, and a girl he’s falling in love with, Kate. Each do-over poses a new obstacle that he was trying to avoid by controlling everything, but realizes that’s what keeps going wrong. There’s also some educational content mixed in here about sickle cell disease which was incorporated really conversationally. However, after I got about 45% of the way through, I could not bring myself to keep picking this book up. I just didn’t really care what Jack was doing and ended up being more annoyed than anything else. A lot of people on Goodreads really loved it, so I ended up making a deal with myself that if I finished this book, I could read whatever trash I wanted. But yeah, that’s basically it for my thoughts on this one.

Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari

SAPIENS: A BRIEF HISTORY OF HUMANKIND by Yuval Noah Harari

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: 100,000 years ago, at least six human species inhabited the earth. Today there is just one. Us. Homo sapiens. How did our species succeed in the battle for dominance? Why did our foraging ancestors come together to create cities and kingdoms? How did we come to believe in gods, nations and human rights; to trust money, books, and laws; and to be enslaved by bureaucracy, timetables, and consumerism? And what will our world be like in the millennia to come? In Sapiens, Dr. Yuval Noah Harari spans the whole of human history, from the very first humans to walk the earth to the radical - and sometimes devastating - breakthroughs of the Cognitive, Agricultural and Scientific Revolutions. Drawing on insights from biology, anthropology, paleontology and economics, he explores how the currents of history have shaped our human societies, the animals and plants around us, and even our personalities. Have we become happier as history has unfolded? Can we ever free our behavior from the heritage of our ancestors? And what, if anything, can we do to influence the course of the centuries to come? Bold, wide-ranging and provocative, Sapiens challenges everything we thought we knew about being human: our thoughts, our actions, our power, and our future. 

My Thoughts: I don’t know if my opinion on this book holds much water, y’all. I listened to it on audiobook and that thing was 15 hours… FIFTEEN. Since I borrowed it through Libby, I ended up having to listen to basically the last 6 hours of it at 1.5x speed lol because it was due in 2 days. Let me say, I know and can completely recognize that this was a really informative book. It’s not dry by any means, and I appreciated that the author had their own way of sneaking in some humor throughout it. HOWEVER, I literally could not tell you even a quarter of what I learned from this book. Here are the tidbits I remember: there is a species of monkeys out there in which the groups are basically run wholly by the females, but they allow the males to think they have all of the power. However, when a male steps out of line, all of the female monkeys basically gang up on him to remind him who really calls the shots lol. I also remember being really intrigued by the argument about religions vs. ideologies. Last thing I remember, and one of the biggest themes Harari touches on throughout this book, is that our culture and society is basically built upon imaginary rules, structures, etc., but because everyone believes them, they seem real. Honestly, I think this is a great book for anyone interested in the history of homo sapiens. Like I said, it’s not dry by any means and is extremely informative. However, I’ll probably never read it again and do not remember specifics from it lol. 

Kindred by Octavia E. Butler

KINDRED by Octavia E. Butler

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: The first science fiction written by a black woman, Kindred has become a cornerstone of black American literature. This combination of slave memoir, fantasy, and historical fiction is a novel of rich literary complexity. Having just celebrated her 26th birthday in 1976 California, Dana, an African-American woman, is suddenly and inexplicably wrenched through time into antebellum Maryland. After saving a drowning white boy there, she finds herself staring into the barrel of a shotgun and is transported back to the present just in time to save her life. During numerous such time-defying episodes with the same young man, she realizes the challenge she’s been given…

My Thoughts: This was my first Octavia Butler book and what a treat! It was the perfect mix of science fiction, historical fiction, and a touch of contemporary fiction intertwined. I listened to it on audiobook and absolutely loved the narrator. Paired with the vivid setting descriptors, she made the story such an immersive experience. I adored the writing of this book and the plot was incredibly well paced. It put me on the edge of my seat as Dana navigated the dangers of 1812 while trying to find a way back to her own time in 1976. The supporting characters in this story were so rich, and I loved that their character arcs were clearly developed with every trip Dana took to the past. This book really was captivating and if you haven’t read it yet, I highly recommend! 

The Awakening by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti

THE AWAKENING by Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti (Zodiac Academy #1)

Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary: You have been selected to attend Zodiac Academy, where your star sign defines your destiny. If you’re one of the Fae, the elemental magic is in your blood. And apparently it’s in ours. As twins born in the month of Gemini, we’re a rare breed even in this academy of supernatural a-holes. Changelings were outlawed hundreds of years ago but I guess our birth parents didn’t get the memo. Which means we’re totally unprepared for the ruthless world of Fae. Air. Fire. Water. Earth. No one has ever harnessed all four of them, until we arrived. And it hasn’t made us any friends so far. As the rarest Elementals ever known, we’re already a threat to the four celestial heirs; the popular, vindictive bullies who happen to be some of the hottest guys we’ve ever seen. It doesn’t help that they’re the most dangerous beasts in the Academy. And probably on earth too. Our fates are intertwined, but they want us gone. They’ve only got until the lunar eclipse to force us out and they’ll stop at nothing to succeed. We never knew we had a birthright to live up to but now that we do, we intend to claim our throne. We can’t expect any help from the faculty when it comes to defending ourselves. So if the dragon shifters want some target practice, the werewolves want someone to hunt or the vampires fancy a snack then we have to be ready. But we’ve been looking after each other for a long time and fighting back is in our blood. Today’s horoscope: totally screwed.

My Thoughts: I don’t know how this sounds, but I was in a reading rut because I had been forcing myself to read books of substance. However, what my heart really wanted was some Kindle Unlimited fantasy TRASH and this first book in the Zodiac Academy series was the perfect medicine. Tory and Darcy are 18-year-old twins living in Chicago, and they are scraping by for money. The current apartment they live in is barely up to code and they can’t even pay rent next month. That’s when a man shows up and tells them they’re from a different world, Solaria, and are eligible to attend the Zodiac Academy in order to claim their birthright to the throne. So of course they jump at the opportunity because they’re promised a hearty inheritance at the end of everything. Y’all, this book gets a little wild as Darcy and Tory start the semester because the Heirs - four incredibly good-looking guys who are technically next in line for the throne since the twins disappeared - are plotting their demise. I gotta say, there were some pretty juvenile parts that didn’t do it for me. HOWEVER, my ass was still hooked from the start and I know part of it is because I’m like a lowkey astrology lover lol, and this book leans into that narrative heavily. It’s clear from the essence of this book that the rest of the series is only going to get monumentally better. So yeah, if you’re looking for some dark academia/fantasy that you can get on Kindle Unlimited, I highly recommend this one. I’m definitely going to continue on with the series. 

Ruthless Fae by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti

RUTHLESS FAE by Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti (Zodiac Academy #2)

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: The Celestial Heirs think the stars are on their side. But they don’t know what’s coming. Fighting them one on one isn’t an option, so we have to be stealthy. Remaining under the radar won’t be easy, but if we pull it off, they’ll never suspect our involvement when their lives start falling apart. Besides, they’ve already taken us to the brink of hell, what more can they really do?

My Thoughts: Okay we looooove that the Vega twins got some sweet revenge in this book! They’re still learning the new ways of being Fae and can’t combat all of the obstacles being thrown in their way quite yet, but they are determined to not be underestimated. Especially after they initially try to escape back home and Orion challenges Darcy to prove her place in Solaria.  I also loved that we got to see the POVs of other characters like Caleb and Darius, which provided more background story to the Heirs and made everything much more interesting. The pacing of this book was pretty similar to the first book and there weren’t any hard-hitting plot points that occurred in here necessarily, but we do learn more about the Nymphs, power structures, and more. Overall, you should definitely continue onto the second book of Zodiac Academy if you started the series. 

The Reckoning by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti

THE RECKONING by Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti (Zodiac Academy #3)

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: The week of The Reckoning has begun. And senior students have been tasked with making the freshmen’s lives pure hell as they prepare to take their fateful assessment. With the Lunar Eclipse on the horizon, Tory and Darcy have more to worry about than just passing their exams. A dark plot is unfolding and the shadows are drawing closer…

My Thoughts: Omg yaaaass!! It’s finally time for The Reckoning, which is basically the assessment for new students to prove they can hone their powers and deserve a spot at Zodiac academy. Not only are the pranks Tory and Darcy set up against the Heirs still barreling through the school, but they’ve become badasses with their powers and are ready to show they shouldn’t be underestimated. I’m obsessed with the relationships that have been developing between Darcy and Orion and Tory and Darius. The plot is forming quite well as we start to learn who the real enemy is - Lionel Acrux (Darius’s dad) - and the part he’s playing in the Nymph attacks and Dark magic. We also finally get a glimpse into what Order the twins belong to and let me just say, the reveal does NOT disappoint. I am utterly obsessed with this series and plan to continue binge reading it. :)

Shadow Princess by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti

SHADOW PRINCESS by Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti (Zodiac Academy #4)

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: After the events of the Lunar Eclipse, Tory and Darcy must learn to deal with the darkness which shadows their lives. With a secret binding them to Darius and Orion, they must find a way to all work together for the greater good. But some things are easier said than done…

My Thoughts: LISTEN. Things have gotten WILD. Especially since Lionel basically sacrificed the girls to the Darkness and they came out in their Order forms (which I will not reveal in case you’re actually going to read this lol.) Tory and Darcy are only getting stronger and have started working much more closely with Orion and Darius as they control the dark magic swirling inside of them. I am loving the romance storylines and am rooting for the unlikely pairs to work out. The one character I am a little tired of hearing about is Seth. He’s still just being the biggest dick to Darcy and I feel like we’re so far past that. I take great pleasure in Max pining after Geraldine in this book, though, after they had a moment during the Lunar Eclipse in the last book. There is a huge battle scene that occurs over Christmas during which the girls change into their Order forms in front of Lionel Acrux and the Council. Up until that point, they’ve been trying to hide that they’re not fire Harpy as everyone assumed, because if Lionel figured out what they actually are, they knew he’d be out for blood. The end scene of this book made me PHYSICALLY frustrated with Tory and I REALLY hope she redeems herself in the next book. Her stubbornness is her fatal flaw at this point and I’d love to see better character development. Either way, I’m still obsessed with this series lol. 

Binti by Nnedi Okorafor

BINTI by Nnedi Okorafor

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Her name is Binti, and she is the first of the Himba people ever to be offered a place at Oozma University, the finest institution of higher learning in the galaxy. But to accept the offer will mean giving up her place in her family to travel between the stars among strangers who do not share her ways or respect her customs. Knowledge comes at a cost, one that Binti is willing to pay, but her journey will not be easy. The world she seeks to enter has long warred with the Meduse, an alien race that has become the stuff of nightmares. Oozma University has wronged the Meduse, and Binti’s stellar travel will bring her within deadly reach. If Binti hopes to survive the legacy of a war not of her making, she will need both the gifts of her people and the wisdom enshrined within the University itself - but first she has to make it there, alive.

Summary: I listened to this on audiobook and really enjoyed it. It’s a quick sci-fi novella about Binti, who is the first of her people to be accepted to the esteemed intergalactic Oozma University. Although her family and community disagree with her attending the school, she follows her heart and leaves to receive an education. While she and other students are being shuttled to the university, the spaceship is attacked by the Meduse. Everyone is killed except for the captain of the ship and Binti, who was able to fend off the Meduse using a gadget she brought from home - although she’s unsure what it does. From there, she has to find a way to communicate with the Meduse to understand what they want while figuring out how to stay alive. I was hooked on this story from the start and loved the resilience in Binti’s character. Although there are two other books in this series, I felt like the end of this one didn’t leave me on much of a cliffhanger. So I’m unsure if I’m going to continue with it. However, if you’re looking for a quick sci-fi audiobook, I definitely recommend giving this one a try!

All righty! That’s everything I read in February. Prepare for more Zodiac Academy reviews in March, but I also promise to read more of a variety next month. If you’ve read Zodiac Academy though, please let me know so that we can talk about it!

2023 Book Count: 24

Add me on Goodreads if you haven’t already.

YOUR TURN! What’s a book you’re looking forward to reading soon?

December 2022 Reads

I cannot believe we are done with 2022 already.

It was actually a great year for me. I moved into a new apartment, which has been a game changer for my quality of life. It’s not just having a friend that lives below me that’s been great, but it has felt like pressing “reset” on things by being in a brand new space. I also got a new job and am extremely grateful for the opportunity. It’s only been four months, but I do not regret the decision to take the next step in my career at all. Which is all you can really ask for in your professional life, right?

On the reading front, well, if you’ve been following along month after month, you know I didn’t do too shabby in this category. I ended up surpassing my original 2022 reading goal of 100 books. Actually, I more than doubled it lol. 

I read 206 books this year. I know that sounds insane, but when reading is my favorite form of escape and way to relax, I do it a lot. I intentionally make time for it. It’s as ingrained in my routine at this point as brushing my teeth twice a day is.

That’s my best piece of advice if you want to read more in 2023. Just intentionally make time for it. It makes a huge difference. 

Anywho, let me step down from my soapbox and get into everything I read in December!

*All summaries are taken or paraphrased from Goodreads.

Faking Under the Mistletoe by Ashley Sheperd

FAKING UNDER THE MISTLETOE by Ashley Shepherd

Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary: Olivia Langley is the human embodiment of Christmas cheer, and she has absolutely no problem spreading it around for all to hear. Christmas sweaters? She has twenty. Christmas cookies? She’ll take three dozen. Christmas movies? Yeah, she’s seen them all. So it’s no surprise when she’s put in charge of Loveridge & McGowan’s holiday festivities. Secret Santas? Yep. Ice skating? Of course. Holiday trivia? Duh. Christmas-themed bar crawl? That’s one big jingle bell hell yes. Kissing her boss at a Christmas tree lighting in front of his ex-girlfriend? Well… it is the season of giving. And Olivia does not come with a gift receipt. No exchanges. No refunds. No returns. All sales are final. In an effort to un-grinch the grinchiest man she’s ever met, Olivia enlists herself, Santa’s Executive Helper, to scheme up a plan that includes sleigh rides, snow days, and one too many mistletoe kisses, which certainly gets Ashe’s tinsel in a tangle. She’s pretty sure that she sleighed this whole fake dating thing. Well…until she realizes there’s nothing fake about her feelings for Asher. But tangled tinsel, unsolicited Christmas trees, and pajama parties are suddenly the least of her worries. When a celebrity client’s predatory behavior goes public, Olivia quickly learns that presents wrapped up in the prettiest bows can still be hiding coal.

My Thoughts: This book was cute. It’s a little obnoxious lol, but I enjoyed my time with it overall. The one thing I will start off by saying is that the author wastes NO time diving into the fake-dating trope. I think within the first like 10-15 pages, the two main characters are already in a fake-dating agreement in an attempt to make Asher’s ex-girlfriend jealous. It was so quick, I almost had to do a double take to make sure I didn’t miss any pages lol. We’re also dealing with a grumpy-sunshine trope, and the emphasis on which of the MCs were assigned those two roles was crystal clear. As the summary of this book says, Olivia is the human embodiment of Christmas cheer. She THRIVES on holiday spirit. Whereas Asher is one of those guys you wonder if he’s constipated or something because he’s always so grumpy. I really liked how their relationship developed and the obviousness of the feelings being felt. As a content warning, this book also touches on sexual harassment within the workplace, but I felt for a Christmassy rom-com, the topic was handled with extreme care and respect. It was actually pretty surprising to me how much depth that plot line added to the overall story because I definitely wasn’t expecting it. If you’re looking for a fun holiday read that has a serious note to it as well, this is a good book for that.

Tis the Season for Revenge by Morgan Elizabeth

TIS THE SEASON FOR REVENGE by Morgan Elizabeth

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Abbie Keller thought that Richard Bartholomew Benson the Third would be her forever. In their four years of dating, she never doubted that she wouldn’t end up with his grandmother’s engagement ring on her finger. Sure, she had to change a few things about herself to fit that mold, like dying her hair, dressing more conservatively, and finding golf enjoyable (honestly the most difficult of the changes), but she was sure that at the end of it all, it would be worth it. That is, until he leaves her crying outside her apartment wearing a Halloween costume, having broken it off with her because she’s just not serious enough. She was just fun, he tells her - and now that Richard has becoming a partner at his law firm in his sights, he needs to focus on work. So she does what every girl does when she’s broken up with: she calls her friends, gets drunk, dyes her hair, and formulates her plan for revenge. It just so happens that the universe supports her efforts and gives her the perfect match to prove to her ex that he made a huge mistake: his boss. Abbie starts dating the founding partner of Richard’s law firm, Damien Martinez, with one thing in mind: convincing him to invite her to the huge annual Christmas party as his date. But when the relationship starts to become something more than casual dating and Abbie sees that the tough New York lawyer has a soft side, will she be able to follow through with her plan of deceit? 

My Thoughts: This book was so silly and stupid and I really enjoyed my time with it lol. It’s a nod to Legally Blonde, so you have to take that in stride with the main character, Abbie. She means well and was treated like trash by an f-boy named Richard aka Dick. I loved that what started as a revenge plan by dating Damien, Richard’s boss, actually turned into something real. He treated her like a freaking princess and soothed the insecurities Dick had deeply rooted in her through verbal and emotional abuses. It was heartwarming to watch them fall all a little more for each other with literally every conversation they had - especially with scenes that touched on more sensitive subjects such as domestic abuse. Even with Abbie being a character I wouldn’t expect to vibe with, I couldn’t help but root for her as she regained confidence in her self image, ambitions, and overall life. Honestly? I wasn’t expecting much out of this book, but it pleasantly surprised me. There’s even a mild age-trope involved that I really didn’t mind - and I usually do not like age tropes lol. Overall, if you’re looking for a fun, a little mindless holiday rom-com, this would be a good one to pick up! Please check trigger warnings before heading in though.

Resting Scrooge Face by Meghan Quinn

RESTING SCROOGE FACE by Meghan Quinn

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: After a bad breakup, Nola wants nothing to do with Christmas, especially in her quaint hometown of Bright Harbor, Maine. Infuriatingly charming and cheery, Nola’s surroundings only worsen her sour mood. To make matters worse, Caleb, the boy who broke her heart years ago, is all grown up and still living in town. While doing her best to avoid him, Nola bumps into the local mailman, who gives her a mysterious letter. And when she finds that the writer is a fellow Scrooge, she can’t help but feel her spirit lifting. Nola writes back to her new pen pal - who, unbeknownst to Nola, is none other than Caleb. When Caleb gets a response hand delivered by the mailman, he’s intrigued by the mystery sender. A friendly correspondence develops - and quickly turns flirtatious. Although Nola and Caleb claim they can’t stand each other, they can’t deny the simmering attraction that brought them together in the first place. Can these nameless pen pals write their own love story - or will they be too caught up with the ghosts of their Christmases past to find a future together?

My Thoughts: Meghan Quinn does it again with this fun holiday novella! I think this book is literally less than 100 pages which is the perfect amount for its story. Nola and Caleb have a history. They were dating seriously years ago, but when Nola wanted to leave for the big city, Caleb didn’t want to go with her because he was scared. Per usual with men, that was poorly communicated on his part, and instead he broke her heart. Now that she’s back in Bright Harbor, she’s been avoiding Caleb like the plague lol. However, thanks to her grandma and the town’s old mailman’s meddling, they become pen pals - unbeknownst to them. The banter within their letters was phenomenal and the connection they shared was undeniable even when they didn’t know who they were corresponding with. I was obsessed with the scene where they truly reconnected in-person and fell into the groove they had so many years ago. You could feel their joy radiating off the pages. It was electric. Overall, if you’re looking for a quick read that involves Christmas feels and lighthearted, I definitely recommend giving this novella a try. 

Us by Sarina Bowen

US by Sarina Bowen

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Five months in, NHL forward Ryan Wesley is having a record-breaking rookie season. He’s living his dream of playing pro hockey and coming home every night to the man he loves - Jamie Canning, his longtime best friend turned boyfriend. There’s just one problem: the most important relationship of his life is one he needs to keep hidden, or else face a media storm that will eclipse his success on the ice. Jamie loves Wes. He really, truly does. But hiding sucks. It’s not the life Jamie envisioned for himself, and the strain of keeping their secret is taking its toll. It doesn’t help that his new job isn’t going as smoothly as he’d hoped, but he knows he can power through it as long as he has Wes. At least apartment 10B is their retreat, where they can always be themselves. Or can they? When Wes’s nosiest teammate moves in upstairs, the threads of their carefully woven lie begin to unravel. With the outside world determined to take its best shot at them, can Wes and Jamie develop major-league relationship skills on the fly?

My Thoughts: Okay okay okay. I read Him back in June and absolutely fell in love with Jamie and Wes’s story, but wanted to pace myself with the series. So it wasn’t until this month that I allowed myself to read the follow-up book, Us. UGH THE AMOUNT OF SWOON, I TELL YOU. These guys have the sweetest relationship and you can feel the tension it's causing that they have to keep it a secret for a little while longer until Wes’s rookie season is over. It definitely put me on edge when a new neighbor (and one of Wes’s teammates) kept dropping in unannounced to their apartment and required them to act like they’re just roommates. When something happens to Jamie that puts him in the hospital, all reservations are tossed out the window. Although now that Wes is out to the world, their relationship still goes through some challenges as Jamie physically and mentally recovers and they both navigate this new experience of having their love life put on blast. I just loved every bit of this book and it truly sucked me into every emotion the characters were feeling. If you read and enjoyed Him, I definitely stand by continuing onto Us. 

Epic by Sarina Bowen

EPIC by Sarina Bowen

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: They’re back! Epic is a novella about your favorite hockey duo! Jamie and Wes are having a blast living and working in Toronto. Until a scout for another team swoops in to make one of them an offer that might complicate the life they’ve built together. 

My Thoughts: I loved this novella! This book is almost like an extended epilogue that takes place a little while after the ending of Us. Per usual, Jamie and Wes are the cutest couple ever and are willing to make sacrifices for the other’s happiness. I loved the way the story panned out as Jamie figured out what direction he wanted his career to go after receiving news he didn’t receive the promotion he was expecting. Honestly? If you’ve read Him and Us, you might as well pick up Epic because if you’re like me, you’ll have a Jamie and Wes hangover lol. So this short novella pacifies the want for more of their story.

Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn

BLOODMARKED by Tracy Deonn

Rating: 4.75/5 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 Aurthur’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: Y’ALLLLLLLLL. When I read Legendborn earlier this year, it IMMEDIATELY jumped to the number one spot on my list of favorite urban fantasies. So, I was ECSTATIC for the sequel to come out in November. This book was incredible. Tracy Deonn really gets into the magical constructs of the different aether-using communities, our girl Bree goes through the RINGER with some character development, and the number of action-packed events that occur in this book are endless. That being said, I REALLY wish I would have reread Legendborn before diving into Bloodmarked because when I say you’re going to be getting into the nitty gritty of bloodlines, magical constructs, the history of Root-users, etc. I am not exaggerating. Like there were a few sections in this book that I had to go back and reread because it kind of felt like solving a math equation. Not that any of that took away from the phenomenal experience of this world at all, but bless my brain’s heart, she was trying her best to flip from her creative side to the logical/mathematical side without skipping a beat. All of that aside, Bree is still the most stubborn character I’ve ever come across and also one of the strongest. I love her character arc and this wild journey she’s on. Also, SELWYN? Aka BAE. He hath stolen me heart and needs to be protected at ALL TIMES. I swear to you, Nick who? Anyway, Tracy Deonn does it again and has produced a stunning sequel to an already remarkable series. I cannot wait for the third book, but will definitely need to reread the first two before diving in.

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE by Celeste Ng

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: Everyone in Shaker Heights was talking about it that summer: how Isabelle, the last of the Richardson children, had finally gone around the bend and burned the house down. In Shaker Heights, a placid, progressive suburb of Cleveland, everything is meticulously planned - from the layout of the winding roads, to the colors of the houses, to the successful lives its residents will go on to lead. And no one embodies this spirit more than Elena Richardson, whose guiding principle is playing by the rules. Enter Mia Warren - an enigmatic artist and single mother - who arrives in this idyllic bubble with her teenage daughter Pearl, and rents a house from the Richardsons. Soon Mia and Pearl become more than just tenants: all four Richardson children are drawn to the mother-daughter pair. But Mia carries with her a mysterious past, and a disregard for the rules that threatens to upend this carefully ordered community. When old family friends attempt to adopt a Chinese-American baby, a custody battle erupts that dramatically divides the town - and puts Mia and Elena on opposing sides. Suspicious of Mia and her motives, Elena is determined to uncover the secrets in Mia’s past. But her obsession will come at an unexpected and devastating cost…?

My Thoughts: All right, y’all. I’m a little late to this party but completely understand why this book blew up a few years ago and was adapted into a television series. There are so many layers to this small town of Shaker and it intertwines so many people’s stories that it’s inevitable they’d get tangled up in something messy. Mia has been on the run with her daughter Pearl for years. She really keeps to herself except when she’s trying to do the right thing for people who don’t deserve the treatment they’re experiencing. Elena is your typical Stepford Wife type of character. Like, if there was a “Nosey Neighbors of Shaker” Facebook group, she’d be its admin. Ya dig? She tries to put on a facade for the world when really, her life is anything but perfect. This book takes so many turns and goes down some unexpected, dark paths. I was INVESTED to say the least. If you haven’t read this book yet, I definitely recommend picking it up or giving the audiobook a try. It’s addicting. 

The Deal of a Lifetime by Fredrik Backman

THE DEAL OF A LIFETIME by Fredrik Backman

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: A father and a son are seeing each other for the first time in years. The father has a story to share before it’s too late. He tells his son about a courageous little girl lying in a hospital bed a few miles away. She’s a smart kid - smart enough to know that she won’t beat cancer by drawing with crayons all day, but it seems to make the adults happy, so she keeps doing it. As he talks about this plucky little girl, the father also reveals more about himself: his triumphs in business, his failures as a parent, his past regrets, his hopes for the future. Now, on a cold winter’s night, the father has been given an unexpected chance to do something remarkable that could change the destiny of a little girl he hardly knows. But before he can make the deal of a lifetime, he must find out what his own life has actually been worth, and only his son can reveal that answer.

My Thoughts: Fredrik Backman does it again with an incredibly melancholy short story that hits you right in the feels. This was a super quick audiobook about a guy who is dying in a hospital and he’s given the chance to save someone’s life who he doesn’t believe is meant to go yet. It almost gives Ghost of Christmas Past vibes because there’s a lady dressed in gray with a clipboard who shows up when it’s someone’s time to die. After he begs her not to take the life of this other person, she makes the guy understand she will need to take a different life in order to save the other. He then takes time to reflect on his life and whether he’s willing to be erased. Fredrick Backman does a phenomenal job at getting at the vulnerable core of who we are as people and this short story is no exception. 

Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center

THINGS YOU SAVE IN A FIRE by Katherine Center

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Cassie Hanwell was born for emergencies. As one of the only female firefighters in her Texas firehouse, she’s seen her fair share of them, and she’s excellent at dealing with other people’s tragedies. But when her estranged and ailing mother asks her to uproot her life and move to Boston, it’s an emergency of a kind Cassie never anticipated. The tough, old-school Boston firehouse is as different from Cassie’s old job as it could possibly be. Hazing, a lack of funding, and poor facilities means that the firemen aren’t exactly thrilled to have a “lady” on the crew, even one as competent and smart as Cassie. Except for the handsome rookie, who doesn’t seem to mind having Cassie around. But she can’t think about that. Because she doesn’t fall in love. And because of the advice her old captain gave her: don’t date firefighters. Cassie can feel her resolve slipping… but will she jeopardize her place in a career where she’s worked so hard to be taken seriously?

My Thoughts: This book has been on my radar for a few months now, but because I visually read so much romance, I don’t tend to lean that direction when it comes to audiobooks. I’m here to say though, I’m glad I finally listened to this! Per usual, I went into it not knowing what it’s about and was pleasantly surprised with the direction. Cassie is an incredibly relatable character in the sense that she is incredibly guarded when it comes to her heart based on a terrible experience from her past. She’s solely focused on the career she loves as a firefighter and her drive to help people is what fuels her. Until an unfortunate situation forces her to leave her beloved station in Texas and move in with her sick mother in Boston. Her new firehouse is not used to having women on their team and, therefore, they’re not super welcoming. There’s even someone who ends up terrorizing Cassie in an attempt to get her to quit. I loved all of the different personalities of the supporting characters because it made Cassie’s new life so much more fun - as much as she tries to resist enjoying it. Owen aka Rookie is bae. I don’t know what else to say other than I was SWOONING as Cassie’s relationship with him grew. This was my first Katherine Center book, but it definitely won’t be my last!

Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells

ROGUE PROTOCOL by Martha Wells

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: SciFi’s favorite antisocial A.I. is again on a mission. The case against the too-big-to-fail GrayCris Corporation is floundering, and more importantly, authorities are beginning to ask more questions about where Dr. Mensah’s SecUnit is. And Murderbot would rather those questions went away for good.

My Thoughts: LISTEN. I freaking love Murderbot and how sassy they’ve gotten in this series. They’re still on the run after Dr. Mensah tried taking them back to her planet where SecUnits aren’t owned by anyone. They’re also still trying to figure out what’s going on with murder attempts on various research teams. In this book, Murderbot befriends a “pet robot” named Mickey who they assume isn’t very smart because of the life she’s had so far. There are some assassins involved along the way and Mickey ends up REALLY surprising Murderbot. I just love this rogue SecUnit so much and cannot wait to start the next book in this series. 

This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar

THIS IS HOW YOU LOSE THE TIME WAR by Amal El-Mohtar

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: Among the ashes of a dying world, an agent of the Commandant finds a letter. It reads: Burn before reading. Thus begins an unlikely correspondence between two rival agents hellbent on securing the best possible future for their warring factions. Now, what began as a taunt, a battlefield boast, grows into something more. Something epic. Something romantic. Something that could change the past and future. Except the discovery of their bond would mean earth for each of them. There’s still a war going on, after all. And someone has to win that war. 

My Thoughts: Okay I tried reading the physical book earlier this year and it just wasn’t sticking for me, so I returned it to the library. However, I’ve heard good things and since I was trying to make it to my 2022 reading goal via shorter books this month, I decided to give it another try as an audiobook. Luckily, it was much easier to follow with someone else reading it to me lol. This book is pretty different from anything else I’ve read and is the epitome of “enemies to lovers.” Two time-traveling/dimension-crossing agents are on opposite sides of the Time War. The encrypted letters they leave each other at the various disaster zones start as competitive banter, but slowly transition to love letters over the years. Obviously their love is forbidden, and either agent could be killed by her own faction if they found out she was in love with the enemy. What I admired most in this book is the lyrical quality to the writing. It’s almost like small poetry nestled into the dialogue and descriptions. I don’t think this storyline will be interesting to everyone, but it’s a great option if you’re looking for a quick read with a flowy writing style.

Tangled in Tinsel by Trilina Pucci

TANGLED IN TINSEL by Trilina Pucci

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Imagine being snowed in with four successful men. P.S. they’ve all played the hero in too many of your naughtiest dreams. Problem is, you work for them, and that makes them off-limits. Except now they’re looking at you like you’re Santa’s cookies. And they definitely want to take a bite. Talk about making you reconsider your life choices. These four are aiming for Santa’s naughty list, and I’m pretty sure I’m getting: Jace, Reed, Alec, and Cole for Christmas. It might’ve started as a decorating job, but it ended up tangled in tinsel. 

My Thoughts: Y’all. This book was NAUGHTY. I was looking for some quick holiday romance novellas to read and this one came up in my search. Obvi I was expecting it to have some spicy elements to it, but this book was just one steamy scene after another. And, to the author’s credit, I genuinely enjoyed all of the characters. Like this wasn’t just a raunchy romance without any storyline depth to it. There was definitely a small plot with overarching character development lol. However, if you’re not into open door romances and/or tend to be more on the “pearl clutching” side of the smut consuming spectrum, then I’d say it’s not for you. Anyone else who enjoys some quality smut would probably find this lil Christmassy tale enjoyable lol. And that’s all I have to say about that.

Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire

EVERY HEART A DOORWAY by Seanan McGuire

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children. No Solicitations. No Visitors. No Quests. Children have always disappeared under the right conditions; slipping through the shadows under a bed or at the back of a wardrobe, tumbling down rabbit holes and into old wells, and emerging somewhere… else. But magical lands have little need for used-up miracle children. Nancy tumbled once, but now she’s back. The things she’s experienced… they change a person. The children under Miss West’s care understand all too well. And each of them is seeking a way back into their own fantasy world. 

My Thoughts: This audiobook was such a whimsical, transportive experience. It was as creepy as it was comforting and I found absolute peace with the oddest of this misfit gang of characters. I loved that although you’re being introduced to a completely new structure of worlds between the nonsensical and logical, it makes total sense through the eyes of these quirky characters. The mystery element added an addictive quality to this peculiar story and although it becomes clear who the killer is at a very specific part, it didn’t take away from waiting for the realization to hit everyone else. Seanan McGuire really has a way of tossing you into these bizarre worlds while making the experience an absolute delight. I will definitely be continuing on with the Wayward Children series. 

Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire

DOWN AMONG THE STICKS AND BONES by Seanan McGuire

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Twin sisters Jack and Jill were seventeen when they found their way home and were packed off to Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children. This is the story of what happened first… Jacqueline was her mother’s perfect daughter - polite and quiet, always dressed as a princess. If her mother was sometimes a little strict, it’s because crafting the perfect daughter takes discipline. Jillian was her father’s perfect daughter - adventurous, thrill-seeking, and a bit of a tom-boy. He really would have preferred a son, but you work with what you’ve got. They were five when they learned that grown-ups can’t be trusted. They were twelve when they walked down the impossible staircase and discovered that the pretense of love can never be enough to prepare you for a life filled with magic in a land filled with mad scientists and death and choices.

My Thoughts: EEEEK! I am loving this quirky little series with creepy children and their magical doors! We met Jack and Jill in Every Heart a Doorway and were introduced to snippets of their background story, but I’m so glad they got their own book. Basically, their parents wanted to have kids for strictly aesthetic reasons. Not that they actually wanted kids to be parents. Yanno? The last thing they expected was twins and, as another kick to the nuts, they had two girls. Once Jack and Jill were born, their parents immediately deemed one their sweet princess (Jack) and the other their tomboy (Jill). Growing up with parents who tried to fit them into molds only messed up the girls even more and they never truly developed a sisterly relationship because they were always pitted against each other. When they finally find the door to the Moors, they’re offered to either stay with the Master, who also happens to be a vampire, or they can work for an oddball scientist down the hill as an apprentice. Staying with the master meant they’d be treated with luxuries in exchange for being the Master’s source of feeding. Being the scientist’s apprentice meant getting their hands extremely dirty while learning a plethora of information about the world as they worked on projects with him. The sisters essentially trade roles they’ve had so far in life and Jack becomes the tomboy scientist while Jill becomes the prim, proper princess. I loved this story so much - specifically Jack’s character. This book was just as fun as the last and I’m going to continue with this series. The only reason I couldn’t give this book five stars is because, and no shade to her, the author narrates this one. Whereas she was not the narrator for the last one? So, I’m not sure if she just really wanted to tell Jack and Jill’s story or if there were budget cuts when the audiobook went to production lol, but I preferred the narrator of the last book. She doesn’t do a terrible job by any means, but the other narrator sucked me into the story more. 

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

TOMORROW AND TOMORROW AND TOMORROW by Gabrielle Zevin

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: On a bitter-cold day, in the December of his junior year at Harvard, Sam Masur exits a subway car and sees, amid the hordes of people waiting on the platform, Sadie Green. He calls her name. For a moment, she pretends she hasn’t heard him, but then, she turns, and a game begins: a legendary collaboration that will launch them into stardom. These friends, intimates since childhood, borrow money, beg favors, and before even graduating college, they have created their first blockbuster, Ichigo. Overnight, the world is theirs. Not even twenty-five years old, Sam and Sadie are brilliant, successful, and rich, but these qualities won’t protect them from their own creative ambitions or the betrayals of their hearts. Spanning thirty years, from Cambridge, Massachusetts, to Venice Beach, California, and lands in between and far beyond, Gabrielle Zevin’s Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow is a dazzling and intricately imagined novel that examines the multifarious nature of identity, disability, failure, the redemptive possibilities in play, and above all, our need to connect: to be loved and to love. Yes, it is a love story, but it is not one you have read before. 

My Thoughts: Where to start with this book? Going into it, I was nervous it was going to be a victim of its own hype as it was voted Goodreads 2022 Book of the Year as well as BOTY for the Book of the Month subscription box. Now that I’m finished with it, I can see clear as day why so many people fell in love with it. The writing is absolutely stunning and this author has one of the deepest vocabularies I think I’ve ever come across. I had to keep looking up the definitions of words because there were so many I had never encountered before. I actually kept a running list in my notes app and ended up with 21 words. As for the main characters, I honestly didn’t love Sadie and Sam. They were so incredibly flawed and terrible at communicating, and yet I could not stop rooting for them - both individually and as friends, business partners, etc. Especially when you throw Marx into the mix, the threesome had the oddest relationship, but it also made complete sense. The number of emotions this storyline puts you through as the years go on are unreal. I don’t want to say it was exhausting to read but I definitely needed to take recovery time from some of the grief-saturated pages. The overall theme of this book is about how all people at their core need to connect to others and I loved that video games were the vessel for that here. Do I think it’s the greatest book I’ve read all year? No. Do I think it’s worth picking up? Absolutely.

Funny You Should Ask by Elissa Sussman

FUNNY YOU SHOULD ASK by Elissa Sussman

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Then. Twentysomething writer Chani Horowitz is stuck. While her former MFA classmates are nabbing book deals, she’s in the trenches writing puff pieces. Then she’s hired to write a profile of movie star Gabe Parker. The Gabe Parker - her forever celebrity crush, the object of her fantasies, the background photo on her phone - who’s also just been cast as the new James Bond. It’s terrifying and thrilling all at once… yet if she can keep her cool and nail the piece, it could be a huge win. Gabe will get good press, and her career will skyrocket. But what comes next proves to be life-changing in ways Chani never saw coming, as the interview turns into a whirlwind weekend that has tabloids buzzing. Now. Ten years later, after a brutal divorce and a heavy dose of therapy, Chani is back in Los Angeles, laser-focused on one thing: her work. But she’s still spent the better part of the last decade getting asked about her deeply personal Gabe Parker profile at every turn. No matter what new essay collection or viral editorial she’s promoting, it always comes back to Gabe. So when his PR team requests that they reunite for a second interview, she wants to say no. She wants to pretend that she’s forgotten about the time they spent together, years ago. But the truth is that those seventy-two hours are still crystal clear, etched in her memory. And so… she says yes. Chani knows that facing Gabe again also means facing feelings she’s tried so hard to push away. Alternating between their first meeting and their reunion a decade later, this deliciously irresistible novel will have you hanging on until the last word. 

My Thoughts: Ooo this book was so charming! I loved how the format was a mix between blog posts, magazine and news articles, and character dialogue. The timeline jumps between the past - what happened ten years ago during the initial interview - and the present where Chani is interviewing Gabe for the second time. I was obsessed with the banter and sexual tension that naturally occurred between these two characters. What starts as a formal interview quickly transitions them into a gray area where Chani isn’t sure if everything Gabe is sharing with her is still interview eligible or if he genuinely wants to get to know her. Whereas Gabe keeps forgetting the reason Chani entered his life that weekend is because she’s doing an interview and instinctively slides a “media mask” on anytime she tries to get clarification. This story was a wild ride and although there’s a lot of unprocessed emotions between the two of them, I was on the edge of my seat hoping the book would end the way I wanted. This was a super cute rom-com with a really unique format, so if you’re looking for something a little different, I’d recommend giving this a try!

After I Do by Taylor Jenkins Reid

AFTER I DO by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: When Lauren and Ryan’s marriage reaches the breaking point, they come up with an unconventional plan. They decide to take a year off in the hopes of finding a way to fall in love again. One year apart, and only one rule: they cannot contact each other. Aside from that, anything goes. Lauren embarks on a journey of self-discovery, quickly finding that her friends and family have their own ideas about the meaning of marriage. These influences, as well as her own healing process and the challenges of living apart from Ryan, begin to change Lauren’s ideas about monogamy and marriage. She starts to question: When you can have romance without loyalty and commitment without marriage, when love and lust are no longer tied together, what do you value? What are you willing to fight for?

My Thoughts: This book was a tough read because the heartbreak of Lauren and Ryan was palpable as they separated for a year to figure out what they wanted from their marriage. I think everyone has felt the irritable animosity towards a partner at one point in life, and the way this book sucked you into the trials this marriage was facing felt almost nostalgic. Although the pain they experienced during the separation felt similar to grief and mourning, I absolutely LOVED that Lauren was figuring out who she is without Ryan. They started dating when she was 19 and married young, so she never truly had the time to figure out who she is as a standalone person without Ryan somehow intertwined with that identity. It’s clear throughout the entirety of this book that the love they share is something not everyone experiences. Even during the rough spots when they’re seeing other people, Lauren is still entirely unsure as to how she feels about her marriage. I’m not sure it’d be possible to not speak to someone for an entire year that you literally have not spent more than a few days apart during your marriage, but I commended the strength they showed in staying true to their one rule of this separation. The most refreshing part of this book is Lauren does something morally questionable and I thought that was going to cause a big blow up later on, but it actually did the opposite. This story is a little different from the historical fiction novels I’ve read by TJR, but I enjoyed it all the same!

Evidence of the Affair by Taylor Jenkins Reid

EVIDENCE OF THE AFFAIR by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Rating: 4/5stars

Summary: A desperate woman in Southern California sits down to write a letter to a man she’s never met - a choice that will forever change both their lives. The correspondence between Carrie Allsop and David Mayer reveals, piece by piece, the painful details of a devastating affair between their spouses. With each commiserating scratch of the pen, they confess their fears and bare their souls. They share the bewilderment over how things went so wrong and come to wonder where to go from here. 

My Thoughts: This is my first TJR novella and I absolutely loved the creativity of how the story unfolded using the unique format of letter correspondence. It’s a collection of letters between Carrie and David - who realized their spouses are cheating on them - and between Janet and Ken - their spouses and the lovers. At first, the letters exchanged between Carrie and David are solely to feel not alone in this betraying situation. They find solace in knowing the other is going through the same feelings and thoughts as they navigate their spouses’ indiscretion. As the letters go on, the sentiments transition into something more of a friendship and become more frequent with time. Although I wanted to predict the ending, there was a small unexpected plot twist towards the end that I appreciated. Honestly, if you’re looking for something quick and unique, this book was a pleasant surprise!

There Are No Saints by Sophie Lark

THERE ARE NO SAINTS by Sophie Lark

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: I loathe Alastor Shaw. The city of San Francisco thinks we’re rival artists. In truth, we’re predators battling for hunting ground. We never chased the same prey. Until the night we both laid eyes on Mara Eldritch. Shaw wants to use her as a pawn in his twisted game. I’m fixated on her for a different reason… She makes me feel things I never thought I could feel. Want things I never wanted. Only she can make me lose control. I don’t know if I should protect her at all costs… or destroy her before she ruins me.

My Thoughts: Sophie Lark QUICKLY became one of my new favorite authors this year after I read the Brutal Birthright series. She has a way of sucking you into her writing that feels like you can’t put the book down or else you’ll miss something. This book is no exception. I wasn’t expecting the premise but it kind of gives a You (aka a book but also a Netflix show) vibe. Cole is an extremely wealthy, talented artist who is also a serial killer from time to time. He becomes obsessed with Mara, an artist who is trying to make a name for herself, after she escapes an attempted murder by his rival. The story then progresses into your expected trope of Cole being whole heartedly CONSUMED by Mara and the things she makes him feel. I didn’t love Cole nor Mara, but I think it’s because I wasn’t sure if I could get behind this dynamic since he IS a serial killer lol. However, the story still had my nose glued to the pages as I devoured it. I appreciated that the ending leaves us on a cliffhanger because now I obviously am going to continue onto the second book in this duology.

There Is No Devil by Sophie Lark

THERE IS NO DEVIL by Sophie Lark

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: I couldn’t kill Mara… but that doesn’t mean Shaw won’t. She’s living in my house, always with me, always under my control. The more I push her, the more she pushes back. She’s peeling away my secrets, one by one. And I’m tempting her to do things she never thought she’d do… Shaw won’t stop hunting her. When the time comes to act, will Mara be ready?

My Thoughts: Okay, okay, okay the second book came in hot and I loved where the story went here based on the first book. Mara’s character really finds her stride not only as an artist, but also as a woman recovering from previous trauma. Cole, our sweet little psychopath, is the more patient, validating boyfriend to Mara and truly supports her in all aspects of life. I also loved that Mara opened up sides to Cole he didn’t realize he had. He’s been so closed off and cold his whole life that finding joy with another person and truly loving them is an arsenal of new emotions for him. They’re still on high alert about the other serial killer/artist, Shaw, who has set his sights on Mara as a way to assert his dominance over Cole. My adrenaline was PUMPING during some of these creepier scenes - especially what happens at the end lol. I had to put the book down and really prepare myself for the gruesome event that was foreshadowed literally the entire time. We still got the steamy scenes we wanted out of this, but I think the plot was built so well that I was more itching to see what happened than I was focused on the spice. As I’ve mentioned, Sophie Lark has become one of my favorite dark romance authors and she really got vulnerable in this book. There’s an author’s note at the beginning of the story that explains how she decided to use her real life experiences/traumas in Mara’s narrative specifically. I just really love her writing and cannot say enough good things!

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

SHATTER ME by Tahereh Mafi

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: Juliette hasn’t touched anyone in exactly 264 days. The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn’t hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don’t fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color. The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war - and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now. Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

My Thoughts: OH MY GOD Y’ALL. I DO NOT KNOW WHY IT TOOK ME SO LONG TO READ THIS BOOK. It is so freaking good, I cannot. So we’ve got Juliette, who you cannot have skin-to-skin contact with because her touch is lethal and will kill you. She’s been locked up in an asylum for a majority of a year when The Reestablishment decides they want to use her as a weapon. She’s such a complex character with so many layers of emotions and the trauma she’s experienced throughout her life due to her “gift” is unreal. I loved her as a main character and could not get enough of her story. There’s also Adam, a boy next door type who, it turns out, Juliette knew from school back in the day and ends up being assigned to guard her. The other star player in this book is Warren - a 19-year-old BOSS of Sector 45 and the reason Juliette is leaving the asylum. There is a romantic storyline woven throughout this book, however, I didn’t feel like it was the main focus and it definitely helped move the plot forward. There is no shortage of action scenes and carnage to this story, and my heart was beating FAST. The writing style is freaking phenomenal. It’s just unlike anything else I’ve ever read. It’s written from Juliette's point of view, but also her stream of consciousness. So it has you searching for answers and normality along with Juliette. Just the way her mind works, how she describes things, and more was just *chef’s kiss.* I saw some reviews that said they felt like some characters are melodramatic which, I can understand to an extent, but I was just so sucked into this story that all of the emotions and reactions felt incredibly justified. I am absolutely UNAPOLOGETICALLY diving into this series and you cannot stop me now.

Destroy Me by Tahereh Mafi

DESTROY ME by Tahereh Mafi

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Back at the base and recovering from his near-fatal wound, Warner must do everything in his power to keep his soldiers in check and suppress any mention of a rebellion in the sector. Still as obsessed with Juliette as ever, his first priority is to find her, bring her back, and dispose of Adam and Kenji, the other two traitors who helped her escape. But when Warner’s father, The Supreme Commander of The Reestablishment, arrives to correct his son’s mistakes, it’s clear that he has much different plans for Juliette. Plans Warner simply cannot allow.

My Thoughts: UGH. This novella is EXACTLY what I needed after that first book. An entire book from Warren’s perspective???? Ma’am. Yes. Gimme. This boy. Good LORT. I was on the fence in the first book as to whether I wanted to dislike him. He’s definitely giving off unforgivable antagonist vibes, but I also felt like he might just be lonely. Sure enough, we get to know Warren’s mind so much better in this lil treasure. He is head over heels for our girl Juliette and feels like he’s never met someone who he can relate to on such a deep level. He was dealt a shit hand in the father department and hasn’t really had the smoothest ride. At one point in this book, he finds the journal Juliette kept while she was in the asylum and the emotions he feels while reading her entries sucker punched me right in the heart. Like I instantly had that stomach drop, throbbing chest feeling as he reacted to some of the beautifully sad thoughts she confessed via pen. Honestly? By the end of this book, I am officially rooting for Warren. Whatever direction that takes him. I want good things for him because he has no one else to protect him. You must must must read this novella after finishing Shatter Me. I promise, you won’t regret it. 

Exit Strategy by Martha Wells

EXIT STRATEGY by Martha Wells

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Murderbot wasn’t programmed to care. So, its decision to help the only human who ever showed it respect must be a system glitch, right? Having traveled the width of the galaxy to unearth details of its own murderous transgressions, as well as those of the GrayCris Corporation, Murderbot is heading home to help Dr. Mensah - its former owner (protector? friend?) - submit evidence that could prevent GrayCris from destroying more colonists in its never-ending quest for profit. But who’s going to believe a SecUnit gone rogue? And, what will become of it when it’s caught?

My Thoughts: YUS. Murderbot is finally reunited with Dr. Mensah and the OG research team it was assigned to protect. I absolutely love how much more humanized Murderbot has become over the last three books. It makes no sense because it’s a SecUnit that shouldn’t know how to empathize and yet, when someone threatens to kill Dr. Mensah and her team again, Murderbot is there to throw down. It is simultaneously trying to save Dr. Mensah while also exposing GrayCris for its crooked operations and how deep those schemes go. Per usual, I was hooked from the start with this audiobook and cannot wait to continue on my Murderbot journey lol.

Unravel by Tahereh Mafi

UNRAVEL ME by Tahereh Mafi

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: It should have taken Juliette a single touch to kill Warner. But his mysterious immunity to her deadly power has left her shaken, wondering why her ultimate defense mechanism failed against the person she most needs protection from. She and Adam were able to escape Warner’s clutches and join up with a group of rebels, many of whom have powers of their own. Juliette will finally be able to actively fight against The Reestablishment and try to fix her broken world. And perhaps these new allies can help her shed light on the secret behind Adam’s - and Warner’s - immunity to her killer skin. 

My Thoughts: Okay okay okay, so this book mostly takes place with the rebel group fifty feet underground in their top secret compound. We meet a few other people who also have special abilities like Juliette’s and start to learn where these people came from and more information about how The Reestablishment is running civilization. I liked that the writing makes you just as skeptical as Juliette about whether you can trust this rebel group. Their leader, Castle, is pretty intense and the way he carries himself made me feel like she needed to be on high alert with him. What transpired between Juliette and Adam was absolutely heartbreaking. Not that I was super invested in their developing romance only because it felt like they were clinging onto each other for the first form of comfort they’ve experienced basically ever. That said, the grief that ripped through Juliette was palpable and I definitely shed a few tears lol. For 17 years she’s never been able to have skin-to-skin contact with anyone. She didn’t think it was possible. Then Adam comes along and all of a sudden having hope doesn’t seem out of reach for her. However, once they started testing Adam’s abilities to understand why he can touch Juliette, the rug gets pulled out from underneath her and she’s back to an isolated loneliness that I can’t even fathom. Warner is my boy in this series and we got to see so much more vulnerability from him in this book. Especially after learning who his father is (and how his father is connected to Adam!!!) and what he tries to do to Juliette, not once, but TWICE. I’m rooting for Warner babe, not only in this love triangle, but also as the person who can help take down his father. Y’all already know I’m addicted to this series and cannot wait to start the novella in between this book and the third. 

Well that’s that on that. Thanks for following along if you’ve made it this far lol. 

I hope everyone has an awesome start to 2023 and cannot wait to jump into a fresh year of books!

2022 Book Count: 206

Add me on Goodreads if you haven’t already.

YOUR TURN! What was your favorite book of 2022?

November 2022 Reads

Happy Holiday szn, my friends!

Does anyone else feel like we went from Halloween to Thanksgiving in 2.5 seconds? I mean I saw each day of November pass me by, but I don’t think I registered how quickly it was going lol. Which seems to be a theme to my months this fall. Especially now that it’s getting dark at like 4:30pm :’) 

As a surprise to probably everyone - including myself - I somehow maintained enough self control during Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals to avoid buying any books. My goal for December and January is to not buy nor borrow any books, so that I can solely focus on reading the plethora of books I already own. This does not include audiobooks I will continue to borrow from Libby though. 

Speaking of which, I actually did my own Libby Wrapped because my Spotify Wrapped was less than satisfactory for me this year. I didn’t really listen to a ton of music in my free time, but that’s because ya girl always has an audiobook going in my ear. So, I manually went through my reading log in Libby and added up the total number of hours and minutes I’ve spent listening to audiobooks as of November 30th…

Between February and November, I listened to 45 audiobooks (at various speeds) for a total of 22,164 minutes or 369.4 hours. 🙂

We still have one month left though, so I’ll be sure to keep you updated on the final number at the end of December. 

Okie doke. I suppose that’s it for this intro. Let’s get into everything I read in November!

*All summaries are taken or paraphrased from Goodreads.

Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley

FIREKEEPER’S DAUGHTER by Angeline Boulley

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: As a biracial, unenrolled tribal member and the product of scandal, Daunis Fontaine has never quite fit in - both in her hometown and on the nearby Ojibwe reservation. When her family is struck by tragedy, Daunis puts her own dreams on hold to care for her fragile mother. The only bright spot is meeting Jamie, the charming new recruit on her brother’s hockey team. After Daunis witnesses a shocking murder that thrusts her into a criminal investigation, she agrees to go undercover. But the deceptions - and deaths - keep piling up and soon the threat strikes too close to home. How far will she go to protect her community if it means tearing apart the only world she’s ever known?

My Thoughts: Why I allowed this book to spend so much time in my TBR pile, I literally cannot tell you. It took me a little longer to read compared to my usual pace, but I’m so glad I savored my time with the story, because it was phenomenal. It was a slower burn in the sense that the author not only sets up the plot and characters for you, but really dives into the geographical and cultural context for a better glimpse of the bigger picture. Especially since it takes place in  Sault Ste Marie, I appreciated that she detailed the beauty of the Upper Peninsula. Daunis was the perfect main character for this book. She was strong, stubborn, insanely intelligent, fiercely loyal and truly loved with all of her heart. Honestly, all of the women in her closest circle were amazing and really added another layer to understanding how Daunis became the woman she is at present. Additionally, the Native American cultural references including language, clothing, ceremonies, traditions, storytelling and more, really pulled me deeper into the dynamics of her community. I was absolutely HOOKED by the mystery element of the plot and was constantly on edge from the dangers it posed for Daunis. Not to mention, the constant red herrings kept leading me astray. Personally, I adored the small subplot about the developing relationship between Daunis and Jamie, and absolutely LOVED how it played out in the end. If you haven’t picked up this book already, I can’t say enough good things about it.

The Roommate by Rosie Danan

THE ROOMMATE by Rosie Danan

Rating: 2/5 stars

Summary: House Rules: Do your own dishes. Knock before entering the bathroom. Never look up your roommate online. The Wheatons are infamous among the east coast elite for their lack of impulse control, except for their daughter Clara. She’s the consummate socialite: over-achieving, well-mannered, predictable. But every Wheaton has their weakness. When Clara’s childhood crush invites her to move cross-country, the offer is too much to resist. Unfortunately, it’s also too good to be true. After a bait-and-switch, Clara finds herself sharing a lease with a charming stranger. Josh might be a bit too perceptive - not to mention handsome - for comfort, but there’s a good chance he and Clara could have survived sharing a summer sublet if she hadn’t looked him up on the Internet… Once she learns how Josh has made a name for himself, Clara realizes living with him might make her the Wheaton’s most scandalous story yet. His professional prowess inspires her to take tackling the stigma against female desire into her own hands. They may not agree on much, but Josh and Clara both believe women deserve better sex. What they decide to do about it will change both of their lives, and if they’re lucky, they’ll help everyone else get lucky too. 

My Thoughts: Mmm. Okay so this book wasn’t terrible, but it’s one of those “the sum of its parts fell extremely short” type of thing. I’ll start with everything I appreciated in this book. The premise was great and I absolutely loved the sex positivity message throughout. It touches on the topic of giving people the confidence to communicate what they need from their partners in their intimate relationships. I also liked the message about treating people in every industry with respect, even if it’s an industry that has a tendency to be seen as taboo. Now onto the things that left me mildly disappointed with this book: Clara is a sweet main character, but she fell incredibly flat to me. There really wasn’t any depth to her, so any emotions she experienced were hard to empathize with because I couldn’t connect with her. Josh was also, at surface level, a nice main character. However, I honestly didn’t fully buy into him either due to the lack of layers. At one point, he basically says he’s falling for Clara, but we really don’t know why since we mainly only witnessed physical attraction up to that point lol. When it came to the spicier scenes in this book, I just didn’t care because I didn’t buy into the chemistry between those two. On top of that, I felt like the writing was pretty inconsistent throughout the book, so I never sank into a comfortable rhythm with it. Overall, I just plainly didn’t like it. I didn’t hate it, but I know a lot of people rate this one pretty highly, so by the time I finished it, I was pretty disappointed.

All Systems Red by Martha Wells

ALL SYSTEMS RED by Martha Wells

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: In a corporate-dominated, space-faring future, planetary missions must be approved and supplied by the Company. For their own safety, exploratory teams are accompanied by Company-supplied security androids. But in a society where contracts are awarded to the lowest bidder, safety isn’t a primary concern. On a distant planet, a team of scientists is conducting surface tests, shadowed by their Company-supplied ‘droid - a self-aware SecUnit that has hacked its own government module and refers to itself (though never out loud) as “Murderbot.” Scornful of humans, Murderbot wants to be left alone long enough to figure out who it is, but when a neighboring mission goes dark, it’s up to the scientists and Murderbot to get to the truth.

My Thoughts: So I listened to this on audiobook and really wasn’t sure what to expect. It’s a quick read (only 144 pages or about 3 hours of listening), and the author really does just toss you right into the thick of it. This is such a fun sci-fi read and Murderbot is the ultimate main character. It’s hacked its own government module and is basically trying to stick it to “the man” with its own subtle protests. Also loved that at the end of the day, Murderbot just wanted to be left alone to binge watch its favorite shows. Relatable much? The plot quickly thickens when the research team Murderbot is protecting on this mission realizes someone is out here trying to kill exploratory teams. The ending left me with a cliffhanger, so of course I’m going to continue onto the next book in this series. If you’re looking for something quick and a little different, I highly recommend looking into All Systems Red.

The Locker Room by Meghan Quinn

THE LOCKER ROOM by Meghan Quinn

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: Have you heard the rumor around campus about the locker room? If you haven’t, let me enlighten you: legend has it if you bring a girl into the sacred after-game domain of the baseball locker room, it will end with a walk down the aisle. One rowdy naked encounter against the lockers with a girl of your dreams will make her your wife. Translation: baseball players are stupidly superstitious and believe the locker room has magical powers. But not all baseball players are superstitious, me included. So when the girl I’ve fallen for brushes me off, I start to question if I need to switch my way of thinking. Maybe it’s time I finally hand out a coveted invitation to the locker room. The only question is, will she accept?

My Thoughts: Meghan Quinn really does know how to write a sports romance. I’ve read a few books by her throughout this year, and the ones I find myself inhaling are the ones involving baseball players lol. Listen, this was the sweetest cliche storyline I could’ve asked for. Emory Ealson just transferred to Brentwood in Illinois from CalTech in California after she found her boyfriend of six years cheating on her. Luckily, her two best friends welcome her to their three-person dorm room with open arms and she’s off to a fresh start in her junior year, focusing on herself. Knox Gentry is the all-star shortstop at Brentwood and is expected to be drafted to the Major Leagues no problem. He’s also one of the hottest guys on campus who has never had a girlfriend before. So when Emory and Knox find themselves bumping into each other all over campus, it ends up being the slow start of an incredibly fun friendship. The chemistry between these main characters was so sweet and endearing. I loved their banter, the shameless flirting, and the easiness of their platonic relationship. Knox immediately starts falling for Emory, but because she just got out of a serious relationship, he respects her boundaries and takes things extremely slow. Emory obviously can’t deny the romantic connection brewing between them, and although they eventually make the perfect couple, there’s an unexpected obstacle that ultimately tears them apart. But that’s not the end of it lol. The plot actually surprised me a lot and I loved how the storyline progressed, but I will say the eight-year gap towards the end was a little far-fetched to me. It obviously didn’t affect how I felt about the book overall though. Honestly, if you’re looking for a sports romance and haven’t tried Meghan Quinn yet, I highly recommend picking this one up!

The Dugout by Meghan Quinn

THE DUGOUT by Meghan Quinn

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: Let me ask you a question: If someone is vying for your spot on a team and just so happens to injure you during practice, would you believe it was on purpose? Word around campus is… it was no accident. That injury cost me everything; my starting position, my junior year - and the draft. Now, I’m a senior fresh off recovery, struggling to find my groove, until the day I run into a nervous, fidgety girl with freckles in the dining hall. They call Milly Potter The Baseball Whisperer, The Diamond Wizard, and The Epitome of All Knowledge. She believes in baseball. She breathes it. She’s the queen of an infamous dynasty, but no one actually knows who she really is, and she plans to keep it that way. One mishap in the panini line, one miscommunication in the weight room, and many failed attempts at an apology equal up to one solid truth - Milly Potter never wants to speak to me again – no matter how good my forearms look. Little do we both know, she’s about to become more than just my fairy ball mother.

My Thoughts: This book was super cute! We met Carson in The Locker Room, and he was a great supporting character with comedic relief. However, this book takes place a year later after he’s suffered an injury inflicted by a fellow teammate that left his plans for the MLB in shambles. So, he’s not a pleasant guy to be around for the most part. Milly is a very sweet kinesiology major who has become an absolute expert in the mechanics of body movement/form of baseball players. I liked that the first few times they met were less than ideal and usually left one of them insanely confused or embarrassed. It made the eventual relationship they formed even more heartwarming because they got off to such a rocky start. I also loved how supportive they were of each other’s dreams - Carson going pro and Milly starting her own baseball mechanics program within her brothers’ existing sports training facility. Buying into the emotional and sexual chemistry between the two was so easy because it was clear how much they were invested in each other. The last part of the book took a turn I did not expect, and though the reconciliation timeline was a lot more realistic than the last book, I wasn’t confident they should get back together. I won’t lie to you, I’m writing the second half of this review a couple of weeks after I finished the book and although I don’t remember specifically why I didn’t love this book, I do know I ended up liking it just fine lol. If you started this series, I’d say continue onto this second book if you liked the first one, but I don’t think it’s a big deal if you don’t. 

Us Against You by Fredrick Backman.

US AGAINST YOU by Fredrik Backman 

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: After everything that the citizens of Beartown have gone through, they are struck yet another blow when they hear that their beloved local hockey team will soon be disbanded. What makes it worse is the obvious satisfaction that all the former Beartown players, who now play for  a rival team in Hed, take in that fact. Amidst the mounting tension between the two rivals, a surprising newcomer is handpicked to be Beartown’s new hockey coach. Soon a new team starts to take shape around Amat, the fastest player you’ll ever see; Benji, the intense lone wolf; and Vidar, a born-to-be-bad troublemaker. But bringing this team together proves to be a challenge as old bonds are broken, new ones are formed, and the enmity with Hed grows more and more acute. As the big match approaches, the not-so-innocent pranks and incidents between the communities pile up and their mutual contempt grows deeper. By the time the last game is finally played, a resident of Beartown will be dead, and the people of both towns will be forced to wonder if, after all they’ve been through, the game they love can ever return to something simple and innocent. 

My Thoughts: Fredrik Backman wrecks me again, y’all. I read Beartown last year and loved it, but because it was pretty dark, I’d been putting off picking up this second book in the series. As I’ve mentioned before in my blog, I discovered this year that audiobooks are my new favorite way to consume Fredrik Backman books. So, I decided to give this one a go and by golly it still sucker punched me right in the feels. He has such a gift of taking every bit of vulnerability in each character and exposing it to the world. Somehow, it makes the less appealing parts of humankind a lot more endearing. The residents of Beartown are picking up the pieces of what was left in the aftermath of last year’s trauma and tragedy. They’re not sure they’ll have a hockey program anymore, which is the heart of the town, and everyone is trying to figure out how to keep moving forward. Benji is still and probably will continue to be my favorite character of this series. He is just so misunderstood and still manages to be a kind human being. I also loved that he’s still looking out of Maya whether he realizes he’s doing it or not. There’s a couple of characters we met in the first book, but got to know so much better in this one, and I was obsessed. Especially with how they each played into the dynamics of this recovering community. Honestly, y’all, I laughed. I cried. I cannot recommend this book enough. 

Icebreaker by Hannah Grace

ICEBREAKER by Hannah Grace

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Anastsia Allen has worked her entire life for a shot at Team USA. A competitive figure skater since she was five years old, a full college scholarship thanks to her place on the Maple Hills skating team, and a schedule that would make even the most driven person weep, Stassie comes to win. No exceptions. Nathan Hawkins has never had a problem he couldn’t solve. As captain of the Maple Hills Titans, he knows the responsibility of keeping the hockey team on the ice rests on his shoulders. When a misunderstanding results in the two teams sharing a rink, and Anastasia’s partner gets hurt in the aftermath, Nate finds himself swapping his stick for tights, and one scary coach for an even scarier one. The pair finds themselves stuck together in more ways than one, but it’s fine, because Anastasia doesn’t even like hockey players… right?

My Thoughts: Okay y’all. I was NOT expecting to love this book as much as I did. I wasn’t convinced about the characters at first, but they quickly sold me on why I needed to love them. Anastasia is an insanely driven figure skater with a goal of going to the Olympics within the next few years. Nathan is a hot-shot hockey player, but underneath that title, he’s the sweetest guy you could ever ask for. The circumstances that throw these two into each other’s paths are less than ideal, but the results are everything I wanted from this book. The banter was great, the friendship layer of their relationship was addicting, and the sexual tension was THICC. I don’t know how realistic some of the living situation is, but it was necessary to the story, so I fully bought into it. Also, we MUST appreciate that Anastasia is a therapized queen and so self aware of her emotions. It was refreshing to see that part of her character bleed into Nathan’s and eliminated any petty misunderstandings. I don’t know if I’m selling y’all on this book yet lol, but all I have to say is, if you love some sweet and spicy sports romance storylines, you gotta try this one immediately.

A Very Merry Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams

A VERY MERRY BROMANCE by Lyssa Kay Adams

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Country music’s golden boy Colton Wheeler felt the most perfect harmony when he was with Gretchen Winthrop. But for her, it was a love him and leave him situation. A year later, Colton is struggling to push his music forward in a new direction. If it weren’t about to be the most magical time of year and the support of the Bromance Book Club, he’d be wallowing in self-pity. It’s hard for immigration attorney Gretchen not to feel a little Scrooge-ish about the excess of Christmas when her clients are scrambling to afford their rent. So when her estranged, wealthy family reaches out with an offer that will allow her to better serve the community, she’s unable to say no. She just needs to convince Colton to be the new face of her family’s whisky brand. No big deal… Colton agrees to consider Gretchen’s offer in exchange for three dates before Christmas. With the help of the Bromance Book Club, Colton throws himself into the task of proving to her there’s a spark between them. But Gretchen and Colton will both need to overcome the ghosts of Christmas past to build a future together. 

My Thoughts: I read most of the Bromance Book Club series last year and remembered a little bit about Colton, but it took me a minute to get my footing with this book as I relearned who he is to this series. I appreciated, though, that the author gave us a lot more back story not only to Colton and Gretchen, but what their relationship dynamics are up until this point. Gretchen’s family is the absolute WORST and has led her to loathe the money she comes from. Colton is the sweetest southern gent who is currently struggling with his music career until he and Gretchen rekindle a little something they had a year prior. I was obsessed with all of their dates and his mission to convert her to a holiday lover. It was also so swoon-worthy how quickly he would switch from being the nicest guy in the room to the protective guard of Gretchen when her family would start to talk down to her. I do think the last bit of this book was a little messier storyline-wise than the previous books, but I appreciated the ending nonetheless. If you’ve read and enjoyed the other books in the Bromance Book Club series, I highly recommend picking this one up for the holidays!

Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez

PART OF YOUR WORLD by Abby Jimenez

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: After a wild bet, gourmet grilled-cheese sandwich, and cuddle with a baby goat, Alexis Mongomery has had her world turned upside down. The cause: Daniel Grant, a ridiculously hot carpenter who’s ten years younger than her and as casual as they come - the complete opposite of the sophisticated city-girl Alexis. And yet their chemistry is undeniable. While her ultra-wealthy parents want her to carry on the family legacy of world-renowned surgeons, Alexis doesn’t need glory or fame. She’s fine with being a “mere” ER doctor. And every minute she spends with Daniel and the tight-knit town where he lives, she’s discovering just what’s really important. Yet letting their relationship become anything more than a short-term fling would mean turning her back on her family and giving up the opportunity to help thousands of people. Bringing Daniel into her world is impossible, and yet she can’t just give up the joy she’s found with him either. With so many differences between them, how can Alexis possibly choose between her world and his?

My Thoughts: Y’ALL. Okay, so I was hesitant about this book even though I’ve heard nothing BUT good things about it simply because I didn't love her other book, The Friend Zone. Whereas, that book also has received endless praise. I’m pleased to report though, Part of Your World has sold me on Abby Jimenez’s writing. This book was addicting and I could not put it down. Starting with the dynamics between the main characters, Alexis and Daniel. Though I do not love an age-gap trope, this one was done RIGHT. I think that’s mainly because Alexis is the older of the two (37) and Daniel is 28. As expected, the 9-year age gap made Alexis apprehensive about the seriousness or legitimacy of their relationship. Additionally, they just came from such different worlds (per the title lol). She’s an ER doctor working at a hospital where she’s expected to continue her family’s medical legacy. He’s a carpenter and bed and breakfast owner in a small town a couple hours away. However, she cannot deny the chemistry between them and realizes anytime she wants to quiet her mind for a while, she’s on her way to see Daniel. Speaking of his small town, I was obsessed with how welcoming and warm that community was to Alexis and how well she fit in with them. It starts becoming more of a home to her than her literal home is. The whole experience of this book was phenomenal and I loved that at the end of all of it, Alexis wasn’t forced to choose between one or the other. I won’t say more to prevent giving anything away, but this is definitely a romance novel you need to dive into ASAP.

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

THE INVISIBLE LIFE OF ADDIE LARUE by V.E. Schwab

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: France, 1714: in a moment of desperation, a young woman makes a Faustian bargain to live forever and is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets. Thus begins the extraordinary life of Addie LaRue, and a dazzling adventure that will play out across centuries and continents, across history and art, as a young woman learns how far she will go to leave her mark on the world. But everything changes when, after nearly 300 years, Addie stumbles across a young man in a hidden bookstore and he remembers her name. 

My Thoughts: This book was so freaking clever. I know some people say it’s confusing, but I think that’s because the author managed to weave so many layers together that you end up doing a double take to figure out how she did it so seamlessly. The format of jumping between the present and Addie’s life leading up to 2014 was entrancing. We not only learn how Addie fell into making a deal with Darkness, but also saw the struggles she went through as she navigated this new immortal life where no one remembers her. She’s a nomad with no place to put roots, she can’t even leave a direct mark on the world, like a footprint in fresh snow, before it’s erased, and the loneliness of having no one remember her - although she is free - is a pain she learns to live with. I was obsessed with her character development, not only across centuries, but also with every visit she encounters from Darkness on their “anniversary.” Even Darkness, the epitome of an antagonist, had some really addicting growth that actually left me not hating the relationship he develops with Addie over the years. On the other side of that coin, Henry was an absolute sweetheart and I literally wanted to cry at the connection he and Addie shared. After they both have suffered such loneliness, they finally found someone who made them feel alive and *enough.* There are so many one liners throughout this book that really make you reflect on your life and how people see themselves in the world. I will say, the ending fell just a TOUCH flat for me, but I completely understand why the author did it. This is a highly hyped book and I support the push for people to read it lol. 

Artificial Condition by Martha Wells

ARTIFICIAL CONDITION by Martha Wells

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: It has a dark past - one in which a number of humans were killed. A past that caused it to christen itself “Murderbot.” But it has only vague memories of the massacre that spawned that title, and it wants to know more. Teaming up with a Research Transport vessel named ART (you don’t want to know what the “A” stands for), Murderbot heads to the mining facility where it went rogue. What it discovers will forever change the way it thinks.

My Thoughts: This is the second novella in the Murderbot Diaries series and I am still hooked on this semi-robot human. In this book, we learn more about why Murderbot didn’t stay with the research team it accompanied on a dangerous mission in the first book, and where it’s heading next to find answers. I was obsessed with the friendship Murderbot developed with ART - a research transport vessel it stowed away on. All of the robots in this series have such charming personalities, it’s hard not to love them. This book dives deeper into the life of Murderbot before it hacked its government system as it returns to the place where, allegedly, it brutally murdered everyone on a mission it accompanied a few years prior. There’s a mystery element that leaves us hanging at the end, and I for sure will be continuing onto the next novella in this sci-fi series. 

What If You & Me by Roni Loren

WHAT IF YOU AND ME by Roni Loren

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: The world can be a scary place. At least, that’s what Andi Lockley’s anxiety wants her to believe. It doesn’t help that she narrowly escaped a dangerous man years ago, or that every relationship since has been colored with that lingering fear. But things are better now- she’s channeling everything into her career as a horror novelist and true crime podcaster, and her next book may be the breakthrough she needs. If only her grumpy new neighbor would stop stomping around at all hours of the night. Former firefighter Hill Dawson can’t sleep. After losing part of his leg in a rescue gone wrong, he’s now stuck in limbo. He needs to figure out what he’s supposed to do with his life, and he can’t let himself get distracted by the pretty redhead next door. But when someone breaks into Andi’s place, Hill can’t stop himself from rushing in to play hero. Soon, a tentative bond forms between the unlikely pair. But what starts out as a neighborly exchange quickly turns into the chance for so much more… if Andi can learn to put aside her fear and trust in herself - and love - again. 

My Thoughts: This was such a unique premise and I’ve never read anything like it. This is a romance novel that I think all of you true crime lovers would appreciate because it’s almost like a love letter to that audience. Andi is hypervigilant about the dangers of being a woman in this world and, through her true crime podcast, she shares her knowledge and tools women can use to stay safe - especially in relation to men. She’s also a mystery/thriller novelist who has published multiple books under an anonymous pen name. Although it’s clear this is how Andi is processing her trauma from years before, I appreciate that she’s self aware of who she is and the measures she takes to control the beast that is her anxiety. Hill is a gruff, retired firefighter who is trying to figure out who he is now that he’s no longer a part of the immediate responder community. He loves cooking and his friend has been pushing him to write a cookbook, but he’s not confident people would even care what he’d have to share. I LOVED that although these two characters could not be more opposite, they fit together perfectly and filled a space in the other’s life. They’re respectful of each other’s pain points and help one another through tough situations they don’t want to face alone. Though the overall ending is kind of predictable, I really really liked this book and definitely recommend reading it. 

Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey

GREENLIGHTS by Matthew McConaughey

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: I’ve been in this life for fifty years, been trying to work out its riddle for forty-two, and been keeping diaries of clues to that riddle for the last thirty-five. Notes about successes and failures, joys and sorrows, things that made me marvel, and things that made me laugh out loud. How to be fair. How to have less stress. How to have fun. How to hurt people less. How to get hurt less. How to be a good man. How to have meaning in life. How to be more me. Recently, I worked up the courage to sit down with those diaries. I found stories I experienced, lessons I learned and forgot, poems, prayers, prescriptions, beliefs about what matters, some great photographs, and a whole bunch of bumper stickers. I found a reliable theme, an approach to living that gave me more satisfaction, at the time, and still: If you know how, and when, to deal with life’s challenges - how to get relative with the inevitable - you can enjoy a state of success I call “catching greelights.” So I took a one-way ticket to the desert and wrote this book: an album, a record, a story of my life so far. This is fifty years of my sights and seens, felts and figured-outs, cools and shamefuls. Graces, truths, and beauties of brutality. Getting away withs, getting caughts, and getting wets while trying to dance between the raindrops. Hopefully it’s medicine that tastes good, a couple of aspirin instead of the infirmary, a spaceship to Mars without needing your pilot’s license, going to church without having to be born again, and laughing through the tears. It’s a love letter. To life. It’s also a guide to catching more greenlights - and to realizing that the yellow and reds eventually turn green too. 

My Thoughts: This book…this book WAS WILD. Not that I knew what to expect going into this book, but I could have NEVER guessed what was about to happen. I listened to Greenlights on audiobook and having Matthew McConaughey in my ear telling me stories from his life for a few days was an experience in itself. This is not your typical memoir, people. This is a fucking adventure. And, don’t get me wrong, I know most of the shit he was able to experience is because he had the disposable income to do it, but that didn’t make me any less GOBSMACKED by some of the stories he told. Starting with stories from growing up in Uvalde, Texas. His dad, in my opinion, was just a TOUCH unhinged. Studying abroad in Australia for a year when he was 18 and having to stay with a family that pales in comparison to the word strange. The path his career took and how introspective this guy is was incredibly unexpected. The several life epiphanies he experienced via freaking weird wet dreams added a whole other layer to this book lol. Also, I was not expecting Matthew McConaughey to drop multiple nuggets of wisdom that actually made complete sense and really stuck with me days after finishing it. I just… I just think everyone should read this because why the hell not and I feel like you won’t regret it in the slightest. 

All right, all right, all right. That’s it for everything I read in November!

Here’s to hoping for another solid reading month in December to round out 2022. I’m going to try to do a couple of separate blog posts about my favorite audiobooks, Kindle Unlimited books, books in general, etc. from this year within the next few weeks, but don’t hold me to it lol. 

2022 Book Count: 181

Add me on Goodreads if you haven’t already.

YOUR TURN! What has been your favorite book that you’ve read this year?

October 2022 Reads

This was a slower reading month for me, y’all. 

October came out swinging this year. I feel like it was a really long month that also went by in like 2 seconds lol. Between work and everything else going on, I just wasn’t always in the mood to read and couldn’t figure out which books I was in the mood for. I really was trying to read some mystery/thrillers, but ended up taking a quick right to one of my comfort genres - romance. So I didn’t get through as many books as usual this month, but I think it was still a solid month for reading. 

Anyway, on a random note, I also cut seven inches off my hair this month and ya girl feels LIBERATED. Highly recommend giving it a try lol.

That’s about it.

Let’s get into everything I read in October!

*All summaries are taken/paraphrased from Goodreads.

The Whisper Man by Alex North

THE WHISPER MAN by Alex North

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: After the sudden death of his wife, Tom Kennedy believes a fresh start will help him and his young son Jake heal. A new beginning, a new house, a new town: Featherbank. But Featherbank has a dark past. Twenty years ago, a serial killer adbducted and murdered five residents. Until Frank Carter was finally caught, he was nicknamed “The Whisper Man,” for he would lure his victims out by whispering at their windows at night. Just as Tom and Jake settle into their new home, a young boy vanishes. His disappearance bears an unnerving resemblance to Frank Carter’s crimes, reigniting old rumors that he preyed with an accomplice. Now, detectives Amanda Beck and Pete Willis must find the boy before it is too late, even if that means Pete has to revisit his great foe in prison: The Whisper Man. And then Jake begins acting strangely. He hears a whispering at his window.

My Thoughts: This book has been on my peripherals for a while now because I always see people rate it really highly, but I’m also a bit scaredy lol. So when I saw the audiobook was available on Libby, I figured no better time than October to listen to something a little chilling. My friends, this book was creepy. Like I had to double check my locks a couple of times while listening to it lol. The start of the book was a little slow though, and I have to admit that I’m still not sure if I wasn’t listening closely enough and missed a key part of the beginning or what. Later in the story, there’s a plot point emphasized that made it seem like you should’ve picked up on this since the beginning (which is that hindsight feeling). However, I had zero memory of that plot point and the specific character it was highlighting lol. So I can’t confirm or deny if this was a “me” type of thing or a plot flaw, so if you read this let me know! I think the storyline in general was twisty and well thought out for sure. Basically, it was a pretty creepy story and I thought it served its purpose lol.  

A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J Maas

A COURT OF SILVER FLAMES by Sarah J. Maas

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Nesta Archeron has always been prickly-proud, swift to anger, and slow to forgive. And ever since being forced into the Cauldron and becoming High Fae against her will, she’s struggled to find a place for herself within the strange, deadly world she inhabits. Worse, she can’t seem to move past the horrors of the war with Hybern and all she lost in it. The one person who ignites her temper more than any other is Cassian, the battle-scarred warrior whose position in Rhysand and Feyre’s Night Court keeps him constantly in Nesta’s orbit. But her temper isn’t the only thing Cassian ignites. The fire between them is undeniable and only burns hotter as they are forced into close quarters with each other. Meanwhile, the treacherous human queens who returned to the Continent during the last war have forged a dangerous new alliance, threatening the fragile peace that has settled over the realms. And the key to halting them might very well rely on Cassian and Nesta facing their haunting pasts. Against the sweeping backdrop of a world seared by war and plagued with uncertainty, Nesta and Cassian battle monsters from within and without as they search for acceptance and healing in each other’s arms. 

My Thoughts: Okay y’all. I have to be honest that I have mixed feelings about this book because it’s usually as effortless as breathing to fall into the rhythm of SJM’s writing - especially with series like ACOTAR. However, I feel like she was trying to appease the reader a little bit too much due to the demand for more smut in her books, so there was a slight disconnect in her writing for me. I’m not knocking the smut she included in this story - y’all know I love some quality smut - but it felt mildly forced at times. The first half of this book was like 3-3.5 stars at best for me. Aside from the slight disconnect in her writing, it seemed as though SJM was trying to get her footing with the POV from these specific characters (Nesta and Cassian) and just kept trying new things until the tone felt right. The second half was easily 4-5 stars though depending on the part. The Blood Rite chapters?? AMAZING. Although, yes, I loved watching Cassian’s and Nesta’s relationship grow, I think the bigger themes of found family/love through friendship sold me on this story. The emotional depth Nesta discovered with Gwyn and Emerie and the character development she experienced after befriending them was everything I wanted for her from the start. Girl Power, amiright? The writing in general smoothed out towards the second half of the book which also made the smutty scenes feel more natural. All in all, I ended the book feeling 4 stars about it. I’m honestly just looking forward to a book about Elaine, Lucien, and Azriel, so here’s to hoping that’s next on SJM’s agenda!

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

A GOOD GIRL’S GUIDE TO MURDER by Holly Jackson

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: The case is closed. Five years ago, schoolgirl Andie Bell was murdered by Sal Singh. The police know he did it. Everyone in town knows he did it. But having grown up in the same small town that was consumed by the murder, Pippa Fitz-Amobi isn’t so sure. When she chooses the case as the topic for her final year project, she starts to uncover secrets that someone in town desperately wants to stay hidden. And if the real killer is still out there, how far will they go to keep Pip from the truth?

My Thoughts: This book has been on my radar for a while and I’ve only ever heard great things about it, so I was eager to dive in. The beginning of this story is kind of a slow burn as the author not only sets you up for what’s to come, but dives into where these characters have been. The format helped the pacing, though, as it bounced between Pip’s written report on her investigation and real time happenings in her life. I loved how incredibly relatable Pip was, and the passion she has for this capstone project instantly sucked me into her investigation. Right away, her character showed through the pages as she approached Ravi, the brother of deceased alleged murderer Sal, with such compassion when everyone else in town treated his family like the plague. Her kindness caught him by surprise, but he instantly joined her search for the real killer to clear his brother’s name. Their friendship ended up being a bright light in this otherwise dark endeavor. The first part of this storyline that made me GASP is what happens to a character named Barney - I don’t want to give anything away, so I won’t go into detail, but fak that shot me in the heart. The plot twists in this book really hit when you least expect them and I could not for the life of me even try to guess who really killed Andie Bell. As I said before, the beginning of the book is a little bit of a slow burn, but by the end of it, we were SPEEDING through these pages. I highly recommend picking this up if you’re looking for a good murder mystery to get lost in that isn’t too gruesome.

It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover

IT ENDS WITH US by Colleen Hoover (REREAD)

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Sometimes it’s the one who loves you that hurts you the most. Lily hasn’t always had it easy, but that’s never stopped her from working hard for the life she wants. She’s come a long way from the small town in Maine where she grew up - she graduated from college, moved to Boston, and started her own business. So when she feels a spark with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid, everything in Lily’s life suddenly seems almost too good to be true. Ryle is assertive, stubborn, maybe even a little arrogant. He’s also sensitive, brilliant, and has a total soft spot for Lily. And the way he looks in scrubs certainly doesn’t hurt. Lily can’t get him out of her head. But Ryle’s complete aversion to relationships is disturbing. Even as Lily finds herself becoming the exception to his “no dating” rule, she can’t help but wonder what made him that way in the first place. As questions about her new relationship overwhelm her, so do the thoughts of Atlas Corrigan - her first love and a link to the past she left behind. He was her kindred spirit, her protector. When Atlas suddenly reappears, everything Lily has built with Ryle is threatened.

My Thoughts: Okay, so I binge-read this book back in 2019 and remembered absolutely NOTHING about it lol. However, It Starts With Us came out on October 18th, so I wanted to quickly reread this one before I dove into its follow up book which includes Atlas’s point of view. The last time I read this CoHo novel, I gave it five stars, and after reading it a second time, nothing has changed. Colleen Hoover has a way of articulating emotions on such a deep level that you can’t help but connect with the words. All while keeping it simplistic enough that you can easily empathize with the feelings each character is experiencing. The anguish, sorrow, grief, and sadness Lily felt after Ryle showed his true colors really hit my core, and although I wanted to hate Ryle, I couldn’t. Specifically because of Lily’s perspective as she processes this unexpected situation and sees how much his actions are hurting him too. It’s like you don’t know what you would do if you were in her shoes unless you’ve gone through something similar - which I think is one of the bigger messages of this book. Atlas, of course, had my heart in a chokehold from the beginning. I adored how gentle, yet protective he was over Lily in every stage of their lives. He gives her space and patience to sort through the recent messes of her life before he tries to pursue anything with her, and I just really respected that. Overall, this book sucked me in a second time just as easily as it did the first, and I definitely recommend giving it a try if you haven’t. Just please check trigger warnings because this story is based around domestic violence. 

It Starts With Us by Colleen Hoover

IT STARTS WITH US by Colleen Hoover

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Lily and her ex-husband, Ryle, have just settled into a civil coparenting rhythm when she suddenly bumps into her first love, Atlas, again. After nearly two years separated, she is elated that for once, time is on their side, and she immediately says yes when Atlas asks her on a date. But her excitement is quickly hampered by the knowledge that, though they are no longer married, Ryle is still very much a part of her life - and Atlas Corrigan is the one man he will hate being in his ex-wife and daughter’s life. Switching between the perspectives of Lily and Atlas, It Starts With Us picks up right where the epilogue for It Ends with Us left off. Revealing more about Atlas’s past and following Lily as she embraces a second chance at true love while navigating a jealous ex-husband.

My Thoughts: One word: obsessed. This book picks up right where the epilogue left off in the last book and I could not read it quickly enough. Just the fact that it flips between Lily’s and Atlas’s POVs made me addicted because we only had Lily’s perspective in IEWU. So this time around, we got to see how everything happening is affecting both of them. We also get to know Atlas so much better as we’re finally given information about his past that we only got a taste of initially. If Atlas isn’t the definition of a book boyfriend, I don’t know who is. He’s kind, caring, compassionate, patient, and the instant protectiveness he feels over a younger brother he never knew he had was so incredibly heartwarming. Also, how he handles everything during a confrontation with Ryle is *chef’s kiss.* We love a mature, emotionally-developed man, do we not? Don’t even get me STARTED on all of the letters he writes to Lily in this book… I was a puddle of SWOON. I loved that Lily’s character development was evident compared to IEWU, while the overall essence of who she is as a person never changed. She’s such a likable character in general, but it’s clear enough how her previous experiences have affected her. I need to give a shoutout to some of the new and returning side characters including Josh, Theo, Marshall, and of course, Allyssa. They all add such tenderness to the storyline as well as comedic relief when necessary. There’s a lot of Finding Nemo jokes in here that had me laughing every time (IYKYK). This book was not as emotionally wringing as It Ends with Us, but I think that was exactly what I needed. We experienced a lot of grief and pain through Lily and Atlas’s story in the previous book whereas this sequel just OOZED hope and love. Honestly, if you read and loved the first book then I don’t see how It Starts with Us could possibly let you down. <3

The Rose Code by Kate Quinn

THE ROSE CODE by Kate Quinn

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: 1940. As England prepares to fight the Nazis, three very different women answer the call to mysterious country estate Bletchley Park, where the best minds in Britain train to break German military codes. Vivacious debutante Osla is the girl who has everything - beauty, wealth, and the dashing Prince Philip of Greece sending her roses - but she burns to prove herself as more than a society girl, and puts her fluent German to use as a translator of decoded enemy secrets. Imperious self-made Mab, product of East-End London poverty, works the legendary code-breaking machines as she conceals old wounds and looks for a socially advantageous husband. Both Mab and Osla are quick to see the potential in local village spinster Beth, whose shyness conceals a brilliant facility with puzzles, and soon Beth spreads her wings as one of the Park’s few female cryptanalysts. But war, loss, and impossible pressure of secrecy will tear the three apart. 1947. As the royal wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip whips post-war Britain into a fever, three friends-turned-enemies are reunited by a mysterious encrypted letter - the key to which lies buried in the long-ago betrayal that destroyed their friendship and left one of them confined to an asylum. A mysterious traitor has emerged from the shadows of their Bletchley Park past, and now Osla, Mab, and Beth must resurrect their old alliance and crack one last code together. But each petal they remove from the rose code brings danger - and their true enemy - closer…

My Thoughts: Hands down, this is one of my top three favorite historical fiction books that I’ve read this year. Kate Quinn really delivers with her writing and I am yet to be disappointed. I listened to this book on Libby and the narrator does a phenomenal job giving each individual character a distinctly different voice which makes it easy to fall into it. Not to mention, I was instantly obsessed with Osla, Mab, and Beth. Each of them individually are a force to be reckoned with, and I loved the found family storyline surrounding the friendship they developed. Kate Quinn always writes strong female MCs and we (clap) are (clap) here (clap) FOR IT. The plotline was also just a freaking work of art. I remember getting 50% of the way through the audiobook and thinking holy shit, SO MUCH has already happened. What else could possibly be coming in the next half that could match everything we just went through? Well, my friends. I quickly learned never to underestimate KQ. You have GOT to make sure you read (or listen to) the author’s note at the back of the book as well because she talks about the research that went into this book, and it is incredible how much she made historically accurate. Like I was in awe. Anyway, if you can’t already tell, I think you should read this book lol.

Confess by Colleen Hoover

CONFESS by Colleen Hoover

Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary: Auburn Reed is determined to rebuild her shattered life and she has no room for mistakes. But when she walks into a Dallas art studio in search of a job, she doesn’t expect to become deeply attracted to the studio’s enigmatic artist, Owen Gentry. For once, Auburn takes a chance and puts her heart in control, only to discover that Owen is hiding a huge secret. The magnitude of his past threatens to destroy everything Auburn loves most, and the only way to get her life back on track is to cut Owen out of it - but can she do it?

My Thoughts: THAT PROLOGUE THO. CoHo came out SWINGING in this book and landed a one-two punch right in my feels within literally the first 10 pages. If you’ve read any of her other YA romances, this book had the quintessential CoHo writing style. It was easy to get immersed into the story and the way she strokes your emotions throughout felt so familiar. That said though, the plot of this specific book was obviously imaginative, but it was not completely hole-free. For example, there’s a catalyst moment towards the end of the book and I know it was supposed to feel impactful to the overall story, but it kind of felt more improvisational. Also, this specific moment was an INCREDIBLY convenient solution to the problem of the main characters, but like it was NEVER mentioned before. So it fell a little flat for me. Auburn and Owen were good characters for this story, but I didn’t love either of them. They were fine and likable for the most part, but there wasn’t anything significant about their personalities that made me grow super connected. Overall, this was a good book, but it didn’t blow me away.

The American Roommate Experiment by Elena Armas

THE AMERICAN ROOMMATE EXPERIMENT by Elena Armas

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Rosie Graham has a problem. A few, actually. She just quit her well paid job to focus on her secret career as a romance writer. She hasn’t told her family and now has terrible writer’s block. Then, the ceiling of her New York apartment literally crumbles on her. Luckily she has her best friend Lina’s spare key while she’s out of town. But Rosie doesn’t know that Lina has already lent her apartment to her cousin Lucas, who Rosie has been stalking - for lack of a better word - on Instagram for the last few months. Lucas seems intent on coming to her rescue like a Spanish knight in shining armor. Only this one strolls around the place in a towel, has a distracting grin, and an irresistible accent. Oh, and he cooks. Lucas offers to let Rosie stay with him, at least until she can find some affordable temporary housing. And then he proposes an outrageous experience to bring back her literary muse and meet her deadline: He’ll take her on a series of experimental dates meant to jump-start her romantic inspiration. Rosie has nothing to lose. Her silly, online crush is totally under control - but Lucas’s time in New York has an expiration date, and six weeks may not be enough, for either her or her deadline. 

My Thoughts: Okay, so I remembered nothing about Spanish Love Deception before reading this book, and although I really couldn’t remember who these characters were in that book, I followed along just fine. Meaning you probably could read this as a standalone book if you really didn’t want to read Spanish Love Deception first. Anywho, this book was super cute. It was kind of a rocky start for me because I was mildly annoyed with the “omg I social media stalked you because I have a crush” storyline the book was trying to give at first. Then once that wasn’t such a huge focus, it got better. To get this out of the way, I was OBSESSED with Lucas lol. We LOVE an “acts of service” king, do we not? He was out here cooking for Rosie, taking care of her during writing streaks, helping her get her mojo back AND looking super fine. Swoon, my friends. Also, as much as I love a fake dating trope, my other small beef with this book is the fact that they leaned so far into the “oh I have to remember this is just an experiment and not real life” storyline that I couldn’t help but notice every time it came up. Overall though, this was a super cute story and I liked it! So if you’ve read Spanish Love Deception, I think you’d enjoy continuing onto this book. 

Faking With Benefits by Lily Gold

FAKING WITH BENEFITS by Lily Gold

Rating: 3.75/5 stars

Summary: WANTED: Three fake boyfriends. Must be tall, ripped, and willing to teach me how to kiss. My name is Layla Thompson and I am undateable. Seriously. I’m 28 and have never had a boyfriend. And with my thirties rapidly approaching, I’m starting to lose patience. Lucky for me, I have three overprotective best friends who are all-too-eager to help hone my dating skills. There’s Zack, the huge rugby player with the cheeky grin and rippling biceps. Josh, the boy-next-door with the sculpted jaw and calculating stare. And Luke, the silver-haired divorcee… who also happens to be my old professor. After a bad date leaves me crying on their shoulders, the three men are determined to help me find a guy. Together, they agree to be my “practice boyfriends,” and come up with a lesson plan packed with fake dates, make out sessions, and classes on flirty texting. In return, I just have to make an appearance on their relationship advice podcast once a week. Easy. But as the lessons become more and more intense, we soon find ourselves getting in too deep. Every butterfly-inducing touch lingers a little too long, and every molten kiss ends in fireworks. It’s not long before I realize their friendship isn’t enough for me anymore. I want more. The guys have been teaching me how to get a boyfriend, and now it’s time I put their lessons to the test. Three times over.

My Thoughts: Imma be really honest here. This book is not for my sweet pearl clutchers who love a “fade to black” moment when things start getting steamy in a romance novel. I wouldn’t even say this is for my beginner smut enthusiasts. This book, my dear friends, is for the seasoned smut fans who have read some really raunchy shit before and then proceeded to peruse through Kindle Unlimited for more directly after lol. It was SPICY. Not just spicy though, reverse harem spicy. So take that in stride going into this. I will also say, I could not decide for probably the first 50 pages whether or not I liked the author’s writing style. It felt very erratic to me. Once the plot kicked in though and the characters’ true forms came to life, I think I got too distracted by the actual story to notice the writing patterns anymore lol. This was a super cute book! You just can’t go into it hoping for a romantic tale about a monogamous, one-bed relationship because that’s nooot what you’re gonna find here. Don’t be fooled by the cute illustrated cover. Anywho, all in all, I definitely enjoyed this and am interested in reading some of Lily Gold’s other books. Also Josh was my favorite guy lol. 

All righty! That’s it for October.

No telling where my reading mood will be come November, but I’m hoping I can incorporate some holiday-themed books because tis the szn. Yanno?

Okay cool. :)

2022 Book Count: 168

Add me on Goodreads if you haven’t already.

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

September 2022 Reads

Happy fall, y’all!! Sweater szn is here. :D

September is a complete blur for me. I feel like between my new job and everything else kicking into high gear at the end of summer, my schedule was jam packed and all of the days bled into each other lol. I did spend the last night of September at a silent disco and, let me tell you, if you have never dabbled in a silent disco, you need to ASAP. It was the most fun I’ve had in a while!

My reading was kind of all over the place this month. However, my therapist knows I’m a big reader and has been asking me for MONTHS if I’ve read the second book in the A Court of Thorns and Roses series. Which I had been putting off tbh. So I finally gave into the mild peer pressure lmao and dove head first back into the series, and holy hell I have zero regrets. You’ll see in my reviews later, but if it’s not on brand for me to inhale the next three books in the series within two weeks then I don’t know what is lol. 

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

*All summaries are taken or paraphrased from Goodreads.

Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater

BLUE LILY, LILY BLUE by Maggie Stiefvater

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Blue Sargent has found things. For the first time in her life, she has friends she can trust, a group to which she can belong. The Raven Boys have taken her in as one of their own. Their problems have become hers, and her problems have become theirs. The trick with found things, though, is how easily they can be lost. Friends can betray. Mothers can disappear. Visions can mislead. Certainties can unravel.

My Thoughts: My name is Haley and I’m officially addicted to the Raven Cycle series and you cannot stop me. This book…sheesh. I adored it. Let’s get my first impulsive thought out of the way… Do I dare say Mr. Grey is a zaddy?? He’s definitely an antagonist turned protagonist and I am here for it. Now that we know what special powers Ronan and Adam have, we start to see them honing in on controlling what they do in relation to Cabe’s Water and the ley lines. I was obsessed with the mentor/mentee relationship between Adam and Persephone. Between her and Calla, I’ve grown extremely fond of their independent witchy spirits and contrasting personalities. You can tell they’re wise AF, but the whimsical and quiet Persephone always comes through with some comedic relief. We’re introduced to a few new characters and although some we’ve heard about in previous books, I was not prepared for the shit storm a couple of them caused. They made this plot THICKEN. It wouldn’t be in my heart to not mention how obsessed I’ve become with the Blue/Gansey dynamic. They’re such a cozy fit, I cannot help but swoon. Additionally, this book made me gasp and cry because it wanted to wreck me emotionally and I was NOT ready for it lol. Take that in stride while you pick up this book because I highly recommend it!

Truth or Beard by Penny Reid

TRUTH OR BEARD by Penny Reid

Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary: Beards, brothers, and bikers! Oh my! Identical twins Beau and Duane Winston might share the same devastatingly handsome face, but where Beau is outgoing and sociable, Duane is broody and reserved. This is why Jessica James, recent college graduate and perpetual level-headed good girl, has been in a naive and unhealthy infatuation with Beau Winston for most of her life. His friendly smiles make her tongue-tied and weak-kneed, and she’s never been able to move beyond her childhood crush. Whereas Duane and Jessica have always been adversaries. She can’t stand him, and she’s pretty sure he can’t stand the sight of her… But after a case of mistaken identity, Jessica finds herself in a massive confusion kerfuffle. Jessica James has spent her whole life paralyzed by the fantasy of Beau and her assumptions of Duane’s disdain, therefore, she’s unprepared for the reality that is Duane’s insatiable interest, as well as his hot hands and hot mouth and hotter looks. Not helping Jessica’s muddled mind and good girl sensibilities, Duane seems to have gotten himself in trouble with the local biker gang, the Iron Order. Certainly, Beau’s magic spell is broken. Yet when Jessica finds herself drawn to the man who was always her adversary, now more dangerous than ever, how much of her level-headed heart is she willing to risk?

My Thoughts: All right, y’all. This book was cute, but it was an incredibly inconsistent experience for me. I was hooked at the beginning of it and was completely sold on the sexual tension burning between Duane and Jessica. Plus, I love a good enemies-to-lovers/fake dating trope combo and this storyline had a little bit of both, so bonus points there. It was nice that we got a better understanding of who Jessica and Duane are as individual characters, what their relationship growing up looked like, and how much potential there is for them moving forward. So all of that was obviously enjoyable. Where I started to have a disconnect was later on in the story when disagreements and/or miscommunications were had. At some points, it felt like the author was spoon feeding me what I should be feeling during those scenes vs. letting the narrative play out naturally and allowing me to develop my own emotions about it. Some parts just seemed very calculated from a plot standpoint and that took away from the experience. Also, (I’m writing this review about a week or 2 after I read the book, so I don’t remember specifics) Duane said some really not nice things to Jessica at one point and I was like, “nope.” Absolutely not would I support any friend getting back together with a guy in real life if he said something like that to her. So yeah, I mean did I enjoy the book overall? Sure! Am I planning to continue the series? Probably not, honestly. If you like the whole “bearded mountain man” thing then this may be a better fit than it was for me lol. 

Heartstopper Vol. 3 by Alice Oseman

HEARTSTOPPER: Vol 3 by Alice Oseman 

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: In this volume, we’ll see the Heartstopper gang go on a school trip to Paris! Not only are Nick and Charlie navigating a new city, but also telling more people about their relationship AND learning more about the challenges each other are facing in private. Meanwhile, Tao and Elle will face their feelings for each other, Tara and Darcy share more about their relationship origin story, and the teachers supervising the trip seem… rather close…?

My Thoughts: EEK! This was so freaking cute. I love the comfortable rhythm Nick and Charlie have fallen into with their new relationship. Plus it was so sweet that Nick is tuned into Charlie’s behaviors and mannerisms enough to notice that he might be going through something and/or might have an eating disorder. It’s also a RELIEF that Tao and Darcy are finally starting to share their feelings because Tao has been a moody turd in the previous two books lol. So this is a good change of pace for his spirits. I don’t need to say it, but I might as well, READ THIS SERIES!

Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe

GENDER QUEER by Maia Kobabe

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: In 2014, Maia Kobabe, who uses e/em/eir pronouns, thought that a comic of reading statistics would be the last comic e would ever write. At the time, it was the only thing e felt comfortable with strangers knowing about em. Now, Gender Queer is here. Maia’s intensely cathartic autobiography charts eir journey to self-identity, which includes the mortification and confusion of adolescent crushes, grappling with how to come out to family and society, bonding with friends over erotic gay fanfiction, and facing the trauma of pap smears. Started as a way to explain to eir family what it means to be non-binary and asexual, Gender Queer is more than a personal story; it is a useful and touching guide on gender identity - what it means and how to think about it - for advocates, friends, and humans everywhere. 

My Thoughts: I’ve been loving graphic novels lately and this memoir was no exception. It was a raw look into the author’s life as e discovers eir gender identity and sexual orientation through vivid illustrations. As a cis woman, I feel it is so important for me to read these types of books because it helps give me perspective of what people in the LGBTQIA experience as they navigate to understand themselves better and how gender doesn’t have to be so defining to a person. It’s also important to remember that literally everyone’s experiences are different and our world as a whole needs to work on changing the way our thinking works when we’re trying to put people into “categories.” This graphic novel was incredibly eye-opening and I think everyone should read it. 

Act Your Age Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert

ACT YOUR AGE, EVE BROWN by Talia Hibbert

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Eve Brown is a certified hot mess. No matter how hard she strives to do right, her life always goes horribly wrong - so she’s given up trying. But when her personal brand of chaos ruins an expensive wedding (someone had to liberate those poor doves), her parents draw the line. It’s time for Eve to grow up and prove herself - even though she’s not entirely sure how… Jacob Wayne is in control. Always. The bed and breakfast owner’s on a mission to dominate the hospitality industry - and he expects nothing less than perfection. So when a purple-haired tornado of a woman turns up out of the blue to interview for his open chef position, he tells her the brutal truth: not a chance in hell. Then she hits him with her car - supposedly by accident. Yeah, right. Now his arm is broken, his B&B is understaffed, and the dangerously unpredictable Eve is fluttering around, trying to help. Before long, she’s infiltrated his work, his kitchen - and his spare bedroom. Jacob hates everything about it. Or rather, he should. Sunny, chaotic Eve is his natural-born nemesis, but the longer these two enemies spend in close quarters, the more their animosity turns into something else. Like Eve, the heat between them is impossible to ignore - and it’s melting Jacob’s frosty exterior.

My Thoughts: This was super cute! It’s been a while since I’ve read the previous two Brown Sisters books, but I had to wait for my turn at the library for this one. I’m glad I did wait though instead of buying the ebook because although I really enjoyed the experience of this book, I don’t know that it’s necessarily one I feel the need to have a copy of my own, yanno? Eve is just straight up chaos in most of the best ways. I loved that she really just owned her aesthetic and personality and if other people didn’t vibe with it, so be it. There were some behaviors she had at the beginning of the book that needed to change, but her overall character development worked those out by the end. Jacob is the perfect grump for this grumpy-sunshine trope. Not to mention, he literally ends up calling Eve “Sunshine” by the end of it :’). He’s got a process and plan in place for absolutely everything at his bed and breakfast and does not like to veer away from those. After Eve accidentally hits him with her car (lol), he’s forced to rely on others in a way he’s never been comfortable with. I adored these two main characters because their communication style was so transparent and the way they worked together was effortless. Was this my favorite Brown Sisters book? Not necessarily. Did I thoroughly enjoy it? For sure! Overall, if you’ve read the other two books in this series, I definitely say continue onto Eve’s story.

My Killer Vacation by Tessa Bailey

MY KILLER VACATION by Tessa Bailey

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: It was supposed to be a relaxing vacation in sweet, sunny Cape Cod - just me and my beloved brother - but discovering a corpse in our rental house really throws a wrench into our tanning schedule. Now a rude, crude bounty hunter has arrived on the back of his motorcycle to catch the killer and refuses to believe I can be helpful, despite countless hours of true crime podcast listening. Not to mention a fulfilling teaching career of wrangling second graders. A brash bounty hunter and an energetic elementary schoolteacher: the murder-solving team no one asked for, but thanks to these pesky attempts on my life, we’re stuck together, come hell or high tide. | I’m just here to do a job, not babysit an amateur sleuth. Although… it is becoming less and less of a hardship to have her around. Sure, she’s stubborn, distracting, and can’t stay out of harm’s way. She’s also brave and beautiful and reminds me of the home I left behind three years ago. In other words, the painful hunger and protectiveness she is waking up in me is a threat to my peace of mind. Before I sink any deeper into this dangerous attraction, I need to solve this murder and get back on the road. But will fate take her from me before I realize the road has been leading to her all along?

My Thoughts: A cute AND steamy rom-com with a little bit of murder mixed in? Sounds like a great way to kick off spooky season! :) Seriously though, Tessa Bailey has a talent for writing Grade A banter between her MCs and this book is no exception. Taylor is a quirky school teacher who doesn’t think she’s a very brave person. Myles is a brutish bounty hunter who is a little rough around the edges, which also means he’s a softy at heart. I loved how this grumpy-sunshine trope played out between the two because they balanced each other so well. Although I’m not usually a fan of instant-love tropes, this one is probably more along the lines of instant-lust, and I could dig it lol. There are definitely some SPICY scenes in this book and the sexual tension is thick. On the other side of things, the murder mystery added just enough twists to keep the plot interesting while still giving room to the developing romance between Taylor and Myles. I wouldn’t say this is my favorite rom-com ever, but I really liked it!

Heartstopper Volume 4 by Alice Oseman

HEARTSTOPPER: Vol 4 by Alice Osmen

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Charlie didn’t think Nick could ever like him back, but now they’re officially boyfriends. Charlie’s beginning to feel ready to say those three little words: I love you. Nick’s been feeling the same, but he’s got a lot on his mind - not least coming out to his dad, and the fact that Charlie might have an eating disorder. As summer turns to autumn and a new school year begins, Charlie and Nick are about to learn a lot about what love means. 

My Thoughts: Heartstopper just keeps getting more and more heartwarming with every volume and the fourth installment is no exception. This one had me getting a little more emotional than the other three because it touches on topics such as eating disorders and coming out for the first time to someone important to you. I still think it’s incredibly mature and self-aware for Nick to have noticed Charlie’s behaviors and moods related to food in social settings, at school, etc. He’s only 16, but he’s so in tune with Charlie (because love <3) and manages to approach it in a way that gives Charlie space to ask for help. So far, I’m absolutely obsessed with this graphic series and cannot wait for volume five to come out!

The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater

THE RAVEN KING by Maggie Stiefvater

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: All her life, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love’s death. She doesn’t believe in true love and never thought this would be a problem, but as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

My Thoughts: Wow. For starters, I could have NEVER predicted how this series was going to end. Like this book kept me on my toes because nothing panned out the way I was assuming it would. We love multiple plot twists though, do we not? I was absolutely SWOONING over this new Ronan/Adam dynamic. Honestly, it makes sense to the overall storyline in general since they both have powers related to Cabe’s Water that they’d start gravitating towards each other. We saw a hint of those feelings starting to develop from Ronan’s point of view in the previous book, but I’m glad Adam went all in without hesitating. There was a new character introduced early on in this book, Henry Chen, who actually ends up playing a bigger role in the grand scheme of things than I was ever expecting. It turns out Ronan’s older brother has been elbow deep in some dangerous dealings which includes Henry’s mother and that whole situation is a giant plot twist in itself. Blue and Gansey are, of course, still the mf cutest couple to ever have paired. I will say, the climax of this book and basically the whole series happens pretty quickly, and not at all the way that I planned in my head, but I kind of appreciated that I didn’t get what was expected. Overall, I’m obsessed with the Raven Cycle series and the final book truly did the ending justice.

Mixed Signals by B.K. Borison

MIXED SIGNALS by B.K. Borison

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: Layla Dupree has given up on love. She’s waded through all of the fish in the seas, each one more disappointing than the last. Apparently owning the bakery at Inglewild’s most romantic destination does not help one’s love life - despite her best efforts. All she wants is a partner who gives her butterflies, not someone who ghosts her at dinner and leaves her with the check. Good thing Caleb Alvarez has the perfect solution. After saving Layla from another date gone bad, he has a simple proposition: One month of no-strings dating. He’ll do his best to renew her faith in men while she rates his dating game. It’s a win-win situation. All the benefits of dating, without the added pressure of feelings and unmet expectations. But there’s one ingredient they haven’t considered. The chemistry between them is red hot and the urge to take things to the next level is more tempting than Layla’s double fudge mocha brownies. Will the heat between them boil over? Or will it be another case of mixed signals?

My Thoughts: The first thing absolutely everyone needs to know in regards to my feelings about this book is this: Caleb Alvarez has stolen my heart and for sure one of the top three spots on my book boyfriend list. Like wow. Leave me in a puddle of my own swoon because he is a gem that must be protected at all costs. Okay, now that that’s out of the way, this book is probably my favorite of the Lovelight series. It was the epitome of a sweet, steamy romance that makes you want to cherish every last page. The author’s writing really sucks you into the undeniable connection between Layla and Caleb in a way that feels like a slow burn, but really it’s just being present in the day to day nuances of learning someone else while unexpectedly falling in love. It truly got to the core of how a healthy relationship should feel and there were so many emotions radiating from this story. Especially through the simple things including the dates that didn’t go quite as planned, but ended up being even more memorable because of it, knowing immediately who they wanted to call when something was wrong, showing endless patience as they slowly opened up to one another, and learning to trust. This is one of those romance books that makes me realize I need to stop reading so much romance because it’s relationships like Layla and Caleb’s that give me unrealistic expectations of how things are going to be in real life lol. Needless to say, I highly recommend reading this if you’re looking for something swoony in the rom-com category. 

Woman on Fire by Lisa Barr

WOMAN ON FIRE by Lisa Barr

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: After talking her way into a job with Dan Mansfield, the leading investigative reporter in Chicago, rising young journalist Jules Roth is given an unusual - and very secret - assignment. Dan needs her to locate a painting stolen by the Nazis more than 75 years earlier; legendary Expressionist artist Ernst Engel’s most famous work, Woman on Fire. World-renowned shoe designer Ellis Baum wants this portrait of a beautiful, mysterious woman for deeply personal reasons, and has enlisted Dan’s help to find it. But Jules doesn’t have much time; the famous designer is dying. Meanwhile, in Europe, provocative and powerful Margaux de Laurent also searches for the painting. Heir to her art collector family’s millions, Margaux is a cunning gallerist who gets everything she wants. The only thing standing in her way is Jules. Yet the passionate and determined Jules has unexpected resources of her own, including Adam Baum, Ellis’s grandson. A recovering addict and brilliant artist in his own right, Adam was once in Margaux’s clutches. He knows how ruthless she is, and he’ll do anything to help Jules locate the painting before Margaux gets to it first.

My Thoughts: Ooo WEE. This book had me SUCKED in right from the start. This book was fast-paced, twisty, and balanced the perfect combination of mystery, historical fiction, and contemporary fiction. Every character is so unique and addictive in their own right. Jules is a powerhouse investigative journalist who knows no boundaries when it comes to unraveling a story. Though she had a tendency to go rogue with some of her decisions, her confidence and strong will made her the perfect main character. Margaux was a fuckin menace and high key psychopath, but even her character had dynamic layers that made her so much more than just the antagonist. The plot twists were phenomenal and came at all of the right times in a way that affected all of the characters in this twisty race to find the Woman on Fire painting. I admired the amount of research that had to have gone into creating this story. The number of art references, and facts relating to WW2 really made me buy into everything this author was spinning for me. The timeline definitely kept me on my toes, and although the climax of this novel happens very quickly, I think the outcome of the hunt was so satisfactory. If you’re looking for something that’s cross-genre, a little thrilling, and will suck you in from page 1, you should definitely pick up this book!

Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

CRYING IN H MART by Michelle Zauner

Rating: 5/5 stars
Summary: In this exquisite story of family, food, grief, and endurance, Michelle, Zauner proves herself far more than a dazzling singer, songwriter, and guitarist. With humor and heart, she tells of growing up one of the few Asian American kids at her school in Eugene, Oregon; of struggling with her mother’s particular, high expectations of her; of a painful adolescence; of treasured months spent in her grandmother’s tiny apartment in Seoul, where she and her mother would bond, late at night, over heaping plates of food. As she grew up, moving to the East Coast for college, finding work in the restaurant industry, and performing gigs with her fledgling band - and meeting the man who would become her husband - her Koreanness began to feel ever more distant, even as she found the life she wanted to live. It was her mother’s diagnosis of terminal cancer, when Michelle was twenty-five, that forced a reckoning with her identity and brought her to reclaim the gifts of taste, language, and history her mother had given her. Vivacious and plainspoken, lyrical and honest, Zauner’s voice is as radiant alive on the page as it is on stage. Rich with intimate anecdotes that will resonate widely, and complete with family photos, Crying in H Mart is a book to cherish, share, and reread.

My Thoughts: I stand by my belief that memoirs are best read via audiobook if the author is the narrator. This was an incredible story about the relationship between a mother and daughter who don’t always understand the other, but continuously connect through their unconditional love. Michelle Zauner has a poetic way of writing that draws the rawest of emotions out of her readers. Specifically describing the grief she experienced throughout her mother’s diagnosis, chemotherapy, and life after her passing. The cultural references throughout this book truly put you in Zauner’s shoes as she walks you down the path of her life to the present. I am in awe at how much of her heart I felt through this audiobook and highly recommend it! Please check trigger warnings tho.

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas

A COURT OF MIST AND FURY by Sarah J. Maas

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Summary: Feyre has undergone more trials than one human woman can carry in her heart. Though she’s now been granted the powers and lifespan of the High Fae, she is haunted by her time Under the Mountain and the terrible deeds she performed to save the lives of Tamlin and his people. As her marriage to Tamlin approaches, Feyre’s hollowness and nightmares consume her. She finds herself split into two different people: one who upholds her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court, and one who lives out her life in the Spring Court with Tamlin. While Feyre navigates a dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms. She might just be the key to stopping it, but only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future - and the future of a world in turmoil. 

My Thoughts: LOL. Y’ALL. Okay I read A Court of Thorns and Roses back in early 2021, and although I immediately purchased this second book in the series after finishing the first one, I somehow managed to fight off the urge to jump right into it. So, here we are about a year and some change later, and I absolutely INHALED A Court of Mist and Fury. I think one of my favorite things about this book is Feyre’s character development. If I remember correctly, I thought she was kind of annoying in ACOTAR because she was pretty needy with Tamlin and not as strong of a main protagonist as I would’ve liked for that story. I think with her new Fae body and lifespan, and especially after everything she went through Under the Mountain, she just has so much more backbone in this book. Specifically, when she gets out of the Spring Court to fulfill her bargain with Rhysand. Although we were originally under the impression that his court is super scary, we quickly learn how much he has the rest of the world fooled. I absolutely loved the Night Court, the Court of Dreamers, and just everything that came with it. Also obsessed with Rhysand in general. Their relationship takes some turns as well - all for the better - that involve some real character development. There are some spicy scenes sprinkled into this book (chapter 55 IYKYK), but they were perfectly placed. I also love how much the plot thickens and all the twists it takes. TAMLIN CAN GTFO. He is such a turd. Otherwise, I really enjoyed the second book of this series and definitely recommend continuing onto it if you’ve read ACOTAR.

A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J Maas

A COURT OF WINGS AND RUIN by Sarah J. Maas

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Feyre has returned to Spring Court, determined to gather information on Tamlin’s actions and learn what she can about the invading king threatening to bring her land to its knees. But to do so, she must play a deadly game of deceit. One slip could bring doom not only for Feyre, but for everything and everyone she holds dear. As war bears down upon them all, Feyre endeavors to take her place amongst the High Fae of the land, balancing her struggle to master powers - both magical and political - and her love for her court and family. Amidst these struggles, Feyre and Rhysand must decide whom to trust amongst the cunning and lethal High Lords, and hunt for allies in unexpected places.

My Thoughts: Wow. Yes. This book is exactly what I needed in this series. The plot was phenomenal and the unexpected twists made me the perfect amount of antsy. We had incredible character development across the board - even F Boy Tamlin had some upswing in this one. The scene setting and vivid atmosphere descriptions made picturing Prythian effortless. This. This is what I wanted from SJM at the beginning of the series and she made me patiently wait until the third installment to unleash her storytelling beast. Especially during the war scenes?? Y’all. I felt like I was in the middle of that battlefield trudging through mud and blood. I was the one wielding swords and daggers next to my Illyrian kin as I trained for combat. I was the one navigating politics between the High Courts. She has a talent for drawing you into the narrative in a way that feels so natural and all encompassing. A few fleeting thoughts: I am getting love triangle vibes from the whole Lucien-Elain-Azriel situation and cannot wait until that is addressed, Nesta and Cassian are the grumpy-sunshine fae duo I didn’t know I needed in my life, and last but not least, RHYSAND CAN STILL GET IT. Okay. So there it is. That’s my review. I literally devoured this book in two days, so idk what else to tell you besides definitely read this book if you’ve jumped onto the ACOTAR train.

A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas

A COURT OF FROST AND STARLIGHT by Sarah J. Maas

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: Feyre, Rhysand, and their friends are still busy rebuilding the Night Court and the vastly altered world beyond, recovering from the war that changed everything. But Winter Solstice is finally approaching, and with it, the joy of a hard-earned reprieve. Yet even the festive atmosphere can’t keep the shadows of the past from looming. As Feyre navigates her first Winter Solstice as High Lady, her concern for those dearest to her deepens. They have more wounds than she anticipated-scars that will have a far-reaching impact on the future of their court.

My Thoughts: Okay so I was torn on whether to read this one or not because it’s technically a novella to this series and some people say it’s not worth it. However, I will say this: do I regret reading it? Not at all. Will I ever read it again? Probably not lol. It was a nice change of pace looking at the first holiday following the big war that happened in ACOWAR. We also had some chapters from various characters’ POVs instead of just Feyre's, which was refreshing. It really gave perspective as to how each individual character was dealing with everything that happened in the previous book. Some were obviously doing better with the emotional and mental aftermath of being through a destructive, bloody war. Others, however, (specifically Nesta), are still trying to figure out how to process all of the trauma experienced. I think there were a few nods/details to character dynamics in the next book (A Court of Silver Flames), so I wouldn’t discount this book as not worth reading entirely. However, if you absolutely do not want to read it, I guess it’s not going to wholly impact the series experience. The best way to describe how I felt about this book is, if you’ve read the Throne of Glass series, the attitude towards Tower of Dawn is pretty comparable to the attitude about this book lol. Like you don’t want to read it, but end up enjoying it once you do. So yeah. 

Alrighty, that’s September for ya!

I’m going to try to get a little spooky with the books I read in October, but I’m also one of the jumpiest people when it comes to mystery/thrillers/horror. So, no promises lol. 

2022 Book Count: 160

Add me on Goodreads if you haven’t already.

YOUR TURN! What’s the last series you dove head first into?

August 2022 Reads

Well, since it’s ~LinkedIn official~ now, I’m excited to share that I started a new job as the Digital Marketing Manager at the end of August at a local investment firm! It was a busy month of getting everything in order during the last two weeks at my last job, but luckily, I managed to sneak in a week and a half of staycation before starting the new gig. 

Although I felt like I was in a reading slump at the beginning of August, by the time my time off came around, I was ready to get some reading accomplished. It helped that I did a lot of commuting that week because I flew through some audiobooks. 

Plus, I attended an event that week that was hosted by the Grand Rapids Public Library with one of my best friends where we got to watch an in-person interview with Silvia Moreno-Garcia and had a copy of her book Mexican Gothic signed. (My review is in this post!)

As an avid reader, it was so cool to hear her talk about her books, writing techniques, and overall goals for some of her future novels. 

All righty, let’s get to everything I read in August. :)

*All summaries are taken or paraphrased from Goodreads.

In the Weeds by B.K. Borison

IN THE WEEDS by B.K. Borison

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Evelyn St. James isn’t the kind of woman you forget. Beckett Porter certainly hasn’t. One incredible weekend in Maine, and he’s officially a man distracted. He’s not unfamiliar with hot and heavy flings. He knows how it goes. But Evie wove some sort of magic over him during their tumble in the sheets. He can’t stop thinking about her laugh. Her hand pressed flat against his chest. Her smiling mouth at his neck. Also, her eyes. And her legs. So when she suddenly appears on his farm as part of a social media contest, he is… confused. He had no idea that the sweet and sexy woman he met at a bar is actually a global phenomenon: social media influencer Evelyn St. James. When she disappears again, Beckett resolves to finally forget her and move on. But Evelyn St. James has a problem. Feeling disconnected from her work and increasingly unhappy, she’s trying to find her way back to something real. She returns to the last place she was happy, Lovelight Farms and the tiny town of Inglewild. It has absolutely nothing to do with the hot farmer she spent two incredible nights with. Nothing at all. 

My Thoughts: Well if this wasn’t the sweetest, steamiest second chance romance I’ve read in a while! This story had a gentle approach to Beckett and Evie finding their way back to each other after experiencing an amazing weekend together as strangers a few months prior. There was a warmth and promise to this developing relationship as they navigated their feelings and dynamics of being in each other’s daily orbit. The author’s writing was delicate in a way that made the harder moments feel like solid growth for this unexpected love match, and I appreciated how much the visual descriptions pulled me into the Lovelight Farms and surrounded me with its small town charm. This was a feel-good read in all the ways you hope for with these characters, and I definitely recommend giving it a try if you love a good second chance romance!

Becoming by Michelle Obama

BECOMING by Michelle Obama

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: In a life filled with meaning and accomplishment, Michelle Obama has emerged as one of the most iconic and compelling women of our era. As FLOTUS - the first African American to serve in that role - she helped create the most welcoming and inclusive White House in history, while also establishing herself as a powerful advocate for women and girls in the U.S. and around the world, dramatically changing the ways that families pursue healthier and more active lives, and standing with her husband as he led America through some of the most harrowing moments. Along the way, she showed us a few dance moves, crushed Carpool Karaoke, and raised two down-to-earth daughters under an unforgiving media glare. In her memoir, a work of deep reflection and mesmerizing storytelling, Michelle Obama invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her - from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work, to her time spent at the world’s most famous address. With unerring honesty and lively wit, she describes her triumphs and her disappointments, both public and private, telling her full story as she has lived it - in her own words and on her own terms. Warm, wise, and revelatory, Becoming is the deeply personal reckoning of a woman of soul and substance who has steadily defied expectations - and whose story inspires us to do the same.

My Thoughts: Wow if I couldn’t love the Obamas more than I already do! Michelle really pulled back the curtain in this memoir and gave such genuine, raw insight into her life. Although I have the physical copy of this book, I decided to listen to it on audiobook and am so glad I did. With Michelle as the narrator, it was so much easier to connect with her story and all of the emotions she felt throughout the various anecdotes. She gives an in-depth look at her life growing up in the south side of Chicago, introduces standout people who helped shape the woman she is today, and reflects on a variety of memories including going through law school, meeting her husband, life as the first Black FLOTUS, her experience as the spouse of a political figure, the passion behind her initiatives while Barack was in office, and more. Honestly, if you haven’t read her book yet, I cannot recommend it enough! 

Funny Feelings by Tarah Dewitt

FUNNY FEELINGS by Tarah Dewitt

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Farley Jones is being forced to date Meyer Harrigan, the man she has come to love, in order to make all of her stand-up dreams come true. It’s agony - a tragedy, even. In lieu of flowers, please send cash… Meyer and his daughter Hazel have been everything to her since they came into her life three years ago. So, all joking aside, the stakes are really high when it’s not only her career, but both of those relationships on the line. A former stand-up star himself, Meyer has helped the trajectory of her career take off since he began managing her… Since he became her closest and most treasured friend, in the process. This is the only reason why, when the biggest opportunity of Farley’s career includes thrusting him back into the spotlight to stir up publicity, he agrees - despite his grumpiness, his protectiveness over Hazel, and his disdain for public attention. When helping her includes taking those barriers down, all those funny feelings start coming out into the open, and it quickly begins to feel like anything but a joke. 

My Thoughts: Y’all know I love some top notch banter in a rom-com and this book DELIVERED. Farley and Meyer are both in the entertainment industry as comedians and although Meyer is retired, the well-timed and placed jokes throughout their conversations was *chef’s kiss.* On the romantic side of things, I was obsessed with their friendship/relationship. After walking into Meyer’s and his daughter, Hazel’s, lives three years ago, Farley has become a staple presence in their daily lives (and them in her’s). I loved that the timeline bounces between the present with Farley on tour and the past when she first met the father/daughter duo because we got a glimpse of how their relationship has evolved and could see how long these characters had been pining for each other. The pure adoration Meyer had for Farley had me swooning and I absolutely LOVED how much he was rooting for her professionally. I think in real life, most men might feel intimidated or emasculated by having a partner who shares the same career and is absolutely killing it while the guy’s career is at a standstill. There is an age-gap trope to this rom-com, and though I usually don’t love those, it honestly wasn’t as exaggerated as gaps in other books I’ve encountered. I think Meyer is 9 or 10 years older than Farley and she’s in her mid-twenties, so I could dig it. Anyway, if you’re looking for a laugh-out-loud rom-com with top tier banter, I highly recommend giving this one a try!

Anxious People by Fredrik Backman

ANXIOUS PEOPLE by Fredrik Backman

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: Viewing an apartment normally doesn’t turn into a life-or-death situation, but this particular open house becomes just that when a failed bank robber bursts in and takes everyone in the apartment hostage. As the pressure mounts, the eight strangers begin slowly opening up to one another and reveal long-hidden truths. First is Zara, a wealthy bank director who has been too busy to care about anyone else until tragedy changed her life. Now, she’s obsessed with visiting open houses to see how ordinary people live - and, perhaps, to set an old wrong to right. Then there’s Roger and Anna-Lena, an Ikea-addicted retired couple who are on a never-ending hunt for fixer-uppers to hide the fact that they don’t know how to fix their own failing marriage. Julia and Ro are a young lesbian couple and soon-to-be parents who are nervous about their chances for a successful life together since they can’t agree on anything. And there’s Estelle, an eighty-year-old woman who has lived long enough to be unimpressed by a masked bank robber waving a gun in her face. And despite the story she tells them all, Estelle hasn’t really come to the apartment to view it for her daughter, and her husband really isn’t outside parking the car. As police surround the premises and television channels broadcast the hostage situation live, the tension mounts and even deeper secrets are slowly revealed. Before long, the robber must decide which is the more terrifying prospect: going out to face the police, or staying in the apartment with this group of impossible people. 

My Thoughts: I think I’ve said this before, but if not, take note: listening to Fredrik Backman books is the move. Every audiobook of his that I’ve listened to so far has never disappointed and Anxious People is no exception. This book unapologetically shows the imperfections and struggles that make us so human in the most humorous and melancholy of ways. The plot was as bananas as this eclectic group of characters, and all of it was utterly beautiful. I loved that the more we learned about each character and their background, the more we saw how they’ve each experienced something similar in life. It provided a sense of community amongst these random apartment-viewers and connected them in ways they couldn’t imagine. There are even a couple of storylines that intertwined from almost a decade ago through the present. This book provides multiple laugh out loud moments while balancing those with comfortable, melancholy conversations too. If you haven’t read this book already, I urge you to try listening to the audiobook!

Hood Feminism by Mikki Kendall

HOOD FEMINISM by Mikki Kendall

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Today’s feminist movement has a glaring blind spot, and paradoxically, it is women. Mainstream feminists rarely talk about meeting basic needs as a feminist issue, argues Mikki Kendall, but food insecurity, access to quality education, safe neighborhoods, a living wage, and medical care are all feminist issues. All too often, however, the focus is not on basic survival for the many, but on increasing privilege for the few. That feminists refuse to prioritize these issues has only exacerbated the age-old problem of both internecine discord and women who rebuff at carrying the title. Moreover, prominent white feminists broadly suffer from their own myopia with regard to how things like race, class, sexual orientation, and ability intersect with gender. How can we stand in solidarity as a movement, Kendall asks, when there is the distinct likelihood that some women are oppressing others?

My Thoughts: Wow, this audiobook was a wake up call. Mikki Kendall does a phenomenal job explaining why the feminism movement is failing those who need its support most and how women (especially white women) need to start taking an intersectional approach to tackling various issues in our country. This book provides concrete stats and figures while also interlacing real life anecdotes to make each point she’s explaining more applicable and easier to understand. I will say I wish I had a physical copy of the book as well so that I could go through and make notes/highlight key ideas and actions the author hit on while I was listening to it. That said, if it wasn’t already obvious, I highly encourage everyone to pick up this book because it was excellent.

Book Lovers by Emily Henry

BOOK LOVERS by Emily Henry

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Nora Stephens’ life is books - she’s read them all - and she is not that type of heroine. Not the plucky one, not the laidback dream girl, and especially not the sweetheart. In fact, the only people Nora is a heroine for are her clients, for whom she lands enormous deals as a cutthroat literary agent, and her beloved little sister Libby. Which is why she agrees to go to Sunshine Falls, North Carolina for the month of August when Libby begs her for a sisters’ trip away - with visions of a small-town transformation for Nora, who she’s convinced needs to become the heroine in her own story. But instead of picnics in meadows, or run-ins with a handsome country doctor or bulging-forearmed bartender, Nora keeps bumping into Charlie Lastra, a bookish brooding editor from back in the city. It would be a meet-cute if not for the fact that they’ve met many times and it’s never been cute. If Nora knows she’s not an ideal heroine, Charlie knows he’s nobody’s hero, but as they are thrown together again and again, in a series of coincidences no editor worth their salt would allow - what they discover might just unravel the carefully crafted stories they’ve written about themselves. 

My Thoughts: Wow Emily Henry really knows how to make you feel all the feels in her books, huh? I definitely understand the hype with this story though. I was obsessed with Nora and Charlie’s dynamics. Both are unapologetically career-driven city people and though their initial meet-cute wasn’t very cute, the second time they collide in a charming little town called Sunshine Falls, all bets are off. Nora is a strong and resilient main character who has a tendency to put the ones she loves ahead of her own needs - even if that means putting her own dreams on pause while she makes sure her sister is happy and supported. The frustration Nora felt when she realized how misunderstood she was with people in her industry - described as a shark - was palpable. However, with Charlie’s help, she takes pride in her driven work ethic while learning how to humanize herself as a person too. Speaking of Charlie, we love a male MC who is written by a woman, do we not? Charlie knew ALL the right things to say, and tamed that “is there going to be a miscommunication?” anxiety in me with his words every time. It was so freaking refreshing, I cannot describe. Emily Henry’s writing is addicting and really peels back the layers of a reader with her words until you feel as vulnerable as the characters. At one point, she described heartache as a bruise you can’t help but press, and I really connected with that. This book is written for book lovers by a book lover and I just can’t recommend it enough!

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

MEXICAN GOTHIC by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: After receiving a frantic letter from her newly-wed cousin begging for someone to save her from a mysterious doom, Noemi Taboada heads to High Place, a distant house in the Mexican countryside. She’s not sure what she will find - her cousin’s husband, a handsome Englishman, is a stranger, and Noemi knows little about the region. Noemi is also an unlikely rescuer: She’s a glamorous debutante, and her chic gowns and perfect red lipstick are more suited for cocktail parties than amateur sleuthing. But she’s also tough and smart, with an indomitable will, and she is not afraid: Not of her cousin’s new husband, who is both menacing and alluring; not of his father, the ancient patriarch who seems fascinated by Noemi; and not even of the house itself, which begins to invade Noemi’s dreams with visions of blood and doom. Her only ally in this inhospitable abode is the family’s youngest son. Shy and gentle, he seems to want to help Noemi, but might also be hiding dark knowledge of his family’s past. For there are many secrets behind the walls of High Place. The family’s once colossal wealth and faded mining empire kept them from prying eyes, but as Noemi digs deeper, she unearths stories of violence and madness. And Noemi, mesmerized by the terrifying seductive world of High Place, may soon find it impossible to ever leave this enigmatic house behind. 

My Thoughts: There may be some light spoilers in this review because I have some things to SAY, so proceed with caution. First off, I literally could not have predicted what happened in this book if you paid me. Even as we were getting more clues halfway through the book, I was kind of like “meh. Are we really going to leave it at that?” Then Ms. Moreno-Garcia said, “Hold this giant plot twist for me, won’t you?” I absolutely adored Noemi as the MC and heroine of this story. She is badass to a T in an elegantly scrappy type of way. She knows how to play people’s games and adapts some rules of her own, if you know what I mean. Francis honestly served as a beacon of hope for me throughout this terrifying experience and I’m so glad he didn’t disappoint. I obviously had trust issues with him, but people’s intentions are in their actions and his actions all provided some light in this dark mansion. We truly love an underdog moment. The author does an amazing job sucking you into the story and giving specific details that cause a physical reaction. For example, at one point, it’s torrentially raining and there’s no way to leave this dreary house in the mountains. I felt SO trapped and claustrophobic, my friends. It was insane. Last thing I will say, and this is the mild spoiler alert, I was obsessed with the fact that she literally and figuratively burned the racism right out of that family. If you can’t tell, I thoroughly enjoyed this gothic thriller and highly recommend it if you’re looking for something a little different.

The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi

THE HENNA ARTIST by Alka Joshi

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Escaping from an abusive marriage, seventeen-year-old Lakshmi makes her way alone to the vibrant 1950s pink city of Jaipur. There she becomes the most highly requested henna artist - and confidante - to the wealthy women of the upper class. But trusted with the secrets of the wealthy, she can never reveal her own… Known for her original designs and sage advice, Lakshmi must tread carefully to avoid the jealous gossips who could ruin her reputation and her livelihood. As she pursues her dream of an independent life, she is startled one day when she is confronted by her husband, who has tracked her down these many years later with a high-spirited young girl in tow - a sister Lakshmi never knew she had. Suddenly the caution that she has carefully cultivated as protection is threatened. She still perseveres, applying her talents and lifting up those that surround her as she does. 

My Thoughts: Y’all know I love a good historical fiction book and this novel hit the SPOT. Although I have a paperback copy of this book, I decided to listen to the audiobook and I’m so glad I did. The narrator was phenomenal, giving voices to all of the different characters. The first-person perspective made getting sucked into this story effortless. Lakshmi has put her nose to the grindstone over the last decade trying to make a stable life for herself in a society and culture that expects most women to surrender their independence to marriage. She’s created a successful henna business, painting wealthy women and providing special herbs to other patrons on the side. I loved how resilient and carefully planned her character was. You could feel how much self restraint she practiced daily to preserve her lifestyle. Which brings me to Radha. I know she’s only 13-years-old, but my god she needed a HEARTY reality check a few times throughout this book. Some of the things she did to throw a wrench in Lakshmi’s plans were out of pure naivety and I was so frustrated with her character lol. That said, we do clearly see her character development through various actions much later in the book when she makes some mature decisions, but it took a minute to get there. Overall, I absolutely adored this story and think you could easily enjoy it in any form. 

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

THE RAVEN BOYS by Maggie Stiefvater

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: It’s freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive. Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them - not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her. His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble. But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all - family money, good looks, devoted friends - but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little. For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

My Thoughts: When I say I was absolutely HOOKED on this paranormal fantastical story, I am not exaggerating. This audiobook sucked me into its hold and I was instantly a part of this adventurous quest led by an addicting group of characters. Though a couple of characters are a little off-putting, *cough Ronan cough* I loved how you can easily feel the camaraderie between the Aglionby boys and how quickly they absorbed Blue into their group. The side characters of Blue’s family such as her mom and aunts were so quirky, fun, and whimsical. I kept looking forward to what their ~third eye~ had to say about any given situation. Aside from the characters, the plot was addicting and kept me guessing as to what would happen next in Gansey’s endless search for Glendower. PLUS, this audiobook threw in some plot twists that made me gasp because I didn’t see them sooner. Overall, I definitely understand why so many people love and obsess over The Raven Cycle series and am for sure hooked. 

Queen of Air and Darkness by Cassandra Clare

QUEEN OF AIR AND DARKNESS by Cassandra Clare

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: What if damnation is the price of true love? Innocent blood has been spilled on the steps of the Council Hall, the sacred stronghold of the Shadowhunters. In the wake of the tragic death of Livia Blackthorn, the Clave teeters on the brink of civil war. One fragment of the Blackthorn family flees to Los Angeles, seeking to discover the source of the disease that is destroying the race of warlocks. Meanwhile, Julian and Emma take desperate measures to put their forbidden love aside and undertake a perilous mission to Faerie to retrieve the Black Volume of the Dead. What they find in the Courts is a secret that may tear the Shadow World asunder and open a dark path into a future they could never have imagined. Caught in a race against time, Emma and Julian must save the world of Shadowhunters before the deadly power of the parabatai curse destroys them and everyone they love.

My Thoughts: I’ve said it before, but I’m going to say it again: Cassandra Clare can WRITE. Like she really went all out on this third book of The Dark Artifices trilogy. Especially after the way the second book ended… I was ready to be wrecked again lol. I loved how thoroughly the plot for this specific book was planned because it was so detail-oriented and pulled important pieces not only from the first two books, but also from the The Mortal Instruments series. Although there is so much going on with literally every character, the format makes it easy to keep up with the chaos packed into each chapter. I was especially interested in the parabatai curse storyline following Julian and Emma because they had figured out a solution at the end of the last book, but that got thrown to shit immediately in this one. Like the hopelessness they felt was palpable. I will say, I also enjoyed that not everything panned out the way I was expecting it to. Specifically with Kit and Ty. The direction of their relationship felt unfinished, but I think that made me realize how much I had become invested in it. There was a turn of events I was HOPING would happen with Kieran, Cristina, and Mark, but wasn’t sure if we were going to get there or not. Literally every protagonist - big or small - in this series stole my heart and I was incredibly satisfied by the time I turned the last page. If you’ve read any of the Shadowhunters series and enjoyed them, then I highly recommend trying The Dark Artifices trilogy.

The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater

THE DREAM THIEVES by Maggie Stiefvater

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Now that the ley lines around Cabeswater have been woken, nothing for Ronan, Gansey, Blue, and Adam will be the same. Ronan, for one, is falling more and more deeply into his dreams, and his dreams are intruding more and more into waking life. Meanwhile, some very sinister people are looking for some of the same pieces of the Cabeswater puzzle that Gansey is after…

My Thoughts: Holy hell. It took a moment, but Ronan finally solidified his place in my heart. This book was a huge plot twist in and of itself. I literally could not have predicted ANY of this happening based on what occurred in the first book. We not only get to learn more about Ronan’s background and secrets about his family, but also how the ley lines are affecting his dreams and that this isn’t the first time odd things are happening. I love how far this group of friends will go for each other to ensure they’re safe and cared for. Although Adam is going through a rough time dealing with the repercussions from his sacrifice in the previous book, he learns a big lesson in “found family” and what it means to have people love you. Of course I’m obsessed with the storyline following Gansey and Blue as they develop feelings for each other lol. Blue’s mom, aunts, and cousins came through with the dynamic side character presence that continued to add just enough depth to this paranormal book. The only thing that bothered me about this audiobook is the voice the narrator used for one of the newer characters. It was so annoying lol which is why I’m only giving it 4 stars. Would I have rated it higher if I read the physical book? Maybe. Who’s to say? I definitely recommend continuing through The Raven Cycle series if you already started it though!

That’s my August Wrap-up! 

I cannot believe we’re almost to fall, but I also can’t wait for sweater szn because that means I get to turn up my cozy level to a 10 when I’m reading lol. 

2022 Book Count: 145

Add me on Goodreads if you haven’t already.

YOUR TURN! What author would you like to see speak in-person?

July 2022 Reads

The Dog Days of Summer really came in hot this year, huh?

Despite enduring multiple 90+ degree days in a row, July was a pretty good month!

On the non-bookish side of things, I feel like a lot happened in the last 31 days - some expected, some unexpected - but most of it was exciting nonetheless. 

On the bookish side of things, my reading was everywhere lol. I will say, a few of the books I read this month have some sort of TV or movie adaptation that were released recently (i.e. Along for the Ride, The Summer I Turned Pretty, Heartstopper, and Bird Box). So, if you’re the type who likes to read a book before watching the on-screen adaptation, this blog post might be helpful for vetting out what to watch!

All righty. I think that’s it for now. Let’s get into everything I read in July!

*All summaries taken or paraphrased from Goodreads. Wuthering Heights summary taken from IMDB.

The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins

THE WIFE UPSTAIRS by Rachel Hawkins

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: Meet Jane. Newly arrived to Birmingham, Alabama, Jane is a broke dog-walker in Thornfield Estates - a gated community full of McMansions, shiny SUVs, and bored housewives. The kind of place where no one will notice if Jane lifts the discarded tchotchkes and jewelry off the side tables of her well-heeled clients. Where no one will think to ask if Jane is her real name. But her luck changes when she meets Eddie Rochester. Recently widowed, Eddie is Thornfield Estates’ most mysterious resident. His wife, Bea, drowned in a boating accident with her best friend, their bodies lost to the deep. Jane can’t help but see an opportunity in Eddie - not only is he rich, brooding, and handsome, he could also offer her the kind of protection she’s always yearned for. Yet as Jane and Eddie fall for each other, Jane is increasingly haunted by the legend of Bea, an ambitious beauty with a rags-to-riches origin story, who launched a wildly successful southern lifestyle brand. How can she, plain Jane, ever measure up? And can she win Eddie’s heart before her past - or his - catches up to her?

My thoughts: This is the first time I listened to a mystery/thriller on audiobook and I’m pleased to report it did not disappoint. I think hearing it read almost made me less nervy about anything twisty that was on the horizon because the narrator did such an awesome job with all of the character voices. This storyline had me hooked from the beginning because it’s clear we’re dealing with some morally gray characters, and I wasn’t sure who to trust - especially when we find out later that there has been an unreliable narrator of sorts. The main character, Jane, is running from something that happened in her past life in Arizona. She’s a likable character overall and I respected how clever, quick, and observant she was. She picked up these survival tactics along the way and had a habit of falling back on them - even when she felt completely safe. Eddie’s character was the biggest question mark for me. I wasn’t sure how to feel about him based on what we learn from side characters and was not easily convinced by his good behaviors. I don’t want to spoil anything, so I’ll just say the plot twist slapped me in the face and I liked that the author left me questioning what actually happened after everything was said and done. There were a couple of meh things for me like what we learn Jane did and is running from (it’s kind of anti-climactic and never goes anywhere?), the pace hits a lull towards the middle of the book which felt drawn out, and there’s an interaction between two characters towards the end I wish we had been able to witness. Overall, this was an entertaining and twisty mystery/thriller and I recommend the audiobook!

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

THE SUMMER I TURNED PRETTY by Jenny Han

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Belly measures her life in summers. Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August. Winters are simply a time to count the weeks until the next summer, a place away from the beach house, away from Susannah, and most importantly, away from Jeremiah and Conrad. They are the boys that Belly has known since her very first summer - they have been her brother figures, her crushes, and everything in between. But one summer, one terrible and wonderful summer, the more everything changes, the more it all ends up just the way it should have been all along.  

My Thoughts: In most cases, YA stands for “young adult” genre. In this case, it should stand for “Y Am I so obsessed with coming of age romance stories?” I could not put this book down. The setting alone made this a perfect summer read and the plotline had me a little nostalgic in terms of its relatability. One of my favorite things about the format of this book is the short chapters. The timeline bounces between the present day, when Belly is 15, about to turn 16, and the few summers leading up to the present. So, the short chapters made it so easy to follow along and make the essential connections between the anecdotes of summers’ past. Belly was a likable main character for sure. She was a little intense whenever her friends and/or family were picking on her for fun, but what teenage girl isn’t hypersensitive when she’s being relentlessly roasted? I sure was lol. I liked that Jeremiah and Conrad had distinctly different personalities, but still had enough in common that you felt the brotherly relationship between them. It made seeing what each guy brought to the table for this love triangle and why either brother would be an appealing option for Belly to date. There are some really emotional subplots throughout this book including divorce, cheating, and cancer. So if you find any of those topics to be triggering, I’d proceed with caution. Otherwise, this was an insanely sweet, summery, and swoon-worthy YA romance. :)

The Alice Network by Kate Quinn

THE ALICE NETWORK by Kate Quinn

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: 1947. In the chaotic aftermath of World War II, American college girl Charlie St. Clair is pregnant, unmarried, and on the verge of being thrown out of her proper family. She’s also nursing a desperate hope that her beloved cousin Rose, who disappeared in Nazi-occupied France during the war, might still be alive. So when Charlie’s parents banish her to Europe to have her “little problem” taken care of, Charlie breaks free and heads to London, determined to find out what happened to the cousin she loves like a sister. 1915. A year into the Great War, Eve Gardiner burns to join the fight against the Germans and unexpectedly gets her chance when she’s recruited to work as a spy. Sent into enemy-occupied France, she’s trained by the mesmerizing Lili, code name Alice, the “queen of spies”, who manages a vast network of secret agents right under the enemy’s nose. Thirty years later, haunted by the betrayal that ultimately tore apart the Alice Network, Eve spends her days drunk and secluded in her crumbling London house. Until a young American barges in uttering a name Eve hasn’t heard in decades, and launches them both on a mission to find the truth… no matter where it leads. 

My Thoughts: Ugh. Ya girl loves a good historical fiction novel and Kate Quinn DELIVERED. I listened to this on audiobook and had an absolutely delightful time. This story bounces between two timelines - one where Charlie St. Clair is the narrator/focus as she searches for her lost cousin with the help of a hot Scot, Finn, and disgruntled drunkard, Eve. The other gives us a glimpse into who Eve Gardiner was when she was working as a spy in the first World War. Though each woman came from very different backgrounds, they both knew what it was like to defy the odds in the face of constant adversity. I loved their resilience and that neither one’s storyline panned out the way you hoped or expected, and yet they still came out stronger on the other side. The vivid visual descriptions made everything come to life, including the destructive aftermath of various cities following the war, the intricacies of the cafe where Eve worked as a spy, the nostalgic childhood memories Charlie had with her cousin, etc. There is one interrogation scene that had such detailed descriptions, my skin was crawling the entire time. Like that is the type of shit that intrusive thoughts are made of - yeesh. This book is a little bit longer than what I’m used to for audiobooks, but the pace made everything flow so well and really brought all of the storylines together. If you’re looking for an addicting historical fiction novel, I definitely recommend giving this audiobook a try!

Twisted Lies by Ana Huang

TWISTED LIES by Ana Huang

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Charming, deadly, and smart enough to hide it, Christian Harper is a monster dressed in the perfectly tailored suits of a gentleman. He has little use for morals and even less use for love, but he can’t deny the strange pull he feels towards the woman living just one floor below him. She’s the object of his darkest desires, the only puzzle he can’t solve. And when the opportunity to get closer to her arises, he breaks his own rules to offer her a deal she can’t refuse. Every monster has their weakness. She’s his. His obsession. His addiction. His only exception. | Sweet, shy, and introverted despite her social media fame, Stella Alonso is a romantic who keeps her heart in a cage. Between her two jobs, she has little time or desire for a relationship. But when a threat from her past drives her into the arms - and the house - of the most dangerous man she’s ever met, she’s tempted to let herself feel something for the first time in a long time. Because despite Christian’s cold nature, he makes her feel everything when she’s with him. Passionate. Protected. Truly wanted. Theirs is a love twisted with secrets and tainted by lies… and when the truths are finally revealed, they could shatter everything. 

My Thoughts: WOW. Ana Huang really said, “this is the last book in the Twisted series, and I need to make it an absolute BANGER.” I was obsessed with Stella and Christian’s story. I think of all four girls from this series, Stella was the most relatable and down to earth. She has some insecurities that stem from the rhetoric she grew up hearing, but still follows her own path despite the expectations of her family. Her character arc was just so satisfying. Christian is your quintessential beautiful, dangerous, badass business boi with friends in high places. He’s incredibly protective and possessive of Stella, but in the most stomach flutters way. It’s one of those “she’s the one and the only one, and I’ll kill anyone who touches” type of scenarios that we swoon for lol. Also, the slow burn of their relationship was unreal. Like the anticipation and sexual tension was palpable and, personally, I was here for it lol. The plot was so solid and I was as invested in the unfolding of the storyline as I was in the developing romance between Stella and Christian. The entire Twisted series is phenomenal, but this final installment is just *satisfied sigh* and you MUST dabble in it.

Heartstopper Volume 2 by Alice Oseman

HEARTSTOPPER: Volume 2 by Alice Oseman

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Nick and Charlie are best friends. Nick knows Charlie’s gay, and Charlie is sure that Nick isn’t. But love works in surprising ways, and Nick is discovering all kinds of things about his friends, his family… and himself. 

My Thoughts: Okay so I am officially obsessed with this graphic novel series, and cannot believe I didn’t pick these up sooner! This book felt like such a breakthrough for Nick and Charlie as individuals, and as a couple. I loved that Nick provides such an unexpected amount of warmth and comfort in Charlie’s life, and that Charlie’s friends got to see that in-person when their initial impression of Nick was that he’s just a dumb jock. It’s also endearing that Charlie is giving Nick patience and space to come out to everyone when he’s ready although they’re officially dating. Needless to say, I’ll be picking up Volume Three as soon as my library request comes through. :’)

Lord of Shadows by Cassandra Clare

LORD OF SHADOWS by Cassandra Clare

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Would you trade your soul mate for your soul? A Shadowhunter’s life is bound by duty. Constrained by honor. The word of Shadowhunter is a solemn pledge, and no vow is more sacred than the vow that binds parabatai, warrior partners - sworn to fight together, die together, but never to fall in love. Emma Carstairs has learned that the love she shares with her parabatai, Julian Blackthorn, isn’t just forbidden - it could destroy them both. She knows she should run from Julian. But how can she when the Blackthorns are threatened by enemies on all sides? Their only hope is the Black Volume of the Dead, a spell book of terrible power. Everyone wants it. Only the Blackthorns can find it. Spurred on by a dark bargain with the Seelie Queen, Emma; her best friend Cristina; and Mark and Julian Blackthorn journey into the Courts of Faerie, where glittering revels hide bloody danger and no promise can be trusted. Meanwhile, rising tension between Shadowhunters and Downworlders has produced the Cohort, an extremist group of Shadowhunters dedicated to registering Downworlders and “unsuitable” Nephilim. They’ll do anything in their power to expose Julian’s secrets and take the Los Angeles Institute for their own. When Downworlders turn against the Clave, a new threat rises in the form of the Lord of Shadows - the Unseelie King, who sends his greatest warriors to slaughter those with Blackthorn blood and seize the Black Volume. As dangers close in, Julian devises a risky scheme that depends on the cooperation of an unpredictable enemy. But success may come with a price he and Emma cannot even imagine, one that will bring with it a reckoning of blood that could have repercussions for everyone and everything they hold dear. 

My Thoughts: WOW. I have no words and at the same time SO MANY THOUGHTS. “Raise your hand if you’ve ever been personally victimized by Cassandra Clare.” *Both hands to the sky.* Y’all. This book was a journey, and the last ~15 pages didn’t have to do me that dirty. Like wtf. I don’t think I’ve ever been emotionally body slammed this hard by a book before. So many things to get out here - where do I begin? I guess for starters, I loved that Livvy and Ty got their well-deserved amount of page time. The Blackthorn twins have been just that in this series thus far - like that was their whole personality - so I appreciated that we finally got to know each of them on a deeper level. Plus, I was LIVING for the threesome that was the twins and newcomer, Kit Herondale. We all love a charming Herondale boy and Kit was no exception. Julian and Emma are still out here making me swoon and I loved the direction that their parabatai storyline is headed. The TENSION, my friends. Also, Cristina, Mark, and Kieran were unexpected, but also such a vibe. I wasn’t sure about it at first, but their dynamics just felt right, yanno? There are a few storylines happening all at once in this book, but they kind of overlap each other - per usual of C. Clare’s writing - so, I liked that each “group” of characters helped the plot points flow without getting messy. We also got to see characters from other Shadowhunter series reappear with a helping hand in this mess (i.e. Magnus Bane, Alec Lightwood, etc.). This book definitely took a turn I was NOT expecting and the last bit of it absolutely wrecked me. So like, idk what you want me to say lol. Lord of Shadows will be living rent free in my brain for a while and I just need someone to talk to about it. :’)

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

FAHRENHEIT 451 by Ray Bradbury

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Guy Montag is a fireman. His job is to destroy the most illegal of commodities, the printed book, along with the houses in which they are hidden. Montag never questions the destruction and ruin his actions produce, returning each day to his bland life and wife, Mildred, who spends all day with her television “family.” But when he meets an eccentric young neighbor, Clarisse, who introduces him to a past where people didn’t live in fear and to a present where one sees the world through the ideas in books instead of the mindless chatter of television, Montag begins to question everything he has ever known. 

My Thoughts: The most important thing going into this book is to remember it was originally published in 1953, and set in a dystopian future. So the way technology is described and advancing in this book was a prediction of what it might look like from that point in time. I listened to the audiobook and was super glad I did because the writing has an extremely unique cadence to it. I think if I had been reading a physical copy, the writing would’ve gotten away from me a little bit, but the narrator did an excellent job with keeping everything in order - if that makes sense? The message of this book is undeniable and extremely relevant in terms of people falling victim to whatever they’re being told vs. doing the work to educate themselves so that they can form their own thoughts on various topics. It’s a pretty quick read, and I definitely think this book is worth picking up if you’ve never read it before.

The Stopover by TL Swan

THE STOPOVER by T.L. Swan

Rating: DNF (did not finish) @ 52%

Summary: I was upgraded to first class on a flight from London to New York. The food, champagne, and service were impeccable. The blue-eyed man sitting next to me, even better. He was suave and intelligent. We talked and laughed, and something clicked. Fate took over and the plane was grounded, and we had an unexpected stopover for the night. With no plans, we made our own. We danced and laughed our way around Boston and had a night of crazy passion that no woman would ever forget. That was twelve months ago, and I haven’t heard from him - until today. I started a new job and met the CEO. You can imagine my surprise to see those blue eyes dance with delight when he saw me across the mahogany desk. But I’m not a carefree girl anymore. My life has changed, I have responsibilities. 

My Thoughts: This book was recommended to me by my Kindle and because it’s rated pretty well on Goodreads (4.12 with 68,994 ratings), I decided to give it a go. *Side eye* This book was trash lol. Hence the DNF. Don’t get me wrong, the smut was great. The characters were not. They’re supposed to be in their 20s and 30s, and they acted like teenagers. There was no depth where there should be and the character development was basically nonexistent. Halfway through the book and these MCs were still so un-evolved?? On top of that, they basically kept fighting with one another over something petty, giving the silent treatment, and then making up in a lust-driven frenzy. Rinse and repeat with all the red flags. It just felt so repetitive, toxic, and frankly, not worth my time to continue on. There was plenty of eye rolling on my part lol. The plot was all right. There’s a mystery element to it that kept things interesting, but not enough that I’d willingly put myself through the second half of this book. Maybe I’ll try reading it again eventually, but I just cannot be bothered for now.  

The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah

THE FOUR WINDS by Kristin Hannah

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Texas, 1934. Millions are out of work and a drought has broken the Great Plains. Farmers are fighting to keep their land and their livelihoods as the crops are failing, the water is drying up, and dust threatens to bury them all. One of the darkest periods of the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl era, has arrived with a vengeance. In this uncertain and dangerous time, Elisa Martinelli - like so many of her neighbors - must make an agonizing choice: fight for the land she loves or go west, to California, in search of a better life. The Four Winds is an indelible portrait of America and the American Dream, as seen through the eyes of one indomitable woman whose courage and sacrifice will come to define a generation.

My Thoughts: Holy hell. I completely understand why people are obsessed with Kristin Hannah now. This audiobook was unreal. I think that’s partly because Julia Wehlan is the narrator and she does an absolutely phenomenal job, but the writing alone was *chef’s kiss.* I loved that Elsa starts out as this unconfident, seemingly weak main character. Her family refuses to accept her as someone with a promising future and treats her like she’s a disappointment. As the book progresses though, it’s clear how much of a fighter she is and what she’s capable of. Her journey was one of pure courage and I cannot emphasize how much I admired her as she traveled across the country with her children, endured the adversities they encountered left and right, and ultimately fought for what she believed in. Loretta, her daughter, was a love/hate character for me. She was an absolute ball of fire fueled by anger, and though I definitely understand that she had to grow up fast and the reasoning behind her behaviors, I wished she would’ve given Elsa a little more credit. All of the other side characters (i.e. Ant, Elsa’s in-laws, Rafe, the family friends in California, etc.) were so dynamic and truly brought this story to life. The sensory descriptors of their environments in dusty Texas, the tent camps in California, picking cotton, and more were extremely vivid and pulled me right into the characters’ perspectives. I just loved this book so much and definitely recommend it! 

Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

ALONG FOR THE RIDE by Sarah Dessen

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: It’s been so long since Auden slept at night. Ever since her parents’ divorce - or since the fighting started. Now she has the chance to spend a carefree summer with her dad and his new family in the charming beach town where they live. A job in a clothes boutique introduces Auden to the world of girls: their talk, their friendship, their crushes. She missed out on all that, too busy being the perfect daughter to her demanding mother. Then she meets Eli, an intriguing loner and a fellow insomniac who becomes her guide to the nocturnal world of the town. Together they embark on parallel quests: for Auden, to experience the carefree teenage life she’s been denied; for Eli, to come to terms with the guilt he feels for the death of a friend. 

My Thoughts: Well good golly gosh. Now I understand why so many women my age were obsessed with Sarah Dessen books when we were in high school. This was an addicting little beach town coming of age romance. I loved that it touched on some deeper messages that commonly affect teenagers too such as dealing with parental divorce, accepting the new family dynamics, fearing you’re making too many mistakes, and knowing that sometimes people need second (and third) chances. Auden was such a great main character for this book. I actually identified with her a lot - fear of failure, can’t really ride a bike (lol), and an introvert. She kept to herself in Colby at first, but wasn’t stubborn about letting her walls down to people when the timing was right. I appreciated her maturity in stepping up to help her stepmom with her newborn sister when her avoidant father was showing repeated behavioral patterns towards parenting. Eli was also a really great main character, and it was so refreshing that the riff he and Auden experienced in their friendship/relationship was not blown out of angsty proportions. I was expecting more friction to happen once Auden was trying to make amends with him, but I was pleasantly surprised that they proved me wrong. All of the side characters really made this summertime story come to life and loved that the author incorporated a message about not judging someone before you get to know them. This was honestly a super cute book and I definitely recommend it if you're looking for an easy read. For anyone wondering, the Netflix adaptation was decently cringey lol and I think I liked the book a bit more.

It’s Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han

IT’S NOT SUMMER WITHOUT YOU by Jenny Han

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Can summer be truly summer without Cousins Beach? It used to be that Belly counted the days until summer, until she was back at Cousins Beach with Conrad and Jeremiah. But not after this year. Not after Susannah got sick again and Conrad stopped caring. Everything that was right and good has fallen apart, leaving Belly wishing summer would never come. But when Jeremiah calls saying Conrad has disappeared, Belly knows what she must do to make things right again. And it can only happen back at the beach house, the three of them together, the way things used to be. If this summer really and truly is the last summer, it should end the way it started - at Cousins Beach. 

My Thoughts: Okay, okay, okay. So I appreciated that this storyline did not pan out as I was anticipating it to. At first, I was frustrated and incredibly annoyed with Conrad because he was being incredibly stubborn and hard to communicate with. I completely understand that he is still grieving in this book, but it was a small letdown that we weren’t seeing much character development from him. That is until later when the reason behind his motives for disappearing to the beach house in Cousins come to light and I completely forgive him for being so secretive. It was nice that the timeline bounced back and forth between what happened after last summer ended and now because we got to see how Belly and Conrad’s dynamic changed and got a better understanding of what fell apart. We also got some chapters from Jeremiah’s perspective in this book which was a nice change of pace because the previous book was from Belly’s POV only. Taylor still annoys the living shit out of me and I don’t understand why she’s Belly’s BFF. The format of this book was short chapters again which made the whole experience a pretty quick read. If you read The Summer I Turned Pretty and are debating on reading the whole series, I’d recommend continuing onto this second book at least. It was worth the time and I don’t regret it at all. 

Below Zero by Ali Hazelwood

BELOW ZERO by Ali Hazelwood

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Hannah’s got a bad feeling about this. Not only has the NASA aerospace engineer found herself injured and stranded at a remote Arctic research station - but the one person willing to undertake the hazardous rescue mission is her longtime rival. Ian has been many things to Hannah: the villain who tried to veto her expedition and ruin her career, the man who stars in her most deliciously lurid dreams… but he’s never played the hero. So why is he risking everything to be here? And why does his presence seem just as dangerous to her heart as the coming snowstorm? 

My Thoughts: Yesss. The STEMinist novella series continues! If there’s one thing I love, it’s a gentle redheaded giant as the love interest and Ian was giving us just that. Not only was he a beaut, but he was intelligent, a gentleman, and didn’t even know how attractive Hannah thought he was! Speaking of our heroine, Hannah was giving us that scrappy, bad ass energy we all know and love. The amount of drive and passion this girl has about space was truly impressive. It was even better that she and Ian nerded out so hard about the same scientific ventures. Similar to the previous books in this series, the timeline bopped between the present where Hannah is trapped in a glacial crevasse and the past encounters she’s had with Ian over the last 5-6 years. The character development was pristine, the plot had just enough adventure to keep me on my toes, and y’all, the tension between these two scientists was THICK. If you read Mara and Sadie’s short stories, you definitely need to continue on with Hannah’s!

We’ll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han

WE’LL ALWAYS HAVE SUMMER by Jenny Han

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: It’s been two years since Conrad told Belly to go with Jeremiah. She and Jeremiah have been inseparable ever since, even attending the same college - only, their relationship hasn’t exactly been the happily ever after Belly hoped it would be. And when Jeremiah makes the worst mistake a boy can make, Belly is forced to question what she thought was true love. Does she really have a future with Jeremiah? Has she ever gotten over Conrad? It’s time for Belly to decide, once and for all, who has her heart forever.

My Thoughts: Y’all. I have never been so irritated with some characters for legitimately 85% of the book only for the author to end up giving me what I wanted the entire time lol. This book takes place 2 years after It’s Not Summer Without You. So, Belly is finishing up her freshman year of college which puts her at 18 years old. Would I say I was expecting some more maturity from her in terms of the unseen character development? Yes. Absolutely. Did I feel like she was giving me the amount of maturity I desired? No. She’s definitely more mature than the previous two books, but I think she’s in such denial about the current situation that it makes her come off as impulsive and immature. Jeremiah is literally the worst lol. He’s turned into an un-self aware frat bro and I could not be more annoyed. I guess I should keep in mind that he’s like 20 in this book which means he is nowhere near his formative years, but nonetheless, he needed to be taken down a PEG. My sweet boy Conrad is the real MVP of maturity in this book. He’s communicative, selfless, and I just love what Jenny Han did with his character. Truly a personality glow-up. Do I recommend reading this book? If you’ve made it this far in the series then 1000% yes. Will you love every second of it? Absolutely not lol. BUT it’s definitely worth enduring for the ending. 

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

WUTHERING HEIGHTS by Emily Bronte

Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary: A man becomes obsessed with vengeance when his soul mate marries another man. Heathcliff is Cathy Earnshaw’s foster brother; more than that, he is her other half. When forces within and without tear them apart, Heathcliff wreaks vengeance on those he holds responsible, even into a second generation. (summary taken from IMDB).

My Thoughts: All right, y’all. Here we go. For starters, this is not a romance. If it is, it’s a romantic tragedy and there’s no other way to paint that. I know I would not have finished this book if I wasn’t listening to it on audiobook. There’s just no way it would’ve held my attention in the physical book form. There were times I was confused while listening to it, so I can only imagine how much I wouldn’t have comprehended visually reading it lol. This is the quintessential book of unlikeable characters. I literally was not fond of one single character. MAYBE Nelly Dean, but she also had her moments where I found her intolerable. If you’re down for the unlikeable/morally gray character trope, then by all means have at it. The main reason I gave this book three stars is because I can understand and appreciate why it’s considered a classic. If you have me analyze it at surface level, I would say Catherine is a narcissist who was upset she couldn’t control both men in her life. At a deeper level, I get that Heathcliff represented a life of wildness and freedom, and Edgar Linton represented a life of stability and status - which is why she went “into hysterics”: she couldn’t have her cake and eat it too. I totally missed that she was pregnant tho, so spoiler alert if you haven’t read it yet lol. Would I recommend this book? Not really. I’d say try Pride and Prejudice if you’re looking to dip your toe into the classics genre.

Bird Box by Josh Malerman

BIRD BOX by Josh Malerman

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Something is out there, something terrifying that must not be seen. One glimpse of it, and a person is driven to deadly violence. No one knows what it is or where it came from. Five years after it began, a handful of scattered survivors remains, including Malorie and her two young children. Living in an abandoned house near the river, she has dreamed of fleeing to a place where they might be safe. Now that the boy and girl are four, it’s time to go, but the journey ahead will be terrifying: twenty miles downriver in a rowboat - blindfolded - with nothing to rely on but her wits and the children’s trained ears. One wrong choice and they will die. Something is following them all the while, but is it man, animal, or monster? 

My Thoughts: I know that I’m late to this 2020 craze, but I am so glad I decided to read the book before watching the Netflix adaptation! This psychological thriller had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. The way the writing sucked me into Malorie’s story and truly put me into her shoes had my skin crawling. I think anyone who isn’t visually impaired relies heavily on sight as one of our primary senses every day, and I cannot imagine having that taken away in order to survive. The dual timelines between the present as Malorie rows down the river with her two kids, and the past which shows the 9 months leading up to the night her kids were born was riveting. I couldn’t even guess what had happened in the refugee house where she found safety with a ragtag gang of strangers that brought her to being alone for 4 years. Her resilience and courage are truly unmatched and the way she trained her kids to hone in on hearing more than seeing was incredible. This book really touches on why what we can’t see tends to be more terrifying than what we can. It’s a super quick read - less than 300 pages - and I definitely recommend picking it up if you’re looking for something a little creepy and thrilling. 

Lovelight Farms by B.K. Borison

LOVELIGHT FARMS by B.K. Borison

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: A pasture of dead trees. A hostile takeover of the Santa barn by a family of raccoons. And shipments that have mysteriously gone missing. Lovelight Farms is not the magical winter wonderland of Stella Bloom’s dreams. In an effort to save the Christmas tree farm she’s loved since she was a kid, she enters a contest with instafamous influencer Evelyn St. James. With the added publicity and $100,000 cash prize, she might just be able to save the farm from its financial woes. There’s just one problem. To make the farm seem like a romantic destination for the holidays, she lied on the application and said she owns Lovelight Farms with her boyfriend. Only… there is no boyfriend. Enter best friend Luka Peters. He just came home for some hot chocolate, and somehow got a farm and a serious girlfriend in the process. 

My Thoughts: Yanno what? This was the perfect “Christmas in July” type of romance I was hoping for and am glad I picked up. It was a friends-to-lovers storyline and I just thoroughly enjoyed my time with it. Stella is such a down-to-earth main character and I loved that although she had a whimsical spirit about her, it didn’t come off as immature. Her personality struck the perfect balance between dreamer, strategic business woman, imperfect 30-something, and genuinely caring person. Similarly with Luka, he was just so freaking thoughtful all the time, but it felt natural - not forced. Which made it easy for me to fall fast and hard for this book boyfriend lol. The two together were GOALS. Not only as a couple but as best friends too. The way they knew each other on such a deep level and knew the perfect way to support the other in times of need had my heart melting. Not to mention, their strong emotional connection translated through to the sexual tension and spicier scenes sprinkled throughout this book too. The side characters - such as Beckett and Layla - made this story so much more fun and really brought Lovelight Farms to life. I wasn’t expecting a mystery subplot and although it’s pretty clear who the culprit is early on, it was still a creative way to add another dynamic to this Christmas-themed rom-com. The small thing that irked me is that one character doesn’t have their epiphany until the book is almost over and although it doesn’t last long, I wasn’t expecting them to be so un-self aware after everything that happened in this book. That said, I was glad everything was handled so maturely between the two characters because it truly reflected all of their growth. I honestly think this is a great read for people who go absolutely bonkers for Christmas and those who don’t mind a little touch of Christmas in a romance story. :)

That’s all I’ve got for July!

I don’t have any plans on the types of books I’m going to read in August. We’re truly just going to be reading on vibes only lol. 

2022 Book Count: 133

Add me on Goodreads if you haven’t already.

YOUR TURN! What has been your favorite summer read thus far?

June 2022 Reads

Happy Pride Month!

My goal for June was to primarily focus on books by and about the LGBTQIA community because this month is about celebrating them - including in our reading goals! 

I mean, you should celebrate and support this beautiful community all year long tbh. So, this is just a friendly reminder that reading books by and about people who are different from you can help you better understand their unique experiences and is a great exercise in empathy. That could be through fictional characters, real life situations described in memoirs, and more.

All righty, with that in mind, let’s get into everything I read in June!

*All summaries are taken or paraphrased from Goodreads.

Everything for You by Chloe Liese

EVERYTHING FOR YOU by Chloe Liese

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Gavin - We’ve been teammates for two years, but it feels like a lifetime that Oliver Bergman’s been on my last nerve. A demanding captain and veteran player, I’m feared and friendless, while he’s the beloved rising star, all sunshine smiles and upbeat team spirit. To make matters worse, he’s obscenely attractive. In short: he’s genetically designed to get under my skin. Avoiding Oliver has been my survival tactic on and off the field. But when Coach drops the bomb that we’re now co-captains, avoiding him becomes impossible, and keeping the truth from him - let alone my distance - is harder than ever. | Oliver - Life was great until soccer legend Gavin Hayes joined the team and proved he’s nothing like the guy I grew up idolizing. Instead, he’s a giant - albeit gorgeous - grump who lives to rain on my parade. I’ve sworn off pranks since entering the public eye, so rather than settle our differences the Bergman way, I’ve had to settle for killing Gavin with kindness. There’s just one problem: killing him with kindness is killing me. To make matters worse, Coach gives us an ultimatum: put an end to our enmity or say goodbye to being captains. I’m prepared to be miserable while we meet her demands and make nice, but the last thing I expect to discover is an explosive attraction we can’t help but act on, and worse yet, to realize the man hiding beneath Gavin’s gruff exterior is all I’ve ever wanted. 

My Thoughts: Mark the date. I think this is the first time in recent history that I was not turned off by an age gap trope in a romance novel. It’s mixed in with some enemies-to-lovers which we all know I’m a simp for, but the nine-year difference between Oliver (25) and Gavin (34) was absolutely perfect for this story. They’ve had an unspoken war going on since Gavin joined the Galaxy men’s soccer team two years prior. Gavin is more open with his grumpy demeanor whereas Oliver tries to get under Gavin’s skin by killing him with kindness. A battle of wills, if I might say. Things get interesting when they’re forced to co-captain the team which throws them into each other’s proximity more than either would like. Y’all. The first breakthrough scene showing a little vulnerability between these two guys is on a plane and BE STILL MY HEART IT WAS SO CUTE. I was obsessed with watching Gavin and Oliver navigate their individual feelings for the other and figuring out what they could be together if they just gave into it. Also, all of the side characters - specifically our fave brother, Viggo - brought such life to this rom-com. The familiar taste of Chloe Liese’s writing for the Bergman Brothers was present in this fifth book and I definitely recommend it if you've been making your way through this fantastic series.

Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers

HONEY GIRL by Morgan Rogers

Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary: With her newly completed PhD in astronomy in hand, twenty-eight-year-old Grace Porter goes on a girls’ trip to Vegas to celebrate. She is not the kind of person who goes to Vegas and gets drunkenly married to a woman whose name she doesn’t know… until she does exactly that. This one moment of departure from her stern ex-military father’s plans for her life has Grace wondering why she doesn’t feel more fulfilled from completing her degree. Staggering under the weight of her father’s expectations, a struggling job market and feelings of burnout, Grace flees her home in Portland for a summer in New York with the wife she barely knows. When reality comes crashing in, Grace must face what she’s been running from all along - the fears that make us human, the family scars that need to heal and the longing for connection, especially when navigating the messiness of adulthood.

My Thoughts: Umm not knowing what you’re doing with your life in your late 20’s when you feel like you should have everything figured out..? RELATABLE. This audiobook was ideal for cozying up with a cup of coffee in the morning or settling in after a long day. The writing is very lyrical and the narrator’s warm voice gave it a poetic energy, but it sometimes felt a little forced. As a coming of age story, this book is very character driven. There’s a little bit of plot, but it mostly ebbed and flowed based on how Grace was feeling at any given time. As the MC, I both liked and disliked her. She was definitely focused on herself for a majority of this book and how those around her could help her through the crises she was experiencing. This character flaw is realized later on in the book, but that meant I found her mildly selfish for a while. That said, everything she was going through was extremely valid including the discrimination and racism she experienced from fellow scientists in the astronomy field for being a Black queer woman. The side characters each added their own color to Grace’s bigger picture, and I especially appreciated the ones that added a lightness to the mix because a lot of this story felt pretty heavy. Some of them I could do without, but they definitely all served their purpose. The only other thing I didn’t love is how long each of the chapters are for an audiobook. Some were almost 40 minutes, and I prefer chapters to be slightly shorter if I’m listening to a book. Overall, I think a lot of people would find this book relatable, but its indie aesthetic isn’t going to be for everyone.

Heartstopper: Volume 1 by Alice Oseman

HEARTSTOPPER: Volume One by Alice Oseman

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Charlie Spring is in Year 10 at Truham Grammar School for Boys. The past year hasn’t been too great, but at least he’s not being bullied anymore. Nick Nelson is in Year 11 and on the school rugby team. He’s heard about little Charlie - the kid who was outed last year and bullied for a few months - but he’s never had the opportunity to talk to him. They quickly become friends, and soon Charlie is falling hard for Nick, even though he doesn’t think he has a chance. But love works in surprising ways, and sometimes good things are waiting just around the corner.

My Thoughts: This is my first graphic novel and I am in love! Charlie and Nick’s friendship is so freaking cute, and the pages turned absolutely effortlessly as I learned the origin story of their budding relationship. This is honestly a really quick read (like I think I finished this in maybe 25 minutes?) and I cannot wait to get my hands on Volume 2. :)

What If It’s Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera

WHAT IF IT’S US by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Arthur is only in New York for the summer, but if Broadway has taught him anything, it’s that the universe can deliver a show-stopping romance when you least expect it. Ben thinks the universe needs to mind its business. If the universe had his back, he wouldn’t be on his way to the post office carrying a box of his ex-boyfriend’s things. But when Arthur and Ben meet-cute at the post office, what exactly does the universe have in store for them? Maybe nothing. After all, they get separated. Maybe everything. After all, they get reunited. But what if they can’t quite nail a first date… or second first date… or third? What if Arthur tries too hard to make it work… and Ben doesn’t try hard enough? What if life really isn’t like a Broadway play? What if it is?

My Thoughts: Oh em gee. This was one of the most quick-witted, adorably cute YA rom-coms I’ve read in a while! Starting from their meet-cute in the post office, Arthur and Ben had a uniquely magnetic energy that I couldn’t get enough of. The clever quips generously exchanged between them made me audibly chuckle and, though sometimes cheesy, the do-over dates were insanely sweet. I think I liked Arthur a little bit more than Ben because he has literally zero filter. Whatever comes to his mind is what is coming out of his mouth whether he realizes it or not. Even his inner dialogue had me LOLing throughout the book. Ben is a little more reserved, but he’s still such a likable character. I appreciated that he could roll with the playfulness of Arthur’s verbal vomit, and had a few dry-humored lines himself. The issues that bubble up between these two lads felt a little blown out of proportion to me, but I also had to keep reminding myself this is a YA romance and these characters are only 17. That aside, I absolutely loved that the ending didn’t go the way I expected, yet it was still so incredibly satisfying. If you’re looking for a punchy YA romance with a little snark and a lot of cuteness to it, I definitely recommend picking this book up!

Satisfaction Guaranteed by Karelia Stetz-Waters

SATISFACTION GUARANTEED by Karelia Stetz-Waters

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: When it comes to her career, Cade Elgin has it all figured out. Only “professional talk” has become her default mode, relationships are nonexistent, and don’t even mention the word “orgasm.” All work and no play makes Cade a dull human. But when she inherits a sex toy store, Cade is caught between business and a store filled with every imaginable kind of pleasure - including her own infuriatingly irresponsible and deliciously sexy new co-owner. Selena Mathis learned the hard way that she can have too much of a good thing. Which is precisely why she’s taken an oath of celibacy and is focusing on how to make Satisfaction Guaranteed a success. She won’t mess this up. Not this time. But once again, Selena’s emotions are getting in the way, and tempting her with a serious attraction to buttoned-up Cade. But the shop isn’t exactly vibe-ing, and Cade and Selena are on the verge of losing both their income and the possibility of love. Can they find a way to work together… before Satisfaction Guaranteed runs out of batteries?

My Thoughts: This F|F romance was cute, steamy, emotional, and playful! The premise was so unique and I loved all of the sex positivity! At the start of the book, I was nervous the main characters, Cade and Selena, were going to be pretty one-toned. It felt like there was an emphasis on Selena being the flighty, free-spirit in the equation, whereas Cade is the buttoned-up, accountant-type - which was just unnecessary. Luckily, as the book went on, both characters developed more depth and made this pairing even more perfect. This sweet couple was so supportive and really understood what one another needed without having to ask. I appreciated that the author leaned into the sex toy storyline and introduced them into the steamier scenes because most hetero romances don’t communicate that type of sex positivity message. It was refreshing to see the depiction of elevating that kind of experience  with your partner using toys depicted so flawlessly. Overall, this was a really quick, fun, and emotional read and I definitely recommend it!

Less by Andrew Sean Greer

LESS by Andrew Sean Greer

Rating: 3.25/5 stars

Summary: PROBLEM - You are a failed novelist about to turn fifty. A wedding invitation arrives in the mail: your boyfriend of the past nine years is now engaged to someone else. You can’t say yes - it would be all too awkward - and you can’t say no - it would look like defeat. On your desk are a series of half-baked literary invitations you've received from around the world. QUESTION - How do you arrange to skip town? ANSWER - You accept them all. If you are Arthur Less. Thus begins an around-the-world-in-eighty-days fantasia that will take Aurthur to Mexico, Italy, Germany, Morocco, India, and Japan and put thousands of miles between him and the problems he refuses to face. What could possibly go wrong? Well: Arthur will almost fall in love in Paris, almost fall to his death in Berlin, barely escape to a Moroccan ski chalet from a Sahara sandstorm, accidentally book himself as the (only) writer-in-residence at a Christian Retreat Center in Southern India, and arrive in Japan too late for the cherry blossoms. In between: science fiction fans, crazed academics, emergency rooms, starlets, doctors, exes and, on a desert island in the Arabian Sea, the last person on Earth he wants to see. Somewhere in there: he will turn fifty. The second phase of life, as he thinks of it, falling behind him like the second phase of a rocket. There will be his first love. And there will be his last.

My Thoughts: Okay okay, let me start by saying I really loved the narrator for this audiobook. He was engaging, did a spectacular job at all of the different character voices, and kept a dry humored tone which was perfect for this storytelling. I hate that I can’t give this book a 3.5, but honestly? I found myself not caring towards the middle of it. Like the author’s writing is phenomenal, don’t get me wrong. I just kept having to rewind the audiobook while listening to it because my mind would wander and I’d realize I hadn’t been paying attention for like the last 10+ minutes. Now, I’m not sure if that’s because of the audiobook itself or simply because I’ve had a lot of things on my mind lately lol. So, take all of that with a grain of salt because I know this is an entertaining story. Arthur Less is a quirky character who plans a trip around the world to avoid attending his ex-boyfriend’s wedding. He’s also on the cusp of turning 50 which is something he’d like to forget. Cue a distraction trip guided by Murphy’s Law because if anything could go wrong for Arthur Less, it did. Most of the unfortunate events of his little adventure were incredibly comedic and endearing, but geez, he had some bad luck. Overall, I think this book definitely holds water and that a lot of people would enjoy it. It just didn’t hold my interest as much as I hoped it would, which is why I’m giving it a 3.25.

The Queer Principles of Kit Webb by Cat Sebastian

THE QUEER PRINCIPLES OF KIT WEBB by Cat Sebastian 

Rating: 3.8/5 stars

Summary: Kit Webb has left his stand-and-deliver days behind him. But dreary days at his coffee shop have begun to make him pine for the heady rush of thievery. When a handsome yet arrogant aristocrat storms into his shop, Kit quickly realizes he may be unable to deny whatever this highborn man desires. In order to save himself and a beloved friend, Percy, Lord Holland must go against every gentlemanly behavior he holds dear to gain what he needs most: a book that once belonged to his mother, a book his father never lets out of his sight and could be Percy’s savior. More comfortable in silk-filled ballrooms than coffee shops frequented by criminals, his attempts to hire the roughly hewn highwayman, formerly known as Gladhand Jack, proves equal parts frustrating and electrifying. Kit refuses to participate in the robbery but agrees to teach Percy how to do the deed. Percy knows he has little choice but to submit and as the lessons in thievery begin, he discovers thievery isn’t the only crime he’s desperate to commit with Kit. But when their careful plan goes dangerously wrong and shocking revelations threaten to tear them apart, can these stolen hearts withstand the impediments in their path?

My Thoughts: Y’ALL. You should read this book for the top-shelf-quality banter alone. I mean WOW. I was living for the verbal artistry that Percy was serving us throughout this entire story. Kit also had his fair share of quick quips as well and the chemistry between these two lads made everything that much more rich and fulfilling. I loved all of the tension and build up to Kit and Percy actually acting on their feelings for each other, but appreciated that the author didn’t make us wait too long for that moment to happen. It was incredibly satisfying too that although both main characters were stubborn to their core, they gave into trusting one another when the timing was right. I feel like romance novels often draw out the “trust timeline,” and this one happened so naturally. Though the plot was definitely interesting, I have to say the pacing felt a bit stagnant towards the middle. It’s not that the story wasn’t moving forward, but there was a point where I hit a bit of a lull. That said, it definitely picked up shortly after and the momentum hooked me back into this carriage heist. All of the side characters were fun, distinctive, and definitely gave us a bigger picture of Percy and Kit’s lives. I think the next book is about their best friends Marian and Rob, so I’ll probably be picking that one up later this year. Honestly, this book was entertaining, steamy, and a little different from your usual romance, so I recommend giving it a try!

Gender Explorers by Juno Roche

GENDER EXPLORERS by Juno Roche

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Life-affirming interviews with young trans people who share their empowering experiences of questioning and exploring gender. “I believe that children who are questioning and exploring their gender are the gender bosses that we all so desperately need. I believe that they are our future.” In this life-affirming, heartening and refreshing collection of interviews, young trans people offer valuable insight and advice into what has helped them to flourish and feel happy in their experience of growing up trans.

My Thoughts: Wow absolutely everyone needs to read this book!!! It's a series of interviews with trans youth and teens about their experiences transitioning and becoming their true selves. There are also interviews with parents of the trans youth to understand what their experience was like having their child come out as trans or gender fluid. The vulnerability and openness these people demonstrated while sharing their experiences was extremely emotional. In our traditionally binary gendered world, people feel a need to categorize other people and put them into “buckets.”  These gender explorers are challenging that mindset and showing everyone that gender is not important to who you are as a human being. I just can’t say enough good things about this book. It was so eye-opening and informative, and I URGE you to go pick it up. 

Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare

LADY MIDNIGHT by Cassandra Clare

Rating: 4.5/5 stars 

Summary: It’s been five years since the events of City of Heavenly Fire that brought the Shadowhunters to the brink of oblivion. Emma Carstairs is no longer a child in mourning, but a young woman bent on discovering what killed her parents and avenging her losses. Together with her parabatai Julian Blackthorn, Emma must learn to trust her head and her heart as she investigates a demonic plot that stretches across Los Angeles, from the Sunset Strip to the enchanted sea that pounds the beaches of Santa Monica. If only her heart didn’t lead her in treacherous directions… Making things more complicated, Julian’s brother Mark - who was captured by the faeries five years ago - has been returned as a bargaining chip. The faeries are desperate to find out who is murdering their kind - and they need the Shadowhunters’ help to do it. But time works differently in faerie, so Mark has barely aged and doesn’t recognize his family. Can he ever truly return to them? Will the faeries really allow it?

My Thoughts: Yanno, when it was teased in Mortal Instruments that Emma, Julian, and this new generation of Shadowhunters were going to get their own series, I was PUMPED. Let me tell you, this first book does NOT disappoint. We didn’t just have the addicting magical world Cassadra Clare has beautifully crafted for us. This book delivered familial drama, murder, secrets, action, and OFC forbidden love. Not to mention, all of our favorite classic characters made an appearance including Clary, Jace, Magnus, JEM, TESSA, to name a few lol. After experiencing some traumatic events during the Dark War, I appreciated that Emma and Julian’s characters reflected the results of that five years later. They obviously went through further character development in this book, but where they start is clearly the outcome of how they’ve processed everything. Emma is a wild and incredibly talented Shadowhunter who is looking for trouble. Julian is more tame than his parabatai, and has turned into the backbone of the Blackthorn family as he raises his younger siblings. OBVI I ship these two even if the feelings they have are forbidden. I gotta give all of the side characters some mad credit too for bringing so much depth to the storyline and to all of the emotions that radiated off of the pages. Their personalities are so distinct that it’s incredibly easy to build a connection with each one even though you’re not spending as much page time with them. My one small issue is that this story started out quickly paced and then hit a slow spot for a minute that kind of stunted the momentum I’d been gathering since page 1. Once it picked up again though, I was right back in it. Needless to say, if you’ve read the Mortal Instruments and Infernal Devices, you have GOT to continue onto the Dark Artifices. 

My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry by Fredrik Backman

MY GRANDMOTHER ASKED ME TO TELL YOU SHE’S SORRY by Fredrik Backman

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Elsa is seven years old and different. Her grandmother is seventy-seven years old and crazy, standing-on-the-balcony-firing-paintball-guns-at-men-who-want-to-talk-about-Jesus-crazy. She is also Elsa’s best, and only, friend. At night, Elsa takes refuge in her grandmother’s stories, in the Land-of-Almost-Awake and the Kingdom of Miamas where everybody is different and nobody needs to be normal. When Elsa’s grandmother dies and leaves behind a series of letters apologizing to people she has wronged, Elsa’s greatest adventure begins. Her grandmother’s letters lead her to an apartment building full of drunks, monsters, attack dogs, and totally ordinary old crones, but also to the truth about fairytale and kingdoms and a grandmother like no other. 

My Thoughts: This was such a whimsical and charming audiobook! It was definitely a little confusing at first as you’re introduced to all of the different Kingdoms within Land of Almost Awake, but once you get your footing with that, it was so entrancing. I was obsessed with the relationship Elsa shared with her grandma. They were thick as THIEVES and absolutely inseparable. I loved their dynamics - a 7-year-old and 77-year-old. Elsa was too smart for her own good and kept her granny in check. There is definitely some sadness in this book after Elsa’s grandma passed away and left her with an adventure of sorts. I would be amiss to not give all of the side characters in this magical tale the biggest shout out. This experience would not be the same without this schmorgesborg of people who literally could not be any more different. All of their personalities enhanced the colorfulness of this book tenfold. I loved getting to know each of them better, their personal backgrounds, and how Elsa’s granny played a role in their lives. One scene involving some violence against one of Elsa’s new best friends brought me to TEARS, but I appreciated the overall themes of dealing with grief, establishing a found family of sorts, embracing your differences and more. Needless to say, I highly recommend this audiobook!

Hunted by the Sky by Tanaz Bhathena

HUNTED BY THE SKY by Tanaz Bhathena

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: Gul has spent her life running. She has a star-shaped birthmark on her arm, and in the kingdom of Ambar, girls with such birthmarks have been disappearing for years. Gul’s mark is what caused her parents’ murder at the hand of King Lohar’s ruthless soldiers and forced her into hiding to protect her own life. So when a group of rebel women called the Sisters of the Golden Lotus rescue her, take her in, and train her in warrior magic, Gul only wants one thing: revenge. Cavas lives in the tenements, and he’s just about ready to sign his life over to the king’s army. His father is terminally ill, and Cavas will do anything to save him. But sparks fly when he meets a mysterious girl - Gul - in the capital's bazaar, and as the chemistry between them undeniably grows, he becomes entangled in a mission of vengeance - and discovers a magic he never expected to find. Dangerous circumstances have brought Gul and Cavas together at the king’s domain in Ambar Fort… a world with secrets deadlier than their own. Exploring identity, class struggles, and high-stakes romance, Hunted by the Sky is a gripping adventure set in a world inspired by medieval India. 

My Thoughts: I’ve read YA fantasy inspired by African folklore, ancient Arabia, and ancient Rome, but this was my first experience reading something inspired by ancient India. I am pleased to report it was quite enjoyable! It definitely gave me some mild An Ember in the Ashes vibes, but with slightly more magic. The beginning of this book has a slower start. That’s mostly due to the world building, character introductions, and understanding how the societal hierarchy works. After all of that is established, the plot’s pace definitely picked up and made it easier for me to get sucked into. Gul’s character has a wild yet contained air to her. I loved that she wouldn’t allow herself to be confined to other people’s views or expectations of her. That being said, her stubbornness was definitely a fatal flaw. Like there were times where her “me” mindset hindered her likability - especially during some tense decision-making moments. Cavas was a good character for the most part. I liked that he wasn’t too meek, but he also had some proud/stubborn behaviors that left me so frustrated with him. Did I love them as a couple? Yes and no. I can definitely tell there’s something stronger there than they realize and they could be a really great team. However, they don’t make it to that point in this book. All that said though, I would definitely be interested in reading the second book in this duology based on where the story leaves off. 

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE by Jane Austen

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Since its immediate success in 1813, Pride and Prejudice has remained one of the most popular novels in the English language. Jane Austen called this brilliant work “her own darling child” and its vivacious heroine, Elizabeth Bennet, “as delightful a creature as ever appeared in print.” The romantic clash between the opinionated Elizabeth and her proud beau, Mr. Darcy, is a splendid performance of civilized sparring. And Jane Austen’s radiant wit sparkles as her characters dance a delicate quadrille of flirtation and intrigue, making this book the most superb comedy of manners in Regency England.

My Thoughts: I know I’m SO late to this game, but I completely understand what the hype is all about! I absolutely loved listening to the audiobook of the OG enemies-to-lovers romance novel. Not to mention, this gem is the feminist anthem of its time! To be fair, I must say, I had never seen the 2005 movie before reading this. So, about 30% into the audiobook, I decided to watch the movie since I had no previous knowledge of how everything was going to pan out. That decision helped so much because it gave me a visual template of where the audiobook was going as I finished listening to it. Elizabeth Bennett is the best kind of person to have around. She’s outspoken, sarcastic, and loyal af. A friend-crush was brewing, needless to say lol. I feel like Mr. Darcy is like the first tall, dark, and broody boy to walk in the romance genre, so that all of the book boyfriends we know and love nowadays could run. Yanno what I mean? Although a lot of the dialogue and the way this book reads is obvi a bit dated (which is why I’ve avoided trying to read it for so long), it’s easy to keep up with. If you’re curious to know what the big deal is with this classic, I definitely recommend giving the audiobook a try! British narrators make everything more fun anyway lol. :)

Middlegame by Seanan McGuire

MIDDLEGAME by Seanan McGuire

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Meet Roger. Skilled with words, languages come easily to him. He instinctively understands how the world works through the power of story. Meet Dodger, his twin. Numbers are her world, her obsession, her everything. All she understands, she does through the power of math. Roger and Dodger aren’t exactly human, though they don’t realize it. They aren’t exactly gods, either. Not entirely. Not yet. Meet Reed, skilled in alchemical arts like his progenitor before him. Reed created Dodger and her brother. He’s not their father. Not quite. But he has a plan: to raise the twins to the highest power, to ascend with them and claim their authority as his own. Godhood is attainable. Pray it isn’t attained. 

My Thoughts: Y’all. I did NOT expect to be all up in my feels over a SCIENCE FICTION novel. Like what did Roger and Dodger do to me??? I will not lie, at the start of this book, I wasn’t sure I was going to be smart enough to comprehend what was going on lmao. I don’t read a ton of sci-fi, so understanding the ins and outs of alchemy on the fly was a learning curve, but it definitely got easier the further you got into it. This book was just an intellectual exercise of trying to piece together everything before it’s revealed. It’s one big puzzle of time traveling, alchemy experiments gone wrong (and right?), and figuring out how each component is related to the next. I absolutely adored the main characters - Roger and Dodger. This sibling duo are two parts of a whole and literally balance each other out in personality and unique powers. Though their relationship could get a little complicated on more occasions than one, the draw they felt to one another and the serenity that came with being in each other’s presence made me feel so protective of this pair. There are some anxiety provoking scenes in this book - specifically, towards the end - that kept my heart racing as Roger and Dodger tried to beat the odds with the help of a morally gray character. To say I was giddily rooting for them to win is an understatement lol. I definitely recommend this book if you’re looking for something to absolutely suck you in within the science fiction genre. I believe there is a sequel to it as well with some companion series on the side, so there’s plenty to dive into here.

No Hard Feelings by Liz Fosslien and Mollie West Duffy

NO HARD FEELINGS: The Secret Power of Embracing Emotions at Work by Liz Fosslien and Mollie West Duffy

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: The modern workplace can be an emotional minefield, filled with confusing power structures and unwritten rules. We’re expected to be authentic but not too authentic. Professional but not stiff. Friendly but not an over-sharer. As organization consultants and regular people, we know what it’s like to experience uncomfortable emotions at work - everything from mild jealousy to insecurity to panic and rage. Ignoring or suppressing what you feel hurts your health and productivity but so does letting your emotions run wild. In this book, we’ll help you figure out which emotions to toss, which to keep to yourself, and which to express in order to be both happier and more effective. We’ll share the latest research and helpful tips, and reveal the surprising reason why you’ll actually be healthier and more focused if you’re less passionate about your job. Drawing on what we’ve learned from behavioral economics, psychology and our own experiences at countless organizations, we’ll show you how to bring your best self to work every day. 

My thoughts: Someone on my team at work read this book and really liked it, so a few more of us ordered it, and I have to say, it was really helpful! If you’re familiar with the account LizClimo on Instagram, she’s one of the authors and provides all of the illustrations included throughout. The drawings and little cartoons were one of my favorite parts because it broke down the monotony that non-fiction/self help books usually give me, and made everything they talked about more visual. Aside from the illustrations, the content was extremely well researched and easy to understand. I loved all of the actionable items they provided after walking us through a specific concept because it made understanding what “X, Y, Z” can look like and how it can be applied in a work environment. As someone who is not a big fan of non-fiction self help books, and is also continuously working on how I present myself in a work setting, I definitely think No Hard Feelings is something everyone would find helpful.

Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid

MAYBE IN ANOTHER LIFE by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: At the age of twenty-nine, Hannah Martin still has no idea what she wants to do with her life. She has lived in six different cities and held countless meaningless jobs since graduating college. On the heels of yet another city, Hannah moves back to her hometown of Los Angeles and takes up residence in her best friend Gabby’s guest room. Shortly after getting back to town, Hannah goes out to a bar one night with Gabby and meets up with her high school boyfriend, Ethan. Just after midnight, Gabby asks Hannah if she’s ready to go. A moment later, Ethan offers to give her a ride later if she wants to stay. Hannah hesitates. What happens if she leaves with Gabby? What happens if she leaves with Ethan? In concurrent storylines, Hannah lives out the effects of each decision. Quickly, these parallel universes develop into radically different stories with large-scale consequences for Hannah, as well as the people around her. As the two alternate realities run their course, Maybe in Another Life raises questions about fate and true love: Is anything meant to be? How much in our life is determined by chance? And perhaps, most compellingly: Is there such a thing as a soul mate? Hannah believes there is. And, in both worlds, she believes she’s found him.

My Thoughts: I listened to this on audiobook and really enjoyed it! It’s definitely a little different taste than other Taylor Jenkins Reid books I’ve read (i.e. Malibu Rising, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, and Daisy Jones and the Six), but great nonetheless! Hannah was the perfect main character for this story. She’s definitely likeable, but also so imperfect that you can’t trust her right away. Learning more about her in the dual timelines really made me more empathetic to who she is as a person, despite her situations, and I loved that though her two “universes” had different plots, the storyline still related to the other. This premise was incredibly unique and it worked so well that there wasn’t a definitive answer. Overall, I definitely think this audiobook is worth the listen!

Under One Roof by Ali Hazelwood

UNDER ONE ROOF by Ali Hazelwood

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: As an environmental engineer, Mara knows all about the delicate nature of ecosystems. They require balance. And leaving the thermostat alone. And not stealing someone else’s food. And other rules Liam, her detestable big-oil lawyer of a roommate, knows nothing about. Okay, sure, technically she’s the interloper. Liam was already entrenched in his Aunt Helena’s house like some glowering grumpy giant when Mara moved in, with his big muscles and kissable respectable scientists to the dark side… but Helena was her mentor and Mara’s not about to move out and give up her inheritance without a fight. The problem is living with someone means getting to know them. And the more Mara finds out Liam, the harder it is to loathe him… and the easier it is to love him. 

My Thoughts: Oh em gee. A STEMinist novella series?? Yes please!! I loved this enemies-to-lovers, environmentally friendly rom-com. Mara and Liam were such strong characters and the small roommate squabbles were so freaking relatable. This book was driven by various types of tension including angry friction, sexual tension, and a “will they, won’t they” suspense. After they declared truce, it was so cute how they fell into a comfortable platonic routine only to realize they both had stronger feelings for one another than they intended. If you’re looking for something fun and spicy with a little bit of climate change sprinkled in, this novella is definitely worth picking up!

Stuck With You by Ali Hazelwood

STUCK WITH YOU by Ali Hazelwood

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: Logically, Sadie knows that civil engineers are supposed to build bridges. However, as a woman of STEM she also understands that variables can change, and when you are stuck for hours in a tiny New York elevator with the man who broke your heart, you earn the right to burn that brawny, blond bridge to the ground. Erik can apologize all he wants, but to quote her rebel leader - she’d just as soon kiss a Wookiee. Not even the most sophisticated of Sadie’s superstitious rituals could have predicted such a disastrous reunion. But while she refuses to acknowledge the siren call of Erik’s steely forearms or the way his voice softens when he offers her his sweater, Sadie can’t help but wonder if there might be more layers to her cold-hearted nemesis than meet the eye. Maybe, possibly, even burned bridges can still be crossed… 

My Thoughts: Ugh. Y’all. You know how I feel about instant-love tropes, and although this one wasn’t necessarily unbelievable I just can’t get fully behind it. Besides that little plot hiccup though, this was such an entertaining, steamy novella! Experiencing their first date through Sadie’s memories was cute and swoony. You could clearly see how well these two built a connection. I liked that the book’s format flipped between the past and present, so that we could see what led up to their current feelings and actions. It was like a small puzzle and left me trying to predict what would become of this unlikely pairing. Sadie’s character was a little more quirky and dynamic than Erik’s character, but I appreciated that they balanced each other out. Though I didn’t like this second installation of the STEMinist series, it was still a cute and quick read. 

That’s it for June! 

Just a few tidbits to leave you with:

• Trans rights are human rights

• It’s absolutely none of your business who people love 

• Love wins - always

2022 Book Count: 118

Add me on Goodreads if you haven’t already.

YOUR TURN! What books do you have on your summer reading list?