Like the Comet

Three cheers that summer weather is finally here!

Although you can find me sweating on the regular, I wouldn’t trade the 70-80s temps and brutally uplifting sunshine for anything. Besides, warm weather means it’s officially patio szn and I love nothing more than enjoying a cold beverage with some friends outside on late* summer nights. <3

*Meaning head home by 9PM lol.

May was a pretty hectic month for me. I did a lot of traveling, including a work trip to Key West for a few days. Listen, my brain could not compute being in a vacation destination but still having to work.

If you’ve never been, just know that you must try the key lime pie and there are chickens/roosters everywhere. I feel like not enough people talk about the poultry running around, so if you didn't already know that fun fact then you heard it here first.

You should also stop by a little restaurant called Mighty Cock. :)

Anyhoo let’s dive into everything I read in May.

*All summaries are taken or paraphrased from Goodreads.

IN MY DREAMS I HOLD A KNIFE by Ashley Winstead

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: Six friends. One college reunion. One unsolved murder. Ten years after graduation, Jessica Miller has planned her triumphant return to southern, elite Duquette University, down to the envious whispers that are sure to follow in her wake. Everyone is going to see the girl she wants them to see - confident, beautiful, indifferent - not the girl she was when she left campus, back when Heather’s murder fractured everything. Including the tight bond linking the six friends she’d been closest to since freshman year. Ten years ago, everything fell apart, including the dreams she worked for her whole life - and her relationship with the one person she wasn’t supposed to love. But not everyone is ready to move on. Not everyone left Duquette ten years ago, and not everyone can let Heather’s murder go unsolved. Someone is determined to trap the real killer, to make the guilty pay. When the six friends are reunited, they will be forced to confront what happened that night - and the years’ worth of secrets each of them would do anything to keep hidden.

My Thoughts: Okay, so I’ve heard some mixed reviews on this book, but I gotta say, it was impressive for a debut novel. It had all the fixings for a great mystery: dark academia, morally gray characters, an unreliable narrator, some stabby stabby scenes, and two HUGE plot twists. I listened to this one on audiobook and admittedly could not stand the main character, Jessica lol. She so DESPERATELY wants to be admired by her peers even into her early thirties and I absolutely hated that her need to be adored was basically what drove every single one of her actions. Honestly, what each and every one of these characters needed was simply some quality therapy. They have all been battling with some demons in their closet since college after one of their closest friends was murdered in cold blood right at the end of senior year. These characters are a MESS, but that’s what kept me guessing about whodunnit. I will say, at about the 90% mark all hell breaks loose after a big ole plot twist and then SO MUCH HAPPENS. It was absolute chaos to say the least lol. On a lighter note, there’s also a romance storyline that I thoroughly appreciated throughout the book even though that journey was a wild ride too. Overall, yes. I do recommend reading this book if you’ve had it on your radar for a while.

FOR YOU AND NO ONE ELSE by Roni Loren

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Eliza Catalano has the perfect life. So what if it actually looks nothing like the story she tells online? As a therapist, it’s part of her job to look like she has all the answers, right? But when Eliza ends up as a viral “Worst Date Ever” meme, everything in her Instagram-filtered world begins to crumble. Enter the most obnoxiously attractive man she’s ever met, and a bet she can’t resist: if she swears off social media for six months, Beck Carter’ll teach her the wonders of surviving the “real world.” No technology, no dating apps, no pretty filters, no BS. It seems like the perfect deal - she can lay low until her sudden infamy passes, meet some interesting new people, and maybe even curate this experience into a “how I quit the online dating racket” book along the way. But something about Beck’s raw honesty speaks to Eliza in ways she never expected. She knows he’s supposed to be completely hands-off… but as complex feelings grow and walls come tumbling down, rough-around-the-edges Beck may be exactly what Eliza needs to finally, truly face herself and decide who she really wants to be.

My Thoughts: Wow. Yanno. I loved Roni Loren’s previous two books in this series (Yes and I Love You and What If You and Me) and the third one was no exception. I adored this storyline for a multitude of reasons, but the biggest one is that it was so relatable. Eliza is in her early thirties and after a disastrous experience on a dating app, she decides to take a social media hiatus for a while. Her new friend Beckham is helping her navigate this new lifestyle without the endless scrolling. Through this experiment, Eliza has a lot of breakthroughs about the way she was living her life - very much performative, doing things in various areas of her life to make it look like she has her shit together and is not at all imperfect. What really rang true to me was that she had this whole vision of what she thinks her life should look like based on what society has made her believe: happily married by age X, 2.5 kids, etc. Though her life hasn’t panned out that way, she realizes there’s no one out there with a measuring stick saying whether you've been successful or not. It was just a really relatable aha moment that you need to take life as it comes and not everyone’s path is going to look the same. I absolutely adored the friendship she and Beckham had that slowly turned into a beautiful relationship. Now, I will say, I’ve read a lot of reviews that didn’t like the book because they didn’t find it believable. Listen, I’m not DAFT. I know that part of the storyline was a little dramatic, but that’s the beauty of romance and fiction, is it not? This book was so refreshing and the perfect escape. The author has such a unique writing style and I definitely recommend picking it up if you’ve never experienced a Roni Loren novel.

THE IVORY KEY by Akshaya Raman

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: Vira is desperate to get out of her mother’s shadow and establish her legacy as a revered queen of Ashoka. But with the country’s only quarry running out of magic - a precious resource that has kept Ashoka safe from conflict - she can barely protect her citizens from the looming threat of war. And if her enemies discover this, they’ll stop at nothing to seize the last of the magic. Vira’s only hope is to find a mysterious object of legend: the Ivory Key, rumored to unlock a new source of magic. But in order to infiltrate enemy territory and retrieve it, she must reunite with her siblings, torn apart by the different paths their lives have taken. Each of them has something to gain from finding the Ivory Key - and even more to lose if they fail. Ronak plans to sell it to the highest bidder in exchange for escape from his impending political marriage. Kaleb, falsely accused of assassinating the former maharani, needs it to clear his name. And Riya, a runaway who cut all family ties, wants the Key to prove her loyalty to the rebels who want to strip the nobility of its power. They must work together to survive the treacherous journey. But with each sibling harboring secrets and their own agendas, the very thing that brought them together could tear apart their family - and their world - for good.

My Thoughts: All righty. I picked this book up from the library last year, but honestly just couldn’t get into it (the woes of being a mood reader). However, I had heard good things about it, so I decided to give it another shot via audiobook. I gotta say, I did enjoy it for the most part! The book follows four siblings who have been mildly estranged from each other in recent years. However, they must band together to find the mythical Ivory Key that their father spent most of his life searching for before he died. They each have their own motive as to why they want to find the key, but what’s clear is they cannot do it without each other. In terms of characters, I appreciated that I didn’t like nor dislike one more than the others. They all had their pros and cons which put them on a pretty even playing field in my mind. As for the magical construct of this world, it took a minute to understand the boundaries of magic (i.e. who or what can possess it, what creates it, how it’s utilized, etc.). Sometimes it felt a little improvisational based on the moment and what logistics made most sense at the time. However, there was an overarching understanding that magic cannot be wielded by a human, it can only be connected to inanimate objects. Other than that, there was a big ole plot twist at the end that I wasn’t expecting and honestly had me curious about where the next book will go. So I can’t say I won’t read the next book in this duology once it’s published, but whether or not I remember specifics from this book is definitely up in the air. I’d say it’s worth a read overall though.

MY OXFORD YEAR by Julia Whelan

Rating: 2.5/5 stars

Summary: American Ella Durran has had the same plan for her life since she was thirteen: Study at Oxford. At 24, she’s finally made it to England on a Rhodes Scholarship when she’s offered an unbelievable position in a rising political star’s presidential campaign. With the promise that she’ll work remotely and return to DC at the end of her Oxford year, she’s free to enjoy her Once in a Lifetime Experience. That is until a smart-mouthed local who is too quick with his tongue and his car ruins her shirt and her first day. When Ella discovers that her English literature course will be taught by none other than that same local, Jamie Davenport, she thinks for the first time that Oxford might not be all she’s envisioned. But a late-night drink reveals a connection she wasn’t anticipating and what begins as a casual fling soon develops into something much more when Ella learns Jamie has a life-changing secret. Immediately, Ella is faced with a seemingly impossible decision: turn her back on the man she’s falling in love with to follow her political dreams or be there for him during a trial neither are truly prepared for. As the end of her year in Oxford rapidly approaches, Ella must decide if the dreams she’s always wanted are the same ones she’s yearning for.

My Thoughts: Ugh. It pains me to rate this book so low because I really do love Julia Whelan and the writing in this is objectively good. HOWEVER, there was just SOMETHING missing. I mean I can confirm the development part of their relationship was missing because she literally had them hanging out as fuck buddies and then used like one paragraph to fast forward 6 months and all of a sudden, they were something more serious. So you missed the entirety of that “developing the feels” process. Additionally, I just didn’t care? Ella clearly has some trauma to work through from her childhood, so she’s not as self-aware as she thinks she is and the plot twist surrounding Jamie’s life wasn’t as impactful or gut-punching as I’m sure it was intended to be. Julia Whelan still did a great job narrating and, as I mentioned earlier, the style of writing was objectively good. Honestly, this book had such potential to be a great story, but I was left so unsatisfied.

KING OF WRATH by Ana Huang

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: She’s the wife he never wanted… and the weakness he never saw coming. Ruthless. Meticulous. Arrogant. Dante Russo thrives on control, both personally and professionally. The billionaire CEO never planned to marry - until the threat of blackmail forces him into an engagement with a woman he barely knows. Vivian Lau, jewelry heiress and daughter of his newest enemy. It doesn’t matter how beautiful or charming she is. He’ll do everything in his power to destroy the evidence and their betrothal. There’s only one problem: now that he has her… he can’t bring himself to let her go. | Elegant. Ambitious. Well-mannered. Vivian Lau is the perfect daughter and her family’s ticket into the highest echelons of high society. Marrying a blue-blooded Russo means opening doors that would otherwise remain closed to her new-money family. While the rude, elusive Dante isn’t her idea of a dream partner, she agrees to their arranged marriage out of duty. Craving his touch was never part of the plan. Neither was the worst thing she could possibly do: fall in love with her future husband.

My Thoughts: So I absolutely adored Anna Huang’s Twisted series, so when she announced she was writing this King of Sins spin-off series, I knew I had to read it. This was the perfect enemies-to-lovers dark mafia romance. Dante and Vivian were such well-developed, dynamic characters and it was so easy to fall in love with both of them. The pacing of their relationship was absolutely perfect and although there was some expected adversity towards the last third of the book, I appreciated how they handled everything. This story had tension, banter, swag, a solid plot line and high quality STEAM. So if you’re looking for a mafia-oriented romance escape, you should definitely pick this one up!

KING OF PRIDE by Ana Huang

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: She’s his opposite in every way… and the greatest temptation he’s ever known. Reserved, controlled, and proper to a fault, Kai Young has neither the time nor inclination for chaos - and Isabella, with her purple hair and inappropriate jokes, is chaos personified. With a crucial CEO vote looming and a media empire at stake, the billionaire heir can’t afford the distraction she brings. Isabella is everything he shouldn’t want, but with every look and every touch, he’s tempted to break all his rules… and claim her as his own. | Bold, impulsive, and full of life, Isabella Valencia has never met a party she doesn’t like or a man she couldn’t charm… except a Kai Young. It shouldn’t matter. He’s not her type - the man translates classics into Latin for fun, and his membership at the elusive club where she bartends means he’s strictly off limits. But she can’t deny that, beneath his cool exterior, is a man who could make her melt with just a touch. No matter how hard they try, they can’t resist giving into their forbidden desires. Even if it costs them everything.

My Thoughts: We love a spin-off with characters we met in the first book of a series, do we not? Kai and Isabella are great friends of Dante and Vivan from King of Wrath, so we got a taste of them in the previous story and knew there was chemistry afoot. I loved that they had an “opposites attract” thing going on. Isabella is a little bit whimsical and eclectic with purple hair. She’s an aspiring author of horror books who is a five-star bartender in the meantime. Kai is the British heir of a super successful company who is extremely put-together at all times and calculated with who he interacts with. Although they come from completely different places, the attraction and tension between these two characters was undeniable. Not to mention, there was a “forbidden love” trope mixed into the budding romance as Isabella is a bartender at a prestigious club Kai is a member of, and it was a rule that staff and members could not fraternize. The pacing of this story was great overall, however, there IS a third-act breakup that felt a little unnecessary to me, but to each their own. If you enjoyed King of Wrath then I highly recommend continuing onto King of Pride.

A TORCH AGAINST THE NIGHT by Sabaa Tahir (REREAD)

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Elias and Laia are running for their lives. After the events of the Fourth Trial, Martial soldiers hunt the two fugitives as they flee the city of Serra and undertake a perilous journey through the heart of the Empire. Laia is determined to break into Kauf - the Empire’s most secure and dangerous prison - to save her brother, who is the key to the Scholars’ survival. And Elias is determined to help Laia succeed, even if it means giving up his last chance at freedom. But dark forces, human and otherworldly, work against Laia and Elias. The pair must fight every step of the way to outsmart their enemies: the bloodthirsty Emperor Marcus, the merciless Commandant, the sadistic Warden of Kauf, and, most heartbreaking of all, Helene - Elias’s former friend and the Empire’s newest Blood Shrike. Bound to Marcus’s will, Helene faces a torturous mission of her own - one that might destroy her: find the traitor Elias Veturius and the Scholar slave who helped him escape… and kill them both.

My Thoughts: Continuing on my reread journey with An Ember in the Ashes series via audiobook, A Torch Against the Night did not disappoint! I read the review I wrote when I originally read this back in 2021 to see if any of my opinions had changed, but honestly? This book still slaps. It’s a seamless transition from the first book as Laia and Elias start their journey to saving Laia’s brother. The character development Laia goes through is so satisfying because she’s finally becoming more confident and the strong main character I wanted her to be in the last book. Helene goes through absolute hell and back in this book and I think going through those adversities with her made me start to like her so much more. Although I already know where he ends up, experiencing Elias’s storyline again makes me notice small things I feel like I completely missed the first time around. Obviously I love this series and loved this book, so as I’ve said before, I highly recommend picking it up if you haven’t yet!

LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY by Bonnie Garmus

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Chemist Elizabeth Zott is not your average woman. In fact, Elizabeth Zott would be the first to point out that there is no such thing as an average woman. But it’s the early 1960s and her all-male team at Hastings Research Institute takes a very unscientific view of equality. Except for one: Calvin Evans; the lonely, brilliant, Nobel-prize nominated grudge-holder who falls in love with - of all things - her mind. True chemistry results. But like science, life is unpredictable. Which is why a few years later Elizabeth Zott finds herself not only a single mother, but the reluctant star of America’s most beloved cooking show Supper at Six. Elizabeth’s unusual approach to cooking (“combine one tablespoon acetic acid with a pinch of sodium chloride”) proves revolutionary. But as her following grows, not everyone is happy. Because as it turns out, Elizabeth Zott isn’t just teaching women to cook. She’s daring them to change the status quo.

My Thoughts: Oh my gosh. Why in the WORLD did it take me so long to pick up this book? I absolutely adored Elizabeth Zott and her story definitely lives up to its hype! This was a beautifully written historical fiction that felt so accurate in depicting women’s rights (or lack thereof) in American society. The message of “fuck the patriarchy” SATURATED these pages. I loved that Elizabeth Zott’s character was unapologetically herself in literally every situation. She’s incredibly intelligent and just wants to be respected as a chemist. As a way to retaliate against all the cultural norms suppressing women, she starts teaching chemistry through her daily cooking show, Supper at Six, which ends up empowering women across the country. It needs to be noted that the side characters such as Harriet, Mad, Walter, Six-Thirty, etc. were such highlights in this story. They were each so dynamic and rich with personality that it was easy to create a connection with all of them in addition to Elizabeth Zott. As I mentioned, the writing style was phenomenal and I loved the unique formatting of switching through multiple POVs per chapter. I don’t know what else to say besides this is a must-read!

Sorry I’m Late, I Didn’t Want to Come by Jessica Pan

SORRY I’M LATE, I DIDN’T WANT TO COME: AN INTROVERT’S YEAR OF LIVING DANGEROUSLY by Jessica Pan

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: What would happen if a shy introvert lived like a gregarious extrovert for one year? If she knowingly and willingly put herself in perilous social situations that she’d normally avoid at all costs? Writer Jessica Pan intends to find out. WIth the help of various extrovert mentors, Pan sets up a series of personal challenges (talk to strangers, perform stand-up comedy, host a dinner party, travel alone, make friends on the road, and much worse) to explore whether living like an extrovert can teach her lessons that might improve the quality of her life. Chronicling the author’s hilarious and painful year of misadventures, this book explores what happens when one introvert fights her natural tendencies, takes the plunge, and tries (and sometimes fails) to be a bit braver.

My Thoughts: As a huge introvert, this book was a really interesting read. I give her mad props for pushing herself out of her introverted comfort zone for a year to really see what she’s capable of in social situations. Some of the anecdotes she shared made me physically cringe from the thought of putting myself out there in the same capacity, but there were a lot of takeaways for me as I lived vicariously through her. Do I think I’m going to become more extroverted anytime soon? No lol. Do I think more introverts should read this book as a testament to the possibility that we can do the hard social things we can’t fathom any other day of the week? Yes. Also, the audiobook was such a delight because it’s read by the author and I feel like it made living these situations through her eyes that much easier.

THE GILDED WOLVES by Roshani Chokshi

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: It’s 1889. The city is on the cusp of industry and power, and the Exposition Universelle has breathed new life into the streets and dredged up ancient secrets. Here, no one keeps tabs on dark truths better than treasure-hunter and wealthy hotelier Severin Montagnet-Alarie. When the elite, ever-powerful Order of Babel coerces him to help them on a mission, Severin is offered a treasure that he never imagined: his true inheritance. To hunt down the ancient artifact the Order seeks, Severin calls upon a band of unlikely experts: An engineer with a debt to pay. A historian banished from his home. A dancer with a sinister past. And a brother in arms if not blood. Together, they will join Severin as he explores the dark, glittering heart of Paris. What they find might change the course of history - but only if they can stay alive.

My Thoughts: Okay, so I’ve heard about The Gilded Wolves here and there throughout the last couple of years. Most of the sentiment has been that people really enjoy it, so I figured I’d give it a try via audiobook. The one thought that kept crossing my mind while I was listening is that it gives me hella Six of Crows vibes. There’s a gang of misfits who come from very different backgrounds and each shine in their own special skill set. Although they all have individual motivations, they band together to hunt down an ancient artifact. I loved the “found family” theme this group exuded and learning more about each of their origin stories throughout. This book was packed with scheming, adventure, mystery, and emotional moments that created a lovely balance. The overall storyline didn’t feel groundbreaking to me by any means, but I still enjoyed it nonetheless. Be warned of a last-minute plot twist lol. The only other thing I remember thinking while listening is that the male narrator almost sounds like an announcer during the text in-between dialogue which took me a minute to get used to. Otherwise, if you’re looking for an enjoyable fantastical escape for a while, I’d recommend giving this book a try!

Well that’s that on May!

I hope everyone has a great start to the summer! I’m also hoping with less travel obligations in June that I’ll have a little more time to binge read some books.

A friendly reminder that June is Pride Month and trans lives matter!

2023 Book Count: 51

Add me on Goodreads if you haven’t already.

YOUR TURN! What’s the best audiobook you’ve listened to this year so far?