February TBR

One month down, eleven to go!

First, let’s see if I finished my January TBR. Here were the books that I wanted to read in January (any books with reviews will be linked to the book’s title):

• The Stolen Heir by Holly Black
• Lore Olympus, Volume One by Rachel Smythe
• Love & Other Words by Christina Lauren

During January, I managed to read all of the books on my TBR! Overall, my reading experiences with my January TBR books were positive. I rated The Stolen Heir as three stars, Lore Olympus as four stars, and Love & Other Words as 3.5 stars. Out of the three, Lore Olympus was my favorite.

Now onto my picks for February:

• Lore Olympus, Volume Two by Rachel Smythe

I really enjoyed reading Lore Olympus Volume One in January so I hope to continue reading the series in February. It is my goal to read at least three graphic novels in 2023, so this will keep track of my goal. I have previously read most of this series on WebToon, where it was originally published, but I don’t remember all of the details. I am hoping this volume has more interactions between Persephone and Hades compared to the first volume.

• Secretly Yours by Tessa Bailey

I’m not a huge Tessa Bailey fan. However, this seems like it could be a fun, quick read for the time around Valentine’s Day. This book will be the first book in a new duology by Tessa Bailey. It doesn’t surprise me that she is releasing a new duology after the success of It Happened One Summer. That duology was only average for me, so I’m hoping that I will like this duology better than her previous one. Secretly Yours appears to be an opposites attract/childhood friends romance which takes place at a vineyard.

• The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren*

I received an e-ARC of The True Love Experiment via NetGalley. Even though this book won’t be released until May, I like to read books that I receive on NetGalley quickly in order to keep my review rating high on the website. I am also excited to read this in January during the premiere of The Bachelor. I’m not too invested in the current Bachelor season so far, but the synopsis of this book has a similar feel as it focuses on a filmmaker who casts a romance author as the new lead for a reality dating show.

What books do you plan to read in February?

*ARC was obtained via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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January 2023 Reading Wrap-Up

This month, I started off the year strong by reading the most books that I have read in a month in quite awhile. This month, I focused on reading one new release, as well as some other books which have been on my TBR. Overall, I would describe my reading month as average. While I didn’t have any one star books, I didn’t have any five star books either. Additionally, I found some books that I was really excited to read were too hyped up for me before I read them. Below, I included some of my monthly reading statistics:

Books Read: 6

Number of Pages Read: 2,222 pages

Average Rating: 3 stars

Now, onto the books! Any book with a review will be linked to the book’s title.

• The American Roommate Experiment by Elena Armas

I was not a huge fan of the debut book by Elena Armas, The Spanish Love Deception, but I hoped to see a decrease in the amount of cringeworthy scenes and dialogue in comparison to the author’s first book. Unfortunately, many of the aspects which I did not enjoy from the first book which I read by Elena Armas also appeared in The American Roommate Experiment. I found the characters to be inconsistent, the plot to be repetitive, and the dialogue to be incredibly cringeworthy. I have The American Roommate Experiment 2.5 out of 5 stars.

• Love & Other Words by Christina Lauren

While Christina Lauren can be hit-or-miss for me, I went into Love & Other Words with high expectations because this book is extremely popular. While there were some elements that this story that I enjoyed, such as the dual timeline, the ending brought down my rating. At the end of the book, there is a major plot point which occurs, but then the story ends too quickly to process the emotional impact of that reveal. Since this event caused the two love interests to stop speaking for around a decade, I think this aspect of the plot needed more of a resolution. I gave Love & Other Words 3.5 out of 5 stars.

• Ship Wrecked by Olivia Dade

I want to love books by Olivia Dade, but they often fall flat for me. Unfortunately, my experience with Ship Wrecked as similar to my experiences reading the first two books in the Spoiler Alert series. While I did enjoy the characters in this novel, particularly Maria, the female protagonist, there were several aspects which I did not enjoy. The pacing of this novel is off and would have benefitted from a different structure, such as a dual timeline, to keep up the energy throughout the story. Additionally, while I liked the characters, I didn’t fully believe in their relationship, which I need to be in order to enjoy a romance book. I gave Ship Wrecked 2.5 out of 5 stars.

• The Stolen Heir by Holly Black

I was a huge fan of The Cruel Prince series, so I was hopeful to enjoy The Stolen Heir. However, I was also wary because sometimes series continuation books can lack the magic of the original series. I think The Stolen Heir has the potential to have an interesting conclusion in the second book of the duology, but the first book wasn’t interesting enough on its own. The Cruel Prince is a character-driven story which focuses on court politics. Additionally, it possesses many twists and turns. The Stolen Heir, on the other hand, was primarily adventure-driven with one predictable twist at the end of the story. While it was a decent book, it didn’t live up to the original series for me. I gave The Stolen Heir 3 out of 5 stars.

• Lore Olympus, Volume One by Rachel Smythe

I’m a huge fan of the Lore Olympus series so I enjoyed re-reading the first 25 episodes which are featured in the first published book of the series. For me, the major standout for Lore Olympus is the beautiful artwork which uses color beautifully. That being said, the story itself featured in the first book feels incomplete as it ends with many unfinished plot points. I give Lore Olympus, Volume One four out of five stars.

• Every Summer After by Carley Fortune

I was eager to read Every Summer After as I recently read Love & Other Words which often draw many comparisons from readers. Plot-wise and story structure-wise, I did find Every Summer After and Love & Other Words to have striking similarities, which I will detail in an upcoming Battle of the Books post. That being said, I did enjoy the realistic characters in Every Summer After as well as the writing style. However, I found the beginning to move slowly and I wasn’t a huge fan of the twist at the end of the novel, as it seemed very inconsistent with the characters inside the novel, despite the heavy foreshadowing. I give Every Summer After four out of five stars.

Favorite Book: Every Summer After

Least Favorite Book: The American Roommate Experiment / Ship Wrecked

What was the best book that you read in January?

January TBR

A new year means new books to read! Here are the three books that I hope to read in January:

• The Stolen Heir by Holly Black

The Stolen Heir is the first book in a new duology by Holly Black which follows some characters originally introduced in The Cruel Prince. This duology will take place eight years after the ending of The Queen of Nothing and follows Suren, who was the child queen of the Court of Teeth, after she escaped to the human world. However, Suren soon is tracked down, but is saved by Prince Oak, who was Jude’s younger brother in the original series.

Overall, I really enjoyed the The Cruel Prince series, although I was slightly disappointed by the final book in the series. That being said, the first two books in that series ended up on my favorites list, so I’m hoping The Stolen Heir will fall more in line with those books. That being said, there’s always some nervousness when a new book is released in a series long after the original, as readers don’t want it to ruin the original series. Regardless, I am very curious about this book and I hope to read it when it is released early in the new year.

• Lore Olympus Volume One by Rachel Smythe

Lore Olympus by Rachel Smythe is a graphic novel retelling of Hades and Persephone which has a more modern setting. I read some of Lore Olympus on WebToons, where it was originally published, and absolutely loved it. I really love Rachel Smythe’s drawing style and her use of colors throughout the story. When I saw it was published in book form, I knew that I had to add it to my collection. This book features the first 25 episodes of the online comic, as well as a short story exclusive to the print addition, so I’m excited to reread this story which I love and see some new content.

• Love & Other Words by Christina Lauren

I have been disappointed with Christina Lauren’s recent releases, however I have heard a lot of positive reviews for Love & Other Words. I have also heard many comparisons between this book and Every Summer After by Carley Fortune, which I also hope to read in 2023. Love & Other Words follows Macy and Elliot, who have a second chance romance. Some reservations that I have with this book is that it is told in different time lines to show their past relationship and the current interactions and the second chance romance trope, and this type of writing and this trope aren’t always my favorite to read.

What books do you plan to read in January?

December 2022 Reading Wrap-up

During December, I didn’t have a huge reading month as I only read three books. However, I will still chalk this up as a win because I have been in a huge reading slump for the past couple months. Here’s what I read:

• A Very Merry Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams

A Very Merry Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams was one of my favorite books of the year! It was the perfect book to read throughout the month of December. A Very Merry Bromance is the fifth installment of The Bromance Book Club contemporary romance series. This book follows Colton Wheeler, a musician struggling to write his next album, and Gretchen Winthrop, a serious lawyer who doesn’t like Christmas. The Bromance Book Club series as a whole is average to me, but A Very Merry Bromance is definitely my favorite out of the bunch. For me, what sells a romance book are two love interests who compliment each other and help each other grow throughout the novel as well as purposeful scenes which make the relationship in the book stronger. A Very Merry Bromance hit both of these marks perfectly, which earned it five stars from me.

• Well Traveled by Jen DeLuca

Well Traveled by Jen DeLuca is the fourth book in the Well Met contemporary romance series. I really enjoyed the last book in this series, Well Matched, so Well Traveled was a disappointing follow-up for me. Well Traveled follows Lulu, a Type A lawyer, who quit her job and spends the summer following around the Dueling Kilts, a popular Renaissance Faire band. Then, she develops feelings for Dex, the band’s lead singer. I had several major problems with this book that made it a two star read for me. This book was the most removed from the original series, as it does not take place at the Renaissance Faire typically featured in the series. The characters which it is does feature from previous installments are from Well Played, my least favorite book in the series. Additionally, I never really bought the romance between the two love interests because the characters and their interactions lacked the depth that I needed.

• Icebreaker by Hannah Grace

I picked up Icebreaker because I saw a lot of hype surrounding this book on BookTok. Unfortunately for me, Ice Breaker was a major disappointment for me. According to the synopsis, Ice Breaker is supposed to be the story of Anastasia Allen, a figure skater, who must work together with the hockey team’s captain after they are forced to share an ice rink and her skating partner gets injured. This book suffered from many problems. First, I found the contents of the book didn’t match the book’s description. In fact, I would say the synopsis really only overs about 5% of the book, if that. This book was also unnecessarily long and would have benefitted from some editing to make the story run more smoothly. I found the plot to be all over the place and the cast to be too large in order to set up for future books. If I hadn’t purchased this book, I probably would have DNF’d it.

What books did you read in December?

July 2020 TBR

I had a great reading month in June, so I’m hoping my reading streak continues into July. Here’s what I plan on reading!

• Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade *

I received Spoiler Alert as an eARC via NetGalley. For this book, the artwork on the cover definitely drew me in. Looking at the synopsis, I was a little uneasy heading into this book. Typically, I do not enjoy books set around fandoms, however, I’m always looking for a book that will change my opinion. I actually started this book in June and I’m liking it so far, so I hope my feelings don’t change as I continue to read it.

Spoiler Alert follows Marcus, who stars on a popular television show based on book series. While Marcus acts indifferent in interviews, he actually is a popular fanfic writer of the series online where he disagrees a lot with the show’s takes. Meanwhile, April Whittier also writes fanfic for the show online, and after a picture of her cosplay goes viral, Marcus asks her on a date… neither knowing they talk regularly online and beta read each other’s stories.

• The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

I was so excited for this book. Around the release date, I was rewatching clips from The Hunger Games and watching as everyone received their copies in the mail. While I started this book awhile ago, I just didn’t have the motivation to finish it in June. While I love The Hunger Games, I normally only read books outside of contemporary sporadically, and when I received this book I was already in the middle of Aurora Rising, which is a long book outside of the contemporary genre. Since I’ve read quite a few contemporary books again, I think I will be ready to invest in a dystopian.

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes follows a young Snow who acts as a mentor in the Hunger Games.

• In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren *

Although I was holding off to read this book until the end of summer, I thought I would give myself a Christmas in July by picking up this book towards the end of the month.

In a Holidaze follows Maelyn, who is distraught over leaving her family’s cabin for the last time ever, after she gets in an accident and must relive that day over and over again.

What books do you plan to read in July?

Any books marked with * were sent to me by the publisher as an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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June Reading Wrap-Up

I always read more books during the summer time and June has proved to be no exception. This month, I not only tackled some books from my TBR, but also started picking up some more middle grade again which I really enjoyed. Here’s what I read (book reviews will be linked to book titles):

• Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett

Starry Eyes is an earlier Jenn Bennett book, where I tend to have some issues with the characters or plot, but I still overall enjoyed this book. Starry Eyes largely revolves around camping, which made it the perfect book to read in the summertime, especially with Jenn Bennett’s excellent descriptions of the outdoors.

Starry Eyes follows ex-best friends Zorie and Lennon, who are recruited to go on a camping trip with sort-of friends who later ditch them. In order to attend a stargazing party, Zorie must trust Lennon to lead her through the wilderness to their destination.

• Aurora Burning (Aurora Cycle #2) by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

I loved the first book in this series, Aurora Rising, but I had a lot of issues with this installment that echoed many of the issues other readers had with the first book. My biggest issue with this book was how repetitive much of the plot and dialogue was throughout the book, as well as the pacing, which really dragged in the middle.

Aurora Rising follows Tyler’s squad as they try to save the galaxy. However, their plans are interrupted when Kal’s relatives show up and try to get him back, no matter the cost.

• Beach Read by Emily Henry

I think I would have enjoyed Beach Read a little more if the marketing accurately reflected the book inside. While I expected Beach Read to be a light-hearted summer romance, it is a lot darker than I expected. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but I think anyone who expects a story similar to what I did will need to take away their expectations to full enjoy this book.

Beach Read follows January Jones, a romance writer, who spends the summer at her recently deceased father’s beach home in order to write her next novel. There, she encounters August, a college rival and literary fiction author, and creates a challenge where they will both write a novel in the other’s preferred genre.

• Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

Along for the Ride is one of my favorite Sarah Dessen books and it’s always fun to revisit this book again in the summer. The characters in this book are so well-developed and I have always related to the main character, Auden, which makes the book even more special for me.

Along for the Ride follows Auden, who spends the summer at her father’s house with his new wife and their baby. There, Auden meets Eli, who helps her experience everything she missed out on in her childhood.

• Tools of Engagement by Tessa Bailey

Tools of Engagement is another average book that I read in June. I received this book as an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley, so my full review won’t be shared until closer to the release date in September. While there were some things in this book that I really enjoyed, like the main character’s growth, there were other’s that I didn’t enjoy, like some of the love interest’s behavior.

Tools of Engagement follows Bethany who steps aways from her family’s real estate business to flip her own house, much to her brother’s dismay. When their argument attracts a television producer, the siblings are featured on a television show and the only person on Bethany’s side is an ex-member of her brother’s crew.

• Smile by Raina Telgemeier

Smile is the first graphic novel that I really remember seeing from my elementary years, although I never read it. I’ve read a few other graphic novel memoirs, and while this isn’t my favorite of the bunch, it was a quick read with a good message.

Smile follows Raina who needs extensive dental work after an accident just as she starts middle school. Raina’s braces greatly affect her self-confidence, but as she gets older, she learns what is really important.

• Front Desk by Kelly Yang

I’ve heard a lot about this book, and since I was getting back into middle grade, I thought that I would pick it up. Front Desk is a great middle grade novel that is extremely relevant and doesn’t shy away from tough topics.

Front Desk follows Mia Tang after her family immigrates to the United States from China. Mia’s parents take a job working as hotel managers for a mean boss and Mia works at the front desk in order to help out her parents. Mia’s life grows even more complicated when parents hide immigrants in the unused hotel rooms and her mother discourages her dream of becoming a writer.

• From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks

I picked up this book because I after reading Front Desk, I wanted to read more middle grade books. This book appeared as a Kindle Daily Deal recently and the plot sounded interesting, so I couldn’t pass it up. Like Front Desk, this book is extremely relevant and doesn’t shy away from covering tough topics, which I enjoyed.

From the Desk of Zoe Washington follows Zoe, an aspiring baker, who receives a letter from her biological father on her twelfth birthday. Zoe secretly corresponds with her father, who is in prison for murder, and discovers that he may be innocent. As a result, Zoe searches for a way to prove her father’s innocence.

What was the best book that you read in June?

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June TBR

Hello, summer!

As someone who loves the summertime and reading, June begins my favorite time of the year. Not only do I have more time to read, but it’s the perfect time to read my favorite genre: contemporary. Here’s what I plan to read in the first month of summer (books marked with an * were sent to me via NetGalley from the publisher):

• Tools of Engagement by Tessa Bailey *

Tools of Engagement doesn’t release until September, but I looked to read books that I’m approved for on NetGalley pretty quickly. Plus, Tools of Engagement is a fun, romance read which is perfect for the summer time. This is the third book in a companion series and I have not read the first two books. That being said, I have already started this book and not reading the first two books hasn’t negatively impacted my reading experience.

Tools of Engagement follows Bethany Castle who is typically responsible for staging the homes that her family’s real estate business flips. However, Bethany is determined to flip a house on her own, despite her brother’s protests. When a television crew catches wind of the family feud, Bethany’s insecurities of doing her own flip, and her complicated relationship with a former member of her brother’s crew, are put in the spotlight.

• Time of Our Lives by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Brocka

This book has been on my TBR since is released in May, I just haven’t gotten around to read it yet. However, June will be the month! I am a big fan of this author duo and I’m excited to read their latest release.

Time of Our Lives follows Juniper and Fitz, who are both touring colleges. While Juniper wants to go to college far away from her large family, Fitz wants to stay close to his mom who has early on-set Alzheimer’s.

• A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

As a former Hunger Games super fan, it isn’t surprising that I am so excited to read this book. I actually started it in May, but put it down, so I could finish Aurora Burning last month. As a contemporary girl who loves fun, upbeat stories, I can only take so many life and death stakes at a time. That being said, I ended off May with several contemporary stories, so I’m ready to jump back into this one.

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes follows President Snow before he was President Snow as he mentors a girl in the tenth annual Hunger Games.

What books do you plan to read in June?

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May Reading Wrap-Up

This month, my reading took a little detour that I didn’t expect, but it was a good detour. After finally reading The Rest of the Story by Sarah Dessen in April, I wanted to read some of my favorite books by this author. I started the month by reading two books that I have re-read countless times at this point, followed by the second book in a middle grade series that I found when cleaning out the books in my closet.

Afterward, I started to tackle some of my recently acquired books that were recently released. I started The Betrothed, but haven’t finished it yet because the second book in the Aurora Cycle was grabbing my attention more. Then, the newest Hunger Games book came out and, of course, I had to start that one as well.

Here are some of my thoughts on what I read this month:

• This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen

This Lullaby is one of my top three books by Sarah Dessen, and at this point, I’ve probably read it at least ten times. It’s always comforting to read a book that you love and you know how it ends. I particularly like this book by Sarah Dessen because the main character has a very unique personality in comparison to the main characters of her other books. Dexter also has a very dynamic personality, which makes him a very likable love interest.

• The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen

Like This Lullaby, The Truth About Forever is in my top three Sarah Dessen books and I’ve read it at least ten times. This book never gets old for me and I connect with the message in this story every time. This is some of Sarah Dessen’s most solid writing with a memorable cast of characters. Overall, this is a solid book that’s perfect to read during the summer.

• Jessica Darling’s It List #2 by Megan McCafferty

I didn’t enjoy this book as much as the first book in this series because it lacked a lot of the same laugh-out-loud humor. However, this book did pick up in the second half and it extremely relatable to readers of the same age as the main character and people who have had the same experiences in middle school. Overall, I think this book has a solid message for the target audience.

What was the best book that you read in May?

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May TBR

I am so excited to start my reading month for May because I have two new books to read by authors that I really enjoy. Both of these books are new releases in 2020 and both will count towards my 20 books to read in 2020 list (one book on the original list has a release date change, so I am making a substitution). Here’s what I plan to read:

• Time of Our Lives by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka

Don’t you just love this cover?

Like with most books by the author duo, nothing about the plot really draws me in, despite my love of contemporaries. That being said, I did read the two books previously published by this author duo earlier this year despite my reservations and really enjoyed them, although I loved one a little bit more than the other. Since I enjoyed Always, Never, Yours and If I’m Being Honest so much, I high expectations for Time of Our Lives.

Time of Our Lives Fitz and Juniper, who are both going on college tours. While Fitz dreads college because his mother has Alzheimer’s, Juniper can’t wait to get some space from her large family. When their paths cross, their decisions have the potential to change their lives forever.

• The Betrothed by Kiera Cass

This cover is so pretty too!

The Betrothed by Kiera Cass is the first book in a new historical romance series by the author of The Selection. The most popular series by this author is widely regarded as not the best written, but certainly entertaining. As a result, I don’t expect the most historically accurate story, but one filled drama and fluff.

The Betrothed follows Hollis, who always dreamed to marry the prince of her kingdom… until it happens. Now, Hollis finds herself attracted to a commoner. Will Hollis stay with the future that she always wanted or the future that she never thought possible?

What books do you plan to read in May?

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April Reading Wrap-Up

During April, I split my time between writing for Camp NaNoWriMo and reading. As a result, I only read two books during the month of April. That being said, I enjoyed both books that I read in April. Plus, both of these books appear on my 20 books I want to read in 2020, so I have two more books that I can check off from this list. Here’s what I read:

• Four Days of You and Me by Miranda Kenneally *

I received an ARC for the Four Days of You and Me via NetGalley. I was excited to read this book because I read all of Miranda Kenneally’s books in the Hundred Oaks series and this is her first book outside of that series. The Four Days of You and Me was everything that I expected from Miranda Kenneally: a light-hearted romance that is quick and easy to read.

Four Days of You and Me follows the relationship of Lulu and Alex throughout their four years of high school, particularly focusing on the annual class field trips which contain many events that define and change their relationship

• The Rest of the Story by Sarah Dessen

I’ve had The Rest of the Story since it was released, but never got around to reading it. Throughout high school and college, Sarah Dessen’s books largely made up what I read. However, her recent releases haven’t been my favorite. That being said, The Rest of the Story is a solid novel with Dessen’s classic writing style, although not my favorite out of her works.

The Rest of the Story follows Emma Saylor who visits her mother’s side of the family years after her mother has passed after her father remarries and goes on his honeymoon.

What did you read in April?

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Any book marked with * was an ARC sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.