Finally out of the book slump that The Goldfinch left me in and was able to get through a bunch this month! Spending a lot of time this year re-reading my favorites but sprinkling in some top recommended as well! Hope you enjoy :)
Hook, Line, & Sinker by Tessa
Rating: 8/10
ROMANCE
The sequel to "It Happened One Summer" featuring 'the sister and the best friend'. Tessa Bailey is an avid and successful romance writer. Her stories are very predictable but much like a Hallmark movie, you love every moment. This story follows a young woman who works in the film industry who's career leads her back to her sister's fishing town where she spent a summer last year. During her time there last year she met her brother-in-law's best friend who she now has a great "friendship" with. As predicted, the two figure out how to navigate their feelings for one another and find love in the small fishing town. Bailey's romance scenes are top tier, very female oriented!
Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover
Rating: 6/10
FICTION/ROMANCE
A troubled young mother yearns for a shot at redemption in this heartbreaking yet hopeful story following her five year prison sentencing for a tragic mistake. Kenna Rowan returns to the town where it all went wrong, hoping to reunite with her four-year-old daughter and making peace with the families she hurt in the past. Like so many of Hoover's books, the story follows one main character through a traumatic event into stages of healing. Hoover is the modern day Sarah Dessen (iykyk) and almost every book is the same, but a solid beach read with more depth than your average Hallmark! My only criticism is that her stories follow the same structure and it loses some of its importance along the way.
Electric Idol by Katee Robert
Rating: 7/10
ROMANCE/SMUT
Robert's sensational second Dark Olympus romance (after Neon Gods) pairs social media influencer Psyche Dimitriou with hired gun Eros in a thrilling struggle against the forces that rule the futuristic, dystopian city of Olympus. Robert's is an incredibly creative writer that is able to combine both classic literary tales (fairy tales, greek mythology) and modern smut that readers love to gobble up. I've read a few different adaptations of stories like this and Robert's always comes out on top. Definitely NSFW but in a way that provides an actual story line that brings you through rather than just scene after scene of 'love'.
His & Hers by Alice Feeney
Rating: 9/10
MONTHLY WINNER
THRILLER
When a woman is murdered in Blackdown, a quintessentially British village, newsreader Anna Andrews is reluctant to cover the case. Detective Jack Harper is suspicious of her involvement, until he becomes a suspect in his own murder investigation. Getting more and more into thrillers as the time passes and so grateful! Feeney had such a way of keeping you captivated from the first page until the last. She gives false leads on every page and leads you down so many rabbit holes before the final few pages. Her writing is detailed but succinct and she gives you just enough to keep you hooked. Absolutely perfect read for everyone!
A Touch of Darkness by Scarlett St. Clair
Rating: 6/10
ROMANCE/SMUT
After a chance encounter with Hades, Persephone finds herself in a contract with the God of the Dead and the terms are impossible: Persephone must create life in the Underworld or lose her freedom forever. The bet does more than expose Persephone's failure as a goddess... leading to a very intense and fast relationship between two star crossed lovers. Very similar to Robert's original book, but with more modern adaptations. A solid read, but nothing crazy. There are two others in the series and I'm not jumping to read both... I would recommend Robert's over this one!
ACOTAR BOOKS 1 - 4
10/10
FANTASY
Finished re-reading ACOTAR for the first time and it still fits firmly into my top 10 of all time. Of all the books I read, this is probably the best recommendation I have for someone that wants to get back into reading. Maas has an incredible way of combining fantasy with romance and keeps you hooked the entire time. While her first books are always slower, they are essential to bring you to the end. Re-reading the series was even better than the first time and everyone should put this on their list!
“Never again, would she be weak. Never again would she be at someone’s mercy.” - Sarah J. Maas, A Court of Silver Flames