Tag: what I’ve been reading lately

What I Read in June (2025)

Books Read in June: 21
Books Read for the Year:  128/225
Topical Books/Monthly Goal Books:
The Firebird, by Susanna Kearsley (TBR): Loved this!
The Spy Coast, by Tess Gerritsen (TBR): This was an excellent detour from Gerritsen’s normal (which I also love).
The Silent Corner, by Dean Koontz (TBR): This is exactly why Koontz has always scared me more than King.
Mystics and Mental Blocks, by Meghan Ciana Doidge (TBR): Still enjoying this series, and the whole Adept world.
Magic on the Storm, by Devon Monk (Re-read): I really love this series!


For Review:

Pretty Girl County, by Lakita Wilson. One of the two female MC got on my nerves a lot, but the community this books was about was so vibrant it was practically another character.

Party of Liars, by Kelsey Cox. There were a lot of layers in this, and I never put it all together until the big reveal. 

Let’s Make a Scene, by Laura Wood. This was a really cute second-chance romance. I liked the characters a lot.

Den of Liars, by Jessica S. Olson. I loved this read! The world was fascinating, and the characters were great. Can’t wait to read more of this.

An Irish Summer, by Alexandra Paigeff. Okay, the MC got on my nerves a bit with her absolute refusal to admit that Boston might not be the be-all/end-all of goals, but I enjoyed this read—and the Irish setting.

Vanished, by Dr. David Jeremiah. I enjoyed this thriller. Much more up-to-date than re-reading the Left Behind series.

The Lost Book of First Loves, by RaeAnne Thayne. Solid romance read/family novel. Beautiful scenery is a bonus.

Grave Birds, by Dana Elmendorf. This was a quirky little read. I enjoyed it, although the switch from enemies to lovers was so abrupt it felt fake.

Fire Mountain, by Dana Mentink. This was s solid thriller read, and the volcano about to erupt definitely added some spice.

The Sandy Page Bookshop, by Hannah McKinnon. I would totally hang out in this bookstore! This was a sweet read.

Give Me a Reason, by Jayci Lee. I really enjoyed this second chance romance. Really liked the characters, except the MC’s father and sister–they were horrible.

Road Trip with a Rogue, by Kate Bateman. Enjoyed this read.

The Alchemy of Flowers, by Laura Resau. This felt absolutely magical, and I loved it!

A Botanist’s Guide to Rituals and Revenge, by Kate Khavari. This is another solid entry into an enjoyable series. The narrator for the audio book is perfect for this series.

Girls of Dark Divine, by E. V. Woods. I really enjoyed this! I love ballet and fantasy, so this was a no-brainer for me.

The Magician of Tiger Castle, by Louis Sachar. This was just a meh read for me.

Left Unfinished:

Beach Reads and Deadly Deeds, by Allison Brennan. Look, Mia was so obsessed with finding a man when she was going on this great vacation that it got on every nerve I had. Then she hears about the missing woman on the island and is immediately obsessed with that. I just can’t waste my time reading about someone like that.

Inspired, by Rachel Held Evans. I tried, but I can’t read anything labeled “progressive Christian,” which is just code for interpreting the Bible how they want to.

After We Burned, by Marieke Nijkamp. All the different POVs made this feel too chaotic.

Dragon-Ridden, by T.A. White (TBR): I made it about halfway, but this really felt like a jumbled mess.

Reports of His Death Have Been Greatly Exaggerated, by James Goodhand. I tried, but this felt slow-paced and boring.

All the Men I’ve Loved Again, by Christine Pride. Cora got on my nerves, so I gave up on this pretty quickly.

The Odds of Getting Even, by Amanda Sellet. Frankly, the MC came across as judgmental and mean, and I have no interest in reading about someone like that.

In the Veins of the Drowning, by Kalie Cassidy. This did not feel like it flowed cohesively. The plot developments felt jagged, not smooth, and they just didn’t make sense.

Smuggler’s Cove, by Fern Michaels. If a book is billed as a mystery/thriller, I expect there to actually be a mystery, but at the 50% mark of this read, it just felt like a very long, drawn-out family saga.

Mistress of Bones, by Maria Z. Medina. I read 10% of this and still didn’t feel the slightest interest in any of the characters, nor did I have any sort of feel for the world itself.

The Best Books I Read in May (2025)

In May, I read 21 books. There were a couple of “meh” reads plus a handful I DNFed, but there were also several that were really good.

The Winter Sea, by Susanna Kearsley. I loved this novel-within-a-novel! The setting—in both stories/timelines—was vividly drawn, and I just enjoyed the characters so much. Can’t wait to read the next one (which I’m doing right now).

A Forgery of Fate, by Elizabeth Lim. Elizabeth Lim is a talented writer, and this story was no exception. I found the setting quite unique, and I enjoyed the cultures and the characters.

River Road, by Charles Martin. Yes, he’s my favorite author, but it was fascinating to see not only how his writing skills grew in these essays, but how his childhood shaped him into the man that writes such powerful stories.

What I Read in May (2025)

Books Read in  May: 21
Books Read for the Year:  107/225
Topical Books/Monthly Goal Books:

The Winter Sea, by Susanna Kearsley (TBR): This was such a good read!
The Art of Starting Over, by Heidi McLaughlin (TBR): This was an okay read, but felt very predictable.
River Road, by Charles Martin (TBR): Really enjoyed these essays!
Magic in the Shadows, by Devon Monk (re-read): Loving re-reading this series. I forgot about Stone.
The Opposite of Everyone, by Joshilyn Jackson (TBR, audio): I love Jackson’s books, but Paula was not a nice or good person. I didn’t care for her.
Closer than You Know, by Debra Webb. Solid thriller read. I’m liking this series.
For Review:

Bodies and Battlements, by Elizabeth Penney. That was a decent cozy mystery read, but the characters felt very surface level and undeveloped. It is the first in a series, so I assume that would change in further books.

Come As You Are, by Dahlia Adler. This was a cute, fun YA read. Nothing totally unexpected, but I enjoyed the read and the characters.

The Courage to Change, by Joyce Meyer.  Joyce Meyer is a solid author–and speaker–so I knew this would be a good read. And it did not disappoint!

The Other Side of Now, by Paige Harbison. This wasn’t quite what I expected, but I enjoyed the read! I liked the characters, and the juxtaposition between the two realities was interesting.

A Forgery of Fate, by Elizabeth Lim. I really enjoyed this read! Unique setting, and I love the worldbuilding and setting so much.

Tell Me Something Good, by Court Stevens. I listened to the audiobook, and I think maybe this just wasn’t a good fit for me, storywise. I didn’t like the characters and found them all pretty horrible. The narrator was excellent, I just didn’t like these people.

The Listeners, by Maggie Stiefvater. I’m a pretty big fan of Stiefvater’s YA books, and I was excited to read this. It wasn’t quite what I expected, but I enjoyed it all the same.

A First Time for Everything, by K. L. Walther. This was a solid YA read. I enjoyed it for the most part.

The Summer That Changed Everything, by Brenda Novak. This was a meh read. I found it bland and predictable.

A Far Better Thing, by H. G. Parry. This was a fantasy re-telling of A Tale of Two Cities. It felt very leisurely and I didn’t really care for the MC, but it was a solid read.

Rewind to Us, by Molly Morris. This was such a cute read! I loved the characters—all of them—and the premise was great.

The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club, by Gloria Chao. This was such a comedy of errors! Very funny, with a nice twist.

Best of All Worlds, by Kenneth Oppel. This was mediocre at best. The author’s political/personal bias was glaringly on display…most white people are apparently evil in his mind, not to mention narrow-minded, backwards, and prone to conspiracy theories.

Look Before You Leap, by Virginia Heath. This was a cute romance read. I liked the female a lot.

A Magic Deep and Drowning, by Hester Fox. I enjoyed the beginning of this, but then it felt like it dragged and nothing made sense.

Left Unfinished:

Sing Me Home to Carolina, by Joy Calloway. The MC got on every nerve I had, and all the characters seemed like flimsy caricatures.

We Can Never Leave, by H.E. Edgmon. These characters seemed like very hateful and unpleasant people, and I stopped reading very quickly because of it.

A Most Puzzling Murder, by Bianca Marais. There was A LOT going on here and it did not mesh into a cohesive storyline.

Writing Mr. Right, by Alina Khawaja. I tried. I read about 35% of this before giving up. Aashiq was too…honestly, he felt a little too ridiculous to be real, and Ziya was so closed off to everyone and everything that she got on my nerves. Strong writing, but this just wasn’t a good fit for me.

The Ripple Effect, by Maggie North. This MC wasn’t for me.

Off Menu, by Amy Rosen. The cover on this is gorgeous, and it sounded great. Unfortunately, the MC is vapid and lacking in morals, so it’s a no for me.

The Best Books I Read in April (2025)

In April, I read 21 books, bringing my total for the year to 86 books read. I also DNFed six books. OF those 21 books, three were really excellent.

The Beekeeper’s Promise, by Fiona Valpy. This had been on my TBR pile for a while, and I’m so glad I got around to it! Love me some World War II historical fiction. And this made me crave honey!

The Love Haters, by Katherine Center. I usually look forward to Katherine Center’s novels, because I know there’s going to be some laughs, some solid characters, and usually some swoon-worthy moments. This did not disappoint.

My Friends, by Fredrik Backman. The first Backman book I read was Beartown. I could not care less about sports and I don’t like small towns, but I was enthralled in that book. And My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She’s Sorry is probably in my top ten favorite books ever. So when I tell you that My Friends was just as good? You should read it!

What I Read in April (2025)

Books Read in April: 21
Books Read for the Year:  86/225
Topical Books/Monthly Goal Books:
It is Finished, by Charles Martin (spiritual, TBR): This was wonderful.
Ruin and Rising, by Leigh Bardugo (audio): I really enjoyed this whole trilogy on audio.
Demons and DNA, by Meghan Ciana Doidge (TBR): Wasn’t sure I was going to enjoy these new characters in this world, but so far, I’m really liking them!
The Beekeeper’s Promise, by Fiona Valphy (TBR): Wonderful read!
Magic in the Blood, by Devon Monk (re-read): Still loving this re-read.
The Naturalist Society, by Carrie Vaughn (TBR): This did not turn out like I expected.
Your Perfect Year, by Charlott Lucas (TBR): This was a great read! Felt kind of Fredrik Backman-esque.
Adulting, by Liz Talbot (TBR): I was on the fence at first with this, but I ended up liking it.


For Review:

Time Loops & Meet Cutes, by Jackie Lau. I enjoyed this read, although it felt less like a romance and more like Noelle figuring out who she wants to be and moving towards that.

It’s You Every Time, by Charlene Thomas. Not sure how I ended up reading two time loop novels back-to-back, but I liked this YA read.

The Thrashers, by Julie Soto. This ended up being different than I expected—or the Thrashers themselves were different–but I found it engrossing with a hint of creepy.

The Language of the Birds, by K.A. Merson. This was an okay read, but most of it was explaining the intricacies of the puzzles, and that just bogged everything down.

Out of Air, by Rachel Reiss. This was a quick read, but I feel like everything was left unexplained.

The Love Haters, by Katherine Center. I do love Katherine Cenbter’s books, and this one had me laughing out loud many times.

Death at a Highland Wedding, by Kelley Armstrong. I thought I’d read the first book in this series, but maybe not. It was still easy to jump in at book four, and I thoroughly enjoyed this.

My Friends, by Fredrik Backman. On the surface, this should not have been as good as it was. But, it’s a Backman book, so it had characters that grabbed a hold of your throat and drew you into the story—and never let go.

Heart of the Sun, by Mia Sheridan. This was a solid romance/dystopian read.

Their Double Lives, by Jaime Lynn Hendricks. I wasn’t a huge fan of any of the characters—they weren’t the nicest group of people and were pretty shameless about using others.

Our Last Wild Days, by Anna Bailey. I didn’t like any of these characters at all, but the setting was vivid enough to make me sweat along with them.

Just Because:

Bonds and Broken Dreams, by Meghan Ciana Doidge. I ended up binge-reading this over a weekend. Really like these characters.

Between, Georgia, by Joshilyn Jackson (audio). I enjoyed this so much! Bernice was not my favorite, but I loved the other characters.

Left Unfinished:
The Golden Gryphon and the Bear Prince, by Jeffe Kennedy. Um, no.
The Lost Queen, by Aimee Phan. The first third was pretty good. I made it halfway, but it started to seem just to-good-to-be-true, you know? And I didn’t like–or trust–Huong.
Murder Land, by Carlyn Greenwald. Unexpected content.
Wildbound, by Elayne Audrey Becker. This just didn’t hold my attention. At all.
Slipstream, by Madge Maril. I didn’t make it very far in this because Lilah got on my last nerve with her passiveness and poor-me attitude, and Arthur came across as a self-absorbed jerk.
Just Another Meet Cute, by Jenn. P. Nguyen. I had device issues while trying to read this, and I didn’t like it well enough to persevere.

Sundays are for Writing #323

This was a good writing week! I wrote my March reading post, my best books I read in March post, Austen at Sea, by Natalie Jenner, and Time Loops & Meet Cutes, by Jackie Lau.

Happy writing!

The Best Books I Read in March (2025)

In March, I read 23 books, bringing my total for the year to 65 books read. I also DNFed five books. Of the 23 books I finished, most were solid, several were meh, and three were really good.

Magic to the Bone, by Devon Monk. I read these books years ago when they first came out, and decided to re-read. I actually enjoyed this just as much as I did the first time around (unusual for a re-read like this). I like the world and the characters and am looking forward to re-reading more.

The Notorious Virtues, by Alwyn Hamilton. I loved the steampunk feel of this, loved the characters, and enjoyed the setting and worldbuilding quite a bit. I’m looking forward to reading more.

The Amalfi Curse, by Sarah Penner. I was intrigued by this from the beginning. The setting and premise was unique to me, and I enjoyed the characters in both timelines a lot.

What I Read in March (2025)

Books Read in March: 23
Books Read for the Year:  65/225
Topical Books/Monthly Goal Books:

Monthly Books:
Siege and Storm, by Leigh Bardugo (audio): I enjoyed this second book!
Gemstones, Elves, and Other Insidious Magic, by Meghan Ciana Doidge (TBR): This felt like an ending to Jade’s story.
The Snow Child, by Eowyn Ivey (TBR): Parts of this were really good, parts felt a bit slow.
Magic to the Bone, by Devon Monk (re-read): I really enjoyed reading this again!
Symphony for a Deadly Throne, by E.J. Mellow (TBR): Loved how this trilogy wrapped up.
The Taken Ones, by Jess Lourey (TBR): This was creepy.
Nine-Tailed, by Jayci Lee (TBR): I enjoyed the first 2/3rds a lot, but not the last bit.

For Review:

A Drop of Corruption, by Robert Jackson Bennett (review forthcoming). This series has such a unique world and setting, and I enjoy it very much. The characters are also quite intriguing, keeping me eager to read more.

The Notorious Virtues, by Alwyn Hamilton (review forthcoming). This had a bit of a darker, steampunk-esque feel to it, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The two MCs were a little unlikable at first, but they grew on me. Looking forward to reading more of this.

While We’re Young, by K. L. Walther. This was a cute, fun read, and I spent an enjoyable couple of hours binging it. Definitely a strong Ferris Bueller’s Day Off vibe here, but it was fun.

All the Stars Align, by Gretchen Schreiber (review forthcoming). This was a cute read, although the aunts were a bit much. Nothing unexpected, but it was cute.

Some Like It Scot, by Pepper Basham (review forthcoming). This was a cute, fun book. The secondary characters (mainly his family) were fantastic and made the story.

Boys with Sharp Teeth, by Jenni Howell (review forthcoming). This was a very meh read for me. The faking-her-way-into-an-elite-boarding-school premise wasn’t in the least believable, and it felt like the four MC were the only students even at the school.

The Summer of You and Me, by Denise Hunter, (review forthcoming). Like all of Hunter’s other books, this was a solid, sweet romance. A bit of a surprise at the end, and an enjoyable read.

The Amalfi Curse, by Sarah Penner (review forthcoming). I really enjoyed this read! The setting was wonderful, and I enjoyed both the present timeline and the past one. This was an engrossing read with a solid dose of adventure thrown in 

The Traitor of Sherwood Forest, by Amy S. Kaufman (review forthcoming). This was a meh read for me. Very solid writing and setting, I just didn’t like the story.

I Would Die for You, by Sandie Jones. This audiobook was a blast from the past, but Cassie got on every single nerve I have.

Bait and Swiss, by Korina Moss (review forthcoming).This was a cute, fun read. And the cheese talk made me hungry.

Night Swimming, by Aaron Starmer (review forthcoming). This felt really pointless to me.

The Staircase in the Woods, by Chuck Wendig (review forthcoming). This also felt pointless to me, with the addition of characters I didn’t like and having to hear about the author’s political agenda.

The Murder Machine, by Heather Graham (review forthcoming). Graham is normally a solid, reliable read, but this felt both very rushed (the relationship’s progression, anyway), and the whodunnit aspect felt like she was trying to pull a rabbit out of a hat with no clues beforehand.

Austen at Sea, by Natalie Jenner (review forthcoming). This was a good read from an author I liked. I liked the characters themselves, and I enjoyed this historical aspects, too.

Just Because: I Capture the Castle, by Dodie Smith. I enjoyed this read. Nice voice.

Left Unfinished:
Any Trope But You, by Victoria Lavine. I didn’t make it very far in this because the MC got on my nerves.

The Page Turner, by Viola Shipman. Nope. The first few pages felt like it just jumped around randomly. Chaotic.

The Gods Time Forgot, by Kelsie Sheridan Gonzalez. I didn’t make it very far in this. I felt like I’d been dropped in the middle of a chaotic mess, and I didn’t like the MC enough to sort it out.

Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng, by Kylie Lee Baker. Cora was a hard character for me to like or care about. I really couldn’t do it. She was was too far into her own head.

The Payback Girls, by Alex Travis. Why would I want to read about unhappy, mean people who have no qualms about lying or cheating or stabbing each other in the back? These are horrible people.

The Best Books I Read in February (2025)

In February, I read 23 books, bringing my total for the year to 42 books read. Several of those were really excellent reads.

The Lost Passenger, by Frances Quinn. I really enjoyed this historical fiction read about a woman in a loveless marriage who loses everyone but her small son when The Titanic sinks, and she uses the opportunity to create a new life for herself and her son. Such a good read!

Holy Terrors, by Margaret Owen. I loved Vanya’s voice and snark in this. Her wry observations on life and the people around her made this such a great read.

The Wandering Season by Amie K. Runyan. I love a good travel novel and I love Ireland. Combine that with the foodie aspect of this story, and this was definitely a winner for me.

What I Read in February (2025)

Books Read in February: 23
Books Read for the Year:  42/225

Topical Books/Monthly Goal Books:
Onyx Storm, by Rebecca Yarros (TBR, audio): This series on audio is absolutely enthralling.
Shadow and Bone, by Leigh Bardugo (TBR, audio): I really enjoyed this! Already got the second one on audio, too.
The Answer is No, by Fredrik Backman (TBR): This short story really made me laugh. I love Backman’s quirky characters.
The King of Koraha, by Maria V. Snyder (TBR): I generally love Snyder’s books, but this trilogy wasn’t as good to me.
Misfits, Gemstone, and Other Shattered Magic, by Meghan Ciana Doidge (TBR): That ending, though.
Hearing God, by Dallas Willard (TBR), spiritual: Excellent read.
Dance of a Burning Sea, by E.J. Mellow (TBR): Still loving this trilogy.
Deeper than the Dead, by Debra Webb (TBR): I liked this first book in a series, and pre-ordered the second.
The Dark Enquiry, by Deanna Raybourn (TBR): I think I’m done reading this. The MC is really getting on my nerves.
Under the Magnolias, by T.I. Lowe (TBR): LOVED this.

For Review:

A Circle of Uncommon Witches, by Paige Crutcher. This was just a meh read for me. It felt pretty done to be, like I’d heard it all before, and it was pretty predictable.

The Lost Passenger, by Frances Quinn. I really loved this read! The MC was great, strong and determined, and I loved her tenacity as she learned to be a whole new person.

Southern by Design, by Grace Helena Walz. Loved this Southern fiction read! Charleston itself was a big character in the novel, and I’d love to visit. The characters were great, although the mother was TERRIBLE.

Spring Fling, by Annie England Noblin (forthcoming). This was a cute small-town, second-chance romance. All the characters were great–so many quirky people! And the raccoon…

The Filling Station, by Vanessa Miller (review forthcoming). It was terrible to read about this horrific event, but the book itself was a good read, although I kept getting the two sisters mixed up.

My Big Fat Fake Marriage, by Charlotte Stein (review forthcoming). This was a meh read. It came across as wanna-be porn and just did not work for me.

Mother of Rome, by Lauren J. A. Bear (review forthcoming). I am ashamed to say I went into this expecting to DNF if because most mythology re-tellings I’ve read have been horribly slow. Instead, I binge-read the entire thing in one sitting, and I highly recommend it.

The Bane Witch, by Ava Morgyn (review forthcoming). This was a little slow for me at the beginning, but it soon drew me in. If found it kind of fascinating, and king of horrifying, but the premise was unique and I enjoyed Piers.

His Mortal Demise, by Vanessa Le (review forthcoming). I enjoyed this second book in this duology. There dual POVs/dual-timeline actually worked really well.

The Deathly Grimm, by Kathryn Purdie (review forthcoming). A solid fantasy read, although who the murderer was really wasn’t much of a surprise.

Holy Terrors, by Margaret Owen (review forthcoming). The sheer level of snark in this alone made this read a winner! I didn’t have a clue who the murderer was, but I enjoyed every page of this read.

The Wandering Season, by Aimie K. Runyan (review forthcoming). I do love a good travel/finding yourself novel, and that’s what this was, combined with a lot of great foodie things.

Love, The Duke, by Amelia Grey (review forthcoming). This was just a meh read for me, as both MCs were obstinate and unwilling to see the other’s POV.

Left Unfinished:

All the Hidden Monsters, by Amie Jordan. I was intrigued by the premise of this, but the execution just didn’t work for me. The characters bored me, and I just couldn’t stay interested enough to keep reading.

True Life in Uncanny Valley, by Deb Caletti. This just did not capture my attention. The whole spying-on-her-famous-father thing didn’t work for me, because, really? Someone this well-known and wealthy would not have a house you could just sit there and look into for hours. Not believable.

Elphie: A Wicked Childhood, by Gregory Maguire. This was altogether to disjointed and hard-to-follow for me. I didn’t like the writing style at all.