SO many good books read in these two crazy busy months! I had a lot going on with family, travel, and work, yet I was still able to find time to get lost in these stories – loving the majority of them.

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King of Envy by Ana Huang – So I got all caught up on the series to read this one and eh… I think Huang is easy to read and I never dislike a book of hers. Her books are fun and smutty while being a great escape. I did feel a bit meh about this one simply because it felt like all the others! We really knew nothing about either character and the man guy was non-verbal and a recluse so just felt like it didn’t make sense to pair him and a bubbly socialite out of nowhere. I would recommend the series but I think this is my least favorite so far.

All That Life Can Afford by Emily Everett – This was a true Reese Witherspoon pick in that this would make an awesome movie. As you all know I am doing my best to read all of Reese’s Book Club picks this year, and this was her April pick. We follow Anna, an American graduate student in London. She moved to London all on her own because she loved reading about it and is determined to make it everything she dreamed of. We follow her through her dreams not being as magical or easy to achieve as she thought they were and the battle of knowing you might not be making the most logical choice even if it is the right one. I really related to this main character so much and the fact that this is a debut novel is crazy!

The Rule Book by Sarah Adams – Adams is an auto buy author for me and I am slowly working through her backlist. The Rule Book is the second of her L.A. Sharks duology and did not disappoint. This second chance romance follows a famous football player and his new agent that he has been assigned, the girl he never really got over. It was so cute and fun the whole time with the signature Adams feel carrying through. I would definitely recommend!

The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston – This book is a favorite of so many, so to be honest, I was nervous to read this! I can’t say this was a top 10 of all time like so many say, but I really did love it. Our main character, Clementine, is having a rough go after losing her aunt. She inherits her aunt’s apartment and suddenly finds that sometimes she walks in to her empty and dark new place and other times it’s like walking in exactly how it was seven years ago. This story tackled grief in the most realistic of ways, showcasing the hardships and loneliness we face without the character ever feeling out of reach because she was still going to work and living life as much as she could. Only critique is that the ending didn’t really make all that much sense personally, but definitely recommend!

Born of Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout – This was the final book of the 4-book prequel series, Of Flesh and Fire, so I really can’t say much for fear of spoilers or absolutely nothing making sense. I would say this was good but again way too long. I enjoyed these characters and loved reading, but over 700 pages when the other three were all over 600 just felt like I was reading this for a while.

Say You’ll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez – I’ll be honest, I put this off for a while because my best friend Erin didn’t like it at all. I love all of Abby Jimenez’s books, so I didn’t want this to be a flop and change my mind on her. I’ll be the first to say, Mrs. Jimenez does not miss! Xavier is a hot veterinarian and Samantha is a hilarious social media manager. The only problem with this awesome first date they just had is Samantha moves to California tomorrow. This story tackles so many things, but what really hit home for me was the value of family and just how rare it is to find someone that loves your family just as much as you do. Only reason it wasn’t five stars was that they had some annoying miscommunication and he was so miserable trying to make this work while she was a bit whiny.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald – I just didn’t know what was going on at any time. I never had to read Gatsby in school, so I put this on my 25 books in 2025 TBR. I just never knew who I was supposed to be rooting for or why or even what the plot was. I know this is such an unpopular opinion sorry…

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins – One thing to know about me is that I cannot ever like the villain, especially one that was such a big part of my middle school years. I read the original Hunger Games trilogy in the 5th and 6th grade, and I LOVED THEM. I was always a reader growing up and this was the first time that reading became cool. I loved the writing and the story and the romance and I was so excited to have people to talk to about these book. When Suzanne Collins announced she was coming out with a prequel about Snow, I really did not want to read it. I hated Snow and I did not care to know anything more about him. We follow Snow through a rough childhood and all of the decisions, of his own choosing and of others, that lead to his evilness. I thought this book was so well written and brought me right back into that world immediately. The only real reason that I gave it three stars is that I truly hated almost every character, which only shows Collins’ writing power honestly.

The Rose Bargain by Sasha Peyton Smith – This book follows Ivy, the daughter of a failing marquess in Bridgerton-era England. The only difference is that the Queen of England is immortal and has set a tradition that each citizen upon entering the marriage mart may request a bargain – beautiful hair in exchange for her big toes, a better memory in exchange for her left pinky finger, land for his childhood memories, etc.. The Queen announces that she will be holding a Bachelor-style competition for her son’s hand in marriage, leading to Ivy entering. However she can’t seem to develop feelings for the right brother. Overall, what a unique idea and I absolutely FLEW through the book. Never knew who to trust or what was going to happen next – four stars!

Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone – Cara Bastone is the queen of a beautiful cutesy cover with a heartbreaking story inside. This is NOT a rom-com, so don’t go in thinking this will be a “palate cleanser” or “fluffy romance”. With that being said, I loved this story. Our main character, Lenny, has recently lost her best friend, basically a sister, to cancer. Lenny finds herself unable to cope or really even continue on and accepting small jobs simply to make ends meet. She stumbles upon a babysitting gig for a single mom, whose brother just happens to live upstairs and just learned about his niece. They strike a deal that Lenny will help him learn to bond with his niece if he gets her out of her horrible fog. Bastone tackled grief so well and I loved how these darker topics were handled throughout while still being a beautiful romance.

Heartwood by Amity Gage – I believe I’ve said this before, but one of my goals this year was to read every single one of Jenna Bush Hager’s book club picks. This was her April pick and it did not disappoint! We follow Valerie, an Appalachian trail hiker who is lost beyond explanation, and Beverly, the state warden tasked with leading the search. This was thrilling without being scary, so well researched, and truly unpredictable. FIVE STARS!

Wild and Wrangled by Lyla Sage – I love the Rebel Blue world that Lyla Sage has created and this book was no exception. We finally get Dusty and Cam’s story, following a woman left at the altar and a man who has always been in love with her. This was such a perfect second chance romance with friendship being at the core of the story. I would 100% recommend this series, each book has been just a fun time and they all have the cutest covers!

The Story of A Goat: A Novel by Perumal Murugan – This book was a wild ride tbh. I asked my cousin to pick our three books in Barnes and Noble for me and this was one of them. He very much thought this would be hilarious to hear about and that is his only reason for picking it. This was literally the story of a goat. We start with the goat being born, then it grows up, and then it dies – 147 pages total. I really am unsure if there was a deeper meaning that I missed but yeah…

Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales by Heather Fawcett – I just wanted to finish this trilogy and I can say I have! This book just really assured me that cozy fantasy is not my vibe. The writing was great, the characters were funny and interesting, and the magic system was unique, yet I was so BORED. I do 100% see why people love these, but I just kept hoping something more would happen and then they would just be wandering through the forest again.

Watch Me by Tahereh Mafi – Was this likely an unnecessary story and maybe a money grab? Yes, yes it was. Did I tear through it and wish there was more? Yes, yes I did. Watch Me is a spinoff to the Shatter Me universe, which I read last October, and we are following James, the younger brother of Aaron, as he tries to establish his place in this new world. He is all grown up yet everyone is still treating him like a kid and he is desperate to prove himself. The only place that has yet to transition to the new rule of Juliette and Aaron is Ark Island, so James comes up with a plan to infiltrate the island. Unfortunately, he didn’t really think about what he would do once he was in. This was so much fun and I flew through it. Definitely read the Shatter Me series first and then this one!

Well that’s all for me today – so glad you made it all the way to the end! See you soon!